Tanzania (Part 1)

We just finished our first of two weeks at a worldschooling hub in Moshi, Tanzania (more specifically, Kwa Sadala), and it has been amazing.  We were welcomed with a cacao ceremony and a dance party with a surprise visit from our Maasai neighbors (a semi-nomadic tribe in Kenya and Tanzania).  And, you guessed it, we taught them the Macarena.  We’re really a one-trick pony.  

You can see Mt. Kilimanjaro from our place and there are frequently herds of farm animals walking by. The kids can’t get enough of the cows, goats, and surprisingly beautiful donkeys (and their babies!).  We are staying in a beautiful cob house made of natural materials with solar power, bucket showers, and compost toilets.  While it can get pretty hot in the afternoons (this is the hottest month in Tanzania), the mornings and evenings cool down with strong winds and it can be rather magical.  

Our first week here was focused on learning about culture.  We took several excursions:  a cooking class at a home where the kids made banana stew and homemade coconut milk, among other things; a waterfall hike where Dennis and Mira jumped in the cold waterfall direct from Mt. Kilimanjaro; a visit to a coffee plantation to see how coffee is made (and now the kids keep asking for a “kid coffee” every morning); and a visit to a home in a different village where they ate lunch and made their own soccer ball out of banana leaves before putting the ball to good use.  When we weren’t on excursions, the kids were busy with activities like yoga, mindfulness, and journaling.  They also had a series of lessons with their new friend, Gaby, a Maasai warrior.  Gaby taught them about the Maasai’s history and his life, took them on nature walks to gather plants and make medicine, and also practiced some Maasai beading.    

Over the weekend we went to some Maasai lodges where the kids got to swim in a fabulous pool, learn about spear hunting lions (and practice throwing the spears themselves), and visit a neighboring village and hold a baby goat.  Mira also traded anklets with the grandmother. On top of it all, we were lucky to share these experiences with new friends across the generations.  We are excited for week two – art!