Today we crossed the border into Namibia, a country I had never heard of before I came to South Africa (sorry Mrs. Archuleta). We drove a really long time from the hilly green valleys of South Africa into the plains of Namibia. We crossed the Guariep River which marked the border between South Africa and Namibia. We set up camp at a really nice camp site on the river - complete with a bar, heated showers, and a dining/cooking area. After setting up camp we took silly pictures along the river and later stayed up late eating and drinking. [View Full Entry]

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My spring break trip to Namibia began early on Sunday morning when i awoke to an SMS message at 7:11 from Liza asking if I was up. The taxi was going to be there at 7:15 AM. Of course I slept through my alarm and had to race to shower and shave and leave before the taxi left us. Typical Kari! Anyway - we made it to Greenmarket Square where our trip would depart from. We were travelling in a big white 'safari' like truck that held our tents in a side compartment and our bags above our seats. There was [View Full Entry]

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August 12th - August 14th This weekend CIEE placed us with families in Ocean View, a coloured community in a valley behind Cape Town. The families had created a community several decades before after the apartheid government forced them off their property along the coast and in the city. We assembled at a church and met our families and then watched some of the local teen groups perform. They had prepared dances and songs to entertain us - the breakdancing was amazing. After that we went 'home'. Carol and Chris were the parents in the family I stayed with and they [View Full Entry]

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So . . . after cleaning my room I decided it was time to take pictures of where I've been living the past month. I don't have any pictures of my flatmates, Robi and Siami yet, because they are never there at the same time - but they're coming soon! Also I was really bored and thought you all should be bored with me! :) [View Full Entry]

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Today I celebrated both my 24th (gulp!) birthday and the South Africa Springbok's rugby win. CIEE took us out to this cute restaurant/sports bar near the Newlands Stadium to watch the rugby game agains the New Zealand All Blacks team. We had great greek food and drinks and got to enjoy seeing how south africans do rubgy. It made me a little homesick thinking about how many SC Football games I would be missing. After the Springbok win we headed back to Forest Hill to get ready for my birthday dinner on the waterfront. The No Name girls plus Ashley, Lishaun, [View Full Entry]

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Today after a VERY early morning of SHARP training for me I went to Gugletu a township of Cape Town to enjoy a Saturday afternoon of drinking, eating, and watching soccer and rubgy. My friend Ellie's roommate Funeka invited us to join her and her friends to this weekly event. Mzoli's is a little place that hosts neighborhood people to come watch the soccer and rugby games which are projected onto a large screen under a large tent. There is a meat market that you go in and select your meats and order your sides and they cook it all in [View Full Entry]

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Today CIEE took us on a trip to Stellenbosch to see the wine country of South Africa. We stopped for lunch at the Spier Estate which is huge and wierd, but it had a cheetah and spotted owl reserve as well as local people selling crafts. After lunch we headed for the wine estate whose name I cannot remember for some tasting and a tour. I had flashbacks to my old job at the wine bar in the springs and "Sideways". Nice wine, but I preferred the No Name boxed wine we've been drinking. . :) [View Full Entry]

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Tonight some of my American friends from Forest Hill met up with new friends from UCT for a night of drinking games and dancing and all those things you do in college no matter where on the planet you might go to school. We taught Gomez, Rogers, and Pascal how to play Kings - hard enough to explain the rules while drinking but add the cultural and language differences and some wine and you have yourself a good time. I had my past come back to haunt me a little when our "party" was busted by a subwarden (scary RA types) [View Full Entry]

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Today we went on a tour of Robben Island, which was the site of a prison for many years, made famous because it held many political prisoners during the apartheid regime. Nelson Mandela was it's most famous prisoner. We were led on a tour of the prison by a former politicial prisoner who shared his experiences with us. The boat that took us out to the island is connected to a museum on the waterfront and the ride out was actually beautiful because it was the first time I saw Table Mountain and Cape Town from that view. There were many [View Full Entry]

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After a day of orientation all the international students were invited to participate in a drum circle. We each received our own drum and tried to play as the instructors taught us some beats. At one point some of us were given percussion instruments and yours truly was given a castanet. Lots of fun was had laughing at ourselves trying to keep up with the real drummers. [View Full Entry]

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