If you know me, then you know my obsession with sounds, whether playing the violin, singing with my friends, or making voice memos to preserve memories. I am not exactly sure where it started, but sounds have been a defining feature in my life. I have so many auditory memories ingrained in my mind from my childhood – the pouring rain hitting the ground outside my childhood bedroom, the crickets chirping outside at the Skoot, my second home (iykyk), or the sound of the gravel road leading back to my home. This trip to Zambia has been full of new sounds with no of shortage of auditory memories; I even experienced some crickets outside my safari tent that reminded me of those at the Skoot. Because of that, I wanted to include a few bits of audio in this post, so click on the links when you see them (and maybe turn up your volume on the first two.
A few days ago, we got the opportunity to go on a two-day safari. Our guide, Tizuh, shared his knowledge and passion for wildlife for those two full days in Chobe national park. Going on safari has been a dream of mine since early childhood. I have always loved animals and wanted so dearly to see them in their natural habitat. What came as a surprise, was my fascination with the sounds and all these animals made to one another – and the vital importance of them.
The safari was a reminder that reliance on those around you is an important part of the vibrant world we get to be a part of. Tizuh, our guide, told us about the Guinea Fowl, and how these animals have a warning call that tells the surrounding animals a predator is nearby. At about 2am the following morning, I awoke to lions right outside our tent, calling each other and communicating their locations to each other.
There was one experience that stood out for me. The morning of our second day, we immediately encountered the same pride of lions we spent time with the previous day. Here is my memory of that morning: These are the sounds of the lions’ bonding with each other and our time spent alongside them. Imagine the water lapping against the shore, with the birds chirping from various surroundings. The wind is mellow, yet present and whistling in the trees. You can hear the lions quietly communicate through little roars and morning sighs. This is the memory I hold of those few minutes. Throughout this journey, I have been reminded of the three words: humanize, accompany, complicate. The safari was an incredible metaphor for our continued experience here is Zambezi.
Humanize– while “humanize” may not be the perfect word to use with the animals of Chobe, throughout the safari I was reminded that we were in these animals’ space. While many may visit and see the lions, giraffes, and crocodiles as a spectacle, it is important to change our approach. While we were on the water safari, a boat near us got too close to a grown crocodile. The crocodile responded by jumping at them and slithering into the deep water. This could be viewed as a cool video caught or a laugh to be had after (as it was by those on the boat), it is important to remember that these animals share feelings of fear and being threatened too. The crocodile was scared and felt disrespected, so it responded in that way. I think this story can be a necessary lesson for those of us entering Zambezi (and everyone reading :). Our experience of Zambezi will contain difficult events, uncomfortable interactions, and moments of frustration. It is important to remember why we are here – to learn from the people of Zambezi and share what we have to offer, while respecting the life they live.
Accompany– the evening and morning with the lions was a prime demonstration of what it means to accompany. As we entered the pride’s space, the lions slowly surrounded us. Tizuh explained that the lions will spread out as a protection tactic – if one is attacked, then others are safe and can defend if needed. Words – or in this case roars – may not have always been shared between each other, but the steady presence of each one of the lions and their willingness to defend was a form of accompaniment. At one point, the young lions were playing back and forth with each other, which Tizuh explained as a crucial way of strengthening their bonds with each other. I think that we can emulate this mindset while in Zambezi, and wherever we go in life. Bonds and relationships are vital for our continued prosperity. Although a single lion is a strong creature, it is much stronger in a pack. Or as the Zambian proverb says: you can go fast alone, but you can go far together. As we enter the next stage in our journey here in Zambia, teaching classes and learning from the community, accompaniment is becoming more and more important. Creating relationships, trust, and shared memories together with the community is very necessary for our classes and learning to succeed. Additionally, co-teaching in the classes and learning in the hospital, are impossible to do alone. Leaning on my fellow health students and the incredible medical staff in the hospital are going to become an even more important group of people to accompany and rely on. As we continue our journey, I am proud to continue to accompany those I interact with and to ask for support from those around me.
Complicate– my expectation for the safari experience turned out to be very different than I had imagined. After the water safari, Cade and I had a deep conversation about the complexities that were present in our water experience. Like the story of the crocodile snapping at the boat, our invasion of the animal’s space was a common theme throughout our time on the water. I had a tough time digesting this, as I had wanted to have the safari experience for so long and had formulated an expectation in my mind, but aspects of it felt wrong – complicated. The game drive felt quite a bit better, as Tizuh and the guides put a lot of effort into respecting the animal’s space. Despite that, I still had a hard time balancing between being conscious of the space we were invading and also being in the present so I can remember this opportunity that we get to take part in. Additionally, there was a constant power dynamic between the Guides and our group of Zags. We did our best to interact and share the experience with Tizuh though shared laughs, learning about his life, and sharing our snacks. Still, our guides are employed in an entertainment and tourism industry upon which they depend for their livelihood. As we transition to our time in Zambezi, we continue to experience complexities as we address our privilege in reflection, interactions with the locals, and a new living space. We must learn to live in that, sit with it, and reflect upon it.
My hope is to share my humanity with the Zambezi people and experience theirs, grow and learn in the complexities on this journey, and accompany my fellow Zags and the locals during our time here.
Graley Sanders
ZamFam ‘26
GU Class of 2028
To Squid: MP and I miss you all, and frequently think of you during our time here.
- Claire: I love your comments and am impressed with your foreshadowing the voice memos 😊. Sarah, MP, and I want you to keep these comments coming.
- Sarah: Every time I hear a pun, I think of you and miss you.
- Lauren: I got a Zambia soccer Jersey, and I thought of you. I almost got you a gunner’s jersey, but MP and I realized you probably had them all 😉
- Eleanor: Isa, Lauryn, and I got a lesson in a traditional dance from a group of teenage girls yesterday. I would not say it went very successfully for me but thought about how good you would be at it.
- Siena: I have thought of you many times during our time here, and how much you would love to sit and have a spontaneous conversation with some of the locals here.
To my Family: I love and miss you all so so much. Pops, I “flew” the bush plane for like 15 minutes yesterday morning and thought of you and your fascination with planes. Missing you. Mom, I have gotten several random hugs from strangers during my time here and am missing your hugs so much. Finn, we stayed a night in Chobe national park in a tent. I thought of you and how much I wish I could share this experience with you some day. Love you all so much, and give Billie a kiss for me.
Katie, I am so happy you are having g this experience. Everything is going well here. I look forward to talking to you soon. Love, Grandma
Graley, you sound like a mindful and respectful traveler. The crossroads of intrusion and exploration can be tricky. I appreciated your reflection on the sounds of your Zambian experience. The nighttime sounds must be so vibrant. I can’t imagine having lions outside the tent!
Kathryn, missing you and our daily chats. Today is Memorial Day. So nice to have a long weekend. I needed the extra day!
Yo Sam and Meg!!
Sam, here are your Roland garros updates and my highly important thoughts on them:
Shelton makes it thru in an easy 3 sets let’s go, Casper Ruud makes it thru in a hard 5 sets (hopefully Kate is alright with that), Tiafoe my king is thru
Tommy Paul is thru thought that seemed notable, Paolini is thru and I think she might be who I’m rooting for this year, Tomorrow Taylor Townsend is playing Coco and idek who to root for
Hi all!!
his Safari sounds AMAZING! I’m glad that you all seem to be acclimating to life in Zambia with grace and an open heart. Isa and Lauryn, I loved reading about your trips to the market, and I miss our weekly dinners!
Also, I was assigned my English for pasta family this weekend and I start teaching this week! The beginning of this experience made me think of all my Ed people who will also be teaching in Zambia. I can’t wait to hear about your experiences. I miss you all, and I know that you’ll be fantastic!
P.S. I learned that Florence and Zambia are in the same time zone! So in a way, we’re still living our days aligned 😀
P.P.S. Sorry for the replies on replies, I kept getting blocked by a firewall when trying to send the big comment. Hopefully, I can figure this out in the future!
Graley, Thanks for reflecting on the sounds of Zambia. We spent the weekend in the mountains listening to the rain, which is incredibly centering and soothing. I imagine that new sounds are both strange and wonderful (complexities again). Sarah my love, missing you so much. We spend the days thinking about what you are doing and whether you actually miss us!! The rain in Keystone was nice. But even better was the smell of the rain (remember the word? petrichor…). I hope you enjoy the classroom this week. hugs and smooches. momma
Wow, I’m blown away. What a wonderful picture. What wonderful sounds you communicated – what a wonderful writer. You are a good communicator with your ideas. Anyway, I just think it’s so terrific.
Love this post–all of your senses are heightened in the unknown, and you are all brave for embracing the unknown every day.
Sam–thankfully it rained today so for the first time in about 15 weeks Meg took a day off from tennis. She and Kate schemed to make her a mascara–a Mexican wrestling mask, and despite Meg’s face being covered with plastic wrap and masking tape, we think she’s still breathing. Mom’s on the couch providing commentary on Airbnb’s (“Can’t they even take a picture in focus???”), and I’m itching myself to play tennis when my latest injury heals. Love ya!
BTW-we keep hitting a firewall, so if there’s no other posts…yer stuck with mine 🙂
Hi all-I really enjoyed your post Graley. Thanks for the thoughtful reflections and sharing!
Updates for Samantha. Dad is making pizza (not sure why the crust is purpleish), Megan and Kate made a video at LBA for M’s Spanish class (we laughed a lot…but M is less than thrilled). Have you played Pit yet? The newspapers? How is teaching going? It’s in your blood! I’m sure you are learning everyday-I love it! As always we love and. miss you tons! You got this.
Meg-Hope you’re enjoying your hospital/clinic experience
Lily-Kate can’t wait for your post
Cade, Jeff, and Taylor–Thank you for taking care of and guiding our college kids. I hope you all have a lovely day filled with warm-ish showers (lol) and opportunity to learn and grow-you are missed ZamZags 26!
Graley,
Great job with your post. I loved how you said that “the safari was an incredible metaphor for our continued experience here is Zambezi”. What a great way to connect/relate the two experiences. You did a great job explaining it.
Kathryn,
We moved a lot of items into the new store today. We will be opening that in a week. A lot of staff who have seen it, think that it will be a great way for us to continue to grow lacrosse. I can’t wait to show you, when your back.
Graley, I’m in my garden reading your post and listening to the ripple of the wind in the Los Angeles trees. I love knowing what YOU are hearing. It’s given me such clear sense of what it’s like there for you. I also love hearing about the joys (and the challenges) of your adventure. thanks for sharing. I’m going to go inside now and play the lion sounds for Lola and see how she responds. I’ll let you know. xo, auntie esta ps.
Graley dearest. We’ve just read your Wonderful letter, so inspiring and almost as amazing as your long fling thru Space at the end of a rope. ( in my bravest minute I could Never have done that!) and you are so thoughtful as in full of thought and consideration of this astonishing adventure. I can’t explain how that makes a grandmother feel except to say it gives me shivers of love and astonishment and joy!!
Graley,
You really have me thinking! I think I do too much eyes, not enough ears, and I’m sorely lacking in smells.
I work in a hospital and for many years I play this little trick once I get to know a patient after a few days. I sit down in a chair next to their bed, lean back, and look at the ceiling. Then I say something like “have you ever noticed that spot?” And they say “12 hours a day for the last week!” Then I look around the room and see what it looks like. The patients view is a lot more boring than mine!! The result of this little performance is I’ve learned to ask permission turn the TV off when I walk in the room. Because I notice it. Like you and the lions and the croc and the crickets.
I hope you spin all these sounds you collect into some music made out of these samples. I would listen to that! As for complicated, nothing is pure. Nothing is clean. There is always a little spot of yin in your yang.
Someone go find emu and ask her to tell you the story of RIP Mister Squirrel.
Love you Emu!!
Mark-Mark
Each day I check in to read the blog, I am constantly amazed by this group’s openness. It is incredible to be aware of the complexities that surface, and it is an even greater gift to be able to accept them. To accept all of the moments of love, joy, grief, loss, and humanity that come with an experience like this. Keep leaning into those hard moments and allowing yourselves to be challenged. There is no right or wrong way to approach this journey.
Big hugs from Spokane!! And happy first day of teaching whoop whoop! Shoutout Graley for taking me right back to my own sensory memories with the recordings! Love Sloanie
Graley, I loved this reflection so much. Sounds like the water and birds chirping can often get lost in the cacophony of everyday life and your talent for noticing and drawing attention to them is so incredible. I loved getting to see what you noticed on safari and I think what you said about the crocodile is so insightful!
Isa! FIRST OF ALL, Jaidyn hard launched her man today (I got her permission to post this comment) It was a very cute hiking insta story at Smith Rock. Second of all, my rose was it thunderstormed today and I got to sit and watch the lightning which was so fun. I don’t have a thorn and my bud is I’m going to hang out with Sofia tomorrow. Anddd the question of the day was “What beautiful thing did you admire today?”
Love and miss you lots!
*Jaden
Isa, I hope teaching is going well and you’re starting to get a routine going. Not much has been happening at home but we had Madi’s grad party today and I’m getting the house ready for Haley’s bridal shower this weekend. Love you!
Graley, I love this interpretation of humanizing, accompanying, and complicating as it relates to the safari. I never thought about it that way! These words will continue to guide your time in Zambezi. It is so true that informing your experience with these words will lead to the deepest relationships and most human experiences. They allow you to slow down to find and appreciate our differences.
MP: Challenge 1 complete! Rainy day, non-squeaky windshield wipers, Skyline, new Noah Kahan album. Mimi and I got shakes, chocolate and Oreo, and sat and stayed quite a while. I am now in my car on Apple Way waiting to go to the Jesuit softball game. Hoping for a DC sighting! Love you and stay tuned for the next challenge report…
Taylor: hope your new spot at the table is treating you well. I miss sitting across from you!
Sorry for the broken up comment, the firewall has decided that today is the day to stop letting me comment. Jeff may be relieved by this.
Love,
Caroline
ZamFam 25
Graley- I loved the sound recordings; it gave me a little tiny capsule of what all of you are experiencing. Of the three words you list, complicate, got me thinking the most, and I started wondering about the difference between complicated and complex, which led me down a Google rabbit hole. In the world according to Google, as least in management theory, complicated problems have many moving parts, but they have a linear cause and effect (like a watch) and complex problems are interwoven, adapt and influence each other (like an ecosystem). I’m not sure I actually think about those two words that way, tbh, but the idea of linear cause/effect v adaptive relationships is interesting and not something I’ve thought about in that way. Thank you for listening to my TED talk.
Ems – Speaking of sounds, the birds are twoodling a lot more than usual this spring it seems; and Gracie continues to “grff”, Scouty squeaks and pants (when not barking), and Lilah is her chatty husky self. I spent the better part of the weekend when not in a sushi coma trying to subdue the hops plants that continue to take over the garden, and bopping between multiple knitting projects finishing none of them. Elli has an interview in the surgical ICU tmrw – think positive thoughts from afar! Miss you tons! Love- mums
Hi Graley!
I loved getting to read about your time in Zambia and everything you get to experience. It was so cool to listen to the sounds you posted and you have inspired me to create more voice memos when I hear something beautiful. I took one at a waterfall Sarah and I hiked to called Cherry Creek Falls. Learning those dances sounds like so much fun, you will have to show me when you get back. I can’t wait to hear about more of your adventures and time in Zambia! Love you lots!
– Eleanor Johnson
Hi GJ!
I loved all of your descriptions and sounds, and I can’t wait to hear ALL of them when I see you!! I also can’t wait to hear about all of your experiences in the hospital setting! I really appreciate you thinking of me, and you are right, I probably don’t need anymore Arsenal jerseys (maybe one more though because we just won the league ). Keep being awesome!
Love ya!!
P.S. MP I’m sorry I didn’t respond to yours, I didn’t know that was a thing. The Fire waived three players and it was scandalous apparently. Also, Sophia Wilson scored her first goal back from maternity and the team is doing so-so.
HEYOO!!!! Graley the sounds INCORPORATED INTO THIS POST?!?! It literally felt like I was in an interactive museum that was the coolest idea ever. And oh my goodness, same wavelength! Your reflection was beautiful as well, and thinking and listening past the every day hustle is such a pure observation.
I also admire your reflections on the safari. It is complicated, and it’s hard that those things can never have one solution that will solve it all. Your accompaniment with the people you encounter, the recognition of the complexities, and starting a conversation about it plants another seed- that in itself is huge:))
MP and Graley: Lauren sent a text in the group chat today of basically a glizzy tower with candles on it (imagine a birthday cake except no cake just hot dogs). Anywho, you probably would’ve loved it and MP your Sed’s sweatshirt is probably aching to be used and we should engineer one for your birthday. Hot Dogs and a whole lotta milk.
Sarah: today I went to Oliver and Oscar’s house for dinner and we reverted back to our childhood selves playing in the backyard. They talked about swimming workouts and that made me think of you again. Oliver and I played volleyball for like a whole hour and it was really fun and wholesome. Pacific is starting a Men’s volleyball team and is looking for people and so with consistency and our boredom we figured we could make the headline of “Pacific Swimmer Becomes Volleyball Player on a Whim” We’ll keep you updated if that sticks!!!!!
Have a good day!
Also, Isa. Joe’s comment made me laugh because he said he wasn’t busy but seems to have big events coming up. It made me chuckle and I wanted to tell you- what a guy.
Claire this is hilarious, PLEASE make MP a glizzy bday cake
Graley,
As a musician, sounds are very important to me, too. There are so many memories tied to sounds! Thank you for sharing yours.
Graley, I really enjoyed your reflections on the 2 safari experiences. I especially liked the Zambian proverb of being able to go fast alone, but go far together. It is a great thing to remember as we go through life. The recording of the lions outside your tent was pretty cool, too. Yikes!
MP
I loved your post the other day! I’m not a big rain person, but I felt its healing power in your words, thank you.
To the other Zags in Zambezi, I don’t know you but I feel like I do:) Claire and I have been faithfully reading your posts each day. I am so happy that you get to have this wonderful experience!
This is a test because the firewall isn’t allowing me to post…
Miss and love you Morgie!! Booboo is fine, and mom made a Memphis garden memorial for Memorial Day.
Hey Morgie! You’ll love the new memorial for Memphis!
Graley — thank you, immensely, for this. The audio files you shared instantly took me back to hearing similar sounds and all the accompanying feelings. I recall an entire page in my journal dedicated to the many little sounds that filled our lives in Zambia and Zambezi, and I’m grateful you’re finding meaning in them as well. I also loved your connections to humanize, accompany, and complicate. (I’m glad Jeff’s patch is proving once again valuable!) These three words were very helpful as I navigated Zambezi, and I look forward to how you’ll continue exploring these definitions as the experience continues. I admire the ways you consider making sense of and applying these verbs in the post — keep humanizing, accompanying, and complicating!
Graley!! I loved reading your words. Thank you for including the sounds in your blog — it transported me right to your side. I am so impressed by your ability to turn these sounds into larger lessons for what you’re experiencing.
Humanize. Accompany. Complicate. I remember the first time Jeff and James shared the saying with us, and it is something I go back to day after day. Your line about sitting in the complexities is a key piece of this trip and experience. Humanize by seeing the humanity in every student, community member and one another. Accompany by walking alongside and in solidarity with the Zambezi community (know that you will learn just as much as you teach). Complicate by letting this experience challenge you, stretch you and change you. It is not easy, but the growth from Gonzaga-in-Zambezi has fundamentally changed who I am as a person. With that, do not (I mean it) try to find the growth or changes within you, it will come naturally, and I personally noticed it most when I got back home.
I am praying over this entire group that as you get situated teaching your classes and being in the hospital/schools that anxiety eases and you settle into the perfect routine.
Love,
Weenie
9:22pm in California, 6:22am in Zambia
Hi Graley!!
I really enjoyed reading your post! The sound bits were really cool to hear and I am grateful that you were able to share that piece of Zambia with all of us. I am really drawn to how you described your experiences as both beautiful and complicated. I have found that everything in life is beautifully complicated and as you said in your post, it can be hard to experience the good of it all while still seeing the hard parts as well. I look forward to hearing more about your experiences. Whether that is animals you saw, conversation you had, or things you have learned from Zambia (:
Graley: WOW. I forget what an incredible writer you are! That was amazing! Thank you so much for your eloquence and reflection and for inviting us to accompany you all through your words and voice messages—what a great idea! Your post made me think of the power of the quiet and how much you can hear when you rest in the stillness and listen to the world. I’m so glad you are enjoying your time and experiencing so much beauty, but I’d be lion if I said didn’t miss you
MP I drank some milk today and thought of you. I hope you are coping alright with the lack of dairy.
Isa, I was inspired by your sewing ability and tried to make a skirt with mixed results. Yours is much better but I had fun trying!
Everyone, I am thinking of you and loving the blog! I am so grateful to get to follow along with your journey.
Love,
Sarah
Graley,
So wonderful to literally hear what you’ve been doing! So cool!
I really liked your blog today. It helped me to get an idea of what you are experiencing, while causing me to relive my own time in Morete Cocha in the Amazon, which I also flew a Cessna 182 into. Don’t think I got to fly it, so you have another one up on me. Your genuine personality will communicate wonders with the people you will meet, people who have lived such a different lives. Thinking of you throughout the day, lifting you and your team up
Good morning. I’ll write more soon but want you to know that I loved you audio clips and of course I want more. Also I am grateful for all those who are giving you hugs. Hugs are the best. Missing you is hard but it is so worth it knowing all the experiences you are having and that I’ll get to hear about them soon enough. Take your time and be present in this day, things are fine here. Billie is on the arm of the kitchen chair with me while I write this. Sending you all my love, mom
I am enjoying all the stories from all. It gives me different perspectives from each of you. Thank you for sharing.
Isa – We made to San Antonio for our conference. Miss you.
Hi Graley!
I absolutely loved your post with the sound recordings! So creative – and also so wonderful to give us all a sense of the birds and the water and the lions (!!). You really have given us a beautiful sense of what it is like there and how the safari complements your trip overall and your time in the classroom. We’re thinking of you all today and hoping the first days on the ground in Zambezi go really well!!
Hannah — the entire family misses you greatly. We just wrapped up Claire’s graduation weekend in San Diego. No wild animals but certainly navigating the freeways of Southern California was enough of an adventure for this family.
First official week of Meadows practice and summer in Boulder … we’ve finally received enough rain that the hills are green
I’ll be in Boston the next few days and Mom and Claire are driving back from SD. Sounds like the trip is going well … miss you and love you Dad
Graley,
Thank you for sharing more about the safari and I loved the sound clips you provided.
I hope you all are continue to learn and grow by emersing yourselfs into the Zambezi community.
Lauryn, I was so happy to read that you were out dancing wth some Zambezi teenagers. I bet it was an amazing experience! I can just picture you with a big smile on your face, focused on learning new dances and just performing with the community.
Maybe you will be able to teach them a few moves.
I imagine you are diving into working with the kids. Looking forward to hearing all of your stories when you are back home! I miss you and love you to the moon and back!
Hi Katie!!
I’ve been reading everything you guys are doing and its sounds like you are having the best time! I miss you so much and I can’t wait to hear more about your stories when you get back and we go to Chicago Fire.
Graley – thanks for the great post, and it is so nice to hear some of the sounds from the trip!
Meg – things are moving along. Phoebe graduates from HC tonight and Nick has finals all week. We are all getting excited to head to OSU for Sean’s graduation in a couple of weeks. Missing you tons – so many times I have something to text you and I have to catch myself. Love you!
Meg!! I keep trying to comment but it gets blocked for whatever reason so I am trying to comment from my computer. I hope youre doing AMAZINGLY. I want to see your face in more pictures though (I hope you are able to read these comments but I’m assuming that you are.) Yesterday for Memorial day molly and my whole family went up to the lake. It was literally 80 and sunny, UV 9. We really missed you! Barbara cannot wait to have hot dog girl back at the lake soon enough (plenty of cheese-filled hotdogs will be awaiting you upon your return.) This weekend I took my first practice MCAT ever (no studying and as you know I’m not even done with the classes yet) and I got a 508 which is a HUGE win. So now that I have a baseline the studying is going to commence. You better be keeping an extremely detailed journal because I can’t wait to hear all about your life when we’re reunited (so this is your reminder to WRITE.)
Love,
Lee Ellen
Graley, I loved getting to not only read the post, but listen to the different sounds. Hayden’s grandparents are in town and staying with us right now, so it was fun to play some of the sounds for them. Really made us feel like we got to be a little part of the experience.
We loved reading your posts everyday, and it’s really great that everyone has a unique voice you bring to sharing and telling us about your experience.
Hayden, we miss you a ton but everyday we talk about just how excited we are for you, and that you get to be there with your amazing Zag family. We know that experiences like this shape us in unbelievable ways, so we are eagerly waiting your return in mid-June so we can hear about your experiences in person, and how you were shaped in the process.
Thanks for sharing your journey with us everyone. Lots of people here in TX and AZ and CA praying for you all daily.
Yo Sam. Hope all is well in the big Zambia. I don’t have any special updates I’ve just been bumming around at home, got nothing to do and nobody to see. Need to lock back in on the gym and tennis, as well as working a bit on the farm. Currently getting my oil changed and the lenses of my car cleaned so hopefully I can actually see when I’m driving at night. Also I still have my notifications off so the children keep getting lost in alleyways and the woods on rainy stormy nights ✌️see ya soon
Loved this post! It really stands witness to so many different kinds of feelings. What an adventure! I can’t imagine being confronted with a crocodile like that, and then really sitting with the why. Thanks for the really vivid post!!
Liv-Love you sweet girl! We are missing you more than ever. It is seriously the strangest thing not to talk to you in some way each day! I think I am way more in touch with Kale because it’s a connection to youuuuuuu! Dan is missing you like crazy too, and wearing the Hood River XC Jacket all the time to feel closer to you. We love you!!
Hi Graley! What a treat it was to experience some of the sounds of Zambia! I loved reading your post and your honest reflections on how you are grappling with and processing so many new, and sometimes complicated, experiences. You all are just so thoughtful and reflective. I really admire your transparency and I am really appreciating the opportunity to learn right along with you.
Graley, sorry for the late reply. The sounds you provided were awesome. We especially liked the lions. We could only imagine what you all were thinking. Everyday will be a new adventure (sights and sounds) for the group.
Graley, thanks for the sensory detail and the recordings, especially. Did anyone get a recording of Tizuh’s whispered animal commentary? 😉
I’m so enjoying reading all your thoughts and observations, and miss being there to hear you unpack and process everything in the evening reflections. Hugs to you all!
Hi Graley-I love how you took the time to share the stories to demonstrate the concepts of humanize, accompany, and complicate. It was so enjoyable to hear the sounds of the safari and feel like I was there. Very cool. It’s also fun to see the replies from previous ZamFam’s who have been in those exact places and can identify with what you are sharing. It’s obvious this experience is transformative for all of you, past and present.
And this-just wow: “As we transition to our time in Zambezi, we continue to experience complexities as we address our privilege in reflection, interactions with the locals, and a new living space. We must learn to live in that, sit with it, and reflect upon it.” You are clearly a respectful, thoughtful traveler. Thank you for this post.
That sounds so cool! Too bad on the national park tho