All of the colors bleed into one

 Ahh I cannot believe I have already been in Cape Town for over two weeks! This place is absolutely incredible and I am still loving every second that I am here. This past week was service week for me and the rest of the Bafana's, and I can honestly say that it was one of the most rewarding weeks of my life. My apologies in advance for how long this post is about to be...
On Monday we had a short lesson in the beach house and then we were each assigned with a group of 5-6 other students to a Soup Mother's family for the week. I was assigned to Ms. Hetta's house which I was very excited about since I had heard really great things about her and her family from students who had come on Global LEAD in the past! As a Soup Mother in the community, Ms. Hetta is donated supplies to make soup for about 60 children after school about once a week so that they are ensured at least one good meal a day. After breaking for a quick lunch we headed into the township for our first day in Sir Lowry's Pass. The kids had been waiting for us all day, and as we piled off of the buses they immediately ran up and began jumping on all of us and just wanting to touch us. Definitely the warmest welcome I think I have ever received and will receive in my entire life! We then divided up into our families, and myself, along with the rest of the Global LEADers in my family for the week made our way to Ms. Hetta's home. Her house was pretty much what I expected. They have a small kitchen/living room area and then two bedrooms that are partitioned off from the kitchen area by curtains. One thing that they had that I was not expecting to see was a large television with cable. I was even more surprised when one of Ms. Hetta's daughters began talking to me about all of the shows she enjoys watching on E, especially all about the Kardashian family and Kim's 72 day marriage. Needless to say this was not a conversation I was expecting to have in the township! We spent a good deal of time on Monday talking to our families and just getting to know one another. Mrs. Hetta is a wonderful, Christian woman and really wanted to discuss her faith with us. She went around asking us all what our favorite bible verse is, and when it got to her she said “Psalm 23, “The Lord is my Shepard, I shall not want.”” I think my heart may have broken into a million pieces when she said this was her favorite bible verse. Coming from someone who has so little, it was absolutely amazing for me to hear that these were words she lived by. It really made me realize how much I take for granted in my own life. Before leaving, some girls outside Mrs. Hetta's attempted to teach me a jump-rope like game, but I think it was pretty much a lost cause. I did give it my all though! That night, Lindsay, Delsa, Kim, Taylor, and I went to dinner at Mama Africa for a belated birthday celebration for Kim! We were all pretty adventurous with our orders, and started off with the Wild-Game Kabobs, which had Springbok, Crocodile, and Kudu on it. I really liked it all! For my main course I decided to try the Ostrich steak which was absolutely delicious! I definitely will be ordering that again before heading home.
Tuesday afternoon we headed back into the township! We only got to spend about 30 minutes or so with our family this day, because the day was mainly dedicated to playing with all the children after school. We had different activities the kids could choose to participate in; such as making bracelets, learning a dance, or playing sports. Me and a little girl named Kaitlin who was in grade R (Kindergarten) learned the dance! She was absolutely adorable. Kaitlin could NOT get enough of my hair. Blond hair is definitely not something that they are accustomed to seeing, and I think that someone pretty much was playing with my hair the entire time we were there! Towards the end of the day Kaitlin's older brother, Mario, who is in the 6^th grade, came to find her and we all ended up playing together. It was really hard to tell all the kids bye on this day, because we would not be returning again until Thursday, due to us spending the day at one of the Amy Biehl Foundation schools on Wednesday.
On Wednesday after class, we returned to the Amy Biehl after-school program at one of the schools in the Guglettu township we had visited the previous week. A few of us actually got the opportunity to go into the classrooms and read to the kids. It was pretty neat! After reading, I chose to go play in one of the classrooms with the younger children. I sat on the floor and played Lego's with the 3-5 year olds. They were all so precious! Although most of them could not understand any English, one thing that I am learning is a smile is something everyone understands (cheesy, I know!). Of course I spotted the little boy who had been in the brown sweater last week right when I got into the classroom and immediately picked him up! I don't think that I got a smile out of him all day (not without lack of effort, however) but he sat on my lap the entire time I was there and did not seem to want to let me out of his sight. When the kids lined up to go get a quick snack before it was time for them to go home for the night, he did not want to let go of my hand, and I basically had to pry my fingers out of his which just about broke my heart. He was such a sweet little guy! When we got back that evening, we made our way to the mall for a quick dinner and to do some grocery shopping.
Thursday after having class in the morning, we headed back into Sir Lowry's Pass for another day of service. When we got off the bus, I was immediately greeted by an adorable little girl who told me her name was Annalise! Annalise and I played together all day long. We danced, we made her a bracelet or “bangle” as she called it, and even played tag. I also got to talk to my 6^th grade friend Renata before she left for her hockey game that afternoon! After playing with the kids for a few hours, my group headed to Mrs. Hetta's house for a quick visit.

Friday, sadly, was our last day of service in Sir Lowry's Pass until we return for our final celebration the last week we are in Cape Town. Friday was supposed to be our field day, but unfortunately it was pouring rain. We easily adjusted, however, and were able to hold the event in the township's community hall. The kids loved all the games! After our field day, we walked through the mud that had been created due to all the rain, to spend some time with Mrs. Hetta and her family before it was time for us to head home for the night. Mrs. Hetta's husband had built a fire for us, so we would be able to stand around outside and talk, in spite of the cold. It was hard to tell Mrs. Hetta, her family, and all the sweet children goodbye when it was time for us to leave, but it made it easier knowing that we would be back for one last visit in a few weeks! These children amazed me every day with their hopeful attitudes and with how loving they were. There is a quote we learned in class that says “Although darkness surrounds you, the darkness does not have to be within you," and I believe that these children and many of the people living in the township really appear to embody these words. Despite the living conditions that these people are living in, they really try to not let it affect their positive outlook on life. I think we all could take a lesson from this!

It's Saturday in Cape Town...

Well Saturday was our first day off from class, and although we wanted to do a little R & R, we knew that there was a LOT that we wanted to go out and see to make the most of our free day! My roommates and I slept in a little bit and then headed to the legendary Old Biscuit Mill for a late brunch and to do some exploring. From the second I got out of the cab my impulse control began being tested. There was a woman selling these gorgeous picture frames on the side of the road that I would absolutely love for my room next year; still not quite sure how I walked away from those (Mom and Dad ya’ll would have been so proud!) Upon entering The Old Biscuit Mill I was in awe of all the sounds, smells, and sights that were going on all around me. Oh man that smell is something I don’t believe I’ll ever forget. We began walking through all the food vendors to see what we would like to eat. Although everything looked absolutely delicious I finally decided that I would try a crepe! I got one that had eggs, bacon, and feta cheese inside, and then sliced avocado and some balsamic vinaigrette on top (YUM!). I think I will have to try the banana and nutella crepe next week. After enjoying our brunch, we walked around all of the outdoor vendors as well as the little shops. I think I fell in love with everything that I saw. The Old Biscuit Mill is definitely going to be on my Saturday morning agenda from now until it is time to go home!

After returning from The Old Biscuit Mill and getting showered, it was time for the majority of the Global LEAD crew to head to the Rugby Game! I was SO pumped for this! With all the fallen leaves, the breeze, and the smell from the braai (BBQ), it really felt like a late-fall game day in Athens. Most everyone had on their Stormers’ Jersey that Ish had gotten for us, and many of us painted our faces, which was fun. We tailgated for a few hours and then headed into the game. I was lucky enough to sit in front of a really sweet man who explained to us what was going on, since most of us had absolutely no idea what Rugby entailed. When the game ended with the Stormers coming out victorious (WOOOO!!!), we thanked the man for educating us about the game, and he said that he just “loves to spread the gospel of rugby!” That is one thing that I have learned so far in my short week here in Cape Town, that everyone really is just so excited to share and immerse us in their culture. As you can tell, our first Saturday in Cape Town was extremely enjoyable!

On Sunday a bunch of us got up and went to the Hillsong Church here in Cape Town. It was amazing! Definitely something I will be doing every Sunday that I am here. That evening we had class and then had a group dinner. We had a braai at the beach house where we have class, and oh man was it good! Unfortunately Delsa and I were towards the end of the line, so we only got to try small portions of everything, but all of it was delicious! 

It is still hard to believe that I am here in Cape Town. This place is absolutely amazing!

Take my hand, because we're walking out

Thursday was probably my favorite day of the trip so far! We started off the morning by having class, and then after lunch, we took our first trip into the township. The area of Cape Town that we are staying in is such a nice, beautiful area, that it is easy to forget that a mere 15 minute bus ride away there are people who are living in such immense poverty. The bus fell silent as we began our journey through the township. It's very hard to describe what we saw. There are just tiny shacks piled on top of each other for what seems like miles. Despite the destitute situations that these people are living in, as our bus rolled through, many of the children were jumping up and down waving, seeming so excited to see us. There were some older kids and teenagers who did not seem as thrilled, and proceeded to flick us off as we drove past. When we got to the school that we were touring and piled off of our bus, I was feeling many emotions. I was definitely excited to begin playing with the little kids who were all so welcoming towards us and I could not wait to begin interacting with them. My heart also broke at the same time for all of the kids. When we entered the school I immediately spotted the most precious little boy. He could not have been older than two and had on a little brown sweater. It took all I had in me not to just go and scoop him up! He may or may not be coming home with me...just sayin'. When we were taken into our first classroom, the first thing that struck me was that it seemed to look similar to your typical American classroom, however the floors were just cold cement and had dirt covering them. The first room we went to was where the choir was practicing, and when those children/teens opened their mouths to begin singing it was like nothing I had ever heard before. It was so gorgeous. They sounded like angels. I don't honestly know if there was a dry eye in that room. We toured two other classrooms and then the kids prepared a performance for us. They played the Xylophones, sang, and danced. It was incredible! I am so excited to go back to the school next Wednesday! 

Simba was walking too slow, so I told him to Mufasa.

It's hard to believe that we have been in Cape Town for a week already! Time is flyinggg. I am absolutely loving every single second that I am here. 

On Tuesday we had class and got the privilege of hearing from a diversity panel of five people's first hand encounters with Apartheid. It was very interesting to hear! Apartheid was not something that I was too familiar with before coming on this trip. After class, we all just caught up on some much needed sleep and rested the rest of the evening, because there were rumors going around that Wednesday would be the day we would be hiking Table Mountain (dunununnnn).

Wednesday was a great day! During our class time that day, we heard from Kevin Chaplin who is currently the director of the Amy Biehl Foundation. Mr. Chaplin, who used to manage the First National Bank, has taken his wise business philosophy and applied these skills to successfully running the Amy Biehl Foundations. This is an incredible organization based around the idea of forgiveness. Amy Biehl was an American Full-Bright Scholar who at the young age of 26 had already made a significant difference in South Africa. Amy was in South Africa when all of the violence surrounding Apartheid was going on, and one night when she was driving home, her car was ambushed by a mob and she was killed. Although devastated by their daughter's death, Amy's parents made the decision to grant Amy's killers amnesty, and even aloud two of them to work for the foundation that they were creating in Amy's honor. The Amy Biehl Foundation implements after-school programs in many of the local schools, which allows the children to stay safe and off the streets during the non-school hours. The foundation hopes to develop and empower youth in the impoverished townships. This is an absolutely incredible organization that I hope to continue working with. After class (surprise, surprise) it was announced that today would be the day that we would be hiking Table Mountain. When we got to the spot from which we would be starting our hike, I have to admit that I was a tad bit intimidated. Immediately, we were just climbing up stair-like rock formations. Now, I consider myself to be at least a somewhat in shape person, but let me tell ya, this climb was like never ending stadiums! It took us about 1.5 hours to complete the entire 2.65 mile climb, but once we made it to the top, it was entirely worth it! The view was absolutely breathtaking; like nothing I have ever seen before, nor will I ever forget. If my future husband is by any chance out there, the top of Table Mountain would be the PERFECT spot to be proposed to at, just throwing that out there;) hehe. Once we made it to the top, there were so many views to take in and lots of pictures to take. After spending an hour or so at the top, we eventually all took a cable car back down the mountain and headed back to the apartments for a much needed shower. We were all so exhausted once we got back that we decided to just get a group together to go eat a quick dinner at Wang Thai, which is a delicious Thai/Sushi restaurant attached to the hotel. I tried Chicken Pad Thai for the first time and loved it!  

This.is.Africaaaa.

We started things off bright and early Monday morning with Orientation, since all the flights had gotten in at that point. It was so good to see everyone! We are having class this year in a gorgeous house about 10 minutes from where our apartments are. Monday afternoon we broke into our three groups, (yay for Bafana Bafanas!) and went on a city tour of Cape Town and visited 2 museums, the District Six Museum, as well as the Slave Lodge Museum. When we got back me, Delsa, and our two other roommates, Kim and Taylor, all got ready and then we headed to Moyo for a traditional African dinner with everyone. It was so much fun! It was really cool to try all the different foods. We all got our faces painted and were serenaded to “In the Jungle” (how Disney, right?!). After returning from dinner we all came back to the hotel and hung out in the hotel bar with everyone. Very successful first day if I do say so myself!

...so how 'bout that ride in

So we left Atlanta Friday afternoon and had a 9 hour flight to Frankfurt, Germany. They randomly assigned our seats for all the flights so we would meet people going on the trip, and I ended up sitting with the sweetest girl named Elle! We got to Frankfurt at 9:00 am their time which was 3:00 am on our body clocks (WOOF!) and explored the very confusing airport for a little while. Then me, Delsa, and some other girls on the trip made the spontaneous decision to leave the airport and explore the city to pass the time of our 12 hour layover. A very helpful man that worked at the airport helped us buy tickets for whatever the Marta is in Germany, and we were on our way! We ended up at a little cafe right outside the train station where we all enjoyed German beers as well as the most DELICOUS waffles with nutella. After our lunch we walked around Frankfurt for a little while before heading back to the airport. We only had a minor incident on the train ride back not getting off at the right spot (oops!) but we made it back in plenty of time for our next flight to Johannesburg. After being awake for over 24 hours at that point, everyone on that flight PASSED OUT for almost the entire 10 hour flight. We got to Johannesburg at 9:30 am, and had to board our next flight to Cape Town at 10:30, so needless to say we were all running around the airport like a bunch of cRaZyYy people trying to get through Customs and re-check our bags before our next flight. We all made it (somehow!) and boarded our last flight to Cape Town. After a mere 2 hour flight we landed in our home for the next 5 weeks! From the airport, they had two big coach buses that we loaded up to head to our apartments. Of course the bus Delsa and I were on got stuck in some dirt after our driver figured out he was going the wrong way and started off-roading to turn around (those of you who know the serious misfortunate we've experienced with Sigma Kappa bus date nights feel our pain!). There was nothing we could do but laugh at that point! We eventually made it to our apartments, which are absolutely amazing! After throwing our stuff down real fast, Delsa and I ventured to the grocery store (mind=blown). We picked up some stuff to snack on, and then headed back to our new home to shower (probably the most enjoyable shower of my entire life, not gunna lie!) We ate dinner at Zorba's, which is a Greek restaurant attached to the hotel, with some of the other girls and then hit the hay after an exhausting few days!

Even though you're a million miles away, when you hear Born in the USA

I CANNOT BELIEVE IT'S HERE! Tomorrow evening at 6:10 p.m. I will finally be on my way to Cape Town, South Africa for an amazing five weeks with my fellow Global L.E.A.D students and staff. The bags are all packed with barely a pound to spare (how typical, right?!) and I am ready to bon voyage! I have to admit that I am a tad bit nervous, considering I have never been out of the country before, but I know that this trip is going to change my life. 

I will use this blog to help document some of my adventures as I spend the next five weeks in Africa, getting to be part of such an incredible program. I am very excited for all that is in store for me and all the amazing friends and relationships I am about to form! I feel so incredibly blessed to have been given this opportunity. 

Well for now America, ADIOS!

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds by your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain