Safari

Too much to tell I suppose but I forgot to add that I went to another rugby game two weekends ago with the girl who worked at the backpackers I stayed at in Pietermaritzburg. It was the Durban Sharks versus the Auckland Blues or something like that from New Zealand. The sharks won that was fun.

Anywho all of last week I spent working on my ISP write up which ended up to be 38 pages and my presentation. Friday we gave the presentation and turned in our written reports. It went pretty well. This past weekend was fun. All the girls went out on Friday night in celebration of the end of our academic semester. Saturday night we all chilled. Sunday Julia and I took Emma to the hospital..she has bronchitis….TB was in our minds when we went in. Anywho shes getting better. Sunday night we did karaoke again.

Monday we left Durban to go to St. Lucia were we have been for the past two days. Monday we drove there and went on a boat safari on the river where we saw hippos and crocodiles and such. Then yesterday, Tuesday, we went on a safari safari. It was so awesome!!!!!! We left at 5am and returned like 4pm. Our guides were awesome. They were mainly really cool cause they were Afrikaans but they spoke Zulu as well…long story about how I feel about that but its pretty awesome! We saw wildebeests, warthogs, elephants, giraffes, zebras, impalas, a cheetah, monkeys – baboons, rhinos, I’m sure I’m forgetting something but ya. It was awesome. And we went around and around chasing seven lions that were sighted but we never did get to see them..boo hiss. Oh well. Anyway I have a billion pictures.

Now I am back in Johannesburg at the Shoestrings backpackers where we started out. It’s so surreal. We’re all like did we just really complete a semester. It was so fast and sooo different. Like we’ve been on a really awesome adventure for four months and oh by the way learned some really cool things.

Anyway my adventure isn’t over. Tomorrow I fly out of Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth with four other girls and we are renting a car there and making our way to Cape Town stopping to bungee jump on the tallest one in the world, ostrich ride, and wine tour. In Cape Town we are probably going to Robben Island, Cape of Good Hope, and visit the penguins at the beach, oh and Table Mountain. Then I fly out on the 13th home on the 14th. This could potentially be the last blog post while I’m in South Africa. Next one may be when I get home..maybe.

It's Cold

It’s cold now..bummer. By cold I mean mid-70s.

My independent study project (ISP) is winding down now. I left Friday. Thursday we got to go to a Men’s Support Group Meeting which was so different. They were more lively and interactive. Thought it was gonna be awkward with us there but not at all. Also at all these support group meetings we eat about half a loaf of bread and some fried chicken..its prime. I’m gonna miss the organization I’ve been working with, Siyaphila, and all the people who work there. They had a goodbye breakfast for us Friday morning. I got a lot done on my written report before I left Pietermaritzburg but I’ve been sitting here in Durban working on it as well. We present our research projects on Friday. Then were done! It’s weird. My project is on the Social Considerations of Implementing a Tuberculosis Treatment Support Program in KwaZulu-Natal: a look into the mobilization process of Siyaphila’s TB support program. It’s been interesting to write about. What I accomplished while I was there:
- Made a pamphlet
- Made a business card
- Made a flyer
- Made three different funding proposals
- Sent them out to about 25 businesses
- Still making a website but go to it siyaphila.org
- Made an email account

Anywho hopefully they will get some of that funding and can get money to pay some of their volunteers stipends and be able to afford food packets to those who can’t afford food to take their TB medication with.

Saturday we went to Victoria Street Market. Today I went grocery shopping and am currently cooking chicken and pasta. I’m nowhere near a legit cook yet…bummer. I’ve decided I don’t like to go grocery shopping nor cook for myself…there are too many ingredients. Perhaps if all the food was in my pantry I wouldn’t mind but I think I’m gonna have to marry a cook.

Tonight were going to karaoke..

A Little Update

So I am losing my steam with blog writing. I guess since I’m on the home stretch with this trip..I don’t know. Anywho so I’ve just been doing my ISP stuff. This week and last week we have followed around Nokuthula the program coordinator of Siyaphila on her rounds to support groups for HIV in semi-rural areas and also to home visits to the HIV + patients. We have been talking with all of them and interviewing them. They love having us around, especially the people we visit at home. They don’t often get people who want to visit them..sad…so some visits have gotten a little emotional.

Nokuthula brings us back to our backpackers round 4 everyday and then we get to work on the TB stuff. We have finalized a bigger and better funding proposal, halfway down with a website, creating an email address, made a flyer, pamphlet, and business cards for them. We have also sent out our proposal to about 25 businesses thus far. We have also organized a TB workshop for the staff members of Siyaphila to update their training on the signs and symptoms so they can be looking for those on their home visits and such.

So that’s been a lot. We have this next week to work with them but then we are back in Durban after that. Then we have to write up a whole report about this and such. Not really ending on an easy note.

As for fun, I think I said before we made some friends with University students here in PMB and they took us out a couple times. We watched some of the English Premiership soccer that they are all obsessed with. I’m getting into it though. Dad and I decided we are gonna follow the World Cup fo sho!

Hmm what else is new…oh for everyone that’s reading it out there that I don’t know about..haha..I’m going to Spain for a summer session this summer!!!!

Oh I know. Epic story today. So we walked to this place for lunch that sells Indian food. I got a bean Bunny Chow thingy which is a very popular South African dish. But anywho the guy who works there automatically was like so where are you from in the U.S. Keep in mind this is some random South African dude working in a random Indian place. I was like North Carolina, which no one has ever heard of NC or really knows where it is..it’s normally just a formality to answer the question. BUT this guy goes oh like Kitty Hawk..and I just stood there shocked! I was like actually yes exactly like Kitty Hawk how have you heard of it. He was like that’s where Orville and Wilbur flew…I was so impressed. Apparently international peeps no more about our history then the people in our own country cause really none of the girls on the program have heard of Kitty Hawk. It made my day really!

ISP Update

So to explain it again, for my independent research project, I am spending a total of 3 weeks in Pietermaritzburg. I am working with an NGO (non-governmental organization) called Siyaphila which means “We are living” in Zulu. This program currently works within the hospitals providing adherence classes to people who are about to go on ARV (anti retrivirals – HIV medication) teaching them about what kind of side effects they are going to expect etc. They also have support group meetings within the townships of Pietermartizburg twice a month that HIV + individuals attend to talk about what they are experiencing and anything really. They also do home visits depending on the severity of the patient where they visit the patients at their homes and check out how they are doing. Since TB is the main killer for HIV patients, it only makes sense that there is a TB program working alongside this HIV program. This is what I am trying to do for my ISP. I am implementing a TB program for Siyaphila. What this involves is writing a funding proposal which I have already done and getting lots and lots of funding from donors to start this. We are currently working on getting a TB expert to do a workshop educating the Siyaphila staff members on signs and symptoms of TB. Also making a pamphlet and getting the word out about Siyaphila. Another big thing is getting funding to coordinate food packets to be given to the patients who in severe poverty and have no food to take their TB medications with. Anyway that and some more stuff.

So that’s what I am doing. Today I went around with the coordinators of Siyaphila on their rounds. We went to one support group and two home visits. It was really eye opening hearing all of HIV + individuals stories.

Other than that we have just been getting to know Pietermaritzburg. We’ve walked into town and explored. There’s a mini mall in walking distance, so that’s been convenient. Also I’ve been going for some runs, hoping to lose the weight I gained in Cato.

Oh this past weekend we meet some of the locals who go to the University and went and saw a famous band here play. We also watched some of the soccer tournament that Hannah’s friends participated in. We had a couple braais (cookouts) here at the backpackers as well.

First Day of ISP

Like I said Saturday I moved out of Cato and into Happy Hippo with Julia and Emma. We enjoyed our weekend. Nothing too exciting went to Joe Cools again and to the beach. We have Ushaka just around the corner which is the largest marine park – aquarium thingy in South Africa so that’s cool. We made pasta for dinner Monday night and Tuesday we made chicken curry stir fry. Those days we just had more community health lectures. Wednesday we have one lecture but mainly we had ethics meetings for our ISPs.

Funny thing to note: Julia and I have developed a British accent that we do sometimes. And once when we were in the kitchen at Happy Hippo we were getting our accents on and what do you know..there were British people there. It was a little awkward. We decided we needed to be more aware of our surroundings from now on.

About my ISP it’s a little frustrating right now. The hospital we originally wanted to work out referred us to this one NGO and then they were like no this other NGO really needs your help. So we were all set with this last NGO and two days ago the hospital was like actually no we want you for a little bit too. So that’s frustrating and I’ve abandoned my interest and what I was originally going to do with the hospital so I don’t know what is going to happen.

We moved into our ISP accommodations today. They are great. We are staying in a dorm so it’s cheaper and we get other people coming in and out so we can meet lots of people.

Anyway we got here today and then went straight to the hospital to try and see what they want us to do. They set us up with contacts for our original interests. Hannah – pediatric TB and me – traditional healers and TB however my contact works at night so I don’t know if that’s going to work out. But today we actually followed around a doctor who is the head of medicine on his rounds which was super cool and sad. A lot of HIV. Anyway that’s about it. We took the mini-bus taxi to the stop that’s near the mall that we are staying by. We perused around the mall then walked back to our backpackers. Now we are just chillin. Gotta get some groceries and meet with our contact with Siyaphila, the NGO, to pick up some readings.

This weekend there’s not much going on. Tomorrow were gonna explore Pietermaritzburg and also Hannah has some friends who have a soccer tournament here so were going to go to that. There is also a flea market on Sunday we could go to. Nothing too much for Easter which is sad. Oh well.

Last Full Week of Lectures

This week we had lectures on HIV epidemiology, Traditional Medicine. Africanism, stuff like that. Different lecturers from different places..the usual. Nothing too exciting happened this week except for both Wednesday and Thursday night the electricity went out. I think it’s all a ploy to conserve electricity. Actually I’m almost positive it is. It cut out a 6:30 both nights. Apparently they like tell them when they are going to do this. Some of the mamas are all up in arms cause the white neighborhood never gets cut out. Also they can afford to light the big mall neon green at night..it’s hideous. So that was fun. I told mama I was use to it from hurricanes and stuff but that it was for weeks. She was like whooa. Thankfully mama had already made dinner and such so it was all good. During Generations there are always notices that come up on the screen saving electricity is low continue to use electricity wisely.

I got my CHS papers back..got an A on both! We went and saw Remember Me because American movies are like our security blanket. The movie was ehh…but that was expected. Twist at the end..beware those who might see it.

Other than that it was a pretty usual week in Cato. Things are winding down. Today I moved out of Cato. Mama left at 7am to work..we said goodbye – Mama is like me so it was pretty unemotional. Hugs goodbye and such. Gave them little gifts. Now I’m at the Happy Hippo again and were staying for 5 nights. April 1st I will be going to Pietermaritzburg.


Some interesting things to note, note sure if they are politically correct to write on a blog but here goes:
- A woman asks if there are only white people overseas.
- A boy asks if we speak English or Afrikaans in America.
- Also didn’t realize that to some people (which this makes sense) if you say your from America, that doesn’t necessarily mean the United States. Because there is South and North America. It makes sense, we should stop just assuming that everyone realizes were from the U.S. when we say America…because indeed saying America is vague.


So I have to redo my ISP ethics proposal since my topic has changed…bummer.

A haiku about South Africa:
Durban is super cool.
At our school I jump in pool.
Food may cause lose stool.

That was mildly inappropriate…here is a more educational one:
Rugby, cricket, match
It is the Rainbow Nation
Live by ubuntu

Health is big issue
Funding may not be of help
Caring is needed

You can call me Poe
I write haikus that’s fo sho
Money, yes I need more

About the meatballs..

1. I had to do them stovetop so I already have factors working against me
2. The meat I had to work with was subpar
3. The pans I had to use were limited and didn’t have appropriate lids
Having said that..the meatballs were gross. They fell apart so I made them mini hamburgers. It was fatty meat so it was greasy too. Andile loved them…I did not. I sat in my room embarrassed while they helped themselves when they finally got home.

The potatoes on the other hand I thought were very good. I boiled them and added my own butter garlic herby stuff on top that was pretty legit. But I don’t think they ever eat potatoes with skin on them so they like didn’t know what to do. I also made a salad they didn’t touch..but that’s usual. The salad is mainly for me.

Overall..it was a bust. But I plan on ordering pizza on Friday night..that should end the homestay on a good note. I can’t leave having this be the last meal I made. I really wanted to make brownies but our oven doesn’t work.

On another note..I got my third hep B shot today because I had to complete the series before I leave. Anywho it was very interesting. I went to a nice family practice nearby. I walked in and I was like I called about the shot and she was like ok come back. And she was going to just give me the shot and then was like wait have you been here before and I was like no. So she decided it was best I fill out some paperwork. The paperwork was a scrap sheet of paper. I filled in my name birthday (which the lady was like is this the 6th of july or the 7th of june cause they write it a different way) and the address here. That was it..very surprising. They didn’t even want to know that I had gotten the two before or anything..they didn’t care. So I walked back, wore a strategically easy shirt for shots and she was like I need to put it in your buttocks. So I began to allow her to do that and shes like no your shorts are low enough and sticks it in my love handle. Yup I got a shot in my love handle! I should probably take that as a hint..I have enough fat there to get a shot. So that’s a new one. They absolutely love injections here. You come in with a cold and they are like no worries and inject you, but never ever in the arm always in the butt or in my case love handle.

Just wanted to update everyone on that. This week we are having more lectures.

Academic Update:
Handed in my field study journal today. It is where you keep all your notes and analysis relating to your ISP. Next week we have to hand in our final CHS paper.

Grandpa – I played hearts on my computer and went for it all and I got it…I won!

Last Full Weekend In Cato

So this was my last full weekend in Cato. We had the farewell part on Friday night. Mama couldn't come to it because she was working but Penny, Andile, and Siyanda came. It was at the community center Cato has and S'du and Thula transported all of us there. The food was catered..we had steam bread, rice, beans, chicken, lamb, pasta..all that kind of stuff. We had the opportunity to say some nice things about our family so I did that. Then we sang to them. We sang Shosholoza, our National Anthem, and then Build Me Up Buttercup for fun! We sounded uhh subpar, but its the effort that counts. After that we basically went back to our houses cause it was like 10 and thats past our bedtime..and we missed Generations!

Saturday, we went to the Pavilion..imagine that...and we went and saw Shutter Island. Its pretty good..we all thought it was going to be scary but it wasn't at all and very realistic..I would recommend it. Then we shopped around a bit. Ordered an iced cappicino...got a room temperature inch of coffee with 3/4ths foam..so still figuring out what means what here. Actual iced coffee drinks are hard to come by..most of them come in the form of milkshakes. Oh and remember when I said I am convinced that all the hamburgers here are mutton. Well they are...this is how I know...we decided we needed to ask the McDonalds in the mall if their hamburgers are beef. So Emma goes and asks..the following is their conversation:

Are your hamburgers beef?
No, they are chicken.
Ok but are the hamburgers beef?
Yes
So they aren't lamb?
And the lady walks away..basically she doesn't know.

Or its a conspiracy. Either way..I'm making hamburgers as in with beef as in from a cow tonight for my family..we will see if they have ever had anything that tasted like this!

Saturday night we had a girls night...like thats hard..there are no boys. Anywho some of us went to Lauren's house and watched Forgetting Sarah Marshall on her laptop and drank wine and ate chocolate. It was nice.

Sunday I went to church with Emma and her Mama. It was in a little shack thingy..it was loud..not too different from our church though..except everything was in Zulu and it lasted 3 hours. And the lady next to me kept holding out the book expecting me to sing along..funny. Then we had a mini party for Lungelo.. Emma's brother. Then we did nothing. We went out to eat at this Mediterranean restaurant and it was soooo good. I had this sesame coconut chicken with cous cous. Then Dad we found Bean Bag Bohemia..it was alright..more of a day scene then a night scene I think.

Monday, today, we have off cause its a public holiday because yesterday was Human Rights Day. So were going to the beach today. And I'm cooking tonight.

A few things I have learned about South Africa:
- You have to ask for the bill..not the check.
- The TV shows don't start on time..and they don't start like on the every thirty min thing.
- Small children roam around Cato. They always come running for me to pick them up..then I carry them like halfway down the road then I let them go but they don't speak English so who knows where they live and now how far away I've taken them from their house. But oh well.
- The pound key is called hash.
- They've never heard of ketchup.

Update

I am referred to as the young one or gameplan. Young one is self explanatory…I’m the youngest. Two sophomores..I am one and about 6 months younger than the other one. Gameplan because I am always saying ok here’s the gameplan or whats the gameplan.

This week we’ve been having lectures on reproductive health, epidemiology, public health policies, health care systems..yup. It’s been interesting. Yesterday, Zandile, our academic director, took Hannah and I to Pietermaritzburg to meet with the NGO that we are going to work with now. Pietermaritzburg is the capital of the KwaZulu-Natal province and is about 40 minutes northwest of Durban. We met with Siyaphila, which is the NGO, and then looked at backpackers to stay with.

Siyaphila basically is a liaison between the hospital and the patients. They provide ART education before the patients receive their ARVs. They provide support groups with those who have HIV and they do door to door visits making sure they are staying with their medicine regimen. They use to have a TB program as well but have little to no funding so that went down the drain. Hannah and I’s role is to revive the TB program. I would say you could google the NGO but you can’t cause they aren’t online..we are gonna fix that too. So basically were gonna make a website for them, get them started with some advertising, learn to write up proposals and teach them and find funders for them. They don’t have internet so hopefully were gonna get them set up with that too. A lot of stuff for only the three weeks we have. Hopefully we can get most of it accomplished. Should have been a business major..blasphemy!

It’s pretty legit cause most of the ISPs are all about observing and some you can help out but this is a complete practicum where we will basically be revamping a part of this NGO. I’m really looking forward to it. We also found a backpackers, Sleepy Hollow, which you can google. We will stay there in a dorm style room. R110 a night with every fifth night free..pretty good deal and also they have activities you can do everyday and they do rafting and stuff like that..pretty sweet!

So that was yesterday. Potential plan for the weekend is as follows:

Friday – farewell dinner with all the mamas and our fams
Saturday – Stadium with Mama
Sunday – Zulu beer making with Julia’s mama and Emma’s bro’s birthday
- I also have the internet stick that day so be on the lookout for me
- Sunday is also human rights day
Monday – Public Holiday – no class = beach

And Mom/Dad..if you were worried that you paid for your daughter to have a 4 month vacay in SA..your wrong..I’m working on my 4th paper..its laborious, filled with analysis and big words..be proud.

Grandma/Grandpa I got your two cards today...thank you!

Media Week

This past week we had lectures in our classroom on media and development policy. It was very interesting learning communication strategies and how the media advocates for social change. Anywho we had different lecturers for the University of KwaZulu-Natal.

Nothing too exciting this week. Friday we got dropped off at the mall after class and I shopped around, bought a book, ate dinner, then came back home. Been watching episodes of Numbers because that comes on right before Generations…old episodes.. all the series here are reruns. Also one of the girls had the whole first season on Glee on her computer so I took that from here and am now watching episodes of Glee. I also worked on two of the three papers that are due this week. I had a media paper due today, Monday, and two CHS papers due Friday. I finished two papers so I’m good to go.

Saturday morning I woke up and starting working on my papers again..its amazing how much you can get done when your not in a suite or on a hall with all your friends! Then some of us caught a mini-bus taxi to the mall again. The four of them went and saw Alice in Wonderland..I opted out. Never liked the movie as a child..I think I always knew it was creepy and weird. I’ve adopting a new technique..I’ll save money but not doing the things that I really don’t have the biggest interest in doing..its working well for me! I’ve also realized when I go to the grocery store that if I don’t buy it, I won’t eat it!

Anyway so they went and saw the movie, I went to the internet café at the mall and worked, cause I’m a loser..whatever. Then we shopped. I bought a shirt at Mr. Price. Mr. Price is where we all get our clothes..and we all get the same thing cause the amount of decent stuff is limited. Lauren and I agreed that Mr. Price is like the clothing section in Target. I also bought a swim suit that cost me $7 so that’s legit.

Saturday I came back and worked on my papers some more. Watched more Glee episodes. Ate a ton cause Mama is trying to get me fat still. We have a mirror in our bathroom parallel to the tub..my self-esteem plummets every time I take a bath.

Sunday I went to the beach with some of the other girls and their Mamas. I took Andile with me. Actually Mama says, “Andile will go with you!” Beach was fun. There is a little water park next to the beach for the kids so that was cool. I read my book. I’m trying to read more. I think it will make me more intelligent. This Friday is the Cato Manor Farewell. We all go to the beach with our Mama’s and eat and such. However, I as well as a lot of others are staying longer with our Mama’s. We get the option to move into our ISP accommodations on Saturday or stay in Cato. I’m staying a week longer. Mama thought I would stay longer than that but I’m not, she’s disappointed. So March 27th I’m moving into the Happy Hippo until April 1st when I will move into my ISP accommodations.

Which by the way..my ISP is getting kind switched around. I’ll keep everyone updated but who knows what I am doing now. The hospital wants me to work with Siyaphila, this NGO that deals with HIV because I can actually help them instead of observe. Well we will see.

Oh and I got a B in Zulu..typical.

Weekendness

I had a fun and productive weekend. Friday after class, I hung with Emma at her house for a bit then I went back home to hang with Mama. Siyanda was getting ready for prom which was fun! He already graduated but they get asked back the year after. Watched Generations, ate, worked on my ISP (independent study project) proposal then went to bed.

Saturday we went into Durban to the soccer game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium (World Cup Stadium) it was AmaZulu, who are from Durban, against Supersport United, from Pretoria. AmaZulu won 3-0! The stadium is awesome! I’m gonna visit the one in Cape Town when I go there after the program as well. Oh ya I’m staying an extra week now so I’m not leaving till May 13th! So anyway, the stadium is awesome. They have this gondola thingy that you can go up on to the top of the stadium to see all of Durban which Emma and I plan to do with our Mama’s next weekend. My Mama expressed that she really wanted to do that. So story..Emma and I (by the way Emma isn’t my only friend she just happened to be with me a lot this weekend haha..I do have other friends) went to the concession stand at the stadium and it was chaos. Apparently it’s not important to create lines for the concessions. It reminded me of like the paparazzi or something everyone was just crowded around shoving money everywhere. Emma and I realized we had to be aggressive to get our food. So I was in there pushing with the rest of them and once a person moved from the counter I threw my elbow at a very tall man and wiggled myself into the space. I think I’ve become very citiyfied if that’s a word. It’s going to be interesting though at the World Cup..I wonder if the South Africans will be budding in and pushing to get to the front whereas the international peeps will be trying to create lines. Anywho, we made local friends at the game and photographers that will be covering the World Cup.

Then I got us a taxi…I do that too now. New York City has nothing on me! We went back to Happy Hippo where we were staying. Happy Hippo was happening there were a lot of young people from the UK and Germany and Australia so we chatted with them a bit. The UK people were here on a project that like has to do with soccer or something I don’t know. Then we went to a Thai restaurant on Florida Rd, which Florida Rd is like the bar/restaurant strip but mainly where white South Africans and tourists go..so that was quite a new scene for us haha. Then we went back to the Happy Hippo and drank the Bafana Bafana wine we found..since we are obsessed with Bafana Bafana.

Sunday Emma and I took Julia to the hospital because the bite she got during the last rural homestay got worse and the pain shooting up her leg got worse. So going to the hospital there was fun. The hospital was in a very nice part of town so the services were much like what we have but the facilities are a little different. Generally we didn’t wait as long as I have in the U.S. Oh but they did ask her how tall and how much she weighed and we were like uhhh we know it in feet and inches and pounds. That didn’t really help them. So then she weighed herself and found out what the kilograms were and we were trying to make up what we thought that was in pounds. Then we ate..I like feta cheese now a lot. Also we’ve learned not to order when it says Ice Tea or Lemonade on the menu because we get lipton out of the can ice tea and schwapps or whatever it is lemonade out of the can which is carbonated…we’ve made that mistake numerous times now. Also I have a theory that they don’t use beef in their hamburgers here. I think it is all mutton. I’m starting to think that’s a known thing and we are just not aware. I seemed to be the only critic of this though…perhaps the others don’t taste the very interesting different taste of the hamburger patties here. Anyway maybe it’s cheaper or maybe it’s because a lot of people are Indian and then don’t eat beef.

Then we basically worked on ISP proposal and chilled out for the rest of Sunday. Now for the rest of the week I will be in a media program. Half of us are going to the Red Cross and learning about home based care while the other half which I am in are staying at the SIT house and we have people coming in to teach us about media in South Africa and their efforts to educate the public on health and such. So that’s what I’m doing all week.

Mama’s birthday is today. I’m making spaghetti again with salad and bread and bringing her flowers and a cake.

I got Gma’s card by the way last week!!!!

Mthwalume

This past week we spent in our last rural homestay in Mthwalume which is on the South Coast. I should note that I have been craving chocolate (specifically brownies), coke, and coffee like no one has craved anything before. I yearn for it honestly! So I realized what these had in common…caffeine! I guess I don’t get nearly as much as I do when I’m at home. Anywho so Monday started off with a cappuccino that I got from Steers which is like South Africa’s hmmm Burger King perhaps. I was a happy camper! They don’t drink much real coffee in the homes that we stay at just instant Ricoffy coffee. I’ve gotten use to it though..blaaa.

We arrived in Mthwalume early so we chilled at the beach for a bit. Then we got dropped off at our homestays. Becca and I’s family was pretty well off so that was a surprise. We stayed in a house with ten other people, Gogo (grandma), Mama, her sister, and seven children. We settled in very nicely. This is the first time SIT has had students go there so all the families were really excited to get the opportunity to host students (Americans). We ate..standard. Slept.

Tuesday we got picked up and visited a TB hospital that was in the community. They don’t treat MDR or XDR TB so they didn’t have too many patients but nevertheless to have a TB hospital in that rural community is a blessing. Then we visited a clinic that serves 6,000 people a month but is tiny. The nurse there which by the way the nurses prescribe medications and what not and give them to you right then. Anywho, the nurse there practically had no time the lines are ridiculous. The Love Life Center came next which is an afterschool program for the kids where about twice a week they have “classes” and debates teaching them about things like body image and HIV…stuff like that. It’s a shame though because currently the place we visited doesn’t have enough money to pay their electric bill so they have no electricity. They are still functioning though. Unfortunately it seems like Love Life might be a thing of the past. Once we got back to the family Becca and I read our books. I am currently reading Say You’re One Of Them which I think Dad you bought around Christmas time or something. Anyway it’s pretty good, its filled with stories of children in Africa. We had the best dinner ever that night! We had steam bread, which I will make when I come home..maybe, chicken..like I had a legit chicken quarter, and then this spinach type stuff that they grow in their gardens are cooked down into basically cooked spinach.

Each morning we also had a feast of eggs, bacon, hot dog thingys, rice krispies, tons of fruit, juice, tea, bread…they treated us soooo well. Since we were the first Americans they had met we asked them what they thought we would be like and they said glamorous, basically you know really rich and diva-like haha. Somehow we asked them if that’s how we were and they said absolutely not, that we were just like them..eating their food living how they live. I’m glad this is their impression however being glamorous wouldn’t be awful either. Nonetheless I’m glad they are getting this impression of Americans! Now I’m scared what everyone else thinks..all they see is MTV and what not..50 Cent is not my image of America.

Wednesday we visited an art center..where the women come together to do a lot of bead work and pottery too and then sell it for a living. We came and made AIDS ribbons out of beads, ridiculously hard by the way. I have a whole new respect for them now. It took us about 3 hours to do them and most of us didn’t finish. Mine is beautiful! Then we visited a primary school which I was very impressed by. Not only do they teach them academic stuff, they also teach them life skills. They are practicing permaculture and making backpacks our of their reusable food bags. They are teaching them lessons on abuse by teaching them songs, which I have a video of a 1st grader singing us the song. He is so animated; it’s the cutest thing ever! Lunch was at the beach at a restaurant there. I ordered coffee again and I was a new woman if you will! After lunch we traveled to the Sangoma’s house. She works mainly with water as a cure but also some herbs. She also refers patients to the hospital if need be. We had a photo shoot with the family when we got back and they absolutely had a blast, especially when I suggested we do funny faces. I think they laughed for about 15 minutes when I showed them their faces…quite the bondingness! We watched Generations every night of course. Opted to not use the pee bucket/tubs inside the house. Fumigated our room with enough Doom to kill a small child every night as well however the last night we saw our first cockroach. We spent about 15 minutes chasing it around the room with Doom..it finally took shelter under Becca’s bed (oh ya we had our own separate beds). I was pretty ok with that..decided it would crawl on her first during the night.

Next morning I left the 3 year old put some make up on me..looked better than I was looking so great success overall. Decided to shower at the SIT house before coming back to Cato…Cato Mama secretly appreciated that. Narrowing down my ISP and picking accommodations. Edendale hospital has an iteach NGO program within the hospital that researches and helps traditional healers work with the hospitals in treating TB. I’ll probably research more into that program and live in Pietermaritzburg for my ISP.

This weekend…home on Friday gotta work on my ISP proposal and CHS paper. Saturday some of us are going into Durban to go to the beach then 3:30pm soccer game ABSA premiership league game in the Durban Fifa Stadium. R20 for the game..pretty legit. Then stay in Durban for the night at the Happy Hippo again. I will have internet that night so everyone should get on, perhaps staggered timing though I get a little overwhelmed. Got another letter from Gran and Pa…they are definitely in the running for my biggest fans!

Cobham Weekend/Impendle

So Saturday we went to Cobham which is in the Drakensburg Mountains for the weekend. We stayed in a little summer camp type lodge. The first day, Saturday, we went exploring a bit finding parts of the river we could swim in. On our hike to find these places we had to cross the river and I tragically lost one of my flip flops. Seeing as though this was the only pair I had I made a heroic attempt to rescue them. I threw my camera and other flip flop at someone and ran down the river barefooted through possibly snake infested waters. I caught up to my flip flop and rescued it, it was epic. I caught up to the group and we went swimming in the river for a bit. Then we cooked out some hot dogs and corn and what not, had some tots around the fire. Went to sleep at our usual 8:30/9:30pm. Woke up the next morning and Zed led those who wanted to come on a hike. So we went off on our hike around 8am through the grasslands. There is no forest really. We stopped to swim in the river and see some Bushmen paintings. We hiked pretty far up..it was rough. I should probably get in better shape. We saw tons of Bushmen paintings and then some of us – including me of course – decided to go all the way up to the top. The top was amazing. I’ve been to tops of mountains before but I don’t quite know if I’ve seen a view like this with all the greenery and what not. We also saw baboons on the way up and little baby baboons. Then we hiked down and got back around 4:30pm. It was a long day! We cooked out again. I made a grilled crunchy peanut butter and banana sandwich. It was delicious.

From there, Monday morning my group went to Impendle to our next rural homestay. I went with Rebecca on this homestay and our mama is awesome! We stayed with mama her daughter Nelly and her other daughter’s son Lethle who was four and adorable. Their “land” has four little houses with two of them being round circular huts with thatched roofs in which one of them is for calling the ancestors. They fed us a crap ton as usual and we watched Generations as usual. They also had electricity just no running water. Then we watched some traditional Zulu dancing on a DVD. I asked Nelly, who is 19 by the way and who would know – she acts like shes 30 but mainly because she has to, anywho we asked her if she knew how to dance and she said yes and that she would do it for us the next day.

The next day, Tuesday, we went to do a gardening project. My group of four went to a preschool, called a cresh, and planted all kinds of herbs and vegetables for the people to maintain and have as food. Essentially we are trying to help the community grow and develop into a self-sustainable community. Then we ate traditional meal at a school in which some of the students put on a performance for us. Then we met a traditional healer or sangoma and she talked to us about what she does and how she works with the Department of Health and she called the ancestors for us. When she did that we all legit heard something back so that was interesting. We got back to our homestay and Nelly said people were coming over to dance for us. So 20 of the neighborhood kids came and taught us Zulu dances and had so much fun they wanted to come over the next day and do it again and told us we should prepare some American dances to teach them.

Wednesday, we visited the local clinic which is actually pretty well equipped. We also talked to an old Zulu lady who started a hospice program to comfort all the patients with HIV at home and she has this whole program which the caregivers don’t get paid for the work they do. We ate some more then visited Sam’s community. Sam is an American who has been living in South Africa in her own community of a few families. They practice permaculture and live off the land basically. She is trying to empower the community of Impendle and help them been self sustainable. That night 30 kids came over. We taught them the Macarena and electric slide. One of the girls brought over the traditional beads and things the women wear and we put those on and danced. Also we visited some local crafters and met a lady who wanted Rebecca and I to come over that night. We did and she fed us a whole lot and we came home and got fed again…2 dinners! They wanted to just keep feeding us because we weren’t staying long enough to try all the traditional meals.

Next morning Nelly taught us how to carry water on our heads and gather wood and bundle it and also carry it on our heads. Mama, who by the way doesn’t speak a lick of English, sent us off with a crocheted water bottle holder that is baller! We came back to Cato Thursday and debriefed and reunited with our Cato mamas who all missed us greatly.

This weekend we really want to go see a movie and eventually go to a soccer game but probs not this weekend. Also I think I am going to church on Sunday with Emma and her mama. This Monday-Thursday I will be at Mthwalume..our last rural homestay.

Amatikulu

We arrived in Amatikulu after an hour and a half drive. Sixteen of us went there while the other twelve went to Impendle. We arrived at their health center where a guy meet us and told us about the community health workers (CHWs) and what they do. Our rural homestay mamas were already there – they are all CHWs – and had been waiting for us for hours. We went to the homes with our mothers which were all spread out really far. Amatikulu is by the coast but we couldn’t see the water from our house. We walked quite a bit to our house from where Thula dropped us off. They sent us with a roll of toilet paper and a jug of water.

Our house was in between sugar cane fields and many many cow pastures. I had to dodge the cows to get to the toilet. Our house had electricity but no running water. That night we chilled with mama and her four kids – 5th, 4th, 1st, and kindergarten. She made us a huge plate full of beans and five pieces of steam bread – which is the bread they all make here. Then we went to bed after we watched Generations of course. Our house is basically one big room and then another separated bedroom. We slept with mama in the bedroom and the four kids sleep on the bed in the living room. Woke up experienced the pit latrine..which is at the neighbors house. We chose not to use the bucket mama and the kids use to pee in in the house..yup! Mama feed us weet bix for breakfast then we went out on her CHW rounds. It was 38 degrees Celsius which is like 96 it was ridiculously hot! We walked to four families houses..checked on a TB patient, a woman who had a stroke, checked for breast cancer, and high blood pressure. Then we went back to the house..mama feed us bologna sandwiches with butter – it’s the condiment of choice. Then we passed out. Mama then had a full meal for us for lunch which was two hours later. Then about four hours after that mama had a full plate of dinner for us. We played hand games with the children at night. None of them speak English really at all.

There were rats in the ceiling..that was cool. And it rained the entirety of Tuesday night. Which on a tin roof is ridiculously loud..but it was fun. Wednesday it was still raining so we didn’t go out on any rounds. So we sat in the house all day which never in my life have I had that much free time with nothing to do. I appreciate things to do now haha. Mama fed us continuously the entire day. We politely refused food twice for instance when mama tried to feed us six egg sandwiches for breakfast we told her she could have some of ours. Anyway, Mom, Dad you might have to bring home twice as much food when I get back. I am going to look like a whale and honestly you can’t laugh cause there is legitimately nothing I can do about it. We all looking forward to our ISP times to try and detox for those of us not staying with a homestay family. We are hoping because it is so hot out and we sweat 24 hours a day..literally in our sleep as well..that we are losing some of the weight we are gaining.

Anyway overall its been really fun and interesting to see how they live. Haven’t bathed in 4 days..homestay mama in Cato is def gonna call me out on it and tell me I stink. Perhaps she will have a bath prepared when I return home today. Oh and before we left Amatikulu we went to the craft center and made beaded bracelets with the local women. We also bought some of the stuff they had made..so I may or may not have gifts!

Oh and by the way I got everyones cards…thank you Mom, Gma and Gpa, and Gran and Pa!!!!

NGO and the Weekend

Haven't written in a while..been very busy. We have been solidifying our ISP proposals and what not and also had our first CHS (community health seminar) paper due today, Monday. So Thursday I visited One Voice South Africa which is in Durban but a totally different part of Durban that kind of looks like Raleigh almost. I love this place..its so interesting every part of the city is like a different area in the U.S. This NGO educates 8th-12th graders through creative and fun ways about health and HIV specifically.

Friday was a normal day..we had to present dialogues in Zulu which was very interesting..I was from South Africa and my name was Bafana Bafana which is Zulu for boys boys and its the national soccer teams mascot. We are obsessed with Bafana Bafana. We are also obsessed with the sports song/chant Shosholoza..you should probably youtube it. It's incredible we sing it about eight times a day even though we haven't learned all the words or learnt as the South Africans would say.

Friday I made tacos which the family absolutely loved. They ate them for breakfast the next morning. I taught them how to assemble and eat them it was really fun! I brought them chocolate chip cookies which by the way is impossible to find here. They don't make fresh cookies its blasphemy. Anywho I brought them cookies, chocolate bars and popcorn for Valentine's Day. They also loved that of course.

Saturday I hung out with some peeps for a bit then we took a taxi into town to stay at the Happy Hippo backpackers again so we could go to the rugby game. We got our tickets for the rugby game which was between the Durban Sharks and the Jo'burg Chiefs. The game was amazing, much like our sports games in the U.S. but rugby is just awesome in general. And the best part was they sang Shosholoza. It was raining at the game so we got a little wet but its all good..it made the game more interesting. After the game they all have a braai or barbeque on the field which is super cool.

Spent the night Saturday night and came back Sunday, there was no toilet paper in our house..that was fun. I ran around the town to the Tuck Shop which is like a little stand that has stuff to get some toilet paper. Then I worked on my paper for CHS. No one was home and a girl came and knocked on the door and was like hey Kaitlyn. I was like oh hello and she was like can I come hang out and I was like ok sure. So she came in and chatted with me for about an hour. Apparently she lives next door but goes to boarding school so this is the first time she's been home. It was really interesting to talk to her..shes really intelligent and her English is superb. Chilled with the fam for the rest of the day. Mama made me eat a lot. I watched a Valentine's Day Hallmark movie when my bros weren't home so they didn't turn it to Cartoon Network or the Style channel. Then we watched Titanic.

Today we have class in the morning and then we leave in the afternoon for our first rural homestay. I'm going to Amatikulu which is where we are shadowing community health workers. We stay in pairs so I am staying with Sam she's cool shes from Colorado and goes to school in Washington. Were staying till Thursday, so thats when I will be back on the internet. I'm sure I will have lots of stories.

A Little Update

I received both Mommy and Gran & Pa's cards...thank you! I should go away more often, I get so much mail! I'm the most popular in the group thus far! Anywho I really like them thank you. Yesterday we did hospital visits and my group of three went and visited King George V hospital which is a predominantly TB hospital. It was way cool. We talked to a doctor there a dietician and an audiologist which by the way who knew that TB medications often make you lose your hearing. I learned a lot and everyone was so happy to see us. We had to leave at 12 but they basically kept begging us to stay. We got to walk through the wards as well, so I will probably test positive for TB when I get back to the states but no worries we wore masks and everything. They have 6 wards, 2 women and 3 men with a pediatric ward as well which was really sad. After visiting the hospital and asking them some questions on traditional healers or sangomas, I think I've just about finalized my ISP (independent study project). I believe I will be researching within a hospital to see how they work together with traditional healers in curing TB. As for my site I think I may work in a hospital in Pietermaritzburg. This could all change but we have to submit this stuff on Monday so ya.

My Zulu quiz I had on Friday went well. I did pretty good. We have a dialogue we have to do this Friday. I got an A for my field study seminar so thats cool.

Tomorrow we visit NGO's. I will be visiting One Choice which is an works in educating the public mainly through schools I believe on HIV.

This Saturday the Sharks have a rugby game in Durban so we definitely trying to go to that. Might have to stay in Durban Saturday night as most taxis don't want to go into Cato at night. Don't worry about it I'm safe haha.

That's about it except for oh I literally gained like eight pounds yesterday. My homestay mama was home for that night which means she serves me. She made dinner kind of late so she was concerned I was starving because of this I had a plate of french fries or "chips" and a slice of bread for an appetizer. For my dinner I had half a plate full of stiff porridge some chicken and tomato stew stuff. I couldn't finish it at all so I packed it up for lunch tomorrow and told mama it was good but I am stuffed. She then preceeded to bring a plate of actualy chips out for after dinner. So ya..I eat lots of fruits and veggies during the day.

Attack of the Sun and Moths!

This weekend was epic. We got dropped off at the Windemere apartment building around 4pm on Friday after our Zulu quiz which no one failed..so that’s good. I roomed with Emma, Becca, and Julia just so you guys can start learning some names when I refer to people. The “flats” are right next to the beach our view from our balcony is the beach. The beach is much like ours at home ish and by home I mean the U.S. so that was broad but it’s much like the Atlantic Ocean. We went to the beach first and frolicked in the water which by the way the lifeguards make us stay all in one spot so its really awkward and overwhelming. Then we went to an Indian buffet which was R70 and we stuffed ourselves. Then we went to Joe Cools which is a bar/club right across from the apartment on the beach. It was very interesting because KwaZulu-Natal is predominantly black and when everyone thinks South Africa is like half white, they are wrong it is actually only 9% white but that 9% was all at Joe Cools Friday night. It was very fun, it was cowboy themed and if you dressed as a cowboy you got in free. We as Americans tried to use the excuse that we were Americans and that cowboys roam around in America like we are the original cowboys and we should get in free..it didn’t work. They also almost didn’t let me in because I forgot my ID which says that I am over 18. I was insulted. Met some interesting boys, they are all very metro looking with lots of hair gel..bro-ed out really. One of them couldn’t really understand what I was saying because I “had an accent” ha that’s funny! I also introduced the term bromance to South Africa.

Anywho, Joe Cools was fun. Saturday we went to eat at this nice restaurant overlooking the beach. It’s been very surreal because its February 80 degrees were on the beach in South Africa studying health in a house living with low income homestay families. We’ve basically seen everything. All of Durban is completely different everywhere we go. Some parts look like Miami others California,, some the ghetto. In the words of Kiera, “Miami and the Ghetto meet tourism.” Anywho so we went to the beach after that for about two hours and I wore spf 15 and got very burnt however I look tanner now. Then we wallowed in our pain for a while. We then went to Victoria Street Market which is very Indian. Then we picked up some South African wine went back to the Penthouse and drank some with the cake that was made for Lauren’s birthday. Then we ate at a seafood restaurant on the beach and I had feesh and chips which I tolerated.

Today, Sunday, was by far the best. We went to brunch again..had some French toast which is not like our French toast here at all. Then we went to a flea market. I bought a fabulous forgiving a little bit Indian shirt. We went back to the apartment and chilled out and did WORK, yes I wrote a couple write up thingys and what not. Then we took a taxi to Gateway mall which is almost the largest mall I’ve been. It has a rock climbing wall and what not. I bought a skirt because we have to wear very conservative things for our rural homestays. I also bought a CD of local music called Bongo Maffin..its great. They asked me if I wanted a packet and I gave them a blank stare. They were asking if I wanted a bag..which by the way if you do you have to pay for them. Its 30 Rand cents (still don’t know how to say that correctly) for a plastic bag. Then we ate there and a moth attacked us. No joke we were eating outside and for like ten minutes this massive moth was attacking our table. The entire restaurant was laughing at us until the waiter shooed it away and it attacked them. Currently we are listening to “I just can’t wait to be king” appropriate.

Some notes:
I took a lot of showers which was fabulous. Actually having water run through your hair and it being hot was miraculous.
South Africans blame us for the gap year..and resent us for their children taking a gap year.
They also listen to all of our music.
I was shot down requesting a song, they said the song was too old and lame when I asked for All the Single Ladies after they played Good Charlotte..whatttt! It was funny. They also played Blue by Eifel 65…interesting.
Also somehow I used up all of the data I had given to me so now I have to pay to skype on my own time so that didn’t last long and this is going to cost me a lot. Also everyone should buy an international calling card online called NobleCom its six cents a minute..then everyone can call me for cheap.
There are a lot of white male good looking surfers around. All very bro-ed out.

No Water..boo hoo

Today I woke up at 5:35 am tried to brush my teeth but there was no water..tragedy. Against my better judgement I went for a run anyway...got very sweaty. Came back..no water still so I came to school this morning sweaty and gross. However, I was able to take a shower at the SIT house so all is good. Also this morning the roosters that roam around the streets were extra loud.

That started my day out pretty rough however I was given three cards today....yay mail! Thank you gma, gpa and daddy! That made my day when I was the only to get mail and three cards no less! I noticed gma's card was postmarked Jan 26 so it look a little over a week...not bad. So for future notice everyone else my address is:
Kaitlyn Hudgins
SIT Community Health
18 Alton Road
Glenmore
Durban 4000
South Africa

and my phone number is 072 934 9296...so if you want to spend a lot of money..call me! however you can call from you skype for only like twenty cents a minute

Anyway, today we went to the University of Durban Westville which was super interesting an very informative and I'm pretty much an expert now. At lunch I sat by the pool which they have outside the house and worked on my tan which is improving quite quickly. I brought salad for lunch which I made last night with my spaghetti dinner and olive garlic foccacia as well as a pbj that mama made me bring.

Tomorrow we start our weekend in Durban. Basically after class we get dropped off at these apartments that are right on the beach and we get a weekend to "blow off steam" as Zed says "as long as we keep it tidy". So that will be fun we will go to the beach everyday and were gonna do a potluck dinner..each apartment will make something different and we will have a giant supper!

Also we learned another Zulu song that they sing before sports games and what not. And yesterday we split into two groups and had to come up with a song reflecting on what we've done so far. My groups song was to the tune of In the Jungle..standard.
Hope all is well in the U.S.!

SA Special Schools

Today we went and visited special needs schools. My group of three visited a special needs school for all kinds of needs from having physical disabilities to mental. It was very very enlightening. I have never interacted with these students much and it was really cool for the students who are thinking about doing their ISP's (Independent Study Project) on special needs children. We sat in on all the classrooms and talked to all of the teachers about absolutely everything. Then we had tea with the principal and talked more and more. It is really cool how SA has so many programs for special needs students whereas in the US we mainly see mainstream schools that have a class or two for the special needs kids. SA doesn't get a lot of credit for what they are actually doing well...which is a shame.

Yesterday I bought stuff to make spaghetti with so that will be my next meal I make for the fam accompanied by salad and this olive garlic foccacia bread that I will bake. Call me a chef...I won't mind. Dad don't get to excited probs still won't cook when I get back. I also plan to make brownies sometime but they don't have an appropriate pan so I may have to invest in one for them.

Also my computer has pooped out so I am using a program computer which I don't think I can download skype on soooo temporarily I have a problem with that. So until further notice no skype. But again you can call me from you skype to my SA cell phone and it costs something like 20 cents a minute. Good deal if you really want to talk to me! And I'm normally completely free after 5:30pm....I just chill with the fam and go on walks around the neighboorhood.

Yesterday night I was sitting on the couch doing my Zulu homework and my Aunt Penny brought out dinner for me which was piled like a foot high...yikes! I did in fact eat it all and right when I finished she came out with ice cream..ahhhhhh! So fruits and vegetables for lunch only.

First Weekend with Homestay Family

So the first weekend was great. Mama had to work both days from 12-8. Saturday I got up around 7:45am and Mama made eggs and steak and made me eat two pieces of bread. She was angry I didn't take more though. We watched some cartoons while we ate. The two boys are obsessed with Cartoon Network so thats basically all we watch haha, yes they are 15 and 17. Saturday was Andile's birthday he turned 15 so I paid for his taxi fare to go to the mall with me. We went with 4 other girls and their siblings..all younger. It was sooo much work to take these little kids around the mall oh my gosh I was exhausted. But they are all very aware of their surroundings. They knew what taxi we had to take and where we needed to go.

At the mall we ate hamburgers which are wayyy different than in the U.S. they are paper then look like veggie burgers and are spicy. They will probably not be my first choice next time. Then we had ice cream and we took then to the arcade in the mall. I paid for most of Andile's things but I made it clear it was strictly for his birthday. They didn't do anything for his birthday, they hardly recognize it so I felt bad. I also went to Pick N Pay which is their grocery store and bought the items to make chocolate chip pancakes.

Thats about it for Saturday..but Sunday morning I got up and made everyone chocolate chip pancakes which was a big hit or flapjacks as they call it. I think I'm in with the family now. Then I went to Sarah's house who lives right behind me with Mama Ruby to study some Zulu. The girls next door were helping us learn the body parts and helping us create a song. Some of the other American girls came by and asked if we wanted to go to the beach so of course we did. I left Andile and Siyanda a note because they were out playing with their friends and Mama Nano set up a taxi for us to go into Durban and go to the beach. The beach was funn more on the beach later perhaps but we stayed for 3 hours or so just about 10 of us girls.

Oh in lecture on Friday the guy who was our lecturer made us sing In the Jungle again and taught us what the aweeeeee oh awweeeeeee umbabuwe meant. The imbubwe means lion and the aweeeee is suppose to be a train sound. There is a whole story behind it but its too long. Anyway just one more incounter with The Lion King its great!

And my brother says I look like Fergie..whattt!

First Night With Homestay Family

They dropped us all off yesterday at our homestay families. My mama is about 37 I believe and her name is Nokuthula and then she has a sister Penelope who is 33. Nokuthula has two sons, Andile who is 14 turning 15 this weekend so we get to have a celebration!!!! And her other son Siyanda is 17. He already graduated from high school and they don't have enough money right now to send him to college, but he wants to go. Mama works at Nando's which is a restaurant place. When I got there we hung out and talked and stuff. She doesn't speak great English but we understand each other. The kids do though, essentailly English is their first language, they have to learn it in school. Anyway some of the other students came by my house and picked me and and we went on a walk down the street to the other houses and meet the other student's mamas. While we were walking I think we gathered about 25 kids that followed us and were talking to us. One of them screamed "Look the white people are here". They are use to having us twice a year and the whole community knows who we are. They are all very welcoming.

When I came back mama made me eat. Oh the 10 pounds I wanted to lose...looks like I'm gonna be gaining 10 pounds. Apparently the mamas want to make you fat and want to literally see you got fatter when you leave. So she was serving me rice and she was like "is this good" and I was like "ya thats plenty, thank you" and she put another scoop on there...I'm doomed. Anywho I had rice with like vegetable chicken stuff on top with a side of potato salad that had eggs in it. Also they don't eat salad here but they know the Americans like salad so my mama had a huge bowl of salad made for me too.

I ate and instantly gained 2 pounds for sure and then she was like ok time for dessert..yikes! But the dessert was amazing it was like this butter pecan ice cream with custard on the side and some fruit.

Then we basically watched TV with the kids... some soap-operas and then the Zimbobwe South Africa soccer game. They helped me with my Zulu homework. Then I went to bed at 9:30. They said they normally go to bed around 8 or 9. I have my own room that is a decent size that has a queen bed in it and a dresser.

Woke up a 6am and bathed. They have a tub and they just heat water up and I use the tub inside the tub. I will have to master that technique because right now I think it sounds like I'm playing in the tub. They have two other bedrooms though and a little living room and kitchen. I ate corn flakes which is apparently a big breakfast thing cause I've had them almost everyday. The vans come to my "stop" and pick some of us up at 7:15am. Zulu starts at 8:30-11 and a break then the Community Health Seminar in the afternoon. Back to homestay at 4:30ish.

Mama works tonight so she said she will have dinner ready and I can eat whatever but that the kids will stay with me.

My clicks are becoming quite good and I know about five conversations to have in Zulu. Today we really learned a lot. I am going to have to study tonight. With the CHS we have just learned the history of Durban and Cato Manor - which is the township I live in and the health conditions surrounding these places.

We are in charge of our own lunches so I bought food yesterday when we went to the mall but mama actually packed me a lunch today.

Travels to Durban

So last night was our last night in Johannesburg and our program director who has been with us the entire time Zed, who is from Zimbobwe, and is completely awesome...decided we needed a little fun time. So last night he took us to see a movie at the mall if we wanted to go so some of us did. We saw Couples Retreat and it only costed us R27. Anywho, so Zed is like a 40 year old guy who has like almost an Australian accent but we think thats how white people from Zimbobwe talk but we don't know. Anyway he is sooo cool!

But today we woke up and learned a little Zulu like Sawubona and Unjani and Ubani ikama lakho. Just the basics no real clicks yet although we did try some words and I'm doomed. You have to clicked almost simultaneously as you say the word which is nearly impossible. They also have ways of pronouncing certain parts of words that are really hard that you have to conjure up from the back of you throat but its almost like a lisp..very interesting.

By they way this program is 28 girls from all over the U.S. we ahve met our program director Zed and two guys that help out with Zulu but mainly transporting us Thula and S'du who are young Zulu guys. Anyway today we got in our vans and traveled 6 hours to Durban. The scenery on the way was magnificent it was like in The Lion King when all the stuff is green and I saw like that cirlce of life tree or whatever it is like 80 billion times. For future reference yes I will indeed relate everything to The Lion King. Anyway we got pulled over on the way for a random tag check I suppose but it was just like a guy in the middle of the road waving us over... very different.

Once we got into Durban it was very city like..mainly related it to L.A. which is ehh. But it was really cool and really modernized. We are staying in the Happy Hippo backpackers lodge which is so urban and cool looking. Dad, it looks like that Bean Bag Bohemian thing you sent me. So we are staying here for two days.

Zed left us today so we were on our own for dinner. We went to the uShaka marine park thingy and went to the beach for a bit. It was soo humid and hot. The water was really nice though. The Indian ocean is much like the Atlantic. Then we ate at this seafood restaurant.

So Happy Hippo lets us have internet access for an hour for R20 which is is like three dollars so I will probably be on tomorrow maybe around 8pm or 9pm my time which is 1 or 2 pm everyone elses time. I will not have this much internet access once the program actually begins.

Some words I will be bringing back to the U.S.:
- tots (pronounced toots) which are drinks
- jolly good - just something Zed says all the time
- stylin' - also Zed
- eskoko - Zulu word for baller
- sorted

First Day in Johannesburg

So today we woke up and ate a pretty normal breakfast of cereal and yogurt and what not. Then we did some group bonding activities some name games if you will. After that we took two vans and one truck to Soweto where we visited the Hector Pieterson museum which is basically a museum documenting the anti-apartheid efforts. Then we went to lunch at Wandies which was a local place in Soweto where they had a buffet in which there was the normal South African stuff like chicken some beef rice and potatoes as well as some other stuff and their signature dish of cow intestines…which I tried. And when I say it was cow intestines…it was like legit cow intestines like you know in Bio when you dissect the cat or what not and you uncoil the intestines yup this was all coiled up and we ate it straight up. Most of us agreed it would have been tolerable if it had been fried…I don’t believe South Africans fry stuff though, bummer. While we were there these two guys came with a guitar and played us the South African version of the In the Jungle from The Lion King which was wayyyy better than our version…and some other songs as well. It’s so funny how we stick out to some of them because after that they started playing this song about finding the spirit of Obama. After that we drove to the Mandela House which we would have walked to if it hadn’t been raining. Anywho the Mandela House was legit it was the house Nelson Mandela and his wife Winnie lived in for 40 years…well when they weren’t in imprisoned. It was really cool because his house is in the middle of Soweto and you wouldn’t ever know it was a “monument” like you do in the states.

Then we went to the mall, which is kind of like the malls in the U.S. but not at all. We were there mainly to buy phone minutes but some of us pick up some other goodies as well. We then came back to the Shoestrings Lodge where about 20 of the 27 of us went running, including me. Maybe it was cause we have an overly active bunch or maybe its like the personality of the people who choose to come to this program..I don’t know but we are trying to continue this theme.

Now it is about dinner time..and who knows what is for dinner but definitely some carbs and meat.

Tomorrow we are taking care of the legalities of everything, health and safety and what not…the boring stuff. So I don’t believe I will have anything to say tomorrow.

More on Germany

So I landed in Frankfurt and walked up and down the same terminal four times trying to make up my mind as to whether I should just leave the airport or go check in first. Well I found out that I couldn’t check in until 4:30 pm anyway so I got some advice from the lady behind the South African Airways ticket counter as to how to get downtown. I proceeded to the train station and somehow caught the right train and took it to the Hauptsachen stop which took me to the center of downtown. During all of this about four people asked me for directions in German. Apparently I look like I know German..ha. Anywho found a tourist desk in the heart of downtown and took a one hour bus tour. I got off the bus after that hour and basically walked the entire route the bus took us..cause I got lost. Roamed around for a while and then found not the train station I was supposed to be at but somehow took that train to the train station I was supposed to be at and then took the Wiesenbaden back to the airport.

So sidenote – I never paid for the train, was I suppose to? Whoops.

So Frankfurt is pretty legit. There is still a lot of Jews and only a few real historic roads and sites due to the destruction from World War II. As you can imagine its like NYC but with much cooler architecture and people. Thus, I like it better. I never got to eat there because I didn’t get that many Euros and I thought I had to pay for the train, they told me it was 4 Euros…but again I never paid.

However, I did have some German crackers when I got back to the airport. Not the same I know but I wasn’t trying to get stranded in Frankfurt.

Also, I forgot to pack deodorant in my backpack and I’m traveling for three days so I think I bought some in the airport. It’s kind of a weird oblong shape…not quite sure it is actually deodorant because it’s all in German, nevertheless it smells good so whatever.

So currently, I am writing this awaiting to board my flight to Johannesburg. When I was in line to get my ticket I was behind about 25 white people, no blacks. I was discouraged. Low and behold though there are a handful sitting around me…I will get the real experience after all!

Germany/South Africa

I'm here!

Germany was awesome basically I hoped a train to downtown where I took a bus tour...many funny stories to tell about that once I'm not on this 1980's computer. Currently though I am at like a backpacking lodge with three other girls waiting for everyone else to get here this afternoon. But I am safe, showered, and feed!

Just the Beginning

Today I leave Raleigh at 5:16pm and arrive in DC then on to Frankfurt, Germany where I have about a 12 hour layover. I plan on taking a tour of the city. From Frankfurt I fly to Johnannesburg arriving at about 8:30am Friday Jan 22. I will met the rest of my group in the airport between 5 - 6:30pm. We will be spending 3 days in Johannesburg for orientation and sightseeing.

I'm just trying this out!