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Mondays Used to Suck
Can we be real for a sec? Mondays used to suck! Like, the actual worst! The weekend would vanish in a puff of regret and suddenly you were catapulted back into that other life — the one with alarm clocks and responsibilities. But guess what? Those bleak Mondays? Over. We’re flipping the script, my dears.…
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End of an Era — Don’t Miss!
It’s been an extraordinary time. Over 60 people from four continents have stepped forward to help shape the next chapter of Gorilla Highlands — while war rages on the western shores of Lake Kivu and our planet increasingly resembles an ancient world where raw power reigns supreme.Are we silly? Talking about peace, prosperity and cooperation…
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What Do You Want From Gorilla Highlands Travels?
Last week we invited you to dive deep with us and reflect on how we’ve been using Bluesky. The survey is still open — we’d love to hear your thoughts! But now our focus is shifting from the media baby called Gorilla Highlands Unpacked to our digital toddler nurtured since 2021: Gorilla Highlands Travels. In…
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Let’s Evaluate Our Bluesky Experiment
When we started our Bluesky experiment in November 2024, the app had 20 million users. It has 32 million now, but it hasn’t fully taken off in our region — and that’s fine with us! We saw Bluesky as a space for meaningful connections and professional learning, where fewer notifications can be a bonus. Then…
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Katie’s Last-Minute Gorillas in Mgahinga National Park
Katie Savitz travels differently; some might call it bold. A solo female traveller in East Africa, she avoids big tour companies, preferring to improvise along the way. It’s not about budget — she’s the co-founder of a fintech company — but about the simple, grounded lifestyle she values. She also does her homework, researching thoroughly…
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How Safe Are Rwanda and Uganda in 2025?
Do you believe Rwanda and Uganda are a danger zone right now? They’re not. At all. Yes, the ongoing conflict in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), fuelled by the M23 insurrection, has raised concerns. And recent reports of Ebola in Uganda’s capital have added to the fear. But despite the headlines, life in…
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Catherina Did It Alone
It’s your fault! You had a unique chance to join Catherina’s Rwandan tour … and you missed it! Now she’s already in Kigali, prepping for tomorrow’s flight to Tanzania. Maybe she’s scrolling through the photos she snapped, marveling at how many images ended up on her memory cards. Sorting through them all will take time,…
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White Widow’s Loyalty
Pleasure Katusiime could fly away if she wanted. But she doesn’t. She’s perfectly content at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi, where she reigns as the one and only resident pet. Forget guesthouses with dogs. While they may be loyal companions, they can be intimidating to local people. Edirisa, as a cross-cultural space, has chosen a gentler…
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Pizzzzzzzzzza News
Pizza?! Cheese??? That’s disgusting! — such would be the reaction of any traditional dweller of Lake Bunyonyi, including our storied Tom Karemire. But for foreign taste buds it doesn’t take long before the craving for something beyond beans, cabbage, potatoes, and groundnuts sets in. We’re happy to report that we’ve just tested the brand-new pizza…
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Humbled & Sore: A Journey to Burera’s Roots
Iztok’s mind was blown. He had never experienced the authentic warmth, the overwhelming energy, or the unfiltered fun of visiting an African village. He had also never, in his life, been a community’s focal point — all eyes on him like he was some global celebrity. “How should I act?” he wondered. “Naturally. Just be…
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Better Find 18 Minutes for This (If You Are a True Team Player)
Dozens of Gorilla Highlands diehards joined hands for the latest scoop on 11 January 2025, but there are hundreds of you who still need to be updated! The below edit of the Zoom call comes with a Freeform board that you can get access to by sending us your Apple account email — or you…
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… And Then Gods Finally Smiled
The Gods weren’t just against us — they were sitting up there with popcorn, taking bets on what could go wrong next.In October, when we tried to test our new Bunyonyi Batwa activity, the weather unleashed its fury, forcing us to ferry our partners to the other side of the lake instead. Eating Mama Bena’s…
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Happy 2025 — with Tom in Musanze!
It used to be our tradition to ring in the new year on Tom’s island in the middle of Uganda’s Lake Bunyonyi. Yesterday, however, we brought Tom Karemire to Rwanda instead. Fulfilling his wish to visit our home in Musanze was a delight and added something fresh to our celebrations. Alongside the usual New Year’s…
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Alenka’s Rwandan-Slovenian Christmas Twist
Merry Christmas! We’re treating you to a Rwandan-Slovenian twist on strudel today: choose between a delicious filling of carrots and pumpkin or a tropical mix of bananas, dried plums, and raisins — all lovingly prepared by Alenka Seher. Alenka, who previously travelled with us through Uganda in 2007, has returned 17 years later to get…
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Unpacking the Region, Illuminating the World
Quarterly newsletter for Gorilla Highlands lovers The Morrises are our most recent guests — an American family living in Moshi, Tanzania, where Wade teaches at the United World College East Africa. These colleges bring students from different countries together to promote peace and sustainability (much like the Illumineers pitched at the end of this newsletter).…
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Daily, Weekly, Quarterly — What Suits You Best? (Includes 3 Bluesky Tips)
We are back to posting daily! This happens on Bluesky, to be precise, and is tailored for an audience eager to dive deeper. We will produce original longer articles as well, just like last Sunday’s piece on climate change threats and strategies in our region.Three quick Bluesky tips to make your use of the app…
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Climate Change Threats & Strategies in the Gorilla Highlands Region
The Gorilla Highlands region of western Uganda, Rwanda and eastern DR Congo features extraordinary natural beauty, exceptional biodiversity, rich cultural heritage and agricultural productivity. However, if left unchecked, challenges related to climate change could destabilise ecosystems, jeopardise livelihoods and impede the region’s development. The stakes are high and urgent action is essential to strengthen local resilience and ensure…
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Serene Pleasure & Cherry Trees
It’s been a while since we last heard from our team at Edirisa on Lake Bunyonyi, so here is a dispatch by volunteer Michele, enriched with recent photos … As we felt the seasons change and the sun lower its course, the cooler and breezier days were upon us. The team were rejuvenating from a busy…
News & Stories Blog
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