Saying Goodbye to South Africa
July 24, 2025
Trip Update 3
We are so sad that the girls have left us but are extremely grateful for the memories made over the past two weeks. After countless animal sightings, trying new activities like surfing, and engaging in a new culture, we are all coming home with unbelievable stories. We are extremely proud of how every single one of the girls connected with each other, got out of their comfort zone, and know that they will be returning to the US with new, lifelong friendships.
For our final portion of the trip, we left the City Lodge Hotel excited for the adventures awaiting at Mabula Game Reserve. Thanks to Mills, we had a long queue of songs to keep us entertained throughout the long drive with special shoutouts to “By and By” and “Knocking on Heaven’s Door” becoming some of the group’s favorite tunes. When we arrived at our campsite, we met Ethan and MJ, our safari guides, and sat down for lunch before going on our first game drive. Once we were all settled into our tents, the girls quickly jumped into the safari carts and we went on the hunt for a Big Five animal sighting. The girls had no idea what the guides were searching for so when we stumbled upon elephants, all were starstruck! Magdalena even teared up at the beautiful creature, saying she has never seen something so incredible. As the sun began to set, we pulled off to the side of the road and watched as the sky changed from blue to shades of orange and pink. As we were driving home, one safari cart played 20 questions while the other listened to MJ’s favorite variation of “Pink Pony Club”. We ended the night with a pasta buffet dinner followed by Moonup under the stars led by Macon and Audrey.
For our first morning at Mabula, we dove into wildlife conservation activity and learned how the reserve keeps their herbivore’s protein intake sufficient. All of the girls even had the opportunity to hop in the bed of a truck and help feed the rhinos and buffalo. Alice, Mags, and Macon were the first brave volunteers and drove off toward the animals, getting as close as a few feet away from them. Once everyone had a turn, we stopped for lunch by the dam and had the most delicious chicken and steak wraps. After we were all fueled up, we decided to enjoy the view a little longer and play a few games by the water. Aly won an intense game of Ninja followed by Macon showing off her long jump skills. Back at camp, we utilized our free time to continue bringing out everyone’s competitiveness with a round of “Dude Don’t Touch My Rock” (a game where you try and knock a rock off each other’s hands). Talia won not once, but twice, solidifying herself as the champion of the game. After a few more hours of hanging out around camp, we got ready for our afternoon game drive, many hopeful for another Big Five sighting. As we drove through the bush, suddenly our guides pulled off to the side of the road and right in front of us were lions!! They had just caught a wildebeest and were devouring it right in front of our eyes. Amazed by another insane spotting, everyone was in high spirits at our sunset stop which called for an impromptu dance party! After a packed day, we ended the night with dinner and a very meaningful Moonup. Our LODs Addie and Natalie helped bring our group even closer by asking about challenges we have overcome. After sharing our answers around the campfire, everyone went to sleep feeling grateful for the supportive, close-knit community we have created throughout our time in Africa.
We woke up early to a breakfast of muffins and danishes for the start of a busy day. That morning, we darted a white rhino! As the rhino went down, the girls immediately got to work performing an assortment of tasks to care for the beautiful beast. Lucy injected the young female rhino with some medicine, while Magdalena sprayed a tick disinfectant all over. Audrey and Addie helped fit a collar on the rhino’s ankle, and then we all took some photos with the rhino before letting her go along her way. Once we arrived back at camp, Macon brought out a frisbee and some of us spread out to toss the disc. Others opted to fill in coloring books instead (shoutout to Addie for letting everyone use her markers). Afterwards, we loaded back up in the safari carts and made our way to a picnic spot for lunch. We enjoyed chicken and beef kebabs with roasted potatoes and quiche, then took some flicks and did some amateur rock climbing before heading to our next activity. For this, the girls received a lecture on the southern ground hornbill, a local bird species that is endangered. The girls asked loads of questions and were heavily invested in these avian beauties. After our ground hornbill experience, we set off on an evening game drive and saw the lions again. Once we had our viewing, we met with Nicky, who interacts with these lions more than anyone, and he briefed us on the history of the pride. After our talk with Nicky, we drove to a spot on a hill for a drink stop. While there, we cranked up the speaker and played some house music for a dance party. Macon cut a rug for everyone to see and the rest of the group shared in her energy. Once we ended our rave, we made our way back to the lodge for a chicken and steak dinner. Magdalena and Julia led the way in Moonup, where everyone performed their cringiest bit and talked about things we have learned from other group members. However, the fun was not quite over. We played a game with our guides called “Stalk the Lantern” and Addie, Talia, and Audrey emerged victorious!
For our last full day in Mabula, we all slept in a little bit before we enjoyed a late breakfast of croissants and muffins. Then, we loaded up on the safari carts and headed towards our first activity, which was cheetah tracking! After a long drive, we hopped out of the vehicles and walked to view two male cheetahs. Though they left after some time, we caught up to them again as they walked down the road in front of us, making for a truly spectacular sighting. We then meandered back to our lodge for lunch, which was chicken kebabs, meatballs, pasta, and salad. Following some down time, we loaded back up in the safari carts for our final evening game drive. We saw the lions one final time, then found a spot underneath a fig tree for a drink stop as the sun set. Magdalena, Talia, and Addie climbed the fig tree and caught an even better glimpse of the surrounding view. Once the sun went down, we drove back to camp for one final surprise: boma dinner! We enjoyed a traditional South African braai by the fire, and some of the girls tried ostrich for the first time. Alice and Aly led our penultimate Moonup as we discussed takeaways from the trip. We spent the rest of the night singing songs under the stars next to the fire, making for a wholesome final evening in Africa.
For our final morning in Africa, we woke up extra early for one final game drive. After spotting a group of hippos, we made our way up a mountain to watch the sunrise and sip some hot chocolate. After a breakfast of eggs, sausage, bacon, and french toast, the girls packed their things, said their goodbyes to our guides, and loaded onto the van headed towards the airport. At the airport, we enjoyed one final lunch at the City Lodge and had one final Moonup. At Moonup, we shared our favorite funny moments and wholesome moments that made our trip worthwhile. Once we closed out, we said some very heartfelt goodbyes to each other before the girls made their way through the airport, heading back home after a life-changing adventure.
As we close out our final trip update, we want to express our gratitude to all of you reading back home for sharing your girls with us. They truly changed our lives and filled us with so much joy, and we cannot imagine our travels in Africa without them. Over the last few weeks, it has been delightful to watch friendships and personalities blossom, with unforgettable experiences mixed in along the way. Though we depart in sorrow, we cannot help but be grateful for the time we had with your girls while here. Thank you so much for sharing them with us, and we cannot wait to see all the amazing things they will accomplish!
Best,
Helen and Luke
Fun In The Sun On South Africa and Mozambique!
July 19, 2025
Hello again from Africa!!!! We miss you all so much but are so excited to share all of the amazing things we have been up to these past few days. Our journey began with a very early morning at Little Mongena in order to make it to the airport in time for our flight. After going through security, we were able to stop for some muffins and coffee in order to fuel up for the travel day ahead. We boarded the plane, many napped, and soon we were moving our way through the airport once more to make our connecting flight. Finally, we landed and drove to Tofo Beach where we met our Mozambique outfitter, Brodie. Quickly, the girls piled their things into the bunk rooms, took a quick look at the beach, and gathered for lunch by the pool. We enjoyed delicious burgers and fries, a meal many loved, especially after the long morning spent traveling.
After lunch, we had our first Mozambiquan activity: sunset cruise on the dhow boat!!! As one of our LODs, Addie helped curate a relaxing playlist for the evening, adding many reggae tunes that perfectly matched the vibe of the calm waters. While gliding through the ocean, we spotted many white flamingos while enjoying the freshest fruit assortment of pineapple, coconut, oranges, and bananas. Macon and Alice both tried coconut for the first time and LOVED it. All were very happy to hear that our next few days would be filled with many new things to try like passion fruit and matapa. When we left the dhow boat, the most intense shades of orange, pink, and purple filled the sky as the sun set and we made sure to stop for a few minutes to soak in the moment. Once back at the lodge, we sat again by the pool and indulged in an amazing pasta dish followed by a chocolate brownie sunday– YUM!! Exhausted from the long day, Talia and Addie led Moonup right after dinner and the girls went to bed excited for the adventures we were going to have over the next few days in Mozambique!
Pumped for our first full day at the beach, the girls were up quickly for breakfast where each got to pick out a crepe flavor ranging from chocolate, cinnamon sugar, or banana honey. Along with the crepes, they brought out passion fruit, a food Natalie tried for the first time. After we were done eating, we walked along the beach to Tofo Scuba to gear up in flippers and snorkels for our first ocean safari. Alice and Mills came prepped for this activity by bringing along their waterproof cameras, ensuring they would capture photos of all the sea creatures we might encounter. After a few minutes of riding through the waves, suddenly a pod of dolphins swam our direction and we jumped in immediately to see them! Over the next hour, we got in and out of our boat to catch up with the dolphins, sometimes finding ourselves swimming in the ocean with over 20 of them. It was an incredible way to start off our time in Mozambique and only got everyone more excited for our next activities. After the ocean safari, we met up with Big Tony, our cooking class instructor, and began learning about the locally grown produce, specifically the star of our dish we would be making, the matapa plant. The next few moments of our cooking experience began with Tony cracking open a coconut for everyone to try, which Aly impressively drank in less than a minute. Then, we began the process of making “matapa”, a sauce combining the plant, coconut milk, and peanuts. Everyone got to help in some way, but again Aly impressed us by quickly picking up the proper method of draining the coconut milk, earning the name that translated “local woman” by Tony’s mother. While waiting for the rest of our meal to finish cooking, we each had fun designing our own dough shape to enjoy after being baked. Magdalena stayed extra long to help Tony’s mother finish molding the rest of the dough until we were ready to sit down for our meal. The matapa was a hit and we had the best time joking around with Tony’s family while we finished up our food before heading to our next activity– surfing!
For surfing, half of the group went while the other stayed back at Tofo Scuba, waiting for their turn tomorrow. While at Tofo Scuba, Talia, Macon, Natalie, and Mills played a quick volleyball game before going into the ocean and jumping over the massive waves. Meanwhile, somewhere else along the beach, Audrey got up on her first try during the surfing lesson! Eventually, the rest of the group stood up on their boards and were practically experts by the end. Once the lesson was over, we all met back up at Tofo Scuba for chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla milkshakes to celebrate our first full day in Mozambique. After everyone was done, we went back to the lodge with some time to kill before dinner. While many of the girls decided to catch an early shower, Macon, Talia, and Alice decided to continue the fun by stunting in the pool. Finally, we sat down for dinner by the pool and ended the night like usual with Moonup led by Julia and Aly.
Before our next big day began, we started off with a breakfast of scrambled eggs, tomatoes, and toast. The same group that surfed yesterday took on the waves once again, using their 1+ days experience to ride like pros. Audrey and Addie caught some MASSIVE waves and rode them all the way in. On the other side of the beach, our other group worked to keep the beaches clean by picking up litter in the sand. Talia ensured that no piece of trash was left behind as she stayed out extra long to snag harmful plastics. After they cleaned the beach, Macon led a game of “Over, Under, Through” since the waves were high, and Talia, Mills, and Natalie joined in on the fun. Once both groups completed their respective activities, we reconvened at Tofo Scuba for our second day of ocean safari. Just a few minutes into our ocean safari, we spotted a pair of bottlenose dolphins heading straight towards the boat. Aly beat everyone to the water and got the best viewing of them (probably because she had her fins and goggles on the whole time), and then they vanished in the distance. Once we all reboarded, the boat searched for animals for several hours to no avail. In the meantime, the girls entertained themselves with fresh coconut and renditions of the Pitch Perfect (2012) riff-off and “Since You’ve Been Gone.” After a while, we all jumped in just above a reef to view some of the smaller sea life up close. Aly and Julia impressed everyone with their knowledge of reefs and the aquatic animals that call it “home.”
Just as the boat was about to turn back towards the coast, we saw the animal we’ve been dying to see: A WHALE SHARK!!! Everyone quickly snagged their fins and snorkels and jumped in the water to catch a glimpse of the magnificent creature. Though it was about 15 feet below the surface, Macon swam down as many times as she could to get a closer look of this beautiful fish. We swam alongside the whale shark for about 30 minutes, and then hopped back on the boat and recounted the amazing experience. As we were discussing the incredible viewing we just had, a manta ray came up to the surface to say hi. Unfortunately, we could not get in the water quick enough to see it up close. Once our ocean safari wrapped up, we made our way back to Tofo Scuba for lunch, where we ate chicken curry while watching humpback whales breach in the distance. Following lunch, we played a game of beach volleyball, which was only interrupted by the second group’s first surfing lesson. Macon and Natalie showed off their veteran surfing skills and got up after a few test waves, then caught some of their own. Once surfing wrapped up, everyone regrouped at Tofo Scuba for an ice cream treat, then made our way back to Tilak Lodge for the night. After some downtime by the pool, we enjoyed burgers and fries for dinner, followed by banana samosas with ice cream. Luke managed to wow and disgust the group at the same time by taking down 9 samosas in one sitting. Then, Audrey and Macon led us through Moonup where we talked about fictional characters we would trade lives with and some of our favorite qualities about ourselves. Before going to bed, the girls sat around a picnic table for a quick journal session, bringing them even closer as a group.
On our final full day in Mozambique, everyone woke up early to witness a beautiful sunrise on the beach. We were even joined by Fenton, Brodie’s dog, and Magdalena offered him some good company as we gazed in the distance. Once the sun had risen, we made our way back to the lodge for another crepe breakfast, which everyone greatly enjoyed. Then, we split into groups once again, with one group taking on the waves and the others cleaning up trash on the beach. Huge shoutout to Lucy and Magdalena for volunteering for beach cleanup two days in a row! In the waves, Macon and Natalie held hands and rode a wave at the same time. It was successful the first time, but not so much the second! When the waves were low, the girls kept themselves entertained by flipping each other’s boards – so much so that our instructor, Cleiton joined in on the fun. The beach clean-up crew met up with the surfers and cheered them on as they rode the final waves of the trip. Mills and Talia were our last surfers standing, capping off a successful surfing adventure.
After our fun in the waves, we made our way back to Tofo Scuba and enjoyed some snacks while we waited out some rain. The clouds cleared away, and the girls got active in a game of beach volleyball to prepare for a match against an adventure group of British teenagers also enjoying Tofo. For lunch, we devoured some fish and chips before we embarked on our market visit. At the market, the girls immediately got down to business and bargained hard with the vendors. Mills bought some whale sharks engraved with several names, and Alice had a skirt wrapped around her to try on. We loaded up the truck full of souvenirs and gifts and rode back to Tilak Lodge. Instead of resting before dinner, the girls decided it would be best to enjoy the beach one more time as the sun set. It was definitely one of the highlights of our stay in Mozambique. We swam for half an hour, then came back to eat dinner and have our final Moonup in Mozambique. Magdalena and Lucy led our group that night, and we talked about superpowers we wish we had and places or people that bring us comfort to give us a sweet reminder of home. As we closed out Moonup, Talia and Mills were selected as LODs for our travels back to South Africa!
For our last morning in Mozambique, we had another scrambled egg breakfast accompanied by pineapple and guava juice. After everyone finished their food, we packed up our items, and loaded them into the truck to take to Tofo Scuba. Brodie was extremely impressed with how quickly the girls got their things together, and even more impressed that nothing was left behind! We enjoyed our final moments by the beach engaged in the anxiously awaited volleyball game against a British adventure camp. Our girls crushed them and we celebrated the win all the way to the airport! We have had the most incredible time in Mozambique and are so grateful to have shared so many special moments with your girls. They left some words to show how much they miss everyone at home and how thankful they are for this experience!!! Can’t wait to embark on our next adventure at Mabula Game Reserve, speak with you all soon!
Best,
Helen and Luke
Julia: HII MAMI AND TATI!!! Thank you soooo much you guys for letting me go on this incredible experience! There is no possible word to describe it. We are having so much fun and I love everyone so much. They are all so funny and kind, some of the most amazing people I’ve met who make me feel so loved and supported. I am going to be so sad when I leave them, I have laughed so much and made so many amazing memories that I can’t wait to tell you all about. Today we are leaving Mozambique and I had the best time ever. We swam with a huge whale shark and surfing was so much fun! I still can’t wait to see you all and I really miss you guys. I hope you are having a relaxing time in Romania… and Brady I hope you have fun at the lake and I’m so excited for you to see Ellie after. Everyone knows so much about you.Thank you again everyone . You have gifted me such an amazing experience. I love you, and although I am having the time of my life I can’t wait to tell you all everything and hug you.
Natalie: Hey mom and dad! I’m having so much fun in Mozambique. The water is so pretty and we saw and swam with a whale shark!! We went surfing and it was so much fun. I haven’t had much time to do my bio homework but I’ve finished my book already! I’m having so much fun and I’m so grateful for this trip and the memories I’ve made. Thank you so much! I can’t wait to tell you about all the fun things that have happened in Mozambique!
Love you! -Nat
Alice: Hi mom and dad! I’m having such a great time in Mozambique. The water is sooo blue and pretty, we saw a whale shark and even swam with it! We also got to have a few surf lessons, even though I fell for most of the lesson it was awesome! Thank yall so much for this amazing opportunity, I can’t wait to tell you about all the wonderful things I have seen in Mozambique!! Thank you again, I love and miss yall!!
Mills: Hi mama and dad!! I am having the most amazing time in Mozambique. This water is GORGEOUS!!! We went surfing and snorkeling and we swam with a whale shark!!!!!! It was so cool. We’ve been playing some beach volleyball which has also been super fun. Last night we all went sunset swimming and played in the waves!!! Thank y’all so much for giving me this amazing opportunity and supporting me and encouraging me through it. I could not ask for a better fan club!!!! I love yall more than anything and I can’t wait to see yall on Thursday!!!! Tell Mae and Madigan I said Hi and I love them and I can’t wait to see them when I get home!!! Give Lew and MD big hugs for me and tell them I love yall so much. Thank you again for this once in a lifetime wonderful opportunity to meet the most incredible people and spend 2 weeks in the most amazing place. I love yall SO big!!!!!!!
Love- Millsie
Macon: Hi momma dad and sissy!! Tofo beach and the Indian Ocean are my new favorite places omg the water is so clear!! Thank you so much for sending me here and this opportunity you presented for me. To sum up Tofo beach quick we swam with dolphins and a whale shark, played volleyball with British, USA, French, and African people, surfed, and sunrise/sunset swim!!! Such a surreal experience omgggggg. Thank you Topher for teaching me how to surf (I was a pro). Thank you mom and dad for encouraging me to do this and sending me into the big world with so much trust and love, thank you Becca for making sure I would be safe 24/7 here. I couldn’t be more grateful. Thank you Jakson for sharing your moon dance experience!! Tell Libby I miss her more than ever and I can’t wait to see her again, and tell Dutch I say hi and happy (late) birthday and I’ll see yall all soon!!
With so much love and gratitude-may may
Addie: Holaaa to my favorite people, I miss yall sm. Currently we are in Mozambique and abt to leave for Mabula which I’m very excited for!! We swam with a whale shark yesterday which was so incredible, played tons of beach volleyball with some very interesting and diverse ppl, and have been eating the most amazing food. thank you mom and dad for sending me here it has helped me grow my horizons in many ways and I couldn’t not be more grateful . I don’t wanna leave but at the same time I do see yall soon so much love
Lucy: Helloooo from Tofo beach!! I miss you all so so much! Right now is our last day in Mozambique and then we are traveling to Mabula. In Mozambique we got to swim with dolphins, a whale shark, and surf which was all super fun! The food has been amazing too, we went to a locals home and learned how to make a type of sweet bread and a sauce that goes on rice. Thank you all so so so much for sending me on this incredible trip of a lifetime!! I have been able to learn so much about different cultures and how unique their lives are compared to ours! I can’t wait to tell yall everything else and see you!!!
Alyson: hola from Tofo beach here in Mozambique!! I have seen so many amazing animals both marine and land. We even swam with a whale shark! I really have loved meeting the people and getting to try new foods. Thank you so much for this awesome experience I am having the BEST time
Magdalena: hi guys! We’ve had so much fun so far! A few days ago we even swam with a WHALE SHARK? Anyways we had so much fun on Tofo beach it was so gorgeous and we met so many amazing people and we did some amazing things and overall we’re having a great time that I’ll never forget! Thank you so so much mom for making this happen for me! P.s Abigail I miss you queen
Audrey: Hi!! GUESS WHO SWAM WITH A WHALE SHARK!? Thank you so so so much for supporting me in going on this trip, it’s a once in a lifetime experience that I’ll never forget, from the places, to the food, to the people. I miss you so much and am excited to see y’all but I really wish I could stay for longer. I’ve decided to move to Tofo Beach, so if I ever go off the grid, you know where to find me! See you soon and love you!!
Talia: HI MAMA AND JEFF!!! Thank you so much for giving me all the opportunities I have had from this trip. I was just in Mozambique and I swam with a whale shark (2nd favorite animal). I have found a new love for surfing and volleyball, my competitive side was coming out. I’m so sad to leave my 2nd family here but so ready to see you guys at the same time. Btw mom everyone has been reading the notes you gave me to remind them of home too! I love you guys to the moon and back a million times! Can’t wait to see you!
We Made It!!
July 15, 2025
Hello from South Africa!!! We are SO excited to share with you all our first few days of the trip and so thankful that everyone was able to get here safely after the flight cancelations. Wanted to give a huge shout out to Macon and Talia who spent some time with a few past Moondance leaders in the airport who said they were so kind and positive throughout the unfortunate circumstances. We also wanted to say thank you to everyone in Atlanta who opened their homes to others for the night, we greatly appreciated all of the help! Once everyone arrived in Johannesburg, we quickly checked into our hotel, ate pizza for dinner, and heard all about the girls’ travel fiasco. After a few icebreakers and laughs about funny plane stories, we went to bed knowing everyone was exhausted from the extra long travel day.
While everyone woke up excited for our first full day, Talia and Lucy impressed us by being the first ones down for breakfast! Once everyone came down and set out for Little Mongena, the first game reserve we would be staying at. Upon arrival, we started a giant game of Uno, which lasted until lunch was ready. For our first meal out in the bush, we enjoyed the options of greek salad, caprese paninis and chicken tenders on the top of a boathouse overlooking a small lake. After lunch, the girls got settled into their rooms and we had a little time to relax before going on a sunset boat ride. Before heading out, Abbey, Audrey, Magdalena, and Lucy saw a hippo not far from camp, which got everyone excited for all the animals we would be seeing soon!! On the boat, we had more hippo sightings (Alice got to face her fear!!!) and even got to see a few crocodiles laying out under the sun. We pulled back into the dock right as the sun was going under the horizon, creating one of the most breathtaking views. As we loaded off the boat, we were greeted with hot chocolate by the campfire followed by a traditional South African Braai dinner. We ended the night with our first official Moonup, passing off the Leader of the Day (LOD) role to Natalie and Abbey!
Following our first night in Little Mongena, the girls woke up prepared to take on the day ahead. We began with a big breakfast where the girls had the options of eggs benedict, avocado toast, English breakfast, or a flapjack stack, (the croissants were a HUGE hit). After breakfast, we set off for our first day of community service, where we painted the walls of a local preschool. Once the paint buckets were uncapped and the brushes were set out, the girls got to work. Natalie and Abbey focused on the finer details, filling in the cracks with smaller brushes while others rolled thick paint onto the walls. While painting, we jammed out to some 70s and 80s rock ‘n’ roll. Once “Ramble On” started playing, Aly informed the group that she ranks #2 on Led Zeppelin listeners in the world, which amazed pretty much everyone.
After a morning of painting, we made our way back to Little Mongena, where we revealed a major surprise: a bush sleepout! We split up into two groups, and rather than drive directly to our campsite, we hiked through the bush together. Luke’s group spotted a female rhino with a 1-month calf, marking a rare Big Five sighting on foot! Shortly after, the same group stumbled upon a family of three giraffes, which caused Magdalena and Audrey to shed tears of joy. At camp, we were greeted by a warm fire and a dinner consisting of chow mein and lasagna. We enjoyed the meal as the sun set among the trees. Afterwards, Natalie and Abbey led Moonup where we discussed places we would like to live and our happiest memories. Though we had already had a busy day, the fun had only just begun. The girls sat around the fire for several hours where they entertained themselves and our guides, Maritz and Kaylee. They asked an unimaginable amount of questions to them regarding South African culture, life in the bush, and silly ones requiring some deep thought. We shared lots of laughs and went to bed underneath the stars listening to the soft roaring of lions from a safe distance.
We awoke just before the sunrise and headed back to our main lodging area after our night out in the bush. After a delicious buffet breakfast, we left Little Mongena for our last day of community service. Our task was the same as the days before, and the girls worked hard to complete the project in our limited time frame. Talia made sure to fill in the fine details by using her finger to fill in some of the hard-to-reach cracks. Magdalena, Audrey, Mills, Addie, and Macon dipped their palms in the paint bucket and put some handprints on the school windows, adding a creative element to the overall design. Once the painting was complete, we said goodbye to the wonderful community leaders who helped us with our project and made our way back to camp.
After a little downtime to catch up on some sleep, we set off for an evening game drive! Luke’s group came upon a very old male giraffe and the mother and baby rhino from the day before. We enjoyed a quick break as the sun set, then arrived back at Little Mongena for another surprise: a cooking competition! The girls worked hard to create a dish known as potjie, a traditional South African stew. Natalie demonstrated her skills with a knife by dicing an onion perfectly, and Julia carefully fried the chicken to the perfect temperature. After our 3 judges taste tested, the group with Talia, Alice, Macon, Addie, Audrey, and Magdalena won!. The judges said that out of the 14 potjie dishes they have tried from prior Moondance groups, these two bowls were the best! We are so proud of our young chefs. We devoured the potjie for dinner along with fried fish, rice, and mixed veggies. At Moonup, Alice and Mills had everyone demonstrate their favorite dance move. Natalie, Aly, and Magdalena hit us with some moves recognizable from “Saturday Night Fever,” while Addie impressed all with her orange justice. We closed out Moonup by talking about our role models, and got some much needed rest before our travel day.
For our next stop, we will be changing out the bush for the beach as we make our way to Tofo Beach, Mozambique! We would like to thank you all for sharing your girls with us. They are truly an incredible group and we cannot wait to know them more over the rest of our trip. Below, the girls have written some shoutouts for everyone reading back home:
Julia – I love you guys sooo much!! I am having so much fun and doing things I have never done before. This is such an amazing experience and thank you so much, everyone is great. The first part of South Africa was amazing and we saw baby rhinos and giraffes, which was crazy. We are in Mozambique right now and it is incredibly beautiful – you guys would love it. We just went swimming with dolphins!! I miss you SO much every night and think about you guys so much. I hope you are having a great time in Romania. Tell Brady hi, If you’re reading this I miss you a ton I cannot wait to hug you all again.
Macon-hi mom hi dad hi jakson if she’s here. I’m having the best time on my life here I’m learning so much about their culture and the friends I’m making are some of the coolest people ever. I’m so grateful for everything I have and genuinely this is such an eye opening experience I couldn’t be more happy to be here. Please tell Libby I miss her so much and I’m so excited to come home to see her and y’all and for her to tell Dutch hi!! Love yall so much!! See ya soon.
Addie- hellurrrrr mom and dad and Mary sadlerrrr. I’m having the best time here Africa is insaneeeee. Mozambique is my fav so far. Missing yall tho. The girls in my group are the sweetest and it’s just been laughing the whole trip. Can’t wait for the rest see yall when I get home. Also tell Joey I said hi and I miss him. Byeeee love yall sm. (P.S. sorry I didn’t call and tell yall bye I had no service.)
Lucy: Hiiii!! I miss yall so so much but everything here has been so cool. I loved seeing the animals in South Africa, especially the Rhino and giraffe! I have also loved talking to the girls at night and during meals. So far South Africa is my favorite but Mozambique is super fun too! I can’t wait to see you!!!
Audrey: Hey fam!! I miss y’all but I’m having the absolute best time. Just a few hours ago we snorkeled with dolphins and in Little Mongena we were able to get really close to a mother and baby rhino! We also slept out in the bush, which was INSANE. The whole group is so sweet and I’ll hate to leave. Can’t wait to get back to my own bed though! I’m so grateful for this experience and being able to learn about the culture in these villages. Love you sooooo much, see you soon and happy birthday B-Mama!!
Alice b- Hi mom and dad! I’m having such a great time here. Africa is sooo cool! I have made so many new friends and memories. Learning all about new cultures and people has been so eye opening. Miss y’all and see yall soon!
Talia: HI MAMA AND JEFF!!! I miss you guys so much but I am having so much fun. South Africa was really cool. I saw lots of rhinos, zebras, impalas, giraffes, and like a lot more. I’m in Mozambique right now and it is beautiful. I was swimming with dolphins like an hour ago. We are cooking authentic Mozambican food, they told me I cook like the locals. I also drank lots of coconut, mom you would love it! Tell your other children I say hi and my friends! I don’t want to stop writing but I love you guys to the moon and back!
Magdalena: hey guys! I’ve had the best time ever. I miss you guys a lot! We’re in Mozambique right now but back in South Africa I saw amazing animals. I saw giraffes, hippos, rhinos, zebras, and a lot more. Mozambique is beautiful today. We went on an ocean safari and swam with dolphins! Also for community service we painted a school and it was very eye opening and amazing. I’ve eaten a lot of great food and I’ve made a lot of friends. Love you guys see you soon!
Mills- Hi mama and dad!! This has been so awesome. I’ve met the most amazing people and I am having the best time. Everything here is so beautiful and we have seen so many cool things! When we were at Little Mongena we saw rhinos, giraffes, wildebeests, impalas, crocodiles, and hippos!! This morning we went on an ocean safari and swam with dolphins. I’ve been getting so much good perspective and journaling SO much! I miss and love yall so much and I can’t wait to tell y’all everything!! Give MD and Lew big hugs for me and tell them I love and miss them so much!! Love, Millsie
Natalie- Hey mom and dad! I miss y’all so much and I can’t wait to tell you guys about my adventures. The girls are so nice and I love all of them. I’m taking so many photos and making the best memories!! All the places we have gone have been so beautiful and the hotels are SO nice! The food is amazing and I’ve seen so many cool animals. Love you guys! Love, Nat
Alyson – Hey! I have met the greatest people and seen so many cool things. The sunsets in the bush are the most gorgeous skies I have seen in my life and have seen the absolute coolest animals. Mozambique being in the middle of the trip is the perfect warm break from the cold winter in South Africa. Everywhere we have been has been surprisingly nice and I have had a warm and cozy stay each night. Love you and see you soon!
Safe Arrival!
July 10, 2025
Hello South Africa + Mozambique Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Johannesburg! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
