While we wait for Julie to get back from Europe (we miss her madly!) Sydney and I just put Alex on a bus to go to the airport to go back to Africa. That's right, back to Africa! I'm still in awe of how blessed my kids are to have these opportunities. I mean, how many of us can say we've been to the Dark Continent? Let alone visiting twice in 3 months! Color me jealous, and just a little envious!
This is his annual school mandated Interim rip. The whole event is designed to get them out of their element in unfamiliar surroundings so that they can appreciate how some of the rest of the world lives. This one is largely a service trip. The main objective for the 20 or so students is to teach English in a Tanzanian school.
However, there is always a certain element of fun time built into each of these adventures. For example, after flying into Bangkok, he flies to Nairobi, then to Kilimanjaro International Airport. They'll get picked up by bus and driven to Lake Manyara National Park. There he will get a chance to see tree climbing lions, groups of elephants and other big game on an afternoon game drive.
On March 3 (best day of the year, btw. Do you know why that is?) he'll get a chance to visit the Ngorongoro Conservation area. Along with a huge volcanic crater, the park hosts more than 25,000 wild animal species including the elusive Black Rhino. I think a night game drive happens here too.
March 4 has them learning about different Tanzanian tribes on a tour through Mto Wa Mbu. From there they head to Moshi, Tanzania, where they will spend the night. Not Mogadishu, mind you, but Moshi. Irrelevant factoid...the currency in Tanzania is the Tanzanian Schilling, or TZS. Hm.
Finally, on March 5, they get to the service part of the trip. From March 5th through the March 8th, they will spend time at the Mrupanga Primary School, the Akili Day Care, or the Tuleein Orphans Home (yes, the spelling is correct).
All of these TZ organizations help kids who are either disabled or who have lost their parents. The HKIS kids will be teaching English, playing sports and generally spending time with these less fortunate children. Alex's group will be working with 9-12 year old kids. He went away with 5 Frisbees, 200 word search puzzles, a world map and 50 gold medals to pass out as awards. Should be an enlightening and humbling experience.
He returns to HK on March 10 after about 18 hours in transit. The original plan was for me to pick him up at the airport. Fortunately, he was gracious enough to accept the offer of a ride from one of his comrades from the TZ trip.
The fortune would be mine because that will save me a extra trip to the airport that same night. I'm already on duty to provide shuttle service for some other VIP's that night. That's right. We are hosting our first visitors to HK!
Three of our favorite people in the whole world will be visiting us soon. Erica, Trevor and Gavin are coming to visit! For the uninitiated, Erica was Alex's first baby sitter. Her husband is Trevor, master chef / future Commandant of the US Coast Guard. We spent some great times with them in SF. Their son is Gavin, or G-man, and is now about 5 years old (I think). Oh, and Erica is pregnant! They're stopping by on the way to Thailand for some R and R. Good for us that HK is the gateway to old Siam. We can't wait for them to get here!
Double reunion with Alex coming home from being away for 10 days (which is very difficult!) and great friends that we haven't seen in over two years! Looks like a busy couple of weeks. The photos should be plentiful and entertaining!
Stay tuned.
