The Notes ‘n Totes was a HUGE success. 600 kids at 10 different schools in California and Arusha, Tanzania.              Ages 11 – 17. The children in Africa were thrilled to receive their tote from America, and to have a new pen pal.
There were some things that I did not anticipate due to cultural differences. For instance the kids in Africa could not figure out their pen pals gender from reading the name of the US student. The names in Africa are so different from our names. The kids in Africa got a huge giggle from one letter giving the names of the boys pet chickens. In Africa chickens are not pets. They loved the notes that had photos and or drawings attached. Their classrooms had no books, or colored papers or any materials available for them to use in creating their notes as compared to the classrooms in California that are creative hubs of activity. Many of the boys wanted to be penpals with girls in the US and many of the girls in Africa wanted boys for penpals. That surprised me. All the students in Africa felt acknowledged for their caring for the environment and were very curious to learn the different ways in which their pen pal was working for a better world too. Next I will take the letters from the African kids to their pen pals in Santa Barbara. I will give another update once that is done. A video is being made about the project but will not be finished for about a month. Thank you again for all the teachers and students and others who collected totes, organized their classes to write notes, and donated money to make this project such a success. I plan to repeat the project on my next trip in August.

Thank you again to everyone who posted Birth day wishes. Now i see why Face Book is so fun. I am across the world and can receive all the wishes and feel all of you there. THANK YOU.  LOVE, Love  I spent the day before my b day hiking up the mountains of Gombe and hung out with about 20 chimps for 2 hours. Very difficult bush whacking up the steep hills but well worth it. I will post a photo later.

THANK YOU TO ALL THE BAG LADIES (and 3 men) for collecting so many totes. Between you all I got about 900 totes and reached my goal of $500 in donations. You guys are THE BEST. AMAZING. Thank you Renee, Carol, Pippa, Chris, Karen, Barbara and Tribal Trust, Nancy, Josee, Judy, Jane Ann, Jackie, Marius, Susan, Danyel, Mikki, Becky, Merrill, Virginia, Elizabeth, Frances, Hildy, Holly, Alex, Sandy, Brittany and Hills of Africa, Michael, Randi, Steve, Connie, Shauna, Trish, Nancy, Amy, Bridget, Grace, Ann, Angie, Kim, Caro, Suzanne, Janey, Denise and Montecito Yoga, Sothebys, Santa Barbara Yoga, Penny, Kathi, Paula and Eco-Nest. I leave on Wednesday to take your collection to the women and kids in Tanzania. They are already thanking you and sending lots of love from Africa. ASANTE SANA (Kiswahili for Thank you very much)

Thank you. thank you, thank you to all the teachers, and kids who collected totes and wrote notes to the kids in Africa to set up a pen pal. In one week all the notes and totes (300 of them) will be traveling by plane to Tanzania. I am so excited to see the faces of the children there when they see the notes ‘n totes. They will feel all the time and love that went into this project here and i will bring back notes from them full of their love. THANK YOU AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU WHO MADE THIS HAPPEN. AND THANK YOU FOR THE DONATIONS OF MONEY. Here are a few photos. I hope to have a short video of the entire project when I get back in February. 

During my August safari to Kenya we will visit these cats with the Ewaso Lion Project. There is one spot left for this journey. Get more information HERE.

On January 23rd I am taking Notes ‘N Totes from 3rd – 6th graders in America to exchange for letters from the same age kids in Tanzania; setting up a pen pal system for children there who have no access to the internet.

More than 300 children who are passionate about sharing their solutions for environmental issues have already signed on.

I am trying to raise $500 for shipping and drivers costs. Small amounts go a long way and you will get a HUGE thank you from me for a $10 contribution or a $100 one. You can donate by  clicking HERE

ASANTE SANA for any help you can provide.

 While watching my plastic bag clean up program this child wanted me to see his solution:

A soccer ball made entirely from plastic bag litter. On January 23rd I am taking Notes ‘N Totes from 3rd – 6th graders in America to exchange for letters from the same age kids in Tanzania; setting up a pen pal system for children there who have no access to the internet.

More than 300 children who are passionate about sharing their solutions for environmental issues have already signed on.

I am trying to raise $500 for shipping and drivers costs. Small amounts go a long way and you will get a HUGE thank you from me for a $10 contribution or a $100 one. You can donate by  clicking HERE

ASANTE SANA for any help you can provide.

Africa Inside was just nominated for the Liebster Blog Award!

Liebster means “friend” or “beloved” in German, and the award is meant to bring recognition to quality bloggers who have a following of less than 200 people. I am so honored that my friend Becky Aaronson, whose blog An Improbable Life (animprobablelife.com) is one of my favorite sites, would nominate Africa Inside. 

As a recipient of the award I have to nominate five other bloggers for this honor. I will post those soon.

Thank you Becky.

I spoke to a woman today who grew up in South Africa, then lived in Botswana and now lives in America. She said she will never go back to live in Africa although it makes her cry to say so. “There is an indescribable connection one feels to Africa and it will never go away, ” she said.

“I know” I said. “What is it? I wish I could put words to it.” But neither of us could. If you have been to Africa I know you will know what I am referring to. Maybe you can help describe what ‘it’ is. What are your feelings for Africa?