This post features student writing.

Hey families and friends, long time no see!

It is Sallie-Bell here and I am so excited to tell y’all about our past couple of days here in Maji Moto. Today marks our eighth day away from home and we are slowly but surely adjusting to the customs and culture here. This past Saturday we left our compound for the first time and traveled an hour to Arusha. Once we arrived we were split into groups and sent off on a fun scavenger hunt. Although we were were not familiar with the area, the locals were very welcoming and helped us get around the city. Along with the rest of the group, I visited the Maasai market and central market. I practiced my bartering skills and although I wasn’t always successful, I slowly got the hang of it and was able to buy some cool souvenirs for my family!

On Sunday our group was woken up before sunrise so we could join the community at the Lutheran church service located near our compound. While none of us knew what was being said, it was an interesting experience and one I will never forget. The music was beautiful and our group even contributed by singing songs such as “Twinkle Twinkle, Little Star” and “Row, Row, Row Your Boat!” Following the church service, we traveled far to a mountain in order to hike to a waterfall. The hike was long and difficult but the incredible views and gorgeous waterfall made it well worth it. Some people even went swimming!

On our way back from the waterfall, we had an unexpected opportunity to see a Maasai house. The house was very different from our way of living. For example, my peers and I learned that the Maasai people keep their animals inside the house with them during the night to keep them safe. Seeing the Maasai house was a nice surprise and very different from what I expected, and it was interesting to learn more about the Maasai culture.

Following our beautiful hike, we traveled back to the compound and we had our daily night meeting where we discussed our weekend and our plans for the week ahead of us. Today we jumped back into our community service work and tonight we have our welcoming ceremony where we will sing and dance for our locals and new friends! This past weekend I made some unforgettable memories and I am excited to make more in the upcoming weeks!

— Sallie-Bell