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.