Kayaking

So, this morning I went kayaking off the coast of Namibia (in the Atlantic Ocean) with 4 other people from the group, and it was amazing. We played with seals! There were an unbelieveable amount on the shore, and let me just tell you, they sound like dying goats. The sounds that were coming out of their mouths were just like... morbid. I couldn't help but laugh. There were a bunch in the water, too, that chased our kayaks and played with us. : )
So needless to say, we're on the coast now, in a town called Swakomund. It consists mostly of German tourists and sand. Like for real, all the roads are just covered in sand because there is so much wind. But it feels SO good to be out of the desert and into a cool area. We're on the periphery of the desert, though, and tomorrow we're climbing a sand dune! So that should be fun. And then on Wednesday we leave for our safari in Botswana! I've so been looking foward to this. : ) I've been told that there won't be any internet access there, though, so if you don't hear from me during the last two weeks, I didn't die! Well, I might have. But if all goes according to plan, then I will be intact by April 1st, and anxiously awaiting seeing all of your beautiful faces again. : ) Until then, stay well
-Landerson

Namibia = H.O.T

Hey, all! Sorry it's been so long! I just got done staying with a family in Korixas (pronounced, "kori haas"), Namibia for three days, and it was RURAL. It was a farm, and they had a ton of goats and chickens and FLIES. The family I stayed with didn't know english, but they were wonderful people, and so hospitable to Serafina (my homestay partner) and me. The family lives off the land and just seems so happy that it didn't really dawn on me that they are living in poverty. They don't have running water or electricity, or anything that goes along with that (like a toilet and a phone), and they certainly did not have air conditioning. Listen to me-- I sound like such an American. The house was composed of a few dung huts with tin roofs that get SO hot during the day that you cannot sit in them when the sun's out. So you have to spend the entire day outside in the sun. Ok, more later! I have class now. Love.

In Namibia. Rural homestay today. No internet. More later.

I'm a Capetonian

There are so many beautiful people here, it's unbelieveable. And like America, it's a melting pot of all different races and nationalities. Including Americans. And everyone is so cool here-- hipsters with long hair and wayfarer sunglasses and people in board shorts and v-necks (yay for the v-necks!). I couldn't imagine a more beautiful city-- it's like Europe meets New Orleans meets San Francisco. Only way less safe. Some people have no qualms about pulling a knife on you to ask for (or demand, rather) money. They probably have no intention of stabbing you, though-- and if you run away or say you don't have any money, there shouldn't be an altercation. And the city has a mountainous backdrop, the tallest of which is Table Mountain. And I climed it two days ago! It was a murderously hot day, but I was starving for some exercise, so I decided to climb it. The only other person from our group up for the challenge was Hannah Kuehnert, so we braved that thing together. Each step up the mountain was like a stair-step (but rocks, of course), and it felt as though we were on a stair-stepper for two hours.
I knew that the next day I'd wake up sore from the hike, but I had no idea that I'd have food poisoning and a fever... So I spent the entirety of yesterday in bed, trying to choke down water. I feel much better now, but am now much more wary of South African food, and especially buffets of it. Ok, I have to stop thinking about it before I get sick again.
Well anyway, I hope you all don't have too much winter to deal with... It's so hard to believe that the weather over there is so cold when it was around 100 degrees today. But don't be jealous of me-- there isn't any air conditioning here! What's it like not to sweat? I don't know.
Tomorrow morning I have a sociology test and then a full day of educational activities (as usual), and then Tuesday we leave for Namibia. We should have internet there. More to come. Miss you!

Cheers

Oh, how time flies

So... I guess it's been about a week since my last post, but it feels like only two days ago. Since then I've stayed in three other cities! After you last heard from me we went to Giant's Castle, and I did see some baboons! The scenery there was absolutely phenomenal... God is so awesome to create places like that! We were in the Drakensburg Mountains among gorgeous green (monstrous) hills and valleys with streams and waterfalls running through and along them. I got such a sunburn on a day-long hike, but it was well worth it (and so will be the resulting tan, hopefully). Megan, Prenita and I hiked to some fresh water pools where we cooled off in the clear water (but I won't romanticize the awful stones I had to walk on, barefoot...). While walking back to the camp it started to storm, but luckily none of us was struck by lightning (a legitimate concern, haha). I believe the hike was about 15 miles in all.
Then after a day and a half in Giant's Castle we made our way to Ulundi, the capital of the Zulu kingdom. And now we're in Durban on the beach. : ) My hotel room is on the 16th floor, and my view is unbelieveable. This is the nicest hotel we'll be staying in, so I should enjoy it for these two nights but not get used to it!
Today we visited a market where traditional African healers were selling their herbs and animal parts, and we talked to a Sangoma (healer). Apparently some rituals require the consumption of animal parts by eating, smoking or inhaling them, and some require the consumption of human parts! : / I learned some truly disturbing crap today. There were dead bats, monkeys, vultures, ostriches, and even horse parts hanging everywhere, and the heat made the market smell SO jank. But that's culture for you. And back to the cannibalism business-- we learned that some traditional beliefs hold that human parts are necessary for certain healing rituals. So a "healer" (witch doctor) will hire someone to go find a person whose parts they will take while the person is STILL ALIVE. Usually the liver is taken, and then the lungs and heart (so the person obviously dies), and it is said that the louder the victim screams, the more powerful the medicine will be. Truly gruesome, huh? Oh, tradition...
Durban is really interesting because it is about 50/50 Africans and Indians, and the cultures merge quite nicely. We've seen some Hindu temples and mosques, and there is a LOT of walking barefoot. I'm 99% sure I'm coming home with hobbit feet. Haha, but really.
Well anyway, I have a religion test tomorrow morning and a psych paper due, so I'd better go back to the hotel to study! Miss you all more than you know. Salaam.

Baboons and whatnot

Hey guys! After seeing the diamond mine in Kimberley, we made our way to Pietermaritzburg through the beautiful Drakensburg Mtns. It was a nine hour drive of amazing scenery; like nothing I've ever seen before. I saw a giraffe just chillin by the side of the road! We've been studying Hindu here in P-Burg, and there are SO many Indians here (holla Caitlin and Elizabeth)! We went to a Hindu temple and a mosque yesterday, and then ate Indian food (well I "ate" it; it was way too spicy for me). But it was super interesting. The province of KwaZulu Natal, (where we are now) actually has the highest population of Indians outside of India. Oh, and a few friends and I went to this Indian night club the other night! Dustin, Prenita and I ate dinner at this place that, we found out, turns into a nightclub at night. The owner approached us at dinner to offer us free admission and half of the VIP section for free. It was so funny. They treat us Americans like we're special or something.
I have class in 40 mins, and then we're off to Giant's Castle for a wildlife hike. I hear there are a lot of baboons. : ) After that we're on our way to Durban for some more Indian culture and then to Cape Town! I have to go now, but will leave you with this bit of info: there is no sense of time that I'm aware of in South Africa. It's puzzling and- I must add- frustrating that no one has a sense of urgency. So if you ever decide to come here, always allot extra time to do what you need to do! That's all for now. Miss you all terribly.

Greetings from Johannesburg

Hey all! I'm in Johannesburg again after a long weekend's stay in Soweto. Lizz Csaplar and I stayed with this precious family in Soweto (stands for South Western Township-- where Mandela's from). The township was created by whites to force blacks out of Johannesburg during apartheid. Lizz and I got stared at absolutely everywhere we went because they are so unaccustomed to seeing white people! And I was unaccustomed to seeing so much poverty... But the family I stayed with was awesome, and their English was amazing. I even learned some Zulu! The people here have this awesome handshake too; I must show it to all of you when I get back! Let's see, what else... Oh, I've been proposed to like 5 times! For some reason the guys here all want to marry me...? I think they should talk some sense into the guys back home. ; )
Do you all remember the Cargo of Dreams? Well we saw it today! It was so surreal to see this amazing thing that was created at Furman on the other end! We met with the people who are implementing this classroom, and they are incredibly grateful. I met the kids that will be attending school in it, and they are darling. They sang for us, as so many kids here are wont to do. : ) I speak for these children here when I say that everyone who worked on the Cargo of Dreams at Furman is truly a blessing to so many people here. They send their thanks.
Tomorrow I believe I'm going to some sort of gold or diamond mine? And then Wednesday we are headed to Durban in KwaZulu Natal. Miss you all terribly! Thando.

Sala Kahle,
Landerson