Goodbye and Thank You!
July 7, 2025
Kwaheri to the best two weeks ever! We are so incredibly thankful for our time together in Tanzania and especially for these last few magical days in Zanzibar. Saying goodbye was not easy because we absolutely rocked out. We rocked out like we were scuba diving and the oxygen levels were over 200 bars. We rocked out like the JBL Flip speaker volume was set to infinity. We rocked out like jackfruit was in season. We rocked out like we had an empty appointment book and a to-do list with one item: play Dutch Cup. We rocked out like we found the pig skin. We rocked out like the sun was always shining in Zanzibar. We rocked out like Leah. We rocked out like Kobe after dropping 81 on the Raptors. We rocked out like the scuba snack platter was everlasting. We rocked out like there was no SunBay Hotel check-out date.
It was easy to rock out with such awesome people in such a magical place like Zanzibar. It was a natural talent of ours. On the very first day there, we, of course, immediately played some Dutch Cup, jumped in the pool, played Marco Polo and categories, and filled our bellies with a 3-course welcome dinner. Nate was our dinner table comedian, always keeping the group laughing with his sneaky jokes. The next day we JUMPED into the pool to get scuba certified or into the ocean (for those who were already certified) to explore a new world. Our to-do list grew from playing Dutch Cup – to playing Dutch Cup AND scuba diving for about 4 days straight. We spent each morning hanging out on crystal clear blue water, blaring music, dancing, taking funny pictures in our scuba gear, eating fresh fruit, jumping into the glassy, majestic aqua water, and breaking up into teams to explore the ocean. It was insane. Our fun continued underwater as well. Matthew continued to beat me in rock, paper, scissors, shoot sub 60 ft. Charlotte, Julian, and William/Peaches were one with the dolphins. Weezie saved me from a lion fish who wanted to join our party, Lily was our professional photographer who led and captured our underwater photoshoot, and Grady was our infamous boat DJ. Ella and Virginia even went on to get their advanced open water scuba certifications (girl boss alert). If you have anyyyy questions about mysterious fish in the Indian Ocean that live approximately 60-100ft below water, Ella and Virginia are your girls! In the afternoons we rested on the beach, went on a spice tour where we learned lots about the local spices and plants, explored Stone Town, ate some delicious ice cream, sang out hearts out, danced like no one was watching (even thought everyone was probably watching us), played some more Dutch Cup, and made SunBay our new home. We said goodbye to SunBay with one last balcony dance party. Grace, Virginia, and I sang our hearts out to Adele and performed a beautiful dance for an audience of zero.
This trip was full of laughter, unforgettable memories, and bonds that will last a lifetime. Thank you to the amazing students who made these two weeks so fun, meaningful, and memorable, and thank you to all the parents and families for trusting us with your incredible kids. The TNZ 2A family is now returning home full of stories, smiles, and deep gratitude for this journey together. Asante sana and kwaheri for now!
With love,
Brita & William
HLAW!
Big 5? Check. Banana Leaves? Check. Zanzibar? Let’s Go!
July 1, 2025
Mambo! Hi from TNZ!
We are having such an amazing time in Tanzania, and now we are on our way to the tropical paradise of Zanzibar!!! We couldn’t think of a better way to end this trip than spending the last few days together in PARADISEEEEE. HLAW!
We have been quite busy the last few days! Grace and Lily were our brave LODs who courageously lead us into the depths of the Ngorongoro crater. It was so surreal. In the Serengeti, we could look out in every direction as far as our eyes could see. But nestled between the flat lands, we descended into the deep crater walls, where we now found ourselves in a natural African zoo. Today was the day when we crossed off the Big 5! After being in the crater for only a few minutes, we got to see a rhino (with binoculars)! The Big 5 was officially checked off. After crossing off such a major accomplishment from our bucket list, we were hungry. We stopped for a picnic in the crater, but this was short-lived because multiple elephants decided to (again) crash our party (totally normal). After eating a speedy lunch, we packed back into the vans and serenaded the animals that resided in the crater.Matthew spent most of the safari ride with his head out of the window, being one with the animals. Julian sang his heart out (Bruno Mars – When I was your man was the highlight). After a day in the crater, we arrived back at our accommodation to enjoy a perfect infinity pool tucked away on top of a hill, surrounded by so much green…green plants, green grass, and fresh green growing fruits and veggies. We all cannon-balled into the water, William led us in some yoga, Weezie and I swam some laps and put on a fashion show with the classic “George Washington pool hairstyle,” and Grady enjoyed the shallow end of the pool/which we called Grady’s kiddy pool. After our pool time, we played some card games, including Presidents and Dutch Cup, ate a delicious dinner, and ended our night with a Moonup under the stars, where Ella and Nate were nominated as our new LODs!
A new day! More HLAW moments! Today we enjoyed a cooking class, learned about banana plants, went shopping for food to cook with and souvenirs, and immersed ourselves in the culture of the Maasai tribe. First things first, we cooked! Literally and figuratively. The boys in the group began (or I should say tried) to chop some wood and cut down banana trees, but the grandma of the family we were cooking with, showed them how it was done. Lily pointed out that the leaves of these banana trees smelled like Fruit Loops, which was spot on. Meanwhile, Grace and I started chopping some spinach-like greens, Charlotte and Lily helped make some tortillas, and Ella, Virginia, and Grace made a traditional dish called ugali. After our bellies were full from the delicious food we had made, we arrived at our new accommodation, where we have spent the last few days, which was hidden in the bush, which is home to the Maasai tribe. We were greeted by a traditional song and dance, and everyone jumped right in, again, literally and figuratively. A portion of the dance involves the boys jumping in place, with the goal of catching some air. Nate killed it!!! He JUMPED right in and got some hoots and hollers for his impressive jumps. Matthew joined him and amazed everyone with his “mad hops.” That evening, we filled our bellies with ANOTHER incredible dinner (the food has been insane) and recapped the day around a fire where Grady and Weezie were nominated as our next LODs!
Today was our full day of community service, where we helped build a toilet for a Maasai family. This involved collecting sticks, nails, cow dung, large rocks, and dirt from a termite mound! We first used the sticks and nails to build the foundation of this small room, then filled the wall with rocks, and finally used a magical mixture of cow dung and dirt to plaster the stick/rock walls. It did not matter to us that we were covered in cow waste and dirt because we were all having the absolute best time. Such a good time that we all decided to just ditch the gloves and accept the materials we were working with. Charlotte was a GIRL BOSS, and she and William were the first to accept the fate of their dirty fingernails and dive right into the whole process. We loved the chance to get to know the Maasai family we were working alongside. The children of the family joined us on our glove-free journey and listened/danced to some music with us to pass the time. Ella turned work into play, as the mud started to be targeted at each other, rather than the walls. MUDDD FIGHT!!! We were soooo proud of the work we did and the bathroom we built! Everyone did such a great job, and we loved the opportunity to get to know this gracious family and their community/space. We were all a little smelly, but just a little, so we all cleaned up and enjoyed another showstopping dinner and talked about our special day. Charlotte and Matthew were nominated as our next LODs!
Now it was time to celebrate Ella’s birthday!!! We woke her up with a Happy Birthday crown and song, of course, and the celebrations lasted the whole day!! Today we went to a painting class, where Nate painted some beautiful acacia trees, Grady with a jaw-dropping sunset and lion, Weezie with a giraffe, and Virginia with an abstract lion. We all put our creative minds to the test and made some beautiful artwork. Later that day, we got to go on an awesome hike, chat with one another, hug the tree of life, dirt surf down a steep hill, and dodge bundles of bananas. That evening, we packed up, ate an insanely yummy meal (classic), and had a special Moonup around the fire where Julian and Virginia were nominated as LODS.
We are now heading to Zanzibar and could not be more thankful for our time together. The group has grown so close, and we are soaking up our last days together!!!
Brita & William
Thank you’s:
Nate: Thanks so much for sending me here! I’ve had a great time on the mainland and am on the way to Zanzibar now. It’s been so much fun and the group is great. Love you guys and happy birthday mom!
Weezie: Hello mother and father. I am having so much fun. I am sitting on a plane to Zanzibar reading the unlikely spy and it is very good. I am really excited to be at the BEACH! I hope y’all are having fun on your trip! Love y’all so very much, Weez.
Matthew: Thank you so much for putting me on this trip. This has been one of the best trips I have been on and I wish I did something like this sooner. Everyone in my group is really nice and I’m having a good time. I’ll see you guys soon!
Lily: Hi Mom and Dad!! I’m currently on the plane and I am so excited for the rest of this trip! I miss y’all so much and cannot wait to share all the stories of the trip. About to scuba dive so wish me luck!!!
Grady: Thanks so much for sending me on the trip. I’m having the best time. Tanzania was awesome, on the plane to Zanzibar right now. Love y’all.
Grace: Thank you so much for sending me to Tanzania and Zanzibar! It’s sooo fun, and I’m having the best time. We’re on the way to Zanzibar. Love y’all and see you soon!!
Virginia: Hey mom and dad!! Thank yall so much for sending me on this trip. Were headed to Zanzibar right now and I couldn’t be more excited. I’m having the best time with my group. Can’t wait to see y’all soon!!
Julian: Hi Mom and Dad. Thank you again for sending me on this trip. It has been great so far and I am so excited for Zanzibar and scuba diving . Although I do not really want the trip to end, I can’t wait to see y’all and the boys!
Ella: Hi mom, dad and Blake I guess…. Miss you all so so so much and I have had the best time so far and am so so excited to go to Zanzibar. I have seen and experienced so many cool things. I also had a pretty sweet birthday and I can’t wait to share all of my memories and stories with you all. Also this is my favorite group so far. Thank you for letting me come here and check this off my bucket list! Writing to you on the plane to Zanzibar! See you soon.
Charlotte: Hi mom and dad! Thank y’all for sending me on this trip. It has been the best experience of my life and I am so grateful. I dug in cow poop yesterday!! We just got to Zanzibar and I’m so excited to go to the beach!!! I can’t wait to tell y’all about the trip when I get home.
Jambo from Tanzania!
June 27, 2025
Jambo from Tanzania!
As we like to say, HLAW (HOW LUCKY ARE WE)!!!!! To be in such a beautiful place with such amazing people. The last few days have been nothing short of magical. We are feeling as majestic as ever. Majestic is a common adjective we have used on this trip to describe the animals that don’t feel real and the energy we bring to each day. William (otherwise known as Peaches) and I are so incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to meet and get to know everyone on this trip so well. We are surrounded by INCREDIBLE outfitters, people, and animals. The HLAW count is exponentially growing and reaching peak numbers. We are only on day 5, and we can confidently say this has been a life-changing experience. Also, we are only a few days in and are all strictly on a nickname basis.
Day 1 was airport day! Even after close to 48 hours of travel, everyone showed up excited and ready for 17 days in Africa. We quickly loaded up into safari cars and we were off!!!! We were a few seconds into our drive when Charlotte SQUEALED with excitement…. To our shocking surprise…. She saw her….very first…. Drum roll please….. donkey!!!! This was her very first donkey spotting (in her lifetime), and we were all so supportive of her donkey journey. Charlotte’s excitement for donkeys never dwindled as the days passed on. We made a pit stop for lunch in the lush countryside of Tanzania. This restaurant was beautiful and perched between trees on top of a hill. We ate delicious hamburgers and started to exchange many, many stories, in this boujee treehouse. Ella and our outfitter, Selous (who is from New Zealand), bonded over their love for New Zealand and learned they are neighbors-ish. Once we got back to our accommodation that evening, we settled in by playing presidents (a thrilling card game) where Lily was the reigning president of TNZ 2A. We ate a delicious dinner of chicken and rice, followed by a birthday cake. The chefs were under the impression there was a birthday (when there wasn’t), so of course we had to start celebrating Ella’s birthday 9 days early. The birthday celebrations are well underway! That night we started Moonup (a Moondance tradition where we take intentional time out of the day to sit in a circle, reflect, laugh, give “nugs” to highlights/funny moments, ask questions, and listen to one another) with a game of intense mafia where Virginia was the sneaky killer taking her new friends down one by one, until her laughter and smirk gave her away. The very first LOD (leaders of the day) were nominated by Peaches and me because of their natural leadership and the great attitude/energy they brought to the first day, and this was Weezie and Nate! With LOD status, you get to wear the coveted gold aviator sunglasses. They are very stylish if I do say so myself.
It was the second day!!!! Our first full day in Tanzania! We woke up to some yummy pancakes and eggs and filled our bellies full for a day of adventure. Once we were full and packed, we loaded up into the safari cars and hit the road to Serengeti National Park!!! Today, we got to witness a whole lion family and their many cubs just feet from our car. We were in awe as the mother and father lion walked towards our car, with the cubs right behind them, and then just lay down for a nap right near the tires. Julian got incredible photos, which has been a theme this whole trip. He is very talented, and we have all been encouraging him to pursue photography! We had a very successful first safari day as we saw lions, zebras, baboons, giraffes, and many other animals. Later, we arrived at our camp, where we were greeted by incredibly kind outfitters who made sure we were beyond comfortable and taken care of. We settled into our tents, ate a delicious dinner made by Chef Alex, and then ended the day with Moonup around the campfire. Chef Alex taught us that “Weezie” means thief in Swahili, which became one of our favorite jokes. Alex was worried that a “Weezie” was going to steal his food in the middle of the night!! We were all laughing and now constantly quote Chef Alex’s famous words, “like a Weezie.” That night, Charlotte and Julian were nominated as our new LODs!
It was another beautiful day in the Serengeti and our first Serengeti sunrise. We all crawled out of our tents to see the beautiful African skyline with silhouettes of acacia trees, and a pink, orange, and yellow-painted sky, sprinkled with many hot air balloons. We watched in amazement. Thanks to Chef Alex, we ate delicious crepes and were ready to hop in the safari cars for another great day! HLAW! We listened to some great music and sang our hearts out, serenading the many antelopes and zebras. We learned Zebras are big Megan Trainer fans. Today’s safari highlight was watching a hippo charge at another family of lions!! Our jaws hit the dusty Serengeti floor as we watched this huge hippo, still in the water, immediately turn around and start running at a pack of lions that was getting too close for the hippo’s comfort. After the charge, the hippo opened its mouth wide to show off its many teeth and fangs. I can confidently say we were all quite intimated and knew to keep our distance. We also got to see a leopard in a tree, along with its half-eaten lunch (an antelope) hanging from a tree branch. We have all been talking about how cute and cuddly these animals are, but continue to learn that may not be the case, and if we were to hug these animals, it would not go over too well. We got back to camp after a full, successful day of safari to eat, again a delicious dinner, shoutout to Chef Alex, tossed around a “pig skin” (football) as Grady, Julian, Matthew, and Nate say, and played some games. Tonight, we played another game where we learned about Matthew’s love and appreciation for Honey Buns and trampolines, and how Reese Witherspoon knows Grace’s (otherwise known as Grass) dog personally. Grady (known as G-Eazy) also had us laughing with all the stories he told in our nightly games, which has also been a theme of the trip. Of course, we ended the day with a great Moonup, where Ella and Grady/G-Easy were nominated for LOD for keeping the group laughing and bringing the energy.
Another day of waking up in paradise with a side of hot air balloons! Today, we got to witness the Great Migration, where we were surrounded by thousands of wildebeests. It was only the 4th day, and we had already seen four of the Big 5; we just had rhinos to still cross off the list. On the way to the Great Migration, we stopped by a hippo hotspot. We thought the hippo lifestyle would be a nice one, lying in the water and bathing in the sun. Peaches is bringing back the selfie, so we all had to get selfies with the hippos, elephants, zebras, lions, etc. It was pretty obvious when we made it to the Great Migration because, after a few minutes, we were completely immersed in wildebeests. Charlotte was a self-acclaimed wildebeest. Grace/Grass, Grady, Virginia, Weezie, and I were left speechless. After some hard work pretending to be wildebeests, we stopped for a picnic and then headed back into the Great Migration. For as long as you could see, were wildebeests. We also were all so curious how the wildebeests knew what direction to go in/who to follow, and we decided if we were wildebeests, we would prank the others and go somewhere they were not expecting. Later in the afternoon, we headed back to camp, where Virginia and I mastered the Parent Trap handshake, the boys taught Selous about American football and threw the pig skin, and we continued to play games and laugh like hyenas. That night at Moonup, Virginia and Matthew were nominated as our next incredible LODs.
Day 5! Today we got to witness two giraffes fighting with their necks and continued to spot elephants, lions, hyenas, and hippos as if it was casual. We also had a special visitor at our camp! We didn’t necessarily invite them, but an elephant crashed our party (who wouldn’t want to) and attempted to break into our kitchen. We couldn’t blame him because he just wanted a snack, but our outfitter drove him away before he wiped us clean. We all watched and giggled in amazement, safely in the vehicles, as this majestic creature helped himself to our goodies. It was our last official day in the Serengeti, so we performed one last concert. Julian hit all the high notes for us. As the sun set over the horizon, all the windows down in the safari cars, we sang our hearts out to some of our favorite songs. We all painted a mental picture and will always remember how free we felt in that moment. We were sad to say goodbye to our new home, the Serengeti National Park, and our outfitter friends, but we are excited for our next adventure, which includes exploring the Ngorongoro crater. Our next brave and fierce LODs that will be leading us into the crater are Grace (Grass) and Lily!
Time is flying by, but we are living in the moment and enjoying every second we have together. William and I are so grateful to spend these days together with such incredible humans in such an incredible place.
HLAW,
Brita & William
Shoutouts:
Grady: Hey mom and dad. I’m having the best time, Tanzania is beautiful. I lost my rainbows though (I found them again). Love y’all.
Grace: Hi!! I’m having so much fun, Tanzania is soooo pretty. We’ve seen hippos, zebras, lions, leopards, elephants and more. Love uuuuu.
Weezie: Hellooo! I’m writing you right now while watching the wildebeest great migration like 20 feet away! I’m having so much fun. We have seen so many cool animals it’s insane. I love and miss y’all!!!
Virginia: Hey Mom and Dad, miss y’all and the dogs! I’m having a lot of fun and love my group. It’s so cool seeing so many animals like elephants, zebras, cheetahs, leopards, and giraffes close up! I’m really excited to go to Zanzibar, can’t wait to see y’all, love y’all!!
Julian: What’s up Mom and Dad. Tanzania has been amazing so far. Thank you so much for sending me. The camera was a great call and I have taken a ton of pictures. The leaders and everyone else have been great and there is not much more I could ask for. I’m excited for what’s to come. Say hi to the dogs for me, I’ve been missing them a lot, and I guess I’ve missed you guys too. Love y’all.
Ella: Hiiiii mom and dad. I miss you so so much. I have had the best time here so far. Best experience ever!!! Miss home and friends. Say hi to Mary for me. Tell her I miss her! This is to Mary. I saw a zebra and named it after you. Anyway missing you guys but so so grateful and happy to be here. Made and met so many cool people and our leaders are the best I have had yet. Our group is super cool and the food here has been pretty good. So much avocado. Can’t wait to tell you all about everything I’ve done and seen. (So so many elephants!) Can’t wait to see you. Love you guys.
Nate: Hey Mom and Dad, I’ve had a great time so far and seen tons of cool animals. So far all we’ve really done is go on safari and we are staying in a camp in the middle of the Serengeti. The group and counselors are both great and I’ve taken lots of pictures. Also Happy Birthday Mom! Love you guys.
Charlotte: Hey mom and dad!! I’m currently driving through the Serengeti seeing all the zebras and elephants and so many more. I’ve been thinking every day about how grateful I am to be here and on this trip. Last night there were some lions and hyenas roaming near our campsite but nobody got eaten so we’re good. My camera broke though so I’m just taking some mental photos to share with y’all later. Say hi to the boys and Daisy for me!!
Matthew: This is the best trip I have ever been on! I saw nature.
Lily: Hi mom and dad!!! I miss y’all so much and I’m having the best time ever out here. I’ve seen so many animals and have even heard lions outside our campsite. I can’t wait to show y’all all the photos and see y’all soon!!! Love you lots! The people here are the best and truly was the best decision. Say hi to Oakley, Emma, and Turner!! Love y’all so much!!!!!!!! Let’s go scuba diving after I get my certification Dad!
The Journey Begins!
June 22, 2025
Hello Tanzania + Zanzibar Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely! 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
