Am I dreaming?

The past two days have quite literally been dreams come true: even better than Cinderella.  A) Biology lab consists of hiking through the jungle and scenic overlooks B) Its absolutely beautifully breathtaking C) I got to express the beauty in art today.  We packed our lunches and headed out, unsure of what to expect.  On a huge grassy hill we examined the protozoa plant and it smelled like sweet sweet honey.  At the next stop we got out to overlook a giant valley covered in luscious trees with a cascading waterfall.  I mentioned to my friend: I would love to be at the base of that waterfall right now.  Following lunch we took a hike that lead exactly to the bottom of the waterfall: an amazing sight! Words and pictures cannot compare to the glory of God’s creation expressed.  We found crazy bugs called shongololos and exotic birds as we literally walked in the middle of a jungle.  Today I have been spending time alone marveling at how amazing God’s creative capacities are and learning to fear the God of the Universe who chooses to love me.  I had quality time with my roommate Kailey sharing life and God’s doings and relishing the moment of being here.  

A Perfectly African Day

Wow the day started off beautifully with a short run at 6 and a jungle exploration after breakfast.  While we were on the path, we ran into a herd of antelope/buck of about 15 simply grazing on the road 20 feet in front of us and inching closer.  What majestic creatures they are! Next in a canopy of trees we passed under a fleet of about 20 monkeys, grooming one another, eating guava, and just hanging out in the tree.  I was certainly entertained just watching each one and playing “where’s waldo” with the monkeys.  (you should try it your self) We took an excursion to the mall later in the day and found all the treasures we had hoped for and more! A little later we went to a movie, so I saw Sherlock Holmes and absolutely loved it.  His way of thinking amazing me and while everyone else came out of the movie drained and sleepy, I emerged fully awake and invigorated.  For a few moments I wanted to change my life plans to become a detective or spy so I could always think in that way and pay attention to such detail, but then I realized that as a journalist its exactly what I do without all the danger, secretiveness, and losing all my loved ones.  Life is ultimately good in South Africa, even in a hearty rain that gushes the water falls and creates floods over the roads.  

Vacation Farewell

Starting 7 in the morning until 8:45 at night I have been constantly busy with absolutely no break in between.  Its terribly hard to enjoy such a beautiful place with all the difficult thinking I was required today.  However, I did love the challenges laid out today especially by Reg in Chapel.  He pointed out that it was his generation (around the 60s) who brought this big mess to the world of racism, love not war, drugs, and several other bad examples, but that he is counting on the young generation of today being the ones to bring the world back to its right state.  Even biology was mind boggling as well as an exercise we did in intercultural communications where I was in the love bear culture and had to try to influence the grumpy culture.  It showed the differences in culture when we tried to hug them, but their sign of affection was beating their chest.  It is essential to observe a culture before enforcing your own way.  

Beauty Abounds

Reluctantly we boarded yet another plane from Joburg to Durban, but were rewarded with beautiful scenery on our bus ride to our new home in Pietermeritzburg.  Words cannot describe the splendor of African Enterprise—its like a giant green forest with green rolling hills and beautiful everywhere you look.  The monkeys are already evil and got into Paige’s bed and bag.  We start classes tomorrow.  Below is a waterfall that cascades into a pool we can sleep in and to the right a monkey is hidden in the tree if you look close enough.

A Harsh Reality 1/23/10

From the slums to the “Beverly Hills,” the town of Soweto has it all.  Soweto, outside of Johannesburg, was the starting place of the young people’s riot against the apartheid. We visited the square where 600 youth were shot in one day.  We also passed Nelson Mandela’s house and saw the 10 parts of the new constitution that has brought equality and freedom to all.  Our tour guide shared that she had grown up at the time of the uprising and in the black schools liberty was much more important than education.  After apartheid was resolved and freedom was granted, the values remain the same, thus education for the black population continues to be terrible. 

In a conversation with Leslie, one of our community life advisors, she pointed out that America has the same problems.  She was an immigrant from Cuba and went to elementary in San Francisco. Because the API score was a 2 there was no funding and the education was worthless.  She didn’t even learn English until 7^th grade when her mother fought for her to go to a better school.  Once a family is stuck in uneducated poverty, it is hard to break the cycle.  That is why the blacks here remain in slums: they cannot afford a better education for their children, so their uneducated children grow up without hope and bring more uneducated children into the world.  Without a better education system, the cycle will continue endlessly, even in the US.  There is much work to be done. 

Exciting moment of the day: amazingly delicious meal including guava, ice cream with mangos, and codfish accompanied by amazing zulu children dancers.

Just a random thought… a napkin today asked me to draw true love.  I drew a peanut butter and jelly sandwich: the peanut butter is the guy who is sometimes a little rough around the edges, but compliments the sweet jelly girl and the relationship is enveloped by God the bread who sustains the true love.  

First Impressions 1/22/09

After 29ish hours of traveling (longest plane ride of my life!) all 53 of us have arrived in South Africa! It’s beautifully green with lush palm trees and in the middle of summer.  How different from the cold winter of London and Paris just two weeks ago.  We are all smelly, sticky, and super fatigued, but somehow the excitement of being in the country I have been dreaming of overcomes all those factors. 

We are here to be learners and observers of a culture that is different from our own, and use that knowledge to transform our way of thinking. 

Our mission statement for our 3 ½ months here is as follows:

We, the Spring 2010 South Africa Team, a community of humbled servants, empowered by Christ’s love, unified in joyful, caring, and creative risk-taking inspire to encounter God through community and cultural engagement which opens our minds leading to new life-changing perspectives, broader understanding, global awareness and expanded world views, as we act as agents and recipients of God’s healing for the desperate and broken hearted. 

Prayer Requests:

• ·       That our minds and bodies adjust easily to the time change
  
• ·       That we bond together as a community that acts in love toward one another. 
  
• ·       That we respond with joy as we face our initial culture shock
  
• ·       That I don’t miss my new fiancé too much : (