writeafteraweekofclasses

Wow... ive been in SA for a week. that is crazy. Ok it has been more than a week, but its still crazy that im here. I need to do a better job at blogging more. i keep forgetting everything ive done this week.

Tuesday and wed were good days...but the night, let me tell you. Basicly isizulu is harder than i though it would be. Not going to lie i started to freak out about because i was really afraid of how much i would have to remember and whether or not I could get a good grade in the class fluttered in my mind. Everyday after class i was just about to breakdown and cry at how hard the language was. I just need to keep in mind that this is a totally new language and that it is going to be hard for everyone starting it. I just need to work hard and have patience with it as I go.

Thrusday i got to go to the gym in town. it was about 30 min away. It was really cool. I really enjoyed working out in another country! haha. During the day did some major studying and going over notes for class. Most of my days consist of waking up early and talking on skype with people, going to breakfast, studying, tea time, studying/break, lunch, MAJOR STUDYING, tea time then class till dinner then class after that. I have the whole morning and afternoon off to do what i please everyday. its very nice. cept when your in class and you hear everyone playing soccer and the running around with the dog outside. but other than that i think zulu has the best time frame for class.

Today was FRIDAY NO CLASS FOR ME SUCKKKAAASS! Woke up at 6am and couldnt go back to bed. so i skyped people. that was fun. Got to talk to L186 and friends... good times and it was just fun all around. Then after that i decided to take some time to myself and just enjoy the country side of south africa and went for a walk. i love this place so much! then went to breakfast and chapel. i love the set up of chapel, so relaxed. It was a good message by regan (i think thats how you spell it) who is the assistant director of student life here. Basicly reminded me that the more i seek God the more i will find out who i am. I sometimes forget that trying to find myself in my own will and power. Nice reminder. :)

the whole day was mine after that! decided to go to the mall after that for a bit. mailed some postcards and got some stuff that i need from picknpay. its like a walmart. its pretty sweet. Then got some flash cards for all the words in isizulu that i am going to have to memorize soon. and then came back to campus. Then went to the water hole with micah and jeff. first time going down the slide and swimming. The water was so cold!!!It was about lunch time so ate lunch and then played soccer with micah and some people. sucks for about half the people here who had to take class at 2pm. leaving about 10 people not in class. The we got the greatest idea that it would be fun to take a bike ride. NOT omg i was so tired from ridding up hill the whole way back. My calves are so sooore! crazyness!! but it was fun. then came back and went to the mall again! ( i know mall rat). I really am not i just didnt have anything else to do. so went and just hung out and have mugg and bean which is like a starbucks here. it was really good. we left the waiter alot of rand coins..kinda embarrassing but thats all we had! haha Then came home and had dinner and now im making zulu flash-cards. The typical day of a student in south african eh?

it was cool when i went down to the water hole for the second time after the bike ride and realized "this is my backyard"... "all of this" .."this country is my home for the next couple of months!"... i am so blessed to be here in such a time as this. i am trying to live it up now and concentrate on me being here and not waiting to be home because things don't go my way.

its amazing. i love every min and every breath i take here.

:)

writtingwhereimatinsa.. for reals!

im here!! is great!! so much flying that it has made me kinda sick.... but it love it! I cant believe im here!!! finally!
ill post more later but i just wanted to write that im here safe and sound and have already skyped my parents... lol but i feel alot better about being here now that im actaully here!! yaya
Torres

Thewriteplacetobe

thewriteplacetobe

 

South Africa is amazing! Ive been here for only one day and I have learned, experienced, and seen the diversity of this place and I love every face I see! I cannot believe I am here but its happening! The flight here was SOO LONG. I seriously felt like I skipped a few days of my life but im caught up back here now!

 

Friday the 23

 

We got into joburg at 7ish and went to our hotel for the night. I was dead tired. I took a shower for the first time in three days so that felt SOOO GOOD. Then after came back to the room and died.

 

Sat the 24

 

Little did I know this day would start off early. Woke up at 5:25 am. Jet lag may I say? Haha now I know how it feels. So I got up and got dressed and Skyped my parents and did some last min emails. Then came back into the room and found my roommate Ashley awake at 6:30 am too. So we read our book that we should have had done before I got there and went to breakfast at 7am.

            After breakfast we went on our tour to Soweto. Its an amazing place. The name Soweto actually means “South Western Township.” We actually visited some very poverty struck towns right before the main city and it was complete different world 5 miles apart. We got to walk around a community in shacks and houses with not electricity and no running water. I felt for me it was a time to “be” and look around and see the interaction of kids and adults with some of my friends on the trip. From there we went back on our tour bus and headed for the Hector Pietersen Memorial. Basically this was a memorial about apartheid, meaning separation, and how the death of this one boy started a revolution in SA. It was amazing to see the history of this place in one Museum and actually know why apartheid occurs.

Pretoria was the next place we went to and went to another memorial for a Dutch Vootrekkers. Basically, it was a memorial for the Dutch who conquered the British and the Zulu for the sake of God. It was strange to see this in the middle of SA. Dutch is a very big part of SA and its history (orgin of Afrikaans language) but it seemed so out of place. But it was an amazing building. We had to climb about 2 or 3 stories of stairs to get to the top and it was a beautiful view.

The union Buildings was our next stop, or drive by so to speak. Everyone was so tired and jet lagged our guide decided to let us just drive by it as we took notes. This place was so cool. Nelson Mandela was sworn in here and a lot of US presidents came to watch. (bush, Clinton: which btw when they stayed in the hotel, they usually rented out the whole place…if not at least 3 hotels!). I felt like I knew a lot about Mandela because of movies I watched and things ive herd. We even drove by a place where Mandela lived! Amazingness!!

Finally, after a long day of history, learning, and flat out being emerged in the politics of SA, we headed home. Def fell asleep for half the drive back on megan. Haha. Then got back and worked out at our “sister” hotel across the street. It was a great scene to see about 8 girls in a small workout room, but we made it work! Then came back and had dinner.

My status right now is beat, but I would do it everyday. Being here feels so right and I don’t miss home that much, yet! 

ok..so the dates might be off on these post..ive been having problems posting..fyi. 

:)

thewriteplacetobe

 

South Africa is amazing! Ive been here for only one day and I have learned, experienced, and seen the diversity of this place and I love every face I see! I cannot believe I am here but its happening! The flight here was SOO LONG. I seriously felt like I skipped a few days of my life but im caught up back here now!

 

Friday the 23

 

We got into joburg at 7ish and went to our hotel for the night. I was dead tired. I took a shower for the first time in three days so that felt SOOO GOOD. Then after came back to the room and died.

 

Sat the 24

 

Little did I know this day would start off early. Woke up at 5:25 am. Jet lag may I say? Haha now I know how it feels. So I got up and got dressed and Skyped my parents and did some last min emails. Then came back into the room and found my roommate Ashley awake at 6:30 am too. So we read our book that we should have had done before I got there and went to breakfast at 7am.

            After breakfast we went on our tour to Soweto. Its an amazing place. The name Soweto actually means “South Western Township.” We actually visited some very poverty struck towns right before the main city and it was complete different world 5 miles apart. We got to walk around a community in shacks and houses with not electricity and no running water. I felt for me it was a time to “be” and look around and see the interaction of kids and adults with some of my friends on the trip. From there we went back on our tour bus and headed for the Hector Pietersen Memorial. Basically this was a memorial about apartheid, meaning separation, and how the death of this one boy started a revolution in SA. It was amazing to see the history of this place in one Museum and actually know why apartheid occurs.

Pretoria was the next place we went to and went to another memorial for a Dutch Vootrekkers. Basically, it was a memorial for the Dutch who conquered the British and the Zulu for the sake of God. It was strange to see this in the middle of SA. Dutch is a very big part of SA and its history (orgin of Afrikaans language) but it seemed so out of place. But it was an amazing building. We had to climb about 2 or 3 stories of stairs to get to the top and it was a beautiful view.

The union Buildings was our next stop, or drive by so to speak. Everyone was so tired and jet lagged our guide decided to let us just drive by it as we took notes. This place was so cool. Nelson Mandela was sworn in here and a lot of US presidents came to watch. (bush, Clinton: which btw when they stayed in the hotel, they usually rented out the whole place…if not at least 3 hotels!). I felt like I knew a lot about Mandela because of movies I watched and things ive herd. We even drove by a place where Mandela lived! Amazingness!!

Finally, after a long day of history, learning, and flat out being emerged in the politics of SA, we headed home. Def fell asleep for half the drive back on megan. Haha. Then got back and worked out at our “sister” hotel across the street. It was a great scene to see about 8 girls in a small workout room, but we made it work! Then came back and had dinner.

My status right now is beat, but I would do it everyday. Being here feels so right and I don’t miss home that much, yet! 

ok..so the dates might be off on these post..ive been having problems posting..fyi. 

:)

writewhenileave

Ok i know its been wayyy to long since a i wrote... so much has happened in that time. but i think i have a pretty clear view of product of this semester

not going to lie. this past semester was by far one of the hardest semesters of my life. Every angle that i could describe to you would have some form of pain/suffering in it. My break was full of busying myself and trying to look past this semester. Trying to not think about the horrible times where i thought nothing but hurt was being done in my heart. 

Why does pain have to be a bad thing? isn't is that we always learn in our mistakes and hardships? but really... is there anyway i can see it as good? 

I think i figured it out. Life, or a bit of it. Im staring at my screen with prob one of the meanest looks ive ever had on my face. Not that im trying, but its the look of me wanting to do something more with who i am. nay, i am done with myself. I have a stir in my heart to care and put my interest in those who do not know the love i have. what scares me the most about this with all my heart and soul..is that i have no idea why i feel this way. ive never even seen this first handily before. there is no intellectual reason for me to be feeling this way, but i do. this so happens to be right before i leave to sa. what the heck.

so im like 4 days away from leaving. I have just realized so much about who i am. and i am so scared because of the responsibility in figuring all this out. 

now what? ..i have no idea. but im excited to find out. 

haha..ill keep you "posted"... LOL