Well, it's time to say goodbye to Orkeeswa and Tanzania. We originally came for a one year stint and stayd for over 2 1/2 years. Our families want our hides for being gone so long. Our friends here want us to stay. So, it's with sad hearts that we wrap up this chapter of life. Goodbye kids. Goodbye friends. Goodbye Eggman.
Celebration
Peter and friends were very generous and threw us a party a week ago. We ate two goats and celebrated with LOTS of people from the school and community. Yes, even Eggman was there for a bit (what party would be complete without him!).
Last Day at the School
The last day of the school actually went pretty well. We had begun saying goodbye in our minds a long time ago. So, the mental transition was already well underway. Plus, I had just given one whale of a test to the form 3 & 4 students. They stumbled out of their classrooms to assemble and say goodbye to us. Had I been them, I'm pretty sure I would have been thinking "and good riddance!". We said a few words of goodbye under the flag pole.
Peter, Saingorie & Kesume to the USA
We were also assembling to say goodbye to Peter, Sangorie & Kesuma. Saingorie and Kesuma will be studying in the US at a private school named Groton for two months. Peter had a bad ankle sprain from a few days prior so it was bound to be an interesting trip for them.
Church with Agnes
On Easter Sunday we went to church with Agness and her family. After we ate 3 meals and listened to rap music while sweating profusely on the couch in her house. Heri ya pasaka!
Climbing Oldonyo Lengai
We climbed a still active volcano named Oldonyo Lengai. We went this past Monday with friends Thomas, Hamad and Mzee. It took 6 hours on a terrible road to get there. We arrived, set up camp, slept for one hour and began to climb. Long story short - it was really difficult! Most of the slipper slope was at a 45 degree angle or better. But, we all arrived at the rim around sunrise. Yes, I did think the rising sun was magma glowing from the crater. No, Lisa didn't make too much fun of me for that. Yes, there was smoke and sounds coming out of the volcano. The WORST though was coming down. We slipped and slid down for 3+ hours. What an experience!
Final Reflections
Now it's time to say goodbye. Back to USA. Back to family. Back to the cold. Thank you to everyone for coming along with us these past many days. It has been quite an adventure and we're glad to have shared it.
