Just sitting on the plane in Dulles, Washington. Had to log on to teach the "guys" how to log on and operate their web pages. I ate some broccoli (who would have thought) and now we are ready to head to Senegal. Seven hours there and then an hour break and then 7 hours to Johannesburg and then 2 hours to Cape Town, when all is said and done we will arrive at our first destination at 10pm on Thursday, February 3rd...OH EM GEE!!
Wish us luck and as soon as we land I will try to find access to write again! Miss everyone and can't wait to start this amazing journey!
Thursday, February 3, 2011
Finally arrived in South Africa though I have yet to touch the soil or breathe the air which I am definitely looking forward too. I have also come to terms on this long journey that I am an internet junkie! I thought this blogging thing was going to be a nuisance and a little ridiculous but I have to admit that I am excited with the prospect of letting people know what we are doing the entire time we are here because let's admit it, I am not about to skype everyone! So far there is nothing of importance to report as we have been on plane after plane. We left San Diego at 7am on Wendnesday, arrived at Dulles at 3:45pm and then flew to Dakar, Senegal and arrived there at 6am their time. We finally landed in Johannesburg at 6pm their time (all these time changes - I have no idea what's going on...nothing new there) and then we fly to Cape Town at 8:15pm and then have to get to the airport so we should be able to lie down around midnight and then tomorrow is a jom packed Rotary day of meetings and conferences and hopefully Table Mountain or something fun, fun, fun! So excited at this adventure and glad I am able to share it with everyone! Let me know if there are MUST SEES here...
Friday, February 4, 2011
Well, technically it's not really Friday as I haven't gone to sleep and woken up yet but it is past midnight so with that said I have already uploaded pictures to Facebook, skyped with my aunt (sorry Mom) and answered all of my work emails because as I have stated before, I am a freaking addicted internet junkie which I am okay with now!
Okay so tomorrow we have a pretty interesting schedule ahead of us, one in which we are going to hear F.W. de Klerk speak about "What the World Needs Now - Seeking Peace." I honestly have to say that I didn't know that this was on the agenda until about an hour ago so I am pretty pumped. What a great way to start this entire journey. I am looking forward to it and taking many pictures. I think I may have blown my adapter already but I will try my best to stay linked in! Wish me much luck with that!
Just arrived back at the hotel, I am exhausted and need a quick nap but first wanted to post two amazing pictures with more information to follow later tonight.
The Former President of South Africa and Noble Peace Laureate, F.W. de Klerk, he was totally looking at me when I took this picture...
I must admit today was a rather exhausting day, right after this picture was taken Jamil and I went back to the hotel where I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow which is completely understandable since I didn't go to bed until 2:30 am last night after connecting to my mother on Skype and then Jamil and I woke up at 6am to go to the gym before heading to the Rotary Conference at 8am...it was quite an eventful morning.
The highlight of the day was of course hearing Former President de Klerk speak about "Seeking Peace" his insight was interesting and especially pertinent to my current situation as he spoke about the importance of the environment and it being the key to peace in the next few years. This is yet another reason why my choice to attend the MPA in Environmental Science and Policy in June is so important at this point in time. The environment seems to be a "hot button" issue in so many fields and it was compelling to hear an argument for the environment being a necessary link to peace. I am excited with not only this trip but also with the upcoming year to see how all of my passions and interests with come together.
Another highlight was seeing the sunset on the Atlantic Ocean, I have lived my entire life with the Atlantic on the East side of me and seeing the sunRISE over the ocean but never have I experienced the sun setting on the Atlantic and it was such a wonderful site to see. The world is truly an amazing place and thanks to globalization it may seem that "no matter where you go, there you are." Beach cities are beach cities no matter what continent you are on but the ocean has to change...it was a wonderful day!
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Holy socks! What can I say, I imagine that everyone forgets something when they travel but how does a Physical Activity Coordinator forget socks on a humanitarian trip to implement physical activity with youth? Not sure how it happens but that is the one thing that I forgot, thank goodness I remembered my other necessities though! Knowing that I need to buy socks I can now go on with my day. Today was such an exhausting day that I actually am writing this on Sunday since I fell asleep while on Skype with Trevor last night, too funny! (Sorry about that Trevor!)
I woke up at 6am to go to the gym before starting our crazy day which consisted of attending the second day of the Rotary conference where we had the pleasure of hearing the Minister in the Presidency, National Planning Commission, Trevor Manual speak. He was simply amazing and I think I found a new political figure to emulate, he was articulate and funny and and some wonderful ideas about the future of not only South Africa but the entire world. Guess what he said one of the main focuses of the next generation should be...the ENVIRONMENT! Hopefully with all of these politicians talking about the environment I hope that I have a job when I get my Masters!
Another highlight of the meeting was hearing a quartet called Quartet of Peace play. Each of the instruments highlights a different Noble Peace Laureate from South Africa and the music was seriously breathtaking. It was a great respite not only from the conference and the craziness of traveling the last few days but also for my mind since it seems to be going a mile a minute...so much to do! This all happened before 11:30 am by the way.
We had tickets to go to Robben Island at 1pm which of course means we had to be at the ferry by 12:30 so we didn't have time to eat but we did have time to see a remarkable place where all of the tour guides were once prisoners on the island. It was an amazing experience though I am not sure if I could go back to a place where I was unjustly emprisoned for years to work...which is a good question for you as a reader. Would you be able to go back to a place where you were mentally tortured and made to do physical labor every day for 18 years as Nelson Mandela had and work for the Parks services? It is an interesting question and it was an incredible experience. The ride over to Robben Island was freezing since Jamil and I wanted to be on the top level of the ferry but hearing from former prisoners was worth it though I wish we could have heard more. The picture below is me in front of Nelson Mandela's old cell room.
We managed to get back to the hotel just in time to change clothes and attend a cocktail party for the Rotary and when I mean just in time, I am not exaggerating. We arrived at the hotel at 5:05 and had to leave at 5:30. The location of the event was fantastic, it was the Cricket stadium and we had the opportunity to take pictures with Rotary International's President, Ray Klinginsmith. Take a look below!
Now you can see why I fell asleep almost immediately after I got back to the hotel at 9pm. We hadn't eaten lunch, only had snacks at the reception (and Castle beer) and no real dinner, though we did stop at a gas station for me and I was able to find one decent thing to snack on...popcorn. Oh well. That was our day though.
While all of you in the States are gearing up to watch the Super Bowl, we in South Africa have been up since 6am again. I went to the gym and then we had quite the adventure. We went to the southern most tip in all of Africa, Point Cape which is part of the Cape of Good Hope. I was able to see where the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean collide and in the process got a little pink on my nose...oh well!
Now we are sitting in the Cape Town airport on our way to Durban where we will be then heading to Pietermartizburg. I will sure to write more soon...
Greetings all, unfortunately I do not have internet at the house I am staying at in Pietermaritzburg so I will begin writing my in Microsoft word and then paste it into the blog, sorry that I haven't been able to write in a while but take a look at my first interaction with kids today. I was teaching them how to jump rope with a hula hoop...it was too much fun! Can't wait to interact with more kids...
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
For someone who just recently discovered her addiction to the internet, being without it for the last few days has been quite an experience. I want to make sure that my family and friends have a vivid idea of what we are doing but our days have literally been so packed that I have not had the opportunity to write as much as I would have liked. I find that when you don’t write and debrief right after an experience it’s harder to go back and comment on the events. With that said…I do have lots to say!
I have noticed that there are many similarities between South Africa and the United States especially in the southern states. The landscape looks a lot like some of the areas that were devastated by Hurricane Katrina. One of the things that is obviously much difference is the differences in class and the socioeconomic strata here, there is such a huge difference between the haves and the have-nots here that is not only evident in the medical care (which we are working with ) but in the homes, the modes of transportation and the foods that are consumed. It is such a beautiful place with so much potential that I have nothing but high hopes for the country as an entirety.
Today we had the opportunity to go into the Edendale Valley where people who are seen at Edendale Hospital go. During apartheid, Edendale was the Black hospital and though the system has been deconstructed, the past is still evident in the patients – they are all Black. The organization we had the honor of following in to the valley is called Thandanani and they have a community based support sustem that is very similar to the Promatura model have in San Diego though there system is a bit more complex and really focuses on HIV prevention and care. The program was created to support orphans and other vulnerable children (particularly those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS) in the Kwazulu-Natal Midlands area. They have established a system of volunteer driven community based care and support for the orphans and their families that is aimed at capacitating and supporting community based teams to respond to the basic material, physical, cognitive and emotional needs of orphans and other vulnerable children. They only have 21 staff members at two different sites in Pietermaritzburg and Richmond but they have over 100 volunteers who help run the programs with families. Their vision is that communities provide safe and nurturing environments for the children within their communities of origin instead of having the children placed in foster homes or orphanages. They really rely on siblings and extended family to take care for those children who have been displaced as a result of their parents untimely deaths.
We had the opportunity to meet one young woman who the organization has helped, at the age of 23 she began raising her younger siblings in a dilapidated home that was literally falling apart. The organization helped build her and her siblings a new house in a better location (closer to schools). As a direct result of her interaction with Thandanani and the support they have given her, she has become a volunteer with the organization. She was empowered by her experience and is now a poster child for the organization. The organization helps over 2,000 children a year and has been doing wonderful, wonderful things. It was so wonderful to not only see the area in which people live outside of the main city but also to hear about an organization that has so much faith in people and community and is empowering the younger generation in such a positive way.
The Weekend, February 11-13, 2011
To check on our status, please read the first page as Marty is able to log on to the internet more often! I will be in touch soon!
