"Until Next Time" by Sophie Oreck

Dearest Diary,

I am writing you within the depths of my newest home, Lagoon (pronounced Laguna) Beach Apartments. I am so sorry I haven’t written in a while, but I know you understand, you always do…Anyways, South Africa is so super cool, sorry you have to stay in the apartment room all day, but I don’t want to look like a weirdo carrying you around everywhere (I think your pink encrusted rhinestone cover would be misunderstood).

I made some new friends here! One of the first friends I made was this dude that we affectionately call Father Duck, because he is our community leader. He leads his premier community group in deep and interesting discussions. Katy and I were happy to flock beneath his beautiful wing. Another friend I made is an elephant named Jabu and a little baby elephant named Bailey…she looks more human than elephant but she claims to be one and I trust her. After all she had some weird supernatural connection to them at the elephant sanctuary. She didn’t have nearly as cool of an effect on those elephants as Joy had, boy did she put on a show.

Oh my goodness diary! I almost forgot to tell you! I have a new dream…traveling the country with a man named Johnny Clegg and performing the song Dela with him nightly. Oh you should here me sing (I dance along too)…this cool dude named JC, no no not that JC, I am talking about JC the bus driver. He taught it too me. Basically I have made some cool new friends here. I also am going to return home with the affection of a taxi cab driver named ISH, but he is oh so much more than a driver.

I hope my mommy doesn’t get too mad that I have been jumping out of planes, having ostriches peck at my head, riding elephants, and jumping off bridges(twice). Oh yeah, and riding 4 wheelers down a dangerously narrow and bumpy path (I don’t have a good history with them, apparently neither does becky boo) …Oh diary, I am so sorry but I have to run…my new BFF Jackie is calling me, I think she wants to spend some quality time with me

I will write again soon dear old diary…until next time

Love, Sophie

"Do it All" by Branden Bosler

As I look back on my last 4 weeks in Africa, I realize that this trip, without a doubt the greatest I’ve ever taken, has been a culmination of some of the most amazing and memorable times of my life. I did things I never imagined doing when I swam with great white sharks. I conquered fears I once thought unconquerable when I jumped off the world’s highest bungee bridge. I met people I had only ever read about in books when Ahmed Kathrada, Nelson Mandela’s cellmate and political confidant, gave us a tour of Robben Island. I interacted with animals only before ever seen on my television when I got to hold the trunk of an African elephant and then the next day go on a safari. I met and befriended people with whom I never thought I’d cross paths when I spent time in the township of Sir Lowry’s Pass. I slept in places I never imagined sleeping when I in turn, slept with my new friends in their homes. I experienced love from complete strangers in this same place. I drank more wine than I ever imagined drinking when I toured vineyard after vineyard in the towns of Franschoek and Stellenbosch. I ate food I never thought I’d eat when I ordered ostrich steak and then the next night ordered kudu. I climbed mountains I once thought impossible when we hiked Table Mountain. I saw sights that took my breath away when I watched the sun rise over the city from the top of Lion’s Head. I saw the most beautiful sunset of my life when that same sun that I watched rise, set over the Atlantic Ocean as I looked on from the shores of Clifton Beach. I was immersed in sporting events only ever seen on TV with World Cup mania. I rode in more taxis than I ever want to again as I zipped all over the city on a daily basis. I partied later than I’ve ever partied, dancing in the clubs of Long Street until 5am. And above all, I shared all of this with once complete strangers, who have since become incredible friends.

"Top 10" by Lina Desloge

Top ten things to do while in Cape Town:

10. Ride an elephant

9. Paraglide off of Lion’s Head

8. Hike to the top of Table Mountain

7. Barter at the Green Market

6. Spend a night on Long Street

5. Go to an Ostrich Farm

4. Go to Cubana’s for salsa night

3. Live off a Dollar a Day

2. Spend a Day in the Botanical Gardens

1. Skydive

"Live with Passion" by Kathleen Block

My Top 10 Favorite Things We Have Done in Cape Town

• Our farewell dance party was by far our most exciting time in Sir Lowry’s Pass! We watched tons of songs and dances from both American students and African kids. Although it was so sad to leave the people we have come to know so well, the dance party was a great send of!
• Riding elephants on adventure week was one of the coolest things I have ever done.
• Eating my birthday dinner at Buena Vista—some of the best nachos I have ever had!
• Our trip to Robben Island, including a tour by Ahmed Kathrada, Nelson Mandela’s cellmate.
• I definitely underestimated climbing Table Mountain. It was no stroll in the park, but the view from the top was absolutely breath taking.
• The Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens were beautiful and a great place to walk around on a nice day or to eat lunch
• Charly’s Bakery was such a treat for my birthday. The hot pink cup cake was to die for!
• The Neighbourgoods market at the Old Biscuit Mill open on Saturdays had the best fresh food I have ever seen. I am a huge junk food eater and this place actually made me want to eat healthy.
• Cape Point was such a cool experience. Especially seeing a baboon crawl into a cracked car window into the lap of a napping man.
• Mama Africa was a great atmosphere with great music. It was the perfect place to get an ostrich steak.

"Learn, Grow, Love" by Meredith Irwin

15 things I've learned while in South Africa:

-Jumping out of planes and off bridges is completely worth it

-Elephant skin is really rough and great white sharks are incredibly big

-Paying a bill will most likely take 30-45 minutes

-Baboons will sabotage a car for food, even if there is a person in it

-When climbing a 3000 ft mountain you should not wear long sleeves

-Ostrich tastes way better than cow

-You can sleep when you're dead- or at least when you're not in South Africa

-Nelson Mandela is the epitome of sacrificing for what you believe in

-Happiness is not defined by a dollar amount

-The children at the townships are probably the most unconditionally loving people on this planet

-Change starts today and it starts with me

-Count your blessings daily and never forget to be thankful

-When you give you get so much more in return

-Always be open to new experiences- no matter how frightening they might seem

-Love is the best gift anyone can give

I had a friend tell me that I wasn't the same person I was three weeks ago and I couldn't agree more. This trip has been an incredible learning and growing experience. I think/hope I'm coming back from this adventure a better person. The friendships I've made with the children in the townships and those I've made in our group will last forever in my heart. I am so blessed that I've had the opportunity to be apart of such an amazing program.

"What A Ride" by Laura Mason

After three weeks in Cape Town I can describe my trip literally as a wild ride. It began with Adventure Week and a seven-hour van ride on the first day. I could not imagine a better way to become incredibly close with thirteen new friends. The van rides continued for the next four days and were filled with such immense laughter that my stomach was sore days after we returned. At the elephant reserve, we were given the opportunity to ride on the back of three different elephants. I could not recommend this enough. Yes, you may be able to find an elephant ride at a zoo in the U.S, but nothing beats a bareback elephant ride in Africa. The next ride of a lifetime came at the Ostrich farm we visited on the last day of adventure week. I never thought I would have the opportunity to brag that I have ridden the world’s largest bird. However, the most important ride we have been on leads us to Sir Lowry’s Pass, a South African township. Each trip begins with anxiousness as to what we will experience that day and ends with an exciting ride back full of stories of giving and service. I can only hope that the rest of my trip will be as wild a ride!

"Live it Up" by Amy Bisger

The Top 10 Things that Surprised Me the Most About South Africa

• KFC is everywhere. South Africans adore KFC. In fact, the ratio of KFC’s to McDonald’s that we have seen is about 10 to 1, and South Africans call KFC “Kentucky.”
• South Africans refer to stoplights as “robots” and flashlights as “torches.” This was fairly confusing at first, but something that we picked up on pretty quickly.
• South African ketchup is not the same as American ketchup. However, we have discovered that adding large amounts of salt to South African ketchup can help.
• There is quite possibly more sushi available in South Africa than in some areas of Japan. If you want good sushi, you don’t need to go all the way to Asia, go to Africa instead.
• Animals such as Springbok and Ostrich are readily available on the menu. Don’t be afraid of the names, they are actually delicious.
• The tallest bungee jump in the world is in South Africa.

• The restaurant service in South Africa is a lot more relaxed. Even if you are only going to breakfast, you should allot at least 45 minutes to an hour.
• Table Mountain alone contains more different types of plant species than all of the United Kingdom, over 1,500.
• South Africa has a penguin colony. The penguins are able to survive due to the cold Antarctic currents on the West Coast near the Cape.
• It is very rare to be pulled over for speeding in South Africa. This became apparent after Adventure Week when we reached ridiculously high speeds on both highways and main roads, without a second glance from a cop.

“Live Out Loud” By: Melissa Guidry

My three-word shout out “Live Out Loud” has been my theme this entire trip, to do everything possible with not regrets. Well today was no exception on our visit to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. I kept pushing my boundaries and took risk, like scaling the side of a cliff to get to a point I wanted to go, and I wouldn’t have enjoyed the moment as much if I hadn’t.
The view was indescribable. My camera could never truly capture the beauty of this land. So instead of focusing on what my camera couldn’t do, I did what I could: enjoy the moment and the beauty surrounding me.

We even saw penguins today and had a close encounter with an ostrich! But the real treats were the baboons! Our first encounter, several baboons took the leisure of relaxing… on the middle of the road! My second encounter was at Cape Point when I was returning to the bus. I had just bought a can of soda, and the cashier told me to hide my can because the baboons love soda. I thought nothing of it until I saw a baboon grab on to Samantha as she walked by! They were so entertaining.

So, in my every attempt to live out loud, I try to live out what I think would be fun… fyi they really are fun. I try to not focus on what’s to be put on facebook but what’s right in front of me. And I try to make the best of every situation by exploring all the possibilities that can exist.
I have no regrets of “I wish I would have done that”, and I can only hope the other people on this trip are doing the same because this—being in amazing Cape Town, South Africa with 100 other students—we will never experience again. I almost can’t believe this experience is real and already half way done.

So thanks Global LEAD for the amazing time so far, I look forward to the next half being just as incredible.

"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.

"My Summer 2k10 Dominates all others" By: Julia Ezell

Words can truly not describe the past 13 days and all that they have entailed. Although that statement seems quite cliché, I honestly can’t think of any other way of wording it and I know most others on Global LEAD will say the same. From the initial 24+ hours of traveling to climbing up Table Mountain, the past week and a half in Cape Town, ZA has made my summer 2k10 dominate all others. As if adventure week with bungee jumping, talking elephants, and a Will Ferrell look alike tour guide wasn’t exciting enough, the instant bonds and friendships I formed with the rest of my group was even more special and exhilarating. The second part of my experience has consisted of singing and dancing to nineties’ jams in Dubliners, rave dancing in Chrome, living off a “dollar a day” in Sir Lowry’s Pass, climbing up the Table Mountain, and learning about the different aspects of leadership and life with speeches on Wow, Now, Giving, and Living. All these activities have all been equally rewarding and exciting but each with differing aspects. While I can only hope that the rest of my experience will be half as fun and rewarding as the first 13 days, but I feel as though that it will more than likely be just as amazing if not, even more awesome.

Now, for my lesson on the efficient way to ride an ostrich:
1. Do not be intimidated by this bird’s giant size; considering its brain is smaller than one of its eyeballs, it’s more than likely more scared of you than you are it.
2. In order to keep the icky feathers off of you, a pair of leggings or long pants is essential for the riding experience.
3. In order to maintain stability on the ostrich when it’s frolicking through the pin, you MUST grip its wings with as much strength as possible. Make sure not to grip just the feathers or else you will end up like Devon did and fall on your face.
4. In addition to holding onto the wings, tightly wrapping your legs around the ostrich’s body is essential for keeping composure while riding at a fast pace.
5. Lastly, when the strange men pushing the ostrich around the pin begin to yell “Let go,” take immediate action and release all force from the ostrich. This is the most important step; they get angry if you’re hesitant.
SOUTH AFRICA IS WAF!

"My South African Experience" By: Dana Tashiro

My South African experience so far has been completely unreal and over the top amazing. When in Cape Town, we have started to frequently use the catchy acronym, T.I.A. T.I.A. is most commonly known as, “This is Africa”. So naturally, here’s my top 5 most African things or experiences:

1. Petting cheetahs at free will with a small payment of 100 Rands
2. The unyielding love for both Michael Jackson and Justin Beiber that resides in virtually all township homes
3. Mama Africa, the name says it all
4. Obsessions with anything Springbok and everything Bafana Bafana
5. The opportunity to cage dive with great white sharks, bungee jump, sky dive, surf, sand board, para-glide, go on wild safaris, and riding ostriches all while only traveling at max a few hours from home

T.I.A. is a legitimate phrase and is used to describe only true African happenings.

"Top Ten New Things to Try in South Africa" By: Crystal Weigle

10. Ride an ostrich in Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of South Africa. The wranglers catch a male ostrich by the neck and put a small sack over its head to blind it. The ostriches tend to panic easily, so the normally bury their heads in the sand because they think that if they cannot see you- you cannot see them. Then they guide the ostrich over to the post for you to hop on. When they take the sack off its head, it panics and gallops around the pin!

9. Eat springbok, ostrich and kudou. All of theses are local game meats that are really delicious!!

8. Go on a night safari to see the Big 5: lions, rhinos, leopards, water buffalo, and elephants. Addo National Elephant Sanctuary was the beautiful park that we stayed at and we got to see many of these and other animals on our night safari and day tour.

7. Try a roosterkouk which means roasted/ barbecued cake in Afrikaans. It’s a local sandwich with a roasted flat bun spread with butter, lots of cheddar cheese, African bacon, and fig jam. It is delicious!

6. Go shark cage diving and learn to surf.

5. Take lots of pictures of the epic mountain ranges, rough gorges, beautiful wine lands and rolling waves on the sandy beaches. Take video of the dolphins racing your boats on the sunset cruise.

4. Try a springbokie. It’s the local shot: peppermint liquor with Baileys on top. The colors represent the colors of the Springbok (animal) and are the colors of the South African Rugby team who are also called the Sprinkboks.

3. Meet other travelers at the beautiful hostels we stay at during adventure week. Not only have we gotten to met travelers from the States, UK, Germany, New Zealand and many other countries.

2. Go to a rugby game. We will be doing this tonight! If the South African team wins, the rugby finals will be played here in Cape Town on the 13th of June.

1. Bungee jump off of the tallest bungee in the world (216 meters) at Bloukrans Bridge. Everyone will agree, it is one of the most terrifying and exhilarating experiences of your life!