Ten Day Road Trip!

Day 1: Thursday 4/19 Cintsa

We flew from Cape Town to East London and then drove to Cintsa. We stayed at the backpackers called Buccaneers right on the beach. It was absolutely gorgeous and since we got there in the afternoon we spent the day exploring and enjoying its beauty.

Day 2: Friday 4/20 Cintsa to Bulungula

We took a long drive from Cintsa to our next hostel called Bulungula. Words can not describe how much I loved this place. We were dropped off on the road and a short walk over a hill we arrived at Bulungula that was right on the beach at the mouth of a river. Bulungula is located in the Transkei, which is natively inhabited by the Xhosa people. It was an eco-friendly hostel so for the showers we were given a container of paraffin that we put into the bottom of this pipe. Then we lit the paraffin and the water pipe ran inside the pipe and it would heat the water. It lasted for about 7 min so you had to shower fast but it was a really hot shower and really nice as well. The toilets were drop toilets so they were basically glorified portapotties but really nice for what they were. Every night the local village women cooked us awesome food and dessert. This was definitely my favorite place and I really really hope to go back at one point.

Day 3: Saturday 4/21 Bulungula

On this day I went on a canoe trip down the Xhora river. We had to hike over a couple hills, which lead us to the river and we canoed up and down it and ended up at the sea. We then walked back to Bulungula on the beach. We also met some awesome people at Bulungula and every night enjoyed conversation around the fire and in the eclectic dining area.

Day 4: Sunday 4/22 Bulungula

On this day I woke up early to go fishing with one of the locals, which was fun but I wasn’t able to catch anything. Later that day I went horseback riding through the hills and stopped at a local crepe place and enjoyed some yummy crepes and coffee. The crepe place was created as a business through the Bulungula hostel. It is another way that the hostel supports the local community. The horseback riding was my favorite thing that I did in Bulungula and it was just an amazing experience I will never forget.

Day 5: Monday 4/23 Bulungula

On this day our coordinator arranged for us to have crepes on the beach at sunrise. Later in the day we all together participated in a Women’s Power activity in which we learned by doing some of the local women’s daily activities. It was neat to see what they did everyday and really the women work hard. This was our last night so we enjoyed the last night hanging out with our new friends.

Day 6: Tuesday 4/24 Bulungula to Hogsback

This day we had a long day in the car to Hogsback. It probably was my least favorite place but it was still very pretty. It is located in the mountains and was actually quite cold when we arrived. Since we didn’t arrive till late we really did not have much time there.

Day 7: Wednesday 4/25 Hogsback to Addo

In the morning at Hogsback we went for a hike through the forest to some waterfalls. It was nice to be able to stretch our legs after a very long day in the car before. Then we drove to Addo where the Addo Elephant Park is located. It is a giant nature reserve and we stayed at probably one of the nicest hostels on our trip. That night we went through a quick drive through the park and saw a bit of some wildlife including: zebra, kudo, warthogs, ostrich and a secretary bird.

Day 8: Thursday 4/26 Addo to Tsitsikamma

We woke up super early this morning to go on a guided trip through the park. On this drive through we saw the new animals: elephants (even a baby elephant), hyena (we actually got to see them eating a kudo they just killed), jackles, and cape buffalo, along with most of the animals we saw the day before. We then got in the car and drove to Tsitsikamma where I went on a zip-line adventure through the treetops. It was a really neat experience and also really fun.

Day 9: Friday 4/27 Tsitsikamma to Knysna

We got up and went for a walk on the coast in Tsitsikamma. We then drove to Knysna, which is another beach town. We enjoyed some fish and chips for lunch and then spent the afternoon shopping in the local shops. It was a nice relaxing day and a little less adventurous than the day before but still good.

Day 10: Saturday 4/28 Knysna to Ootshoorn

In the morning we went to an outlook over the Knysna bay and then drove inland to Ootshoorn where we first went to an ostrich farm. The tour was a bit boring but at the end I was able to ride an ostrich, which was an awesomely terrifying experience that I will never forget. I hope to post a video of it on facebook soon. We then drove to the Cango Caves and went on a tour through the massive caves. We then went to our hostel and enjoyed a yummy ostrich braai (South African BBQ) and the ostrich was fantastic.

Day 11: Sunday 4/29 Ootshoorn to Cape Town

This was our final leg of the trip and we enjoyed a great breakfast and then had a long drive back to Cape Town. The trip overall was amazing and an experience I will never forget.

10K and Montagu

On Sunday the 15^th I ran my first ever 10K and it was hard but really fun. I did it with Pieter’s mom and one of his friends. By the end my legs were not too happy with me but I am really glad I was able to do it. I definitely did not train enough so the next two days I was really really sore but overall it was great!

Montagu is a farming town that is about 2 and a half hours away from Cape Town. Pieter, Shannan, Caleb and I left on Sunday afternoon to go camping there. The campground was about 5 miles out of town on one of Pieter’s friend’s family’s farm. It was absolutely gorgeous and we had a blast. It was really neat since we were there Sunday through Wednesday there was no one there but us. So it was like we had our own campground. It was also a really nice place really it was amazing. On Monday we toured the town of Montagu enjoying some local food and then went for a drive to some of the local vineyards. And on Tuesday we went for a drive to another local small town and then came back and enjoyed the beauty of our campground. Overall it was a good time with great people and it was hard to leave. On Thursday I head out to the Eastern Cape for 10 days of fun and vacation. I will post when I get back!!!

Children's Home

This was an awesome experience and I loved this week. It was really neat in the way that the home was actually a home for these kids. It did not feel like an orphange and you could tell that they all loved living there. There were 11 boys and 4 girls that live in the home with 3 Sisses (age 25-35) and one Mama. The Sisses and the Mama take care of the kids and they really are a family. It was also different that the kids were well behaved, yes hey could be naughty but they weren't like the troubled kids you often find in our foster system in America. These kids behaved like any other would in a family structure. I could really tell that they each now have a future and a hopeful future because of the children's home. They don't like pictures to be posted of the kids online so I won't post any but if I have any of the home I will post them on my facebook when I get a chance. What I did while I was there was helped paint three rooms and then helped run activities for them after school. I really enjoyed the experience and hope I can go back again before I leave.

I wanted to let you all know that I will out of internet reach for awhile. I leave on Sunday to go camping with Pieter, Shannan and Caleb till Wednesday and then I leave for Eastern Cape till the 29th. So until then you probably won't hear from me but if I can I will post.

Long overdue Update!!!

I am very sorry for the long hiatus on my blog. I got extremely busy with finals at the end of March and then haven’t had too much consistent internet access for the last week an a half. To recap on the last month:

At the end of March I finished up the school course section of my stay here. I had a bit of a struggle with the different grading system here but I think I did well in all my classes. I am still waiting to hear my final grades but will figure that out soon. Overall I really enjoyed the courses that I took here and I believe that the experience was invaluable. I know that I learned things that have really changed my outlook on the world and Africa as a whole, especially the country of South Africa.

As some of you know I got engaged on April fools (it was posted on facebook), I got some people but overall it was a fun joke that Pieter and I appreciated playing on family and friends. I think the best part was the people that came up to Pieter’s mom in church and congratulated her. After our short engagement I started my service-learning course. The first week (last week) was an emersion experience where we lived and worked in the township. Townships are settlements inside the Cape Town area that were created during apartheid that are generally still racially segregated. They aren’t exactly slums or the ghetto but they are the poorest areas of Cape Town. We didn’t live in shacks, which make up the most of township, but instead stayed in homes that were built by the government post-apartheid in order to combat poverty and increase the standard of living. My friend Shannan and I lived with a black Xhosa (the X is actually a click sound, next time you see me ask me to pronounce it for you and I will!) South African family. During the day we painted a house for an elderly woman in the church we were working through and also laid a concrete ramp for a disabled man. You can check out photos on my facebook. It was definitely a tough challenge and I was exhausted and the end of every day but it was also very rewarding. I also really enjoyed being able to spend time with my Xhosa family and the community atmosphere of the township. Townships are notorious for being dangerous but at no time was I scared and instead I felt really safe where I was. I think it is another experience here that I will treasure.

We left the township on Good Friday and I spent Easter weekend with Pieter and his family. It is not that bit of a deal here as far as the candy side of things as it is in the States but it was still a good weekend. This week we are working in a children’s home, which is a place for abandoned, neglected, or orphaned children. Tuesday was our first day and I already know I am really going to enjoy this experience. The kids are great but I will hopefully write something at the end of this week and tell you more about the home.

I can’t believe that I have been here for over 3 months. It is really crazy to think of how many things I have done and how much I have learned. I feel like this has already been such a life changing experience and I still have a month and a half left. I don’t have as consistent connection to the internet now as I did before but I will try to be better with updates on my life.

For now my schedule for April looks like:

April 10-13 Work at Children’s home

April 15 I am running/walking a 10k with Pieter and his friend

April 15-18 Either Camping or Beach House getaway with Pieter and Shannan and Caleb

April 19-28 Vacation trip with other Americans to another Provence of SA (Eastern Cape)

Update 3/15/12

I am obviously behind in updating everyone about my life here. It is mostly due to the semester getting busy and the exhaustion of doing so much here, which is leaving me too tired to do much other than what I have too. But since I last updated you I have climbed up Table Mountain again, gone to Johannesburg and back, and watched an African sunset. Life here is amazing but busy and tiring. Each day I wake up around 5-6am to get to college in time to skype people before class. I am in class or working from 8:30-12:30 everyday. Then homework at college, hanging out with Pieter, or some outing depending on the day, which then leads to waiting for either a train that takes me 45min to get home or catching a ride with my host mom after she is off work. Most nights I try to be in bed by 11 otherwise I am too tired to function the next day. Life is crazy busy but I have found a rhythm to living here.

Johannesburg

As a part of our experience as study abroad students they took us to the capital city of Joburg (what South Africans call it). It was a 2 hour plane flight and we left on a Thursday and came back on Sunday. We stayed at this beautiful hostel that had unlimited free internet!! It may not seem like much but really it made my weekend since internet is sooo difficult here. The purpose of the trip was to experience what Joburg is like and see the historical sites that are there. Joburg is much more developed than Cape Town and there were times I had to remind myself that I was in SA there because it seemed like any city in the States. The amount of things we saw were too many to explain but the highlights of each day were the Constitutional Court on Friday, the Lion Park on Saturday, and the Apartheid Museum on Sunday.

The Constitutional Court

It was really neat because it was built into and on the grounds of one of the old prisons. The prison held both criminals and political freedom fighters. The treatment of the prisoners was unethical and just plain horrible. The reason they built the new court there was so they could have a reminder of the past injustice, while they are now upholding justice. Kind of a beautiful picture that I really appreciated.

Lion Park

The lion park was just a fun outing but I was able to pet lion cubs!!! It was really awesome and they were so cute. We also were able to see lions of all different ages and got really close to all of them. We were able to hear the lions roar from a distance and it was such an amazing experience. There were other animals as well but the lions were the main focus of the park (obviously).

Apartheid Museum

This was a really heavy and hard experience. It was hard to see everything that happened and to hear the stories. It took about 3 hours to walk through and by the end I was emotionally exhausted. Even though it was difficult I think it was a vital part of me learning about the history.

Other Adventures

I was able to hike up Table Mountain on a different route with Pieter and his brother Jean (sounds like John). It was definitely an easier route but we did a really early morning hike. Which at first I thought was crazy but it was a good thing in the end because we missed the heat and experiencing the morning still on the mountain was beautiful. We started hiking at 6am and finished by 9am.

I was also able to experience an African sunset from a hill that overlooks the beach. It was really gorgeous and a fun time with Pieter, Shannan and Caleb (married couple from GFU). Other than that I have just been having fun, trying to stay on top of schoolwork, and enjoy the time that I have left.

Staying Longer!

I have decided to stay longer here in SA so I can have a little more time with Pieter before I leave. So I am now leaving May 28^th, which is a little crazy but I am really excited to have more time here. It is also free time so I won’t be in school and will be able to do a lot more hopefully.

I have gotten a little homesick, mostly just missing the comfort of home and food. Food here is similar but it is also different. I really would like some good Mexican food and miss cooking and baking. I also miss being in my own home instead of being in someone else’s home. There is a comfort is knowing the home is yours so you can move around freely, when it is someone else’s home it is a little different. Other than that I have been ok as far as homesickness.

If you would like to see photos check out my facebook page. I was finally able to upload photos on there and there are many more. Some are repeats but there are new ones as well. Hopefully I will be able to update sometime soon but that is a bit for now!

Update 2/25

Classes

Things have gotten really busy here in South Africa, classes have picked up and I have been spending most nights working on homework. It has been a struggle balancing everything I have here but also trying to stay up with people back home. It is a balance that I am still working on but other than that I can’t complain. The classes are very different than George Fox but still challenging. I really appreciate the fact that we have so much diversity in one classroom. We have black, white, and coloured South Africans, Americans, and Europeans. It tends to result in very interesting conversations and I believe I have such a wider picture of how people look at the world because of it.

Internships

I am now working at two different schools doing two different things. On Thursday I am still a counselor at Constantia Primary School and on Friday I am helping a women who does visual motor integration (VMI) at Lourier Primary School. They are both disadvantaged schools and even though I am doing very different work at both I am enjoying them. Thursday is definitely very stretching and more difficult but I think it is a challenge that will be good for me. I am basically on my own doing counseling and I get to organize it however I want, which is nice but a lot of pressure as well. I am currently seeing four boys of different ages and we will see if I see anymore during my time there. The VMI that I am doing at Lourier is way more fun and just working on motor skills with 1^st and 2^nd graders. It is fast paced and instead of having to organize it I am just an assistant, so that has been nice. They are very different but I think they will balance each other out.

Friends, Host Family, and Pieter

I have made some really good friends here and I feel really blessed to be surrounded by such great people. I absolutely love my host family and have created a great relationship with them. I have become good friends with my host sister Robyn Lee and really enjoy spending time with her. My fellow American roommate Monique and I have become good friends as well and really appreciate her dry sense of humor. And things with Pieter are great and I am so thankful for everything he does for me on a daily basis. He has been super supportive of me on the days when my internship has been tough and brings a smile to my face on a daily basis. I have been spending the weekends at his parents house with him and have enjoyed getting to know his family and friends.

Life in Africa

I have become surprisingly comfortable in this country. I feel like I sometimes have to remind myself how far I am from home because it just feels normal to be here now. There are definitely still the “only in Africa” moments but I have fallen into the routine of life here. It is a beautiful place and full of beautiful people as well. It is still a very broken society from the system that apartheid put in place but I have enjoyed learning and being with these people. I have been bad about taking photos recently but I will try to take more and post them soon!

Pieter and I

Since everyone keeps asking for photos of us. We had a little fun after class today on Photobooth. Hope you enjoy :)

African Camping

One of the bottom falls of our hike























Me and the final waterfall of the hike










the final waterfall and pool























I jumped off this waterfall into the pool below















On the right hand side I jumped off near the top into this pool below













On the hike up the creek/river we had to walk through some of the pools, this was one of them





















Some of the people I went with. This is what we hiked through for about 3miles















Robyn-lee and Jerome (my host sister and her boyfriend)

Update 2/13

So South Africa has taken a different turn for me. I am not the type to talk about something like this on a blog but it is going to change my trip here and the things that I do so I have decided to share. I met a man over orientation camp and have begun a relationship with him. His name is Pieter and he is a born and raised South African. I believe most of my close friends and family have all gone through a stage of panic that I will not be returning to the States but I will haha. We don’t know how it will work out when the time comes for me to leave but at this point we are enjoying each other and praying for what God has for us. With that said the first week of school was great. I have classes on Mon-Wed for the next 7 weeks and on Thurs-Fri I will be working for an organization called Life Matters.

Classes

African Worldviews is my Monday class and I believe that it is going to be my most academically challenging course. Growing up with a completely western view of the world it has been interesting to see how people in Africa just see things differently. I know that as time progresses my view of the world is going to stretch and change.

Group Therapy is going to be great. I am the only American in the course, which is different than my other two courses so that will be interesting. I am excited to be able to have a class that I can’t take at George Fox and I believe that it will be a valuable experience for the future.

Study on Reconciliation is going to be the heaviest class. The main focus is on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission that happened here in SA after the end of apartheid. I can tell that it will probably lead to a lot of tears and it really will be changeling in my outlook on life. Even so, I am really looking forward to it as well.

My internship is going to be very very very challenging. I have been placed in a primary school as their only school counselor. In SA the need is so great that you don’t need the qualifications that you do in the states. The school is called Constantia Primary School (Elementary School) and it mostly is made up of children of the farm workers. It is a very disadvantaged school and I will be dealing with very hard issues. At first I went through a bit of panic that they were allowing me to do what they have for me but I really feel that God has prepared me for this and wouldn’t have put me in this position if it wasn’t what I am supposed to be doing. I would really appreciate prayers though because I know that I am really going to need them. I begin on Thursday morning, which in CA time is Wednesday night. So if you think of me please pray.

This past weekend I went to Pieter’s parents house and spent the weekend there with them. It was quite an experience in the fact that they really only speak Afrikaans, and only a bit of English. So I spent a lot of time having really no idea what was going on around me. It was interesting though that if I knew the context of the conversation I began to pick up on bits and pieces of the conversation. I now do have the goal of being able to somewhat converse in Afrikaans before I leave, we will see how that goes. I met his three brothers and one of his brother’s girlfriend. I really had a great time and even though we couldn’t talk much, I really like his family. I was also able to meet some of his friends and church family, and able to attend church with him on Sunday, which I enjoyed as well.

Things in Africa are great and I will work on posting some pictures of Pieter and I soon!

Pictures 3

Entrance to Robbin Island














The prison cell of Nelson Mandela



















Walking in the Langa Township















The street signs from District 6 that are now in the Museum












Wall sign outside the District 6 Museum

Pictures 2

Looking down at the city of Cape Town below
















Top of Table Mountain











Me standing on the top of Table Mountain
















Ladders from the Hike up Table Mountain












Kids playing Cricket in the streets of Bo'Kaap

Pictures

For some reason they uploaded backwards but the oldest photos are at the bottom and the move towards the most recent.


Cape Town is behind me and I am up on the side of Table Mountain where there is a Cable Car that can take you up to the top. We took it down after our hike up Table Mountain













Shannan and I at the Cape of Good Hope














The 3 Cornerstone students that took us around. L to R: Jill, Marlyn, and Joanita









Cape Point




















L to R: Jill, Joanita, Shannan, Me, and Caleb (Shannan's husband)








Chapman's peak














L to R: Me, Shannan, Jonita, and Jill in Kalk Bay during the International Orientation












Fish Hoek Beach












Muzienberg Beach














They are changing houses on Muzienberg beach. I liked how they look all lined up.

Orientation Camp/Camping

Ok to add onto my Short Update, Orientation Camp was great and I really enjoyed getting to know other students from Cornerstone. We were staying about an hour from Cape Town at this small Christian camp located in a vineyard. It was really nice to get away and on Tuesday morning I got up very early and ran through the vineyards, if you know me well you know I don’t do that sort of thing, but it was exactly what I needed. I hadn’t had much physical exercise other than walking and Table Mountain so I just needed to get out and move. It was nice to be out of the city, hearing the birds and halfway through I took a moment and sat and prayed. It was neat because I was on top of this hill overlooking the city of Cape Town in the distance. It was absolutely gorgeous and just an awesome time of reflection over the last month. I can’t believe that I have been here that long! I feel so immensely blessed and lucky to have this experience and I know that it has changed me in many ways.

African Camping!

Oh man this was an experience; luckily I was at a campground that did not have any of the scary wild animals so I did not have to worry about that. But it was absolutely gorgeous. It was right next to this river/creek that we hiked up on Saturday. Me being me did it barefoot because it was easier to rock jump through the creek and then I didn’t get my shoes wet but my feet are not too happy with me now. It was really a neat experience though, because as we went up we stopped at little pools and waterfalls. It was a blast too because we jumped off cliffs all around the pools. I am soo glad that I had the experience and now I can stay that I have camped in Africa :)

I start regular school on Monday Feb 6 and even though I am looking forward to it I feel like I am on vacation so it has been hard to get into school mode. I have had to write a couple papers for my History of South Africa class and they have been hard to write. I feel like I am in Africa, why do I need to write a paper but then I remember that I did come here for school. So right now it is focusing on school that is my biggest challenge.

I have grown to love this country, every once in awhile I have to remind myself that I am in Africa but I already feel at home here. I have become good friends with my host sister and she makes me laugh on a daily basis. My host mom is way to good to my roommate Monique and I and cooks us dinner every night. She is just too sweet. My host dad is overprotective and always looking out for us, which is nice to have. I really can’t complain.

PICTURES!

I have decided since facebook access is unreliable I am going to start posting photos so at first they will be old but then they should catch up and be current. That is my project for the next few days so we will see how far I get since the internet here is slow.

Short Update

On Monday I left for Orientation Camp with all the 1st year students here at Cornerstone. It was a typical camp experience but it was also a great experience. I now have quite a few South African friends from all different background and it has been awesome getting to know these people. We just returned and I am using the short time I have here at school to use the internet. On Monday we begin the quarter and I am looking forward to having a more regular schedule.

I also have the opportunity to go tent camping with my host sister Robyn-lee and her friends this weekend, which I am really really looking forward to. It will be my authentic African camping experience with a bunch of South Africans. I can't wait and will fill you in next week on how it was!

Week 2 of Class

Wow this week has been a really good but a really hard week as well. This country has a very sad history and as a part of my History course we are visiting some of the sites connected to the struggle. On Monday we went to the District 6 museum, on Tuesday we went to the Langa Township, on Wednesday we went to Robbin Island and on Thursday we went to Stellenbosch and today Friday we have a reflection at a cathedral downtown.

District 6 Museum

District 6 is an area that is near the city center of town. During apartheid what happened is the government redistricted areas for certain races. The whites got the beautiful and nice land where those labeled non-white were forced to live in sandy area known as the Cape Flats. In District 6 there were coloured and black people living there and it was in one of the areas that had been redistricted to be only for white people. So they did what was known as forced removals, where they kicked the people out of their homes and bulldozed their homes. So even if they wanted to come back they couldn’t. Because of what happened District 6 does not have any homes built on the land and there is a project that is trying to give those who want their land back a home to come back to. So the museum is dedicated to remember what happened there. Imagine one day waking up and being told that sorry you can’t live in your home anymore because of the color of your skin and we are going to destroy your home. It is just sickening.

Langa

Langa is a township that is primary black Africans. Townships are the really poor areas, which are made up of metal and wood shacks, and small homes. Most of the structures are what most of us would call dangerous and within in the townships there is a high level of crime. It reminded me of the times that I have been in the slums of Kenya and in Mexico as well. I think what was harder about Langa is the fact that just a couple miles away there are giant homes and very wealthy areas. There is such a great divide between the rich and the poor here and a lot of the divide exists because of the apartheid system.

Robbin Island

Robbin Island is sort of the equivalent of Alcatraz in the States. It has housed a leprosy colony, imprisoned hard criminals, and most notoriously political prisoners during apartheid. The most famous of them was Nelson Mandela who was imprisoned there for 18 of his 27 years of imprisonment. It was an amazing experience but also very sobering. Sobering in the fact that those who were political prisoners were imprisoned in their fight for freedom. The conditions were horrible and from Monday- Friday they worked 10-12 hour days in the stone quarries on the island. It was just sad and hard to see.

Stellenbosch

Stellenbosch is a town located about 1 hour outside of Cape Town. Located there is Stellenbosch University, where the idea of apartheid was developed. It was interesting hearing the history of the university and the campus was gorgeous.

Overall this week has been amazing but really hard to process. I have finished my course on the History of South Africa, and it has been a really neat learning experience. I could probably talk for a long time about my thoughts on this country but that will have to be for another day. I will be gone most of next week for orientation with other students at Cornerstone but will try to post sometime next week.

First Week of Classes!

NOTE: Sorry that I have not posted for a while, we have been very busy with school and they have been taking us all around a lot. Also my Internet at my home is currently down, so the only time I have online is the brief moments I have at school. I also am only able to get on Facebook at home, so since the Internet has been down I have been on in awhile. If you want to contact me the best way is through email (allysakay@gmail.com) and please realize that I will respond when I can but it probably won’t be very prompt. I am in Africa and have begun to live on African time, which is a much slower pace of life and when you say you will be there soon that could mean up to an hour or so you will be there. Soo I will try my best to post and respond when I can J

First week of classes

On Monday I began a course on the History of SA, which has been interesting but very long. It is a compacted course so we have lecture from 9:00 to about 1:00 for the next two weeks. It is really interesting to hear how this country has a very similar history in some ways but also a very different one as well. We also have learned about how the African worldview is very different than the Western worldview. I believe that there is a lot that westerners could learn from their worldview and approach to life.

Wednesday we also went to the Slave Lodge Museum, which is on the site of one of the slave lodges that existed back in the 1700 and 1800s. It was interesting to hear about how slavery was here in Africa. There was some law that those who settled here in SA were not allowed to enslave the local people, so they brought in slaves from different areas of Africa and also from southern Asia. It is sad to hear how similar our history of slavery is to theirs.

We also went to Bo Kaap, which is the Muslim area in Cape Town. We toured the museum there and also walked around the town. In the museum we learned about the history of the Muslim people in Bo Kaap and the interesting things about their neighborhood is that they paint their houses very bright colors. So looking down their streets you see a wide array of colors, which really beautiful. We also went into one of the oldest mosques in South Africa in which our tour guide told as a bit about its history and about Islam and her life as a Muslim living in Bo Kaap. I believe that Americans have a very skewed picture of what Muslims are like due to our history with the Middle East. Our tour guide really opened my eyes up to how beautiful these people are and how caring they are as well. Though as westerns we look at their very restrictive clothing that women wear as oppressive, it is interesting to actually hear an older Muslim woman explain why and how important dressing that way is to her. Lastly in Bo Kaap we tired some Cape Malay food, which is traditional Muslim food in Cape Town. When they first migrated here, mostly brought as slaves, their food was too spicy for the Europeans that they were cooking for, so the Cape Malay food is their food that has been adjusted by European influence and much milder in flavor. I personally love it and hope to eat more while I am here.

Friday we had a free day and a couple of the Cornerstone students took us to the Eastern Bazaar, which is downtown, for lunch. I believe what I ate was called Chicken Guyani. It was was really good but I had enough food for probably 4 people. That is one thing that I have noticed here, yes Americans can eat a lot, but so can South Africans. And they don’t waste food, so if it is on your plate you better eat it. I have learned that at home I should serve myself at home otherwise I am in trouble.

Saturday we hiked Table Mountain, it has recently becoming one of the natural wonders of the world and is believed to be 6 times older than the Himalayans. We started around sea level and the top is around 1,100 meters (so about 3,400 ft: I am learning very quickly how to convert things to something I understand it has been fun ha). Lets just say it was an amazing hike but a super challenging one and I have never sweated so much in my life. It was around 80 degrees outside and humid. I still can’t believe that I did it but the views were absolutely amazing. The path was also crazy. The steep parts were these rock/wood steps and at some points it was so steep that there were ladders, yes people LADDERS, haha, it was an adventure and an experience I will never forget.

Orientation

This weekend was great! On Thursday I went to school and finally was able to meet up with Shannan, who is the other George Fox student, and her husband Caleb. We then went to Kalk Bay with two of the Cornerstone students, Joanita and Jill, to have lunch and then we walked to Fish Hoek, which is a beach down the road. It was a great afternoon of hanging around the beautiful beaches and spending time with Joanita and Jill, which have both become good friends. That night the 5 students from Bethel University in Minnesota arrived late and we stayed the night (and weekend) in the residence of a local Bible College, which is located in Kalk Bay.

Friday we had a relaxed day, spending time getting to know each other, learning some information about our time in SA, and then we walked Muzenburg, another beach. That night we also went out for coffee at a local restaurant, which was a fun experience.

Saturday we did a lot of traveling, we went out to Cape Point, which is the most south west point of the African continent. It was absolutely gorgeous and amazing to see how beautiful this country is. We saw a bit of wildlife as well, a couple that I don’t know their name but we did see some wild ostrich and baboons. I think the most eventful occurrence of the day was at lunch when we brought out the stuff to make sandwiches we had a bag of rolls. Well even though you make think baboons are nice but they really are dangerous animals. Out of nowhere this baboon ran at us and grabbed our bag of rolls, we saved a couple but the baboon ate about 10 decent sized sandwich rolls. Just stuffing his mouth about 20 ft away from us. So to say the least it was an experience, hilarious now but a little crazy when it happened.

I am now back at home with my host family and my new roommate Monique. We start our History of South Africa course tomorrow, which I am really looking forward to. Overall things have been amazing and even though I have only been here for a week, I already feel very much at home here in SA. The people that I have met here is SA are amazing people. You can very much tell that this is a country that is still racially divided and struggling to move forward from its past. Though integration has happened, the lines are still very apparent and SA has a long way to go. There are three main racial groups in SA: Black (dark skinned Africans), Colored (mixed race, middle tone skin) and White. Colored is not an offensive term like it is in the states but instead is what those who are colored refer to themselves as and is an accepted term. I am looking forward to learning more about SA’s history in my course but it has been interesting talking to my SA friends about what it is like to live here in SA depending on which racial group they are in.

I haven’t been too homesick and even though I was a little overwhelmed at first, I have settled into life here in Cape Town. It is a different way of life but I am enjoying my time here very much and feel very blessed to have this opportunity.

Update 1/11/12

Today and yesterday have been pretty down days. Yesterday I went to one of the bigger malls here and it was basically like any American mall. The clothes here are supper cheap! I have been doing a lot of math in my head converting things into terms that I can understand but it was crazy how cheap clothes were. Today I am just hanging around the house and kind of taking a break, which has been nice. Tomorrow I head out to Kalk Bay, which is about 20 min from my host parents for orientation. The other Americans show up tomorrow and I am looking forward to meeting them all. I won’t be able to post anything till I get back but so far things have been good. I am told things get really busy once school so I am enjoying the break while I have it.

Update 1/11/12

Today and yesterday have been pretty down days. Yesterday I went to one of the bigger malls here and it was basically like any American mall. The clothes here are supper cheap! I have been doing a lot of math in my head converting things into terms that I can understand but it was crazy how cheap clothes were. Today I am just hanging around the house and kind of taking a break, which has been nice. Tomorrow I head out to Kalk Bay, which is about 20 min from my host parents for orientation. The other Americans show up tomorrow and I am looking forward to meeting them all. I won’t be able to post anything till I get back but so far things have been good. I am told things get really busy once school so I am enjoying the break while I have it.

Update 1/9/2012

Today I went and saw my college for the first time. It is very nice but very small; Cornerstone has only around 100 students. I am looking forward to starting there next Monday. I have also begun to master the train system here. It is a bit complicated but I now know how to get to and from school, which makes me feel a little more at ease. I am feeling a little more comfortable in my home as well. I am adjusting into life here in Cape Town and I don’t feel that jet lagged anymore. All the rest of the abroad students arrive on Thursday and I am looking forward to getting to know them all. It will be nice to get into the routine of things here and start doing all the things that have been planned for us students. For now things are going good!

Update 1/8/11

So I am not sure when that last post actually worked but I wrote it yesterday. Last night my luggage showed up so I have my stuff!!! So nice to have my clothes and everything, I feel way more settled now. Yesterday and today I went to the beach, two of the different beaches here. It was absolutely gorgeous and nice to get out and see more of the area. Still recovering from jet lag and time difference (it is 10 hours ahead here) but other than that things are good. It has been weird to see how the culture is different but in some ways very the same. I am still getting used to their accents here and I sometimes can't understand what they are saying. Some people are easier to understand than others but overall I am getting more used to them talking. They have had trouble with my name, they can say it but can't seem to remember what the real pronunciation is so they have given me the nickname of Ally. Which I am fine with but it has been funny to hear all the different names I have been called, Alyssa, Alisha, Allison, hahaha everything that is remotely close to my real name.
Overall things are going good, I would appreciate prayer in the area of culture shock. It hasn't been too bad but I really would like to talk with an American for a bit. Someone who understands me a little better. Other than that things are going great.

Travel.Arrival.Host Family

Travel

I do not want to see the inside of a plane for quite some time. Though traveling was good it was long and tiresome. My long flight from JFK to Johannesburg (or Jo-burg, what the locals call it) was 15 hours long. Luckily I was able to sleep most of the flight and spent the rest of the time watching movies. It was boring but also fun since I was sitting next to a rambunctious 10 year old girl from SA. She was traveling home from visiting her sister in the States and was by herself. She was quite a talker and it made the flight interesting and fun. The only hiccup in my trip was when I landed in Jo-burg, I had to go through entry into SA and customs. I was supposed to grab my bags and go through customs but due to only having a little less than an hour before my next flight, I was told I should leave them and catch my flight instead. So I ran a good distance and caught my flight. So currently I am without clothes and am very hopeful to get them today. We will see though.

Arrival

After arriving in the airport and dealing with my bag situation, two people picked me up from Cornerstone. One has been my contact in preparation before arriving (Tammy) and the other is a SA student who is one of the peer mentors for the study abroad students (Joanita). Tammy dropped Joanita and I off at my host families home, where I met my host sister Robyn-Lee. My host parents were at work so Robyn-Lee showed me around the home and showed me where I would be staying. I will be sharing a room with another study abroad student but for now Joanita is staying with me. We kind of have our own closed off area from the home with a bathroom and nice little living area as well. It is very nice and very comfortable as well.

Host Family

My host family is amazing they are very nice and welcoming people and I am looking forward to getting to know them better as time goes on. I am also very thankful for Joanita, the peer mentor, she has been such a blessing making me feel welcome and comfortable. She is very very sweet and helpful. I am looking forward to getting to know her more as time goes on, I can see us becoming good friends. My host parents are great people as well. Last night after a dinner of fish and chips, a very popular South African meal, they took Joanita and I on a drive to the city center of Cape Town (I live in a suburb). It is a very beautiful city and I can’t wait to go explore the area more as time progresses.

I know I have only been here a day but I already feel pretty at home here with my host family. So far things have been amazing and even though it sucks to not have any clothes, they have let me borrow things so I have been ok. Not sure what is planned for today but I think we may head to the beach! Please pray that my stuff arrives soon! I miss you all dearly and still can’t believe that I am here in SA!

Much love,

Allysa