Global Football President Patrick Steenberge Makes Advance Trip to Tanzania Ahead of Global Kilimanjaro Bowl
MOSHI, TANZANIA – Global Football President and organizer of the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl Patrick Steenberge made an advance visit to the town of Moshi in Tanzania in preparation for the first ever game of American football to game to be played on the African continent May 21 2011 between Drake University and the CONADEIP All-Stars from Mexico.
Here in the former Notre Dame quarterback’s own words, is a recap of his visit to the beautiful region in the shadow of Mount Kilimanjaro.
There are photos from the visit available on the event Facebook page www.facebook.com/globalkilibowl, including the spectacular view of the Ngorongoro Crater from the Serena Lodge Hotel and the event’s host stadium.
“We arrived in Tanzania at 8:30pm on Sunday via Amsterdam on KLM to a feel reminiscent of Latin America with different and uniquely African sounds.
I was welcomed to Tanzania by Col Iddi Omari Kipingu, Chairman of the National Sports Council and John Chalukulu, the Senior Sports officer. There are many cooperative efforts to pursue in building a relationship for the Kili Bowl.
There are flowers everywhere, the people provide amazingly courteous service and it is a beautiful place. After 45 minutes of discussion to plan the days ahead, lying down felt wonderful after such a long journey from the United States, but I was soon off to see, smell, hear, taste, meet and experience Africa. Let’s get ready to play American football!
The Sal Salinero Hotel in Moshi was basked in light tropical rain on our first morning. There are songbirds everywhere. The Drake friends and family hotel is on the hillside of Kilimanjaro, among the coffee plantations. The Kilimakyaro Lodge is an amazing place. There are 40 lodges scattered about the lush landscape, in traditional Masai style.
From the hotel our guides Frank and Wilfred took us to the local college stadium where the historic game will be played. It features a covered grandstand at that seats nearly 10,000. We hope it will be packed on May 21 next year!
We also spent time with IRIS (Iowa Resources for International Service) local directors in Moshi, planning for charitable orphanage efforts during our May trip. The orphanage service project will be coordinated through the efforts of IRIS as the student athletes from both teams, numbering more than 100 in total, will spend three days working at a local private orphanage to improve its facilities.
The Sal Salinero Hotel will be the base for the CONADEIP family and friends tour members from Mexico. It is amazing! Spacious, sparkling rooms, lovely grounds, fine food, excellent service! I stayed there too!
The trip kept getting better. I flew to Dar es Salaam early one morning for meetings. It is a busy big city with sandy beaches. We had a meeting and press conference, but oddly there are no street signs here so we had some troubles locating the building!
We enjoyed a nice sit down with marketing director lady Novato and her group, who will help us promote the game here big time. We walked into media room and were overwhelmed by three TV networks and some 22 other journalists! I told the story of how the game came into being and answered many questions.
People here have very little knowledge of American football, so there is a learning process to go through and people are eager to find out more about our sport. I showed a video to some impressed faces and posed for photos. We were be all over media that night and the following day.
Once I retired to the hotel, I sat down for lunch with the Chairman of the National Sports Council and Sports Director. We had wonderful talk for 90 minutes and they love the idea of the event and are eager to assist in many ways. Their support is critical in getting others here behind us.
I hope the Chairman will agree to visit Drake University later this month. Along with the Global Kilimanjaro Bowl, he has an interest in sending top student athletes to Drake as international students and will select only the best.
W
e had to carve out some leisure time and so hung out with out with the big wild guys in the Serengeti. It is truly amazing with animals of all kinds everywhere. Our guide was an encyclopedia of information. He taught me Swahili words for animals and phrases. We saw 26 Simbas and Masai tending cattle on the hillside. Regardless of a game of American football being played in their backyard, life continues as always for them.
I didn’t want to ever leave this part of the world and already can’t wait to return. Karibu!
At the end of the visit, as we turned onto the road to JRO airport for the flight home, the sun hit the horizon, with Mount Meru to the North West. Breathtaking. Tanzania says goodbye, but I will return in May with many friends to this enchanting place.
