Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe

View from my Hotel (The Kingdom) Balcony

Hotel "Courtyard," Pool, and Bar Area

This sign was next to the lake pictured above.  Kept looking for crocodiles, but all I saw were frogs.

Jumping for joy that Obama won!!!!

Look who I found in the park outside the hotel.

The falls were a 15 min walk from the hotel.

Victoria Falls

If this is what the falls looks like in the dry season can only imagine how beautiful it is during the rainy season.

You can walk along the side of the falls to get different views.

Taking in the beauty

The falls are actually in Zambia, but you need to be in Zimbabwe to see them.

No falls here at this time of the year.

Excuse me as I try to play photographer :0)

Foliage along the Victoria Falls trail 

A natural picture frame

Can you tell I am a bit nervous???!!!

This male lion is 15 months old.

Look how big his paw is!!!

After he turns 18 months they will release him (or prepare him to be released) into the wild.

He looks dangerous...

...but is still just a big kitty cat.

We not only got to pet the lions, but also walk with them.

He is just a baby though, only 8 months old.

Cheers
-Mei

Harare, Zimbabwe

For the next two months I am traveling around Africa, the Middle East and Asia (check out a map of my trip).  I promised to keep folks updated, but know that I won't if I am trying to write about my trip.  My compromise is to share photos and provide a description of the photos.

So here we go!!!!  My first stop was Zimbabwe...

Harare Skyline
Have to admit from everything I have read and heard about Zim, I didn't expect it to look like this.

Visited a friend in Harare...

...and hung out with a b-school classmate!

Gardens in Harare are beautiful.  Here is one of the gardens at my hotel.

It was filled with statues.

Especially the local Stona statues, like this one.

Also visited some farms that are open to the public...

and had beautiful gardens

Enjoyed having some quiet time with nature

This farm was called Raintree.

I even spent some time lying underneath of a tree.

This was my view when I looked up...

...and looked a bit closer.

This is all on the grounds of someone's house

can you imagine walking out your house to this.

this picture was taken though a dingy window 

Special Olympics Africa Unity Cup

I'm playing a little bit of catch-up....

October 3-6th was the Special Olympics Africa Unity Cup (AUC).  This exciting event featured Unified® football teams, comprised of athletes with and without intellectual disabilities, from twelve African countries, competing for a qualifying place in the Special Olympics Unified World Cup Rio 2013.  

Driving awareness of Special Olympics and the AUC was the focus of my Peace Corps assignment.  Also, had the fortune of organizing the AUC Youth Summit that was attended by approximately 100 youth from Kenya, Namibia, and South Africa.  It was an absolutely crazy and hectic 4-days, especially since I had friends visiting, but ssssoooo rewarding.

To illustrate the impact of this event below are two stories the youth summit attendees wrote about their experience and what they learned.  Also, including some photos for ya.  You can also check out my friends post about his experience here: http://beetsrhymesandlife.blogspot.com/2012/10/peoples-instinctive-travels-and-paths.html!

Cheers
-Mei

SHORT STORIES

Don’t Just Sit, Do Something! – Unity Through Diversity

Written By: Boitumelo Mokua, Karabo Moloto, Tlotlo Pheho,Neo Rammutla, Thabo Botele,Olerao Seemise, Olebogeng Segope,and Motheo Molefe

‎"One favourite memory was the opening ceremony. 
When the teams were getting in, different countries were standing and uniting. It made us capture that different African countries can unite with our love of the game for sports, uniting around our beautiful cultures, such as the African drum beat and the singing and dancing. We are uniting to accept everyone as he or she is because they are all made up by God. 

What were we doing at the youth summit?
Getting to know other people's cultures and where are they from, what can disabled people do that we cannot do, how to build connections and network with each other. 
It is all about the youth - it has to start with us and it has to grow with us so that we can change the mind set of the people. It helps us to treat people equally, even if they are disabled or different from us. It is not the disabilities that count it is the abilities. It is also helping us to be leaders of tomorrow and to spread the word of the Special Olympics to make a change in our communities. 

We hope that you will help us to spread the message of Special Olympics - to treat everyone equally, the way they deserve to be treated and the way you would like to be treated. 

We are a group from the youth summit and we would like to make a difference."

Charora's Youth Leading the Dignity Revolution

Written By: Moloto Karabo, Molete Katlego and Molote Mpho.

“We as the Charora youth summit in Rustenburg, we have an importance of implementing our mission of opening a community youth club were we will be addressing the problem of prejudice and intolerance towards those with intellectual disabilities which unfortunately has been a part of our society for many years. Through this lesson we have explored and reflected upon many examples of this including teenagers morking olivia the hurtful use of R-word in our school, community and societies. examples of intolerance and prejudice and our own personal experiences. The good news is that our generation has the power to become part of the resolution in reversing this long-standing trend. We can do this by making inclusion a part of our life, influencing others to do the same, and explaining the consequences of prejudice and intolerance.

We are coming from a school with a mind of its own where everybody is somebody. So we are contributing in nation building by reversing negative trends of those who critisise those with intellectual disabilities so we have compassion because we are dynamite, we come from a small package. Our last words are: We will never let our background to lay our backs on the ground. So that's how we gonna spread the word.”

Senegal Marching into the Amphitheater in the Opening Ceremony's Parade of Athletes 

Nigeria, Opening Ceremony, Parade of Athletes

Members of the Lebone and Royal Bafokeng Choirs Performing at the Opening Ceremony

Dance Performance at the Opening Ceremony

Opening Ceremony Spectators

Running with the Torch, Opening Ceremony

Torch is lit, Let the Tournament Begin!!!

Yacking it up with Tim Shriver after the Opening Ceremony (I have no idea what was so funny, but I love this picture) 

Youth leading activities at the Youth Summit's Youth Rally

Youth leaders thanking South African Footballer Lucas Radebe for speaking at the Youth Rally

Even NBA Legend Dikembe Mutombo committed to leading the "Dignity Revolution"

Youth Rally, Youth Summit

South Africa vs Mauritius 

Enjoying lunch with Deon Namiseb, Special Olympics Global Ambassador

Fellow Peace Corps Volunteers and I celebrate the Peace Corps-Special Olympics Partnership with Kgosi Lerou Molotlegi, King of the Royal Bafokeng Nation; Donald H. Gips, US Ambassador to South Africa;  Elizabeth Berry Gips, the Ambassador's Wife; John Jacoby, Country Director, Peace Corps South Africa; and Dr. Tim Shriver, CEO and Chairman, Special Olympics International 

Winners not only won these beautiful trophies, but they also will be going to Rio, Brazil in 2013 to play in a Special Olympics World Cup 

South Africa came in 1st place

Tanzania in 2nd

Cote d'Ivoire in 3rd