"40 More Minutes..." By: Matt Barlow

So far my experience in South Africa has been unreal from day one. Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and is never boring. I could write a novel about all we have done and seen, but I will try to shorten everything into five unforgettable memories for the sake of this costly internet.
1. Adventure week. Getting the chance to bungee jump, ride an
elephant, quad bike, go dolphin viewing, go on a safari and almost get
trampled by a herd of elephants, zip line through South African gorges,
get a “kiss” from an ostrich, and crawl through the Congo Caves all in
one week.
2. The scenery. There are countless amazing views around every
corner. Pictures cannot even describe what I am getting the chance to
experience personally.
3. Table Mountain. Hiking up the rigorous terrain in order to look
over all of Cape Town.
4. Robben Island. Getting the chance to meet Nelson Mandela’s cell
mate and absorb all that he had to say along with experiencing all the
history that Robben Island displays.
5. Service. My favorite part of the trip so far hands down. Going
to Sir Lowry’s Pass and living with a family there was truly humbling.
They showed me happiness is not in the form of materials, but in the
three most important things in life: faith, family, and friends.

"Stop at Steers" By: Scott Franzen

The experience of Cape Town thus far has been too great to sum up into a small blog. The trip has been full of highs and lows, and for my blog I have chosen to share a few of my top emotional highs with all of you reading this at home:

Top 10 Emotional Highs:
1.) Bungee jumping – one of the most peaceful, liberating experiences of my life
2.) Cage diving with great whites – getting over my biggest fear…sharks
3.) Sunset cruise – the scenic view of Table Mountain
4.) Hiking table mountain – overcoming physical barriers to reach an incredible view of the city
5.) Meeting Nelson Mandela’s cellmate – never in my life have I been so humbled by this tour of Robben Island
6.) Having our van surrounded by elephants on the safari – an overwhelming vision of the power of nature
7.) Our night spent in Sir Lowry’s Pass – I have never been so thankful for the simple luxuries of life
8.) Caving – an adventurous experience into history
9.) 6 Hour car rides on adventure week – I was able to make new friendships and share experiences
10.) Meeting Wesley at the hostel – a true symbol of South African Hospitality and a mirror to model myself after

So far, my time at Cape Town cannot possibly be written down in words, but I believe these 10 key points have been the most memorable of them all. My experiences here are far from over and I know that I have many more emotional highs to come, especially with service week in my near future. I know that when time comes for me to return to the US I will not be ready, and I can only hope that I will experience all that is key to have a true South African experience.