Well yesterday the Internet went down in our lodge which was great, so couldn't blog. So I will explain the day yesterday and last night.
DAY
Well we started the day getting an interesting history lesson from Professor Alan our guide and "professor" he discussed the history of the people of South Africa as in pertain to the settlement of early European Settlers and them deciding to use cape point as a port between transport to India/Asia. Eventually the Dutch decided to settle here and caused ruckus with the locals the Khoi and Sans people. whom we also learned about.
Now during the begining of lecture we discussed how we felt being in a different country, now for some reason I didn't feel like everyone else. I didn't have a culture shock. a lot of things around here remind me of local places in my home town as well as places I've been. I also felt a bit more prepared as far has how I grew up I don't pre judge at least I try my best not to and is very naturally excepting of other cultures meaning I don't really have to think about it. So on top of everything that happened personally i.e with my nephew and not speaking to my son for 3 days I felt a bit disconnected from my group.
Now on to our travels. we went to three museums the
Castle of Good Hope: where we saw where they tourchered prisoners and kept slaves. It was interesting to stand in a castle and see where the general slept and entertained and then where slaves and prisoners were kept.
The Slave Museum:
I found this very intriguing. They had a small not to scale portion of the bottom of a ship where slaves would be that you could walk in. It was a bit emotional givin the history of blacks in America. Also similar to the south slaves were stripped of there nnative names and named either after the month they arrived or the location in which they were from. for example January or Indonesia.
There also was a walk through history of Mandela which I found very informative there was a lot I didn't know about him and the History.
District 6 museum: This place was awsome it reminded me of the struggles that faced the South in the US during the 40s on up through the civil rights movement. Except it was shocking to me to see how an entire community was moved and destroyed because of race.
Night
Well at night we as a group definitaly bonded. We learned so much of one another. Since what is said in room one stays in room 1 I wont dicuss much. I will say that there was tons of open sharing, laughter, and wine. words of the night.
Squirt
Quaker
girl fight
I so miss my son. I have a skype date with him tonight that I am so excited fro every time I see a little kid or an animal I think of him.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
I have Arrived
Well it was hard for me to say good bye Sunday to Giovanni, at the airport. he doesn't fully understand the length of time I'm gonna be gone. I started to tear up because it just hit me the amount of time I will be away from him, but it will be okay.
Well the first flight, which was to Amsterdam was okay. I watch four movies all comedies of course. I loved seeing the sun set and rise on the plane. While at the airport in Amsterdam i ended upo to my suprise paying 17 US dollars for an omelete and a cup of cappuccino. Never again I missed the 99 cent menu for a moment.
The flight to Cape town was hilarious. there was a two year old that kept running up and down the hall, and the mom didn't do much. being a mother my self while i am pretty young, I have some old school deciplinary techniques and that wouldn't of went down with my child. Brittany's face expressions were priceless she was seating right in front of the wild child.
There was also this moody flight attendant that had a few words for Shane before the flight left "get organized" haha. I slept most of that flight but we eight like every hour it seemed like. I think I eight 13 times in a day.
We pretty mcuh went through most of the last flight. We pretty much killed 31 hours in 22hrs because of the time changes.
When I arrived to cape town it was really late, so I didn't see much, the weather is similar to what we left in Minneapolis, wet, and high 50s low 60s. They drive on the opposite sides in the car and on the road. We did pass some of those sheet metal houses. there is a huge mountain right outside of the Riverview Lodge where we stay at.
Today we got a small tour of western Cape Town, we saw the new soccar stadium. that thing is massive. WE also passed through the rich part of town by the ocean. Which by the way, is beautiful. While passing the richer part of town it made me a bit sad, I started to think about the majority of people that go without, and all of these people are living lavish.
Overall things are good. I did just get bad news after checking the internet. My pre mature week old, nephew died today his heart stopped. He was born on my son's birthday May 16th and passed away on my mother's bithday May 24th so thats a bit taxing on me.
Hopefully the future days bring more comfort. Happy to finally have some type of contact to those back home.
Well the first flight, which was to Amsterdam was okay. I watch four movies all comedies of course. I loved seeing the sun set and rise on the plane. While at the airport in Amsterdam i ended upo to my suprise paying 17 US dollars for an omelete and a cup of cappuccino. Never again I missed the 99 cent menu for a moment.
The flight to Cape town was hilarious. there was a two year old that kept running up and down the hall, and the mom didn't do much. being a mother my self while i am pretty young, I have some old school deciplinary techniques and that wouldn't of went down with my child. Brittany's face expressions were priceless she was seating right in front of the wild child.
There was also this moody flight attendant that had a few words for Shane before the flight left "get organized" haha. I slept most of that flight but we eight like every hour it seemed like. I think I eight 13 times in a day.
We pretty mcuh went through most of the last flight. We pretty much killed 31 hours in 22hrs because of the time changes.
When I arrived to cape town it was really late, so I didn't see much, the weather is similar to what we left in Minneapolis, wet, and high 50s low 60s. They drive on the opposite sides in the car and on the road. We did pass some of those sheet metal houses. there is a huge mountain right outside of the Riverview Lodge where we stay at.
Today we got a small tour of western Cape Town, we saw the new soccar stadium. that thing is massive. WE also passed through the rich part of town by the ocean. Which by the way, is beautiful. While passing the richer part of town it made me a bit sad, I started to think about the majority of people that go without, and all of these people are living lavish.
Overall things are good. I did just get bad news after checking the internet. My pre mature week old, nephew died today his heart stopped. He was born on my son's birthday May 16th and passed away on my mother's bithday May 24th so thats a bit taxing on me.
Hopefully the future days bring more comfort. Happy to finally have some type of contact to those back home.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Realizing
I am so excited for my trip to South Africa! I got my first vaccination yesterday. I have to get my final one next week. After the shot yesterday I realized how close I am to leaving the country for 3 plus weeks.
With this tons of people have been warning, congratulating, and questioning me. My dad has been really cautious. I called to ask him if I had the Hep B shots already. Of course like I thought he had no idea, but then he goes on to say get it anyways and to make sure I get several other shots, the doctor already told me I didn't need to get.
A friend of mine ask a question that made me think. She asked how I think my son will feel about me being gone for so long, in all the excitement I had never really truly thought of that. I mean I know he was going to miss me, but I never thought fully how this is going to effect him. I kind of got sad, but then I realized how this will not only be a learning experience that will benefit me, but him as well.
And hey! There's always skype!
I just feel a bit swamped with the semester coming to an end and preparing for this amazing trip. My biggest concern right now is compiling a list of people I need to bring things back for, and deciding on what to get my host family. Oh and of course getting the work assignments done before our next predeparture meeting.
With this tons of people have been warning, congratulating, and questioning me. My dad has been really cautious. I called to ask him if I had the Hep B shots already. Of course like I thought he had no idea, but then he goes on to say get it anyways and to make sure I get several other shots, the doctor already told me I didn't need to get.
A friend of mine ask a question that made me think. She asked how I think my son will feel about me being gone for so long, in all the excitement I had never really truly thought of that. I mean I know he was going to miss me, but I never thought fully how this is going to effect him. I kind of got sad, but then I realized how this will not only be a learning experience that will benefit me, but him as well.
And hey! There's always skype!
I just feel a bit swamped with the semester coming to an end and preparing for this amazing trip. My biggest concern right now is compiling a list of people I need to bring things back for, and deciding on what to get my host family. Oh and of course getting the work assignments done before our next predeparture meeting.
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