A beautiful world

Photos: Catalina Island

jazsnt — Wed, 4 Jun 2014 13:43:00 GMT

California

First time in a new world

jazsnt — Wed, 4 Jun 2014 13:27:00 GMT

Stepping onto the ferry with anticipation, I glanced around at my fellow travelers. I could see couples holding hands, college kids and families all perched onto the front window of the boat with child-like excitement. We all venture out today to an island known as Pimu or 'mountains above the sea' to the indigenous people that once inhabited its 21 miles of land. I too urged forward to catch a view of the island. When the island first came into view, I could only see enormous green mountains dotting the horizon as if only they, were floating on the blue expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Half way into the trip I hear the speakers blaring "Whale! to the right!". My eyes widened in disbelief and I quickly ran to the side. I waited for a minute which felt like an eternity as my eyes roamed the surface searching for any life-like signs. Suddenly, an incredibly large and beautiful fluke or whale tail came out of the water splashing on its way back down. I then witnessed the whale spouting out water above its head through its blowhole. The sheer grand size of the animal, the living mammal that traveled along its own destination just as we were doing, was such an incredible and heart warming experience. Tears fought to escape my eyes, tears of joy at knowing that life could be this beautiful and this magnificent.

City life

jazsnt — Thu, 15 May 2014 14:05:53 GMT

I remember the first time we went out into the city of Arusha in Tanzania. It was so different from the calm and lush tropical landscape of the Imbaseni village. I was 20 years old then. I was participating in a global scholar internship for the summer after my third year in college. For the past week, my home had been in a small wooden hut with a family of four. The father farmed and tended the cattle and goats. The children were two small girls with cropped hair taking a liking to me immediately. Karen, the smallest of the girls, about four years of age held my hand after the first day we met. The bathroom was in another hut, located outside and much smaller. Once inside flies buzzed around you and within the dark hole in the ground which was actually the toilet. One night I saw a couple of spiders dangling off my ceiling. I told Papa (they liked to be called after the position they had in the family) I was terrified of them. He looked at me and started laughing. "You are scared of that?". I nodded vigorously. "No worries, I take care". I expected him to slap them away but he decided on heading straight over to them and grabbing them in his hand like they were just any other speck on the wall. He showed no fear and I was amazed. He took it outside and I was happy to see the little guy would survive. Later I found out the people here are terrified of chameleons. How funny!
The nights were quiet and peaceful there and I loved it so much. Now we were headed to the city. Once we arrived, the city lay before our eyes in stark contrast to the village. There were streets, pavement, white concrete buildings everywhere with some palm trees, the hustle and bustle of markets and the city life. Everywhere you looked people were selling things on stands: bracelets, flags, earrings, sneakers. I looked over near a building to see a stork! I've never seen one before and honestly thought they were made up creatures in cartoons. It was astonishing to see one! With its long beak, black and white feathers, thin legs and pink wrinkling skin near the head and mouth. As we walked by several vendors something unforgettably funny happened. Our trip leader is very tall, has long hair, quite a beard and blue eyes. While walking alongside him we heard some vendors approach and jest "Oh Jesus! Help us, we have so many problems!". My next home stay would be here in the lively and humorous city of Arusha and I could not wait for a different experience!

Photos: East Africa

jazsnt — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:33:00 GMT

My trip in 2008 to Tanzania and Kenya