Here is yet another re-cap of numerous things I've been up to! For starters listen to this song on youtube as you read, it's one of the theme songs for the world cup and just makes me smile. I think it's an incredible song to describe our group's experience here and what we want, it talks about wanting to grow ourselves, about how this is our time to shine, and I absolutely love it!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tonAQSILQNY
This past week has had it's ups and downs like crazy. I felt challenged and left out, happy and excited, anxious and weary, homesick and feeling of dread about leaving, just a whole range of emotions. Thankfully my parents really helped me through it and reminded me to see Christ everywhere and to take care of myself and to remember I can be happy anywhere and in anything because of the hope I receive through my faith! So here I am now happy and loving life once again and grateful for the challenges presenting themselves. I finally felt like myself again this Thursday night....
Emily and I played trash smash with all the boys on our trip. They had been pumped to play all day because a guy who was on the trip 2 years ago James is here visiting because he is in the benedictine core doing service for the year in Tanzania had told them all about the game and how intense it is. Emily and I thought it sounded like fun so decided to show up on the beach to play with the boys. They thought we were nuts but as soon as we agreed that we could get pushed around and tackled they were game. Sure enough we got pushed around; Emily lost a chunk of hair and I have the very slight signs of a black eye and it was worth it!! The game doesn't have much to it except you try and get a ball in a trashcan and anything goes. So why was this night so incredible for me? Because as we were playing the sun was setting, it started raining a little bit, a perfect rainbow formed over the ocean, and I was finally able to become totally myself. Running my hardest in the sand, feeling light sprinkles on my face, and having the taste of the ocean on my tongue was just what I needed (plus my team one all 3 games which made me happy!) Finally after our 3 games we were sandy and sweaty and it was dark so what better way to cool off than running full speed ahead into the Indian Ocean?! I can't describe how perfect this experience was. It's as if the night was planned just for me!
My other incredible experience was Friday night... Elton John under African Skies! Almost our entire group went to the concert. My flat made a picnic for the concert, kfc chicken, homemade potato salad and fruit! We got to the concert 3 hours early so we could make a mad sprint to the front of the stage and it was a success. I was no more than 30ft away from him as he played the piano all night. It gets better. South Africa is in the worst drought in 80 years and I had not seen it pour or thunderstorm until the night of this concert. As we sat on blankets eating our picnic the sky was doing crazy things there was lighting and thunder and then finally the rains started coming down. Initially we tried to stay dry but then gave up and started dancing in the rain and it was contagious to all those around us. How perfect to be outside as this beautiful city finally got the rain it needed. Then Sir Elton came out and gave a remarkable performance as it rained on and off and we continued to get closer and closer to the stage. We shared the experience with one another along with another group of international students. We danced and danced swayed back and forth and were all on cloud 9. He played tiny dancer and dedicated it to all the "little dancers out there" and I took that as a personal dedication and he ended the night with the Lion King's circle of life. It honestly was so incredible and I felt so connected to my group and like such a part of this wonderful country!
And finally Saturday night. Some guys James was good friends with when he was here took us into the townships for a night out. It was so surreal. Nothing like I expected. For the first time in my life I was the total minority. I think our group were the only white people in the entire township! People stared, greeted us, asked for money, ignored us, sat down and talked with us, everything! It was unlike anything I've ever experienced and I'm so grateful for it. I was able to sit and spend most of my night talking to Jame's good friend Sielo. He explained to me all about Xhosa traditions, particularly when it comes to dating which made for an interesting story but I was so glad to hear more about the culture and how truly different it is from anything I know. These guys were so welcoming and so touched that we wanted to experience what they experience and grew up with. They actually hadn't been into the townships like that for a night out in awhile as they all were able to go to University and are doing very well. This was another experience I'll always remember. I'd say it's been a great kick off to spring break!
Now re-cap pics, first of my parents trip to cape town and our time together....
This is the view from Karla and I's hut in Swaziland!
The night of trash smash!
My first ever good tackle
We decided the end of the game called for team and buddy pics
Now I'm about to depart on some of my biggest adventures yet! I have two weeks off from class and will be leaving PE tomorrow to go bungee jump off the highest bridge in the world. Then on to Cape Town for a week to climb table mountain and see Robben Island with our group. Next the second week will be spent with a group of 9 kids in my group and we will be flying to Durban where we will road trip around more of South Africa! Keep my group in your prayers as we begin our travels! I can't wait to share more with you all! I love and miss you!
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