After an an incredible night in the township we spent a whole day in the beautiful South African Winelands. Parts of South Africa are known for its winelands so it was so fun getting to tour two different wineries. First up was J.C. LaRoux, a sparkling winery. Lets just say everyone was pretty giggly when we left. The second place was Vrede en Lust, very fancy and excellent wine.

     That weekend I was supposed to jump out of an airplane (on fathers day, love you dad!). My friends & I woke up and took the train into the city to go but as soon as we got there we were informed that the weather was too cloudy and we couldn't do it unless we had clear skies. Such a disappointment but I'll just have to do it in the States when I'm back! 

     Last week was such an amazing time! We spent the week as counselors at a leadrship camp in Simonstown. The 65 kids that came to us were underprivledged 6th graders from a township outside of Cape Town. They were some of the most incredible little kids I've ever met. The things they have been through are things I can't even imagine and I have so much love for every single one of them. When they arrived, us JWU counselors put on a dance for them and that definitely got them excited for the upcoming week. We sorted the kids into 4 different teams that they'd stay in for the week and made them all really competitive with each other by having team chants (go team SPAIN!) By the end of the day they were all singing their team songs and getting comfortable with us. The activities we did at the camp were really great and most of the activities were stuff they've never gotten to do before. They did archery, a ropes initiative course, climbed a rock wall, swam (in the ice cold pool, its winter here!!!), arts and crafts and played countless sports games like soccer, net ball (basketball), capture the flag, and even a human phooseball game (so much fun)! I was so impressed with how good many of them are at sports and more impressed by how fearless they were, even if they were afraid of the rock wall they all gave it a shot and climbed.
     The second day of camp we had to prep for the camp concert, which is where every group puts on a dance, song, or skit. My team had some issues at first, they're still in their "ew boys have cooties" phase, but they ended up coming together to make this awesome dance all by themselves. I was so incredibly proud of them! We celebrated by making s'mores around the fire, which they loved because they don't make s'mores here. The next morning we were up at 6 am to hike up the mountain the camp is set on. It was pitch dark out when we left so we got to watch the sunrise over the ocean as we journeyed up the mountain. It was such a beautiful start to our day. The kids had loads of activities that day including a fashion show, African drum lessons, a walk to the beach, and sumo wrestling, which was a riot to watch. By the night they were all ready for their big concert! Our kids were doing a mix to four different songs, and one of them was Thriller so they had all this "scary" face paint on it was adorable. When they came into the auditorium we shut all the lights off and threw out candy and glow stick and started a party. Then it came time for them to perform. Watching my group get up and do their dance in front of the whole camp was one of the best things I've ever seen. I was so excited for them and so proud when they pulled it off flawlessly. No one had stage fright and they were so happy when after they were done the rest of the room cheered so loud for them. I've never seen smiles so big!

    After all four of the groups had performed and some gameshow type games were played, we had a little awards ceremony. Each child got presented a certificate and got a t shit from us. Within minutes of getting their shirts they already have pens out and were bombarding us to sign them. Tears were coming from both kids and counselors before anyone knew it. It's so crazy how attached some kids got to all of us within a few short days. When we sent them to bed I knew we had to make Friday, their last day the best!
     The next day we left camp early and took the ferry to Robben Island. Most have them have never been before to the island where former South African president, Nelson Mandela had spent 17 of his 27 year imprisonment so we were all excited. There was so much history there and we took both a bus tour around the island and then a walking tour around the prison where Mandela was held. Mandela was such an amazing leader and did so much for his country that it was so inspiring to be standing in the same place as where he once stood. The tour guide that showed us around had actually been imprisoned there too for many years, and I was so impressed by his eagerness to show us around a place that I'm sure was once hell for him.

                                                           Mandelas prison cell

  We said goodbye to the kids after Robben Island, but no one was too sad because we'll be seeing them again on Monday when we visit their elementary school! I'm so glad I got to spend my week with these children. Not only do I think JWU did a great job teaching them and really connecting with them, but those kids taught me things I will remember for years to come. I know really special things will come from many of them and even if I can't see those amazing things happen I am satisfied with knowing that our group of 20 college students touched the lives of these 6th graders in less than 4 days. I think I can speak for the whole group when I say that I had an amazing time this past week and that I wish I could take everyone of these cutie little kids back to America with me.

                                                 Just some pictures of our Spain kids!

Speechless

   Wow. There are no words to describe the day I had on Friday. We traveled to Khayelitsha, a township in South Africa. It was one of the best expereinces I've ever had. There are two million people living in Khayelitsha and the majority of them live in shacks or small government built houses. When I say shacks I literally mean four pieces of tin sheets for walls with a tin roof on top.
    We met Elise Elsing, the most amazing woman who moved here from Germany to spend her life building schools in the townships for the underprivledged. As we drove through the township on our big bus people all throughout the streets were waving at us, smiling, little kids were chasing the bus. Someone asked Elise why all of the people were so happy when they had almost nothing, and her reply was so simple, yet so powerful. She said that these people just take the best out of the moment are happy with it. They do not dwell on the past and they don't focus on the future and worry, they just focus on the here and the now so that they only have time to be happy in the present. I wish more Americans were like this. These people living in shacks were happier than most Americans I see on a daily basis.
    Our first visit was to one of the pre-schools Elise had built. There are really no words to describe the way those little children ran to us with hugs and excitement the moment we stepped off the bus. The group of 25 or so little black kids sprinted out of their school and immediately threw their tiny arms around us. They were so excited we were there and I was so overwhelmed by their excitement. It was a feeling I, in 20 years, have never felt before, and it instantly brought me to tears. They sang songs for us and we got to see their school. It was just unreal how happy (and cute) they were.
    The second school we visited was over 100 pre-schoolers and kindergarteners. We were greeted by them chanting "Hi Mamma!" to Elise. She said she didn't need to have her own children because she ha thounsands of kids calling her mamma at all these schools. The kids got in a big circle and started singing and dancing for us, I had so much fun with them. They were so polite too. When we held out candy for them to take, their teachers told us we had to hand the candy to them because they were taught to wait until something is given to them.

    The last stop was this after school center Elise built for kindergarten to age 18 year olds. They served us a great lunch and then all the kids put on a performance for us. They were SO good! They sang for us, danced, ballroom danced, and then invited us to dance with them. The smiles on these kids that were dancing were so huge, you could tell they were so happy performing for us. Dancing and chanting African songs with them was one of the best moments on this trip so far. Those kids were truly amazing people.

The kids gave us a tour of their township and then gave us huge goodbye hugs. None of us wanted to leave. We drove to Vickys Bed & Breakfast where we would be staying for the night. It was right in the middle of the township, surrounded by shacks and run by one of the woman in the community. Their hospitality was great and we got to experience first hand what it’s like to live in a township. Vickys cousins took us on a tour of the whole district and as we were walking all around everytime we saw kids they would run at us and chant something in their language. When we asked one of her cousins what they were saying he told us they were chanting at us “white people” but they were so excited to see us.

 We got to go into a shack and all sit around by candle light and try the African beer they brew right inside the shack. It was very interesting, and we all had to drink it out of a big bucket to symbolize us sharing and coming together. When we walked out of the shack a few little kids were outside wanting to play with us. A friend and I started singing old camp songs, and even though they couldn’t understand our language they sang with us and had so much fun. By the time we finished there were almost 15 kids that had gathered because they had heard the singing and wanted to join. They were so adorable.

We got to experience first hand a township “pub”, which really was a big shack that had a pool table in it and sold beer. It was very interesting to see how these people have fun and socialize in their conditions and to be honest we all had a great time at the pub. We went back to Vicky’s for dinner where we got a traditional South African dinner and then sat around and danced and played games with her five children. By the end of the night everyone was full, tired, and their minds had been open to a whole new world.

The next morning Vicky made us a quick breakfast and we thanked her for her hospitality. I am so grateful I got the chance to stay overnight in the township and really see what it’s like for them to live. I am so thankful for everything I have. It was seeing things like a woman barefoot in the street washing out a pot with a cup of water in the dark that made me realize I will never again complain about washing the dishes or unloading the dishwasher. The day and night really opened my eyes and my mind and I am truly amazed by these incredible people. 

   This past week has flown by! It's amazing how fast time goes once the jet lag is over! We had a jam packed week filled with lots of speakers, tours, and adventures.

Monday we got a private tour of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Stadium in Cape Town. It was so cool to see how such a huge event is put on in a gorgeous stadium like that. We met with the Director Of Communication who planned most of the world cup. He talked a lot about planning the event, which is my major so it was really helpful information. The stadium held 68,000 people during the world cup and it cost 4.3 billion South African rand to construct. The movie Safe House was also filmed here so we got to see where everything was filmed! The rest of the day was spent at the beautiful V & A waterfront where we got some shopping done and I experienced South African McDonalds (way cheaper and way cleaner, tastes the exact same). Then we ventured to the Green Market Square which is basically like a giant flea market, where I got to practice my bartering skills (I'm getting pretty good!) and I got some great African Souvenirs to bring home.

The middle of the week we toured a couple of universities in Cape Town. The University of Cape Town and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology. We got to talk to a man who is planning on crossing all 7 continents soley on man power. This means no cars, planes, boats, or trains he will be hiking, biking, and swimming across the world. Pretty cool but personally I think he's crazy. Tuesday night we went to a rugby game inside the World Cup Stadium which was such a fun experience. It was South Africa versus England and South Africa won! We had great seats and got to enjoy some authentic African burgers and beers during the game. A great South African experience!

Since it was so gorgeous out on Wednesday we got to take a cable car ride up to Table Mountain, which in 2010 was named one of the seven wonders of nature in the world. I can see why, it was such a beautiful sight at the top. We explored the top of the mountain for a couple hours and got to appriciate Cape Town's beautiful nature. I could have stayed up there all day, we had so much fun climbing all the rocks over looking all of Cape Town and taking pictures.

Later in the week we got to learn about the culture at the South African museum. It was pretty interesting and I learned all the sharks in the waters in South Africa. How can you not be afraid of this!?!

After the museum we drove to Rocklands Camp where we will be staying all of next week. We'll be running a leadership camp to 6th graders from a nearby school for the week so we took a tour of the place today. It is a beautiful camp and I am so excited for next week to meet these kids!

"Always do what you are afraid to do" -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Since I can remember I have always been terrified of sharks. My biggest nightmare is that I'll end up stranded in the middle of the ocean alone left to be shark food one day. They scare me more than anything. So today I decided to get in a cage in the middle of the Atlantic while numerous sharks swam around me. It was terrifying and amazing at the same time. Between the bumpy boat ride to the middle of the ocean and the extreme nerves I had about doing this I ended up getting sick before going in the water. I was leaning over the boat feeling nauseous when a huge great white shark swam directly under me. Needless to say I ended up vomiting right on top of the shark, but he didn't seem too mad about it.
       The cages fit seven people in at a time so I was in the last group to go. We got dressed into wetsuits and had to put on a weighted belt to keep us under the water. Then we carefully stepped into the cage that was already floating in the ocean (water was ice cold!) and waited to die (just kidding...kind of). The way they attract the sharks is by using what is called chum, basically a bunch of fish pieces thats scent lures the sharks to the boat. As soon as all seven of us were in the cage they shut the top and almost immediately we could see sharks swimming around the boat. When I watched one just glide by our cage my first thought was  "wow they really don't look so bad" but as soon as it opened its mouth I changed my mind. We were in the cage for a solid 25 minutes and at one point a shark came up from the bottom of the ocean, tried to bite the bait line, missed and came charging at the cage. Its face went right inside the small opening in the bars that are meant for our human heads to look out, so for a few seconds the sharks face was in the cage with us. I think I woke every creature in the ocean with my screaming which eventually turned to laughter when the shark swam away.
       Once we got out of the cage we took the boat to seal island, otherwise known as the great white sharks McDonalds drive through. The huge island is literally covered with seals of all shapes and sizes and whenever sharks are hungry this is the first stop they make to fill their stomachs! We drove the boat a little further and stopped again because we saw two enormous whales a little ways ahead of us. It amazed me how large they are, I had never seen a whale before.
Although sharks are still scary I can finally say that I have attempted to overcome my fear and that I am so glad I got the courage to do it! It was such a cool thing to see up close and especially in South Africa, where sharks are so popular. The biologist that came on the boat with us did inform the group that a person is more likely to get bit by a New Yorker just casually walking down the street than by a great white shark, which made me feel a bit better (although I think I'll be avoiding NYC for awhile). I think everyone should face their fears once in awhile, it's a nice little adrenaline rush and definitely something to be proud of!

I made it!

I am finally in South Africa! We arrived Wednesday night in Cape Town and the second we stepped out of the airport we experienced some South African excitement; let's just say they do not handle people stealing from the airport quite the same way we would in the states, it's a little rougher.

Thursday we had an orientation at the lodge we're staying in where our tour guide, Frans, gave us the low down on the country. South Africa has so much history behind it and thier culture is so unique. The beach is two blocks away from where we are staying but it's winter here so I don't know if it'll be nice enough out to actually sit out on the beach. It has rained all day the past couple days here, Frans calls it BMW aka baby making weather (don't worry mom & dad, we're not participating in that!)

Friday we ventured out into the rain and headed into town. It's about a half hour into Cape Town from where we are staying so luckily we have a bus to take us around. We drove up to this beautiful spot where you could see all of the mountains and the ocean and the entire city. It is such a beautiful place, my pictures don't even do it justice.

Yesterday we also went to the District 6 museum. The owner, Noor, enlightened us on the aparthid and how his entire neighborhood was destroyed during it, making all the whites, the blacks, and the coloreds live completely seperately. In Africa that's how they classify people: whites, blacks, coloreds, and Indians, it's not disrespectful to call a person colored or black. Noor read us very moving pieces from his book and was a very interesting man. The most amazing thing is that he was saying that he was not mad at anyone for what happened in the past. He stressed that he didn't hate the whites for splitting up families, making racist laws, and destroying his home, but that he forgave them and respected them. He was such a wise man and a great person to meet.

After the museum we did a little shopping at the marketplace and then went to meet with the people who plan the Two Oceans Marathon, the biggest race in South Africa. It was very interesting to hear how such a big event is put together in another country.

Today, Friday, we started our day by going to Boulders Beach where we saw penguins! They were all over the beach and so cute!

Next we headed off the the Cape of Good Hope, otherwise known as the very tip of Africa, right where the Indian and Atlantic Ocean meet. We hiked to the top of the point and then we came back down to grab some lunch. There were wild baboons walking around everywhere and they went after one of the girls in our group because she had food!

Then we took the most amazing hike to this mountain and it was so much fun. We hiked about a mile and a half up this giant mountain top and the views were amazing! The ocean was the most gorgous thing I have ever seen and we got to walk down these old stairs to get to this beach surrounded by cliffs. I cannot describe the view, it was incredible. 

I am so excited to see even more of this amazing and beautiful country in the month to come!

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -Lao Tzu

Today I leave for South Africa. It is so insane I am sitting in the airport waiting to board my plane right now because as of two months ago I had no idea this trip would be a reality. I decided to apply to study abroad in South Africa on a whim and once I got accepted I knew I had to go on this trip. I am so grateful and so extremely excited to have this opportunity for this trip of a lifetime. It amazes me the love and support I have recieved from family and friends this past week. To say I am a lucky girl is an understatement, I am truly blessed.

Although I'm not overly excited for this 28 hour flight, I am ecstatic to get on that plane and leave America for the first time ever! It has always been my dream to travel and I'm so glad South Africa will be my first experience out of this country! From jumping out of an airplane to visiting Nelson Mandela's prison cell, cage diving with sharks (My biggest fear! I will be crying the entire time!) to teaching leadership skills at a camp of South African 6th graders, this trip will not only be a great adventure but an amazing learning experience as well. I am keeping an open mind and want to try as many new things as I can. I'm taking a deep breath and taking the first step towards the most exciting thing I have ever done. 
So as they say in Zulu, (one of the many languages spoken in South Africa), Sala kahle. Or as us Americans say, Goodbye! (for now!)