I had an amazing weekend. We went to the horse races on Saturday after we went shopping the day before to find dresses that would work for the occasion. The theme was plum, patterns and metallic. I had a black dress with silver stripes and lots of jewelry, including feathers in my hair. We got picked up by my friend Tim and Tessa, Mallory and I all went to the races and met up with his friends. We started with gin and tonics at noon because the goal of the races is to drink and place bets. There were so many outrageous dresses. It was amazing. The people who dress up for the contests have some of the craziest outfits I have ever seen. There was a woman who had a multicolored chiffon dress with a gold jumpsuit underneath held together with gold rings and a huge matching hat. She made it into the newspaper the next day. We headed home in the evening and went to a few after party BBQs because the crowds were so big at the event. It made me think of a little less ritzy Kentucky Derby, which only makes me want to see the one in Kentucky.
School has been going really well and my community engagement project is fantastic. I am really happy here and still love my roommates.
Lots of love to all!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Horse Races
Today I'm going to the horse races. They are a huge deal here in South Africa and resemble the Kentucky Derby. Tessa (my roommate), Mallory and I are all going with some of our friends from here. We went dress shopping on Long Street, and although we are not all completely themed - the theme is plum, metallic and patterns - I think we all look pretty stunning.
I will try to post some pictures up from the races if I can. It is really expensive to put pictures up because it it slow and uses lots of megabytes. The internet here is pretty inexpensive when do anything that is megabyte intensive.
We finished our third week of school yesterday and I am pretty surprised. The time has been going by so quickly. We are going to Port Elizabeth in two weeks. AND we are MEETING Archbishop Desmond Tutu THIS FRIDAY!!!! One of the volunteers from the program we worked with the first week, the DAC, has worked since our first week here to make sure that we get to meet him. Our house got a personal invitation from his personal assistant. We will meet him after he does service at St. George's Cathedral.
Our house situation is going really well. I am having a wonderful time with everyone and have made really great friends. Tessa is my roommate, we share a room, and she is fantastic. We spend a lot of time together and laugh pretty much all the time. She's a crazy work out girl who drags me to the gym and makes sure I do all the fun stuff here. Mallory is another girl I spend a lot of time with. She is in a sorority at the UW and studies psychology. Alena and Mary are roommates and they are amazing. Mary is sarcastic, flippant and fantastic because she always has a good way of making people laugh and doing it through her sarcasm. Alena is super laid back and always brings a sense of calm to the group. I will slowly but surely try to fill you in on people as the group goes.
The way we can fit so many people in this house is that is a hostile when we are not here, but the house was designed for our CHID program. It is sort of two houses joined together. I live in the side of the house with two bathrooms, a kitchen, the living room, the front door and the jacuzzi. There are 5 bedrooms on this side of the house. Then you walk through our kitchen and walk to the patio. That is where is other part of the house starts. They have a bigger kitchen, one bathroom and 4 bedrooms. It's a great set up for all of us.
Food here is great. I have been eating out a lot, but we have two grocery stores within 5 minutes from our house, one that is right around the corner. We have lots of good food places in the area that we go to, but we also try to venture out and try new food throughout the city. We ask the boys we've been hanging out with all the time where they recommend and have already gone to an amazing steak house that cost $15 US dollars for steak and drinks. Money here definitely goes farther.
Thanks for all your responses back to my posts. It is great to know that all of you are reading this.
Lots of love!
I will try to post some pictures up from the races if I can. It is really expensive to put pictures up because it it slow and uses lots of megabytes. The internet here is pretty inexpensive when do anything that is megabyte intensive.
We finished our third week of school yesterday and I am pretty surprised. The time has been going by so quickly. We are going to Port Elizabeth in two weeks. AND we are MEETING Archbishop Desmond Tutu THIS FRIDAY!!!! One of the volunteers from the program we worked with the first week, the DAC, has worked since our first week here to make sure that we get to meet him. Our house got a personal invitation from his personal assistant. We will meet him after he does service at St. George's Cathedral.
Our house situation is going really well. I am having a wonderful time with everyone and have made really great friends. Tessa is my roommate, we share a room, and she is fantastic. We spend a lot of time together and laugh pretty much all the time. She's a crazy work out girl who drags me to the gym and makes sure I do all the fun stuff here. Mallory is another girl I spend a lot of time with. She is in a sorority at the UW and studies psychology. Alena and Mary are roommates and they are amazing. Mary is sarcastic, flippant and fantastic because she always has a good way of making people laugh and doing it through her sarcasm. Alena is super laid back and always brings a sense of calm to the group. I will slowly but surely try to fill you in on people as the group goes.
The way we can fit so many people in this house is that is a hostile when we are not here, but the house was designed for our CHID program. It is sort of two houses joined together. I live in the side of the house with two bathrooms, a kitchen, the living room, the front door and the jacuzzi. There are 5 bedrooms on this side of the house. Then you walk through our kitchen and walk to the patio. That is where is other part of the house starts. They have a bigger kitchen, one bathroom and 4 bedrooms. It's a great set up for all of us.
Food here is great. I have been eating out a lot, but we have two grocery stores within 5 minutes from our house, one that is right around the corner. We have lots of good food places in the area that we go to, but we also try to venture out and try new food throughout the city. We ask the boys we've been hanging out with all the time where they recommend and have already gone to an amazing steak house that cost $15 US dollars for steak and drinks. Money here definitely goes farther.
Thanks for all your responses back to my posts. It is great to know that all of you are reading this.
Lots of love!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Week 3
I have been in Cape Town now for almost three weeks and am starting my third week of school.
Last week we spent some time looking at the history of the Apartheid, primarily by looking at the monuments set up during the time period. In particular we focused on Cecil Rhodes, who was a major part of the colonizing movement in Africa during the 1800s and wanted to own all the land from Cape Town to Cairo. We also visited the sites where some of the students will have their community engagement projects. Lovelife, which is an organization for youth that incorporates sports and HIV/AIDS education. We also went to a school in Langa, a township in the Cape Flats, where some students will be working with a program called hands for a bridge that brings students from Roosevelt High School to Cape Town.
I am going to be working with the Direct Action Center for Peace and Memory and I will be helping put together the text for their website and also help to plan an event in March that focuses on Domestic Violence in the context of masculinity. I am very excited.
We also had a lot of birthday parties so far this trip. Suzanne's was last Monday and we all went out to Mexican food and then ran around Observatory, where I live, going to the local bars. For Ashley's birthday on Friday we had a huge house soccer game and then a big BBQ at home.
On Sunday we went to a township called Guguletu and went to a huge party. Every Sunday many of the mid-20s people in the township come together and eat and dance. We were brought my a waitress we know from a cafe up the street. It was a great day.
My studies are going well and I will update you all soon.
Lots of love!
Last week we spent some time looking at the history of the Apartheid, primarily by looking at the monuments set up during the time period. In particular we focused on Cecil Rhodes, who was a major part of the colonizing movement in Africa during the 1800s and wanted to own all the land from Cape Town to Cairo. We also visited the sites where some of the students will have their community engagement projects. Lovelife, which is an organization for youth that incorporates sports and HIV/AIDS education. We also went to a school in Langa, a township in the Cape Flats, where some students will be working with a program called hands for a bridge that brings students from Roosevelt High School to Cape Town.
I am going to be working with the Direct Action Center for Peace and Memory and I will be helping put together the text for their website and also help to plan an event in March that focuses on Domestic Violence in the context of masculinity. I am very excited.
We also had a lot of birthday parties so far this trip. Suzanne's was last Monday and we all went out to Mexican food and then ran around Observatory, where I live, going to the local bars. For Ashley's birthday on Friday we had a huge house soccer game and then a big BBQ at home.
On Sunday we went to a township called Guguletu and went to a huge party. Every Sunday many of the mid-20s people in the township come together and eat and dance. We were brought my a waitress we know from a cafe up the street. It was a great day.
My studies are going well and I will update you all soon.
Lots of love!
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Week 2
It's been a good last two weeks. I just found out the organization that I am going to be working with and it is the Direct Action Center for Peace and Memory. This is the group that we worked with the first week and I will helping to organize an event in March meant to facilitate a dialogue about violence, peace and memory. I'm really excited.
Right now we are having a pizza party at our house and playing Catch Phrase with the entire 18 person house and our teacher Ron.
Love you all.
Right now we are having a pizza party at our house and playing Catch Phrase with the entire 18 person house and our teacher Ron.
Love you all.
Saturday, January 05, 2008
Cape Town
I have safely arrived in Cape Town. There are 14 people from the program already here and it starts on the 7th. Our house is absolutely beautiful. There are nine rooms, so two people to a room. We have an upstairs, a jacuzzi, a huge patio with a barbecue, two kitchens and a roof that we can lie out and tan on. So far we have gone to the beach, lounged around the house, found a gym and gone grocery shopping. It has been pretty laid back.
I'll update you all when the program starts and I know more about what I will be doing in Cape Town.
Lots of love to you all.
I'll update you all when the program starts and I know more about what I will be doing in Cape Town.
Lots of love to you all.
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