Looking Back

[I've arrived back in Colorado after about 20 hours of flying yesterday/today. My semester has come to end, but I believe the memories, stories and relationships will be there for a long time to come. I wrote this post during my last night in South Africa on May 4.]

Tomorrow is May 5, and I'll be boarding a plan in less than 12 hours now that will take me back home to the U.S. As a group, we spent today reflecting on and evaluating the semester. I remember our very first meeting as a group back at APU in January, and it's hard to believe that group of 52 strangers 4 months ago is the same group of friends that met today to reflect. I'm not usually one for reflections and introspection, but I got a lot out of today's reflections and discussions. It hasn't even been 4 four full months, but it's already time to say goodbye to South Africa and return to life in America.

Through the relationships, experiences, adventures and interactions that I've been blessed with during my time in South Africa, I can truly say that I have grown as a student, Christ follower and as a human being. From incredible mentors and professors like Francis Njoroge to my amazing homestay family in Ocean View, I've met some incredible people in South Africa. It was so encouraging to be surrounded by such life giving people who are always there to lift you up and bless you. I saw a lot of who I want to be in the future in guys like Francis, Dan and Reg. It's comforting to know that there are people out there who are getting it right, and living life how it's supposed to be lived.

While it was tough sometimes going straight from touristy things like a water park in Durban to my service sight in Haniville, I experienced an incredible range of people and places in South Africa. I'll never forget people like Phindile, Bruce and Neels from Walk in the Light, or other amazing people that have been with us form start to finish like Reg, Reagan and Baba Philip. I saw so much love in these people and how they lived out there lives everyday.

Places like Lesotho, Kranzkloof, Carmel and Kalk Bay will be in thoughts for a long time to come. I can still remember the incredible peace I felt near Sani Pass in Lesotho, and the feel of the thick ocean air in Kalk Bay. Pictures help, but it won't be the same looking back on all of the amazing places I had the opportunity to visit this semester.

It's going to be a tough adjustment going from doing something new and exciting every weekend like horseback riding in Lesotho and bungee jumping the world's highest bridge to living a normal life back in Colorado. We talked a little bit today about reverse culture shock, which is what I'm sure I'll have to deal with when I resume life in America. While I don't have an accent and I haven't forgotten what a Chipotle burrito tastes like, I don't feel as connected to life as an American than I maybe used to. I think I'll be much more aware of materialism and consumerism and how American culture is different from South African culture. It's going to be strange being back in a position where I'm in control of my transportation, food-making and weekend activities. I know there will be adjustments I'll have to make in incorporating what I've learned in South Africa to living life in America.

So this is the end. It came a lot faster than I expected, and I don't think I'm quite ready for it. I know that it's important for me to go back so that I can apply what I've learned here. What was the point of studying abroad in South Africa if there's no change in how I think and live when I come back? Thankfully, I know that there has been change and growth, in so many ways. The challenge in front of me is going to be effectively sharing what I've learned, integrating it, and maintaining the growth that has occurred. South Africa has been nothing short of incredible for me, and it's sad to leave this beautiful country and it's people. But I have so much life in front of me, and so many places where I still need to grow and mature. I thank God for the blessings He's given me in allowing me to come to South Africa, and for the growth that He facilitated. I'm not the same person who started writing this blog in January, and I hope I'll continue to change and grow as a person. Goodbye South Africa, sala kahle and I hope I will see you again one day.

Saving the Best for Last

I’ve just moved out of my home stay with the Jegels family into my hotel room here a few blocks away from downtown Cape Town. I’ve had a lot of amazing weeks during my time here in South Africa, but I have to say that this one was one of the best. I had the incredible blessing of staying with some of the warmest, genuine and caring people I’ve ever met. Pastor Dan and Moira were welcoming and inviting for my entire stay at their house. Even though we might not have a lot in common in terms of backgrounds, we have established an incredible relationship centered on Christ’s love. My roommate Shaun and I were blessed by them non-stop the entire week.

After a day of classes at B.I., Shaun and I would take a taxi bus from Kalk Bay to the township of Ocean View about 20 or 30 minutes away. Dan would meet us at the taxi stop and we would walk back to his house a block away, sharing the events of our days with each other. Even though he and his family are native Afrikaans speakers, they all speak fluent English so it was easy for us to communicate and establish friendships quickly. Dan and Moira have 4 kids: Daniel age 11, Matt age 9, Luke age 7 and Sarah age 4 (or 5?). After a first day of shyness, we were soon playing games, sharing pictures and laughing together pretty much nonstop. Moira and her sister Thosa would spoil us with an amazing breakfast and dinner every day and send us on our way with smiles and blessings. I can honestly say that I feel like I have a second family in South Africa.

After dinner we would have some of the best conversations I’ve had while drinking some of the best tea I’ve ever drunken. It was incredible to hear Dan’s life story of how he had a seemingly perfect future for himself in the South African navy, but he gave it up in order to give his life into full time ministry as a pastor. He is one of the only people that I can say truly puts God and other people before himself. The Jegels drive a humble van that doesn’t always work. They live in a simple 2-story house that isn’t completely finished. They don’t own a t.v. and they don’t have internet service. They struggle to make ends meet, but they are some of the richest people I’ve ever met. They have filled their lives with what matters most. They don’t worry about the material side of life, and they put their faith and trust in a God who delivers them time and time again. Dan and Moira do everything they can for their kids and members of their church. Their lives are about loving God and loving people – completely. If I could be like Dan when I’m 37, I would say I’ve succeeded in life.

As my time to leave South Africa creeps closer and closer, I have a mix of emotions running through my mind. I’m excited to see my family and friends back home in Colorado, and go to a church service in my language without any funny accents or theology. I’m depressed that I only got one week with the Jegels who were some of the greatest people I’ve met. I’m sad to leave Cape Town, this exciting city full of flavor and life. I’m super excited that I will get to eat my mom’s cooking again. I’m still sad that I had to leave Haniville and Walk in the Light. I’m relieved that I’m done writing papers and giving presentations on the grasses of Africa. I might sound like a nervous wreck, but somehow I feel full of peace and comfort tonight. I think I’ve found a balance between missing the good times of South Africa and looking forward to spending time back home this summer. I know that I’ve gone through some permanent growth during my time here – most of which I’m probably not even aware of. What can I say? God has been a total blessing to me this semester. The relationships I’ve made, the sites I saw and the lessons I learned were more valuable than gold. I wouldn’t take back any of them.

I know I’ll have a fair share of issues to deal with when I get back to the U.S. From working in townships and home staying with people who don’t have nearly as much wealth as me, I’ll be sleeping in a comfortable bed, eating full meals and wearing clothes that will always keep me warm. I’ll go home to a family that loves and supports me and has blessed me with an opportunity to get a college education. I will go back to living a privileged life, whether I want to or not. But South Africa has taught me more than just being thankful for what I have. It’s more than just being thankful for what you have – it’s about using what God gives you to lift up people around you: the broken, the hungry and the sick. Everything that God has blessed me with in my life is there so that I can in turn bless other people. My gifts, abilities, and relationships are not just for my enjoyment or comfort. There is hurt in this world, even at home in Colorado Springs. My job – my purpose – is to love God and love people with everything I have. I haven’t arrived yet, but South Africa has grown me much closer to being the man I want to be. I could not have spent 4 months of my life any better than I did here in this incredible country. Next up: class and re-orientation, then a BIG flight back home to Colorado on Wednesday

Cape Town part 2

I've just moved in with my home-stay family about 30 minutes away from my classes here at B.I. at a township called Ocean View. My roommate Shaun and I will be living together with our family for our last week in Cape Town before we fly back home on May 5. We will be living with Dan and Moira who have 3 boys and 1 little girl. They have been so warm and welcoming to us already, and it's been a true blessing to be a part of their family. I'm really excited for the time we get spend together this week.

So far, I've had an incredible time in Cape Town. From hiking Table Mountain to visiting Robben Island and the waterfront, I've experienced a lot of Cape Town in just one week.

This past week has been full of field trips, adventures and seafood. Our first field trip for our South African history & culture class was a walking tour of Langa, a township outside of the city center. Langa was very different from Haniville in Pietermaritzburg. Instead of dirt roads and mud & brick houses, Langa had paved roads, street lights and 2 community centers. While I'm sure a lot of the differences have to do with the size of each township (Langa was way bigger), I saw a different culture and attitude with the people of Langa than I saw at Haniville. Our guide explained it to us this way: the Xhosa people of the cape provinces were historically the more educated tribe in South Africa, which is why we saw no children around the streets on a school day. Langa still has its fair share of problems, but I have a lot of hope for the next generation that is being raised in the township right now. We concluded our walking tour with yet another South Africa braai which I was totally ok with.

After a day of classes and volleyball, our next field trip was to the top of Table Mountain. We had the option of either taking the cable car up to the top or braving the trail up. I opted for the hike, which was really more like 2 hours of stepping up rocks. The view on the way up made it all worth it though, as we climbed up a small gorge looking back to the city center and harbor below us. When we made it to the top, I saw ocean water for almost 360 degrees. It was incredible. On one side, I could see out to the cape peninsula and False Bay, while on the other side I could see Robben Island, the city center, Lion's Head mountain and Signal Hill. On top of that, we were blessed with a perfect day free of clouds and wind, and nothing but African sunshine.

After I finish classes today at B.I., Shaun and I will go back to Dan and Moira's house in Ocean View where we'll eat and spend the evening with them. Life is good right now, and I'm trying to forget the fact that I'll be leaving this amazing country next Wednesday. Next up this week: cape peninsula tour, soccer game in Cape Town, and Stellenbosch.

P.S: I have really limited internet access while I'm in Cape Town, so I'm sorry I haven't been able to post any pictures that I've taken here. I will try to put some up once I get back to the States next week.

Bly Te Kenne, Cape Town

It’s Saturday, and I’ve already spent 2 days in one of the most beautiful cities I’ve ever visited – Cape Town. I apologize for the delay in posting. It’s been tough to track down consistent internet to connect to. I’ve begun the last leg of my adventure here in South Africa, where I will be living in Cape Town until I leave for home on May 5^th. I’ve arrived here at the “Mother City” after an incredible travel week that took me from Pietermaritzburg in the East, to the edge of the world here in the Western Cape province. Instead of flying, the 52 of us piled into two chartered buses that drove us across the southern coast in what’s known as the Garden Route – one of the most spectacular road trips I’ve been on.

After a melancholy farewell dinner at A.E. in Pietermaritzburg, we headed out southwest toward our first stop on the garden route: East London. South Africa really is an amazing country; if you drive just 9 hours, you are in a completely different world than where you began. As our buses crossed the KwaZulu-Natal/Eastern Cape provincial border, we were suddenly in a place with a different landscape, different culture and even a different language. The local African language was no longer isiZulu, what we had studied in class (and I was just getting good at it), but isiXhosa. Instead of bright green hills filled with cattle and maize, I began to see dull green fields dotted with sheep. Minus the sheep, I thought for sure I was driving through Nebraska or Kansas. We eventually arrived in East London after the sun had set. We over-nighted in a hotel about 50 feet from the Indian Ocean. It definitely made for a nice view, but I was busy missing A.E. and Pietermaritzburg.

After a delicious South African breakfast at our hotel in East London we loaded up the buses for our next destination: Port Elizabeth. P.E. is another coastal city in the Eastern Cape province and was remarkably similar to East London. Perhaps the biggest difference I noticed between the two is the decreased usage of English and the increased use of Afrikaans as the lingua franca. We stayed at an even more spectacular waterfront hotel for the night that overlooked the Indian Ocean. I had a delicious sushi dinner then tried my hand at a blackjack table at the casino next door to the hotel. I lost a few Rand, but it was a fun night nonetheless. I was exhausted but still went to bed with a little anxiety as our trip to the world’s highest bungee jump was planned for the next day.

The next morning, on the day of the bungee jump, my roommate Shaun and I were woken up to a knocking on the door by one of our leaders. While I at first thought it was just a nice wakeup for breakfast, I soon found out that everyone else was sitting on the bus waiting to go. It was 7 minutes past our schedule time of departure. I threw on a pair of shorts and a shirt and crammed everything else into my bag. It was not the best wakeup, especially for a day when I had to prepare myself for jumping off of a bridge. The Bloukrans Bridge in between the city of George and Port Elizabeth happens to have the world’s highest commercial bungee jump, and we just happened to be passing through it on the way to Cape Town (we made reservations in January). We had been talking about it since our first orientation in Azusa, and now we were finally here. I took my first peek over the edge of the gorge right as someone else was doing his or her bungee jump. I couldn’t believe I was about to do that. I paid, went through my instructions, and before I knew it I was walking across a catwalk to the center of the bridge, below the road level. I was assigned the second spot in my group of 17. The company running the bungee jump had a live video feed from the platform to a café back near the entrance, so the rest of our group had the opportunity of viewing our looks of terror as we walked up to the edge. Just like that I had a cord attached to my feet, and I was holding onto a pair of shoulders as I was led to the edge of the platform. I took a nice look down to the ground, 216 meters (about 700 feet) below, and got ready for a major adrenaline rush. 5…4…3…2…1… bungee! As I jumped I immediately felt about 4 seconds of pure freefall before I felt the tension of the bungee cord. As I bounced about 4 times before I was pulled up, I felt absolutely amazing. The quietness and peace of the space below the bridge was mixed with an insane adrenaline rush all over my body. I had just jumped the world’s highest bungee jump. No words.

After jumping off of the bridge, we continued our drive toward Cape Town until we reached our final overnight destination at a place called Carmel, just outside the city of George. Carmel wasn’t right next to the ocean, but it was by far the most beautiful place we have stayed at in South Africa. Located on top of a valley that led into a bay, Carmel is a Christian conference center spread out over a few dozen acres of South African beauty. Flowers, bushes and even the grass teemed with brightness and color. We would stay two nights at Carmel before finally arriving in Cape Town on Thursday.

After our first night at Carmel, the 52 of us split into 2 groups of 26 again. Half of us would explore the nearby Cango Caves while the other half toured a local ostrich farm. After each group was done, we would switch so that everyone had the chance to do both. I was in the ostrich group first, which meant I would check out a bunch of ugly, oversized birds with marbles for brains. It actually ended up being pretty cool, and I had the chance to ride one of the ugly things around until it sat down with me on it after about 10 seconds. Riding an ostrich is not something you get to do everyday, so I had a good time. After the ostriches, we drove over to the Cango Caves to take an “adventure” tour that would take us deep into the cave. I absolutely love caves, and this one was maybe the most spectacular one I’ve been inside. The first was a little tame, but took us through some of the most jaw-dropping rooms of stalagmites and stalactites (still don’t remember which is which). The path got narrower and narrower until our guide led us to a few passages where we had to get on our hands and knees in order to squeeze through. It definitely wasn’t for claustrophobics. After a 2-hour tour we were back in daylight and on our way back to Carmel.

We woke up to our last day on the amazing week of travel, sad to leave the beauty of Carmel but ecstatic for the new adventures awaiting us in Cape Town. The 5-hour drive from George to Cape Town didn’t seem long at all, and before I knew it I was looking out over False Bay across to the Cape of Good Hope. As we drove from the rural suburbs to our hotel in the center, I saw how it would be hard to argue against the labelling of Cape Town as the world’s most beautiful city. Even more so than when I was in East London or Port Elizabeth, I felt like I was in a completely different country than the South Africa of Pietermaritzburg and Natal.

Cape Town is like California meets Europe meets Africa. Beautifully situated right under Table Mountain adjacent to the Atlantic, Cape Town is a bustling co-capital city (with Pretoria) with the flavor and energy of an African city, but with the modernity and progressiveness of a contemporary European city. We spent our first night eating out at an Indian bazaar restaurant in the core of the downtown area. Cape Town is a complete cultural mix – it seems like every language, race and culture of humankind can be found here. Street signs are in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa. A few Victorian buildings such as the Parliament building stick out among the towering skyscrapers and busy city streets. Hawkers of every variety can be found on pretty much every street corner. I’m not usually one who enjoys busy city life for very long, but Cape Town feels like no other city I’ve visited. It feels clean and close to nature yet comes off as bustling and super modern. After an orientation meeting we had a delicious lunch of fish and chips before packing up yet another bus for our next destination in Cape Town.

Our group of 52 will stay at both a Cape Town family and dormitories at the Bible Institute of South Africa (everyone calls it B.I.) while we are here in Cape Town. Half of us will be in home stays while the other half will stay in the dorms on campus. We will all have class together here at B.I. then return to our respective overnight places. I’ll be here at B.I. for the first half before I stay with my homestay family in the suburb of Ocean View. B.I. has a stunning campus. My dorm room is about a 30 second walk from the beach, and overlooks False Bay. B.I. is located in the coastal suburb of Kalk Bay, a gorgeous seaside village with a small dock and train station. Although I miss PMB and A.E., I will definitely enjoy my time here in Cape Town. I still have a lot more to explore and discover on my South African adventure before I come back to the U.S. in May. Bly te kenne, I'm pleased to meet you Cape Town.

Sala kahle KZN

It's sad to say that this will be my last post from Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal this semester. Tomorrow morning (Sunday) the 52 of us will leave our campus here at African Enterprise and load up our buses for Cape Town. It's a bittersweet feeling leaving our chalets here at A.E. I'm definitely excited for the new adventures awaiting me in Cape Town, but at the same time I feel like I've grown a second family here in Pietermaritzburg.

I must say however, I couldn't have asked for a better week for my last week in KZN. Our group spent this past week on an overnight safari in the Mkhuze section of the iSimangaliso wetland park, followed by a two night stay in a rural Zulu village in Zululand. From Zulu dancing to cheetah viewing, I definitely got a good taste of Africa this past week.

Bright and early Monday morning at 5:00 AM (more like Sunday night) we loaded up the buses for our safari and Zulu cultural experience that would last Monday through Friday. Because of the size of our group, we were divided into two smaller groups that would take turns at each place during the week. I was placed with the safari group that would spend Monday through Wednesday at Mkhuze at an unfenced camp within park boundaries. I grabbed my bug spray, sunscreen, and Birkenstocks (fortunately/unfortunately I didn't have my safari vest and hat to complete the outfit) and was on my way to my first overnight African safari. On our way to Mkhuze we made a small detour to drive through the state owned Imfolozi game reserve where we spied on impala, kudu, inyala, white rhinos, elephant and giraffe. This was a little warm up to our real safari in Mkhuze, as we were still on a paved road the whole time in Imfolozi, and watched from the windows our buses. The real safari was yet to come.

After Imfolozi, we drove a few more kilometers to Hluhluwe, a small town in Zululand. Even though the boundaries of the modern Zulu kingdom fall within the province of KZN, Zululand is still recognized and acknowledged by South Africans. In Hluhluwe the 26 of us transferred into our safari vehicles - a Landrover-type truck with bench seats and a canvas top. At this point in time, I was definitely feeling like Indiana Jones. We drove for another hour in our safari vehicles to iSimangaliso, where we finaly arrived at our camp in Mkhuze at around 4 PM. Our camp was located a few kilos from the park boundaries and was only accessible by a dirt path that could MAYBE be considered a road. The camp was made up of a main kitchen/dining building surrounded by 5 bungalows and a fire pit area. My bungalow was a mosquito-netted shack completely made out of wood, and powered only by a solar panel on its roof. It would make for a perfect bunkhouse during our stay at Mkhuze.

Our time at Mkhuze was completely filled with game drives through the various parks in and around the iSimangaliso reserve area. On just our first morning we spotted dozens of impala, a few inyala, tons of zebra, an African tortoise, a pack of wildebeast, and at least a dozen giraffes. Our driver Andrew would drive us through the vast network of dirt paths through iSimangaliso as he pointed out tracks, signs and sounds that helped us spot animals. We returned to camp for lunch and headed right back out for more game viewing. We headed toward a different area of the park than where we drove in the morning, until Andrew pointed out something that immediately caught our attention. Driving past a giant pile of fresh dung, Andrew pointed out tht only one animal could have made it - an African elephant. As we crept further up the road in our vehicle, we saw several huge branches resting in the middle of the road. Something had broken then off of the trees and was probably still eating nearby. We rounded a corner to find an adult bull elephant staring us down, about 10 meters from our vehicle. I couldn't believe it. As we crept further up the road, and closer to the elephant, he began to snort until he let out a piercing trumpet sound that most likely said something along the lines of GO AWAY. We held our ground as we took picture after picture until suddenly he made a sprint for our car. Andrew hit the gas and we managed to survive our first charge by a wild African bull elephant. My adrenaline is spiking just writing about it. When we returned in the evening for dinner, we were treated to an amazing meal of rice curry, chicken and rolls. Everything tastes better when you're camping, so I dined like a king my first night at Mkhuze.

The next morning we drove to a private game reserve just next door to Mkhuze called Phinda. Phinda has all of the big five - elephant, lion, water buffalo, leopard and rhino (the five most dangerous game animals to hunt in Africa), as well as cheetah and pretty much every kind of deer species in southern Africa. We were even more exposed for this safari, as we transferred into completely open-aired jeeps with bench seats. No less than 20 minutes into our drive, we were staring down a group of 3 cheetahs in an open field. The cheetahs were busy spying on a pack of impala in the distance, which allowed us to get about 10 meters away from the cats.

We returned to camp for a small lunch before loading up our vehicles to meet up with the other half of our group that had spent the past 2 days in a Zulu village. We drove for about 45 minutes and arrived at a country club for lunch to find out that the other group's bus had broken down. In addition to this, a few people form the other group had spent a night in the hospital from vomiting and diarrhea and were severely dehydrated. When we finally met up with the other group at a car dealership, we were met by exhausted pale faces. Some kind of stomach bug was ravaging the group. We were warned once again to not drink the water in the Zulu village. We all felt so bad for everyone in the other group, as they would probably have a hard time enjoying themselves at Mkhuze. We left for the Zulu village with apprehension to say the least.

After driving for a few hours through rural Zululand, we descended into a valley until we eventually arrived at our destination on the side of the valley. We barely made it up a steep rocky hill, and parked in front of a group of about 10 or so thatch-roofed mud huts where we would be staying for the next 2 days. As soon as we opened our van doors we were greeted with smiles and "sawubonas" by about a dozen local Zulus. After hugs and handshakes we were led into a cozy rondavel where we sat on grass mats to avoid the cow dung surfaced floor. The leader of the village performed the traditional Zulu ritual of announcing our presence to his ancestors by burning a clump of herbs. We were then served the traditional form of Zulu hospitality - an offering of Zulu beer. It was super thick and didn't look anything like a Coors Light commercial, but was refreshing nonetheless. After an amazing dinner of rice, putu (maize-based grain stuff), beef stew, sweet potatoes and beets, we sat around a fire as we put our Zulu phrases to test. Our sad attempts at using Zulu were often met by laughter and smiles from the locals, who were delighted to hear foreigners trying to use their language. I'm sure they got a kick out of us.

After dinner, we were treated with a Zulu dance performed by locals from around the area. Zulu music is enthralling by itself, so you can imagine how intense and energy-filled Zulu dancing is. About halfway into the program a few of us, myself included, were invited to join them in performing a traditional Zulu dance. Now anyone who knows me understands my severe lack of rhythm and dance skills, so you can imagine how the Zulus reacted to my attempt at the "Dance of the Bull." I think everyone left with smiles on their face from the fun night, myself definitely included.

As bedtime arrived, we said goodnight to our new friends and climbed into our bunks housed in a mud hut with a thatch roof and cow dung floor. You might think it wasn't much of an accommodation, but our hut was surprisingly cozy and rustic with its candlelit ambiance and relaxing African feel. I slept very well.

The next morning we awoke to another delicious Zulu meal. Our plan for the day was to go on a hike into the valley to another small village at the top of a hillside and meet up with a Zulu medicine man. The African sun was already out in full force by 10 AM, so we made sure to stock up on water and sunscreen. We met with the medicine man near a small forest, where he explained the various herbal remedies that could be found from plants within the forest. Probably in his 50's or 60's, the medicine man had practiced his trade since his father taught him as a young boy, just as he was currently teaching his son now. I got the feeling that not much changes in rural Zululand through the years.

We eventually reached the small village at the top where we met with some women who were busy making necklaces and bracelets from beads. We spent about half and hour with them until we headed back down to our village to learn how to fight - Zulu style. I learned that Zulu boys grow up learning the art of stick fighting from a very young age. Instead of hot wheels or legos, Zulu boys spend their time smacking each other with branches - I have to say I was a little jealous. after a brief demonstration I was paired up with another guy from my group. We were each given a "shield" (a club of palm leaves) and a beating stick made out of a clump of tough green branches. It was great fun. Sometimes I wish I grew up without a television too.

As the evening rolled into the village, we shared another great meal with our Zulu friends around the fire. It was such an amazing experience to get to know the local people by living with, eating with and laughing with them. The Zulu people are an amazing group of people. Zulu language, history, food, music, dance and sense of humor blend together to form a truly unique and beautiful culture. It was an honor to be a guest of such a warm group of people.

Even though I'm not leaving South Africa, I feel like I'm leaving somewhere truly special. From the relationships I formed at Walk in the Light to the laughs I shared in Zululand, I feel like I've formed some unforgettable memories and experienced some unforgettable adventures here. KZN is a place I won't ever forget, and a place I'm sure I will return to one day. Stay well KZN. Sala Kahle.

A Lifetime in 4 Weeks

My time serving at Walk in the Light has come to an end, and I can't say that I'm at all excited about that. The past four weeks we spent in the township of Haniville on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg were filled with some of the most moving and powerful days of my life. I can't believe that I have to say goodbye to this amazing community.

Even though I've only spent a short amount of time working in Haniville, I really feel like I have been permanently moved by the time I spent in this community. I am starting to find out that I was created for service. From digging irrigation ditches, to running after school programs for elementary school kids, I truly felt at home at Walk in the Light. I am finding it much harder to complain about any of my life situations when I've witnessed so much suffering in Haniville over the past few weeks. I am so blessed and unbelievably fortunate to be in the position I am in. I really think that when I step off of the plane in Denver in May, I will no longer be able to look at the world the same way.

I would have never thought that I could be so attached to a community I volunteered in as I am attached to the community of Haniville. It is so difficult to put into words. I felt so alive serving the people of Haniville, even when I would come back to my chalet at A.E. exhausted and sun burnt. I wholeheartedly feel like God is showing me how I must live my life when I come back to the United States. I'm finding it harder and harder to think about myself and my needs when there is a world of broken families, terminally ill kids, and abuse like I've never even imagined before.

My life is not about me. Over the past four weeks, I have witnessed firsthand the incredible power of love, in a tangible way. The pain and hurt humanity experiences is no longer a distant concept to me. Children are not getting enough food, the elderly are not getting proper shelter, and a single mother with AIDS is being abandoned - right now. This is an emergency. Complacency has no place in my life anymore. I have no excuse.

But the story does not end here. I have seen more than just suffering in my time at Walk in the Light. I have seen the undying peace and joy of Christ that has healed lives, broken chains, and brought hope to those who have nothing to be hopeful for. I serve a God who loves. I serve a God who answers prayers, who's heart breaks for the broken, and who does not forget about those who have been left behind. Christ heals lives like nothing else in this world can. The life He brings is authentic, and best of all - he accepts us just as we are. Jesus does the healing and renewal for us. And I have seen His love in action like I've never seen it before.

I still have a lot to digest and process from my time in Haniville. The relationships I formed there, the friendships I've made, and the connection to the community I felt I've made there will continue to be close to my heart. But what now? How can I go on living my life in the same way? I'm afraid I've gone through some core transformations that won't allow me to be the same. My prayer right now is that my service here in South Africa won't be compartmentalized and/or limited to the past four weeks in Haniville. This whole idea of service and love toward those in need is not just a 4 week deal. As we get ready to leave for Cape Town next week, I know that my heart will continue to beat to the rhythm of Haniville. I am a part of something that is much bigger than myself.

Next up: Safari trip Monday through Friday

Hamba Ekukanyeni

The few days I have spent so far at my service site, Walk in the Light Ministries, have been some of the most powerful days I've spent in South Africa this semester. The week after we finished our 2 elective classes (Biology and Human Growth and Development), we began the second component of our study abroad semester - service. The 53 of us were divided up into 5 different service sites around the Pietermaritzburg area. I joined the team that was to serve at Walk in the Light (a.k.a. Hamba Ekukanyeni in Zulu).

Some background on Walk in the Light: The founder and leader, Bruce, started Walk in the Light right in the middle of a successful career in the business world. After the near loss of his young daughter a few years ago, Bruce said it was time for him to start serving God's people in need. Somehow, he ended up on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg where he founded Walk in the Light in the township of Haniville. Today, Walk in the Light encompasses a few acres on the side of a highway road across from Haniville. A church, pastor's house, greenhouses, vegetable gardens and sugar cane fields are all a part of the ministry that works to benefit the people of Haniville. What I've found so amazing about Walk in the Light is its strive toward self-sufficiency. By growing rose geranium plants and sugar cane on site, the ministry can raise money for projects such as clothing donation, clinic transportation, youth programs and even local employment. From day one, I have been stoked to be a part of this incredible organization.

Over the past several days, the 20 or so of us have been hard at work helping out with the various projects going on at Walk in the Light. We have been able to help out with clearing land for the vegetable gardens, digging an irrigation trench, as well interacting with a women's group and youth groups that meet at Walk in the Light. It's been truly awesome to get to know the people of Haniville and become a part of the community there - even if its only a small, 4 week part of the community. I have already learned so much about what it means to be a part of a community, and what it means to be truly in need. I am learning how to show love to people who have experienced nothing but brokenness for their entire lives.

Coinciding with our Principles of Community Engagement class taught by a brilliant Kenyan man, Francis Njoroge, our service at Walk in the Light is the field extension of the models we are learning about in class. Francis, a middle aged grandfather with a permanent smile on his face, has devoted his entire life to developing communities across Africa. He is a total storehouse of wisdom, peace, intelligence and friendliness. I am nothing short of honored that I get to be one of his students for a few weeks. Francis has been teaching us how he views community engagement, and what works and what doesn't work in community development. I am learning how real community development must directly involve members of the community for the entire process. The role of outside help is not to develop, but to empower the community to develop solutions themselves. This model promotes self-sufficiency and maximizes the positive effects of development for a community. Learning about it in a book is one thing - listening to it from a man like Francis, and then going into communities and practicing it is completely another.

Today, I worked alongside Bagie, Michael, Tish and a few other locals from Haniville to work on building a house for a man named Mandla. Mandla is crippled from the waste down. He was stabbed by his daughter's boyfriend, and spends his time laying in his bed within his one room house made of mud and iron. On top of his paralysis, Mandla is HIV positive and is infected with Tuberculosis. The mud walls of his house are crumbling, so Bruce and his staff at Walk in the Light have committed to building a new house for Mandla. We hope to be done by this Friday.

Mandla's story is just one story out of hundreds within Haniville. This is a community that is only minutes from half-a-million dollar houses and a modern shopping mall, yet has slipped through the cracks of society where the well-off have turned a blind eye toward the impoverished. There are so many people in need, and the solutions are so available and present. How is it that a man can easily buy 4 meals a day for himself, yet a woman can barely provide 1 meal for her children in the same city? Every day that I work at Walk in the Light, I am reminded how truly blessed I have been for my entire life. But more importantly, I am slowly realizing that after my experience here, I will no longer be able to simply ignore the situation of the broken in this world. Much more to come from my time at Walk in the Light...

Toyi-Toyi and Camping

Last weekend I had the opportunity to go on an overnight backpacking trip in the Drakensberg Mountains with about 10 other students from our group of 53. I'm never one to turn down an invitation to a camping trip, so as soon as I heard that we were organizing some kind of trip in the Drakensbergs, my mind was set. The plan was to drive about 2 hours toward the Lesotho-South Africa border, and overnight in a part of the Giants Castle Nature Reserve called Wonder Valley. I must say, this was one of the best weekends I've had in South Africa.

Our preparations for the trip, after we had settled on a location, began on Friday night as we gathered together 11 sleeping bags and all of the necessary backpacking equipment we would need for our relatively short 6 km hike. Rudi, the general manager here at African Enterprise and avid backpacker, volunteered to hook us up with hot dogs, snacks and way more food than we would ever need for a one night trip. I went with him to Mdeni Meats, a butchery in downtown PMB to pick out some hot dogs. I found out that hot dogs don't exist in South Africa, but "viennas" do. The viennas Rudi picked out for us slightly resembled the American version, but definitely weren't the classic Ballpark Franks. I was a little unsettled by the fact that they were BRIGHT red yet supposedly pre-cooked. My mind was already thinking up plan B for dinner, as I didn't expect the "viennas" to be received so well by everyone. I made sure that we packed an extra supply of peanut butter and granola just in case.

We loaded the van with Reagan, one of our group leaders, and were on our way toward the Drakensbergs at around 9 am on Saturday morning. Somehow, I let my mind wander, and let myself believe that the trip would be smooth and delay-free. I forgot T.I.A. About 45 minutes into our drive we approached the small town of Mooi River. Still on the M3 highway, about 100 meters in front of us, I saw a huge crowd of people gathering in the middle of the road. Traffic became super congested, until we came to a complete standstill behind a mass of police cars. This would turn out to be my first toyi-toyi - a protest, dance, march and song all in one. People of all ages gathered together in the street, blending a dance and march together with political chants in Zulu that none of us could understand. Banners supporting the African National Congress political party and cardboard signs in Zulu popped up all over the crowd of about 100. Apparently, the people of Mooi River were protesting the use of government funds in the region, which manifested in the form of a toyi-toyi. I think everyone in our group of 11 was a little unsettled about the fact that we were only a few dozen meters behind an unhappy mass of South Africans. But Reagan assured us that this sort of thing is pretty common, and we had nothing to worry about. He explained how since the end of apartheid in 1994, the government has insured that every South African has the right to assemble a protest, even if it happens to be in the middle of a highway. I have to say, my adrenaline levels were high, and I couldn't stop snapping pictures and listening to chants as the crowd slowly made its way up the highway. If that wasn't a true South African cultural experience, I'm not sure what is. Luckily, Reagan happens to be an amazing bus driver, and found a detour for us after about 30 minutes of delay.

The remainder of our journey to the campsite lasted about 3 more hours, complete with backtracking, bad directions and bumpy dirt roads. We were all very ready to get on the trail wehn we finally parked the bus. We divvied up the food, viennas and all, and were on our way toward Wonder Valley. We would be staying overnight in a cave that overlooked the valley, so we only needed our sleeping bags as far as shelter went- no tent this time. Our hike began with a river crossing toward a valley that wrapped itself around the boundaries of the stream. The trail pointed us deeper into the valley, as we slowly gained elevation, hugging one of the sides of valley. An overcast marked most of the day, with limited raindrops, so we were blessed with comfortable weather for the duration of our hike. As we hiked along the side of the valley, we walked through thick green grasses with occasional flowering shrubs popping up here and there. We were gifted with canopy cover for parts of the trail, as we crossed one of the small creeks that fed into the river down below several times. The elevation gain got steeper and steeper, until we eventually emerged out of the wooded portion on top of the valley's edge. We reached a vast open area at the top of the valley early afternoon, and were met by stunning scenery. The sun burnt off most of the overcast, so we were able to see a huge section of the valley below, in the foreground of the majestic silhouettes of the Drakensbergs. The valley was more of canyon upstream from us, as the hillsides we climbed up were steep cliff sides a few kilometers up the river from us. The trail continued through the grassy open area on top of the valley for about a kilometer, until we eventually began to drop elevation into Wonder Valley, the valley adjacent to the one we began our hike in. The grassy area turned into canopy cover eventually, just as it did on the other side of the valley, and Wonder Valley came into full view as we reached our cave. We arrived just before sunset, so we decided it would be best to explore and snap photos tomorrow morning.

The cave made for a perfect campsite. It was located in a naturally hollowed out cliff side overlooking Wonder Valley, and was complete with flat areas carpeted with hay - perfect for sleeping bags. With some difficulty due to the damp overcast that day, we got a fire started and prepared the viennas for dinner. Fortunately the sun had set, and there wasn't enough light to see the color of the vienna - I don't think they would have been eaten had everyone seen the BRIGHT red color of the dogs. Color aside, I took my first bite of a South African vienna, and had to immediately repent for doubting the quality of the sausage. They were fantastic! Somewhere between a hot dog and a bratwurst, viennas are the perfect camping food. Placed in a soft chewy roll picked out by Rudi, I couldn't think of any better meal for the evening. We kept the fire going for a few hours, until we eventually crawled into bed, and gazed out into moonlit valley from our sleeping bags.

The next morning, we were woken up by Reagan who had a small fire going for breakfast. We had a couple viennas left over, so I made sure to include one of those in my breakfast of granola and peanut buttered toast. Now that the sun was up, we could see into Wonder Valley (which was appropriately named). The steep grassy sides of the valley transitioned into forest near the bottom, where the stream meandered through cascades and natural pools. We hiked a little ways further from our cave, until we saw a natural pool down at the bottom that looked perfect for swimming in. We eventually reached the pool, which looked like something a millionaire in Beverly Hills would put in his backyard. It was spectacular. A small waterfall poured into a crystal clear pool about chest deep, and was surrounded by an oasis of greenery and smooth rocks. I could have spent the whole day there. But since it was Sunday, we had to be on our way so that we wouldn't be back too late, as we all had service sites to go to on Monday morning. We cleaned up the cave, gathered up our belongings, and were on our way back to bus around 11. The hike back was just as amazing as it was on the way up. Each valley was saturated in natural beauty, and I simply couldn't get enough of the South African landscape. It was definitely a trip to remember, no matter how short or delayed it was. I knew as soon as I climbed back into the bus that I would be back someday to take in the magnificence of the Drakensbergs again.

A Little Bit of History

The 53 of us spent the last weekend touring 4 battlefield sites here in the KwaZulu-Natal province. We packed for an overnight trip, lunches included, and loaded up a chartered bus that would be driving us around for about 5 hours on Friday, and about 6 hours on Saturday. The rumor was that this is the same chartered bus that the Brazilian national soccer team will be using while they are here for the world cup this June. Who knows how true this was, but I didn't mind telling myself I was sitting in the same seat as Ronaldinho or Kaka. At 7 AM on Friday morning we loaded up the super-comfortable bus with our tour guide, Tony Jones - a 75 year old South African gentleman who knew the history of South Africa like the back of his hand. His sprite, old man sense of humor and occasional grumpiness would make for an interesting weekend.

I found my seat at the rear of the bus, next to the ice maker and bathroom. About half an hour into the drive, my body reminded that I get really car sick on buses - especially sitting in the back. Not to get too graphic, but lets just say I spent a little extra time in Ronaldinho's bathroom during the first drive on Friday. Despite the barfy bus ride, I enjoyed checking out the boundless grasslands of KZN though our windows, and taking in the vast openness of South Africa. After a few hours' drive, we arrived at our first battlefield: Spion Kop. This battle took place in the Anglo-Boer War around 1900, where the British invaded and annexed the Afrikaans-speaking, independent Boer republics. The fighting took place on Spion Kop, Dutch for Spy Hill, a strategic lookout point in the Natal countryside. We walked the path to the top of the hill from the bottom where our bus was parked. It was hard for me to imagine having to run up this hill with a gun, and bullets flying all around me. The battle has a special legacy in South African history, as the un-uniformed Boers beat back a much larger force of British Imperial regulars. The top of the hill had been converted into a mass grave for all of the fallen. It was definitely a humbling place to stand.

Our second battlefield on Friday was the Battle of Blood River. Also located in KZN, this battle was fought between the Voortrekker Boers and Zulus in the mid 19th century. After failed negotiations, including a brutal betrayal of the Boers by the Zulus, a force of about 500 Voortrekkers moved into Zululand. They were soon met by a force of about 10,000 armed Zulus. Incredibly, the Boers were able to beat back the massive Zulu force, killing about 3000 - and suffering only 3 wounded. The Boers accomplished this amazing victory by forming a laager (D-shaped circle) with their covered wagons. The deeply religious Boers made a vow to God stating that if they emerged victorious, they would forever dedicate the day as a day of remembrance. The defensively minded Boers managed a crushing victory over the hoard of Zulus, and effectively established their presence in Zululand. The monument at the site included a small museum, as well as a life size replica of the laager made by the Voortrekkers. The monument was humbling ground to walk on. It was bewildering to imagine what the Voortrekkers and Zulus faced on the day of the battle. To this day December 16 is marked by a day of remembrance by the Afrikaners, although since the end of Apartheid in 1994, the Day of the Vow has since been recognized as the Day of Reconciliation.

We stayed overnight in the small town of Dundee, in the northeast countryside of KZN, at the picturesque Royal Inn. This place was the definition of a British bed and breakfast - complete with a rustic lounge filled with British war collectibles, a cozy pub room, banquet hall, courtyard and library. We were spoiled with a delicious dinner, and capped off the night with a Q & A session with Reg, our head coordinator. We asked all kinds of questions, with topics ranging from South African history to theology. Every word that comes out of Reg's mouth is full of wisdom, compassion and intelligence. He's definitely the manifest of who I want to be when I grow up.

We awoke to yet another delicious South African breakfast, and were on our way to the final two battlefields of our weekend. Our first destination was the site for the Battle of Isandlwana, fought in the Anglo-Zulu War. Perhaps the most famous battle of the war, a British force of about 1500 was defeated by a Zulu army armed with spears and cowhide shields. Led by a prideful Victorian gentleman, the British ignored the tactics of the Voortrekkers and faced the Zulu force head on, and experienced total defeat. It was a pretty incredible story to hear, especially from Tony, who couldn't have been more passionate in his description of the battle.

Our final battlefield tour was about 10 minutes down the road from Isandlwana at Rorke's Drift. This battle took place immediately after the devastation at Isandlwana when the Zulus crossed the Buffalo River into British territory, thirsty for more victory. It was not to be for the Zulus, as a resilient outnumbered British defense held up against a Zulu onslaught. The British victory marked a turning point in the Anglo-Zulu War, as the aggressive British eventually conquered Zululand. Each battlefield had its own unique story of bravery and valor, and each contributed to overall picture of South African history. This land may be stained with blood, but the incredible history that forms the foundation of South Africa today makes this a country with a powerful story to learn from. Next: I'll begin my community engagement course with a few lectures, and eventually start my service at Walk in the Light, an organization that operates in one of the townships in Pietermaritzburg.

Lesotho

I'm only 19 years old, but I'm beginning to understand that some moments in life stand out above the rest. Some experiences, some places you visit will stay with you in your heart and mind for a long time. For me, Lesotho is that place. While I only spent about 1.5 days in the Basotho highlands from last Thursday to Friday, my love for Lesotho and its people could not be any higher. Completely landlocked and surrounded by South Africa, I expected Lesotho to be just another part of South Africa that just happened to be a different country. But what I actually experienced was something totally unlike my expectations.

I had the opportunity to go to Lesotho (pronounced Le-soo-too), the tiny mountain kingdom in the middle of South Africa, for a field trip with my psychology class. Our goal as a group was to study the Basotho people that have lived in the Lesotho highlands for generations, raising cattle and surviving some of Africa's harshest winters. We were to do this by driving up the only mountain pass that accessed Lesotho from this part of S.A, spending the day on horseback through the highlands, and meeting with the local Basotho people in their villages to get a glimpse of how they live. Of the 53 total APU students here in South Africa, only 10 others were in my psychology class, so I felt pretty fortunate to be able to go on the field trip.

After driving about 2 hours to a border town on the South African side, we loaded up our packs and sleeping bags onto 2 tour guide vehicles that were going to take us up Sani Pass and into Lesotho. Despite being totally surrounded by South Africa, Lesotho is still a completely independent country, so we made sure we brought our passports in order to cross the border. So there we were, 11 American college students sitting in the bed of a Land Rover truck, ready to experience Lesotho.

The drive up Sani Pass was out of this world. Like I said before, we sat in the back of a truck, while our driver cruised down the dirt road toward the bottom of the pass. Once the road started to get rocky, and the curves became sharper, we began to gain elevation. Sani Pass is 1.5 lane dirt road (an improvement from the previous .5 lane road) that provides access between KwaZulu-Natal province and Lesotho. The pass winds up the side of a stunning valley, full of granite cliffs and steep green hills. As we slowly transitioned from farmland into a mountain environment, I began to see another side of Africa I hadn't seen before. Far from the savannas of the game reserves, the landscape here rose fiercely toward the sky, as the cliffs seem to taunt anyone who passed by with their extreme stature. The clouds crept closer and closer to the ground, until they blanketed the tips of the bright green hills with chilling effectiveness. Looking back toward the bottom of the pass, the countryside looked like a folded green blanket covered in brilliantly dark gray patches. We meandered to the top until we finally arrived at the modest Lesotho border post. With relative ease, our passports were stamped and we were ready to begin our Lesotho horseback adventure.

Sani Top Chalet marks the top of Sani Pass, and is the highest pub in all of Africa in terms of elevation (around 9500 feet). The rustic outpost sits literally on the edge of Lesotho, majestically overlooking the pass. We were greeted by our Basotho guides with horses ready for the 11 of us, and we were soon on our way toward Thabana Ntlenyana, southern Africa's highest point. The 6 hour ride would take us through the highlands and pastures of the Basotho, and climb toward the Thabana Ntlenyana. My horse was a specially-bred Basotho mountain horse - short but very strong. I hopped on the saddle and were soon on our way, with our guides Martin and James, who both spoke about as much English and I speak Sesotho. My horse was incredibly obedient and responsive, so I was able to pretty much put on cruise control and take in the scenery around me. I felt like I was well matched with my horse, as it was perpetually grabbing a bite to eat for almost the entire trip.

The first leg of our journey took us through a vast, wide-open valley. A small stream flowed about 2 kilometers away from us as we trekked on a small path wrapping around the side of the valley on a hillside. It was truly incredible to look around and see absolutely nothing but green fields, rolling hills, and tiny yellow flowers. It was frustrating because no picture I took could quite capture the beauty and solitude of the landscape. The vastness, greenness, and clearness of the land were too much for one picture to contain. We passed a few isolated Basotho shepherds tending their flocks, and we were generally greeted with a shy smile and an occasional wave. After a quick lunch break about 3 hours into our ride, we began our climb toward Thabana Ntlenyana.

Our unbelievably resilient horses made the climb a slow but steady process. Unfortunately, due to a late start and some sketchy weather, we had to limit our journey to an overlook of the mountain, as we did not have enough time to summit and get back before dark. At the overlook, our group ran into several Basotho shepherd boys, who shyly approached us at first, but were soon laughing with (more likely, at) us. Due to the extreme climate of the Lesotho highlands, the Basotho people are practically dressed in warm clothing. Each shepherd was dressed in what looked like a thick wool blanket, and a cloak that covered their entire body. The closest reference I can come up with is the Sand People from Star Wars. After a few incredible minutes of intercultural communication, we were on our way back down the, hoping to make it back to the chalet before rainfall or darkness. In turned out that we didn't need to rush, so the ride back allowed even more time for taking in the beauty of Lesotho. We even had time for a few gallop sessions through some grass fields. I felt pretty blessed for having the opportunity to gallop on a horse through an African meadow. If you ever get the opportunity to do it, I highly recommend it.

We arrived back at the pub, about 6 hours after we left in the late morning, and had just enough time to get cleaned up and moved into our lodge before dinner. Our accommodations were humble but cozy, as we got to experience a night without electricity. Dinner at Sani Top Chalet was fantastic. The cozy mountain pub provided a great atmosphere for eating (my new favorite) curry. We sat by the fire and digested the day.

The next morning, we enjoyed another cozy meal at the pub before heading out to meet with a Basotho guide in the local village. Our guide Edwin explained how life in the village works, and how the Basotho cope with their harsh natural environment. The Basotho are a mountain people through and through. They build their housing out of mud and bricks, with a thick thatch roof that provides a great amount of insulation for the Lesotho winters. Even in February, summer, temperatures can dip to near freezing. They either raise all of their food, or buy it from a the nearest town about 50 kilometers away. If a family doesn't make a lot of money, the children become shepherds after primary school. Life for the Basotho is about subsistence and survival, but they do not live bitterly or angrily. We were invited into a house to watch 3 Basotho women perform a dance and song for us, and we were greeted with smiles and waves from the local kids. While they may still have some things to learn about managing pastureland, I feel like the Basotho can teach me way more about life than anyone could teach them about agriculture.

The Lesotho trip was powerful, and on so many levels. Not only did I get to experience one of the most pristine landscapes in the world, but I was able to interact with and learn from a people group with a completely different lifestyle form my own. Lesotho is a special place, where I found a sense of spiritual and mental peace that I haven't experienced anywhere else. I think that you can see and hear God in places where it is quietest, where you can experience His presence free from human influence or distraction. For me, this place is Lesotho. The harsh green hills and cliffs of the Basotho highlands demand a constant peace, that penetrates the mind and spirit in a way that cleanses the soul at its deepest point. I am already looking forward to my return to the mountain kingdom of southern Africa.

Game Over

Moral of the story: make sure you don't plug in American 110V appliances into South African 240V outlets. Especially when you're getting a haircut, because it will start smoking and break. Then you will have half a haircut, and no hair-cutting appliance.

Drakensberg

After a busy week of classes, papers and a biology field trip, I was ready to have a low-key weekend full of rest. It was not to be, but I can't say that I was disappointed. Saturday morning, all 53 of us loaded up the buses with our packed lunches, sunscreen, water and cameras. We were headed to Giant's Castle in the Drakensberg Mountains northwest of Pietermaritzburg. Our destination was a historical site within the Giant's Castle nature reserve - cave paintings created by the San Bushmen people of South Africa, thousands of years ago.

Our drive into the Drakensbergs was incredible. As we drove northward out of PMB, the suburbs slowly faded, and the rural side of South Africa came into view. We slowly gained elevation driving on the 4 lane highway, and the surrounding landscape revealed pockets of forest among the bright green rolling hills. The occasional squatter camp passed us by, full of children kicking a soccer ball around or women carrying heavy bags on their heads. The road became more and more narrow, and I soon realized that we were no longer driving on a highway, but a single lane road ripe with potholes and farm animals. Our driver Phillip must have had a tough time dodging goats in between the potholes.

Our arrival into Giant's Castle came about 2 hours after we left A.E. As I got out of the packed bus, the scenery was absolutely stunning. Towering green hills surrounded us inside a valley that extended toward the even steeper mountains just north of us in Lesotho. A few cliffs revealed several waterfalls that drained into the stream at the base of the valley, meandering peacefully alongside light brush, beneath a bright blue sky. Our group of 53 was a little too big to hike into the caves where the paintings were, so we split into two groups. One group would eat lunch and wait for about an hour while the other hiked to the caves. So I munched on my pb & j sandwich and explored a bit while the others viewed the paintings. The hour went quickly, and we were soon on our way toward the caves.

The 1 or 2 kilometer hike to the paintings itself was worth the drive. It had been a while since I threw on some hiking shoes, so I was happy to be out on the trail again, no matter how short the distance. We began the hike at a slight uphill grade on the side of a hill looking down to the stream, and up to the edge of the valley. We hiked without canopy cover for about 3/4 of the walk, until we eventually crossed the stream at the bottom under a nicely shaded covering. we stopped for a quick tree-climbing break, then hiked up the hill eventually reaching the caves.

A tour guide greeted us at the beginning of a walkway that led us to a viewing platform inside the caves, which were essentially naturally hollowed out cliff sides. The exhibit was set up with life size models of the San people, who were no taller than 5'8". It was amazing to see how evidence of humans who lived over 2000 years ago still clearly existed. The roof of the cave was charred black from fires that burned thousands of years ago. Incredibly, the artwork of the San remained intact on the rocks of the cliff side. Red and orange shaped that resembled humans and animals stood out sharply on the dull gray rocks. It was hard to believe how paintings made from completely natural materials could survive that long. The hunter-gatherer San of thousands of years ago have left their mark on the history of South Africa.

As we descended the cliff side toward the river we were ahead of schedule, so we decided it was a good time to test out the swim-a-bility of the stream. My experience with mountain streams taught me to expect a freezing cold rush of whitewater and a pretty miserable soaking. The stream in Giant's Castle however, was much warmer than a Rocky Mountain river, and was perfect for swimming. The sun was out in full force, so it was a perfect time to go swimming, and a perfect ending to a South African summer day.

Braai, Curry and T.I.A-ing in Umzinto

This past weekend, all 53 of us traveled to the coast near Durban for our Intercultural Communication field trip. Before we left, all we were told is that we would be "camping" near the beach by Durban, and we were going to meet up with some of Indian community of the region, and go to church with them on Sunday. So Friday afternoon comes along, and we begin to pack up for the weekend stay off campus. Our planned departure time was 2:30, but as this is Africa, we ended up leaving around 4. This was just the beginning of it.

As I wrote earlier, South Africans have a saying, T.I.A - this is Africa. One of the biggest things I learned about South African culture this weekend is that people view time during the day as just an unfolding of events - circumstances control people, people do not control circumstances. Essentially, fatalism runs the culture here in an often obnoxious time-wasting way. It's a bit of an adjustment for me, a time-is-money, always-hurried American. Due to about 5 unplanned stops, including one 3 hour delay because of car failure, the normally 2 hour drive took us about 6 hours. By the time we arrived in Pennington, the "camping" spot by the beach, dinner was done and over, and everyone was going to bed. Even though we were staying at a beautiful, amenity-stocked cabin near the Indian Ocean, it was a little hard for me to stay positive because of all the T.I.A shenanigans. I ate some leftovers, and looked forward to a new day.

The new day did arrive and with it, a new outlook on the weekend. I was able to walk around our cabin community in Pennington, which looked a whole lot more exciting in daylight. We ate breakfast, swam in the pool for a bit, then got ready for our drive into Umzinto, a rural community near Pennington. A 20 minute or so delay later, we were on our way to Umzinto for a 45 minute walk-around experience. Umzinto was a fascinating place, full of stereotypical African street vendors, small shops and a crowd of people who looked nothing like the 53 of us. Indian and black crowds flocked toward grocery stores and clothing vendors. Beggars and unemployed vagrants crowded the alleys and gutters. Traffic through the central business district was a thick mix of taxis, beat down trucks and pedestrians. To say we stuck out like a sore thumb would be an understatement. Nonetheless, we walked around browsing stores and buying nick-knacks and souvenirs, all while taking in a truly foreign culture.

We concluded the day by driving down to a small beach town named Scottburgh for a dip in the Indian Ocean. Being only the second ocean I'd swam in, I noticed both similarities and differences to California beaches. Just like any other beach on a Saturday, people crowded the grass elading up to the sand, which was marked by a busy scene of beach soccer, sunbathers and kids playing. As soon as I took a step into the water, however, I felt like I had just stepped into a warm, extra-salty bath. The water was unbelievably warm! As I got deeper, and finally went submerged, I got a taste of the saltiest water I've ever tasted. Despite the hot saltiness, I had a wonderful time at the beach, and even got to play a pickup game of rugby against a few local South Africans. Best part - we beat them! As you can imagine, they weren't too thrilled about losing to Americans in rugby, but they were good sports through and through and we all had a great time.

The evening came along, and we began our braai (South African barbecue) under the supervision of our Intercultural Comm. professor. Later on, when the meat was sizzling and the air smelled of curry and grilled chicken, we met up with a local group of Indian-South Africans, whom we invited over for dinner. They were very shy at first, but as soon as we brought out all of the food, everyone was laughing and having a good time.

Our final day in Pennington was Sunday, so the 53 of us were divided into groups to attend local churches in the morning. The church I ended up going to met in an old movie theater with no air conditioning - I was warned the temperatures could get up to 30+ degrees Celsius during the service (85+ Fahrenheit). Nevertheless, I threw on my long sleeve button-up shirt and jeans, and got mentally prepared to fight a heat stroke. They weren't kidding either - I've never experienced temperatures like that indoors, apart from the times I've burnt my hand on the oven at home. Despite the heat, it was a great service, and such a good experience to attend a church completely different than my church back home. We were warmly greeted, and even invited to an authentic Indian lunch after the service. I am now seriously addicted curry.

The dreaded drive back to Pietermaritzburg was approaching fast, and we all prepared for another 10 hour voyage inland. While we were a little late leaving, our drive took us exactly 1 hour and 45 minutes from Pennington back to campus in PMB. I guess we'd had enough T.I.A for one weekend. I hope this post doesn't come off as too complainy, because I really did have a great weekend. T.I.A is definitely something I'm still adjusting to, but it's surely teaching me something about patience and adjustment. Now, I've got to go find some curry to munch on in between classes.

Safari time

For today's biology field trip we drove to Tala Game Reserve, a private game reserve near Durban. We packed our lunches, gathered our waterproof gear and loaded the bus, only to find out that our driver was nowhere in sight. About 45 minutes later, and after some kind of communication breakdown, we were on our way. Time in Africa is much different than in the U.S- people value conversations and the general flow of life way more than being on time. One of the first South African phrases we learned was "T.I.A" - this is Africa. T.I.A. means that being punctual takes a backseat to conversations, meals, and pretty much anything else South Africans find more important in life. After a pretty quick 45 minute drive through cow country, we arrived at the Tala Game Reserve. Tala is located on a piece of land that was used for cattle and crop farming in the past, before being converted to a wildlife park about 20 years ago. Upon arriving, just like all of the Discovery Channel shows, we saw a pair of canvas-roofed land rover safari vehicles waiting for us.

We loaded up our packs onto the rover, as I waited in anticipation for my first African safari. Our drive began through a grassland plain, dotted with zebra, wildebeast, kudu and cranes. The grazers were scattered about the countryside in an almost too-perfect setup, some coming within 15 feet of our truck. After passing through a medium-sized zebra herd mixed with ostriches, we descended a small hill, as our land rover navigated the rocky, muddy road down the slope. We entered a bushy area, and as we peeked out of the other side, a group of about 5 or 6 white rhino were grazing about 20 feet away. These things eat SO much! The entire 5 or 10 minutes we spent watching them, they simply munched away on the grass, pretending like we didn't exist. It definitely made for some quality pictures. Just up the road form the rhino, I saw a small grove of trees. All of the sudden, I saw an enormously tall, yellow speckled neck. About 10 giraffes were munching on the trees, grouped together as a cluster of skinny, long-necked leaf-eaters.

We completed our loop in about 45 minutes, stopping for our short field assignment for our biology class (I was definitely in safari-mode, not school-mode). I felt it was decent trade - some vegetation field study for a real-life African safari.

Lions, birds, and train stations. Oh my.

Today was our first group field trip from the A.E. center here in Pietermaritzburg. After breakfast at 8, we put together our lunches for the day trip around the PMB area. Our first stop was a birds of prey sanctuary on the outskirts of town, in cow country (I could tell by the smell). The sanctuary was awesome - a huge exhibit of African falcons, eagles, hawks, owls and vultures, most of them endangered to some degree. After walking around the place a bit, looking at each individual enclosure, we were treated to a show. The lady who ran the place brought out owls, falcons and hawks one at a time to show off their impressive hunting skills. These birds were amazing! At one point in the show, the trainer hid bits of meat around the stage area while one of the hawks couldn't see, and within a minute the bird had found every single piece. After eating lunch (this was good timing for the next part), we got to see the vultures eat lunch. This involved the trainer throwing a fat hunk of red meat in the cage, and about a dozen ugly, squawking scavengers absolutely shredding the meat apart within 2 minutes like it was their last meal. It was nothing short of pure carnage.

Next, we went down the road a few kilometers to the Natal Lion Park. And, oh yes, did we see lions. After a decent wait and a short drive, our bakkie (that's what they call small trucks here) arrived at the gate of the vast lion enclosure. Far from being a zoo, this place had at least a dozen full grown lions in a natural environment, with miles of land to roam. As we approached the fence, one by one, all of the lions form the pride walked toward us to investigate. It was like nothing I've experienced before. Being within an arms length of a full grown lion is something I won't forget soon. We spent about 10 minutes with them, as they paced back and forth, probably looking at us like we were their next meal.

We left the lion park to head back into the heart of the city. We drove through the downtown streets, passing centuries old Victorian buildings, surrounded by Zulu crowds and flea markets all around. We ended up at the train station, where Mohandas Gandhi was kicked off of a train for trying to ride first class as a non-white passenger. Apparently, it was significant enough of a moment in Gandhi's life that many identify the incident as one of the major motivators for Gandhi's peaceful revolution in India.

For the last portion of the day, we drove back toward AE, to a place appropriately called World's View. From the top of a decent-sized hill, World's View looked out across the whole PMB area, as the thick clouds and sunlight combined to make a truly beautiful horizon. A few group photos later, our field trip was finished. It really was a well-rounded day, as I got to see a few more highlights of this beautiful country.

Kloofing around

Today we went on our first field trip for biology to a game reserve near Durban. We hiked down into a kloof, which is the South African word for valley or gorge. Apart from being one of the coolest hikes I've ever been on, I got some quality off-campus time to stretch my legs and get away for a while (while at the same time being in class!). After we made our pb&j sandwiches and gathered our packs for the small day hike, we loaded up the van. We drove through Pietermaritzburg toward the coast, and eventually ended up at Kranskloof Nature Reserve, just northwest of Durban. We parked the van near a community park at the bottom of the kloof, crossed the street and began our short hike into the nature reserve. Like most hikes I've been on, I followed a meandering trail through a fairly dense forest, slowly making my way up and down hills. But eventually I began to hear the sound of rushing water, and knew that a stream must be nearby. As I came closer and closer, the sound got louder and stronger. I rounded the corner and I could see the top of a gigantic waterfall. Peering down from the edge of the kloof, I could see about 30 or 40 feet down a natural set of slippery rock stairs. The hike continued down into the kloof, and the waterfall went out of sight for a while, until we found ourselves at the very bottom of the waterfall. If there's ever been a kodak moment, this was it. The mist from the falls smoothly enveloped everything within 20 or so feet of the bottom, as the rushing white water stampeded down the mossy steps. I could have spent days there, soaking up the light mist and breathing the thick forest air. After a few dozen pics, we continued on our loop through the kloof, eventually ending up back at the park near the top where our van was parked. For a first field trip, I'd definitely say it was a success.