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