Our first week on the jobsite was absolutely incredible! Everyone has been working as such a cohesive team that we have already constructed the first two layers of bricks around the house. We the leaders are extremely impressed by each student’s efficiency and willingness to do whatever it takes to get the job done. So what better way to celebrate our success than to explore Arusha for a day!
We woke up bright and early Saturday morning ready to take Arusha by storm! On our way there we jammed out to everything from “Bohemian Rhapsody” to Justin Bieber, took in the sights, and even saw Mount Kilimanjaro in the distance for the first time! Once arriving in the heart of Arusha we shopped around at some of the local stores and even treated ourselves to some pizza (and WiFi) at the amazing Woodlands Café.
Because we had been working hard these past couple of days we decided to spend the rest of the afternoon relaxing poolside at the Impala Hotel. Although the water was freezing it was fun being able to splash around and relax for a few hours. We ended the day with a spread of both Chinese and Italian food and plenty of sodas to go around. A pretty great way to end the day!
The community of Maji Moto has been so welcoming to us and on Sunday they invited our group to attend church with them. We were welcomed with open arms and to show our appreciation we even performed “Lean on Me” at the beginning of the service. It was such a unique experience and a great way to see how the people of Maji Moto spend a typical Sunday. Once the service was over we headed back home to find steaming plates of pasta awaiting us, lovingly prepared by the Mamas. The rest of the day was spent hand washing our clothes, exploring the village, and even playing a friendly soccer match with some of the locals. The weather all day had been absolutely spectacular so we ended the day eating our dinner together outside as the sun slowly set.
Tomorrow marks another day on our service project and we cannot wait to see what adventures will follow!
– Alex & Sam