After a quick trip to the States and back, I arrived back at Antelope Park in Gweru, Zimbabwe on Monday the 8th.  The jet lag this time really did me in, and it took a couple days in Seattle to get on local time there, only to turn around a few days later and get back on a plane for two and a half days to return to Africa, where it took the better part of a week to recover from the jet lag on this end.  Perhaps not my most brilliant move, but I was keen to jump right into my internship and hit the ground running, which proved to be no problem, as there is plenty to do here.

I’m doing a split internship of project management, where all my work experience can be used, and animal management, which is where my heart is, and hopefully my future.  I was able to work with the team here this last week to put together their first presentation of achievements and awards, and it came together very well and was a really fun evening to see what’s been achieved in just the last couple of weeks and to recognize all of the volunteers in a fun and meaningful way.  By the weekend I was ready to get outside and spend time with the animals, and after nearly two weeks of not seeing the lions, it was so great to go on a couple of walks with them.  I swear they have grown in just those two weeks, and it felt like forever since I had seen them.  Saturday afternoon’s walk was with Africa and Alika, and she stalked and hunted as usual, which is always great to see.  Sunday afternoon’s walk was with Arusha and Amani, all fat-bellied from eating earlier in the day, walking down to the river where they love to splash around and wrestle with each other.  Watching lions swim pretty much wins.

I also had a front row seat to seeing the elephants play in the water and graze along the shore one afternoon, as I sat with a view of the river and did some work.  The setting of this place is really beautiful, and every day brings something new.  I often like starting my day with a lion walk, in the early morning light that is perfect for photos, and end the day with an elephant walk, which is very peaceful and zen.

This morning I set up project board on an empty wall that I found, essentially a scrum task board, which I plan to try as a way to bring visibility to the existing work here.  We’ll see how it goes, and tweak as necessary.  My goal is to create things that have near immediate benefit, and that are easily repeatable in the future.  Or that can be retired once they serve their purpose.  Most people here are overloaded, so it’s a balance of some up-front additional work for the longer term gain of improving efficiency and information radiation to others.  Agile in Africa.  You know it.  Whee!

Elephant on the river

A little splash right

And a little splash left

Splish splash, taking a bath

Trunk up

Sitting in the tub

The ladies enjoying some river grass

Ladies having lunch

Nom nom nom

Elephant secrets

Arusha getting ready to go swimming

Arusha wading in

Playing with branches

Amani joining the fun

His turn with the “toy”

Brothers

Amani being coy

Nose to nose

And a smack on the face

Drinking swim

Ready, set…

Wrestle!

Fetching branches

Tug-of-war

Amani watching his brother

Arusha soaking in the water

River cat

Nothing like a wet paw to the face

Amani being stealth

River cats

Amani — those eyes!

One last wrestle

Happy days