In January 2013, a professor walked into my Biology classroom and announced intentions to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro with a group of students as part of a class. The professor then asked if any of us wanted to join the class, and my hand shot up before the question was finished.
In the next three or so weeks, I gathered together paperwork and signatures, and posted to Facebook looking for sponsorship. All but approximately $400 of the $6000+ sticker price were covered by donations from friends and family, and I borrowed clothes and other supplies to make the trip affordable. One of very few items I bought for full price for the trip were my hiking shoes (money well spent, I practically lived in those shoes!).
Over the course of the next 3 and a half months, I got my very first passport and visa, visited doctors for malaria pills, and didn't do all that much training - certainly not what was expected of me. I increased my general activity level, and left it at that, trusting my instincts. I think if I had trained as hard as I was expected to, I would have realized just how hard it would be, and wouldn't have wanted to anymore.
All the booking and insurance and such were taken care of in a joint effort between Augsburg Study Abroad Offices, Wilderness Inquiry, and Don. They all did a fantastic job organizing the trip, and Professors Joe and Jen led the group well. I traveled in a group of ten students: five women, five men, five in the PolySci/EvironStudies course, five in the Business Keystone. I have changed the names of my travel companions to protect their identities.
On May 20th I stepped onto my first international flight, and on June 7th I arrived back in the Twin Cities, slightly burnt and very tired, head still very much in Tanzania. Sometimes I wonder if it was all just a fantastic dream, or if the returning is the dream.
Here are the stories I gathered during my adventures in Tanzania.
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