Category: Africa

Okay, last week on safari we saw a serious amount of animals, and more than just cows and goats!

First we drove to Ngorongoro Crater — the world’s largest inactive, intact, and unfilled volcanic caldera.  When we arrived at the entrance gate, our driver and guide, Julius, told us to close our windows because the baboons would jump in and grab our food. One family member scoffed at the likelihood of such an event and kept their window open. Before we knew it, baboons were surrounding the car and one had jumped in and began rummaging through the car. Everyone at the gate quickly jumped to our aid and cleared the area, and the baboon happily jumped out of the jeep eating our apple after having a few other snacks. Lesson learned:  listen to our guide!  

With that, we popped the top of the safari jeep, stood on our seats, and drove down into the crater. It was just after sunrise, there were no other cars in sight, and even the smell was amazing. The scenery alone was, as the kids would say, “Majestic!”  There were so, so many animals. We were soon surrounded by herds of wildebeest, buffalo, zebras, gazelles, and so much more. It was a particularly fun time because we arrived right after calving season so we saw lots of babies and kept saying things like, “baby warthogs have the cutest butt!” 

Later in the morning we saw more safari cars and soon learned to stop at herds of cars. Usually it was a group who said they could see a rhino in the distance, but we could never see it. The rhino is endangered because of poaching and our guide said there are only 9-10 left in the crater so it was rare to see them. We had given up hope and then, right before we left, we saw a mother and baby all on our own.

We then spent two nights in the Serengeti which was similarly spectacular. We saw many of the same animals but in a different way. The landscape is endless and beautiful, and some of the herds were enormous. We frequently had groups of animals surround us as they crossed the road. We were particularly moved by close-up encounters with large groups of elephants, zebras, and giraffes. We also got very close to some lions, Dev’s spirit animal and number one priority.  We finished the day with a swim in the lodge pool overlooking the Serengeti. 

For our last day of the trip, we went to the Lake Eyasi region to visit two tribes who are still living according to their traditional ways.  The Hadzabe, who are hunters and gatherers, have a language that uses clicking which is super beautiful, but not when we tried to do it. They taught us about the different arrows they use for each animal and then took us out hunting with them.  After a staggering kill count of one bird, they kindly gave us some archery lessons. We then went to visit the Dagoota tribe, who are known for their blacksmith skills (and trade arrowheads with the Hadzabe in exchange for food).  They came from the Nile region and used to live with the Maasai people before conflict drove them apart.  The women asked us questions and shared what their lives were like, and then gave us some lessons in grinding corn. The men showed us how they melt down metal and turn it into arrowheads, jewelry, and other functional items. 

We went back to the hub for a couple nights and said tearful farewells to our new friends. Next stop is Sri Lanka (via Dubai)!

The second and final week of the worldschool hub was focused on art.

The kids went down to the river to collect clay, processed it, and made their own sculptures. Another day they recycled used paper and made awesome new sheets. They also made drinking cups from coconuts and decorated them which ended up being much more complicated than I would have imagined — I’m grateful to the visiting artisan who patiently managed it all. 

There was one big field trip to Arusha to visit Shanga (a social enterprise which employs people with disabilities to create jewelry and glassware) along with smaller trips to local pools; restaurants with playgrounds and room to run; and a trip in a tuk-tuk to the secondhand market for safari supplies. 

Mira also got some extra practice cutting hair on several brave adults and kids while Dev befriended the feisty cat and even made her a bed. We spent lots of time at the campfire — with live music our last weekend— and the kids watched movies in the yoga room. For the closing ceremony, the kids made and gave out gratitude cards for the staff which was lovely. 

Oh, and did we mention the scorpion? Well, it was about the size of a nickel so Mira was very lucky to see it before it took a jab at us. It was ready to fight!

We are off to safari tomorrow and the kids are excited to see the animals but also super disappointed we are going on a different one than the other families. I think that means the last two weeks were a big success!  We will all meet back at the hub for one night before departing Tanzania for Sri Lanka (via Dubai).

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!

We loved Rwanda! It is hilly and green with a temperate climate, and everything is clean and well run. It’s also incredibly compelling to see how thoughtfully the country has approached moving forward after the genocide. Notably, Rwanda is the first country in the world to have a majority female government which, ahem, may have something to do with it.

When we asked the kids where they wanted to go on our trip, Rwanda was one of their top choices because of a company called Zipline, Inc. which they learned about it from a video by Marc Rober, a STEM YouTuber. Zipline uses super quiet and efficient drones to deliver medical supplies to rural and other hard to reach areas. They can access the entire country in less than an hour and are very busy with launching and landings (see the video below the photos). It is truly a life-saving operation, especially for emergencies. While we were there, we watched them send blood to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) where many people were fleeing the violence. The process is truly phenomenal and inspiring, and has grown from Rwanda to operations worldwide.

We also did a homestay in a local village and the kids took a class on building mud homes. It was hard work, especially when Mira got in there to mix the water and dirt with her feet which was much harder than it looked. One highlight for the kids was the animals — the family had a cow, goat, several pigs, and a bunch of chickens that were all maintained in the interior of the home. Dev also loved helping to build the fire to cook dinner at night. The pit latrine/toilet, with no door, next to all the chickens was decidedly less fun. We ended the homestay with a dance party where the women taught us a cow dance and we taught them the Macarena. The experience is run by an NGO, Azizi Life, and the women that hosted us were all part of various cooperatives that work with Azizi.  The cooperatives make products that are then sold at the Azizi Life stores and any profit above fair wages is reverted back into community support and development.

Besides the homestay and the trip to Zipline, we otherwise spent our two weeks in the capital, Kigali. We had been considering some other side trips but violence (re)erupted on the border with DRC shortly after we arrived and we decided it was safer to stay in Kigali. The grandparents were worried enough as it was.  

We couldn’t go to Rwanda without learning more, and teaching the kids, about the genocide. Our first stop was the Kigali Genocide Memorial where they promptly told us that kids are not allowed. Oops!  But it’s never too early to traumatize your children so we proceeded with a thoughtful guide who skipped a few things that were particularly not age appropriate. She taught us about the history of Rwanda, the role of colonization and colonizers in the genocide, and the resulting horrific violence. We also learned how the country has thoughtfully and intentionally approached repair and reconciliation in the aftermath (again, notably, led by a government that is majority women). One of my favorite examples, albeit a small one, is that once a month everyone stops what they are doing and works on neighborhood projects together like picking up trash (which explains why it’s so clean everywhere) to build community and accountability. We went to the memorial on Johanna’s birthday which probably wasn’t the best decision. Afterwards, we decided to cancel our fancy dinner plans because none of us were feeling in the mood. 

We also made time for some fun. Dennis fulfilled a bucket list goal and took a lesson to learn how to ride a motorcycle!  There are “Moto” taxis everywhere and everyone drives super patiently and responsibly so it seemed like the perfect place. We even let the kids take a short ride around the block.  They had a blast!

The next stop is Tanzania where we are going to a two-week hub with minimal electricity and then a short safari. 

After Cape Coast, we took a long and bumpy road to Busua, a small fishing village in the western region of Ghana.  We seriously upgraded our living conditions to a private room with air conditioning, running water, and beach access (after walking through a small river). The kids and Dennis took daily surfing lessons and everyone learned to stand up and ride the waves (lots of photos/videos below!). We had planned a few side trips but decided to take it easy, surf, and catch up on math lessons. It was lovely and relaxing, and a much needed rejuvenation. 

Our last stop in Ghana was Kumasi, heart of the Asante (also known as Ashanti) people. We learned more about the Asante empire, visited the palace and the jubilee house museums, and saw lots of original artifacts (except the golden stool, much to Dennis’s dismay). The palace was amazing for the original items inside, and the outside was amazing for the many peacocks wandering around and an incredible rubber tree.  We also appreciated seeing some of the recently returned gold items from other countries. Mira also achieved her goal of finally buying and drinking water from a small bag instead of a bottle.

We couldn’t learn about the Asantes without learning about kente cloth. We followed up the museums with a trip to Adanwomase, birthplace of kente (though Bonwire says it was there but…). We learned about the incredible intricacies of the weaving and the meaning behind patterns, visited the cacao farm, and also went to see the shrine and local Chief’s palace. Of course, Johanna particularly enjoyed learning how defense attorneys won’t actually defend a client if the chief has already found them guilty. Because, of course, everyone knows the chief is right. We were happy to find a black and white kente cloth with a pattern meaning you should work hard towards your dreams and goals. 

Next we fly out east for Rwanda! When we arrived in Ghana, the health inspector insisted on a gift before returning our papers so this time we plan to be more prepared.

The trip to Cape Coast was intense and moving, and it had been one of our priorities for the kids. We started by visiting the Assin Manso Slave River which is where people who had been forced into slavery — after being marched in chains barefoot for long distances — were bathed before being sold.  It was eerily peaceful given its history.

After that we went to see Cape Coast Castle and Elmina Castle. At both we saw the dungeons where humans were held for months, punishment practices and cells, and learned about the systematic rape of women. We also saw the infamous doors of no return, and the country’s more recent attempt to flip those dark passages into doors of return and welcoming. We have been studying the great African civilizations juxtaposed against the transatlantic slave trade and chattel slavery in anticipation of this part of the trip and it was heartbreaking to see it in person. 

In Cape Coast we stayed at a hostel run by the Baobab Foundation with a variety of local projects supporting the community. The kids got to experience shared living spaces, bathrooms two flights downstairs from your room, and no running water. There was also no AC and, gasp, unreliable WiFi.  Still, we loved it, especially the store where you could buy things made by the students. 

We spent one morning traveling to a canopy walk in the treetops of Kakum national rainforest where we caught Mira in the exact spot Johanna stood 25 years ago. Take a look at the photos where you can see the same tree in the background. After our treetop walk we convinced the kids to go to a “movie house” where you watch a movie on a tv in an air conditioned room, only for us, just to get out of the heat. I’m not sure I even remember what we watched but it was a blast. 

Next up is a drive down the coast to Busua Beach. 

It. Is. Hot. It feels like the high 90s most days and is humid. We were supposed to have two rooms at a guest house but the a/c only worked in one room so we ended up staying together with two of us sleeping on the floor. The parents are too old for this. 

Johanna visited Ghana 25 years ago with her friend Chloë and was excited to be back. We did the classic tour of the city to see the important monuments and museums, and learn about Kwame Nkrumah (the beloved first president, and an influential pan-Africanist), but we also went to the mall to see a movie (Sonic the Hedgehog, a classic) and to get some new clothes for the kids. 

We tried to do a street food tour at the famous Makola Market but the tour guide didn’t show up so we braved the market on our own. It was intense, especially because it was the middle of the day at peak heat. Still, it was a truly amazing experience. One highlight from the market was when someone recognized us from earlier in the week and yelled out for “Dennis and the family!” We are famous!

We also got out of the city one day and went to see the Shai Hills Nature Reserve (baboons everywhere!) and took a boat tour on the Volta river to see the Akosombo Dam.  The hydroelectric dam created Volta lake which covers 3.6% of the surface of Ghana, which is big! On the way we stopped by the Cedi Bead factory to see how glass is recycled to make handmade beads and were amazed about how much work it takes for each bead.

The kids and Dennis also took a short drum lesson – and considered buying a drum to go with the one that Johanna already owns from 25 years ago. 

After a week here, we discovered that Dev likes jollof rice, Johanna was happy to have red-red again, everybody still loves plantains, and Mira is happy the food here is spicy. Mira and Dev have also both been inspired by the strength and skill of (mostly) women carrying things on their heads and have been practicing the same. Though most everyone speaks English, Dennis has been studying Twi and practices whenever he can. 

Next we are heading west to Cape Coast.

Seeing the pyramids in Giza has been a dream for Dennis since he was a kid and there was no way we were doing this trip without making it happen.  Luckily, they did not disappoint!  

We only saw the pyramids in Giza as the Department of State advises against travel in Egypt right now and having kids makes you do things like look up the travel advisories from the Department of State.  As a result, we had a short stop in Egypt.  That said, it was still worth it.  We got a guide (thanks to Konrad for the suggestion!) who was great at shepherding us through everything, cutting lines, and keeping things at a level that was still digestible for the kids.

Experiencing the pyramids from the outside was amazing enough but Dennis and the kids also went inside the largest one (see the 360 photo below).  It’s famously claustrophobic, especially with the crowds, so Johanna waited outside.  It was super hot inside but everyone said it was worth it and they took lots of photos and videos so Johanna could see what she missed.  We also went to a quieter spot on the other side where we could walk up to the pyramids without the crowds and people asking us to buy things.  That was particularly nice and Mira took advantage of the time to take one of the best pictures of the trip – her eating Dev.  The sphinx was next on our list to see and luckily it was right nearby to guard the pyramids.

Our guide took us to stops where we learned about how papyrus was made (and Dev taught the employees about making paper airplanes), about essential oils, and the kids got to practice blowing glass!  We also bought some jewelry and the highlight was going to the factory where we saw them make a custom piece with Mira’s name in hieroglyphics and plate the silver in gold!  They also re-sized Dev’s new ring.  It was super interesting to watch and Mira even got to help.  Overall, there was a lot of playing with fire.  

When we weren’t buying things, we also went to see several museums.  The original, older museum still has most of the items, including what was found inside of King Tut’s tomb.  We all learned for the first time that King Tut was not really an important leader and is only famous because his tomb was found before it was looted.  There are so, so many amazing things in this museum that it’s overwhelming but the conditions are really poor.  It kind of felt like Egypt’s attic.  Luckily, they are in the process of moving to a brand new museum which we went to see even though it’s not fully open yet.  We also went to a separate museum where a large collection of mummies of kings and queens are on display.  The kids were really amazed when they first saw the mummies but by the end it was, “oh, another mummy.  More skeletons and organs?  Cool.”

We walked away incredibly moved by what we saw and we were impressed with the ingenuity and beauty of ancient Egyptian civilization.  It’s really breathtaking.  Also, um, we saw a 35,000-year-old skeleton and tools from a million years ago!

The next stop is Ghana!

Below is Dev’s interactive 360 photo from inside the pyramid. Press play and the click and drag to look around.

For our last two weeks in Morocco, we returned to the Atlas mountains for our first worldschooling hub. Hubs are programs that provide a community, and often programming, for families who practice worldschooling (aka traveling while educating their kids).  They exist all over the world and the set-up can vary significantly.  

For this one, all ages were welcome, and there were theoretically activities for the kids everyday.  It was located right on a small river in the valley of the mountains.  The program and supervision were very loose.  Still, there were some cultural classes, lots of soccer (in an empty pool) for Dev, hikes to mountaintops and waterfalls, ziplining, cooking lessons, scorpions, learning how to make and apply henna, kickboxing, Amazigh drumming and singing around a bonfire, and lots of swinging for both kids.  One afternoon the kids helped teach an English class to local children.

While I wouldn’t say it was what we expected, it was still a helpful learning experience for us.  It was nice for the kids to have time with other kids, for us to meet and learn from other families, and for us to learn more about the hub experience.     

Meanwhile we also survived our biggest challenge yet: submitting NYC high school and middle school applications!  Thanks to everyone who helped us along the way as we tried to make decisions from afar.

It has been five months since we left NYC and we have learned so much about the experience, what works for us, and what works for our kids.  There is still so much we don’t know and it constantly evolves.  With all that said, we decided to make some tweaks to our itinerary.

After Morocco we will make a quick stop in Spain – to Valencia and Barcelona – where we are very excited that Mira’s friend, Maya, will join us for a bit!  After that we will do an even quicker stop in Istanbul, pass through Cairo to see the pyramids (bucket list!), and then land in Ghana for a while before heading East to Rwanda and then Tanzania.

More soon!

The drive to Marrakesh through the High Atlas mountains was breathtaking, both because of the beautiful vistas and because of all the twists and turns of the road!  We all felt like A-listers with a stop in Ourzazate at Atlas Studios, the Hollywood of Morocco, where many popular films and commercials have been made (e.g., Game of Thrones, Gladiator, Ben Hur).  The guide even made a mini-movie of Dev as Cleopatra (see video below).  We also made a quick stop to see Ait Benhaddou, a historic village that was along the caravan route from the Sahara to Marrakesh.

After a full day, we arrived at Ryad Dyor in Marrakesh which was amazing.  It is three homes combined so a bit of a puzzle with multiple courtyards and a beautiful rooftop where we ate an amazing breakfast every morning. 

On our first full day we had a guide who showed us the major sites, including the Kutubiyya Mosque (built around 1200 and standing 253 ft high), and the jewish area (we love the jews!).  Dennis and the kids weren’t feeling great so they went home early while Grandma and Johanna continued the tour through the medina, Ben Youssef medrasa (a school), and Jemaa el-Fnaa square.  We tried to remember where we were going so we could return with everyone else.  It’s slightly less overwhelming than the Fes medina but there are also people on motorcycles zooming through so you have to be much more aware.  The medina in Marrakesh also has some more contemporary designers which was interesting and a delicious highlight was getting a bunch of fresh ground spices to bring home.  

Since several of us were not feeling great, we took it easy the next day enjoying the ryad and taking a stroll through the medina (with Grandma and Johanna as guides).  Highlights included a long stop at a hipster store, practicing some metalwork, and buying more sweets from an incredible place that has passed through three generations.  The almond pastries are a favorite, especially the Kaab El Ghazal (the gazelle’s horn). We finished off with the required tourist stops to see monkeys and snakes in the square, dinner at the street vendors, and then rides home in Tok Toks (see video below).   

The next day we went to the ever popular Marjorelle Gardens, Yves Saint Laurent museum, and a museum showing his private collection of Amazigh antiques (still called the Berber museum).  It was our first time seeing lines of tourists.  The last museum was especially beautiful, particularly because of the way it was displayed.  After lunch, we headed off to our hammam experience.  Historically, not everyone had access to baths so hammams were created as public baths where people could go to wash (men and women separately).  It involves multiple steps including a serious scrub down, some version of a hot sauna, and rinsing off.  They remain popular today and are very much a social experience where the community gathers.  For tourists like us, there are now also private spas where you can visit for a hamman-type experience.  We split into two groups: Grandma took the kids and then Dennis and Johanna went together. The kids loved it and Dennis survived it.  For dinner we switched gears from the classic tagines and went to a contemporary restaurant which was incredible.  

For the final day, Dennis and the kids went to a cooking class outside of the city on a farm where they learned to shake their tajines by dancing to music, all about the tea ritual, and they got to meet the animals on the farm.  Meanwhile Johanna and Grandma went to eat at Mamounia, a bucket list item for Grandma, and had a lovely lunch where they were particularly excited to eat fresh salad.  

Tomorrow, we say goodbye to Grandma and our wonderful guide/driver, Mohamed! He will take Grandma back to Casablanca at an extremely early hour for her flight home and the rest of us will drive into the Atlas Mountains for our first Worldschooling Hub. 

Here is the link for the video if it does not work above.

https://youtu.be/u5ex1QAn7hM?si=U6a4lLx6JPyqpfV1

https://youtu.be/_tabULoCxPU?si=6Mv6QHGnTLS7yC0T