Sunday, Sunday...hmmm, hmmm. (Kirstenbosh) (Week 3)

Sunday before week three I went to Kirstenbosh gardens with Tiffany.  Here are some pictures from the gardens...remember it is winter here, so although we had a beautiful day, I didn't see many flowers, but LOTS of fauna. The land was donated by Cecil Rhodes the prime minister of Cape Town to the people in 1895, the gardens opened in 1913.  Kirstenbosh is the oldest botanical garden in South Africa.

R40 (or $4.65) Students of SA, get in even cheaper 

The group (minus Tiffany) who went on Sunday afternoon (they brought their lunches for a picnic)!

The view of Cape Town

There were lots of big grassy areas to just sit & enjoy

This is a tree that grows upside down (and it's hallow on the inside)

Every Sunday night we have a group dinner with all the students. This is our academic team:

Montgomery, Christina, and Tiffany

Mallory, me, and Chase

The third week was service in the township of Sir Lowry's pass, particularly the Sun City area.  The township is divided into five or six areas (from million dollar home area in the mountains to the area we served in which was poverty stricken).  The combination of the history of townships in South Africa and the extreme poverty makes it a challenging experience.  I wrestled with my personal responsibility to those in need (in my home town, in America, and around the world), as well as my responsibility to the students as they experience poverty (in any form, some for the first time).

When our large mercedes van pulled into the impoverished area, the children came running in droves. The excitement on their faces was both contagious and disconcerting.  Although many seemed excited at our arrival, others in the community were not pleased with our presence.  The range of emotions ran through me as I watched our students interact with the families in the community.  Even now as I reflect back on last week, I'm still making meaning for myself.  I'm left with more questions than answers, and since the complexity of poverty and oppression has now easy answers, I will sit in the discomfort and wrestle with emotions, solutions, and inequity of it all.

Oh Happy (Satur)Day! (Week 2)

The students are divided into three groups: Sprinboks (rugby), Bafanas (soccer), and Stormer (rugby).  Chase and I represent the Stormers and during our second week in Cape Town, the Stormers headed off to adventure week to go on safari, shark cage diving, ride elephants and more.  YES, I'm jealous.  But it was also a nice week for Chase and I to lounge around and... get sick :/  Despite being sick, the week was filled with walks, grocery shopping, enjoying may sunsets, and a trip to the waterfront to work.  

A picture of us early Monday morning to see them off!

Saturday mornings are spent at the Old Biscuit Mill (OBM).  It's a great open market with all sorts of goodies and treats!  

After staying in line for-e-ver, the power went out when I was NEXT in line to receive my coffee.  Apparently, there was a fire that shut down power somewhere nearby.  Bummer.  I was excited about some delicious coffee with my banana and Nutella crepe!  Don't worry, the crepe was delicious!

Tiffany, Mallory, and I at OBM!

After OBM, a group of us went to promote the wine & bread for the Amy Biehl foundation. A portion of the proceeds to go help the foundation which provides after school programming in the township of Guguletu. We sold a couple bottles...and I bought one too. The individuals selling the bread sold it all!

And that was the end of week two, and it was good!

Frustrated

So I went back to finish a blog post, and apparently it didn't save.  Dang this internet.  Just wanted to let you know another one will be coming your way shortly!

Cheers.

Living Life in South Africa (Week 1)

Here is the recap of my first week in South Africa.
Sunday: we arrived, safe & sound, and after lots of travel time!  We added it all up and realized we spent 35 hours on planes and about 25 in airports.
Monday: We had a wonderful day touring the city.  We visited District 6 museum which is a tribute to a part of Cape Town.  During Apartheid, the government forced Blacks and Coloured out of their homes and into the townships outside the city.  All of District 6 was demolished and claimed as an 'all White' area.  It's an amazing museum dedicated to the people who lived in district 6.  

Here are some pictures from the city tour

 

A map of district 6 on the ground in the museum. It has amazing details from the district handwritten in by the families of those who were forced from their homes.

 

The balcony where Mandela gave his first address after being released from Robben Island in 1990.

 

 The view from the highest driving point in the city.

Tuesday we had class in the morning and as part of it, a panel of guests who lived through Apartheid, three of whom were from district 6. What an honor and privilege to hear their stories.

We also got to have lunch with them, which was such a treat!  The woman taking the photo also told us to squeeze together (clearly we didn't need to).

Wednesday was more class, including leadership and service learning topics.  In the afternoon, we took most of the 141 students on a hike up Table Mountain.

 

 During part of the hike up Table Mountain. It was beautiful and a bit treacherous.

 

 On top of the mountain!

Thursday was class and then the tour of an Amy Biehl foundation. Amy was an American who was brutally murdered over here in South Africa while she was trying to fight for rights for Blacks and Coloured. After her death her parents forgave her murders and even spoke on their behalf at their hearing (you should check out the whole story). Her parents then started a foundation to help underprivileged children in the townships. In addition, two of the men who killed Amy now work for the foundation.

Here are our students doing Tae-Bo with the children at the foundation.

Friday was a debrief and class as well as the first part of grading! Friday night the Global Lead staff and the academic staff all went out to dinner at a great Mexican food place. Laughs and good food were shared.
Saturday was filled with LOTS of grading, a brie, and then a Stormers rugby game

I had never been to a brie, it was kind like a BBQ, but with some sort of mystery meat ;)

 

Sunday was filled with more grading and Sunday dinner. It was a nice ending to the week. The first week had many many highlights including all the wonderful conversation I have been able to have with students. 

Oh and the view from our apartment; we are right on the beach & have witnessed magnificent sunsets!

Firsts!

This trip is full of firsts (and will continue to be)!  First...the internet here can create a challenge in blogging.  However, my hope is to blog twice a week about my experiences.  Since it is late (and I am still finishing up some things for class tomorrow...yikes), I am going to keep this short.  Here are a few pictures thus far.  

After leaving Atlanta on Friday, spending 12 hours in Frankfurt airport on Saturday, Johannesburg on Sunday into Cape Town, it's been a whirlwind.  My traveling companions (Christina (who is also my roommate here) and Chase (who I'm partnered with for the trip)) had a lot of memory making opportunities on the trip.  I will share the longer story later.  For now here is a picture of us. 

Along with never leaving the North American continent (first first), I had never flown in a double decker plane.  I was intrigued (and it was super nice)!

While on our 12 hour layover in Frankfurt Germany, we treated ourselved to Haagen Dazs (sp?).  I mean, you can't be in Germany and not have Haagen Dazs icecream right?! ;)

But seriously, it was quite the adventure getting here, but we all made it.  And the long days and amazing adventures have begun.  Well, that's it for now.  I'm pooped and I have got to get to bed.

Ohhh, did I mention our hotel is right on the beach of the Atlantic ocean?!  Oh, it is.  I'll post a picture of the amazing sunsets sometime!  Breathtaking!

The Journey Begins

Well, I'm sitting in the airport just waiting...so I thought I'd take a menu to blog while I still have access to my lovely iPhone! Getting through check in was rather difficult for my travel companions, but luckily I had checked and double checked my 48lb bag :) Anyway, about an hour before I left Athens it hit me...I'm going to another continent for 5 weeks! It hit as I was throwing out food that would go bad ;) But my house is cleaned, my bags are packed, an in an hour I'm going to be headed to distant lands. Nerves have been replaced with excitement and tiredness. I'm so thankful for this opportunity! I pray this is an opportunity to teach and learn, and experience all sorts of new things! Get excited! I am!

It's May?!

April has come and gone. Wow. And in less than 24 hours I will be heading to the airport...no, on a plane to South Africa. Before I discuss that, let me express how wonderful my trip to Texas was...incredibly rejuvenating! I flew in on Thursday afternoon, saw a friend at the airport, went to TCU, hung out with Megan's friends that evening, drove down to Waco on Friday, saw a host of people, paraded visitors in at Common Grounds (CG), stayed the night with friends, saw Adam, Em, & the girls Saturday, more visits at CG, and then back to DFW where Megan and I hung out more and I saw another former student.  It-was-a-blast. 

And now...I'm frantically doing laundry, packing, and trying to cross off my insane to-do list.  I'm not complaining.  I am uber excited.  It's just that I have been going all week (with a program that happened tonight...err, is still happening and I had to sneak away to do laundry).

I am blessed.  I am excited.  I hope I don't forget something essential.

Probably will. :)