Introducing the violin to the Tanzanian school children

 after all the children 'saw' a vibrating string, I invited them to feel the vibration through the scroll - you'll see their reactions

Lake Manyara

tented camp Maramboi where I stayed (SE side of Lake Manyara)

HOT late afternoon walking safari 

driving on the dry lake next to Impala

trusty chariot with my Massai guide Lengai in the passenger seat

Maribu Stork - these babies are tall!

Flamingos in the distance - a line of pink as far north and south as I could see. Ngorongoro Crater is just over the mountains

Early morning drive along the edge of the lake, watching out for dark patches - thats where it turns into goopy mud that our feet sunk into!

Bishops

Work hard & have fun doing it!

Arusha street scenes

milkman's baiskeli (bicycle)

bed frames for sale - street side 

neighborhood charcoal collector's donkey

dusty drive on one of the shortcut roads

my mechanic (gari fundi) Sam

transporting hay for cows

daladalas have cool mantras

shoes for sale - street side

clothes for sale

Sam's garage

this is how I get my kitchen knives sharpened

Beethoven concert in Dar Es Salaam

This was a fun way to spend a weekend! Megan (cellist) and I were flown down to Dar for two full days of...practice, nap, rehearsal, sleep, practice, rehearsal, nap, rehearsal, concert, sleep, fly home...basically do nothing but play music, rest, and there was of course some food mixed in! A few very special dignitaries came to the performance including the former president of Tanzania (Mkapa) and ambassadors from numerous countries. We worked hard, but were well looked after, appropriately paid, and of course its always a privilege to play Beethoven. Experiences like this remind me just how much I love my life as a musician! 

What to do on one's day off? Afternoon visit to Arusha National Park

flamingos in the wild - something I dreamed of seeing for SO many years

Looking out toward Kilimanjaro, so often hiding behind the clouds

troop of Baboons hanging out in the road

trusty little car - used 4 wheel drive quite a few times today!

White-fronted Bee-eaters

monkey - got to find out which kind!

almost sunset - time to head home

track back from one of the lakes

Mt Meru - view of the cone

Vacation break is over - back to 6 day work week!

A week at the coast, two days at Tarangire Game Park, a Beethoven piano trio concert, car repairs all behind me, dinner with friends of friends from the States - all in all a very good break is now coming to an end!
What's next?

Time to get back into the swing of teaching - think I'm ready! One more solo recital to get the kids prepped for (we've already presented two solo recitals: one in September, a second in October). The finale this term will be a large ensemble performance in December. After that, I fly home to Charleston for Christmas break - crazy to realize, only about 8 weeks away.

They say the season of short rains is coming...a good thing seeing as we've had no water coming to the house here for 10 days! One of my favorite Swahili words is "vumbi" = dust. It is SO dry and dusty here, and we add "joto" (heat) to that combo as well. There are quite a few dust devils (like water spouts with red earth) to be seen whenever out in the country/bush. Well, at least I won't be scraping ice and snow off my car this year!

OK so now for my newest project:

My sister Wendy and I ran two half marathons when we were in high school, so here I am 30 years later training to hopefully complete another! Kilimanjaro half marathon on March 3rd is my goal. I've just finished week 4 of a 12 week training program (thanks to my iPhone app), and with four months still to train, I am feeling positive about this project. I really wanted to get my body back in shape while here, so am chipping away slowly. Its good to have goals!