Back in Cape Town

I am finally back in Cape Town, and I have to say that there is nothing like summer in this city.  Everyday is gorgeous and there is so much to do.  Hikes, beaches, just walking around, I guarantee you will never be bored here.  And that's just in the city. 

This past weekend, I went to a place called Church Haven with several Rotarians.  It's less than 2 hours away from Cape Town.  We spent the weekend in a cottage on a lagoon.  It was very quiet and peaceful, we just hung out at the beach, swam, ate, and watched the stars.  I hope to send pics soon!  

I also have finally started classes again, and I can't wait to see what they will bring.  I only have two - one is called Human Rights and Punishment and the other is Crime Theories and Social Order.  The Human Rights class sounds like it will be pretty interesting.  Already the lecturer was sharing stories about alternative sentencing programs, which is what I want to do my dissertation on.  The theories class will be interesting, as well, but it's only the second week, so I don't have much more to share about either of the classes...yet.  

In other news, I am currently living with 9 other people right now.  We're all good friends, but it's a pretty tight squeeze.  Currently, there are several Americans that I am living with, as well as two South Africans, two Germans, and a Zimbabwean.  Despite all the people, it is not a crazy frat house.  Everyone is either in school, working, or interning at various NGOs.  In terms of sharing things, like the fridge and the washing machine, we have learned to work around one another - but it does require a bit of flexibility.  We've also been  mindful of dishes, since we tend to have several people cooking dinner at once.  It also helps that we have someone come and clean the place about three times a week :)  

Also, I am back into MMA - I am currently in a beginner's class, but I am training to try and make it to the advanced class - keep your fingers crossed that I make it (though I can always re-take the test every month).  That's it for now, I'll be updating regularly about all the other goings on here!  

And a Short Detour for My Zimbabwe Adventures

So during the summer holidays in Cape Town, I decided to do a bit of travelling and went out to Zimbabwe for two weeks.  I stayed with a friend who is the executive director of an organization called Vanavevhu (the link to the website is at the end of this post).  Vanavevhu helps children who become heads of their households as a result of their parents passing away (mostly from HIV/AIDS).  Through my friend Liz, I was able to see the rewards and hardships of running an organization.  I also got the benefit of working with the kids in her program.  Vanavevhu helps these kids think of income-generating projects, since they are forced to drop out of school in order to support their families.  Some of the projects that the kids are involved in include candle-making and selling vegetables.  I helped the kids cultivate their gardens, so that they could raise produce to sell in their neighborhoods. 

I also got to experience Liz's town – Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zim, with over 700,000 people residing there.  It seems like a pretty small town though.  The pace of life is pretty laid-back, and it was a welcome break from my last few months.  

Besides staying in Bulawayo, I had the opportunity to go to Victoria Falls.  It’s about a 5-6 hour drive from Bulawayo and what a ride – we had to stop once because a herd of elephants were rushing to cross the road.  I was so taken aback that I forgot to take pictures!  Pretty memorable though.  The falls are amazing, but the town itself reminds me of a resort.  It’s built itself around other attractions besides Victoria Falls.  You can do whitewater rafting or bungee jumping, or you can go on game drives or on a sunset cruise.  I opted for the rafting and bungee jumping. 

I loved the rafting, but I think I just did the bungee jumping to get it out of my system.  However, it didn't help that, before I went, Liz told me about a woman who went bungee jumping at The Falls and her rope snapped.  She plummeted down to the river, but thankfully, she was a good swimmer and made it out without, well, dying.  Apparently it was a freak accident and to prove it, the Minister of Tourism for Zim (in his mid-40s) went bungee jumping to show how safe it was.  So knowing this, I still decided to give it a try.  If The Minister of Tourism can do it, why can’t I, right?  And I screamed the whole way down.  Everytime I opened my eyes, the world seemed to be spinning and I would see the river below me.  I kept thinking that if the rope snapped, I would not be as lucky as that other girl.  So I tried to keep my eyes closed.  I think it’s safe to say that I never have to do that again, been there, done that. 

Overall, I feel extremely fortunate for having such a great hostess as Liz.  Not only did she let me stay with her for two weeks, she also cooked for me - and let me tell you, she is a fabulous cook!  I also got to experience life in another African city outside of Cape Town, and it was unforgettable.  

All I have left to say is thanks to Liz and her organization for having me.  If you guys are looking for a place to donate, look at her website - and spread the word.  Vanavevhu has a lot of amazing projects that they are working on, and they could use all the help and donations that they can get.  So look at the website below and forward it along!  

http://vanavevhu.org/

Oudtshoorn Rotary Meeting

I was very lucky to meet with Rotary Oudtshoorn during my vacation last week.  The members  were incredibly warm and friendly, and even offered us lodgings during our stay in Oudtshoorn!  I can't thank them enough for the incredible hospitality.  Below is my first banner swap, as well (I thought Rotary Far North might enjoy this).

Ostrich Fams and Cave Exploring in Oudtshoorn

We just had spring break this past week and a fellow Ambassadorial Scholar and I went out to Oudtshoorn.  Oudtshoorn is known as the ostrich capital of the world.  While there, we also checked out the Cango Caves.

This was the entrance to our caving adventure

Concerts were originally held in the larger chambers of the cave (above), but because people would take away pieces of the cave as souvenirs, it was decided to stop having such concerts.  

Me crawling through some of the narrower passages of the cave

Angie and me with our wonderful tour guide

Because Oudtshoorn is known as the Ostrich Capital, Angie and I took a tour of one of the ostrich farms.  Though it looks like I am getting a hug from the ostrich, it's actually reaching around me for some ostrich treats.  What a weird feeling!

These things looked vicious - I kept thinking I was in Jurassic Park

We also drove through Swartberg Pass.  It was one of the most amazing things that I have done.  The views were breathtaking and the photos just don't capture it's beauty.  

We were blown away by the Pass - literally.  The winds were so fierce that we couldn't even stand upright to pose.


Another memorable part of our trip was travelling to Knysna, which is famous for it's amazing forests and lagoon.

A view of the lagoon

These are pictures of where the lagoon meets the ocean.

All in all, it was a great way to spend spring break!  

Seal Island

My host counselor took me on a ferry trip out to see the seals on Seal Island.  The view was fabulous, and the seals were fun to watch too :)

The name of the ferry that took us across, I didn't get a chance to meet the Skipper, unfortunately

Just a few of the spectacular views aboard the boat

The stars of the day - the seals just lounging and enjoying the sun

A few seals went out to nab some fish

Rotaract District Conference

I had the chance to go to the annual Rotaract District Conference a couple of Saturdays ago and I finally have gotten the pictures from it.  For those of you who don't know, Rotaract is affiliated with Rotary and specifically targets people under the age of 30.  I know, I missed the cutoff age, but oh well.  The conference was about an hour away from Cape Town, and I've included some pictures below:

We were situated right by a lake, and when the fog would roll off of it, it made for a very beautiful sight.

The Rotaract Club logo 

All of the Rotaracters from Wynberg (the district that I am currently in).  I am at the far left, and no, the bridge wasn't caving - though it does look like it will!

Wine Tasting in Darling

I just came back from a great weekend with some fellow ambassadorial scholars.  We traveled about an hour outside of Cape Town to a place called Darling.  We sampled some amazing wine, hiked and walked around the beautiful countryside, and ate... a lot!  here are just a few of the pics that I took on the trip...

this photo was of a church, if you couldn't tell already - I liked the architecture and wanted to share it with you all.

this is the place we stayed at overnight, we had the place all to ourselves - August is off-peak travelling in these parts.

the views were pretty amazing, and the picture doesn't do it justice.  

Travelling outside of Cape Town, most people speak Afrikaans, which is not easy for me to get the hang of. Thankfully, the people we encountered knew some English, as well.  My aim is to at least try to be conversational in Afrikaans.  I have a lot of goals while I am here, though!