April Vac!

It has been a little over a week since I got back from April Vac and I apologize for not updating sooner, but I had to hit the ground running when classes started again. The first week back I had a paper due Monday, a lot of tutorial work for History 101 due Thursday, and another and much more difficult paper due on Friday. Then I went on a trip this weekend. Sorry all, I’ve been busy.

Ok, so April Vac. We rented two cars and drove the Garden Route, staying in backpacker hostels all along the way, and making stops here and there to do fun stuff. We did so much that it would take me absolutely forever to go into detail about what we did so I’m going to list where we stayed and what we did and then go into detail about a few things. If you want more info about a particular activity or place feel free to comment or email me at g09e7489@campus.ru.ac.za!

• Jeffrey’s Bay: Island Vibe Backpackers, beach-ness
• Storms River: DiJembe Backpackers, Tsitsikamma National Forest, Zip lining!
• Knysna: Knysna Backpackers, walked around town, waterfront, watched the sunrise
• Mossel Bay: Little Brak Beach House, beach-ness, drove to Oudtshourn and went to the Cango Wildlife Ranch (lame) and then to the Cango Caves (awesome!)
• Cape Town: Inn Long Street, Hiked Lion’s Head, saw the sunset and moon rise, Climbed Table Mountain (it really was a climb and not a hike), Easter Service at the Anglican Church of St. Paul, Shopping at indoor African Women’s Market and at outdoor market, Visited US Consulate, Went on a Township Tour: District 6 Museum, Shebeen and tasted homemade beer, Traditional Healer, Nursery School, Robben Island, our guide for the prison was a former inmate!, Wine Tour: 4 wineries, including cheese and chocolate tasting and lunch, Cape Point: African Penguins! Cape of Good Hope
• Overnight bus back… not so fun…
  

We really had a great time and it felt like we were constantly on the go. Our group started out with 9 people and then when we got to Cape Town, we lost one and gained two. It was really great to have a large group because there was always someone to hang out with and talk to, but I personally began to feel really claustrophobic and smothered. I learned a lot about myself on this trip, I’m an introvert, there’s no avoiding it, and I need to always take time to be by myself.

I would say my favorite parts of the trip were zip lining, hiking, Robben Island, and the wine tour. It was so cool to go flying through the canopy of the Tsitsikamma National Forest! It’s known as the garden of the Garden Route and it is so beautiful! I love mountains and this place is full of tree-covered mountains. I wanted to hike Table Mountain before I left the states so I’m very glad that I was able to do that. It was a very tough climb, straight up the side of the mountain. They seriously had steps going up for more than half of the hike. The top was really cool. It is flat on top, hence the ‘table’. Katie and I had a lovely lunch on the top and had one of the best views in the world, gazing at Cape Town and the bay. We could see the whole city. Robben Island was also a really cool experience. The island is much bigger than I expected it to be after reading Nelson Mandela’s autobiography A Long Walk to Freedom, which all of you should read. I was also surprised to find out the interesting history of the island. It has been a leper colony, a prison many times, a military base during WWII, and now a museum and town where the people who run the museum live. Our tour started a the Waterfront where we took a ferry to the island, then a bus tour around to see all of the remnants of the island’s past, and then to the maximum security prison where the Apartheid government put political prisoners like Nelson Mandela. Our tour guide was a former political prisoner who had been jailed because he was working to build up a military force for the ANC, African National Congress. We got to see Nelson Mandela’s cell and got an in depth history of the prison and explanations on the workings. He also shared some of his personal experiences and stories; it was really fascinating. Our wine tour was a blast! We signed up for a tour that picked us up and dropped us off at our hostel and included lunch! I tried A LOT of wine and really enjoyed it! We also got to try cheese and chocolates that were delicious! So now, I have new plan for my coming home/ birthday party. Everyone should bring a bottle of his or her favorite wine! Sound good? Yeah I thought so. ;)

Another Term Comes to an End

This blog comes on the last day of the term and it has been crazy. Last week did not prepare me for this week for sure... Last week I had so much fun! Tuesday night, I had dinner with my wonderful South African family and it was so nice and lovely. Wednesday night, I went to a friend's digs to cook dinner, I was responsible for dessert and I cooked a delicious chocolate cake! I got the recipe from Mrs. M and it is a M family favorite. Anyway, it was crazy fun and crazy good and we named the cake Lucille, we had to encourage her to finish baking so we weren't too late for Bible study, we were anyway. Then Thursday night, I went to the house of some Episcopal Missionaries with some friends of mine from Boston College. We made pizzas and played games! It was so awesome to be able to hang out and chill out. It was also so nice to talk to some Episcopalians! I love the church I've been going to and the people are fantastic but there is something about talking to people who go to the same church as you. It felt like home almost... We talked about Happening and how it changed our lives and how much we love it! That is especially important to me because this weekend is Happening at home and I'm so sad to be missing it. Especially since 3 of my most favorite people of all time will be there. (NB This is what my cake would have looked like if I'd had strawberries.. so this is what it will look like for my birthday party :D which you should all come to!)

This week has been.. um.. awful in some sense but good in others. I've been working so much all week. I'm going to be honest.. I'm not good at interpreting poetry or literature so why I chose interpreting Sowetan poetry from the Soweto Uprising in 1976 for my H201 semester essay topic, I don't know. It was a great learning process for me and I did get it done before the due date. I feel pretty good about it but of course, it makes me nervous. I also had a research proposal due for my ethnomusicology class, which unfortunately was done at the absolute last minute. I had to change my topic for the researach project yesterday and the proposal was due today. It's a long story but I had to change my topic 3 or 4 times, I'm just glad that I've got one now. I also had a isiXhosa test on Wednesday night. They take tests at night here.. it's weird. I really don't think my brain functions enough then to take a test.. I went into it feeling prepared but leaving was another story alltogether... I honestly don't know how I did on it. I guess we'll see after break.

Tomorrow I'm leaving for April Vacation! We're going to be gone for 2 weeks! I can't believe that we get a 2 week break in the middle of the semester. So, 8 friends and I, all American exchange students, are going to drive the Garden Route to Cape Town! I'm really excited! I think that I will have access to the internet along the way so I'll try to keep you guys updated while I'm gone. I think we'll have to wait on the pictures though until I get back, sorry... :( Maybe I'll be able to post some of my friend's pics. For the break, my res had to pack up our rooms. The school makes money off of people staying in the res's during break for conferences, so I had to move all of my stuff to a box room on the hall. It's a MONSTROUS hassle and just added stress to my life but I'm all packed now.. well for the most part. Ok so back to April Vac.. While we're driving along the G. route, I think that I'm going to go ziplining and shark cage diving! I'm really excited about it! It's going to be crazy and I'm going to be careful, don't worry. Then when we get to Cape Town, we are definitely going to hike Table Mountain, visit Robben Island, and visit the US Embassy! I'm really looking forward to that! :D I'm such a dork, I know. We also hope to go see the penguins and go to some museums. OOOOooo we're also going to go on a wine tour in Stellenbosch! Yay for wine tasting! I've heard such good things about Stellenbosch wine, you all should go down to your local liquor store right now and buy some. :) Isn't Cape Town pretty?!

I'll update when I can. Love you all!