Looking for a few good men…and women for Tanzania!
I am really excited to announce that I am leading a group of volunteers to Africa this coming September. I have had such an amazing experience volunteering abroad and would love to share that with like-minded people. The group will be small but mighty. If you want to see the world and NOT just be a tourist in a country but immersed in the culture, the rest of this blog is for you.
We are going to work on a women’s equality project and will be stationed in Arusha. Listen, if you do not know a lot about women’s equality, no problem. Do you think people matter? Do you believe that skin color, gender, and social class are irrelevant to having the same opportunities and rights as anyone else? Okay, perfect. Then you are experienced and qualified.
Welcome to Arusha
Arusha is where our group will be stationed. We will be working full time on the weekdays in a local non-profit, serving women who are in need. Arusha is peaceful, and it is beautiful. It is known as the Gateway to Mt. Kilimanjaro and sees a lot of visitors coming to conquer the mountain. General feedback from fellow travelers is that Arusha is safe. However, I tell all travelers, have your wits about you. Do not be an idiot. Most people recommend getting a cab at night, rather than walking alone. Arusha also is just West of the Serengeti, where the Lion King was actually filmed. Okay, just kidding. Obviously, it was animated but that is what you will see in the Serengeti. It is an amazing place to do a Safari and see the animals you think of when you think about AFRICA!
What about my lifestyle in Arusha?
Our group will be living in a group house. Typically, you will share a room with someone of the same gender but a solo room may be available if preferred. We share common areas and it is something you have to try! There will always be peeps around to go exploring or check out a new restaurant. Do you have to do things with the group? No, this isn’t that kind of trip. We do not have a set agenda and count heads at each checkpoint. However, there will be cool things going on and I will have some things put together. If you want to join, totally awesome. If you feel wiped out that day and just want to drink some bomb coffee at a café alone, that is also very awesome. We will all be working at the same place, but not necessarily attached at the hip each day. We all have our own strengths and skills and you will be placed in positions to maximize what makes you so cool.
We will be respectful and showing up to work on time at our non-profit each day. I care about that a lot. I want everyone there because they are serious about giving back. In the meantime, we are going to do some amazing things but the volunteering has the be the foundation or this just is not for you.
Cheers to the Freaking Weekend!
The amazing thing about checking out a new country while volunteering there is that you get to see what day to day life is like, how families live, work and make decisions. Then, you can go check out the things that the country has to offer. For sure, there is a ton of things you would like to see in Tanzania outside of Arusha! This country was chosen because it does not disappoint. There are so many different regions and climates to check out. I have a pretty long list of things I definitely want to do. On Fridays, we will be headed out to a different area to do a couple days there and see what’s up. Let’s talk about some of the biggies!
Zanzibar
This 23 mile long island is nothing like the mainland. Although it is technically part of Tanzania, when it comes to culture, food, politics, and religion, it is totally different that what you will be experiencing in Arusha. Getting on Swahili time means forgetting everything you know about our clock. The day starts at sunrise, so where we might say it is 7AM, its 1AM on Swahili time. We will take a high speed ferry to get to the island and will stay for the weekend. There is an ancient city known as Stone Town to check out, which I hear is basically just a huge maze.
It’s a choose your own adventure kind of place. You can get pretty baller and stay at some swanky luxury resort or can live pretty frugally in some of the smaller villages. Most Zanzibari’s live on less that $1 per day. I personally plan on staying in hostels. Check out my other blogs on that experience here. The beaches are second to none in the world. Don’t kid yourself, you are here chasing screen savers.
You can literally taste the world here. Zanzibar historically has always been a hub for spice traders from around the world. You get to reep the rewards through food from many different cultures. If you love seafood the way I do, you will be in heaven. Eat as much seafood as you can handle here. You can eat your way through outdoor markets, bazaars, and even sidewalk shop for groceries and fresh fruit. Everyone who knows me knows I eat my way through destinations and I my mouth is watering just writing this. YUMMMMMM
In Zanzibar, the wildlife is all underwater. Head to a scuba center or snorkel on Chumbe Island, where unlike other over fished, under-regulated areas of the surrounding ocean, marine life is protected. If you have never been snorkeling in a place like this, it is definitely something you must do! I did this in Thailand with my GoPro and the videos and pictures where amazing. There are so many types of fish and sea creatures us Minnesotans cannot even dream up!
Hanging on Zanzibar is something you will never forget. The culture and people are so unique you will feel like you visited another country entirely. It is breathtaking, full of nightlife and amazing food. Cannot wait to see you there!
The Serengeti
It is totally fine if you want to startsinging the opening song of the Lion King right now, I am so… I am so pumped for this. Actually, when I was working on choosing a destination, I had not considered Tanzania because I thought it was all dirt on dirt with brown plain buildings. My friend, Krista, (yeah, she’s coming too!!) was like, “Uh, the Serengeti? Zanzibar?.” I had to do a little research and realized, I was thinking of somewhere completely different.
There are a lot of different options for doing a safari in the Serengeti but I would really like to do a camp out for the weekend there! Now the idea of sleeping outside with elephants, giraffes, and African buffalo may not sound that appealing to you. However, I have been following these amazing vloggers on youtube and they insist the animal activity varies so much that you really need to just do it. Stay in your tent 🙂
A lot of the tours also include the opportunity to go visit local indigenous tribes. I did this in Asia and it was so amazing! It was great to see the lifestyle, handmade wares, and try their fantastic food (and homemade alcohol). I am hoping to have the opportunity to do this as well.
What you have really been wanting to know…
At this point, you are definitely asking yourself two very important questions. First, how long would you need off work? I will be there for 4+ weeks. However, most people coming are doing 2 or 3 weeks. I will be volunteering for 3 weeks of this and traveling the last week. Anyone is welcome to come and go within that period as it works for your schedule. The dates are September 12-October 16th.
Next, you are probably wondering how much it costs. You may be a little afraid of this part right? Actually, volunteering abroad is not only great for your soul and for others you are serving, but it is a great way to see the world on a major budget! You will need to purchase your own airfare. I will tell you that for the dates I have been looking at, my roundtrip has varied in price from $1,000-1,200 for the round trip.
There are hospitality fees for the organization that does all of our coordination to pay the rent and local workers that will be helping us. The organization is called World Endeavorsand their pricing is really simple, affordable and easy to understand. Basically, your first week is $1,390 and each additional week where you are volunteering is $390. Check out the link to see everything it includes but I will say, the support while I was soloing in Thailand last year was critical for me to feel supported. Also, language lessons with a local was really helpful for me to get around on my own. Plus, it includes 3 meals per day and the food is made by locals, so good!
So put that into perspective, let’s say my flight is on the higher end (I will probably do premium seating because I am really bad at flying). Then I volunteer for 3 weeks. My total is $3,370 for a three-week trip to Africa with all meals and room and board. I mean, I will tell you that none of my other international trips have been longer than 14 days and were triple, quadruple that price (Croatia was great but $$$$).
My transportation to Zanzibar or if I want to fly to other regions will be a little more but it’s pretty affordable. At this point, you may be wondering….What’s in this for Rachael? Is she being paid if I go on this trip? The answer is no, but for leading the group and keeping up with my blog for World Endeavors, I do get a discount off my hospitality fees. What is really in it for me is that if you come, it will be so fun. Plus, the more awesome people we have, the cheaper it will be for say, a tour in the Serengeti, because we are all splitting it.
Hey, I am a mom with bills and in college full time. I am doing this thing on a budget. I will be experiencing as much as I possibly can on a budget. I will not be balling on this trip but that doesn’t mean it will be any less life changing.
Are you wondering how to have the conversation with your spouse or your boss? Check out my blog post on balancing a corporate careerand volunteering abroad!
If you want to know more, that is awesome! Just ask. This isn’t a thing where you need to be worried that if you ask a question, I am going to hound you about it or any other trips. Not my jam. I am not a travel agent. I just am a person who loves doing this shit. Let me know what is on your mind. We can get coffee….or facetime with coffee in front of both of us. Whatever works for you.
Hey I just met you and this is CRAZY but here’s my email (rmreil17@smumn.edu) so text me maybe.
