SAFARI

And so she experienced the safari. 

And again, so mind-blowing that a little lady from a little town in Finland, sees an majestic Elephant just standing there in front of her eyes. Or a beautifully abstract giraffe. Or his highness the Lion. Or the amazingly striped Zebra. Or the strong and mighty Hippos. Or all the other amazing amazing amazing animals.

Our team awesome started the fabulous safari from the gorgeous Tarangiri national park. After sleeping well at the very cozy camping area we went to Serengeti National Park. In Serengeti we spent 2 whole days just admiring the beautiful views and amazing animals. And the last day we spent at the breathtaking Ngorongoro Crater. 

Every morning we woke up very early from our cozy tents to start the beautiful day. The whole day we would drive around and take pictures and just eat the view with your eyes. In the evening we would return from the long day and would enjoy the absolutely delicious dinner that our fantastic cook, Ashid, had made. And how great it is just to sit together with such amazing new friends from all over the world. I am so privileged to be on this adventure. 

The views and sceneries were breath taking. God has definitely been inspired when he painted Africa with His brush. Our fabulous safari- guide, Paul, knew exactly the best places to admire the beauty of the nature.

How amazing is the feeling when you are standing in the back of the safari car, driving past the zebras on the fields, in the evening, African wind blowing in your open hair while you listen to your favorite music…. Just absolutely an amazing experience to cherish. Something to tell to the grandchildren. 

Have a adventurous week,

Fanni 

Adventurous weekend

Wow, what a weekend!

On saturday we left early in the morning to Moshi. Our tour-guide for the wonderful weekend was the beautiful Nancy. She had planned everything so well, never we had to worry about anything. 

We started from the bottom of Kilimanjaro. We could see how people were just about to start hiking to the top of the mountain. You could almost touch with your hands the great ambitious feeling in the air.  I have a huge respect for the carriers of the Kili. Their job in it's all simplicity is to carry the hikers stuff up the mountain and back, no big deal. 

 

After visiting the bottom of the mountain, we went to see a traditional coffee plantation. I've never seen anyone as excited and proud of their work, as this old babu who was showing around he's coffee, banana, tobacco, cocoa and avocado plants. I was overwhelmed by the amazing knowledge and love he had towards the plants and nature over all.  We got to see how the coffee was made from the beginning until the end. We even were privileged to taste the wonderful coffee. Best coffee I've EVER had!

From the coffee plantation we went to see some ancient caves and tunnels underground. We were told colorfully about their history. I was amazed of how wisely the ancient tribes knew how to build these very convenient and livable tunnels, and of course without using any modern technology, no wikipedia, no nothing.

Next place we went to was absolutely mind blowingly beautiful. It was a stunning waterfall in this deep deep green valley. But so that we could get to the waterfall we needed to walk down this slippery and muddy path, which we all luckily survived alive. That place was like being inside a scene from some epic fantasy movie.

Quite close to a fantasy movie was also our next stop. It was an old African tribe-museum. We got to go and see inside an traditional tribal house. And inside this tiny 'cottage' there were these poor 2 cows and 4 goats. It made me wonder that what would EU think if it saw how these animals are living and traditionally treated. But the animals were quite healthy looking so I was just happy for them. 

The next day we woke up early for another beautiful day. After very tasty breakfast we started heading to the hot springs. The way to the springs was probably the funnest thing I've done in a long time. I've always wanted to travel with a rickshaw, and so my dreams did come true again. It was suppose to take an hour to the hot springs, but we got stuck in the mud so many times that I think we were on the road for a double time. 

But the long travel was definitely worth it, cause the hot spring was basically heaven on earth. The

turquoise water clear as glass  surrounded by beautiful big green trees. And when you think that it could not be better, then you realize that there is a rope, and with that you can swing and jump to the perfect temperature water. I think that place is closest you can get to heaven on this planet. 

After enjoying the magical hot spring for many hours, came the moment when we had to come back to earth and start our way home. How privileged I am to be on this adventure? I'm just a small girl from a small town in small Finland. It just brings tears of joy to my eyes to be on this big journey.

I am living a dream, Disney was right all along, Dreams do come true! 

Have a week full of beauty and adventure,

Fanni

Weekend feelings

Jambo you fabulous folk!

So the weekend passed by quickly. Even though I think 'quick' does not belong in to the vocabulary in Tanzania. Everything here is extremely slow. Hurry does not exist on these lands. I wish it was as relaxed everywhere as it is in here. I think we Europeans, especially Finns, make stress and mindless hurry without any reason.  Why cannot life just go with the good flow. It is good manners to make it in time everywhere, but why do it  with a stress? 

On Saturday I was very very sick in my stomach for the whole day. I basically spent the day laying at Tanz-Hands cafeteria. But as always, my amazingly wonderful prince saved my day. He talked with me via Skype for 5 wonderful hours!! (Rakastan sua Pyry <3 ) 

Sunday morning after sleeping 13 hours, thankfully, I felt great again. To celebrate the fabulous sunday, we went to spend the day at the Arusha Hotel Pool. It was a perfect weekend vacation under the warm sun and the absolutely beautiful pool environment. We even got to order our most amazing lunch to the pool. I felt just like royalty. 

Also I'm so thankful to get to hang out with these amazing people. These girls are so stunning inside and out. They've got the most beautiful helping heart and this country will definitely change to better with the help they full heartedly give. 

Meet Femke, Embla and Malene

After the fabulous time at the pool, the girls introduced me to the Masai-Market area. I got to buy some very very comfortable swaggy trousers from there. 

During the sunday-adventure we bumped into some local rafikis (friends).  They so kindly told that they'd show us a nice 'park' . This 'park' was basically a local 'in-the-middle-of-bushes'. But it was beautiful! There was a beautiful stream, tall palm trees and green soft grass we could just lay on.  It was one of those moments when I thought that i'm glad I'm not a tourist, cause I would not get into such a random situation if I was following a man-made plan. But that's why there is the divine path I rather set my feet on. 

Have a very relaxed and worry-free week my pretties! 

Tanzanian love to you all!

-Fanni

Week 1#

Jambo!

One adventurous week has passed, feels like 2 days.  I'm in love with this place. 

I've gotten to know better few of my beautiful house mates, Femke from The Netherlands and Malene from Denmark. All 3 of us are Africa rookies, so we have found some comfort in each other. They are so much fun to hang out with. I'm so privileged to share this adventure with them! 

Basically all the weekdays we spend at the Cradle. At 9am (African time) we usually are at Cradle, and at midday we go home for delicious lunch. After lunch head back to our loveliest babies. Around 4pm-5pm, we head home or to Tanz-Hands cafeteria. At Tanz-Hands we have wifi and the best pastries in the whole Usa River! At 6p.m we have a fabulous dinner at home. After the dinner we usually just stay at home and relax and read books and get to know each other. 

Yesterday we went out to eat with 30-40 other volunteers. I had the worlds best vegetarian pizza! It was epic to sit in a room and count how many nationality's  and languages we could find. 

It feels like half of these people here are Scandinavian, so I've gotten a good use to my bestest swedish skills. 

It's beginning to look a lot like rainy season.

After the dinner we went to a club in Arusha called ViaVia. Ok and if parties in Finland were as fun as this African party, I'd go at least every day! Funnest dancing and coolest reggae music, BOOM that's what I call a party. 

Today has been a beautiful day, even though I've been very much tired cause I did not sleep too much last night. But even though I've been tired, the babies do not seem to mind that. The smile these babies give when you go to the nursery, is the best gift I could have in this world.

There so much that we can learn about life attitude from these precious babies. They have not had a beautiful start in their lives. They are abandoned by their own parents, thrown to the garbage, tried to flush down the toilet, tried to drown by their own mother, completely without a family who wants them.  But they still manage to smile and laugh every day. It makes me wonder, why do we complain? 

Have a weekend full of beauty, smile and enchantment!

Love from Usa River, Tanzania

-Fanni

Week starter.

Jambo!

Life here has started. Week here has started. Love it.

On Monday we went to Cradle in the morning. I got to know better the manager of the place, Letcia. She told me the backgrounds of the Cradle Of Love and some interesting details. We walked around the Cradle and she showed all the baby groups. Toddlers, wabblers, crawlers and the nursery. I immediately fell in love with the nursery and the babies. So I stayed there for the morning and I got to know the lovelies. 

Cradle Of Love

Our house maid Venna made us some wonderful lunch. After lunch me and three other volunteers  went with a local 'bus', dalladalla, to the town of Arusha. Arusha was very crowded and it had no logic in it's streets, best thing for a girl without any sense of direction. But thankfullly we found everything we were looking for. While we looked for an adapter, we randomly met a local man who had worked for Fida- international for 14 years, and he was a big help in our search!

Today I woke up pretty tired, cause I could not sleep very well, for my tummy was living a life of it's own.  But as the day started, also I started to feel better. (thank you Gefilus)

I ate breakfast and walked to the wonderful Cradle. 

Cradle Of Love actually is quite near by. It takes about 20 minutes to walk there from our home. We face death by walking right next to the road and crazy drivers. But also the way is very beautiful and everyone who meets you in the street greets you. And so the day starts with all the beautiful smiles. 

Meet Justine

I went straight to the nursery to my lovelies. The morning passed quickly as I fed and played with the babies. Those babies are the most beautiful and adorable babies i've ever seen. How can someone not love them. I'm so attached to them now, how can I leave after 6 weeks without them? 

little lady

But yes, the week has started well for me. Cannot wait to see what happens tomorrow! 

Upendo from Tanzania! <3 

-Fanni

Love at first sight

Mambo!

And she has arrived.  Day 2. in it's end. So far I love it. 

I had a great flight here, It felt like 10 minutes cause for the longest flight I had 3 seats for my self and I slept like a baby. First i flew to Stockholm and after that to Addis Ababa.

 Ok Addis Ababa was an experience. The amount of people in that small airport was crazy. And it took me like an hour to find where i was suppose to go. But in the end I did find the way! 

And then, Kilimanjaro airport! The landing was such Indiana Jones experience. The plane was shaking and the majestic mountains were on the both sides of the plane. But we did end up safely to the airport. Then the wonderful managers of the Cradle of Love came to pick me up from the airport. They took me to the most lovely Zahara, who lives at the small town of Usa River. I live at Zahara's beautiful PINK house with 2 other volunteers, one from Denmark and one from The Netherlands. 

These other volunteers have so helpfully shown me places and how to go around everywhere.

Yesterday I went to see the Cradle, and it was one of the most beautiful but also one of the most heart breaking things I've ever seen. This wonderful (also pink) house full of the most beautiful babies I've ever seen. These precious children just run to you the moment they see you. And at this moment I wish I had 10 extra hands and -extra laps to hold everyone that wants to be held close. 

So beware Finland, I'm taking at least 10 babies with me, No! all of them with me when I come back home! 

The contrast between the two cultures is huge! There is many things that I want to learn from this culture, but some things I would not change for the world. One thing that I do want to bring home with me is the freedom from all the worries, people here seem like they have no worry in the world, they somehow overflow with a peace and sureness that the world is good and beautiful.  The constant smile that these beautiful people have is just something so strengthening and heavenly. 

Something I need to learn, is that in this country there is NO TIME. Everybody lives by their own time and how ever they feel like. I like the thought of that, but it's something i need to sacrifice here, cause I've always been great with time and it's something that is very important to me, so i guess i'll put the time in my suitcase for now and learn the art of being timeless. 

But yes so far so good, not just good but amazing. 

Welcome to Usa River, Tanzania my fabulous folk! 

To be continued….