Blog

Name: Sarah Peterson
School: The Ohio State University
Major: Animal Science/Zoology
Program: Techniques for Wildlife Research, Tanzania

Habari za leo! Summer Session II students have been in Tanzania for less than two weeks, but I think I speak for all of us when I say it feels like much longer. But that’s a good thing! We’ve been kept so busy, from visiting the national parks to hanging out at the local primary school. We even had two (totally real) classes about grass and about poop! And in these 11 days, I’ve already made some memories that will last a lifetime.

Just the other day we visited Tarangire National Park. It was there that I saw one of my favorite animals, the giraffe (or twiga in Swahili) in the wild and really close! We also saw huge herds of elephant, zebra, and wildebeest. The baobab and acacia trees are like something out of a painting. It was beautiful and exhilarating.

We’ve also had the really wonderful opportunity to work alongside four local students from Kenya and Tanzania. It’s been awesome having impromptu Swahili lessons and insight about the culture that we might not have received otherwise. It’s also great to now think of the program as a joint effort between three countries, and not just “us helping them.”

After I return home, I’m sure I’m going to miss Tanzania, but I’m also really excited to share my experiences (and my hundreds of photos) with my friends and family. From all of us at Moyo Hill, baadaye!