"God Bless the Rain Down in Africa"

9 February 2010

It’s been a great week thus far.  I just ran home from NMMU, changed into my swimsuit and watched the sun start to set and play in the waves on the beach!  The water was so perfect because the weather has been so hot.  I’m still currently wrapped in my towel with goggles suctioned to my head as I wait for my chance to shower and to help in the kitchen while my flat mates are preparing a greek salad and hot dogs for dinner J

Yesterday was good because volunteering went well and I’m slowly getting things figured out on campus.  Getting our ID card alone has been about a three step process and run around campus involved with long lines and weird hours!  We made the most of getting our Id cards and a lot of us wore our international student polos with collars popped and silly faces.  Then I had jazz class which was a BLAST!  Our teacher Lestie is a character and she had a student who in the choir at school teach us the South African national anthem.  It’s absolutely beautiful.  It consists of Xhoas, Zulu, Africans, and English.  South Africa itself actually has 11 national languages.  After struggling through that we learned what is known to Americans as “the click song!”  Look it up on you tube I’m sure you can find it, it has lots of the clicks involved in the Xhosa language which is a challenge.  Not only did we learn the song, but we learned some stellar dance moves to go along with it.  Needless to say it was a blast and we were all dripping sweat when it was over!  Yesterday I also had the chance to figure out where my parents are staying when they are here.  One hotel I can see from the back of my flat!  And the other is next to my favorite restaurant here that is maybe a 5minute walk away.  I couldn’t have been more thrilled, it’s going to be pretty much perfect when they are here and I can’t wait to stay with them at the neat places they will be!  Then it was a nice relaxing evening here at our flat filled with reading and chatting.  People congregate in our room sometimes which I’m getting used to and really enjoy, my bed is practically in our living room and last night I feel asleep with everyone in the room as I was chiming in and out of conversation as I dosed off!  (I’ll post a video tour of the flat soon!)

Today was wonderful because I had my best day of volunteering yet as you can read about in my House blog.  Class was fun too because it was all led by different groups.  I’m really learning about South Africa and the apartied.  I had no idea how awful it really was, I would recommend Nelson Mandela’s “A Long Walk to Freedom” to everyone.  He has an incredible story to share.  Then like I started with my day couldn’t have ended in a more beautiful way.  I’m sitting here feeling an overwhelming amount of gratitude for getting to experience all of this.  I love moments like this one where everything is really going well and I feel like I’m right where I’m meant to be, but now that I have struggled and been sad and homesick I can truthfully say I’m thankful l for those moments too because they make times like this that much better!  Thanks to everyone for reading and for the comments…I love them and they mean so much!

XoXo,

Megan Elizabeth

And now as I’m get on my computer to go online to post this I’m watching an incredible lighting storm.  The bolts of lighting are so powerful.  We are listing to “God Bless the Rain Down in Africa” and hoping the rain really does come!