Today we started our conservation work! We chopped down Acacia bushes with machetes. The purpose of doing this is to prevent them from growing higher. Once Acacia bushes have grown too high, the grass the antelope and rhino graze on won’t be able to get enough sun because of the shade. Our job was to cut down bushes before they grow too high. Here are some photos and videos from today:
0 Comments
Today we went on our first game drive! Michael and Lily went on one jeep while Andre and I went on another. We went driving through a large reserve called Buffalo Land which is ten minutes away from our lodge. During the drive the coordinators would drive close to an animal, stop, and then explain to us what animal we are looking at, as well as some interesting facts. Some of the volunteers on he truck had to record scientific data. We were lucky enough to see two herds of buffaloes, some vultures, giraffes, zebras, and many species of antelopes. Here is just a glimpse of the animals we saw today:
What do you want to see the most? I want to see animals, beautiful views and anything new. What do you want to do the most? I want to pet a lion. What do you want to get out of this trip? I want to get good at photography, talk to different people, and enjoy life. Jeannette YenAfrica, for many people, is a mythical destination that promises stunning scenery, abundant wildlife and a sea of smiling faces. These can all be found in various corners of the continent, but the reality is that there are also pockets of abject poverty, environmental neglect and social inequality. Travelers visiting this destination need to be realistic about what they are going to see and experience. One thing is a given. Africa is an environment that will delight and test visitors to its shores in equal measure. Pre-trip preparation, therefore, is key. We'd like the trip participants, not only to survive, but thrive. At our first workshop, Michael, Lily and Jeannette had the opportunity to design and teach a lesson to a bunch of eager kindergarten students. This was done in order to prepare them for the difficulties they might face if they were to get the chance to teach a class of young learners in a rural school. Michael, Lily and Jeannette were truly amazing. They not only controlled the class like seasoned pro's, but showed great skill in getting the young students to respond and participate. Natural born teachers, one and all. After entertaining and educating the young 'uns, Michael, Lily and Jeannette looked at a slideshow, in which they were shown images of some of the animals they might expect to encounter in the bush. Accompanying the images, we played them some of the animal sounds they might hear. At our second workshop, we covered a lot of areas that we thought necessary to ensure a safe and productive trip. Andre, the trip leader, briefed the students about some of the more practical aspects of the trip, such as health and safety, food, etc. Then Lynn, one of the survivors of last year's trip, shared her experience with the excited audience and told those present what it takes to be a great volunteer. After Lynn's thought-provoking contribution, Andre provided a bit of cultural background to South Africa. This was followed by a lecture on the finer points of photography. Thank you, Debra, for sharing your knowledge on how to capture the perfect image with the students. Finally, Joy, our resident media guru, introduced the trip participants to Weebly, a blogging program which they will use to provide regular updates to their friends and family back home. |
The Africa TeamStudents from BigByte are on an adventure in South Africa, and they're here to share all the marvelous things they've seen. ArchivesCategories |