Sawubona!

That's hello in Zulu. Sorry I haven't updated recently. My Zulu class has been consuming my life lately. The first week was really challenging, because the language is so foreign and different to all of us. It's getting better though. We're getting into writing sentences and conjugating verbs which follows a specific formula so it's easier to catch on to.

Besides Zulu my days are pretty relaxed here. After breakfast (almost) every morning I usually walk the 5km trail right next door to African Enterprise center. It's on a mini game reserve/park that's open to the public. It's a beautiful walk and if your lucky you can spot zebras! I had the good fortune of seeing the lovely animals twice this week. they are such interesting creatures when you see them up close. you can actually get quite close to them. I was probably within 10-15 feet of one today. It's been getting pretty hot here the last week or so. There's no pool here, but there are several rivers and a water hole. The rivers are really fun to climb in. We've created a new sport called rock sliding. which is basically where you slide down the drops in the river. I'll post a picture of it soon to give you an idea.

The zulu kids basically spend the whole week on campus, because we have class in the evenings when the mall and movie runs usually happen. However, on the weekends we get out. Our first weekend here we went to a lion park where not only did we get some amazing close ups of a few lions, but we saw a few elephants as well. It was pretty awesome. We also went to a bird park/reserve where we got to see some pretty awesome birds.

This last weekend we went to Sea World! It was both a marine park and water slide park. In the morning we saw a dolphins and seal show. We spent the afternoon swimming and going down waterslides. I felt like a kid again.

More soon!
Lots of love,
Julia

Life in PMB

Hello! Things are going well here. Life in Pietermaritzburg is a lot different than Cape Town. It’s more relaxed. We’re not always running around. We spend our days at the conference center, which is slightly isolated from the city. Zulu, my only class is 4:30 to 8:30, which leaves my mornings and afternoons open. It’s great though because there really is a lot to do. There is so much to explore and hike. Zebras are all over the place. I haven’t seen one yet, but I’m sure I will soon. Plus there is so much time to read! And if you know me, you know I love reading. I’m trying to use my reading time to become more educated on American politics, a major topic for discussion among my group. I’m also reading up on world issues to figure out what’s happening in the world today. Being here just reminds me of how huge the world and how much I don’t know. My goal is to become a lot less ignorant. I’m hoping to conquer a few novels and classics while I’m at it.

My reading time might be cut back as I get more involved in my Zulu course. The course is proving to be quite challenging for me, but I should be able get through it. I’m excited about the end result though. It will be really useful to be able to converse with the people during our service project. Our last month is going to be spent doing an intensive service project in the community while taking a community development class.

I sent links to my facebook albums so I hope that works. Let me know if it’s still not working.

I have finally made it to Pietermaritzburg! After a four-day road trip we have settled in here at the African Enterprise Conference center where will be staying until we leave on May 1st.

The Campus here is incredible with over 100 acres for us to explore, hike and run around on. We share the campus with about 16 little hungry monkeys who jump at any chance to get into our rooms and eat whatever is available. They're cute but only until one of them breaks into one of our rooms.

We left Cape Town Saturday morning at 4am and begin our road trip to PMB. The trip was good, but a bit long and more sitting than I would have liked. It was kinda like a retreat in the sense that we visited fun place and stayed at nice little hotels. Plus no homework! This was especially nice after all the papers and assignments we had to complete our last week in Cape Town.

On our way to P-burg we made several stops, the first of which was the Cango Caves. The Caves were amazing and huge. We walking through them I felt like I was in the movie National Treasure and looking for treasure. The next day we stopped at an Ostrich farm in which we had the opportunity to sit on an ostrich. We couldn’t ride them because it was really wet outside, but we could sit and get our picture taken. They were too smelly for me, so I decided to feed them and taken their pictures from afar. I did hold a baby one that wasn't smelly.

We drove to Port Elizabeth and stayed the night. We were supposed to have a beach day, but got completely rained out so we had a nap and read in the hotel. The next day we drove to West London and stayed there a night. And Tuesday we arrived here. We were welcome with a huge summer rainstorm which flooded the roads going into the Center, making it impossible for the bus to drive into the center. Instead we used a taxi to shuttle all 40 of us and out luggage to the center. It took quite a while.

I'm living in a cottage type house with 7 other girls. I'm taking 8 credits of Zulu over the next month and a half. We had our first class yesterday and it is going to be a challenge! I'll have to work really hard this next month and a half. Speaking of Zulu, I should go study.

Hamba kahle!

Long awaited pictures!

Here's just a few pictures. You can also go browse my pictures on facebook by going her. just copy and paste the address.
http://hs.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2000271&l=9daea&id=1585860061 http://hs.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2000262&l=311f3&id=1585860061




from left to right, my host mother, me, candice(host brother's girlfriend), Tracie (my mom's daughter in-law) and Katherine (Tracie's 10-month old daughter)
Most of the girls in our group.
fish and chips with my host family and Jenna my roommate
it was sooo windy!
petting a cheetah!


I'll be posting an update post about my last couple weeks by tomorrow, hopefully. I made it to Pietermaritzburg safely after a four day road trip. It was sad to leave Cape Town, but i'm excited for what awaits us here.