zanzibar, the grand finale

zanzibar, pt. II

Highlight of Zanzibar: the spices! If you didn't catch it from Holly's post last week, Zanzibar was once the "spice capitol of the world." Impressive. Even more impressive--spice tours! Our little farmer, Babu, walked us through gardens and farms and forests all day--until our bodies could sweat no more--and showed us every fruit/spice plant you could imagine. After the tour we were treated to a traditional Zanzibarian lunch which was the best meal I've ever had. Well, one of them. 

Then Holly and Babu held hands as they walked off into the sunset. Unfortunately, this special moment was not captured...only in my mind forever.

zanzibar, pt. I

Being in Zanzibar was incredibly surreal. Every couple of hours, we would all silently exchange glances and someone would end up saying, "I mean, where are we?" Um, on and island in the middle of the Indian ocean. Seriously!? Silence or squeals or fits of laughter would follow. 

The island is unlike anywhere I have ever been. Somewhere between tropical and arabic and european and indian and african-- a Bohemian paradise. 

*btw--picture 1. that's mt. mt kilimanjaro. fo' real. 

to zanzibar!

Did you know that Zanzibar is the spice capital of the world? It is, and we are going there today (!!!) to escape the wrath of Ugandan elections. There probably won't be any wrath... at least we hope not, but you what they say.  Better safe than sorry. And, hello... when else in your life do you get to go to Zanzibar?

We're staying at a cottage owned by a young English couple, and we're going on a spice tour. Also, there's a yoga instructor on staff who leads yoga on the beach. I'm sorry, was this island made for me?

Reminds me of...

and,

Hey college friends... want to go back to Charleston and live in Hannah's condo forever? Or Zanzibar? 

ladies and gents, cassidy gibson & her scooter.

a very african valentine's day

PETA, look away.

Today in the office, there was a mysterious smell looming in the air, which I wrote off as the smell of burning trash that's always looming in these parts.

This smell, however, was more like burning flesh.

This tiny little mouse had crawled underneath our accountant Joseph's computer and was scorched alive. Why is there blood? Implosion? Does that happen when you burn alive? Life's mysteries.

Happy Valentines Day, world!

the gibsons + holly go to rwanda (and see jamie!) VIDEO

yikes

with ugandan elections coming up, the combination of this facebook political propaganda and the "crime protectors" chanting outside my window at 5am is unsettling. 

i left my heart in rwanda

a couple weeks ago, we told you that we were going to rwanda to visit my brother and our sweet best friend, jamie, but we never followed up! shame on us. fortunately for you, holly is working on an exciting surprise to share with ya'll soon, but until then, here's a few pictures from our journey. 

yes, that is a volcano.  

  

and, yes, that is a rwandan medicine man and a crazy rwandan dancer. 

and, yes, we were rwandan queens for the day. 

and, yes, rwanda is without a doubt the most beautiful place i've ever been. 

mulani

two days ago, I was plugging away at some video editing in the office when I heard the little noise of a piano coming from the room next door. when I walked in, there was Mulani, one of our sponsored boys, playing. i'm not normally a crier (unlike holly), but my eyes filled with tears as I watched him move his fingers across the keys. 

mulani is blind. 

most days he sits at home with his sweet dad--also partially blind--and listens to his radio all day. he is extremely intelligent, but here in jinja, there are no programs for blind children. in fact, most handicapped are outcasted here. thankfully, he is sponsored by children of grace. 

last week, my mom and one of our ugandan staff members found and visited the Chain Foundation, a school and home for blind children. today, mulani is headed off to his new school...and his new life. 

as i listened to mulani play, i was overwhelmed--it was so beautiful. he had never touched a piano before, but he was piecing together notes in a way that only someone with a heightened sense of sound and tone can do--no piano teacher can teach that. 

stevie, ray...move aside!