almost settled

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Hello All!

I will strive to make my entry look more interesting by using lots of

• silly
  
• text
  
• formats
  

but I'll probably screw up somewhere along the line!

Well, I am here in (non-sunny) South Africa!
(It is their winter after all)!

Yesterday morning I was picked up at the airport by "Ms. i-to-i" herself, the South African co-ordinator whose young daughter (with the same name as me) held the sign. I was then driven to a homestay for one night in Kommtejie (I think I have spelled that right), showered and taken for lunch at a lovely "farm." I stayed in a really nice house full of a family of surfers where you could stand on the deck and hear the surf, but it was chilly & rainy so I didn't wander to the beach.

I almost died from freezing last evening (reminds me of the Yukon damnit)! (no heaters) and am realizing that I am probably going to LIVE in my one sweat-shirt and jeans I brought for the next 2 months while I am here until I start to head back up north to the equator. (Note to self: next time choose to travel in ONE hemisphere per trip)!

This morning, breakfast of cereal was a WELCOME change from damn french baguettes. I never thought I could say I am sick of baguettes. I guess the French compensate for the cheeses they eat each meal by eating only baguette & coffee for breakfast!!!??!!!
I skipped the whole damn thing in France all week -- definitely not worth getting up for!

Around noon I was brought here, to the ChillnSurf hostel in Kommetjie for my orientation (one other girl arrived this morning). Then after a bite to eat was invited to join 2 others from the UK (one had rented a car) to drive ~15 min up the coast to see penguins!

We bought our entry tickets (R20=$4.00) and then it started to pour. I am still damp, but it was neat to see the African penguins on the beach.

Well, brilliant me cleaned my leather & suede flipflops before I left home - then trudging through the rain today they became feet covered in tons & tons of suds! hahahaha

I have also discovered/been told that I WILL be at Sarah Fox Children's Hospital not the orphanage. Somebody make up my mind! I guess the email they sent me about changing my placement needed a reply (??!) so they left me at the hospital where 4 other girls currently are. I will be there for 6 weeks with them and then the last 2 on my own. - a tad frustrating b/c I was set on the hospital - then prepared myself for the orphanage - now I am back where I started.

Sorry I have not made these entries more interesting - I will see what the net access is like over the next couple of weeks. I don't want to spend my whole day in an internet cafe anyway! come & experience it for yourself ! hehe

much love, lm
ps - i would love to read any emails you WILL send me to keep me in touch !

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