As of today, I have been here one month! It's hard to believe, and since the first two weeks, which seemed like ages, it's gone by extremely fast. After I got pretty well settled in, I fully realized that it's pretty ridiculously awesome that I get to be here and do amazing things.
This thought dawned on me as I was driving through the South African countryside with 12 international students on our way to a Zulu wedding on Valentine's Day. The last two weekends here have been amazing and what I think were once in a lifetime opportunities. The reason that I haven't written anything about them, or posted any of my hundreds of photos is because my laptop has been dying and I was hoping to write on it, then upload it on the internet in the computer lab, and same with the photos. But since it won't do anything but give me a black screen....that hasn't really been possible, so I'm going to try to cram alot into this post and hope that my laptop can be salvaged.
The zulu wedding trip was organized by a student here whose uncle was getting married and he was kind enough to allow about 20 or so international students and some local students to come and experience it with them. On Saturday, we left in a big van, called a kumbe here, and headed out towards Pietermaritzburg for the church wedding. As guests of the groom, we joined the caravan (this is a Zulu tradition) that goes to pick up the bride from her house and meet the bride's family and guests there. Her home was in a township up on a hill with a great view and the whole neighborhood was out to see her off. She was in a beautiful white dress and the bridesmaids wore yellow and lime with yellow roses. We all then headed off to the church were the ceremony commenced, mostly in Zulu. Because of this, I was never really clear on what was happening/being said, but I know that there were many different parts from what we are used to as a Christian wedding in the states. The church was more of a modern day charismatic church as well, with a drum set and speakers up on what would be the altar area in the front. The ceremony was nice and the bride and groom did the Zulu wedding walk down the aisle on their way out, to upbeat music pumping from the speakers, which reminded me of the rock that we do down the aisle in Gospel Choir for concerts (I am sorry this is hard to explain if you haven't seen any of it..). We took lots of pictures and other wedding guests took pictures with us as well, they seemed just as interested in us and our culture as we were in theirs. Still, it was a mildly awkward at first to be at a wedding where I didn't know anyone. Quickly though we got over this and everyone was very welcoming to us.
After the wedding we went with the wedding party to the KwaZulu-Natal Botanic Gardens for photos. We walked around some and took our own photos while they took theirs. They even had us international students pose in one photo with the bride. I can't wait to see that one. After that, the bridal party, who's cars had been decorated with ribbons, drove around Pietermaritzburg waving their bouquets out the windows and we followed behind in the van, the driver blaring South African house music. I got to see what that city was like a little bit as well and it was really fun to be in on the celebration. We also went to the reception where we were all extremely happy to sit down and have some food and drink, since it was extremely hot and we had been going going going all day. It was probably in the high 80s or low 90s that day with high humidity. I missed our coastal Durban air. We didn't get to stay at the reception too long though because we were piled back into the van to go out to one of the family's homes in a semi-rural area for more ceremoniousness. To be more specific, we were going to the ceremonial cow slaughter. Ok I know this sounds terribly disgusting, but you have to remember that we were going to a community of farmers and laborers who live off the land. This is how we were going to have food for all the guests and family to eat the next day. The Zulu culture has a heavy regard for the ancestors and so this was also a necessary part of honoring the ancestors during this happy time and giving thanks for the good fortune. Some of the students were interested in this ceremony, others weren't and stayed in the van or at a distance but we were all respectful of the tradition and cultural difference. I watched a little bit from a distance and spent some time looking at my pictures in the van, but I can say that it was all done in a human way and nothing went to waste. I'm glad I was there because afterward I was invited inside with some of the other students who were standing around (it started to rain) and it was a truly unique experience to interact with the family inside their humble but welcoming home. The house was large because it housed an extended family, but mostly made of cement and very simple. The living room however was made up very nicely and the family seemed proud to have us come in and sit and speak with them, in our limited capacity. They spoke little English and we little Zulu. At that point I could really only say hi, how are you, and what is your name. The little kids were the best. They were fascinated by us and two of them just leaned over the arm of the couch I was on and stared at me. I tried to speak to them but they were too quiet and I couldn't understand them. They were interested in my friend's camera so I showed them some pictures and pointed at the people in the room who were in them, then took pictures of them and showed them themselves, which they loved. I also taught them how to high five. They were so adorable. I also got to try some of the very fresh steak after it was cooked over the fire, which was an interesting experience (very chewy). Eventually though it was time to leave the very cute kids and go to the place we would be staying the night- a family friend of the student who organized the trip.
The next day we got ourselves together and got a quick breakfast at Wimpy's (like a Friendly's) and went back to the same home we were at last night. It's actually considered to be a semi-rural area. There is limited running water and electricity. The yard and home were filled with people- community members, family, guests, and the pile of us. It was raining again and with all the people, the yard had turned to red mud. That didn't stop the celebration in any way though. After the bride paraded down the hill to the house with her bridal party, guests broke into traditional dancing in a circle. It was so cool to be standing right there and in the circle. The traditional Zulu dance is to lift one leg as high as you can into the air, and others clap on the beat when you stomp that foot back down (it's hard to explain so luckily I have plenty of video). This often sprays mud into the air so it was a messy but jubilant affair. The dancing was done by mostly males who had impressive flexibility. The day consisted of much of this dancing. There were also a few instances of the elder women parading by singing and carrying special plants. The main focus of the day was when the bride gave out blankets to each member of the groom's family (close and extended). This is to signify that she is ready and capable of caring for all of them now. It was an interesting ceremony. After it was done it was time for the meal. All the international students ate together in a room in the house and the food was excellent. There was some yellow rice, beef in a curry type sauce, potato, steam bread (traditional bread that is soft and gooey), and Zulu beer. Zulu beer is extremely strange. It's fruit and wheat and is only fermented for 3 days. It is the color and consistency of chai tea. We all only had a little taste and that was all we really needed. It's definitely an acquired taste. After the meal we spent some time outside, wandering around the house and interacting with some other guests and the little kids. Some of the local woman asked if we were married and when we said no, they said, "Good, you will be my daughter-in-law, you will marry my son!" The older individuals there expressed their happiness that we were able to come and that we were interested and cultures were mixing. An older gentlemen did his best to convey this to me in English an I got the point and was really flattered because I was so happy that they were willing to have us there. We tried very hard not to be spectators but to interact with everyone. On the way out, waiting for the van to come around, I saw two young boys playing in the neighboring yard with a soccer ball made out of plastic bag full of other platic bags. It really hit me then that while it was great to visit this place, we also get to leave and come back to campus. The people there were so full of life and kind and vibrant but the difference between here and there was undeniable. The entire weekend was one enlightening experience, one that I enjoyed and was happy to have gotten the opportunity to go on.
I think that I will have to save this past weekend's trip for my next post, as well as a class update, but I wanted to at least start catching back up. I hope everything is going well for everyone.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Friday, February 13, 2009
Photos
For those of you who don't have Facebook, you can view my album on Facebook of the trip to Port Shepstone using this link
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2137963&id=7412354&l=269be
There will be more pictures added eventually of the game reserve (giraffes!) but I have to upload them only 5 at a time from these computers so it takes a while.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2137963&id=7412354&l=269be
There will be more pictures added eventually of the game reserve (giraffes!) but I have to upload them only 5 at a time from these computers so it takes a while.
First Week of Classes- Done!
As of 9:30 this morning, I have finished my first week of classes here at UKZN. Monday seems like ages ago. It has been quite a long week. From finding my class rooms (called venues here) to finding out that I was registered for three random classes instead of my selected ones, it's been great but draining.
I've now worked out my schedule (yay!) I am able to stay in the African Music and Dance Ensemble because I found another 8 credit course (2 AU credits)- a vocal ensemble called UKZN Voices. The proposed time for UKZN Voices fits in my schedule and as long as it doesn't change, I will be set. This also means that I can stop going to the extra class- African Politics, even though it was also getting interesting. It should be nice, I think, to have 3 classroom classes and 2 music ensembles. The music professor who signed off on my ensembles said, "so you're here to get some culture." Haha, yes I am, I just hope that doesn't mean that I didn't start with any?
All the classes were very basic this week, as students are still shuffling their classes around, so it was mostly talk about general concepts. Next week things should be getting more specific and I'll be getting some course packs and books. Without real homework yet, I spend my off time sitting outside with friends, reading for leisure, or figuring out the rest of my life here, which also takes up alot of time.
Last night I went to find out more information about the Underwater Club (ie scuba) here and I'm almost positive that I will do the two week course. It consists of classroom and pool training and an exam, and then a three day weekend of qualifying dives in Sodwana Bay, one of the top 20 dive sites. The cost is so much less than it would be in the US, and if I like it (which I think I will) I can do other dives with the club, locally or farther away. The people who run the course seem very nice and flexible and a few of my friends are also going to do it. What a great place to learn, right?
I'm also planning on joining the Residences soccer league, where I'd play with people from my building. I think it's mostly pick-up style games but hopefully I'll have better luck than with intramural at AU, where the first season we had to play in the boys' league with an all girls team, or the second season when half the games were rained out and not rescheduled.
I'll also have to find time to do my reading and homework....
This weekend though I'm going on a unique trip. One of the students here, named Brian, has an uncle getting married this weekend about 45 minutes from here. On Saturday there is a church wedding with white dress, etc. and on Sunday, there is the traditional Zulu wedding, with traditonal music, dress, and food. Brian was kind enough to organize a group of international students to go to the wedding and experience it all. Some of the rest of us heard about it and they were able to make room for more people to go (including me). We have transport and housing taken care of and it should be really exciting and very different!
I've now worked out my schedule (yay!) I am able to stay in the African Music and Dance Ensemble because I found another 8 credit course (2 AU credits)- a vocal ensemble called UKZN Voices. The proposed time for UKZN Voices fits in my schedule and as long as it doesn't change, I will be set. This also means that I can stop going to the extra class- African Politics, even though it was also getting interesting. It should be nice, I think, to have 3 classroom classes and 2 music ensembles. The music professor who signed off on my ensembles said, "so you're here to get some culture." Haha, yes I am, I just hope that doesn't mean that I didn't start with any?
All the classes were very basic this week, as students are still shuffling their classes around, so it was mostly talk about general concepts. Next week things should be getting more specific and I'll be getting some course packs and books. Without real homework yet, I spend my off time sitting outside with friends, reading for leisure, or figuring out the rest of my life here, which also takes up alot of time.
Last night I went to find out more information about the Underwater Club (ie scuba) here and I'm almost positive that I will do the two week course. It consists of classroom and pool training and an exam, and then a three day weekend of qualifying dives in Sodwana Bay, one of the top 20 dive sites. The cost is so much less than it would be in the US, and if I like it (which I think I will) I can do other dives with the club, locally or farther away. The people who run the course seem very nice and flexible and a few of my friends are also going to do it. What a great place to learn, right?
I'm also planning on joining the Residences soccer league, where I'd play with people from my building. I think it's mostly pick-up style games but hopefully I'll have better luck than with intramural at AU, where the first season we had to play in the boys' league with an all girls team, or the second season when half the games were rained out and not rescheduled.
I'll also have to find time to do my reading and homework....
This weekend though I'm going on a unique trip. One of the students here, named Brian, has an uncle getting married this weekend about 45 minutes from here. On Saturday there is a church wedding with white dress, etc. and on Sunday, there is the traditional Zulu wedding, with traditonal music, dress, and food. Brian was kind enough to organize a group of international students to go to the wedding and experience it all. Some of the rest of us heard about it and they were able to make room for more people to go (including me). We have transport and housing taken care of and it should be really exciting and very different!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Classes
I've now come to the end of my second day of classes here at UKZN and I'm pretty darn tired. The first classes here start at 7:45 am, not the late 8:30 am of AU. Most classes end by 4 or 5 pm as well, if not earlier, so there are no 5:30's and 8:30's like at AU either. I am fortunate enough to have to attend three 7:45 classes (Mon, Tues, Wed) for this week at least while working out the glitches in my schedule. Classes also aren't at the same time on the days that they meet. No Mon/Th at 9:55 or anything like that. Classes meet typically for 45 minutes about four times a week, at very different times. And we thought scheduling at AU was hard...
I'm taking four classes, a normal courseload here. I have Environmental Philosophy and Ethics, which seems really great so far. The professor is really cool. He has long hair and wears Keens and cool patterned shirts. He might by philosophy's equivalent of a green hippy, which would be awesome. The class is mostly discussions but is pretty big also which will make things a little difficult in that sense. I look forward to it though.
My next class is Beginner Zulu for non-native speakers. Zulu is the African language most commonly spoken in this area, the KwaZulu-Natal province. I've heard that something like 80% of students here speak Zulu. It is much more widely spoken in these parts than Afrikaans. The teacher jumped right into things and started teaching us basic conversations (which I then immediately forget when I hear people speaking Zulu). It is very different from the way I learned Latin, like with learning declensions and verb tenses, etc. I think it will be difficult but definitely worth it. Luckily there are other international students to practice with and if I'm really brave, native Zulu speakers to practice with on my floor. I have Zulu a whopping 6 times a week, with one class being a double period (counts as 2), one tutorial, and one language lab time.
Next I have the dilemma class. I successfully auditioned for the African Music and Dance Ensemble class and have now attended two classes of it. After the initial audition, we had to audition again in the first class to show the new teacher what we could do. After watching the other students, who were not as I had been told at the same level as me, but instead skilled in African dance, I was mortified. It didn't take me long to notice that I was also the only non-African in the class. The other international students are in the African Music and Dance class, which focuses more on dancing than the ensemble class.
I sang a little something and bent my knees in sync with a drum beat for the second time. I didn't know what to think but I ducked back into the classroom after and the teacher told me that I was fine. I don't know how that's possible but I guess I demonstrated the ability to keep a beat and a desire to learn? Anyways, the teacher is from the DRC and speaks mostly French. I was very nervous for class today because I had no idea what we were going to do. He taught us some of a song and a dance and to my great joy I was able to keep up! I was totally doing it! I danced around in the circle with everyone else and even held my own when we danced in smaller groups of four. I had a great time in the class but it also might be my last class there. The ensemble only counts as 8 credits here, so only 2 at AU. That's like half a class. My credit total is only at 14, which doesn't fulfil my scholarship requirements. I'm looking for another 8 credit class to add, so I'd have 16 credits, but if I can't find one that works, I'll have to drop the class and pick up African Politics, which I have been attending just in case. This makes my days very full and confusing.
My last class is a Religion class about religion, morals and modernity. It is about how religion and modernity effect and influence eachother, as well as the changing roles of morals, particularly in the South African setting. This also seems very interesting to me and like most of my classes, has some of the other international students in it.
Overall I'm finding all my classes to be very compelling. Hopefully I will be able to decide whether to keep the music classes or the politics class really soon so I can stop stressing and attending both.
Being surrounded by the other students these past few days has shown me that UKZN does really live up to it's diverse reputation. I don't think I've ever seen such a diverse student body. There are international students like me from Europe and America, international students from other African countries, white South Africans, Indian South Africans, people in long traditional garments, women in head scarves, everything. I think it's great how no one truly stands out or blends in.
I want to thank everyone who commented on my first blog post! It was so great to read all the comments. I feel so loved and connected with everyone! Your words of support and encouragement were very appreciated.
Aunt Trish- I think it's great that you want to know how it smells here too! There are tons of different smells! In downtown Durban, it smells alot like car exhaust because there is alot of traffic and the public transportation is buses and vans that are everywhere. The ocean smells like it does at home, and if I'm there it smells like sunscreen. People cook here with lots of Indian spices so there is often a curry smell in the air!
I hope everything is going well with everyone wherever they are as well.
I'm taking four classes, a normal courseload here. I have Environmental Philosophy and Ethics, which seems really great so far. The professor is really cool. He has long hair and wears Keens and cool patterned shirts. He might by philosophy's equivalent of a green hippy, which would be awesome. The class is mostly discussions but is pretty big also which will make things a little difficult in that sense. I look forward to it though.
My next class is Beginner Zulu for non-native speakers. Zulu is the African language most commonly spoken in this area, the KwaZulu-Natal province. I've heard that something like 80% of students here speak Zulu. It is much more widely spoken in these parts than Afrikaans. The teacher jumped right into things and started teaching us basic conversations (which I then immediately forget when I hear people speaking Zulu). It is very different from the way I learned Latin, like with learning declensions and verb tenses, etc. I think it will be difficult but definitely worth it. Luckily there are other international students to practice with and if I'm really brave, native Zulu speakers to practice with on my floor. I have Zulu a whopping 6 times a week, with one class being a double period (counts as 2), one tutorial, and one language lab time.
Next I have the dilemma class. I successfully auditioned for the African Music and Dance Ensemble class and have now attended two classes of it. After the initial audition, we had to audition again in the first class to show the new teacher what we could do. After watching the other students, who were not as I had been told at the same level as me, but instead skilled in African dance, I was mortified. It didn't take me long to notice that I was also the only non-African in the class. The other international students are in the African Music and Dance class, which focuses more on dancing than the ensemble class.
I sang a little something and bent my knees in sync with a drum beat for the second time. I didn't know what to think but I ducked back into the classroom after and the teacher told me that I was fine. I don't know how that's possible but I guess I demonstrated the ability to keep a beat and a desire to learn? Anyways, the teacher is from the DRC and speaks mostly French. I was very nervous for class today because I had no idea what we were going to do. He taught us some of a song and a dance and to my great joy I was able to keep up! I was totally doing it! I danced around in the circle with everyone else and even held my own when we danced in smaller groups of four. I had a great time in the class but it also might be my last class there. The ensemble only counts as 8 credits here, so only 2 at AU. That's like half a class. My credit total is only at 14, which doesn't fulfil my scholarship requirements. I'm looking for another 8 credit class to add, so I'd have 16 credits, but if I can't find one that works, I'll have to drop the class and pick up African Politics, which I have been attending just in case. This makes my days very full and confusing.
My last class is a Religion class about religion, morals and modernity. It is about how religion and modernity effect and influence eachother, as well as the changing roles of morals, particularly in the South African setting. This also seems very interesting to me and like most of my classes, has some of the other international students in it.
Overall I'm finding all my classes to be very compelling. Hopefully I will be able to decide whether to keep the music classes or the politics class really soon so I can stop stressing and attending both.
Being surrounded by the other students these past few days has shown me that UKZN does really live up to it's diverse reputation. I don't think I've ever seen such a diverse student body. There are international students like me from Europe and America, international students from other African countries, white South Africans, Indian South Africans, people in long traditional garments, women in head scarves, everything. I think it's great how no one truly stands out or blends in.
I want to thank everyone who commented on my first blog post! It was so great to read all the comments. I feel so loved and connected with everyone! Your words of support and encouragement were very appreciated.
Aunt Trish- I think it's great that you want to know how it smells here too! There are tons of different smells! In downtown Durban, it smells alot like car exhaust because there is alot of traffic and the public transportation is buses and vans that are everywhere. The ocean smells like it does at home, and if I'm there it smells like sunscreen. People cook here with lots of Indian spices so there is often a curry smell in the air!
I hope everything is going well with everyone wherever they are as well.
Sunday, February 8, 2009
This is at the flea market in downtown Durban. Notice the blue sky and palm trees.
Suncoast beach. 
A view of the port area of Durban from the front side of campus. A very nice view to have everyday.
This is my room! I took this standing on my bed and it's the best view of the whole room, demonstrating it's size as well. On the other walls I have some photos up as well. 
This is right outside my dorm!
Hello!
Hello Everyone!
I'm sorry if I've been seriously missing these past two weeks that I have been in South Africa. There has been alot to do to settle in and get ready for classes, as well as lots to see and do otherwise. Unlike at AU, there is no wireless in the dorms, not that I was expecting it. I can use the computer lab on campus with my student id (which took several days to procure) or I can use my laptop in the library. Facebook, however, is blocked until 6 pm, so I have only been on it once in the last two weeks, because in the evening, I eat and make attempts to be social in real life. In short, there are things to work around for updating everyone and posting pictures, but now that classes are starting, I should be online more regularly. Don't expect me on Facebook or AIM alot, but I should be able to blog frequently and add pictures when I can. Feel free to email me if I don't seem to be getting back on Facebook.
Anyways, now that that is disclaimer is out of the way, things have been going well so far. I will have been here for two weeks this Tuesday. Rather than try go back to all those days, I think I will just post the updates that I sent my parents through email, which talk about what I've been doing and feeling thus far.
This is the first one, from Jan. 29, two days after I arrived.
Hello from UKZN!
I am finally online after a lot of finagling here at the library. I am able to access my email and my AIM but I am not able to get to Facebook. Today was the second day of international student orientation. We were spoken to about many of the different aspects of campus, such as their version of the Student Health Center, Counseling services, the HIV/AIDS Center, and Safety. Some students seemed annoyed that we had to sit and listen but I was very grateful for the information nonetheless. There were many more international students present today. There is a contingent of American students that came through one program called InterStudy, they are nice but a little tight-knit already. There are also two more American students who recently arrived. One’s name is Megan Kerr! She is from Philly and claims 100% Irish heritage. She even has dual citizenship. In total there are more Americans than students from other countries. There are 14 of us I think which is somewhat of a comfort.
After the talks we went to the pool and the “underwater clubhouse.” There we learned more about all the different sport clubs being offered. I have given my information to do the underwater club, what we would call scuba-diving! You can take a class and get your certification and borrow most equipment. It is expensive in rand (South African currency- 10 rand is about 1 dollar) but it will be so much cheaper than getting it at home. They also take you on a few diving trips! Apparently South Africa is one of the top 10 dive spots! I also want to join the residents soccer club. After the sports talk we had a breei (sp?) which is kind of like a bbq. There were like Italian sausages and sodas. Down by the underwater club (which is a pretty happening/crazy place) I saw two monkeys on campus! Apparently that is not unusual at all. It was awesome. There are also these birds called ibis’s which are big and pretty but very loud in the mornings.
I am still not able to sleep well at night, however. It is always so loud. I have noticed that most of the European students, Indians, and white South Africans do not live on campus. It kind of has a bad rap. There are no other American or European students in my residential area so far. The Norwegians I met today live off campus because it is apparently safer. AU however requires me to live on campus… Hopefully I will get used to the noise and the strange voices speaking Zulu at night. I will just always lock myself in and lock my window at night. I am still unsure and alternate between feeling good and bad about safety in the city, depending on who I talk to. I might be going into the city this evening with some people who have been. I will just have to be very careful.
This one from Feb. 1
Yesterday I got to the beach finally. We went to an area of North Beach called Suncoast. It is called that because of the Suncoast hotel and casino and shopping area there. The water was nice and warm but the waves are stronger here. It's like being in Delaware after a storm or something. It also tastes saltier if that is possible. I enjoyed my first dip in the Indian Ocean.
I decided to go to the flea market today. We caught the public trans down there and then walked around to the different stands. I wish I could take more pictures but I have been warned not to advertise that you are carrying a camera, so I only take a few here and there in nice places. I bought a nice bracelet with small colorful glass beads of different shapes and sizes that wraps around your wrist. I also got a navy blue cloth headband, hoping to tame the mane a little better. There were so many stands that we didn't get to go to them all because it was sooo hot again. We then took another van to an area with a shopping place called Musgrave. It took us a long time to find the right corner where these vans come but we didn't have any problems on the streets, it just feels a little uncomfortable after a while because of all the warnings we've received. At Musgrave I bought some cute plastic plates and a glass as well as some more groceries so now I have some frozen breaded chicken breasts, and lots of fresh veggies and yogurt to mix in with my non-perishables. I am still getting used to travelling around with people I don't know too well and seeing how everyone's mannerisms and attention to time match up....if you know what I mean.
The last from Feb. 6, after I went on a trip to Port Shepstone with 9 other international students, all girls.
My trip to Port Shepstone was a great first trip, I think. It's important, but difficult, when travelling with a big group to really take in each experience for yourself and have your best time. I was with 9 girls so sometimes things were a little complicated but I had a great time. The area is really nice. It is more like a quiet town than the city of Durban, which was really nice. The backpackers (hostel) that we stayed in was awesome! Many of the walls had beautiful beach murals on them, there pet dogs and cats, a roof deck, a bar, and sitting and cooking areas. It was a five minute walk to the beach and to a small family-owned superette. We arrived early in the morning our first day there, so we spent most of the rest of the day at the local beach, Umzumbe Beach. The man who paints the murals at the hostel took us down there and showed us a nice place to snorkel! It wasn't a coral reef or anything but I saw a few different kinds of fish and enjoyed floating and breathing in the warm, clear water. Another plus- we were the only ones on the beach except for the occasional local. I found some nice sea glass and shells as well. We ate dinner with the other backpackers- you can pitch in and eat community-style there. I slept in a teepee (in Africa?) that was really nice and had raised beds and bedding provided. The second day we went to the Oribi Gorge. The backpackers also have a large van (called the Volksie Lady) that they can transport you in and they include the drive fee with the entrance fee to the various parks and reserves. I would suggest googling the Oribi Gorge and Youtubing the Gorge swing (the highest in the world), Mom said she found some good stuff. I didn't do the swing but I did horseback ride for over an hour around the gorge for a meer USD $20. It was really nice and the instructor taught us how to trot on the horse by the end. He also let us get off twice to take pictures and watch two of our girls swing. I have some amazing photos- it was a beautiful place. We got back in the van and went to the Lake Eland Game Reserve. It is a smaller reserve but close by and inexpensive and our backpacker driver gave us sort of an impromptu safari in the van. I spotted the first giraffes from across the way! When we were close we could only see their heads and necks poking up from down a hill but it was so cool! We also got to see eland, impala, wildebeast, blessbuck, zebra, and large termite hills. My list of seen species is growing. We also had a loaf of bread that we bought for sandwiches stolen by a monkey from the hostel kitchen (which has no outside door- open air)...not kidding. There are lots of monkeys. The third day many of the girls were tired and a bit lackluster and wouldn't must to any of our (brilliant) plans, so we spent alot of time sitting around the hostel. I read up on other backpackers in their free guide books and played some ping pong. We took one walk down the local beach and then it started to rain. We ended up getting the driver to take us to Shelly Beach which has lots of shops (it's a mall, there are lots here) and we saw Bride Wars (which I had seen states side already) and got dinner. It wasn't a bad day though, and I had an awesome time overall- a good first trip.
Our Zulu trip is going to run (a bit of a scare with not enough people) but not until Feb. 20. I will be ready then though and very excited! I have worked out my class schedule now but need to do a Change of Curriculum form to add and drop some classes once lectures start. It's a beautiful day today so soon we will be heading to the beach. Tonight there is an on-campus, school-sponsored party for first year students and everyone to kick off the year (imagine that!) so I hope to be back for at least some of that.
So now that you are updated in a round about way of what I've been doing so far, I thought I'd write a bit more about where I am actually going to school- The University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. The campus is truly beautiful. There are lots of jungle-type plants including some beautiful flowers that I think are called birds of paradise. There are beautiful trees, some palm trees, and giant leaves. Walking around here in the sun I feel like you can't really have a truly bad day because of your natural surroundings (I'm sure thought that I will test this theory later, I hope it holds). You can see the occasional gecko or monkey (which is so cool). At first it was very humid here and I feared that nothing would ever dry (my towel usually doesn't) but apparently that was a bit of a wet swing. It is drier now but very hot. The trips to the beach are always great for that reason. I have a hard time remembering that it is winter at home, despite everyone from home always reminding me. I have almost used an entire new bottle of sunscreen already in just 2 weeks. I haven't gotten any bad burns though, just some patchy stuff where it has rubbed off or I forgot to cover.
Almost anything you can imagine is different here though, even if it is just a little bit. For example, I would swear that the diet Coke (called Coke Light) is different, as well as the M and M's. In the dorms you have to supply your own padlock and key, or combo lock, to secure your own door. My building has the smallest rooms on campus (joy) although it is the newest (although it really can't be that new...). I have a built in bed and desk, attached to the wall, a bulletin board, a closet, and some shelves. It's small but I have gotten used to it for the most part and made it homey. The bathrooms are another difference- you have to bring in your own roll of toilet paper when you go (the school hands them out- a generous 8 rolls per month) as well as your own soap and hand towel. I missed the initial passing out of tp which was kind of a problem for a little while, but thankfully I had my Charmin to go on hand. The girls on my floor (it's all girls, then the next one is all boys) are all really nice and it is quieter on campus at night I think because classes are coming and holidays are ending.
The campus is at the top of a hill, so all the pathes through the tropical plants are stairs or sloping. My dorm is at the bottom, so I walk up mostly to the other buildings. I will be getting good exercise climbing the stairs in the heat.
I am often homesick but it's similar to when I started at AU as a freshman. It passes and I just need to keep busy. I like being around the other international students but I also need my own peace and quiet sometimes. I have to remember that I wouldn't be at home anyway right now, but down in the cold in D.C. I miss my friends at home and AU, as well as my family and take one day at a time here, but there is so much potential and learning to come, as well as amazing things to see and experience.
I'm sorry if I've been seriously missing these past two weeks that I have been in South Africa. There has been alot to do to settle in and get ready for classes, as well as lots to see and do otherwise. Unlike at AU, there is no wireless in the dorms, not that I was expecting it. I can use the computer lab on campus with my student id (which took several days to procure) or I can use my laptop in the library. Facebook, however, is blocked until 6 pm, so I have only been on it once in the last two weeks, because in the evening, I eat and make attempts to be social in real life. In short, there are things to work around for updating everyone and posting pictures, but now that classes are starting, I should be online more regularly. Don't expect me on Facebook or AIM alot, but I should be able to blog frequently and add pictures when I can. Feel free to email me if I don't seem to be getting back on Facebook.
Anyways, now that that is disclaimer is out of the way, things have been going well so far. I will have been here for two weeks this Tuesday. Rather than try go back to all those days, I think I will just post the updates that I sent my parents through email, which talk about what I've been doing and feeling thus far.
This is the first one, from Jan. 29, two days after I arrived.
Hello from UKZN!
I am finally online after a lot of finagling here at the library. I am able to access my email and my AIM but I am not able to get to Facebook. Today was the second day of international student orientation. We were spoken to about many of the different aspects of campus, such as their version of the Student Health Center, Counseling services, the HIV/AIDS Center, and Safety. Some students seemed annoyed that we had to sit and listen but I was very grateful for the information nonetheless. There were many more international students present today. There is a contingent of American students that came through one program called InterStudy, they are nice but a little tight-knit already. There are also two more American students who recently arrived. One’s name is Megan Kerr! She is from Philly and claims 100% Irish heritage. She even has dual citizenship. In total there are more Americans than students from other countries. There are 14 of us I think which is somewhat of a comfort.
After the talks we went to the pool and the “underwater clubhouse.” There we learned more about all the different sport clubs being offered. I have given my information to do the underwater club, what we would call scuba-diving! You can take a class and get your certification and borrow most equipment. It is expensive in rand (South African currency- 10 rand is about 1 dollar) but it will be so much cheaper than getting it at home. They also take you on a few diving trips! Apparently South Africa is one of the top 10 dive spots! I also want to join the residents soccer club. After the sports talk we had a breei (sp?) which is kind of like a bbq. There were like Italian sausages and sodas. Down by the underwater club (which is a pretty happening/crazy place) I saw two monkeys on campus! Apparently that is not unusual at all. It was awesome. There are also these birds called ibis’s which are big and pretty but very loud in the mornings.
I am still not able to sleep well at night, however. It is always so loud. I have noticed that most of the European students, Indians, and white South Africans do not live on campus. It kind of has a bad rap. There are no other American or European students in my residential area so far. The Norwegians I met today live off campus because it is apparently safer. AU however requires me to live on campus… Hopefully I will get used to the noise and the strange voices speaking Zulu at night. I will just always lock myself in and lock my window at night. I am still unsure and alternate between feeling good and bad about safety in the city, depending on who I talk to. I might be going into the city this evening with some people who have been. I will just have to be very careful.
This one from Feb. 1
Yesterday I got to the beach finally. We went to an area of North Beach called Suncoast. It is called that because of the Suncoast hotel and casino and shopping area there. The water was nice and warm but the waves are stronger here. It's like being in Delaware after a storm or something. It also tastes saltier if that is possible. I enjoyed my first dip in the Indian Ocean.
I decided to go to the flea market today. We caught the public trans down there and then walked around to the different stands. I wish I could take more pictures but I have been warned not to advertise that you are carrying a camera, so I only take a few here and there in nice places. I bought a nice bracelet with small colorful glass beads of different shapes and sizes that wraps around your wrist. I also got a navy blue cloth headband, hoping to tame the mane a little better. There were so many stands that we didn't get to go to them all because it was sooo hot again. We then took another van to an area with a shopping place called Musgrave. It took us a long time to find the right corner where these vans come but we didn't have any problems on the streets, it just feels a little uncomfortable after a while because of all the warnings we've received. At Musgrave I bought some cute plastic plates and a glass as well as some more groceries so now I have some frozen breaded chicken breasts, and lots of fresh veggies and yogurt to mix in with my non-perishables. I am still getting used to travelling around with people I don't know too well and seeing how everyone's mannerisms and attention to time match up....if you know what I mean.
The last from Feb. 6, after I went on a trip to Port Shepstone with 9 other international students, all girls.
My trip to Port Shepstone was a great first trip, I think. It's important, but difficult, when travelling with a big group to really take in each experience for yourself and have your best time. I was with 9 girls so sometimes things were a little complicated but I had a great time. The area is really nice. It is more like a quiet town than the city of Durban, which was really nice. The backpackers (hostel) that we stayed in was awesome! Many of the walls had beautiful beach murals on them, there pet dogs and cats, a roof deck, a bar, and sitting and cooking areas. It was a five minute walk to the beach and to a small family-owned superette. We arrived early in the morning our first day there, so we spent most of the rest of the day at the local beach, Umzumbe Beach. The man who paints the murals at the hostel took us down there and showed us a nice place to snorkel! It wasn't a coral reef or anything but I saw a few different kinds of fish and enjoyed floating and breathing in the warm, clear water. Another plus- we were the only ones on the beach except for the occasional local. I found some nice sea glass and shells as well. We ate dinner with the other backpackers- you can pitch in and eat community-style there. I slept in a teepee (in Africa?) that was really nice and had raised beds and bedding provided. The second day we went to the Oribi Gorge. The backpackers also have a large van (called the Volksie Lady) that they can transport you in and they include the drive fee with the entrance fee to the various parks and reserves. I would suggest googling the Oribi Gorge and Youtubing the Gorge swing (the highest in the world), Mom said she found some good stuff. I didn't do the swing but I did horseback ride for over an hour around the gorge for a meer USD $20. It was really nice and the instructor taught us how to trot on the horse by the end. He also let us get off twice to take pictures and watch two of our girls swing. I have some amazing photos- it was a beautiful place. We got back in the van and went to the Lake Eland Game Reserve. It is a smaller reserve but close by and inexpensive and our backpacker driver gave us sort of an impromptu safari in the van. I spotted the first giraffes from across the way! When we were close we could only see their heads and necks poking up from down a hill but it was so cool! We also got to see eland, impala, wildebeast, blessbuck, zebra, and large termite hills. My list of seen species is growing. We also had a loaf of bread that we bought for sandwiches stolen by a monkey from the hostel kitchen (which has no outside door- open air)...not kidding. There are lots of monkeys. The third day many of the girls were tired and a bit lackluster and wouldn't must to any of our (brilliant) plans, so we spent alot of time sitting around the hostel. I read up on other backpackers in their free guide books and played some ping pong. We took one walk down the local beach and then it started to rain. We ended up getting the driver to take us to Shelly Beach which has lots of shops (it's a mall, there are lots here) and we saw Bride Wars (which I had seen states side already) and got dinner. It wasn't a bad day though, and I had an awesome time overall- a good first trip.
Our Zulu trip is going to run (a bit of a scare with not enough people) but not until Feb. 20. I will be ready then though and very excited! I have worked out my class schedule now but need to do a Change of Curriculum form to add and drop some classes once lectures start. It's a beautiful day today so soon we will be heading to the beach. Tonight there is an on-campus, school-sponsored party for first year students and everyone to kick off the year (imagine that!) so I hope to be back for at least some of that.
So now that you are updated in a round about way of what I've been doing so far, I thought I'd write a bit more about where I am actually going to school- The University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa. The campus is truly beautiful. There are lots of jungle-type plants including some beautiful flowers that I think are called birds of paradise. There are beautiful trees, some palm trees, and giant leaves. Walking around here in the sun I feel like you can't really have a truly bad day because of your natural surroundings (I'm sure thought that I will test this theory later, I hope it holds). You can see the occasional gecko or monkey (which is so cool). At first it was very humid here and I feared that nothing would ever dry (my towel usually doesn't) but apparently that was a bit of a wet swing. It is drier now but very hot. The trips to the beach are always great for that reason. I have a hard time remembering that it is winter at home, despite everyone from home always reminding me. I have almost used an entire new bottle of sunscreen already in just 2 weeks. I haven't gotten any bad burns though, just some patchy stuff where it has rubbed off or I forgot to cover.
Almost anything you can imagine is different here though, even if it is just a little bit. For example, I would swear that the diet Coke (called Coke Light) is different, as well as the M and M's. In the dorms you have to supply your own padlock and key, or combo lock, to secure your own door. My building has the smallest rooms on campus (joy) although it is the newest (although it really can't be that new...). I have a built in bed and desk, attached to the wall, a bulletin board, a closet, and some shelves. It's small but I have gotten used to it for the most part and made it homey. The bathrooms are another difference- you have to bring in your own roll of toilet paper when you go (the school hands them out- a generous 8 rolls per month) as well as your own soap and hand towel. I missed the initial passing out of tp which was kind of a problem for a little while, but thankfully I had my Charmin to go on hand. The girls on my floor (it's all girls, then the next one is all boys) are all really nice and it is quieter on campus at night I think because classes are coming and holidays are ending.
The campus is at the top of a hill, so all the pathes through the tropical plants are stairs or sloping. My dorm is at the bottom, so I walk up mostly to the other buildings. I will be getting good exercise climbing the stairs in the heat.
I am often homesick but it's similar to when I started at AU as a freshman. It passes and I just need to keep busy. I like being around the other international students but I also need my own peace and quiet sometimes. I have to remember that I wouldn't be at home anyway right now, but down in the cold in D.C. I miss my friends at home and AU, as well as my family and take one day at a time here, but there is so much potential and learning to come, as well as amazing things to see and experience.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)