Woohoo Worker's Day!

Wednesday, I ran my first half marathon! I honestly wasn’t sure how it would turn out.  I decided that I was not going to think about it at all before and then just do it this morning.  If I started thinking I was bound to over analyze and psych myself out.  I chose to not really talk about it and my philosophy was that I was doing this for me and only me.  My goal was to have a smile on my face the entire time and to above all else, have fun! 

The “race” was in Wellington, which is about an hour or so north east of Cape Town.  It is a small farm town that is in the heart of the wine lands. Haley, TJ and I went with two guys from my small group, Callan and Scott.  They picked us up at Fun Vegs at 5 a.m. and we set off on the grand adventure. 

At the starting line I was amazed.  There were over 8,000 runners in this race and I was one of them.  Callan ran with Haley and I.  This is not because he is slow, but he is a great guy who has ran 7 halfs before and wanted to be with us for our first! He coached us and offered advice and encouragement along the way.  There are men who carry flags and run at a steady pace to indicate when you will finish if you keep up that pace.  For the majority of the race we stayed in front of the 2:15 bus.  

The first 60 mins was pretty easy.  I had originally decided that if I could make it that long then I could run a mile and walk a mile until I finished. HA, that is not quite how it works! After 70 mins.  we walked for 50 meters and honestly that was more painful than running.  Stretching out the muscles that had been in a steady rhythm was not pleasant.  We picked back up to our pace and then all was well. 

The toughest part of the race was when we reached ten miles.  Then it was like, woah we have gone so far but we still have THREE miles left.  Ha, most of my “training” workouts have only been three miles. I managed to push on though and just went at a steady pace until I crossed the line!! WooHoo 2 hours and 16 mins later I had done it! 13.1 miles, 21.1 Kilometers! Done and done! 

L to R: Callan, Haley, Scott, TJ, Anna

Champs! 

This weekend was a weekend full of markets! Thursday night TJ, Feeney and I went to the City Bowl Market and had a fabulous time! Pictured above is my dessert of Shiraz and red velvet cupcake.

We ended the night at chill place that is known for their selection of craft beer.  After good conversation and great food we headed home to called it an early night.  

Saturday we went to the Porter Estate Market in Tokai.  

Pictured above is the awesome breakfast we feasted on! 

Proteas = new favorite flower

Suz and Feeney

Scott, from my small group at church, grew up near the market and met us there for breakfast! 

Wine Oh Wine

This past Saturday a random assortment of old and new friends loaded up with Rodney (a cab driver we met the previous Saturday) and set out on a fun filled day.  The first stop on our adventure was Groot Constantia.  It is one of the oldest wineries in Cape Town.  Out first tasting was at 9:00 a.m. ... ha, know the taste when you drink orange juice right after you brush your teeth ... it’s worse with wine!!! A few crackers fixed that and I was able to enjoy the scrumptious array of red and whites that they had offer! After the tasting, we went on a tour of how the grapes are harvested, sorted, fermented, blended and bottled.  This was really fascinating and I learned quite a lot.  

On our way to the Cheetah Outreach program we drove past Khayelitsha. It is the biggest township in Cape Town. Wrap your mind around this: there are 3 million people that live in Cape Town and 1 million of those live in Khayelitsha. Excuse me, WHAT?! It was absolutely NUTZ, the shacks pieced together went on for as far as you could see.  I was mind blown. The cheetahs were honestly very anticlimactic.  On the Garden Route we did the “wildcat experience” and looked a leopard in the eye and stood next to an adult cheetah in its “natural” habitat.  This wasn’t as cool.  We opted for the 2 cubs.  The more the better right? ... They were on leashes like dogs, which I wasn’t expecting.  It was still fascinating to get to touch the wild creature though.  You think their fur would be fluffy and soft.  Negative.  It is rough and course.  

Next up was lunch.  We stopped in Mooiberge at a local strawberry farm.  They are famous for their crazy, bright scarecrow creations! It was a great meal and a fun atmosphere. 

Feeling as if I should never eat again, we were off to Spier for a wine and chocolate pairing. The chocolate makers make the chocolate to compliment the wine and it was very interesting how each really did bring out the best in the other.  The first was a red wine that you took a sip of, then took another sip, because the second “is always better.”  Then you take a bite of the dark chocolate and VAWHLA! It is like you are all the sudden eating chocolate covered cherries.  It was pretty cool, but I was not too keen any one in particular.  

Around the corner, there was an “Eagle Encounter”. Haley really wanted to do it, so I joined in.  The first thing we witnessed was a porcupine. The little guy was named Sonic and was as tame as a house cat.  Contrary to popular myths, the spiky creatures do not shoot quills when they are defending themselves! ... That was interesting.  We also got to hold owls.  As uncool as it sounds those little furby looking creatures were awesome! Their eyes were mesmerizing!!

As if that weren’t enough...We sat off for another tasting at Vredenheim, where they also have a selection of crazy animals. The most noteworthy, the albino lion.  However, we were animal’d out by that point and opted out of the photo sesh. 

From there we traveled about 45 minutes to Franschoek.  It literally means “The French Corner” and it is known as the “food and wine capital of the Cape.” We tasted at the Grand Provence and were able to take in the beautiful scenery.  It was such a serene little town and I would love to go back for an over night stay! 

The day ended back at Spier.  There they have a restaurant called “Moyo” which serves traditional South African cuisine buffet style complete with live performances and face painting.  After two rounds of delicious, mouth watering food we moved to the couches to lounge and soak in the environment.  

The day was quite the whirlwind, as we left at 8:30 a.m. and arrived back home at 11 p.m. It was such a great, spontaneous adventure and I loved seeing all of the beautiful country side! 

Wine tour for breakfast! 

Hanging with the cubs 

Caroline is also a Kappa! 

Sonic snacking on a carrot 

Owl always love you! 

We are the three that met "Rodney" our driver on our way home from the Water Front last weekend! 

Pinch me, is this real?! 

Franschhoek - "The French Corner" 

Sunset in the Vineyard 

Friendz for eva. 

Science is Everywhere!

Maitland Garden Village is the little community that has captured my heart! I have been doing my research project there on the water usage in a random house holds and it is also the village that I am working to put the library in.  As part of my research proposal I vowed to have an educational afternoon with the children of MGV to promote education. Since the class I am taking is Eco Justice, it was only fitting to center the afternoon around science and our environment.  We talked about being global citizens, the effects of humans on the environment and introduced the idea of chemical reactions (only so we could do the Diet Coke and Mentos!!) We also built a solar cooker out of card board boxes and “roasted” s’mores! (success!)

I planned everything out knowing that anything I planned would go the complete opposite... South Africa has done its best to rid of me of the “plan to make a plan” mentality. We were supposed to have forty kids but we only ended up with around 25. We played my favorite CentriKid Rec games and I planned “scientific debriefs” around them. The kids absolutely ate it up! About 15 of my friends from IES went with me and they all had a blast too. 

The climatic moment was of course the coke and mentos.  We sat it up by playing “Groups Of” and talking about how different elements react when they are combined. Then, TJ and Jenny set up the show! The expressions on the kids faces were priceless! They all LOVED it! To end of a high note, I ordered a bunch of pizzas and we all feasted and hung out.  

I can not brag on the kids enough. They were so attentive and willing to learn.  They were full of energy and enthusiasms and extremely optimistic! I’ve been working with Sheila and Ronell, the founders of the Green Light Project (a sustainable community development program in the village that offers programs for all ages of the community).  Ronell had been telling me about a music class that they had started and were very excited about. Most of the kids in the music class came to the science afternoon and afterwards performed their mad trumpet skills for me. I had not really put to much thought into “musical class” and was completely blown away by what I saw.  20+ kids line up in one line and take turns blowing out of one trumpet.  They are so eager and so excited. My heart melted.  These kids do not “have it all”, most of them live in the back yards of other people and don’t even have the right size shoes.  The joy that they had was insane though.  They were just so happy and loving and that is what truly made the afternoon so worthwhile.  I doubt they remember anything I said, or tried to say about being a “global citizen” but what I do hope they learned was that Maitland Garden and that way of life is not all there is.  There is a world full of endless possibilities and they have the potential to be anything they want.  

My wheels are already turning about how to continue investing in the lives of these precious kiddos in the short time I have left here.   

Solar Cooker Demo

MONKEY SOCCER 

Groups Of... In English and Afrikaans

The look on their faces! :) 

"Let's celebrate!"

Solar Cooker Success 

Hungry

Priceless 

Go Frogs

The Music Class 

Toot Toot 

The smile says it all! 

Such a sweetie 

Beautiful 

Where memories where made...

"There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere, and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires." -Nelson Mandela

This post is long overdue! Since we have come home from “vac” things have been in full swing.  I have settled into a routine and attend class most days! One thing that I have become obsessed with recently is Bikram Yoga. A couple of us are training for a half marathon that we are running May 1 and I decided to do this as my “cross training” on Thursdays.  But instead of running I went to Yoga everyday last week.  It is addicting and so good for you. Bikram is made up of 26 postures and can be done in 90 or 60 minute sessions in a room that is approximately 104 degrees.  ...to bad I’m actually going to have to run the 13.1 miles of the half, not just stretch and sweat! 

This past week Haley’s dad, Doug, was in town! It was great to meet him and have him spoil me for a few meals and outings. I am so thankful Haley included me, it was great to spend time with them and hear a parent’s perspective on our life here/life in Cape Town.  They had some crazy adventures without me, but I got to join them for the Brass Bell (a restaurant on the water), The Taste of Cape Town (food and wine festival!) and then to top off the fabulous week we went to “Azure” which is the restaurant at the Twelve Apostles Hotel (the nicest in Cape Town.) Big fat and happy was the theme of the week... hence to my yoga craze this past week! 

Yesterday, (Saturday) we went to Robben Island. We took a ferry from the Water Front then went on a bus tour of the entire island and then were guided through the maximum security prison where the political prisoners were kept during the Apartheid years.  It was nuts.  An ex-prisoner was our tour guide and he had been arrested in Port Elizabeth for protesting on what is now “Human Rights Day.” He was held in a group cell with 30 other men.  Political “Leaders” such as Nelson Mandela were kept in solitary confinement. I already love the man, but gained a whole new level of respect after seeing the “cage” that was his home for 18, I repeat 18 years.  The stories and the hard evidence made everything so much more real. In light of all the trauma that his hit the US this past week, the people of South Africa have been extremely sensitive and caring.  One of my cab drivers this week said though “Man I lived through the Apartheid era and remember it so vividly.  You could not pay me to go back to those dark days.”  The horrendous activity that has gone on in Boston over the past week has only been a small glimpse of what it was like to live through the years of the Apartheid.  I can’t even imagine and it makes me appreciate so much more the freedom and land of opportunity I was able to grow up in. 

Thoughts/Reflections: 

As time ticks on it is crazy to think that I have only 8 Saturdays left in this beautiful city.  I am falling more in love with it everyday.  Cape Town has sooo much to offer and when people said that before I came I would just grin and nod and be like oh yeah it’s going to be great.  But, I truly had no concept of just how awesome it would actually be.  The weather has started to change and the past 2 weeks have been pretty dreary, cold and wet.  This week the forecast is sunshine and low to mid 70s! YIPPEE bring on the beach! 

Cheers! 

Celebrating Alex's 22nd Birthday! 

The trip across the Atlantic to Robben Island 

Ocean water blue

Mandela's cell, he didn't have a bed.  Just the mat to rest his head. 

Getting a dose of vitamin D at Clifton 4th. 

Spring Break Twenty One Three was by far the craziest ten days of my life.  We experienced South Africa’s 3 biggest cities, visited 2 other countries, witnessed wild animals in their natural habitat, rode in vehicles with random strangers, swam under majestical water falls, navigated via newspaper maps and lived to tell.  I could most certainly write a novel if I were to recount and reflect on every crazy incident, however I definitely don’t have the time for that so here is the abridged version! The first part of the trip was organized through our program and the second included 9 of us backpacking through Southern Africa. 

Day 1 - Everyone was giddy as we loaded our bags into the trailer to go to the airport.  We flew to Johannesburg and visited the Apartheid Museum.  It was hectic to see everything all together. Everyday we witness the repercussions of the Apartheid, but seeing it in its entirety was gut wrenching.  We ended the day with a bike tour through Soweto (the mother of all townships) and were able to gain more historical context of everything we had seen earlier in the day. 

Keep it classy South Africa

Getting ready for the bike tour

Shosholoza

Day 2 - We arose bright and early again and road tripped all day.  We made a few stops along our route to Nelspruit which included: a beautiful waterfall, Blyde Canyon (the 3rd largest canyon in the world), Harry’s Pancake House, and God’s Window.  

ROOMMATES 

First of many waterfalls 

Blyde Canyon 

Three Rondavels 

Blyde River 

Blyde River

Day 3 - Eager to see animals we left before dark en route to Kruger National Park.  That day proved very successful as we saw 4 of the “Big 5” before lunch (water buffalo, rhino, elephant, lion, and leopard).  The rest of the afternoon we were in search of the lovely leopard, but sadly never spotted him.  

Day 4 - Safari shanagins began to take place as we started to become less enthralled at the sight of the ever abundant elephants! The afternoon brought about a water fight between two vehicles, which escalated into a coke fight, which then resulted in a ellie dung fight, and ended with our driver, Basil dumping the dung all over the passengers of the other truck because the closed bag had nailed him in the head during the friendly fire. 

Team L 

Day 5 - The real adventure began when the rest of IES headed back to Joburg and Myxo and Bruce arrived to transport the nine of us to Swaziland.  Along the way we stopped at a Swazi glass blowing factory (I am still obsessed), a local market, and “cultural village” where Zulu people sing, dance, and offer a tour through a traditional Zulu compound.  Sondezela, our backpackers was great! Thomas was a fantastic host and we met a group of medical students who are interning in Joburg. We had a grand time playing cards and getting to know each other. 

Rizzo - The Pink Lady

Myxo was the man 

Glass Factory

Obsessed

Pharmacy at the market

Execution Rock 

"Braids"... he was our roommate night 2 in Swaz

One of the many huts that a Zulu family would live in

Day 6 - We woke up to the sound of rain pitter pattering on the roof and went to breakfast in a hut outside where we were served fried eggs and toast that had been cooked over an open flame.  Our plan was to hike “execution rock” but with the rain I was not feeling that.  Instead, Monica and I decided to go to the spa.  With a newspaper clipping of a map and the names of several towns neither of us could really pronounce we set out on what turned into an adventure of a life time.  It was without a doubt not the most intelligent thing I’ve ever done, but I lived to tell and made lots of memories.  The Swazi people are very prideful and not overly welcoming to outsiders.  As you can imagine we stuck out like sore thumbs as it felt like we were the only white people in the country. We took three mini busses there and three back, Thomas had dropped us off at the first stop and when we got back to destination A we convinced ourselves we didn’t need to try to bum a phone from someone, we could just walk... THREE MILES later, barefoot, trying to out walk the rain, we arrived back at the back packers! I wish so badly I could have used the “go pro” to document the entire day.  Sadly, we didn’t get any hard evidence, but it is something that will be permanently imprinted in my mind forever!

Day 7 - The following morning a zebra painted mini bus showed up to transport us back to South Africa! All was well until our driver was lacking a piece of information at the border. We sat for 30 minutes while he talked to different people and finally after paying a 2000 Rand fine we were on our way to Durban! “Dirty Durbs” as we coined it was not all it was cracked up to be.  Half of the people you meet in Cape Town are from Durban and it is clear now why they all choose to reside in the Western Cape.  I tried Thai food for the first time and we went out on “Florida Road” before we called it a night.  

Zebraville stuck at the border

Casually working out of the trunk?

Day 8 - The chilling thrill came when I woke up to learn that we were leaving Durbs at 8 a.m. with a guy that we had called at 1 a.m. Trusting the opinion of my accomplices, I packed my bag and was ready to hit the road. About an hour later Benny arrived to fetch us. Aye may me. I have definitely seen one too many episodes of NCIS, Law and Order,  and Criminal Minds... My imagination was going insane. Sitting in the back seat I had to find my happy place and have faith that whatever the circumstances everything was going to be okay. In the end though, everything was indeed fine and we arrived safely and unharmed at a quaint little backpackers nestled in the Drakensburg Mountains. The day turned out to be spectacular.  Five of us went on a little hike in search of a waterfall and while taking in the breath taking scenery we would occasionally hear the sining from a Zulu celebration happening across the way.  We finally found the roaring waterfall, just a little farther down was another smaller one and we treated ourselves to a dip in the icy cold river.  INVIGORATING it was. The day came to a close opposite the way it began.  We feasted on a great homemade meal, drank wine and curled up on our beds each reading our own book of choice like total nerds. 

Green for days 

Roaring Waterfall 

Chunky dunk 

Day 9 - After a family style breakfast, complete with baked beans the nine of us sat off in a Landy, Lesotho bound! The ride was far from smooth sailing.  We bounced around on unpaved roads dodging huge pot holes and large rocks for roughly 4 hours.  Once we finally made it to Lesotho it was like we had gone back in time. Shepherds were herding their sheep and the land was very much undeveloped.  Sadly we didn’t get to go all the way into an actual town, but even just seeing the outskirts was nuts.  Lesotho is a country inside of South Africa that looks straight biblical. Donkeys, sheep, shepherds, small huts...Sooo glad I got to see it! Before the equally long trek back down Sani Pass we stopped at the “Highest Pub” in Africa.  In between relishing in our successful trip and making dinner plans, Alex got a phone call.  When we sketchily rode with Benny to the Draks we had canceled on our planned transportation.  We were also canceling on him for our trip back to Durban because he was trying to charge 600 Rand per person each way when we could get it for 250 Rand.  He was not having that though.  He threatened to call the Lesotho border, get all of our passport numbers and then make our lives a living hell at the airport the next day. This crazy man still wanted us to take his ride after the threat and gave us 5 minutes to decide, when we declined his response was “You will regret this!” eeeek. My main concern was not that he could obtain our passport information but that the crazy knew where we were staying and was only 20Ks away! Thankfully, the manager of the backpackers came and reassured us that we were safe and gave us a key to our lodge.  Did I mention all of this was taking place during a torrential downpour! Talk about setting the mood. 

Lesotho 

Us...transport problems?

Shepherds

Day 10 - Escaping before we could be found in the daylight we left the Draks at 7 a.m. the following morning. I was never so happy to see an airport! Safe and sound we were almost home! We caught our flight from Durbs to Joburg and met up with all of our friends who had gone on their own journeys. After trading stories and catching up we all made it home to our humble abode in one piece! 

Thoughts/Reflections:

The morale of the whole story is trust. I have never before in my life felt as vulnerable and defenseless as I did at some points throughout the trip, but that is when I would just take a deep breath and try to enjoy the moment.  Being afraid doesn’t do anyone any good. My favorite days were the Swaz Spa adventure and then the first day in the Draks.  The group of people I traveled with were all great, thankfully everyone remembered to pack a sense of humor and adventure and we were able to laugh at ourselves the whole way. I am not dying to go back to any of the places or countries any time soon, but I am sooo sooo glad that I was able to experience them. I have a whole new appreciation for Cape Town, ‘Merica, Texas, TCU... Plan to make a plan, Annie also realized the importance of flexibility and spontaneity. Both of these things were essential to our trip! SPRING BREAK TWENTY ONE THREE.