A Few Pics From the Weekend

Here's a few pictures from the weekend for you all to enjoy....
I'm headed out to Johannesburg tomorrow until Wednesday for Spring Break (yes, it is spring here) so I won't have internet. I'll let you know how the trip goes when I get back! Hope you all are enjoying your back to school season! Love!



My host family!


Typical scene from the weekend-- They love "white girl" hair!!


The kitchen


Yay Langa!!

Weekend Awkward Turned Weekend Awesome

So, this weekend was our homestay weekend where we paired up with another member of our house and lived in a township called Langa. Yes, I did say township---I stayed 2 nights and 3 days in a township this weekend! Now, many of you may be wondering, was it safe? Was it sad? Was it hard? Was it good? Did it change my perspective on life? And the answer to all of those is yes, but I’m kind of fudging a bit with the first question—nothing in life is ever completely safe. Anyways, I was paired with Liz who was my roommate during orientation and who I am traveling with for spring break.

We arrived at the township for dinner on Friday night and it was completely awkward in ever sense of the word. They were black, we were white. They were living in very poor condition, we were not. They were from South Africa, we were not. So many differences and we didn’t exactly know how to act which made a very weird evening. They had cooked us a nice dinner which began with tripe and some other kind of nasty thing. Tripe is sheep intestine and the other stuff didn’t look much better than that. It was boiled in a sauce that smelled like something I shouldn’t mention. All of us thought that it was the main course so we tried to stomach as much as we could, but it was so gross! We were then to realize that it was only the appetizer! The main course was much nicer and more edible than round one. J

There are so many stories from the weekend that I could tell you right now, but you might get bored with all of them so I’ll just let you in on a few. First of all, we went to church both Saturday and Sunday with the family which was great. Such a different experience than home, but it was so great to see and hear other believers praising the same God. There was a lot of singing and the pastor even had us introduce ourselves to the whole congregation because obviously we weren’t from around there and everyone was so welcoming!

We also went to a house-warming type party on Saturday to tell the ancestors that the family had moved to a new house and to ask them to protect them in their new location. It was quite the ordeal and once again, we had to eat the tripe. Sick! That night we went around to a couple different taverns in Langa for a well-rounded night life experience in the township. Not something I would probably ever do again, but it was definitely an experience! Because we were Americans, we went home pretty early otherwise it wouldn’t be safe, but we had our own little get-together back at the house which was so much fun! The family that I stayed with was a young mom (31) with 3 kids—2 girls, 12 and 10 and a boy who was 5. The little boy was going strong all night and danced his little legs off! Of course, he quicly became my best friend for the weekend even though I still can’t pronounce his name correctly.

Ok random funny story- Liz can’t handle spicy food and the sausages that we ate for lunch today had a little spice in them. Not too much, but liz really can’t handle much. Anyways, she really couldn’t finish hers so when our “mom” for the weekend got up to get something in the kitchen I took one and shoved it in my mouth. She came back and asked me a question about something and I obviously couldn’t answer. My cheeks were bulging like a chipmunk who has too many nuts in his mouth. Then we all just started laughing and tried not to choke on all that sausage.

All in all it was a good weekend. It started off pretty awkward, but by the end we didn’t want to leave. It was hard to see the families living in such a small place with rotting countertops and no seat on the toilet and hardly any running water, but at the same time, their sense of community was something we all should strive for. They were all so willing to do anything and everything for their family members and neighbors. As we left, the kids ran after the bus and everyone was waving and yelling "Sobonana!" which means "See you later!" in Xhosa! The sun was setting behind the house and we were all a little teary-eyed as they slowly got smaller and smaller in the distance. Wow, that was kind of sappy, but it was how we were feeling! Tomorrow I will put up pictures from the weekend, but for now I’m going to get some sleep! Good night all!

Xenophobia BBall, Rugby, and Jesus

Well I hope I have given you all ample time to read up on your African Human Rights Activists I listed in the last post. I'll forgive you if you didn't look up most of them (I realize time is a precious thing), but if you haven't looked up anything on Desmond Tutu, you should really stop reading this post until you know a little something about him. There will be a quiz so get reading! (just kidding, no quiz, but seriously--read up!)

Ok, enough nagging....I guess I should fill you in on what has been happening for the past week. Well, classes went about as usual although I had 2 tests in Xhosa which went ok. That language is just nothing like English, there are so many consonants next to each other and those 3 different clicks will get ya! At least it wasn't an oral test, I would've been in for it then. There is however and oral exam at the end of the semester which is worth 30% of my grade--yikes!!! Anyways, this weekend there was a basketball tournament that I got signed up for to raise awareness for the Xenophobia attacks that happened last month. I was supposed to play for the East African Society that I joined, but through a serious of events, I wasn't able to play on Saturday, but most of my housemates went and were pretty hilarious to watch. We were the only white people there and played against teams from Angola, Kenya, West Africa and the like. It was pretty intense to say the least.

I left early so that I could go to a friends' highschool rugby game in which they lost :( But it was still a great experience and it reminded me a lot of football back home. To add to that sweet reminder that I will be missing the greatest season for Mizzou football (oh the tears are flowing!!) we went to a pub to watch the South African Rugby team play against New Zeland which was a HUGE deal! Yet another reminder of the commeraderie of fans in football....sigh....you guys will have to keep me posted on how my tigers do, ok? But anyways, it was a bad day for rugby in South Africa because they lost miserably. It was pretty painful too.

I finally got to go to church for the first time since I've been here this Sunday and it was a much needed break from my crazy life at the house. It is always amazing to worship with believers halfway around the world knowing that we believe in the same God. Even though I didn't know the congregation, we all had something in common and that something was eternal. After church, we had a braai (BBQ, they are EXTREMELY popular here) and made some amazing burgers. Gotta love good company and good food on a Sunday afternoon.

That should catch you guys up for the week. Hopefully this week we will finally start our service work. I have a meeting tomorrow with some women in Khayelitsha who are interested in an IT class which is so exciting! I will post in a few days to let you know how this goes, but for now, I should go to sleep...now that I think about it, class starts in 8 hours. Hmmm, nap tomorrow is a must! Goodnight all!

You Won't Believe Me.....

Alright guys, you know how crazy stuff always happens to me? Like the time I met the police chief and mayor of St. Louis. Or the time I was in England and just by chance went to the Garter Day Ceremony and saw THE Queen of England. Or the time...well, I wont brag. :) Well buckle your seat belts ladies and gentleman. You're not going to want to miss this.....

Today I went to my Xhosa class as usual (my clicks are getting better, but nothing near good) and there was this guy who said he was in a play tonight. He told us that it was called Speak Truth to Power and there was a panel of people speaking about it later in the afternoon. We just kind of dismissed the comment until we saw a flyer in the hallway about this panel. There were to be a bunch of speakers many who have undergone intense political imprionment and torture. They were all a bunch of African diplomats and political figures who had done and incredible amount for their country and stood up for human rights issues against the face of everyone else. I encourage everyone to google these guys and read their story because these are men of intense courage and have experienced more than I could ever imagine---and never gave up. The speakers were Guillame Ngefa Atondoko (Congo), Samuel Kofi Woods (Liberia), Koigi Wa Wamwere (Kenya), Denis Goldberg (South Africa), Kerry Kennedy (Robert F. Kennedy's daughter), and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

So, we decided to go since Desmond Tutu is such an incredible man. Ok, I can't keep the suspense going much longer because I am about to burst. We listened to the lecture and then I GOT TO MEET DESMOND TUTU!!!! I MET DESMOND TUTU!!!! AHHH!!!! I MET THE DESMOND TUTU!!!!! HE SHOOK MY HAND AND GAVE ME A HUG!!!!! But lest you think that is all......While he was speaking (he is an excellent public speaker I might add) he was very intent on looking people in the eye. It was a room packed full of students and his topic was on how we are the future and we need to be proactive to make a difference in this country. (sidenote- I was sitting in the second row right in front of the podium) Guys, hear me out when I say this, I'm not lying I promise! Desmond Tutu, THE Desmond Tutu looked me straight in the eyes and said, "We have no one except yourself." Meaning- this country has no one to help it move forward except yourself. At me!!! Ahh!!! If that isnt a sign from God I don't know what is! Dad, you're going to have to get on a plane to bring me home from this place cuz I don't want to leave!!! And if that wasn't enough, I met the man!!!

After the panel was over, we followed everyone up to a press conference in which we were the only Americans and most of the people there were high and mighty people of the press. I'm pretty sure we weren't supposed to be there. But afterwards, there was this lady there who was getting tickets to the play tonight for her class and we said we weren't in her class, but would love tickets. So she gave us tickets for the play tonight for free! I just got back from the play and it was incredible!!

So this whole event today was to promote Kerry Kennedy's book "Speak Truth to Power" which is a compilation of stories of Human Rights abuses and how those people overcame such oppostion to make a difference in their community. Yes, I bought the book and had all of those aforementioned people sign it. I MET KERRY KENNEDY AND THE WHOLE AFRICAN DIPLOMAT GANG!!! AHHH!!!! oh yeah, there was a celebrity guest actress in the play tonight who plays the doctor who is HIV positive on ER, I met her too!!! Oh wow, I can't believe it!!

If any of you do not know who Desmond Tutu is, I encourage----wait no, I'm telling you right now to stop reading this blog and read about what he has done. Seriously, it's incredible. Don't even think about coming back to this blog site and reading my next post until you read at least a little about him. Wow! If you don't read any other book for the rest of your life, read "No Future Without Forgivness" I know Grandpa A. is so you should too! Seriously guys, OH MY GOODNESS!!! Well, I've written a lot, and I hope you're not too tired of reading because you all have a lot more to do. Happy Reading, Happy Monday and holy crap, I met Desmond Tutu!!!


p.s.- did i mention that i met Desmond Tutu??!!! AAHHHH!!!!!!

I LOVE AFRICA!!!

"We're in Africa!"

Many of you know that as soon as I get to a new place, I pretty much fall in love with it and embrace every single aspect of that place. The moment I stepped off of the plane in Paris, I could not stop smiling and was so ready to just be a Parisian for 10 days! I love the challenge of a new culture and figuring out differences and similarities. We can learn so much from others and being thrown smack dab in the middle of things is so exhilarating for me. You feel so helpless and clueless at first, but once you push forward and are proactive in navigating a new place it becomes more and more like home.

Africa has not been this way for me at first. Some of you may know that it’s been hard for me to adjust here and the simple fact that I haven’t adjusted quickly has been hard for me. I have been frustrated, confused, and lonely even though I have so many people around me. I felt like I was just kind of existing here in Africa—I didn’t have that normal excitement and vigor for embracing another culture. It’s definitely something I’ve been praying about and I know many of you back home have been praying for me as well. Well, prayers have been answered, folks! I don’t know what happened, but Tuesday morning I woke up a new person. I was ready to take on the world and was enjoying every single aspect of my community here. The usual “OH MY GOSH! I’M IN AFRICA AND I’M LOVING EVERY SECOND OF IT!!!!” kicked in and I’ve been that way ever since! My housemates definitely noticed a change and I’m so excited! I don’t know why it took me so long to get to this point. Well, I kind of do…God taught me a lot through the past month and I would be happy to share that with you if you shoot me an email. But seriously guys, I am having the time of my life here in Africa now! Every single day (yes, it’s been 4, but that’s 4 more than before) I just get so excited to figure out life here in South Africa. I am thrilled to take on new challenges and to be content with what I’ve been given here in so many different aspects. Wow, it’s crazy!

Wednesday evening we went out to Camps Bay to watch the sunset over the ocean and then get sushi for dinner. I don’t think I stopped smiling the entire evening. I became fast friends with Allison, a girl who lives next door who is pictured above. We ran up and down the beach, took pictures, watched the sunset, and laughed so hard I almost peed my pants. J Thank you guys so much for all your prayers for my situation. Lindsay is back! If you think of it, please continue to pray that I am filled with joy and strength for each new day. I know this isn’t going to last forever without the help of the Lord. Ahhh!!!! I’M IN AFRICA!!!!! J J J

No Future Without Forgiveness

Entrance to Robben Island

Nelson Mandela's Cell

Yes, I'm in Africa!

Hello All! This weekend has once again been full of interesting historical sights around the Cape Town area. On Saturday we went to District Six which was the most diverse community in Cape Town and during apartheid experienced forced demolition in order that whites could build their houses there. A lot of history and culture was lost during this period and there is an old house turned museum that we visited to get a history of the area. We also went to the Castle of Good Hope (bet ya didn’t think there was a castle in Cape Town!). It’s more of a fort than a castle, but it was still fun to see the oldest building in all of South Africa. We also went to the Slave Lodge that remembers slavery in South Africa as well as other parts of the world. We at lunch at this place called the Tea Room which is in a beautiful garden right outside St. George’s Cathedral (Desmond TuTu’s church). Mom, remember that café because we are going to eat there when you visit. It was beautiful!
Today was the real treat though. Today we boarded a ferry and rode for 25 minutes away from Cape Town to Robben Island. Now, many of you may not know the significance of Robben Island, but it is where THE Nelson Mandela was held in prison for 18 years of his life. We saw his holding cell (number 7 in B block) and the garden he planted in the courtyard. This was the same garden where he hid the papers from his work The Long Road to Freedom. He had a friend smuggle it out when he was about finished that it could be published and given to the world.
Now, you might think that this was all pretty amazing to see this stuff, and it was; but the real highlight of the day was that our tour guide was an ex-prisoner on Robben Island! Every single tour guide on the island used to be an inmate on the island. Don’t worry, we were safe—they are all ex-political prisoners, not convicts of heinous crimes. By choice, they chose to come back and actually live on the island with former wardens (there is a community of about 150 people) and give tours every day. I asked him why he not only was ok with coming back, but chose to go back and live where he was imprisoned for so many years. He simply replied, “There is no future without forgiveness. We wanted peace and democracy and retaliating and remaining angry at those who threw us in prison gets us nowhere.” That was about the point that my jaw dropped to the floor and I had to be shaken back to reality. WHAT?? This ex-prisoner had so much wisdom and such an incredible mindset and outlook on the situation. All I could do was stand in awe and hope that I would be able to do the same thing given those circumstances. Wow….just wow…..chew on that for a bit….