Day 40: Gratitude

Dear avid readers,



After thousands of words and numerous pictures, I couldn’t end this writing adventure without thanking those of you who read day after day and commented on my experiences. At first, I wanted to document my six weeks of excitement in order to recollect every little detail of my journey. By the end, I realized that my diary turned into a daily column in a travel magazine. I have been utterly humbled by the number of people who took the time in their busy days to keep up with what I was doing a half a world away. Honestly, it meant more than you know when I received comments about my adventures and heard from friends of friends who truly cared about my time in South Africa. If you didn’t catch drift, I had the experience of a lifetime. Thank you for bypassing my grammar errors and continuing to walk with me every step of the way. Until the next life-changing experience, that’s all folks!



Carrie

Another spectacular rainbow.

Amazing creatures.









I'm not scared of anything now!

Picture perfect experience.











A simple cross to remind me who created this beautiful country.

The people who changed our lives while we changed theirs!

Day 39: Application is everything.

Most would assume that jumping out of a plane and swimming with sharks gave me stories to take home. Of course, they did! However, I did create two documents that on the trip that will direct my future in ways that those memories can not. On a warm day on the beach, I wrote a vision statement for my life as an educator after designing a bucket list as the sun set over the Garden Route. Enjoy.



Vision Statement

I want to live a life that encompasses my passions, core values, and strengths in a way that allows me to lead a fulfilling life while still affecting the world around me. My desire to ensure others reach their full potential will play a role in my professional life through a “glass half-full” mentality, expecting more than others think is practical. For my students, I will serve as an educator, counselor, and their biggest advocate for success, caring more than others think is wise. I hope to do for at least one that I wish I could do for everyone. Finally, I want to incorporate my servant heard in my students’ education teaching them to serve others via personal connections with those they serve.

Bucket List

* Be an elementary school teacher in an academically struggling school.
* Become “Teacher of the Year” for the kids I teach.
* Adopt a child from the United States.
* Start a not for profit foundation for abused kids that give them dance as an outlet.
* See all old and new 7 Wonders of the World.
* Continuously enroll in dance classes.
* Marry a man that loves God, children, my family, sports, traveling, and me!
* Have 3 children.
* Learn to speak and write Spanish fluently.
* Learn how to salsa dance.
* Live a financially comfortable life and donate the remaining funds.
* Publish my teaching book.
* Write a children’s book.
* Run the Disney Half Marathon.
* Visit every state in America.
* Visit every country in Europe.
* Meet at least one United States president.
* Work at a small bakery.
* Attend the Masters, NBA/NCAA Final Four, NCAA National Football Championship, MLB/College World Series, World Cup, Olympic Opening and Closing Games, Wimbledon, Superbowl.
* Walk the streets of Bethlehem.
* See the American Ballet Theatre’s production of The Nutcracker.
* Become a Delta Gamma advisor.
* Read the entire Bible.
* Step foot on all 7 continents.
* Learn how to swing dance.
* Invent a unique cheesecake recipe.
* Watch every Oscar winning Picture of the Year.
* Train a Guide Dog.
* Swim in all 5 major oceans and the 7 major seas.

Day 38: "I need a take away box, please."

As I am typing these last few blog entries, I look out the window expecting to see Table Mountain and the waves crashing in front of my apartment. Instead, I observe my neighbors walking their dog and drivers going entirely too fast on the tiny road in front of my house. After the experience I just had, it’s hard to accept my old life again. The mundane, never changing, small town just doesn’t compare to the hustle and bustle of Cape Town. However, in its own way, Marietta is just as wonderful. As easy as it would be to share pictures and remember the last six weeks as a “fun time,” I learned too much more than to simply leave it at that. Here are a five ideas, quotes, and memories that I don’t want to forget.



1. Keep Calm and Carry On … During World War II, the English government used this phrase to encourage the people to press on during such a devastating time in their history. In just the few days I have been home, I have seen this phrase three different times in three separate locations. OK. I get it. I’ll remember this idea! In South Africa, we discussed how life can come at you in every direction, challenging you to the greatest degree. However, when the bottom falls out of the sky, at the end of the day, the only thing you can control is your attitude. So, in those situations, keep calm and carry on.

2. Care more than others think is wise, risk more than others think is safe, dream more than others think is practical, and expect more than others think is possible… Essentially, this lesson stressed not living a normal life but living a “wow” life. It means going “above and beyond” on steroids while defying the odds. A “wow” life stems from knowing one’s self and realizing what makes him or her tick. That “tick” should be passion. The “wow” individual takes that passion and runs with it to create a positive change in society.

3. Ubuntu… In Afrikaans, ubuntu means that one “lives because of other people.” Basically, every decision you make influences others, and you should use every moment given to you to learn from your peers. Plus, it implies unconditional love and respect for all people.

4. Do for one that you wish you could do for everyone… Just leaving college and jumping off the highest bungy bridge in the world, I feel like I can conquer the world. However, I need to remember to “do [a] little bit of good where [I] am; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world” (Desmond Tutu). I want to make big changes and may feel overwhelmed at the possibility of solving South Africa poverty for example. Instead, I should invest in one or a few changing their lives just as I would want to change the lives of thousands. Helping just a few will in turn better the world.

5. Preparation, Risk, Integrity, Drive, Everybody… Vince Dooley and his wife Barbara gave a engaging presentation on their views on leadership. As an avid football fan, they held my attention with their game scenario analogies. In his PRIDE acrostic, Vince Dooley mentioned that “proper preparation prevents poor performance” using the losing season before the 1980 National Championship game as an example. Then, he discussed how risk can lead to unexpected circumstances while integrity involves “treating others as you want to be treated.” Also, drive and determination overrides talent. Finally, leaders need to remember everybody or that the team accomplishes a goal not just the leader him or herself.



Random fact: Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela, both Nobel Prize Winners, grew up on the same street.

Picture: Great people I met on this trip. (From left: Hamilton-Georgia, Grace-Georgia, Taylor-Georgia, Maddie-Tennessee)

Day 36 and 37: Leaving on a jet plane

Happy Father’s Day, Daddy!



Even completing the highest bungy jump in the world was easier than waking up for the last time in beautiful Cape Town. To begin our thank yous for the past six weeks, a large group of us went to Hillsong Church and celebrated their third birthday. The pastor came from the London Hillsong Church to discuss the importance of having good character using Daniel as an example. Another great message to take home from this city.



Procrastinating my suitcase packing for a few more hours, I made one last trip to the Waterfront before ending this adventure. We returned to Balducci’s, the first restaurant we attended at the beginning of our trip. This time, I had a delicious pasta primavera while I admired the scenery. This has to be the hands-down most spectacularly, beautiful country in the entire world. No questions asked.



Finally, I faced reality and began packing. Around five, the first group of us started our thirty six hour traveling journey. Thankfully, we left in just enough time to watch our last Cape Town sunset. I will certainly miss those views the most!



We arrived at the airport two hours prior to check-in so we held a few more deep discussions with the Global Lead interns. Someone began discussing education and probably ended up hearing too much from me. Once we finished solving the education world over milkshakes, I checked my underweight bags (big victory!) and wondered around the empty Cape Town airport. At midnight, we boarded our KLM plane on our way to Amsterdam. Luckily, Taylor/interim pillow sat next to me which allowed for a few hours of sleep on our twelve hour flight. Mrs. Doubtfire kept me entertained the rest of the time.



We had a six hour layover in Amsterdam so it’s safe to say I can draw a detailed map of the airport. Unfortunately, I felt the Euro exchange rate as I bought my ham and cheese toastie for lunch. For the remaining few hours, I took a nap and lost a game or two of Bananagrams. Finally, our ten hour flight took off and the great U.S. of A. became a reality. After what seemed like eternity, I walked off the plane feeling warm air for the first time in six weeks. Immediately, my frizzies reappeared. Sadly, I caused quite a commotion at customs when I claimed the proteia seeds I bought for my family. Security sent me to a room by myself and proceeded to examine my bags questioning me the entire time. In the end, America won’t have the opportunity to experience the South African national flower. Oh rats!



After an amazing, life-changing journey, I am home!... for now.

Picture: Scene from the elementary school one day

Day 35: A final curtain call on Cape Town

Today was the day we all dreaded: our last visit to the Old Biscuit Mill. Thankfully, the clearest, warmest day in quite awhile allowed us to take full advantage of our last opportunity to fill our tummies. Most of us arrived early to start the morning off with a hearty breakfast. For the past four Saturdays, I have eyed the Dutch section of the market and decided I would try their Poffertjes. Essentially, the kind chef gave me ten, inch in diameter pancakes with every unhealthy topping that comes to mine. After a few minutes of shopping and wondering, I indulged in a mid-morning apple cake snack that just topped off the pancakes. We closed the market down after a last sirloin sandwich and rich conversations in the sunshine. Old Biscuit Mill, I love you.



Even though we have had over a month, most of us had to make a trip to the Green Market and Waterfront to get last minute gifts while spending our remaining Rand. Sure, I’ll use gifts as an excuse to leisurely enjoy the dynamic culture of the Waterfront one more time.



Sadly, we celebrated our last night all together with a fancy banquet in the Atlanta Suit of our neighboring hotel. One of the interns spent countless hours filming our experiences which he proudly showed in a final video for all of us to cry and laugh over. Lance, Corbus, Ish, and Ish’s wife even joined the party! I think I may have seen a few tears in their direction as well. We concluded the banquet with a few superlatives recognizing a few of our peers for their personal accomplishments throughout the trip or for “just because” reasons. Astonishingly, I received an award! I was completely shocked! Zach presented me with the “Miss Honeybee” award, as in Ms. Honeybee in the childhood classic Matilda. Essentially, the award is given to someone who completely embodies their chosen occupation. Apparently, the staff and my peers think my personality best suits me as an elementary school teacher. I was really honored at the compliments I received, and hopefully, I will live up to everyone’s expectations.

Our final night consisted of spending time with each other over chocolate pudding, dancing to Backstreet Boys, and admiring Cape Town’s night lights. Great conversations, great company, and a great end to an unbelievable trip.



Random fact: South Africans use the phrase “as well” as frequently as the word “the.” We have all started to use saying in our daily conversations… as well.

Day 34: Pursuing relationships

Happy Youth Day!



On my first week in Cape Town, what seems like ages ago, we heard the touching Amy Biehl story and first experienced the poverty in the townships. Kevin Chaplin, the managing director of the Amy Biehl Foundation, taught us about the history of the organization and offered keen advice for our future careers. His lecture and story really touched my friend Zach and I. So, for the next few weeks, we emailed Mr. Chaplin in an effort to learn more. Thankfully, he agreed to meet with us yesterday! (Picture: Zach and I)

After getting slightly lost in the Cape Town business district, we arrived at the seventh floor foundation office. The walls were filled with pictures and articles about the foundation as well as art from the students. Within a few minutes of our arrival, Mr. Chaplin escorted us to his office showing his favorite children’s artwork. Throughout the meeting, we discussed everything from how we foresee our futures to the foundation’s marketing plans to how to start a non-profit organization. He is full of knowledge and life experiences and so willing to share!



Of course, Mr. Chaplin is a busy man so our meeting did not last too long. However, he introduced us to his staff who gave us a tour of their office. We even met a student from John Hopkins University who is serving as an Amy Biehl intern. What a great job! Additionally, Zach and I had a long, deep conversation with the marketing director. This sweet man worked as a high-paying construction company executive but had an addiction problem. One day, we realized his life was not what he wanted. He quick his job and began working for the Amy Biehl Foundation and couldn’t be happier. He even told us a story of how he participated in the New York marathon within months of having hip replacement surgery. Unbelievably, he took twelve Amy Biehl disabled students with him to complete the daunting task. After nearly nine hours, everyone crossed the finish line. He explained that the students’ determination inspired him on that day and continues to do so everyday since then. Children are miracles for sure.



The rest of the afternoon consisted of a Mc Donald’s McFlurry and last minute souvenir shopping at the Waterfront before going to dinner. Ish, Corbus, and Lance planned our evening on Edward Street. They drove us to the Starlight Diner, an American inspired menu. America in South Africa?!? They thought we missed home. Sweet boys! At dinner, I even met a member of the South African parliament who graciously shared with us the best places to visit in Cape Town. I think we impressed him when he realized we had visited most of his suggestions.



Then, we danced the night away at a local club. The fog machine, strobe lights, and techno music made for quite the party!



Just in case you are curious: http://www.amybiehl.org/



Random Fact: June 16th is national Youth Day. During the apartheid, the government instituted a law that school must be taught in Afrikaans. However, in the poorer districts and townships, most of the black students spoke other languages essentially setting them up for failure. In 1976, student protests scaled to riots. In a riot in the Soweto township, a photographer took a picture of a young man and girl carrying a twelve year old boy, Hector Pieterson. The picture spread the cruelty of the apartheid becoming incredibly iconic. In fact, the students have a poster of the picture in their Sir Lowry’s classrooms. So, every June 16th, the country celebrates the protestors’ bravery and South Africa’s future generation.

Day 33: Living the High Life

I felt like a proper, young lady today as we took a girls trip to Mount Nelson Hotel’s Tea Time. This hotel has Table Mountain in the background and a long driveway lined with palm trees in the foreground. Originally built for English travelers vacationing in Cape Town, the hotel has a Titantic-like feel at 112 years old. Famous for its bright pink color, the hotel trademarked the paint after World War II to ensure its prestige. Also, I am sure you are thinking that the hotel pays tribute to South Africa’s beloved Nelson Mandela. In reality, the name originated far before his time. The hotel is dedicated to Lord Horatio Nelson, a famous English Naval officer and war hero. History lesson of the day!



Enough about the hotel, it was delicious! We had a private dinning room filled with the most amazing food and ladies showing off their new South African dresses. The hotel waitresses gave us the largest display of mini sandwiches, bite-sized tarts, and an assortment of different yummy cakes. Initially, I don’t think the hotel was prepared for how much fifty girls would eat judging from the shear panic on their faces as the first group made a Table Mountain of food on their plates. Personally, I have never tasted a better piece of cheesecake in my life. (And, I am famous for my Thin Mint, Andes Mint, Oreo cheesecake recipe!) Not to mention, the tea had its perks too. After our tea/biggest meal of the day, you could see belts loosen left and right. I had difficulty breathing for sure. I can’t believe that people used to do this everyday!

Following a few hours of rest, a small group of us went to Cubana, a Latino restaurant on the other side of town. Since most people stayed in last night, Corbis, Ish, and Lance all joined us! It was quite a funny party listening to them banter and pick at each other. In particular, we pocked fun of Ish for his nap earlier in the day. Since I have written about him so frequently, you can imagine that Ish’s phone rings off the hook all day long with people asking for rides around Cape Town. Yesterday, he fell asleep in his van for an hour or two. All of us went into panic mode and thinking the worst, because we couldn’t get in touch with him. The whole experience made his day without a doubt.



Random fact: Cereal is served with hot milk here.

Day 32: Ek is lief vir jou. ("I love you" in Afrikaans.)

Yesterday morning, a few of us planned on hiking Devil’s Peak to watch the sun rise. Unfortunately for the intense hikers but fortunately for me, it poured all morning. Bummer… Instead, I ate a delicious chocolate and cherry muffin from Charly’s Bakery and attempted to make up for it with P90X.



We spent the most fulfilling part of our day with the compassionate Sir Lowry’s Pass community. As a tearful farewell to the wonderful people, we presented our mural and celebrated our new found friendships with a talent show in the Crush. Let me just say they should start “South Africa’s Got Talent” show. The teenage boys formed a dance group and performed a mix of dances from Michael Jackson to Lady Gaga. (By the way, Michael Jackson lives in South Africa. All the kids are completely obsessed!) Hamilton and Grace sang “Stand by Me” as the crowd of three hundred plus people chimed in. Monique, a sweet but abused six year old, and I danced all afternoon to “This is Africa” and “Baby Shark.” I even taught her how to play Rock, Paper, Scissors. She thought it was the funniest game ever!

After such an amazing journey, we all hated, and I mean hated, to say goodbye. Ms. Hennie gave me the most caring hug as tears filled her eyes. Sadly, the little kids really didn’t understand that we weren’t going to return anytime soon if at all. The older teenagers touched my heart the most. Clayten was balling as he told me goodbye and gave me their famous, lengthy hugs. I lost it when Monique said, “I love you!” in Afrikaans. Heartbreaker! Their gratitude is unparallel. Even within such a small time frame, we made an obvious impact. What they may not know is that they impacted us as well. (Picture: Monique and I watching the performance.)

A bit depressed from our township departure, we remembered a former conversation from a Cape Town local. This individual suggested that we attend the Zip Zap Circus, a Cirque de Soleil type event. As Corvis dropped a small group of us out in front of the tent, we immediately realized that we had embarked on an adventure. First of all, everyone around us was dressed in togas and looked like they had just stepped out of the movie 300. Already widely confused, we entered the tent noticing only a small stage and a Trojan horse in the entire tent. I asked one of the Greek goddesses to explain the circus to which she simply laughed. Apparently, there is no circus, at least not last night. Instead, it was a Greek themed hippy concert in a circus tent. Of course! Why didn’t I think of that? ... Since we paid for the adventure, might as well enjoy it. Thankfully, the venue was selling olive branch crowns which we quickly bought in an attempt to fit in. Ready to get out of our comfort zones for the 186th time on this trip, we began dancing to the crazy, Greek/South African music. Remember when you were little in music class and played weird noise makers and percussion instruments? Well, they played each one. It was honestly the oddest thing I have ever done, but we had a blast!



Random fact: The locals call the main World Cup stadium the toilet bowl.

Day 31: Pictures say 1000 words

Why not start the warmest day of the trip with yoga on the beach? Determined to cherish this odd winter day, I spent part of the afternoon by the pool reading. It was that warm! Maybe I won’t come home with pasty white skin! (I can dream...)



To add to our limitless list of stories, our apartment is falling apart. Our washing machine door jammed, and today, our oven door fell off as we tried to bake chicken in addition to our shower flooding. Adventure week continues!



Later this afternoon, we decided to take one last trip to Camps Bay and relish in the sunset. All I can say is… wow. Every night, it seems as if the sunset gets increasingly more beautiful. We walked along the beach for awhile watching the surfers crash and naked little children running everywhere. At one point, Maddie and I found ourselves in a dilemma when the tide trapped us in one area of the beach. Good news: I checked off another goal on my Cape Town bucket list. Bad news: the water could not have been colder.

Luckily, we dried off in time to go to Café Caprese to overlook the rest of the sunset. We looked like popcorn as a few people would take pictures of the view, sit down, realize the sunset looked more beautiful a few minutes later, and go take more pictures. I think I could rival National Geographic for the memories I have captured in South Africa. You can be the judge!

Day 30: Making each day count

I know you expect a world wind adventure, but the biggest experiment of yesterday morning consisted of a hodgepodge of ingredients in the apartment for cinnamon pancakes. Not too shabby if I do say so myself!



The real adventure began at Beluga’s, a sushi restaurant near the center of the city. Our reservation of thirty created quite the party especially since we arrived just in time for the half off sushi specials. I can imagine that some of you that know me well are reading this quickly to see if I actually ordered sushi, something I have never liked. I have eaten ostrich in every way possible and devoured crocodile on a stick, but I still did not want sushi. Sorry to disappoint. However, my French onion soup appetizer was tasty in addition to my chocolate truffle main dish. Another great meal!



Feeling similar to the blueberry girl in Charlie in the Chocolate Factory, we decided to give Ish and Corvis a break and take a twenty minute walk to the V and A Waterfront. Naturally, we got sidetracked when we noticed a large ice cream cone labeled Gelato Mania. Sure, I had a chocolate truffle, but that was my main dish not dessert! Somehow the gravitational pull of the gelato lured us in for a treat. My snickers gelato would have made my day if N*SYNC videos hadn’t been on the big screen in the shop. While eating, we drooled over Justin Timberlake and rehearsed our “Bye, Bye, Bye” dance. (Picture: Me, Betsy (Alabama), Sarah Lawton (Auburn))

Finally, we ended the evening by meeting the rest of our crew at Mitchell’s at the Waterfront. While enjoying each other’s company, three boys walked in with their southern twang. Immediately, some of the girls flocked to them wanting their story. These recent Auburn graduates are celebrating the new chapter in their lives in a six-star hotel called The One and Only. (I didn’t even know that the ratings exceeded five stars!) We just make new friends everyday!



Sad Story: From the very first day we explored the V and A Waterfront, I have wanted to ride the ferris wheel to experience yet another view of Cape Town. I convinced my friends to use the last few Rand from the trip as a final hooray on the ferris wheel. Unfortunately, when we arrived there last night, construction workers were disassembling the large iron spokes. It now looks like a giant Packman! If that is the only thing I don’t accomplish while living here, I guess I successfully made each day count.



Random Fact: South African restaurants do not have To-Go boxes. Instead, it’s called Take-Away!

Day 29: Congrats, South Africa! You've won my heart again.

Today, several of us got the unique opportunity to return to Sir Lowry’s Pass to attend their church service. Ms. Hetta, one of the soup moms, invited a few of us to her small church/soup kitchen on the edge of the township. What a fabulous experience! The service had no structure but consisted of members giving their testimonies or reciting a favorite verse. Unlike American custom, they have a small service everyday in which they praise God for everything He has given them, even if to our standards it seems like next to nothing. Honestly, the Sir Lowry’s people continue to surprise me every moment I spend with them. They have more love to offer than the richest man in the world. Throughout the service, the members thanked us over and over for trying to make a difference in their humble community speaking in Afrikaans then translating their prayers into English. Even their songs held so much meaning. Pastor Peter played his guitar while Ms. Hetta shook her tambourine and belted each line. Sometimes I feel that our songs are so complex that we forget the meaning behind our words. Their songs only consist of a few lines, but by the time the song ended, I honestly believed what I was singing. At the end of the service, sweet Pastor Peter invited us to the front of the church while one of the ladies prayed for us. Most of us shed a few tears at the pure compassion and selflessness they shared with us. I can’t begin to count how many blessings this little community has give me in just a short period time.



Relishing in the joy from the township, Ish drove us to Kirstenbosch Gardens, a small town at the base of Table Mountain. It could not have been a more glorious day to explore the incredible gardens, enjoy my first ostrich burger, and develop closer friendships with my peers. I wish I could accurately express how beautiful the gardens really were. Imagine the best combination of the botanical gardens and Piedmont Park and multiply that experience by ten. In the midst of open fields with children chasing wild turkeys and family picnics, elaborate fragrant gardens framed the spaces. Not to mention, the majestic Table Mountain stands as a backdrop. Hopefully, the picture below gives you an idea of my afternoon.

Our day ended with a fancy dinner at Blue a seafood restaurant in the ritzy part of town at Camps Bay. I loved the ambiance and of course the food, but it really bothered me that everything in the restaurant was white and not blue. Maybe white is blue in Afrikaans?



Random Fact: Change is nearly impossible to find. I have found that grocery stores are the most reliable sources to find change. Restaurants rarely make change. Plus, public restrooms with toilet paper is an off commodity as well. Something has to negative about this place! That's all the dirt I could dig up!

Day 28: GAMEDAY in South Africa

Happy wedding day, Natalie Lord!

Happy late wedding day, Bryan Higginbotham and Laura Bottoms!

Happy late wedding day, Alicia Cooper and Rick Godfrey!



It’s Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday! Saturday night’s alright! It’s time to kick it off between the hedges in … Cape Town (not Athens). I’ve gone stir crazy without Braves baseball and Georgia football. Best solution? Cape Town Stormers verses Johannesburg Blue Bulls rugby match! Ecstatic about today’s match, we all bought Cape Town Stormers’ jerseys in an attempt to blend in with the masses. Just to top off our team spirit, we painted our faces Braveheart style on our way to the Stormers’ DNL Newlands stadium. As we filed out of the buses displaying our spirit, we followed our adventure tour guide Gavin to our tailgating site. While the locals still tailgate prior to big games such as this one, they do not know how to do it SEC style. Gavin and his friends hosted a scrumptious brai, or South African BBQ, with hot dogs and other tasty goodies. For a few hours, we held an off-season tailgate party while bonding as a whole group. Good times.



GAMETIME! You have no idea how excited I was to say, “It’s Gameday!” to every person I came in contact with this afternoon. As we walked towards the stadium, we naturally began calling the dogs and singing, “Who’s that Coming Down the Track?” Sorry, we were alittle obnoxious, but we all miss football season. (84 days!) At least, we saved the South African people from hearing the Tennessee students sing “Rocky Top!”



When the game began, we spread ourselves throughout the standing room only section in one of the end zones. Within the first few minutes, we some how maneuvered our way down to the first two or three rows in the stadium. I think it’s safe to say the Americans were mesmerized by the game. Most of us had no clue how to play the game, but the energy of the crowd still allowed us to blend in as true fans. If you didn’t know, rugby is no cup of tea. The players’ intensity and lack of padding makes football look like a little girls powder puff game. Our jaws dropped at the size of their thighs and the intensity of their slide tackles. Sadly, our die-hard Stormers lost this intense match but made an incredible come back at the end. Good news? They passed out free tangerines after the game, and for those of you who assumed, I did not pout because we lost! It’s the little things in life.

Picture: (From back left) Taylor (Georgia), me, (front left) Amy Morgan (Wake Forest), Laura (Wake Forest), Anna Lynn (Georgia)

Day 27: Field Day Friday

Happy Birthday, Alix Moore!



Today was a phenomenal day! It served as a celebration for the relationships we have made during our time in Sir Lowry’s Pass. We began the day in with our families, a nice change of pace. I gave them a chocolate cake, and they gave me quality conversations and plenty of hugs. My South African dad requested the day off of work from the library to see me! He shared an incredible story about how he and his wife built their current home. Several years ago, they lived in a shack made of tin scraps like the majority of their township. Essentially, they did not have a roof making rainy days challenging. Finally, they saved enough money to build their cozy home. It’s perfect. Their yellow stucco house sits on the corner with a small yard for their dogs and a sturdy roof to keep anything and everything away. Within eighteen months, my host parents had their dream home.



The party started at 3:30! All the kids headed to the school property to take part in a massive field day extravaganza! Each team picked a mascot, chant, and painted their faces before beginning the game rotations. (I was a member of the Super Star team!) Taylor and I manned the ball toss station. Talk about practicing my classroom management strategies! Most importantly, the kids absolutely had a ball! (We had some fun too!) Our beautiful day ended with a two hundred plus sing-a-long of Hokey Pokey. I love elementary school!



Story of the Day: The soup moms are women in the community who voluntarily give their time and money to feed the kids in the area with cups of soup every day. They ring a bell, and you see hundreds of kids flock to these special women with their Tupperware dishes. I heard an even more remarkable story from a particular soup mom. Ms. Cheryl’s husband won the lottery a week before he passed away. Instead of using the money to create a better life for herself, she spent every penny on food and school uniforms for the Sir Lowry’s children. Something to ponder, friends…



Here are some pictures from this week!

Here is my school.

Little Logan.













My South African Mom Ms. Hennie

My South African Brother Nicholas






My South African Brother Clayten

Our mural is almost done!








My first Sir Lowry's friend Ashley.

Hope Chains

Day 26: I do what Oprah says

For once, we had no mandatory plans this morning. So, a large group of us decided to try Oprah’s favorite bakery, Charly’s Bakery. Yum! This lady knows what she’s talking about! I had a chicken pot pie pastry for breakfast and the largest piece of cheesecake of my life for a midmorning snack. Pictures of their famous cakes filled the walls such as Nelson Mandela’s seventy fifth birthday cake and the anniversary of the ending of the apartheid. Not that I cared at all but I learned that they use natural sugars that don’t tend to taste as sweet as our American sugars. A healthy-ish red velvet cupcake? Yes, please.

The small world story of the day takes place at our favorite Pick and Pay grocery store. As I wondered down the aisles looking for cookie dough to make goodies for my host family, a man passed me wearing a Georgia sweatshirt. Initially, I didn’t think anything of it, and then realized, “Hello, Carrie! You are in South Africa! This is not normal!” After my double take, I asked the man where he got his sweatshirt to which the man explained that he has a friend oversees that lives in Georgia. Interestingly, he did not realize that his sweatshirt actually related to the university and not the state. Regardless, it triggered Disney’s “It’s a Small World” song to rest in my head for the remainder of the day.



Again, we drove out to Sir Lowry’s Pass for more kiddie time. In these communities, the members lack hope. Honestly, I think it’s a disease. Because for generations they have been unsuccessful in changing their lives, they do not have a sense of hope. In a small way, we aimed to restore some of that feeling through paper hope chains. The students wrote their aspirations on strips of paper and then attached them together to make chains of dreams. Sadly, I met children who did not even know what the term “hope” meant. HOPEfully, we played a small part in helping these students realize their dreams.



As usual, I returned to my host family’s home after school. For the past several days, I spent time talking with each of the older children and needed to complete the pattern with the eldest son. What an enlightening conversation! This brilliant kid attends a nearby college and just wants to know about everything in regards to America. Within just a few minutes, I answered Nicholas’s questions on Obama, my experiences with 9/11, and other political issues. I tried to teach him, but I think I got the better end of the stick. Nicholas offered his personal insights on the South African government and his experiences with the apartheid. Interestingly, he characterizes himself as “colored,” not black. We told a story of how he used to walk five kilometers to swim in the “colored” pool. One day, he accidentally fell into the “black pool” and his family had to rescue him before the black swimmers attacked him. Fascinating!



After our memorable night at Balthezar’s last night, we held a group pot luck dinner. Good food. Good company. Good times.



Funny story: We all wanted to make goodies for our host families to thank them for opening their homes to us. For some sad reason, Pick and Pay does not sell cookie dough. The boys asked the store bakery for cookie dough, and they got a large block of plain bread dough. Shockingly, they did not have a clue as to what to do with it. Watching them poke and prod this dough like it belonged on another planet made tears shoot out of my eyes as I laughed. Believe it or not, they did a superior job! Nutella bread for a midnight snack!

Day 25: Hola! Me encanta Sudafrica!

Again, we made the trip out to Sir Lowry’s Pass to play with these precious children. Even though it rained most of the time, nothing could stop our fun. I returned to my arts and crafts post to help organize paper flowers and beaded bracelets. Not surprisingly, the kids gobbled up the stickers and beads fairly quickly leaving plenty of time for simple playtime. Yesterday, the butterfly antennas fascinated the children while today bubbles grabbed their attention. Who knew chasing and popping bubbles around school could be so much fun! Sadly, we could not make much progress on our mural because of the weather, but its slowly coming together. At least, rainbow number six provided a great background to our playtime.



This evening, I walked back to Ms. Hennie’s house with several kids hanging off of me as usual. I spent the entire time talking with Clayten, Ms. Hennie’s sixteen year old son. We had the greatest conversation discussing everything from his math class to the America’s Best Dance Crew Jabbawockeez. This studious boy wants to go to college and major in mechanical engineering or become a famous dancer. With his skills, I tried to stress that he could do either if he put his mind to it. Clayten also decided that he wanted to learn “Mexican” as his college foreign language. Shocked by his background knowledge of the subject, I explained that I knew some Spanish. And, the drilling began. He wanted to know every phrase or object that came to his mind or sight. I think he planned on wooing a girl, because he kept asking how to say “pretty girl” and “I love you.” (No, I am not the girl. Nice try, though.) Clayten could not get over how elegant he sounded while saying simple sentences. He was cracking me up!



Of course, he attempted to teach me some Afrikaans as well. Epic fail. This uniquely South African language has sounds that require tongue rolling and clicking, a skill I physically just can not do. I may not be able to produce most of Clayten’s phrases, but I could produce lots of laughter from Ms. Hennie’s peanut gallery. I am glad I could entertain them.



While heading to the bus, I felt upset that I hadn’t spent anytime with little Logan. Within fifteen seconds of that thought, Logan accosted my right leg. His smile and big eyes brightened such a muggy day!



We ended our day by going to the best steakhouse in all of Africa, Balthazar’s. Honestly, I felt terrible for going especially experiencing the township’s poverty just a few hours before. My friends convinced me I wasn’t doing a disservice to humanity, and I ended up enjoying a very tasty sirloin. Unfortunately, the naïve Americans got jipped! We asked for tap water, and the waiter continuously refilled our glasses. After devouring a scrumptious meal, we happily received our check. Surprise! The restaurant charged us for each bottle of water they used to satisfy our thirst. We spent 800 Rand on water!!! That’s around $133! Rip off! The Ugly American shows its face again.


Big highlight: The Braves were playing in the bar next to the restaurant! Day made!

Picture: Surfers outside our hotel!

Day 24: Butterflies breed friendships

Another great and grateful day to experience the wonders of the Sir Lowry’s township! We split into stations to better serve the three to four hundred children who came running to meet us from the primary school. I manned the arts and crafts center where we made tissue paper butterflies and flowers. Within seconds of setting up the area, I had hundred little boys and girls ready to test their artistic limits. I taught the babies how to make the butterflies by crunching the paper and twisting the pipe cleaners. For each child I helped, I asked them to pick their tissue paper wings by naming each paper color. Interestingly, most of the children under seven could not name their favorite colors. But, I have to remember that English is their second language, and I shouldn’t make rash judgments about their educational background.



Continuing with the butterfly crafting, I twisted the pipe cleaners around their ity bity fingers to represent the animal’s antennas. Honestly, I wish I had filmed every single one of the kids, because their faces were priceless. When they saw how the pipe cleaner formed curves around their fingers, their eyes widened. Judging from their brightened faces, you would think that I had just made the butterflies flap around the room. I further explained that these animals don’t have noses but use their antennas instead to look for food. I completely blew their mind! Hopefully, they walked away from this simple activity with more than a new toy.



Yes, I did fall in love with another South African child. Six-year-old Logan and I met in Ms. Hannie’s house yesterday as he made snoring noises at me. I knew we had to be friends. Today, amongst the hundreds of kids running in eight different directions, Logan jumped on my back. I turned around and shouted his name in excitement. I completely rocked his world when he realized I remembered his name from the day before. Instant friends! From that moment on, Logan hung off some part of my body until I stepped on the bus to leave. Also, he found a pink balloon (or ba-balloon as he called it) that he could not put down. Amazingly, he could blow it up to nearly full size and then pinched the top to create the most annoying sound in the whole world. Since Logan is a little fireball, he loved watching everyone else squeal. Somehow the wretched noise never bothered me. Perhaps, his big brown eyes and sticker covered face made it easier to ignore.



Following a tiring day with the kids, our favorite boys and my roommates made the most random dinner for two of the program directors and our hungry tummies. Oddly, we thought plain noodles, chicken marinated with every sauce and seasoning in our apartment, bread, half-roasted vegetables, and burnt cookies would make a winning combination. Dinner is all about the company, right?

Picture: No pictures yet but here is the national flower!

Day 23: My South African Family

Today is the day that made me decide to go on this trip. While my time in South Africa includes a wide range of unique activities, I bought my plane ticket for the diplomacy aspect of this adventure. This entire week, I will have the opportunity to run the after-school program at Sir Lowry’s Pass, a township forty-five minutes north of Cape Town. Last Saturday, some of the leaders and I got a sneak preview of the community, but today, we brought the rest of the American students to experience these kids' love for the first time.



As we enter the township, I literally saw children of all ages drop whatever they had in their hands and sprint full force towards the bus. When I took my first step out of the bus, the kids greeted me with more hugs than I have gotten in a year and smiles that could light up an entire city. Naturally, a two year old girl named Serena stole the spotlight when she asked me to carry her. She attached herself to me for the next two hours as we connected with hand games and making goofy faces. Language barriers do not exist during playtime!



I spent the remaining time in the township getting to know my amazing host family. Ms. Hannie runs the show with her five children and working husband. This sweet, sweet lady serves as one of the soup moms of the community. Every morning, she as well as several other moms make porridge for the over 900 primary school children in the area. On top of that, she raises three boys and two girls ranging from ages 10 to 24. She lovingly opened her doors to me to teach me about her family and the Sir Lowry’s Pass's citizens. As gratitude, I made a large pot of spaghetti with a side of toast.



Funny story: As I am making dinner, the eldest daughter Ree Anne, Ms. Hannie, and I try to learn more about each other while they oversee my cooking. For the toast, I buttered the bread and placed all the slices on the oven rack. The looks that I received from these ladies made me think that I had eight heads when I told them of my toast making plans. All of a sudden, they begin laughing their heads off. Awkwardly giggling, I ignored them and kept talking. After I finished making dinner for all twelve of us, Nicole, one of Ms. Hannie’s daughters, showed me the toaster. That’s why they were laughing…



The rest of the evening consisted of talking and sharing. Ms. Hannie showed me her favorite family pictures, Ree Anne proudly displayed her Prom dress, and I tried to paint a picture of my family as well. When Ms. Hannie’s husband, Mr. Nicholas got home, he wanted to know everything about me. This vivacious man serves as the town librarian and pastor. In fact, one of the community members came to Mr. Nicholas asking for his marriage counseling services while we caught up. Its obvious how much the town respects this family. I can’t wait to grow closer with them in the next two weeks!

We aren't allowed to bring camera's into the township yet, so I leave you with another spectacular South African sunset.

Day 22: Fear is temporary. Regret is forever.

First, I need to start this post by apologizing to my mother. When I spoke with her last night, she asked what adventurous plans I had for today to which I answered with, “Nothing exciting.” Yes, I told a small white lie. In reality, I long ago decided that today was the day I would jump out of a plane at 9,000 feet. After a bonkers week of adventure, what a perfect way to end the craziness than to skydive over Cape Town!



Sleepily, Ish and Corbis drove us into the suburbs early this morning to watch us face fate. When we arrived at the hangars, we saw two of the most magnificent rainbows imaginable. Good sign for the day! (By the way, South African rainbow count: 4). Inside the hanger, I pondered over three of the puniest planes I had ever seen making me slightly more nervous. Then, the heavens opened up to an hour long monsoon preventing an early take off. During our wait, I glanced at all the paraphernalia on the walls beginning at an Atlanta Skydive bumper sticker. However, I immediately felt at ease when I wondered over to the pictures of Prince Harry skydiving in the EXACT SAME plane and field that were going to host me in the coming hours. Its fate! We can bond over skydiving!



Finally, two rainstorms dissipated, and my instructor began strapping me into my harness with two other friends. As we walked toward the plane, I felt like I had a role in Pearl Harbor as Josh Hartnett and Ben Affleck walked toward their mission. Before I knew it, Laura, Anna Lynn, and I reached 3,000 feet overlooking all of Cape Town. When I asked my instructor if we were high enough, he laughed and showed me that we still had 6,000 feet to go. My stomach started churning. All of a sudden, the sliding door opened to reveal our true height. My brave friends took the first jump as I waited to go last. I scooted my tush to the edge, and my instructor pushed us out of the plane. Let me say that again. Then, I jumped out of the plane!!!!!! We free fell for two minutes before the parachute opened for the remaining six minutes of flight. I truly felt at ease and spent the time marveling at spectacular Cape Town. I think I can successfully say that I have experienced every angle of the city. The sky’s the limit in South Africa!

Right before take off! From left: Laura (Wake Forrest), Madeline (Alabama), me

Day 21: Collegetown, S.A.

While we have all thoroughly enjoyed getting to know the locals, we found ourselves itching to get to know kids our own age. So, we planned a weekend trip to the University of Stellenbosch in the college town outside of the Cape Town limits. As usual, Ish and Corbis drove most of us over an hour to the center of the city to begin our adventure. Given a recommendation from a local, we went to The Apprentice for a delicious brunch. This restaurant allows the Institute for Culinary Arts’ students to practice their skills in a commercial atmosphere. If I could grade them, they would graduate with just one bite of my French toast and mini breakfast!



After shopping and wondering around this colonial/Charleston style city, Corbis picked us up and drove us to the Waterford, a vineyard a few minutes from the Stellenbosch’s center. Since we already experienced alittle wine tasting earlier in the trip, we added chocolate twist! The sommeliers coupled their house wines with dark and milk chocolate made on the plantation. Yummmmmmmy! Plus, the scenery looked like it belonged in an Italian countryside or in a romantic movie. Don’t worry! We took full advantage of practicing our model faces using our friend’s fancy cameras throughout the vineyard.



Since we had driven such a long way to explore the university, we finally decided to do just that. Not having a clue as to where to go, we wondered, asked questions, and tried to interpret the Afrikaans signs to lead us to the heart of campus. Eventually, we ended up in their student center. Loads of students crammed the first floor of the building as they watched the Cheetahs verses Sharks rugby game. Even though we thought we blended in, the stares and delayed cheering labeled us as outsiders. I embraced it and immediately sat down at a table with a guy sitting by himself. I may have scared him half to death, but we had a great conversation. Zach joined us as we shared cultural similarities and differences. Zach and I could not believe that the racial and social tensions still obviously exist. I was so happy to finally spend time learning from a South African college student!



Random Fact: Salt and pepper are the same white color! It’s a fun joke to play on each other.

Roommate Picture in the vineyard! From left: Sophie (Auburn), Amelia (Alabama), me, Betsy (Alabama)

Day 16-20: This. Is. Adventure. Week.

For the past five days, I have taken the word adventure to the utmost extreme. I literally saw every sunrise, sunset, and star in the southern hemisphere. We did not let one millisecond go to waste as we traveled the Garden Route on the southern coast of South Africa. I can not begin to tell you every amazing and life-changing experience, but I will share my top eleven in no particular order.



1. Frank the Tank… At 5:00 AM on Monday morning, Frank the Tank, as we affectionately called it, pulled in front of our apartments. We did not realize it then, but Frank, our driver Palele, and twenty of us would practically live together for the next five days. Since I had hours upon hours to think about how to describe Frank, I came up with a combination of a recycling truck + the Magic School Bus on the Oregon Trail. For the first few hours, we had multiple motion sickness casualties and even a broken finger from the rocky ride. Not to mention, we got lost about 78 times. And, adventure week began…

2. Cowboys of South Africa… Our first goofy adventure consisted of riding ostriches! We went to a small town that houses 90% of the world’s ostriches. Interestingly, they use every inch of the ostriches’ body for leather, food, and decorative feathers. I got the unique opportunity to even ride one as well! Ostriches are not the brightest color in the crayon box so to control my bird I just put a bag over his eyes. I climbed on the back and held on to its wings for dear life. I made it about twenty second before I fell off, but at least, I missed the ostrich poo!

3. South Africa Downunder… Our first Fear Factor-type test came when we went caving through one of the many South African mountain chains. Even though I wasn’t claustrophobic before, I may have experienced a few moments of panic while we climbed through the stalagmites. At one point, I had to solider craw through a 20 centimeter hole! You should have seen the big, football-sized boys try. I’m still laughing!

4. I met Dumbo! ... One of my absolutely favorite parts of the week consisted of interacting with the beautiful animals at the elephant sanctuary. I got to feed, pet, walk, and even ride these amazing creatures! The rumors are true. Elephants are extremely intelligent. I called their names and they came to me just like a dog would do! Riding them was surreal, but I thoroughly enjoyed walking them. I held my hand out to which my elephant put his truck in my palm and clutched on to my fingers. Remarkable!

5. I jumped off a bridge and survived… Even though I had zero plans of doing this death-defying feat, I somehow mustered up the courage to conquer the highest bungee jump in the world. At seventy stories and well over seven hundred meters tall, I was terrified. In small groups, we walked below the bridge on a platform to arrive at the jumping site. Supposedly, I heard the view was incomparable, but I did not allow myself to look down. Thankfully, nothing gets me more pumped than raging music. These crazy guides set up a jamming atmosphere with rave-type music to help us forget that we were about to test fate. Since I assumed that none of you would believe I did this, I succumbed to the tourist trap and bought the video. Coming soon to theaters near you!

6. A real life Lion King… I had the luxury of experiencing Disney’s Lion King in real life (minus Simba and Nala). We rode through the Addo Reserve during a night game drive and a sunrise game drive to see all the animals in their prime element. Unfortunately, we only saw an owl, porcupine, and a hundred kudos during our below freezing night game drive. However, I had no interest in the animals in comparison to the millions of bright, beautiful stars in the clear, night sky. I have never seen so many! I even saw the Southern Cross! Thankfully, the day game drive topped the charts. The reserve houses around four thousand kudos and again, we saw most of them. We did see real Timons and Pumbas in their natural habitat. (Yes, of course, we did sing “Circle of Life” and “Hakuna Matata!”) Plus, our jaws dropped at all of the elephant families that crossed our paths. One massive elephant did not appreciate our presence and gave us the “I dare you to come closer” look as we crept toward him. While he did not charge us, he used the passive-aggressive approach of camping out in the middle of the road. Well done.

7. Home sweet hostels… Every minute of this week consisted of a different adventure. Our hostiles did not deviate from this pattern. We spent the first and last night in a surfer-type hostile in which we slept on the porch in frigid temperatures. The second night had to have been our favorite. This hostile had several large fires in the cozy common room with a pool table. We concluded a long, bonding evening with Hamilton playing Dave Matthews on his guitar. Perfect. Of course, we could not leave Africa without sleeping in a bungalow, in comes night three. Imagine Little House on the Prairie in Africa… you got it! Our plantation did have an amazing playground with a trampoline and zip line. No, we are not twenty-two years old…

8. I saw Free Willy and Flipper! ... In fact, I saw their whole families! In a picturesque environment, our adventure team braved the record high swells to observe dolphins and whales from their side of the pond. We probably saw around ten dolphins playing in the waves as they broke. Later, we begged to search for whales and finally convinced our tour guide to make it happen. Amazingly, we actually saw a huge bryde whale! The guides estimated that it spanned fifteen or more feet!

9. Jaws and I are now great friends… Have you ever watched Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week”? Well, I swam in the exact spot in which these professionals film it every year! Believe it or not, seven of us willingly hopped in a cage and swam with these unbelievable creatures. The shark guides used bait and a seal decoy to lure the great whites as close to the cage as possible. Unfortunately, it’s illegal in South Africa to touch these animals, but I could have pulled a tooth if I wanted. They were that close! Dun dun, dun, dun, dun, dun dun….

10. Loving on some kids… Thankfully, in all of the craziness, we still had time to interact with the most precious children in the world. We organized a head to head soccer game versus a twelve year old African team. In short, we got annihilated. They did not hold back their slide tackling at all! The big boys even met the ground several times during attempted steals. Later, some local Sedgefield children taught us how to make Huggables and mosaic crafts. The community uses this arts program as an income for these children in addition to getting them off the streets. It’s unbelievable how much alittle heart and passion can make a difference.

11. On top of this bucket list week, I PASSED THE GACE!!!!!