Goodbye Tanzania...for now!

Well, 10 months has flown by... I leave Tanzania the day after tomorrow!!  Of course I am very excited to see my family, friends & boyfriend, but I am very sad to be leaving such a beautiful place just after I have become used to calling it home! It's the first time I have lived abroad in my life.

view from Haria Hotel rooftop, Moshi

 Its very strange to relocate, adjust, make friends, establish relationships and then leave!? It's hard to leave when I have no guarantee of when I will be coming back... But my time here has been inspirational to say the least! To have 10 months of time dedicated to photography, video, crafting, exploring, sewing, cooking, learning and living is quite a luxury which I will forever be grateful for.

painting in the Hindu Crematorium, Moshi

The past weeks I have been finishing up shooting for the Shanga Shangaa Ltd. documentary, visiting Moshi on the weekends, packing and giving things away.. (to make room for more fabric!)  Jaala is all set with her puppy passport and crate training, I just have to get her through the airport!

Jaala when she was just 6 or 7 weeks old!

The Fulbright has granted me a once in a lifetime opportunity and hopefully encouraged my professional career. Now the hunt begins for a job that will hopefully lead to a full time career in photography or video (*ahem Nat.Geo)... or possibly back to school for another degree?? (gulp!)

waterfalls near Moshi

 For now, I am looking forward to seeing my family, organizing THOUSANDS of photos and trying to recap and share this experience over the course of the holidays! ♥

One last safari

4 weeks and counting until the end of my 10 month Fulbright grant. This year has flown by and I feel like I am just getting started! Last week, I sold my Escudo and my lovely research tent :( so I took it as an opportunity to spring for one last proper safari. I met some new friends through my neighbors who were all booked for a 5 day safari to Tarangire, Serengeti & Ngoronoro Crater and invited me to join them!

We camped for 5 nights to the sounds of lions, hyenas, zebras & buffalo around our tents, woke up early for game drives and saw a lot of amazing wildlife! No matter how many times I go on safari, seeing elephants or giraffes or any African wildlife in person is a deeply moving experience.

Get ready for safari!!!! This industry is very funny to me, people get all geared up in their khaki cargoes, hiking boots and bucket hats just to sit in the car all day! I go in jeans & flip flops..

Sleepy leopard in TarangireRed & Yellow BarbetElephants against the iconic Baobab trees of TarangireLions underneath perfectly shaped Acacia tree in the Serengeti

Topi & a JackrabbitSunrise Balloon over SerengetiMale & Female Lion during mating seasonyoung HyenaBaboon in a Yellow AcaciaSunrise over the Simba Campsite, Ngorongoro HighlandsFlamingos in the alkaline lake inside the craterZebra dust bathvery young lion cubs in the craterexhausted mamaHippos & white egrets against the crater forestYoung maleRare glimpse of a Rhino in the distance