Dynamic Group
We arrived over several days in early January, most of us flying into Arusha, Tanzania, although some chose to travel via Nairobi, Kenya. Coming from ten countries, we were met by Global Adrenaline’s local representatives, who escorted us to the New Arusha Hotel. For the majority of us, it was our first trip to Africa, and we came with a partner, friend, or family member(s).
Our reasons for taking the trip were variations on the same theme — everyone shared an interest in the mystique of African culture, wildlife, and nature. A handful of people were eager to add more birds to their lifetime list, while several others wanted to learn more about the way of life and commerce here. Many of us had seen National Geographic footage of Africa and wanted to experience it firsthand.
For some, the journey was more personal. Alfredo Faubel (MBA ’83) took the trip with his wife, Giselle, their two sons, and his mother, Elena Frauendorff. Now a resident of Spain, Elena was born in Africa and hadn’t been back in forty years. This homecoming helped her sort through her memories and gain perspective on her upbringing. At 80, she was the oldest in our group as well as one of the most vivacious and enthusiastic. The youngest among us was Andy Elkins, soon to be four years old. Not his first trip to Africa, Andy came with his father, Brent (MBA ’96), and his mother, Harvard professor Caroline Elkins, our academic guide to the region.
For Miguel Cortes (MBA ’87), the trip was a surprise ten-year wedding anniversary present for his wife, Nina. The pair left their two young children at home in Bogot‡ with Miguel’s parents and spent an extra night in Amsterdam on their way home. “The tranquility and the intensity felt in the Serengeti and Ngorongoro crater — places that have not changed for thousands of years — left us in awe,” said Miguel. “Sharing the space inhabited by wildlife taught us lessons about simplicity, caring for loved ones, and nature. Watching the sunsets with Nina on the Zanzibar beaches was the perfect way to end an amazing safari.”
The trip was also a surprise for Cambridge, Massachusetts, resident Monica Steinert, whose husband Alan Steinert, Jr. (MBA ’62, AMP 89, 1982) worked closely with Global Adrenaline’s Nancy Collins (MBA ’99) to make sure Monica’s medical problem could be accommodated before he told her about the excursion. “Nancy was wonderful,” said Alan, echoing a sentiment that was heard many times over during the trip. As for the highlights of the journey, he put “seeing a male lion perched in a tree,” as his and Monica’s most memorable moment and listed several close seconds including the lectures by Carrie Elkins, the HBS case study on TechnoServe, Zanzibar’s beaches and water, and “everything in the Ngorongoro crater and Serengeti plain.”
Aziz Jamaluddin (OPM 20, 1993) brought his two college-age daughters, Tasha and Sherma, and when his wife couldn’t come at the last minute due to a family illness, he invited his son Shan. While the family has traveled together throughout the world, the balloon safari made a big impression on them. “It was spectacular to go up and see the view from above,” said Aziz. “We’ll remember this for the rest of our lives.”
A handful of participants had met before the trip, but most of us didn’t know each other previously. A short ten days later, however, we had a new group of friends, of all ages and from all parts of the globe.
