Marathoning for a Good Cause

As this year has been progressing, some of my fellow Rotary Scholars and I have decided to adopt a cause in South Africa. Katharina, Christopher, Mary, and I have decided to run the Soweto Marathon on November 1 to raise money and awareness for the Khulanathi Music Project in the township of Daveyton, which is about 45 minutes away from where we live in Johannesburg. We became aware of this project through some Rotarian friends at the Benoni Aurora club. The music project does amazing work with the township children, sacrificing every Saturday to teach disadvantaged children how to read and play music. The project has no way to make money for the purposes of improving the program and expanding to reach more children. So we want to help! We are asking that you all consider supporting the Khulanathi Music Project by making a donation through our website (listed below). By sponsoring us in this race, you are truly engaging in the education and empowerment of school children all the way in South Africa. Thank you so much for your help!

Please visit our website for detailed information and to reach the donation portal:

http://khulanathi.wordpress.com

The Garden Route

About a month ago, my friend Heather from the US arrived in Jo'burg for vacation. She accompanied Adriann and I on a road trip down the Garden Route of South Africa. The Garden Route is a picturesque drive along the southern coast of South Africa, running from near Port Elizabeth to Cape Town. We decided to fly to Port Elizabeth (as it would have been a terribly long drive to get there) and then rent a car for the remainder of the journey. We planned many fun activities for this trip including a canoe trip, a canopy tour, whale watching, horse riding, and shark diving! Even with all of the adventuring, we were able to have a pretty relaxing time, as we wandered from one quaint beach town to another. It really is some of the most beautiful country that I have ever seen in my life. Gorgeous, blue coastline meets mile after mile of magnificent mountains the entire drive. We took about 12 days or so for the whole trip, and we could have managed with several more days! If anyone is considering coming to South Africa, I would definitely recommend driving the Garden Route - it is breathtaking!

Zambia and African Vision of Hope

A few weeks ago, I decided to go on an impromptu trip to Zambia with a group of people from my hometown area. The organization of people coming was African Vision of Hope (AVOH), a non-profit humanitarian organization started by Judy Bertels of Maryville, IL. I knew some people from my home church that were involved with AVOH, and I thought it would be fun and rewarding to join the group as they came to encourage and serve. They graciously and warmly welcomed me into their team. AVOH has worked in conjunction with Pastor Andrew Phiri in Kabulanga, Zambia to set up and support seminary students, churches, and schools around the area. Child sponsorship for the primary and secondary students is an integral part of AVOH’s work, and this sponsorship money goes to pay things such as school and uniform fees. AVOH also works to provide school supplies, books, shoes, and food to the children in their schools.

There were several events and tasks planned for this trip. The first day, I helped Marti Heape and others set up the school library in Kabulonga. Hundreds of books had been collected and shipped from the U.S. before the team arrived. We organized the books onto the new shelves, set up educational tables, and were even able to decorate the walls. After that was accomplished, I assisted with grade 5 students in the VBS-type program being run for the children. As the younger kids participated in the songs, crafts, and bible lessons, the older students were involved in a True Love Waits sexual abstinence program. Some team members helped with painting the buildings, and others taught sewing to local groups of women. We were able to visit the two other schools that are being supported by AVOH, as well. These schools are newer, and are located further into the ‘bush’ (countryside). We enjoyed several performances by the children throughout the week, and fellowshipped and worshipped together as well.

In the evenings, we returned to the seminary campus (where we stayed) to a meal cooked by the seminary wives. They made traditional Zambian dishes for us, which included a type of maize meal called sheema, beans, cabbage, and a portion of meet. The last night we were there they actually made mice and caterpillars, as well. I made an attempt at eating both, although the hairy mouse was much harder to handle than the worm.

This is a mere glimpse into my experience with AVOH in Zambia, but all that I can write for now. I made a lot of great friends and loved being able to serve, love, encourage, and build relationships with my brothers and sisters in Zambia. It is an dreadful fact that eighty percent of Zambians live on less than one dollar a day, and this extreme, country-wide poverty is evident in every way – except in the attitude and kindness of Zambians, who are some of the warmest and friendliest people I have ever had the privilege to meet. I thought that the first time I went to Zambia, and that has only been confirmed through this return experience.

Hiking the Drakensberg

My friend Molly Krans has been interning in Johannesburg for 6 weeks this summer, which was a really nice surprise! Because we were both busy with work or school, we didn’t get to see each other as much as we would have liked. The last weekend in August, we (along with Adriann) planned a trip to go hiking in the Drakensberg Mountain range that runs down the east coast of South Africa and through the entirety of The Kingdom of Lesotho, which is a country encompassed by South Africa’s land mass. Unfortunately, Molly got very ill the day we were supposed to leave, so she had to stay in Jo’burg.

Having already rented a car, and as we had been wanting to do this trip before we left S.A., Adriann and I decided to press on with our travel plans. We drove through the night and arrived at our backpackers, Sani Lodge, which lies in the foothills. It was a very pleasant backpackers, with a cute common room and a cozy fire. Unfortunately, there is no heating in any of the dorms, so when we left the common room, we had to sleep in multiple layers, hats, and gloves.

Our first day, we took a guided hiking tour up the Sani Pass into Lesotho. Sani pass is the road that runs up the mountains between the border of S.A. and Lesotho. It is only accessible by 4x4 vehicle, and is still quite treacherous even with the right type of car. It is a dirt road with a 25% gradient incline, filled with potholes, rocks, and narrow passes. In the winter, there is also ice to battle with. This 8k (5mi) stretch of road took 2 hours to drive. The drive went by quickly, though, thanks to the outstanding scenery and our engaging tour guide. When we arrived at the top of the pass, we went through the Lesotho border control (which was quite small and informal) and began our hike. We hiked for a few hours and ate lunch at the top of one of the peaks, which had a stunning view. After lunch, we hiked for a few more hours, and by the end we were pretty tired due to the extreme altitude. The hike ended with a stop at the highest pub in Africa, where people can enjoy a cool drink.

The next day, Adriann and I awoke to the sound of rain. We were pretty bummed, but refused to let the weather ruin our time in the mountains. We decided to go hiking anyway, hoping that the rain would let up in the afternoon. We went hiking in Garden Castle National Park, which was very beautiful. The rain never stopped, though. Instead, the weather just got worse and worse, and after awhile we had to turn around and head back, as the hiking paths were flooding and becoming slippery. We went home and tried to warm up by the fire for the rest of the evening, making friends with other travelers.

The next day we headed home to conclude our weekend trip to the Drakensberg. It was short and cold – but fun!

Update

Hello All!

I know that I haven't been very good at keeping up with my blog, and a lot of time has passed since my last post. But I hope to catch you up on most of the major events of the last few months in this entry...

Finishing up the semester in May and June was a bit hectic, but everything ended quite well. My grades turned out quite nicely, and my thesis proposal is finally ready to be sent to the readers. I am certainly glad to have that out of my hands for a bit! My thesis is titled A Case Study of World Vision International: The Role of a Transnational Religious NGO in the World of Development in Post-Apartheid South Africa. More or less, I will be looking at how religious non-governmental organizations use their religious nature to positively effect the success of their programs in South Africa. I have been told that my research is quite unique within my field, and - if I complete the project well - I may be able to publish it. That would certainly be rewarding! There is a lot of work to attend to before any of that, however.

My parents, Tim and Cristie, came to South Africa for a visit for about two and a half weeks at the end of June. It was so nice having them here! We went on a sort of whirlwind trip through much of the country, seeing Kruger National Park, Durban, Cape Town, and Johannesburg. We drove to Kruger through some gorgeous countryside, and spent several days in the warm province of Mpumalanga. We saw lots of animals, including some very rare sightings: wild dogs (endangered), secretary birds, and a leopard eating an impala in a tree! Of course, we saw a lot of other more common animals, such as elephant, lion, buffalo, hippo, rhino, and crocodile as well. It was definitely a successful few days of game driving.

After Kruger, we went to Durban for a little relaxation by the Indian Ocean. It was a very peaceful part of our trip. From Durban we went to Cape Town and did a great amount of exploring. Every day was filled with adventure. Not only did we see much of Cape Town, but we also took a lovely drive through adorable coastal towns to arrive at Cape Point (the southernmost tip of Africa where the two oceans collide) and the Cape of Good Hope. The colonies of African penguins along the way were absolutely wonderful. But the best part for me was the scenic view of the ocean and the mountains the entire way. We also visited the wine country just outside of Cape Town for a day. It, too, is beautiful and mountainous. The draw to this area is not only wine for the wine-lovers, but also the fact that it is the culinary capital of South Africa. So much good food! We quite enjoyed the small shops and the delightful food. Every day in Cape Town was completely clear and sunny, a rare occurrence for Cape Town in winter; we felt very fortunate.

Of course we were able to spend some time in my city of Johannesburg, as well. My favorite thing that we did was take a bicycle tour of Soweto (South Africa's largest township, created during apartheid). We had a wonderful time biking through the town and seeing the diversity of the area. We saw extreme poverty, historic landmarks, and the homes of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu. We even ate a "Soweto Burger," which was a chunk of bread filled with fries and a hot dog. Our guide was spectacular, and, though we were tired by the end of the day, it was worth it.

This week, class is beginning again for the new semester. I will soon be engrossed in class work and thesis writing, but hopefully I will find more time to write to you all about my latest adventures, including the Rotary service project that us scholars are planning!

Andy and Kasey's Visit!

Hello everyone!  Sorry, again, that it's been so long between posts.  University life is really picking up, as I'm putting together my thesis proposal and finishing up classes.  

In mid-April, my brother Andy and sister-in-law Kasey came to visit me in South Africa, and we had such an amazing time together!  It was so exciting to have my first visitors here; it was getting a little lonely being half a world away from my family.  I waited anxiously for their arrival at the airport, and couldn't have been happier to see their faces emerge from baggage claim.

Once Andy and Kasey arrived, I took them in my lovely vehicle (a Mazda sedan that is older than I am) to their hotel in a very swanky part of the city.  After getting set up at the hotel, we set off for our one day in Johannesburg together.  We decided to go to one of the African craft markets first and grab some lunch, as well.  After browsing the markets for a bit, we picked up my friend Adriann and headed to the Apartheid Museum.  The museum was really interesting, but it turns out that it isn't the best place to take people who are jet-lagged.  Everyone started getting really tired, so we though going somewhere a little more stimulating would be wise.  So, we drove to the lion park to play with baby lions!  But it was closed...

Kasey was crushed.  She just loves cats - even big scary ones.  :)

That night we ate at Moyo, the pan-African restaurant that I've written about before.  We had a wonderful time catching up and enjoying delicious food.  After that, we headed to bed in hopes of being refreshed for the first day of our safari!  

The next morning, our safari guide (who we nicknamed Craig Safari) picked us up to take us on the three hour trip to the game reserve.  Once we arrived in Pilannesburg, we had half a day left to see animals in the daylight, so we went on the hunt!  We saw several animals, including Zebra, Wildebeest, Rhino, and Elephant.  Actually, one of the most exciting stories from the trip is about our elephant encounter.  We came across a small herd of elephant (about five) that were eating on some trees next to the road.  We stopped quite near them to observe and take pictures.  One of the females was crossing the road a mere three feet from our car, and a young male followed her.  The two of them stopped right in front of the car, and the male was attempting to mate with the female.  She was not willing to be woo-ed, however.  She became very agitated, and was showing signs that she was also unhappy that we were so close.  She moved forward, trying to push our vehicle away, and soon moved to the side of the vehicle in an attempt to get us to leave.  All I could see out my window was a big elephant head, and I think her trunk even touched the car!  We were so nervous, but luckily we were with a pretty knowledgeable guide who knew how to handle such a situation.  

We went and settled into the chalet for the evening, and went to bed early in order to prepare for our 5 am wake-up call.  The next morning we again set off with our guide.  The day was pretty successful, especially since we were able to see a leopard, which are extremely difficult to find.  That night we went on a night drive in an open-air safari vehicle and some other people from the camp.  We spent several hours hunting lion, and were kindly rewarded for our search.  We experienced an amazing encounter with a grown male lion.  He was sitting in the open, just in front of our vehicle.  He walked around the vehicle, just a few feet from our dangling arms.  It was scary and amazing all at once!  He eventually started roaring, and it was so loud.  I never would have believed that it could have made such a powerful sound, if i had not heard it with my own ears.  Needless to say, the roaring made everyone a bit nervous, but before long the lion walked away into the tall grasslands.  How majestic!  After that experience, we went back to the camp absolutely elated at our find.

The next day we left early again, in hopes of have more up-close encounters with these curious and awe-inspiring animals.  We were again rather successful, and by the time our safari was complete we had seen four of the Big Five animals - Lion, Rhino, Leopard, and Elephant - along with many other animals.  We only missed the Buffalo.  That evening Andy and Kasey flew to Cape Town, and I headed back to Jo'burg to do some work. 

Two days later, I hopped a flight to Cape Town to spend some more time with my family.  We went to the winelands outside of Cape Town the first day there.  It was so beautiful, even through all of the rain.  We ate delicious, five-star food and shopped in little towns all afternoon.  On the way back to town, we stopped at a cheetah park, to get an up-close view of these beautiful cats.  It was near closing time, but we were able to see them for fifteen minutes or so.  We could hear them purring and see them playing together; you almost forget they're dangerous!  We drove to the ocean in an attempt to see the sunset, but had no luck due to the clouds.  We ate dinner in the Cape that night, though, just in view of the ocean.

The next day we explored some of Cape Town, went to some Craft Markets, ate a delightful lunch.  Robben Island, the place just off of the cape where political prisoners (like Nelson Mandela) were kept during apartheid in South Africa, was the focus of our day, however.  We took a ferry to the island, where we had a guided tour through the island.  An former prisoner took us through the actual prison, and he told his story, which was really interesting.  After that we went to Victoria's Warf, and did some shopping before once again failing to see the sunset thanks to crazy sea fog.  We had a truly amazing dining experience that night at a place just a short walk from our lodging.  The following day I had to leave for Johannesburg, and Andy and Kasey finished out their time in Cape Town before going back to the States.  

It was so great seeing those two...I just wish it could have been longer!  

I can't wait for Mom and Dad to arrive - only three weeks!

Botswana and Zambia

The month of April has allowed for a lot of traveling here in South Africa.  Three weeks ago the University held a short fall break (as we are moving into winter), and so three of my friends and I planned a trip to Botswana and Zambia.  We decided to be adventurous and drive ourselves across Southern Africa, four girls in a Nissan sedan.  We did, indeed, find much adventure.

The first day, we drove from South Africa to Gaborone, Botswana.  We have some friends who attend the University of Botswana in Gaborone, and we were able to spend some time with them and see a bit of Gaborone.  The next day, we headed to Maun, a city on the edge of the great Okavango Delta.  The drive took about half a day, but we were kept pretty entertained by the goats, donkeys, and cattle that sprinkled the poorly-paved roadways.  Apparently, Botswana has the largest population of wild donkeys in the world.  Strange.  We drove through the Tropic of Capricorn and were able to see some really interesting landscape changes as we chugged along into the semi-arid countryside.  The earth changed from a deep red color to sandy white when we entered into the salt pans of Botswana, and the vegetation differed dramatically.  Suddenly, there were strangely giant termite hills surrounding the highway from all directions.  At one point, we saw the most perfect, picturesque African sunset; it was like something out of The Lion King. 

Our accommodations in Maun were quite lovely.  We stayed at a backpackers right on the water of the Delta and slept under thatched roofs.  There were perhaps more spiders than I would have preferred, but I suppose they come with the surroundings.  Our first full day in the delta, we headed out on a day-long Mokoro (canoe) tour.  I liken the Okavango Delta to the wetlands of Florida, for mental picture purposes only.  Clearly, the delta is more remote and expansive.  There are essentially hundreds of miles of marsh lands spread over the northern section of Botswana, where networks of narrow streams lead into larger, deeper pools of fresh water.  Tall grasses and reeds grow out of the water.  Mokoro boats are hand carved traditional canoes.  Only two people fit into each canoe, and the guide stands in the back with a long pole to push you along through the delta.  

We started on the tour early in the morning, riding along in the canoes for two hours before getting off on an island to track animals by foot and eat some lunch.  By this time the sun was getting unbearably hot, but we followed our guide on an animal hunt anyway.  We saw giraffe and elephant from afar and were able to find some well preserved rhino tracks.  Giraffe are so funny in the wild.  When they gallop their long necks move back and forth, and it's just hilarious.

When we got back in the canoe, we had to move past some hippos that we had seen earlier in the day.  There were about five of them basking in the cool water.  We stopped to observe them  and take a few photos.  One of the hippos became really irritated and began charging our boats, so our guides had to move as fast as possible to hide in one of the streams.  The hippo pursued us for a bit, and then retreated.   It was very unnerving, as hippos kill more people than any other animal in Africa and are known to have terrible tempers.  We escaped unscathed, though, and now I have an interesting near-death experience to tell.  Needless to say, I will not be getting close to a hippo in a small canoe ever again.

We spent another day or so in Maun, taking in the peaceful sights and getting to know some very interesting individuals before heading on to Livingstone, Zambia.  We started on the road at five in the morning, and I had the first driving shift.  I was expecting to encounter more donkeys and goats on the way, but - much to my surprise - I ended up dodging giraffe and elephant as well!  (Giraffe look a bit like a T-Rex from far away...)  We weren't sure how much big wildlife we would see on the drive, but it ended up being quite a bit.  We spent another 14 hours on the road that day, navigating our way through the treacherous roads of the A33 in Botswana.  The A33 is the only road that leads from Botswana into Zambia, so we were forced to take it, but it is in extremely poor condition.  If we would have been in a 4x4, it wouldn't have been a problem, but our poor little rental car had a tough time going though the endless potholes.  When I say potholes, I mean massive, extremely deep potholes that completely took over the road, from shoulder to shoulder.  Luckily, after the first 60km or so the road improved and we were able to make it to Zambia before the border closed.  

The next day we went to Victoria Falls in Zambia.  Vic Falls is one of the Wonders of the World, and is one of the largest waterfalls in existence.  We were at the falls during the height of flood season, and the locals said that the Zambizi River was fuller than it had been in over fifty years.  We were expecting the falls to be powerful, but all of my expectations were blown away by the force of Victoria Falls.  It was probably the most amazing thing that I have ever experienced in nature.  From far away all you can see of the falls is what appears to be a huge cloud of smoke rising out of the earth.  In reality, it is a cloud of mist caused from the falls hitting the river bottom. 

There are several paths mapped out that visitors can take to view the falls in different ways.  We first took the "picture" path, which allows for the best photographs and full views of the falls.  We then walked to the bridge that marks the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe and briefly stepped into another country.  Zim isn't the safest place to go right now, so we chose not to go into the country on our trip.  After that, we took the path that goes right near the falls, and even though we wore ponchos and rain coats, we were completely soaked by the volume of water coming off the falls.  It was like a monsoon was hitting you from all directions, and several inches of rushing water covered our feet.  As we were walking, it was easy to forget that it actually wasn't raining.  We were just in a freak mist storm.  I couldn't stop laughing and smiling during those moments.  

We then chose to walk down to a place called "The Boiling Pot," which is at the base of the falls.  We we able to hike down the cliff through the breathtaking rainforest to get to the bottom.  Once we reached the base, the path had been swept away in the flooding, and we had to hike through knee-deep water to reach the Boiling Pot.  It was well worth it, though.  We had an awesome view of the place where the falls hit the river, causing massive swirling vortexes.  The water churns and bubbles with such force that it leaves you in awe...and slightly terrified of falling into the waters!  After we hiked back to the top, we walked to the upper Zambizi River to see where the first part of the river turns into the great falls.  

That night we took a sunset dinner cruise of the upper Zambizi and met some new friends.  We had to cut our trip to Victoria Falls a day short in order to make up for the unexpected loss of time we were to experience on the A33.  Dodging more elephants (and even an elephant train!), we made it back to Francistown, one of the largest cities in Botswana.  We stayed there for a night, drove the rest of the way to Gaborone the next day and spent another night with out friends at the University.  

I had such a wonderful time in Botswana and Zambia.  Not only was I able to experience God's beautiful creation in new, amazing ways, but I got to interact with some of the nicest people I have met in my life.  I would like to return to Zambia if only to get to know the locals better! 

It's Been Awhile

Hey All!  Thank you for being so patient with me, as I have not recently updated my blog.  I had a few weeks where nothing interesting happened, and then these last few weeks I have been on extended vacation from class, traveling all over the place.  I have so much to say about my recent trip to Botswana and Zambia, and you can expect a full update within the week.  

For now, I am headed to Durban, South Africa for Easter vacation.  During the month of April in South Africa there are so many public holidays that the entire month is practically vacation.  I can't complain!  

More to come, SOON!

Townships, Bones, and Wildlife

Last weekend, my schedule was booked with all kinds of activities!  I certainly didn't leave any time for studying, but you can bet that I'll be paying for that come this weekend.  On Friday, some of my friends and I booked a tour of the Soweto township, a sprawling section of Johannesburg that is home to over a million people.  Soweto was organized under apartheid as a "black" section of town, making it one of the sections of Jo'burg blacks were forced to inhabit during segregationist policies.  The name Soweto was formed as an acronym for its location, South Western Townships.  However, any resident of the area will tell you that it is a vestige of what black people said to one another as they were forcibly moved from their homes to this location, "So where to?"  The township has a rich and moving history of apartheid resistance movements, distinguished leaders (including Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu), and vibrant culture.  Unfortunately, the area still struggles with lack of infrastructure, poor housing, overcrowding, and high unemployment - just to name a few.  The girls and I were able to see some of the neighborhoods in Soweto, (which include names such as Orlando, Beverly Hills, and California), and were allowed to step into one of the poorest sections of town to meet some kind souls who agreed to show us their lifestyle. 

We were able to tour Regina Mundi Church, an integral location in Soweto's political history.  This church was home to numerous anti-apartheid organizations and rallies, and held funerals for several political activists.  It is also the only church that remained opened during the Soweto student uprisings in the 70s.  South African police opened fire into a crowd of hundreds of students within this church in '76, and the bullet holes can still be seen.  

After Regina Mundi, we went to the Hector Peterson Museum in Soweto.  Hector Peterson was killed at the age of 12 when police began shooting at student protestors in Soweto (1976).  The students were protesting a new law that required they learn in Afrikaans.  Peterson became a hero and a figurehead of the resistance movement against the apartheid government and segregationist policies.  The museum was very beautiful and moving, and it was nice to take a bit of time to think about the troubling history of South Africa - a history that is not long gone.  It's hard to believe that it was not until the mid-1990s that South Africa finally won the war against apartheid.  People my age remember a time when the color of their skin dictated their value.  For me, that's unbelievable.  And getting to know this history more thoroughly and seeing it face-to-face helps me understand why things are the way they are here.  It helps me understand South Africans and where they're coming from, both black and white.  

You will have to excuse the lack of photographs of the Soweto tour.  I felt that taking pictures may be inappropriate and insensitive to the residents.

On Saturday, a bunch of us decided to visit an area just outside of Johannesburg called The Cradle of Humankind.  This area is miles upon miles of land, rich in limestone caves, that is home to some extremely important fossils, largely hominid in nature.  Hominids are believed to be part of the human ancestry in transition.  And despite what one may believe about evolution, it was very interesting to see the museums and caves.  We were actually able to go inside one of the caves where archeologists are still uncovering fossils.  The cave had a huge underground lake and stalactites, which made it a remarkable experience for me.  I kind of felt like Indiana Jones.

After all of the fossil fun, we headed to a game reserve that was close by.  It was the end of the day, so we only had about an hour inside to see some animals, but it worked out well because animals like to move around more when it begins to cool off.  The game reserve, named Krugersdorp, was a pretty good size, considering its close proximity to Jo'burg.  This was the first time that I was able to see African wildlife (outside of an American zoo), and so I was really excited.  I saw rhino, zebra, wildebeest, springbok, kudu, ostrich, and two sad lions in quarantine.  (We were hoping to see lions out and about, as we were told this was the best time to see them.  After being properly warned that we were taking our lives into our own hands, we entered the lion park, windows down, ready to find a lion around every corner. We didn't see a single lion.  We saw the remains of their most recent meal, but no lions.  It was not our day to meet danger, I suppose.)  We took pictures of all the animals eating and frolicking in the veld, ooo-ed and ahh-ed, and then headed to dinner.

Which brings me to - The Carnivore.  Let me thank you in advance, Grandma and Grandpa Stuckey, for firmly insisting that I check out this eatery.  The Carnivore is an absolute experience!  Based out of Nairobi, Kenya, this restaurant features all kinds of African game, cooked over flaming coals, and served on a machete.  They come by with endless amounts of meat, until you're absolutely stuffed.  I ate crocodile, ostrich, wildebeest, kudu, and several other animals that I can't seem to remember.  Wildebeest was my favorite.  It was such a lovely time, although it was a little weird to be eating the animals that I had just documented with my camera.  Needless to say, I think I have had my fill of meat for the week.  

I really enjoyed getting to know Johannesburg and its surrounding area a little more this past week.  It allowed me to see a different side of Jozi, a side that I really appreciated.

My First Trip to Cape Town

I have just recently returned from my first trip to Cape Town, South Africa, where the orientation for Rotary Scholars in Southern Africa was held.  All of the Jo'burg scholars left early on Friday morning to catch our flight, (and when I say early, I mean that our shuttle bus picked us up at 4:15am).  We had to fly to Cape Town because it takes about 14 hours to drive there.  Cape Town is situated on the southwest edge of the country, while Johannesburg is located in the northeast.  When we arrived at our destination, a shuttle bus took us to the backpacker's (a backpacker's is the equivalent of a hostel) where all the other scholars were staying.  We spent a bit of time introducing ourselves and eating breakfast before heading out on our first excursion of the weekend.  

Once everyone had arrived (about 30 total), we all piled into vans and drove to one of Cape Town's townships.  In South Africa, a township is a place where the poorest people live.  There are miles and miles of shacks made of aluminum or cardboard, and whole families live in a space that is smaller than my bedroom.  Going into the townships, or simply driving past, quickly reminds me that I am living in Africa.  It's easy to forget if you only allow yourself to go to the beautiful, up-market locations.  But there are millions of people living in South Africa that are in the depths of poverty, hardship, and illness.  The group of us stopped into one of the township elementary schools, which is supported in part by Rotary.  The children put together a program to show us their talent and hard work; there were band performances, traditional dances, and even a short drama piece.  I love watching children perform the arts.  It's just so adorable and priceless.  After the students were finished, we stayed around for a bit to play with them and look around the school facilities.  I wish we could have had more time to spend getting to know the kids, but the time that we did have was lovely.  Lovely and heartbreaking all at once.

Upon leaving the township, we drove to one of the municipal buildings in Cape Town to meet the deputy mayor, who had compiled a presentation about the city.  His speech was followed by a question/answer session, and then we all moved into the foyer where they had put together a spread of delightful snacks.  From there, we drove back to the backpacker's to change our clothes for hiking.

Instead of hiking Table Mountain, the mountain for which Cape Town is known, we tackled Lion's Head Mountain.  It was such a wonderful idea to climb Lion's Head, if only for the breathtaking views it provided.  From that elevation, Cape Town looked so perfect.  About halfway up the mountain, the group of us stopped to have "sundowners" in a cave.  This is a South African term used to refer to the time of day they stop to have drinks, eat snacks, and relax.  They do this at sunset, hence the name sundowners.  If you ask me, I think Americans should take a tip from the South Africans and institute sundowners into our routine.  

When we made it back down the mountain, there was a man there with dozens of drums and sticks.  We sat in a semi-circle and learned how to play some of the African rhythms together.  The teacher was energetic and determined to get everyone involved to the fullest.  It was extremely enjoyable.  Post drumming, we loaded up the vans and headed to Trevor's house (the orientation coordinator), where his wife had prepared a meal.  We ate some curry dishes with rice and salad, which was very delicious.  (South Africans cook a large amount of dishes with curry.  I believe this is due to their large Indian population.)  Dessert followed, of course.  Not too long after we decided to head home, exhausted and thrilled with our experiences. 

Saturday we got up early and headed to the Royal Yacht Club of Cape Town, where we were scheduled to have the actual orientation portion of the trip.  It was really difficult to stay indoors on such a perfect day, especially with the ocean right out the window.  But the program was filled with wonderful, interesting speakers, and we were able to take our meals on the porch, which made it a bit easier.  The orientation invited a wide variety of speakers, including representatives from certain charities, an employee of the national parks, former Rotary scholars, and the list continues.  

After the orientation concluded, we went to a community carnival that benefited The Community Chest, a sort of fund used for various community/charity projects around the greater Cape Town area.  The Rotary Clubs of Cape Town started this carnival years ago, and today it is widespread and funded and facilitated by other organizations in conjunction with Rotary.  Rotary had a few tents at the carnival, where they were selling calamari and chips (fries).  We were able to lend a hand in the tents and then mill around the carnival.  It was interesting, being at a carnival in South Africa.  Surrounded by cotton candy, fried food, and ticket booths, it felt like I could have been anywhere in the United States.  I think I ate Chinese food, a doughnut, ice cream, a potato pancake, and a bit of calamari.  Impressive, I know.

The next day, we were able to sleep in a little longer before beginning our final day of adventures.  We drove to a marina for a morning of dragon boat racing.  Dragon boat racing is a traditional Chinese sport which is thousands of years old, but it seems as though South Africans are rather keen on it, as well.  Dragon boats look kind of like long canoes, but they are painted with dragon scales and have a dragon head and tail.  Perhaps the most interesting addition is that one person sits on a stool on the front bow and beats a drum, the rhythm of which everyone is supposed to follow.  We split up into two groups, listened to a quick briefing on technique, and began practicing.  It took a few minutes to get the hang of the rhythm and row together properly, but before long we were ready to race.  I would like to let everyone know that my team won all three races by at least a full boat length.  It was, to say the least, an exhilarating start to the day.

After the races were over, we headed to South Africa's only pediatric hospital, which is just outside of Cape Town.  We toured the facilities and listened to some of the doctors tell us about their specific area of the hospital.  Some of us were able to play with some children for a bit, and at the end we gave them all a small toy.  I do wish we could have spent more time there interacting with the children, but one can only do so much in a day.  It was interesting to see how different hospitals are here than in the United States.  There are so many things that they need, that they just don't have here.    

When our time at the hospital was over, we drove to the botanical gardens in Cape Town for a picnic lunch and a concert.  The gardens were absolutely stunning, and they were just below the mountains.  I can't imagine a better place to picnic.  It was nice to take a break from all the busyness and simply enjoy our surroundings for a bit.  The concert, which featured a popular South African group, started in the evening.  Hundreds of people showed up to dance and sing the night away in the gardens.  It was a very pleasant time.  

The concert was the official end to the scheduled orientation, so we were free to do whatever we pleased until our planes left Monday morning.  A group of us went to dinner at a restaurant on the harbor.  We had a leisurely time eating together, and by the end we were exhausted.  In the morning we came back to Jo'burg, ready to return to our daily routine.  We all enjoy our big, diverse city, but it sure was refreshing to take a quick leave of absence.  And what better place than Cape Town!

Getting Involved

This past week was particularly eventful, as university obligations began and opportunities to get involved with Rotary became available.  

I had a class about international relations theory on Monday afternoon, and then a class called Transnational Issues in International Relations on Friday morning.  The lectures were a bit larger than I had expected for a Masters program, but I have no other complaints.  Wits had a last minute influx of students, and the university is obligated to allow any qualified students to attend.  They were a bit unprepared for such large numbers at registration, and the faculty is not sizable enough to handle the number of students, while still maintaining its previous caliber and intimacy.  Thus, classes are much larger this year.  My professors seem exceedingly kind, helpful, and knowledgeable;  I believe that the school year will be a success. 

On a more personal note, Wits is run very differently than universities in the United States. Everything is more relaxed: classes don't run on strict time schedules, teachers show up late, people walk more slowly, and things are not nearly as efficient.  I'm not saying that university in South Africa is worse than in the United States, but it is pointedly dissimilar to my experience at home.  I think a lot of it goes back to the South African way of life, which is absent of some American staples, such as continuous work, strict time schedules, and an perpetual sense of being rushed.  I think it will be quite nice, actually, once I get used to it.  But for now, it is unfamiliar and strange.  I wonder, how can people be so calm in all this confusion?  I am unsure, but hopefully some of it will rub off on me.  I can use a good lesson on taking life more slowly.

I have a nice three day break without classes during the week, so that gives me ample opportunity to get involved with Rotary around Jo'burg.  And that's exactly what I did last week.  My host Rotary club is the Bedfordview club, and they meet on Tuesday nights.  So, on Tuesday afternoon Andre picked up Adriann and me from campus, and we headed to Bedfordview.  It was really exciting to finally be meeting my host club.  I had heard so much about them, and had been waiting for what seemed like forever to meet the club!  Well, the Rotarians at Bedfordview certainly met and exceeded my expectations.  They were all so friendly and interesting.  We had a wonderful time listening to the program, which was being presented by various Interact clubs from the Johannesburg area.  (Interact is Rotary International's service club for young people ages 14 to 18.)  After the program, Adriann and I were able to present flags from our sponsor clubs to the Bedfordview club, and we received one of theirs in return.  Dinner followed the ceremonies, and we had a lovely time chatting about all kinds of things, from politics to rugby, St. Louis to safaris.

In the morning, Andre escorted Adriann and I to one of our district's largest service projects.  The book project began in Bedfordview, and became so large that it expanded to involve all of the surrounding clubs.  Here is the backstory, as I understand it:

A Rotarian from the Bedfordview was visiting a friend in Texas and somehow came to realize that the schools there shred books when they are no longer useful, are damaged, or are outdated.  Understanding the great need for school books in South Africa, he asked that the materials be shipped to them in Bedfordview.  Since then, millions upon millions of books have been shipped from Texas to Johannesburg to be distributed to schools in countries throughout Southern Africa.  This book project has positively effected the lives of so many children and adults, and it all started with one person seeing a need and an opportunity, and then choosing to act.  (That's what I love about Rotary!)

I had the opportunity to serve alongside the wonderful volunteers at the book project for several hours on Wednesday, and I genuinely had a fantastic time!  I hope to return on a regular basis to lend a hand.  

Wednesday evening, I was able to go meet Adriann's host club, Knights Pendragon in Edenvale.  They, too, were exceedingly warm and welcoming.  The presentation that night was given by a woman who teaches incarcerated individuals who are literate how to become teachers to their prison mates.  In this way, she has been able to help hundreds of people learn to read.  Her ultimate goal is, not only to increase literacy in South Africa, but to reduce crime and violence through the mode of education.  One of her ex-convict students/teachers attended the meeting, as well, and he was able to speak about his personal experience in this program.  It was truly amazing and inspiring to hear them speak.  

I really enjoyed the few days I was able to spend with Rotary last week, and I eagerly anticipate getting to serve and learn alongside them throughout my time here.  The week reminded me why Rotary International is such an important organization, and why I am so privileged to be given the opportunity to be associated with them.  

First Experiences, First Impressions

I have officially been in South Africa for one week, which means that I have spent the last seven days confused, delighted, anxious, and excited.  Moving to a new country is a truly enlightening experience, and certainly the process of getting settled makes one understand the diversity of other cultures quickly.  I mean this in the most reverent way.  

I arrived at O.R. Tambo International Airport last Monday around four in the afternoon (South African Time).  The flight had been long, but not unpleasant.  My host counsellor, Andre Hattingh, from the Bedfordview Rotary Club met me at the airport, and it was clear that he is just as kind and charming in person as he is through e-mail.  We drove to his house in Edenvale ( a suburb of Johannesburg), where I was warmly welcomed by Andre's gracious wife, Diane.  We had a lovely dinner together, and chatted for several hours.  

The next day, Andre and I headed to The University of the Witwatersrand, known more simply as Wits (pronounced with a V sound instead of a W, as in the Afrikaans language.)  Our intention was to get me settled into my on-campus apartment and register for class.  We underestimated the task at hand, however, and when the day came to a close we had achieved little.  Everyone was quite kind, but we had a bit of trouble knowing where to go or who to see.  It was - to say the least - a bit overwhelming, and not at all similar to my experience at university in the States.  The next day got off without a hitch, though, and within a few hours I was able to complete my registration (thanks in great part to my lovely friend, Adriann, who is also a Rotary scholar here).  I am now officially a Masters student in the International Relations faculty!  The classes I am taking this semester are International Relations Theory and Transnational Issues in International Relations.

The Wits campus is beautiful, with blooming flowers, green lawns, and hundreds of trees.  How they manage to keep such beautiful landscape in the city is beyond me.  It is still summer here, and everywhere I look, there are lush, green hills.  The weather has been mostly in the 70s (Fahrenheit) and it has rained about once a day.  Although, when it rains it does not last all day.  There is typically an hour or so of a brilliant thunderstorm with torrents of rain, and then it is over.  The dark red mud quickly dries to bright red dirt, and everyone continues on their way.

On Thursday, all of the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholars at Wits went out to dinner together at an amazing restaurant called Moyo.  Moyo is more of a cultural experience than a place to eat.  The food was excellent, don't get me wrong, but the truly spectacular part was the atmosphere and the service.  The restaurant serves many types of African food from across the continent. (I ate a delicious lamb tagine, which is a kind of stew from North Africa.)  The servers at Moyo provide services found in some African traditions, such as singing, washing guests' hands, and painting faces.  It was wonderful getting to know all of the scholars; we spent about four hours at dinner, laughing and telling stories.  All together, there were seven of us: Adriann, Sarah, Katharina, Ryan, Chris (and his wife Mary), and me.

This weekend Adriann and I were able to go shopping at some of the beautiful shopping centers around Jo'burg.  They're quite like American malls, but with more diverse shops.  Neither of us girls had anything to outfit our residences, including bedding or a single dish for our kitchen.  Thanks to our two wonderful host counsellors, we made quite a dent in our shopping lists.  Now we are set up and ready to begin our year of schooling, which is good because today I was able to enjoy my first class of the year.  

Tomorrow I will be attending my first Rotary meeting in Bedfordview, and on Wednesday morning I will be experiencing one of their largest service projects - a type of international book collection.  I will explain it in more detail in my next entry.  I am excited to meet all of the generous people at Bedfordview Rotary, who have been eagerly awaiting my arrival.   From what I can tell, South Africans are very hospitable and genuinely caring people, on the whole.  I haven't yet had the opportunity to explore much of what Johannesburg has to offer, but I can tell that in my adventures here I will be surrounded by warmhearted friends.  And that will, by far, be the best part.

The Final Countdown

"Class, if any of you don't have plans for after you graduate, you should consider applying for this Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship.  It's a chance to travel across the world and learn.  I really encourage you to think about it and, if any of you think you may be interested, let me know."

It was the fall of 2006, and I was sitting in Dr. Mark Hanley's history class.  Did I have any set plans for after graduation?  No.  Did I have any set plans for the next hour?  Hardly.  I was a college student, newly returned from a semester in Italy, and I would have done anything to get to experience yet another adventure filled with learning, culture, and curiosity.  My future was wide open; this was perfect.  To make a long story short, several interviews and many months later, I was a grateful recipient of a 2008-2009 Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship.

It seems like it's been a lifetime since I applied for this opportunity.  Years have passed, and I have grown both personally and intellectually.  I wondered for a while if all of these changes in me would, in turn, change how I felt about moving to South Africa for a year.  And now that I am here on the verge of departure, I can see that I have never been more prepared to leave.  On February first, as a new month begins, so will my greatly anticipated adventure.  I am thrilled to finally commence my journey in Johannesburg (affectionately referred to as Jo'burg by locals).  

Some of you may be wondering exactly what a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar is or does.  The Ambassadorial Scholarship Program is a leading project of the Rotary Foundation, as well as the oldest.  Since 1947, nearly 38 thousand people from about 100 nations have been sent abroad to study, learn, and share.  According to the Rotary website (rotary.org), this is now the world's largest privately funded international scholarships program.  The purpose of this scholarship program is "to further international understanding and friendly relations among people of different countries and geographical areas (rotary.org)."  The Scholarships cover a range of people from undergraduate and grad students to teachers and other qualified professionals.  These scholars act as goodwill ambassadors while abroad, giving presentations to Rotary clubs about their country of origin.  One of the greatest parts of being a Rotary scholar, though, is serving and learning about the host country.  Upon their return home, Ambassadorial Scholars meet with Rotarians and various other groups to share about what they have experienced and learned.

I have been sponsored by the Schuyler County Rotary Club, District 6040 in Schuyler County, Missouri.  My sponsor counsellor, Liz Reel, and the rest of the club have been very kind, generous, and supportive in my quest towards the fruition of this experience.  I know that they will continue to be just as wonderful throughout my time abroad.  I will be attending the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa as a masters student in International Relations.  My host counsellor is Andre Hattingh from the Bedfordview Rotary Club, District 9300 in Bedfordview, South Africa.  He, too, has been extraordinarily kind and helpful.  I look forward to meeting him and the rest of his Rotary Club upon my arrival.  

My future is bright and a tad mysterious - I am excited to share it with all of you!