Homecoming week!

Finals are completed and I am a very happy girl!!

My fabulous Date and I!

This week the tragic thing that occurred was that we realized that monkeys had peed on our comforters and this is why our room has smelled so bad as of late. This weekend it was also exceptionally rainy and then exceptionally and HOT so our room smelled worse than we had EVER experienced. Kat and I’s first thought was that there was a dead animal in our room no joke, that was the only thing that I could identify the smell with. After a long investigation and long process of cleaning the floors, the comforters were spotted with monkey pee that I have been sleeping in for the past couple of weeks. It’s an incredibly terrible smell which ahs now been taken care of. On top of that there has been mold issues and a bird nest in our shower pipe? Well, I suppose that this is Africa (at least I have not been bitten by a spider like my dear cousin)!!

My chalet!

We had a week of finals which was stressful. However, to make it more fun activities committee planned this week to be homecoming week. Monday was pajama day which Kat and I participated in by wearing sweat pants. No one else seemed to last the whole day but this was a normal day for Kat and I which simple had a title on it. Greeeaaaat!! Tuesday was twin day so Allie Moffit and I dressed alike. We already have been mistaken by our blonde curly hair and Kat and I happen to have the same tank top so we literally matched perfectly, it was fun to confuse our professor in Life and Teachings. Wednesday was white v-neck day (also a normal day in the lazy life of Sarah Charles), Thursday was wacky tacky day and Friday was our study abroad blue polos. We looked like we were from a nerdy christian private school for the day which was a FANTASTIC experience. Friday we also completed the week by having a “homecoming game” which was us playing soccer! It was SO fun to be able to go play after taking off last intramural season of soccer because of my bad hip. The bummer was that Kat and I got put on opposite teams and so our lack of domination decreased. It was an intense game where even some South Africans got involved. I continued my reputation of being too aggressive in sports (oh well…) but my team ended up winning 3-2. I can’t help but mention that I had a lovely assist for the final goal where I slide tackled a guy and then felt the effects of that slide tackle for the next week, but it was worth it. After that we went on the slip n’ slide for the next hour which is about 100 ft long or so. It was an exhausting and thrilling day! Between soccer and a ridiculously fast slip n’ slide my body was achy, sore and beat up. Sunday then completed homecoming by having our dance which was themed “vintage Hollywood”. I naturally have brought a LOT of these items to South Africa with me (joke) and it resulted in our best attempts to anything that look even somewhat “vintage”. That resulted in me pinning up my hair and wearing a “vintage” flower (I tried). The night actually ended up to be incredible and was one of the funniest dances I have ever been to. We ate, played some fun lip sync games and then ended up dancing around like goofballs for about 4 hours. My legs (specifically feet) are still feeling the effects of the night. However, I can say that I officially “danced in the moonlight” on a bridge over a waterfall in Africa with my hot date, Kathryn Devereaux. We also did our best reenactments of “dancing with the stars” to “I’ll be” which included kat running into my arms and me lifting her into the air nearly pulling down her dress for the world to see, I’d say it was a great night by all. I expect my call to be on the show any day now.

            I have been placed at my work site which is “Walk in the Light”. It is located in the township “Haniville”. This is what I will mainly be blogging about from this point on, for my sake to remember stories and for my parents sanity to hear about my life. We have begun our community engagement class which is taught by and incredible Kenyan man named Francis. He is quite the big deal and is known nationally, how APU get’s these people I am not sure but I am honored to be in his class. He is essentially teaching us the steps of walking into a community and evaluating what the community needs and how to empower them. It was explained that Americans like to be the wheelbarrow that pushes a community but cannot be pushed once we are gone. However, his goal is create a soccer ball effect that will keep rolling and only needs one kick to get it going. I can’t say I have ever been in a class that is more applicable and something I hope to remember for the rest of my life. One thought that Francis left us chewing on that I will leave you with for the day…“Until the lions are the historians, the tale about the hunt will always glorify the hunter”

Rugby match!!

Rugby match with Brittany!

This weekend we had the change to be able to go to a semi final rugby game, the sharks versus the bulls. This game was a big deal because normally the bulls when and so the sharks had a lot to go up against. It felt very similar to being at an NBA semi final game, the crowd is pumped up and everyone is excited. The game was originally delayed by a an hour or so because of the bee population on the field. They had people out there spraying constantly and I was a little worried the game would be cancelled but it finally started. Our crew was very excited for the game to start and was sporting our black and white and even had our faces painted! It was very exciting to watch the rugby game, I didn’t have much of a clue what was going on but it was funny to try to figure it out. Those rugby guys are HUGE, and they make American football players look like girls compared to the lack of pads these guys wear. Conclusion: Football is for girls, rugby is for men! My favorite part is when they throw the guy into the air to grab the ball. In the second half however it started down pouring on us and Kathryn and I had conveniently forgotten our rain coats in the car. Therefore, we trekked down to the first floor to find some coffee. While down there, I decided that we should attempt to get into the ground seating that was up close to the rugby players. We successfully worked our American blonde girl act and ended up in the FIRST row for a little bit. I could have reached out and touched the players! We didn’t last long though because at this point the rain was coming in side ways and we needed to find cover. The sharks ended up winning and everyone left singing and VERY happy. It was INCREDIBLE to experience a sporting event in a foreign country which I now have done in England (Thanks to Auntie and Uncle), Mexico, and now South Africa.  It amazes me how sports can unite us all over the world.

World cup stadium!

The rugby match was right next to one of the stadiums for the World Cup which I thought I would include for Uncle and Auntie. I have been told that you can bungee jump off of it-it is definitely huge and I was star struck! 

Slip n' Slide African Style

Best slip n' slide EVER!

This post needs to happen because it JUST occurred. Tonight we had our first MAJOR thunder and lightening storm. We SHOULD have been studying with finals and what not coming up, but what did we do? There was a slip and slide set up and we had an experience of a lifetime at 11pm. Pouring, thunder and lightening, HUGE slip and slide down a hill where someone had to catch you so you could stop to get off of it. Talk about one of the best nights of the semester. Freezing, but exhilarating.

LIONs, ZEBRAS...and bears? Nope, a ZULU village!!!

The "A Team" in the Safari Van

I am sorry that this blog is SO late to be posted but the last two weeks have been out of control here. This is dedicated to my Mom, Aunt Nancy, Michelle, Sunny and Mr. Darcy who have all asked me why I have not updated this.

Let’s start from the basics:

A week of ago MARKING TONIGHT 10 African frogs were released into our chalet. I was in the shower when this originally occurred, at first there were only a few and I tell you those frogs multiplied. We were reenacting the plague like with Moses. It ended up in little sleep and a night of girls finding frogs in their bed and Sarah feeling wet and slimy things that were imaginary frogs. A great night had by all. I can laugh about it now, at the time I wanted to punch a boy through the ceiling. For everyone’s well being we have called a truce and we are at peace again.

 A beautiful giraffe we saw!

What the Safari vehicle looked like

We were able to go on Safari not this weekend but the weekend before. I realized on this experience that this is something that people dream about, and I was able to experience it. It truly was a surreal experience that I hope everyone at some point can experience. We saw a pride of lions (super rare and hard to find), wild dogs (also very rare, they blend in with the ground very well), about 50 rhinos, giraffe, a family of elephants, and countless Zebra, impala, buffalo, wildebeests, and various birds. The only of the big five we did not see is a leopard but boy did Kat and I keep our eyes peeled! We stayed in these cute little rotunda huts, ate TERRIFIC food, and went on safari from 5 am to 6pm for three days. IT was AWESOME besides the fact that we got no homework done but a very good trip to bond on. About 24 of us went to safari while the other 24 went to the Zulu Village. I really felt like I bonded well with the group and everyone missed each other from the other group. When we came home it was like a big reunion. WE ate AWESOMELY and got to bond with out Bible Teacher Reg by always riding in his car. We created the “A Team” aka a group of girls who always rode in the car with Reg in hopes of gaining some of his knowledge. I don’t think I worked for me.

Kat and I with our Zulu pots

Traditional Dancing

This weekend we were able to go to the Zulu Village which was also incredible. It is a traditional set up where the unmarried women are shirtless and the men wear traditional loin cloth garb. Quite a shocker for us American folk. We learned to bead, weave mats, we herded cattle, but more remarkably Kat and I decided that on the rainy cold evening we would run into the freezing MUDDY lake. It was quite the experience-who else can say they ran into a lake in an African Zulu village on a rainy day, we can! There is a picture here of me learning to weave a mat with a Zulu married women (hence why she has a shirt on). She didn’t speak much English and I was pretty terrible at it. I don’t know how I ended up volunteering to go up there, I was just saying to a friend how terrible I was at anything artistic and creative and then next thing I knew I had volunteered to make a fool out of myself. Good learning experience: I make a terrible traditional Zulu wife. The village was really fun to learn about and to sleep in a traditional hut. It felt a little show and tell to me, but it still was interesting. My FAVORITE part of the trip was hearing the traditional dance and song. Uncle Donny told me to pay attention to it, I have never heard something so beautiful. I wish I could have held onto those songs forever however I have no idea what they were saying.

Indian Ocean with Musa as superman!

Sunday we were able to go to a market in Durbin. It was very fun with traditional things. Much like Mexico where you start seeing the same idea of gifts at every place. I thought it was fun since I am so much more accustomed to shopping for bracelets in Mexico! Kat and I spent an hour jumping through the waves with our driver Philip sons Musa. It was one of the funnest hours I have spent in water, hurdling and having the time of our life trying to keep standing. Sadly the fun was ended when one too many waves pushed me over and I got salt/sand stuck in my eye the rest of the night.

Finals are happening next week along with a rugby game this weekend! I am sorry for every person’s email I have ignored or been slow to get back too. I will get to it all.

On a positive note, Kat and I saw Zebra finally on our run and we both screamed. I couldn't have gotten any closer and I was in COMPLETE awe to see my favorite animal in reaching distance. I couldn't imagine this trip without Kat. I feel so lucky to have a best friend along side me through a lot of laughter. We call ourselves the dynamic duo, I don't think anyone else thinks we are QUITE as funny as we do, but we never stop laughing on this trip it seems.

We were THIS excited about the Zebra!

 One last note-last Friday in chapel we met the first guy in South Africa to do the Seven Summits. He talked specifically about Mount Everest which I have been pining over since I read "Into Thin Air". It was and INCREDIBLE experience to hear someone first handedly speak about it, I am not sure if I was the only one about to wet my pants but it was and awesome experience.

Random Happenings of the week:

-A McDonald's run for McNuggets at 10pm (Did you know it's healthier in Africa and good study fuel?)
-I chased and cuddled every cat in site, it has happened, I like cats now, Sorry beth...
-With 3 friends we broke into the kitchen in hunt of food late at night, the things college students do when they get hungry
-I stepped on a dead snake and jumped about 10ft into the air
-Kat and I have slept through our alarm clock just about everyday because I hit it in my sleep, change the time and somehow we keep randomly waking up
-We have eaten rice and fatty lamb just about every single day for at least lunch or dinner, you would think after awhile it would get old for the kitchen staff to make it...nope!
-I dominated Kat by pushing her mid air into the cold lake mud as she tried to tackle me (it's on film and will be playing on a Sports Center highlights near you very soon, don't worry Dad)
-I attempted to be motivated to go to school and stay awake