Schools Out

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So many of you may be wondering why I seem to have all this time to write emails and post pictures.
That would be because my university has decided to go on strike. Our entire first week of class has been put off due to a campus wide strike. In the scheme of a 6 week module, one week is quite alot. So i'm just chillin, trying to keep up on my reading, spending time writing these blogs. Strike seems to be quite the thing here in SA and everyone remotely connected to the university has jumped on the bandwagon. Nothing is open on campus, half the students can't register, its definitely something that would never pass in the states. The premise is that salaries only increased by 4% this year, while inflation went up by 8%, thus everyone employed by the unversity is quite upset. Its nice to have an additional week to get things sorted, but I have a feeling we will all be paying for it when things get crazy in a few weeks.
Otherwise, I have officially moved into my new place. Greg my roommate is wonderful and has already invited me to go whitewater rafting this weekend with him, which should be awesome. He's in his early thirties, a computer programmer, and just an all around nice guy, so we get along quite well. My other roommate is away in Norway, so I haven't seen any of her yet. I'll try to take pictures of the place soon. Next on my agenda is learning how to drive stick on the left hand side of the road. I am positively mortified. I have to go sign up for lessons today and I don't know if I can bring myself to do it. People drive CRAZY around here, and I'm picturing myself with about 10,000 screaming south africans as I'm stalled. I'm sure it won't be quite that bad, but still. So wish me luck!
To explain some of the pictures I posted, I spent last weekend living with an Indian couple and taking part in some of the things that comprise their culture and day to day lives. We saw a bollywood movie ( hilarious and highly recommended) , at tons and tons of indian food, saw a mosque and a hindu temple, and went to the Hindi Kavati festival ( I spelled that horribly wrong, forgive me). It was incredible to see. At the festival these men go into a trance and their backs are pierced and strings put through the piercings which they then tie to big temple like structure they have built and they pull them up a hill to the larger temple. I was shocked to say the least. So I hope that makes sense of my pictures with all the random piercings!
Okay, thats about all for now.
Love everyone, and miss you!
lauren

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