Final Farewell!
July 24, 2025
Wow!!!! What an incredible 17 days together. It is crazy how 17 days and 13 people can change your life forever. It is beautiful to feel so sad to say goodbye, but simultaneously, so thankful for a hard goodbye and the lifelong memories and friendship that we have made in Tanzania and Zanzibar. As we like to say, we have rocked out. We rocked out like the SD cards in our cameras could never be filled. We rocked out like Chris Stapleton and Dua Lipa were a part of the TNZ 3A family, singing ‘I Think I am in Love With You’ with us. 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 pineapples were in season. We rocked out like we didn’t regret anything. We rocked out like we had an empty appointment book and a to-do list with one item: play Mafia. We rocked out like Millie was our hometown neighbor. We rocked out like the sun was always shining in Zanzibar. We rocked out like Gradness and Victor. We rocked out like the scuba snack platter was everlasting. We rocked out like chicken shawarma was at our fingertips. We rocked out like Toby Keith’s song ‘Who’s Your Daddy?’ was blaring through the speakers. We rocked out like chapati was coming home with us. We rocked out like Dennis when ‘Baby’ by Justin Bieber comes on. We rocked out like the passionfruit Fanta was everlasting. We rocked out like a hyena eating a yummy snack.
It was like second nature to us to rock out. You put 13 incredible humans in an incredible place, and we don’t have to think twice – we just rock out. During our first full day in Zanzibar, we decided it was the BEST DAY EVER. That morning on the boat, I turned to Porter and asked him if he was okay if we decided to make today the BEST DAY EVER, and he also loved that idea. Everyone caught on, and we made it the Best. Day. Ever. Mother Nature even cooperated and gave us the best weather day of the whole entire summer!!!! The source (the sun) was out, vibes were high, music was played on the boat, yummy pasta was for lunch/dinner, pool games were played, fruit platters were consumed, photos and Go Pro videos were taken, dives were made, and the best day ever was had. This energy followed us throughout our whole time in Zanzibar. Later that afternoon, Alice C/Clappa put on a show in the pool by amazing us with her handstand and underwater bubbles. Sam, Porter, and I had a jam session where we sang along to some Cody Johnson covers and Mumford and Sons. Can’t forget, all the Dutch Cup we played, where Leuck would play to WIN, even laying down black kings out of turn. He is the King of the Dutch Cup, some may say.
During our time in Zanzibar, each morning consisted of scuba diving, while the afternoons included beach and pool time, spice tours, and exploring Stone Town. On the third day, Clappa and Kaela officially completed their Open Water PADI certification, and Campbell, Sam, and Mack got their Advanced Open Water PADI certification. We have a talented over-achieving group because on the last day, William, Leuck, EA, and Hayden also got their Advanced Open Water PADI certification. We are so, so proud of EA for rising to the occasion, overcoming a challenge (being underwater navigation) and getting the life-changing, door-opening degree – that Advanced certification. No matter the dive, Porter was the reigning champion of all the underwater rock-paper-scissors we played. One afternoon, we got to learn about the spices that are famous in Zanzibar and walk through a spice farm. Hayden was SO excited to try all of the plants, and of course, bargain for a few to purchase after the tour as well. After the spice tour, we also got to try some fresh fruit!!! Campbell was thriving and loveddd the pineapple. Lily loved the fresh coconut juice and went back for seconds! Hydrate or diedrate. On our final day, we got to explore the city of Stone Town! Sam, Mack, Hayden, and Leuck were big fans of the chicken shawarma, and Alice K was elated over the gelato that Stone Town had to offer.
We laughed, made unforgettable memories, and friendships that will last a lifetime. It is so cool that we all call different places home, but we have now found a common home within each other. As we all depart and go to different final destinations, we leave with full hearts and plans to all reunite. Thank you to the amazing students who made these two weeks so fun, meaningful, life-changing, and memorable, and thank you to all the parents and families for trusting us with your incredible kids. William and I feel beyond blessed to get to truly know everyone on this trip. HLAW. Asante sana and kwaheri for now!
With so much love,
Brita & William
HLAW! Forever and always!
Terrific Times in Tanzania
July 18, 2025
Jambo jambo jambo!!!! We are writing to you from the plane from Tanzania to Zanzibar! What an incredible few days it has been! We have a lot to catch up on – the past few days have been some of my favorite days ever. HLAW.
Day 7! After exploring the crater, we could officially cross the Big 5 off our list!!! Not only did we see one rhino, but we saw three!!!! Great day to be a TNZ 3A member. Today was our last day on safari, so we said a sad goodbye to the animals and left for our new accommodation! After arriving, we settled in by playing some cards, eating a delicious dinner, playing a game that required us to act out different animals, and sitting under the stars for Moonup. Mack and Alice K were nominated as our new LODs for being outgoing, kind, and bringing the group together.
Day 8! Martha Stewart is trembling right now; she is so scared. Why, you may ask? She is terrified because of the pure talent and natural ease this group had at our local cooking class today. We made the best ugali, spinach, chicken, sauce, chipati, beef, cooked plantains, beans, potatoes, and okra ALL while dancing to some Shakira. Clappa absolutely killed the cooked spinach, Alice K and EA helped knead the dough for the chipati, and Lily helped cook the meat. After a long (1 hour) morning in the kitchen where we were absolutely grueling (it was easy going and fun), thee lunch was ready to be served. We ATE on Day EIGHT. Sorry, that joke was too perfect not to include. After our cooking class, we headed out to the market to purchase a few souvenirs/gifts and to bargain!! This group had sooo much fun with the bargaining and killed it. Lily stood on business and took the intimidation route to bargaining. Trying not to crack a smile while striking up a deal, but that didn’t last very long because she would join us laughing whenever we made eye contact. Hayden, on the other hand, was a natural and very persistent with the prices he offered. Overall, we had a successful day in the market! We then loaded up into the safari cars to head to our next accommodation where we got to be neighbors with a Maasai family. I absolutely love this accommodation. To set the scene, we are staying in the most picturesque Pinterest board aesthetic African tents nestled in the middle of the bush. Also, can’t forget to mention that the food here is absolutely incredible. Each meal, we are spoiled with a three-course meal where we all get to sit around the table and debrief our incredible day. That evening, we had a lovely Moonup around the fire, where Kaela and Porter were nominated as our next fearless LODs, for being a friend to everyone in the group and keeping us laughing/the energy up.
Day 9! A day of community service for us! Today, we had the privilege of building a restroom for a Maasai family. This task included painting the gutter and the metal panels that made the roof, collecting sticks, dirt, rocks, and cow dung, installing the posts/foundation of the structure, and having some good ol’ fun. William, Kaela, and Clappa were tasked with collecting dirt from a friendly termite mound; meanwhile, Hayden, Campbell, and Mack collected some rocks. They rocked at collecting rocks. EA, Sam, and I were tasked with painting the metal panels and the gutter. We did a phenomenal job at painting the materials, but we did an even better job pretending we were caught up in the middle of a paint war and the only way to survive was to coat each other in paint from head to toe. It all started when EA, by accident, got a little paint on Sam, but Sam fired back quickly. Sooner than later, we were all dying in laughter, and our clothes looked like a paint splatter art project. After all the pieces of the puzzle were collected, it was time to build the restroom! We nailed the sticks we collected into the posts we put into the ground, and Leuck and Porter NAILED it. After a long day of work, we ended the day with a traditional medicine walk where the teacher in the Maasai community we visited showed us a variety of trees. We learned how the bark of one tree is used to make toothbrushes (which I found very fascinating as a dental student). Mack gave this new toothbrush a try. We ended our walk at the top of the hill, watching the sunset, and taking a ton of photos. We aura farmed, hugged, and danced. That evening, we ate another phenomenal meal and had another Moonup around the fire, where Lily and Hayden were nominated as our awesome LODS.
Day 10! Now, Bob Ross is absolutely trembling due to the amount of artistic talent that flows through the veins of these students. The talent is unreal. Campbell and Leuck both painted giraffes that were so realistic I couldn’t tell the difference from the animals we saw on safari. After blessing the outdoor art studio with our presence and insane talents, we went on a little afternoon hike where we explored the countryside of Tanzania. We took a little break mid-hike to join a local soccer game. We ran our hearts out, laughed, kicked up dust, and Mack and Porter scored some goals!! Can’t also forget to mention William scored the … game-winning goal. No big deal. That evening, we ate a traditional Swahili dinner to celebrate our time in the bush. We ended the night, again, around the fire with Moonup, where Campbell and Mack were nominated as our new fantastic LODs.
We are off to Zanzibar as we speak! Time is absolutely FLYING by. We are having the best time together and soaking it all in. Today, we said goodbye to our beloved outfitter Millie, who has spent the last week with us. Tears were shed as we read her handwritten notes she wrote to each one of us, and as goodbye hugs were exchanged. She was fully a part of our family, and we are so thankful to know and love her. We are arriving in Zanzibar with full hearts and high spirits SO excited to spend this time together in paradise!!! HLAW!!!!
With love and gratitude,
Brita & William
Thank you’s:
Sam – Thanks Mom and Dad for this trip. I’ve had a lot of fun and learned many things. Can’t wait to see y’all.
Porter – Thank you Momma and Dad for making it possible for me to come on this trip. I have had so much fun and seeing all the animals was insane. I love y’all so much and can’t wait to see you when I get home.
Leuck – Thank you Mom and Dad so much for everything and sending me on this trip. I’ve had a great time and I can’t wait to see you guys.
Hayden – Thank you Mom and Dad for everything and making it possible for me to be on this trip. Love you guys and see you soon.
Kaela – I am so incredibly grateful to be here, thank you Mom and Dad for making this possible for me! Love you guys soo much and I will see you soon.
Alice C – Omg, Thank y’all!!!! I am having so much fun. Thank you Mom and Dad for this opportunity, I am sooooo grateful. Love and miss y’all lots and THANK YOU!!
Mack – Mom and Dad, thank you so much for letting me experience this amazing place because I am having the time of my life! The animals here are insane and it seems unreal to be here. I love you and miss you so much.
Lily – Thank y’all soooo much!!!! Love y’all so much and I’m having an absolute blast, and everything is amazing here. What would I do without y’all!! LOVE Y’ALL.
Campbell – Hi Mom and Dad!!! I miss you guys so much! I’m so sad that this trip is coming to an end! I’m so grateful I was able to go on yet another Moondance! I’m having the best time with the best people. This one was just as amazing as the other two! I loved coming back to Africa and seeing the great migration! I can’t wait to see you guys. I love you both so much and can’t wait to see you!!
EA – Hey Mom and Dad! I’m having a blast!! So sad for the trip to end but cannot wait to see y’all!!! ♥️♥️
Alice K – Hi Mom and Dad! Thank you so much for sending me on this trip! I had so much fun and I have so many stories to tell y’all during the car ride home! I hope y’all are doing well at home with Otis! I miss and love y’all so much! See y’all super soon, with tons of new stories and memories to share! Love y’all so much!!
Riddles, Rhinos & Rain-Dance Parties
July 14, 2025
Mambo from Tanzania!
HLAW! Meaning, how lucky are we!!! To experience this incredible place with each other. The last few days have been nothing short of AWESOME and filled with laughter, riddles, inside jokes, accents, hair braiding, friendship bracelets, dance parties, more riddles, more dance parties, veggie offs (where the finalists in any game we play go back to back and act out an adjective and a vegetable – for example sassy peapod … Porter won that one), hacky sack, card games (our favorite is Dutch Cup), and story telling. William (also known as Peaches) and I are so incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to spend time and truly get to know each other on this trip. It is only day 6, and it is like we have known each other for years. I feel overwhelming amounts of gratitude to be here with these people. HLAW. We are surrounded by INCREDIBLE outfitters, people, and animals every day. The HLAW count is exponentially growing and reaching peak numbers. I believe I speak for the group when I say that this trip has already been such a life-changing experience.
The plane from Doha touched down in Kilimanjaro, and the trip began! 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 the group was off!!!! Day 1 included eating burgers, visiting a children’s home, playing lots of card games, including BS (Bologna Sandwich), Dutch Cup, and Spoons with berries from a plant. This accommodation also had a basketball court and pool, so the group hooped and did Moonup lit up by the pool. I was waiting on the final member of our family to join us, Alice K, so William and I called in backup. This special someone …. Is someone who casts a spell and spreads a deadly sickness known as the Bieber fever. The one, the only, Justin Bieber!!! This Justin Bieber has an uncanny resemblance to William with golden aviators on. He also I think forgot to do his warm-ups because his vocals were a little rusty but we were still glad he stopped by to say hi during Moonup (a moondance tradition were 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). The very first LOD (leaders of the day) were nominated by William (also Justin Bieber/Peaches) because of their natural leadership and great attitude/energy they brought to the first day, and this was Kaela and Porter! With LOD status, you get to wear the coveted Justin Bieber gold aviator sunglasses. They are very stylish if I do say so myself.
Day 2! Alice K and I flew into the Serengeti, and we were now one big happy family. Once we landed, we went to our base camp and enjoyed a delicious lunch and played more card games, but this time we played Presidents. Campbell absolutely killed it and was the TNZ 3A president. Later that day, we jumped back into the car and went for an evening safari, and man, oh, man, was this a successful day. After not even being in the Serengeti for 24 hours, we saw four of the Big 5!!! We were just missing the Rhino, which we are hoping to see today in the Ngorongoro crater. On our game drive, some of our highlights included seeing 15 lions at once, a family of elephants maybe 1 ft away from our car, seeing a baby cheetah, and watching how giraffes walk. Campbell loved seeing all of the elephants! Mack is on a mission to get a photo of every type of animal in the Serengeti, as it passes waste. When we returned from our thrilling drive, we ate a delicious dinner and ended the day with Moonup around the campfire in the middle of the flat, vast Serengeti, under the dancing stars, listening to the singing of lions and hyenas in the distance. Mack and EA were nominated as our new brave LODs for bringing the group together and being a friend to all.
Day 3! It was another gorgeous day in the Serengeti National Park, and it was our first Serengeti sunrise. We all crawled out of our tents to see the beautiful African skyline with silhouettes of acacia trees, a pink, orange, and yellow painted sky, sprinkled with many hot air balloons. We watched in amazement and waved to everyone floating above us. Thanks to Chef Stevie, we ate delicious crepes, eggs, bacon, and toast, and were ready to hop in the safari cars for another great day! HLAW! Although as we were loading up into our safari cars, Alice C (otherwise known as Clappa) couldn’t find her tennis shoe. It isn’t every day that your shoe goes missing that you can blame it on a wild hyena, but that was indeed the case here. One of our outfitters, Frank, saved the day when he found Clappa’s cute little Hoka tennis shoe in the tall grass just outside of camp with a whole bite taken out of the back of it. This hasn’t stopped Clappa from reppin’ her shoes, and we all believe they just got more stylish. Once we all had shoes on our feet, we were ready for a beautiful day in the Serengeti. We listened to some great music and sang our hearts out, serenading the many antelopes and zebras. After a fun and eventful morning, we stopped for a fun and eventful lunch break. We filled our bellies with a MAGICAL fruit salad and danced our hearts out. When we pulled up to lunch, my safari car, including Sam, Porter, Lily, EA, and Alice K, performed a rehearsed number to Get Low for the other van, and we killed it. We spent well over an hour in the car perfecting our dance moves and memorizing the lyrics to knock the socks off the other group, and that we did. This lunch was just filled with dancing and singing because after our Get Low number, Lily and I performed a song and a dance to the Migos, and then we had a dance off, boys vs. girls. I may be biased, but I think the girls killed it. After all of our dancing workouts, we concluded lunch with a peaceful and centering circle of yoga to prep for our afternoon on safari. That afternoon, we saw so many zebras that EA dreamed of riding like her horses at home. We are convinced the zebras would be totally cool with this plan too. Another theme throughout the day was riddles. We riddled everywhere. We riddled at breakfast. We riddled at lunch. We riddled in the safari cars. We riddled around the fire. We riddled at dinner. We riddled in our tents. One thing about us – we riddle. Leuck is a riddle god who can figure out the aggravating little rule or fact to solve the tricky question/statement so quickly. Meanwhile, Hayden is our most persistent riddler. No matter what, no matter how many clarifying questions, no matter how much time has passed, no matter how many other people have given up, Hayden will keep trying to solve the riddles… and guess what? He has been successful. When Hayden is home, you are going to want to ask him, “How many rocks am I throwing?” and he will know right away! That evening, we finished another beautiful day the most perfect way, with Moonup around the fire. Campbell and Sam were nominated as our next LODs for being outgoing and keeping the energy up.
Day 4! Another day of waking up in paradise with a side of hot air balloons! Today was another day of full safari and riddles. The animal highlight of the day was a pool of many hippos! We were all discussing what it would be like to play Wipeout, but instead of trying to run across the big red balls, we would try to run across the hippos’ backs. This idea only remained a “what if” thought. We also played lots of hacky sack, where Hayden would always be so eager to win, but this lead him to always being at the wrong place (the middle of the circle) at the wrong time (when someone catches the hacky sack after three consecutive hits) leading to him getting out first each time. On our way back to camp, we passed a car with a flat tire, so we got out and our outfitter, Machine, helped the other guide change the tire, while, naturally, we had a dance party in the middle of the road. That evening, the game continued, when we played Empire around the fire, where you pick a celebrity/character, and we try to guess who is who. Alice K almost won with the name James Charles, before Leuck and Clappa remembered the name James Charles in the last second. That evening, we ended an amazing day the only way we know how – with Moonup. Lily and Leuck were nominated as our next fearless leaders for being themselves, kind, and totally awesome.
Day 5! Today we got to witness a GORGEOUS sunrise, a lion hanging out in a tree, some animal skulls we got to hold, and a RAINBOW. The day was filled with scattered showers, but that did not stop us from having fun. Each morning, we stop for coffee and tea, and today was the day Porter and Mack discovered tea. They are obsessed. So obsessed they had 4 cups of tea! At our coffee/tea break, we also met another woman visiting who did Moondance as a student..such a small world! Every day, the safari cars are filled with music and our singing voices. I am currently hyperfixated on this one country song Porter introduced me to, so of course, Kaela and I have to come up with a choreographed dance to go along with the song that we now perform for the group every day. Once we sang our way all the way back to camp, we were greeted by more rain, which means…. DANCE PARTY IN THE RAIN. We dashed out of the cars to jump, slash, and run through camp, blaring our favorite songs. That moment will turn into a core memory I will never forget. That evening we celebrated our outfitters, Selous and Zeb’s, birthday! We sang Happy Birthday in Swahili and ate cake! That evening at Moonup, Clappa and Hayden were nominated to be the LODs for always starting conversations, being engaged, and being super cool. 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.
Not sure how we are already on Day 6! Time is absolutely flying by, but we are living in the moment, enjoying every second we have together, and having so. much. FUN. William and I are so grateful to spend these days together with such amazing humans in such an amazing place. HLAW!
Upendo,
Brita & William
Shoutouts:
Kaela: Hey Mom and Dad! I’m having soo much fun! It’s insane out here and everyone is so nice, I already have so many stories to tell you guys. Love and miss you!
Lily: Wasssup!!! Hey Mom and Dad! I am having the best time ever, everyone and everything is so amazing. Brita and William are no doubt the funnest, coolest, and most amazing people ever. Tell my friends I miss them too! LOVE Y’ALL.
Alice K: Hey Mom, Dad,and Daniel! I am having so much fun here! I have seen so many cool animals and my new favorite one is a giraffe! I have so many cool pictures and amazing stories to tell you guys when I get home! Currently headed to the next camp site! Love and miss y’all!
Campbell: Hi Mom and Dad! I miss you guys so much but I am having the best time ever. We’ve seen so many animals (baby ones included) and have experienced the coolest things. Everyone is so nice we have such a good group. I hope all is well at home and I can’t wait to see you guys so soon. I really love Moondance and this trip has been amazing just like all my others! I love you so much!
Ella Anne- Hey Mom and Dad!!! I am having the time of my life here! Seeing all of these animals is one of the most amazing things ever. I have the best group and the BEST leaders!! Tell Eliza Happy Birthday for me and I hope Jackson is having fun at football!! Miss and love y’all!
Alice C: Hey Y’all! It is so cool out here, MM would freak! I am having so much fun, and have met so many amazing people, and of course the leaders are amazing. I am currently in a safari car and it has never been so hard to type, so. If I spell hung wrong that’s why. But anyways, I am having a blast, thank you so much!! Tell Lucy, MM, Gus and Hank I say hi! Love you all!
Porter: Hey Momma, Dad, and EG. Love y’all so much and I am having so much fun. The animals are so awesome and I feel like Dad would love this. Hope everything is going well at home and please give Skeet a big rub for me. Love y’all and can’t wait to see you.
Mack: Hey mom, Dad, and Tiller. The trip is so cool and we are having so much fun! Me and Sam are having a blast andour group is great! Tell Taylor I say hello and also tell the dogs hello too!
Sam: Hey Mama, Mack and I having a great time I hope you and the dogs are having a great time love you see ya soon.
Hayden: Wassup guys! Hope you have been good. I’ve been good. Safari was fun we saw a lot. Got out of Serengeti today. I need you to get me a teeth cleaning and derm appointment before I leave too by the way. Alright I don’t have anything else to say but love you guys.
Leuck: Hey Mom and Dad! I’m having a great time, we just finished going on our safari and I saw a bunch of cool animals and took loads of pictures. Everyone has been super nice and I’m really excited to tell you and the girls about it. Love you all, see you soon!
All Together in Tanzania!
July 11, 2025
Hello Tanzania + Zanzibar Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the whole group has landed safely, after welcoming a student who joined a day late due to travel issues! 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
