Wow it has been a week since I last updated so I need to catch up.

Friday, March 27
I had to stay home from school because I was too sick to go. Luckily, my host mom has a brother-in-law who is a doctor and I was able to get in to see him. I ended up having strep throat and he gave me 3 different prescriptions to help clear everything up. My visit and prescriptions without insurance cost me a total of 220 rand or about $22 US dollars. He was very interested in my insulin pump because they do know have them here yet. Once I started my meds I started to feel a lot better and was able to go out that night with my group of friends. The night life here is a lot like Grand Rapids, although y6u have to be very careful in whom you trust. I there are guys that will come up to you knowing you aren’t from the area and think they can do whatever they want so it is best to travel in large groups and my group has two guys, so for the most part I feel very safe.

Saturday, March 28
My group went wine tasting to 3 different farms. The wine here is amazing and so cheap compared to the States. I got 6 bottles of $1 each. I also got a special kind of wine that is only made here and only at this one farm. I am learning lots about the different wines and what ones I like. I am hoping to be an expert by the time I leave and go back to work at Lakeside.

Sunday, March 29
Sunday was a very busy day. We went to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. We also go to climb Table Mountain and get an up close and personal look at the wild life in South Africa. We saws at least 15 baboons. When we got to the top of the mountain we eat at the world famous Two Oceans restaurant. There is a shop outside of the restaurant than the baboons like to visit and taken whatever they can get from. I saw one walk off with treasures in both hands. We also go to go see African Penguins on Sunday. There were hundreds of them all around you and at the end of this walk way you have the choice to go swimming with them. I was amazed at how close they would get to you; they do not seem to be afraid of humans at all. We also went to Seal Island on Sunday which was my favourite adventure of the day. They took us out on a boat up and around the island. Like the penguins there are hundreds of seals all over. I was disappointed I didn’t get to see sharks around the island but they are in the water. It was interesting to see the mountains around Seal Island because they are on fire. South Africa has been having terrible times with mountain fires before I came and while I have been here. The rescues teams were working in helicopters to put out the fires. They would come down and get water from the ocean and use that to put it out. It was also interesting because the fire travelled up the mountain due to the direction of the wind. Sunday was very eventful and I was very tired when we got back to my host house that night.

Monday, March 30
We went on a tour of one of the townships yesterday. It was a very eye opening experience. The township which we visited was the one most of my students live in. People living in the townships have very little and getting by day to day is a challenge. Houses smaller than my bedroom can be home to as many as 10 people. Most people that live there have problems with too many children but when you don’t have a job you have more time to make babies. The AIDS/HIV issues are also huge in the townships however; the people there can not afford medical care. It was very hard for me to see that his is how people lived because never knew just how truly blessed I am to have a home and bed waiting for me at the end of the day. I have never had to worry about not getting a meal or if I would have clothes to wear. I have never not been able to get medical help when I needed it and I am more grateful than I have ever been than my parents where able to give me a life filled with luxury. Many times you hear people in the States complain that they don’t have anything to wear or that their car isn’t nice or that there parents don’t get them everything they way, and than you come to a place like the townships and those things seem so silly to worry about. My favourite part of the township was visiting the preschool which was children ages 11 months to 5 years. I could have stayed there all day. I was able to help feed some children lunch and than got some ready for the nap. In the States there are standards such as each child has to have their own cot but in these preschools there are mattresses with 10 kids on them. I would really love to have the chance to spend more time in a preschool setting like that.


Tuesday, March 31
Today I had another eye opening experience. My group when to The Ark City of Refuge, this is a community of people who have nothing; they are poorer than people that can afford to live in the townships. 99% of the people living there are also dealing with other problems such as drugs, alcohol, abuse, or abandonment. This community takes anyone in that has no where else to go. Everyone living in the community must do something to help benefit the community such as teaching at the school, cooking, cleaning, gardening, making clothes, etc. In return for their work they are given a place to sleep and 3 meals a day to eat. There are about 750 people living in the community. There is a strong emphases placed on religion and to live there you must believe as they do. You also have to agree to a set of rules such as you will go to church everyday and complete a 50 bible study at the start of your stay. The community is run completely on donations and they feel God will always provide for them. Again I am so grateful that I am blessed to leave in a place in the world with good medical care, clean drinking water, a warm house, and family and friends who love me. After yesterday and today I feel so far from home and so far from the live I have known for the past 22 years. I am so thankful for this experience and getting to see places of the world like this. I don’t think you know how truly blessed and wealthy we are until you have seen communities like this.

For the next 2 weeks I will be travelling all over South Africa for the long holiday. I am looking forward to seeing more of this amazing and beautiful country.