Day 15: And he rested on the seventh day

Happy Christening, Mollie Georgia!

Unfortunately or fortunately depending on your perspective, I spent this dreary day asleep, eating, or writing a paper. This coming week will be insane! A small group of us will spend the week traveling up and down the South African coast to explore all the adventure the Garden Route has to offer. I won't have access to my computer but expect some crazy tales next weekend. Hopefully, I will live to tell you all about it... For now, enjoy some of my favorite pictures from the week!

South Africa has the most beautiful rainbows!

I'm on the tip of Africa!

Ostriches roam the coast!

Our vineyard view!

Day 14: Love and dance are the universal languages

After craving the tasty market food all week, most of us returned to the Old Biscuit Mill yesterday morning. This time, we planned ahead and ended up staying for breakfast and lunch at the dismay to our full tummies. I had the best hot chocolate that could certainly trump Starbucks and Jittery Joe's on any day. I guess it makes it easier when you have a chocolate store in the market. The cold rain could not keep us away from this place!



The Global LEAD faculty chose a few participants as student leaders to help facilitate our time in Sir Lowry’s township. Friday, a select group met to design a mural to brighten up the community school. Yesterday, we planned to start priming the walls and meet with the principal and other community leaders. However, our intentions changed when we pulled up to the school. As we stepped out of the car, the cutest kids in the entire world swarmed us with the hugs, kisses, and smiles. Instead of painting, spending several hours of “Little Sally Walker” and net ball seemed much more enticing. One little, three year old girl named Ashley attacked herself to me for the rest of the day. She owned one of two soccer balls in the community which she proudly kicked and threw to me over and over. When she wasn’t climbing on my back or giving me kisses, Ashley used my hair to practice her stylist techniques. I didn’t look half bad! She definitely has a profession in the making.



Once we realized the sun got closer to the horizon line, we tried to distract the kids so we could actually start the mural project. While I love painting, playing with the kids was much more entertaining. Most students don’t begin learning English until they reach seven or eight so an obvious language barrier existed. I noticed that several of the boys constantly practiced their Michael Jackson and breakdancing steps on the edge of the basketball court. I broke the language barrier by having them teach me their favorite dances. We immediately connected when we both knew the “Beat It” dance by heart. I sense a talent show in the near future. Besides dance, they all crave attention and love. Even though they have so little, they only want someone to love them. I think we could all learn something from these precious children.



I came back to the apartment to a surprise from my roommates’ favorite group of boys down the hall. These sweet boys made our apartment a scrumptious fish dinner with salad and bread all fresh from the market. (Yes, girls, they do exist.) Of course, we had to bring something to the table. Gooey brownies and ice cream could not have gone better with the atmosphere. While the dinner was phenomenal, the boys singing High School Musical may have topped off the evening.



Stuffed, we somehow made it to the Goldfish concert in downtown Cape Town. Earlier in our trip, locals suggested that we attend this original Cape Town band when they returned to the city for their last show of the tour. Why not? None of us had no idea what to expect but knew it would be a good time nonetheless. Moral of the story… I may have a new top five favorite band. Goldfish has created the most original mixture of acoustic music and techno sounds. Can you imagine rave music with a saxophone and a flute? Look them up on You Tube. They will completely change your opinion on the definition of music.

Day 13: My first and only visit to prison

Happy birthday, Jessie Strom!



The alarm went off alittle too early this morning so we could form a better understanding of the history of South Africa before embarking on our historical tour. The forty five minute boat ride ended at the load dock at Seal Island or translated into Dutch, “Robben Island.” This small piece of land housed political prisoners during the apartheid movement, one of its most famous being Nelson Mandela. Because the apartheid ended in recent memory, much of the history remains intact. In fact, the boat we road to begin our day served as prisoner and visitor transportation. The guards packed the prisoners at the bottom of the boat where you could feel the height of the waves most readily; just ask my stomach.



Then, a bus took us on a tour of the island including where the guard dogs lived, the island offices, and rock quarries where the inmates worked. However, I found the maximum security prison the most compelling. We walked through mazes of gates and long hallways of cells. Each “bedroom” had a story about the individual who lived in the cell with their picture making the experience eerie. However, I was fascinated by our tour guide Thandi. This man served time alongside political criminals including Mandela for eighteen years at Robben Island. I was mesmerized by his stories as he traced back his terrifying steps through the prison. One room spanned about forty yards in length and twenty yards wide. Here, eighty men slept on the floor in unbelievable cramped positions. Thandi described how each man laid in the same position, but when he had to change sleepying positions, he elbowed his neighbor so that the entire line of people switched sides. When I think of prisons prior to this experience, I imagine people who have committed terrible crimes. In reality, the entire population of Robben Island simply tried to make South Africa more equitable for its people.

After our educational tour, four of us met to brainstorm a sketch for our service week mural. While in Cape Town, we will run an afterschool program for students in the Sir Lowry’s township, a very poor area of the city. In addition to loving on the kids, we have the opportunity to better the community as well. One mission involves creating a mural that the teachers can use to educate their students on South African history. Today, the “artists” of the group met to begin deciding on what we want our masterpiece to look like. I won’t divulge any information yet but expect Van Gough’s work in the coming weeks.



My day ended with the most delicious hamburger that has ever graced my presence. Believe it or not, it tops Fuddruckers AND Steak and Shake by a kilometer! Café Royale gloats about their famous burgers even to the point of buying the loft upstairs to serve as a waiting room for all of the people who want to try their specialty. I hear their milkshakes top the charts too!



Random Story: Over the past two weeks, I have made friends with the receptionist in the lobby of our apartment. This man fascinates me and has taught me so much about living in this beautiful country. The other day, he told me a story that I just could not wait to share. Gideon exclaimed that he could not wait to win the lottery so that he could one day go to America. Naturally, I asked where he would want to visit after seeing me in Marietta. I expected New York, Los Angeles, maybe Chicago. His number one dream is to visit… the great state of Alabama. Wait, what? Naïve Gideon wants to see the “beautiful mountains of Alabama.” While I did not discourage him from his dream, I suggested just as “beautiful” places such as the Colorado and the Appalachian Trial.

Day 12: Would you like some cheese with that whine?

No, I am most certainly not complaining. I went on a vineyard tour yesterday! We drove through the rolling hills of the Cape Town countryside to the Haut Espoir, a vineyard run by a sweet man and his family. His three year old, precious son met us as we each got off the bus and proceeded to give us a kid’s tour of the vineyard. Of course, his father chimed in with facts about each type of grape plant, showed us an example of the national flower, and offered medicinal cures for the chorus of coughers in our group. I can not imagine living in an area with a majestic background of the mountains and fall-like colors in the foreground. What a life! The owner explained that just within the past hundred years, elephants roamed the valleys as noted by the trails carved through mountains. Yes, I did picture the Land Before Time series as he described the land.



As the owner continued to speak, I found myself getting lost in translation. I know next to nothing about wine and worried about my engagement for the rest of the tour. Granite, this thought lasted for a total of twenty seconds, because then, we got a once in a life-time opportunity. (This seems to be a common theme on this trip.) We broke into small groups in which the owner gave us glasses, five different wines, and an empty bottle. For the next hour, each group had to dust off the cobwebs from our high school chemistry days to combine the wines to create the best tasting blend. The winning group would receive a free case. Game on! Our group put on our pretend wine connoisseur hats and began mixing. Believe it or not, our blend of Merlot, Petit Verdo, Cab Franc, and other unpronounceable flavors did not taste half bad! We even had the opportunity to create a label for our new found wine A Shot in the Dark, appropriately describing our experience. As luck would have it, we did not win all the glory, but all is fair in love in war.



For the remaining afternoon, our group wondered around the quaint city indulging in delicious restaurants and shopping. I had a delicious “lasagna” platter that did not consist of meat or noddles, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. I did eye the boys’ double decker burger if I am honest. Maybe, tomorrow will be a burger day!

The town could have satisfied any European city, but the most intriguing aspect of the day consisted of accompanying Ish at his home mosque. What an enlightening experience! South Africa has a large Islamic population with parts of Cape Town reaching seventy percent Muslim. Our curiosity got the best of us when Ish invited us to attend his mosque followed by a question and answer session. We entered the mosque by removing our shoes and walked up the stairs to the balcony where the women traditionally worship. The intricate carpet laid in diagonal rows facing Mecca, and a digital clock hung on one of the walls. Muslims pray five times a day at sunrise, one o’clock, five o’clock, sunset, and seven o’clock, so the clock has great significance. We watched as the men conducted their sunset prayer listening to them recite the Qu’ran. Afterwards, the “priest” answered our questions about their customs, beliefs, American perceptions, and pilgrimages. I was overwhelmed at their dedication to their practice and how comparable Islam and Christianity can be. Of course, they have drastic, foundational differences as well. In experiencing new traditions, I have grown in my own understanding of others and myself.

Day 11: Happy Africa Day!

Before you begin, you may want a cup of coffee. I have lots to tell about!



Believe it or not, today is Africa Day! Thanks for telling me, Google! According to the ever-reliable Wikipedia source, Africa Day celebrates the unification of all its countries in Africa on this day. I don’t think we could have commemorated this occasion with anything more African than going to Cape Point, Cape of Good Hope, Boulder Beach, and Simon’s Town.



Friends, I am honored to say that I have experienced the most beautiful area of the world in just one amazing, awe-inspiring day. I knew this day contained something special as a full rainbow appeared on our drive to Simon’s Town, home to Boulder Beach and the South African penguins. Imagine the most adorable ball of fur with a nose, and you have pictured a baby penguin. These animals freely own Boulder Beach taking complete advantage of the aqua, clear water and soft, sandy beaches. I may or may not have a stowaway in my bag… They are just too precious to give up!

Next, we took a lazy drive to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. Here lies the most south-western tip of Africa where the warm Indian Ocean meets the cold Atlantic waters. Because of the drastic current changes, storms frequent the cape but not today. We could not have hoped a more perfect day. (No pun intended!) I truly wish I could describe how beautiful the cape really is. In fact, while gazing over the cliffs to the oceans, several of us tried to brainstorm adjectives that honestly encapsulated our view. Pretty, gorgeous, and beautiful combined do not candidly give rise to how unbelievable this place is.



If the waves coupled with the larger boulders didn’t cause our jaws to hit the floor, the ostriches and baboons did the trick. Literally, they just pranced onto the beaches and up and down the mountains looking for food. In fact, let me share a warning given to us in an informational pamphlet about the cape. “Please be aware that baboons are dangerous wild animals and are attracted by food. Visitors must not feed or tease them. Baboons that have been receiving food from humans become aggressive and have to be destroyed.” I guess Disney’s Rafiki has a wilder side! Never the less, we met!



Also, I have found that in order to see all of South Africa that is worth seeing, you need to hike. I conquered two more mountains today at the capes! We reached the lighthouse at the end of the continent after a few minutes of trying to catch our breaths from the landscape and climbing. I stood on the top of the bottom of the world! From the view, the experience somehow got better. I saw packs of seals and dolphins jumping through the waves in water that seemed like a mile or more below me. I could honestly live in the lighthouse at the cape forever just to marvel at my surroundings if at all possible. Even one of the Asian tourists thought it would be fun to grab me for some pictures. I think my face read, “What in the world are you doing, crazy lady” in every shot. After all of that excitement, I found twenty dollars… I am not even joking. I literally found twenty dollars, not rands, on the ground. South African has paid me in extraordinary scenery and in cash too!



To end almost a completely perfect day, we went to see the final Pirates of the Caribbean. First of all, I genuinely enjoyed it. Props to Johnny Depp for keeping my attention in a theater chair for two hours and fifteen minutes, not an easy job. Second, Americans get completely jipped at the movies. I spent twenty-two rand on this movie and twelve rand on popcorn. That comes to a grand total of $5.23. Who can tell me the last time they spent less than fifteen dollars at the movie theater? Once again, South Africa, you rock!



Random Fact: Waiters and waitresses do not split checks at restaurants. Even when you have a table of twenty-six people, there is only one collective payment of cash. My mental math skills have skyrocketed!

Picture: Coach and I enjoying the view!

Day 10: Hey now! I'm in Cape Town. Get your game on. Go lead!

Nothing wakes me up in the morning like a Cape Town rendition of “Allstar” by Smash Mouth. To help everyone get going, a group of us created a song based on our South African experiences to the tune of this popular song. The laughter and clapping made our early morning practice all worth it.



As most of you know, I am a die-hard Georgia football fan. So, naturally, when I heard Vince and Barbara Dooley decided to join our trip, I had a minor heart attack. Half way across the world, the famous football couple gave an inspiring speech to various SEC and ACC students spanning the south. Even, the Auburn and Tennessee fans loved it! Both individuals offered enlightening information about how to appropriately lead others and present one’s self in the best light. Of course, the humor and football stories enthralled me as I took notes on the importance of integrity and having respect for one’s constituents. I am blessed to learn from such knowledgeable people.



Of course, I have felt stressed for the entirety of the trip, because I have to make decisions like watch a beautiful sunrise or eat ethnic foods. To relieve the pressure, I attended a yoga class by the beach. Tough life, right? It could not have felt better. I should have taped our class and sold it, because it looked like the workout videos! The waves crashed behind us with a sunset background. I had a hard time relaxing with this atmosphere… I guess I'll need to work on it :)



I bumped the mood up a notch by going to Mama Africa, an authentic South African restaurant in downtown Cape Town. The live bongo drumming band along with the intricately decorated building was electric. I found myself dancing in my seat! As the famous phrase states, “When in France, do as the French do.” Well, when in Africa, do as the Africans do! Tonight that included crocodile kabobs. Not to quote another popular saying, but, “It tastes just like chicken.” I’ve had alligator at the Florida games, and it had a similar flavor. I’m no Gordon Ramsey, but I would describe it as chewy chicken. Take a look and see for yourself!

Day 9: You learn something new everyday

Happy birthday, Barrett Sessa!!!



I think Mary Poppins would have liked yesterday. I’ve never experienced wind that strong before!



After a short lesson yesterday morning, we hopped in a taxi to take a Cape Town museum tour to help us better understand South African history. We began learning at the District Six museum. During the apartheid movement, the South African government created distinct areas of segregation that lawfully appointed certain races to live in particular areas. I equated the 1800's Indian Removal Act as a similar idea. Under the Group Areas Act of 1950, the government labeled District Six as a White Group Area even though many coloured and black citizens resided in the vibrant community. By 1982, the law forcibly displaced over sixty thousand people and bulldozed the district to make room for the new white residents. In the mid-1990’s, the former residents paid tribute to their previous lives by renovating an old church that now holds the museum. The pictures of the bulldozers mowing down the displaced people’s lives really touched me. On the floor of the building, there was a map of the district where former residents had signed their names where their houses once stood. The signatures and pictures created an eerie feel but surely helped them cope with their past.

While still slightly depressed about the struggles of humanity, we walked to the Slave Lodge museum. In America, I feel like we spend much of our time talking about the horrors of slavery during the early part of our history. So, I thoroughly enjoyed learning how the slave industry started, and Cape Town’s role in perpetuating slavery. Plus, it offered a detailed description of Nelson Mandela’s impact on the South African culture. The more I learned about his life the more excited I became for Friday’s trip to Robben Island, one of the prisons that housed Mandela during the resistance movements. South Africa has such a rich history! However, it still saddens me that the same slavery, racially induced segregation, and persecution exist all over the world.

The rest of the day was spent having fun with some awesome people. We spent several hours laughing over pizza and milkshakes before hosting a massive trivia night. Who knew boys could get so competitive?!? My team didn’t win, but we didn’t lose either. I’ve learned to take successes in strides. At least, we knew who won the first Rose Bowl and Bob Dylan’s real name! Finally, we ended a crazy evening in the hotel just being goofy and getting to know each other. Another successful day at Camp Cape Town!



Random Fact: The South African universities racially integrated for the first time in 2003, 2004, and 2005. That time period is way to close for comfort in my opinion.

Quote: "Our children are our greatest treasure. They are our future."

Picture: I am riding in the Ish Mobile!

Day 8: Worshiping with the Western Capers

So, since we all survived the rapture, a big group of us decided that praising God was in order. In local literature, a few friends discovered that Cape Town had a Hillsong Church close to our apartments. With the help of Ish, we made it to the chapel on time. The building structure was so impressive! A coffee shop, rock climbing wall, and hundreds of people greeted us as we walked in wide-eyed at the concert-like feel. After talking with some of the welcoming greeters, we dispersed ourselves throughout the congregation. I sat next to a sweet woman named Elizabeth who gave me alittle more background about the Hillsong Churches throughout the world. Based in Australia, they expanded to Cape Town three years ago and to New York City recently. Before we knew it, the building filled with contagious energy and song. Even though we live so far away, we could contribute our trained and not-so-well-trained voices to familiar songs. The pastor even gave us a shout-out revealing our cover. (I guess we didn’t blend in as well as we had planned.)

We all agreed that the message spoke right to our hearts. Basically, the pastor stressed the importance of pressure in our everyday lives. At first, I thought, “My entire life I’ve heard stress does nothing but bad things physically and emotionally to me. What in the world is this guy saying?” It turns out that he’s right! He carefully worded that we should live for pressure not stress. When Moses brought his people out of bondage, pressure overwhelmed him as did Jesus when he sweated blood on his way to the cross. If we live under pressure that means that we aren’t living passé lives. Pressure encourages us to work harder to accomplish something meaningful. Going on this trip has brought financial, emotional, and physical pressures, but I know it has been one of the most meaningful things I have done in quite a while. (And, it has only been a week!) So, next time you struggle with the pressures of life think about how that pressure has shaped you into a better person for Christ. Food for thought…

I filled the remaining afternoon with reading, relaxing, and enjoying life. On Sunday nights, the entire program gathers for dinner at the adjacent hotel from our apartments. I expected sandwiches or something inexpensive No, sir! They wined and dined us with a three course dinner making me a stuffed teddy bear. What a great feeling! Now, its time to work off the brownie ala mode with some P90X!

Oh, and I am in Cape Town with Vince and Barbara Dooley. No big deal…

Here is a picture from the V and A Waterfront!From left: Amelia (Bama), Sarah Lawton (Auburn), Maddie (Tennessee), Me, Brooke (Mississippi State)

Day 7: Living like the locals

Happy graduation day, John Vaughan! Happy wedding day, Natalie Carter!



What a relaxing and culturally informative day! Even on our day off, we decided to wake up relatively early to experience the local flavor at the Old Biscuit Mill Market. Several local residents said that the Saturday morning market was a must see if we planned on learning about the Cape Town people and food. They could not have been more right! Anyone who is anyone showed up to discuss politics over bargain shopping, fresh produce, and signature drinks. We walked around the market warehouse with our jaws to the floor in amazement at all of the homemade food choices. Everything from beautiful flowers to raw chocolate surrounded long tables of people catching up on the town gossip. To try to blend in, I decided to join in on the fun. I ate a thick sirloin sandwich on just-baked ciabatta bread with a tasty mustard sauce. Yummmmmmmy! After alittle shopping, I ended our first market experience with one of my favorite desserts of all time: a nutella crepe! I have a feeling this place will turn into a weekly routine.

Not satisfied with just one market, we road into downtown Cape Town to the Green Market. It consisted of a large square of tent after tent of authentic African souvenirs. Yes, we did tap into our tourist side, but we thoroughly enjoyed it. Masks, bowls, jewelry, drums, rugby jerseys, and paintings covered the tents. We even ran into a Philadelphia soccer team that allowed us to show off our Cape Town knowledge to these newcomers. We are fitting in quite nicely if I do say so myself!

The day ended with a beautiful walk on the beach as the sunset. Its unbelievable that people get to see this view everyday. I am blessed that I get to share this opportunity with them for such a long time.

Side note.. Some of you know that I am a dessert connoisseur, but my specialty is cheesecake and milkshakes. I had the BEST chocolate gelato milkshake yesterday!

Day 6: Noone told me Everest was in Africa!

Currently, I am in pain. No, I didn’t break any bones. No, I didn’t get attacked by a safari animal. I climbed, nay, scaled Table Mountain. What started out as a fun “surprise” by the staff, turned into quite a physical and emotional feat. When looking at a typical view of Cape Town, this majestic feature reigns in the background of the city. We got up close and very personal to that mountain today as we rock climbed the entire thing.


Ish gave us a headstart by driving partially up the road that leads to the trail. In my mind, I thought, “This is similar to Kennesaw Mountain. I am sure I will huff and puff, but I’m young and able. No problem.” You can call that adolescent ignorance. Literally, the entire three kilometer hike was at a daunting angle with the acceptation of only eight meters. On much of the hike, I resorted to my hands, knees, and will power. One friend called it “Stair Master with a view.” In fact, to my surprise, the national park labels the trail as “tough.” It was tough for everyone except for the barefoot, South African man who lapped us on the way up. Show off!


After three hours and controlled wining, I made it! Goodness, what a work out! Good thing the view was phenomenal! I could see the entire Western Cape and where the Atlantic Ocean meets the sunrise on all corners. Plus, I noticed an entire string of mountains further inland that I had never noticed before. (Maybe that hike is next week!) I even saw some funny looking animals wandering around the rocks called Dassies. These animals look very similar to beavers without the tail but are interestingly most closely related to the elephant. Random fact!


Yes, most people used the cable car to gently take them back down the mountain, I had a different idea. Ten or more of my friends and I decided to scale back down the mountain: easier said than done. All of our legs were shaky and our soreness kicked in. Without a tour guide, we found ourselves alittle disoriented at times, but someone made it down the mountain in just an hour and a half. Dear Table Mountain, Ibuprofen and I conquered you. South Africa, what challenge do you have for me next?

Random Fact: The South African version of On-Demand is you order a movie, and they bring it to you in 30 minutes.

Day 5: Dear Family, I promise to never ask for anything again.

Who knew that when I woke up this morning I would go to bed as a different person? We all attended a seminar taught by the director of the Amy Biehl Foundation, but it wasn’t anything close to a head-dozing talk. Prior to today, I had never heard such an enlightening story. Amy Biehl was a young American student who wanted to change the world. After studying African history at Stanford, she decided to travel to South Africa in order to help the citizens achieve democratic equality in the early 1990’s. Her entire mission stemmed from her dream to see white, blacks, and coloureds live together in harmony. However, one evening, her plan took a different course. On her way home, Amy drove through an angry mob of blacks revolting against the white supremacy. All they saw was a young, alone, white woman coming towards them. In rage, they beat and killed Amy just days before an expecting engagement from her long-term boyfriend. Rather than succumbing to the tragedy, her parents decided to continue her dream through the Amy Biehl Foundation. During the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, the parents publicly forgave Amy’s four murderers and even argued for their early release from prison. In fact, the foundation currently employs two of her murders.

Today, the Amy Biehl Foundation does extraordinary good for the community. And, I got to see it in action! After the compelling orator spoke, we took a tour through the townships where the foundation helps so many children. I have never seen such poverty of this magnitude in my life. For miles, you can only see lines of pieces of metal roves and wooden blocks. The members of each community simply find material scraps to build a place for their family to live. Men, women, children, goats, horses, and dogs roam the street constantly. I could not believe how many young children, kindergarten age and younger, walk the streets barefooted and alone. At one point, our bus got stuck in the narrow streets. Several men ran up to the bus and did everything they could to help us navigate. They exhibit so much joy in what very little they have. I should take note.

Finally, we arrived at our first school!!! I was beaming with excitement! The Amy Biehl Foundation provides schooling, fine arts, health and nutrition, life skills, and AIDS prevention programs for its students. When we entered the school, they had an elaborate performance lined up for us. The older students played their xylophones while the younger children showed off their dance moves. I definitely saw baby Beyonces and Kanyes in the audience. Of course, I joined in and am currently holding my thighs in pain…completely worth every minute!

Later, we joined another foundation school to see their entire dance and music performance. Amazing! Good grief, these kids could break it down! Even after 18+ years of dance training, I could not believe how talented they were. Although the dancing was phenomenal, I enjoyed talking to two little boys much more. Both third graders, I was stunned at how academically behind they were in comparison to the United States (and we aren’t exactly on the top of the list). They showed me their basic subtraction and number recognition homework and even taught me alittle Afrikaans. I think they enjoyed me reading to them the most. (I did too!) Such an inspiring day! I can’t wait for more!

Day 4: Just Another Day in Paradise

This morning, we woke up bright and early to make breakfast before going to our lesson for the day. Our class was fascinating! After taking the Strengths Finder test before coming on the trip, we used this time to discuss our top strengths as a whole group. The test pinpoints your strengths through 172 questions and thirty five categories. Here are my top five fortes and a brief description:



1. Belief- Spiritual, Family-oriented, Dependable, High morals
2. Positivity- “Glass is always half full,” Smiles constantly, Lightens a dull mood
3. Developer- Desires to see others succeeds and challenges them to reach their full potential
4. Includer- Includes everyone in all situations, Nonjudgmental, Avoids stereotyping
5. Learner- Values education, Wants to learn something new every day



Do you think they describe me? I think these will play out well in my professional life one of these days. I thought it was a bit eerie how it mirrored characteristics others have used to describe me.



Then, what is a leadership program without a good scavenger hunt? Yes, we did our best to embody the Ugly American stereotype by running around Lagoon Beach trying to be the first group to finish the hunt. I mean, when lunch with Vince and Barbara Dooley is the prize, you have no choice but to go nuts! Results are TBD.



Finally, we ended the day on a sunset cruise in the Atlantic Ocean. Thank goodness pictures say a 1,000 words…

Day 3: You have to sing the Lion King songs in Africa!

Sorry for the late post! Internet is not the most reliable form of communication here.



Monday night, we went to a real South African restaurant called Mojo as an official welcome dinner with the entire Global LEAD group. The atmosphere was electric! The tables were made out of surfboards while the floor was a pool of water. Intricate ceramic tiles covered the walls, and all the waiters and waitresses dressed the part. They even came around to the tables to paint our faces! I used my "Just eat, then ask what it is" strategy and more or less enjoyed the meal. We had lamb, chicken, fruit kabobs, salad, and pancake bread. Also, the restaurant entertained us with a band that sang native arrangements. They handed me a maraca which I used to keep the beat while singing a Lion King song. Stereotypical Africa, I know. Still, I couldn't resist!

Yesterday was just a relaxing day! Our morning session included a speaker from the Western Cape Town University History Department who informed us about the background of this beautiful country. It’s amazing how a nation so physically gorgeous can have so many ethical problems. I can't wait to learn more about how its undergone change and continues to develop as a socially accepting country.



For lunch, my roommates and some friends went to the V and A Waterfront, my favorite place so far. This harbor has shopping, beautiful scenery, and a chance to really get to know the locals. To further stretch my boundaries, I ate ostrich lasagna with a smile. Not bad! Alittle mushy but I ate it no problem! Eating odd foods? ...check.



For the next five hours, we wondered through the harbor taking advantage of clear day and trying to kill the batteries in our cameras. Mission accomplished! We even stayed until we could see the man in the big, orange moon over the Atlantic Ocean. However, the best part was high-fiving a group of pre-school boys as we passed. They didn't understand the concept, but after a quick tutorial, I got ambushed. In turn, they taught me how to give a thumb's up tap. Fall in love with African children? ...check.



We closed the evening with a dinner of a few of our leaders and friends at a Greek restaurant called Zorba's. We even talked to the owner, a precious Greek man who spends every morning swimming the cape. I will have to say that he makes the best BBQ hamburgers; coming from a BBQ connoisseur, you may want to check it out. However, I need to teach him the "circle burger in the circle bun" technique. He prefers a circle burger in a rectangular bun. Its a neat trick. Another successful day in Cape Town.

Day 2: Salsaing in South Africa

Last night was a ball! Some friends I met on the plane coupled with my roommates and I decided to have an informal "Welcome to Africa" dinner. So, where do we go? A Cuban restaurant of course! Ish took us to Buena Vista a fun house-converted restaurant with a candle-lit dinner. Very romantic for our girls night out! I had such a great meal! Chicken baked in a wine cream sauce on Cuban rice. YUM! My friends' nachos were pretty great too if I do say so myself.
After dinner, we noticed that several more groups of Global Leaders joined the party. That Ish is a smart man to suggest all of us to go to the same restaurant! One of the groups came up to us saying that we should check out the salsa dancing downstairs. My ears immediately perked up! The dancers were incredible! The three couples were surrounded by a hoard of on-lookers as they three-stepped all over the dance floor. One of the couples took a break, so I knew it was my chance! I naturally ran over to the male dancer and asked him to dance! We tore up the stage! Not really...I am not that knowledgeable, but we had a great time anyways! Olay!
Today has been a fairly relaxed day so far. We had a meeting bright and early this morning, but today was meant for us to get re-energized to hit the ground running tomorrow. We decided to take a leisurely walk to the grocery store down the beach. (Wouldn't it be much more fun to go to Kroger if we had to walk by the beach to get there?) The leisurely walked turned into a mile or more hike but still beautiful. Unfortunately, two or my roommates and I did the ultimate no-no while shopping: going to the grocery store starving. Yes, we bought too much of random things and forgot we had to lug it back to the apartment. Still, it was an interesting experience. I was very surprised at how many American labels I recognized throughout the store. I will say that our food seems fresher, but they can't get Vidalia onions in South Africa! Lesson learned.
Tonight, we are having an official "Welcome to Capetown" dinner with the entire program. Plan of attack: Eat then ask what it is. Get excited for tomorrow's update!

Here is a picture of my roommies: (Far left: Sophie (Auburn), Betsy (Bama), Me; Front: Amelia (Bama)

Day 1: Capetown, South Africa

Well, I made it!! Whew! What a long, long day. Yesterday, we traveled for more than 28 hours to Amsterdam and finally Capetown. Let's just say that the last flight served 5 meals and snacks. Yes, it was that long. Good news, we are here!

Our apartment is fantastic. Its just outside of the city in Lagoon Beach secluded in a small town right by the ocean. The Atlantic is a hop, skip, and a jump away from our balcony! Gorgeous! I have three roommies: 1 from Auburn and 2 from Alabama. We walked into our apartment to a goody bag and pizza.

What a deal! There is a spa, pool, and several ethnic restaurants on the property as well. This place will definitely work!

Today, we dragged our jet-lagged bodies out of bed to have a yogurt and oats breakfast before having our first orientation meeting. Random fact: Traffic lights are called robots in South Africa. Then, we took a bus tour with our adventure guide Ish (He's a scream!) through all of Capetown. It was a bit foggy for most of the ride, but the clouds broke just as we arrived at the top of Signal Hill. Unbelievable view! I could see the top of the World Cup stadium as well as the rest of the colorful city. God did alot of work sculpting this place!

Random locations:
1. Capetown Harbour- It reminds me of the Navy Pier in Chicago. It has a huge ferris wheel modeled after the London Eye, shopping, concert stadium, etc. We will definitely need to come back here!

2. Smartie Street- Yes, it is named after the candy. It looks like Smarties exploded and colored all the buildings on the street. It makes for a goofy picture!