"Time Races By" by Doug Schwartz

As our month in Cape Town comes to a close, I feel as if it was merely a week that we have been here. This past month has raced by faster than I think anyone expected. In fact, I think the only people that wouldn’t agree with me are all of our parents who have probably been sitting, watching an hour glass over and over again awaiting our arrival back at home. As we return to Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, New York or wherever, I know we all will return back to the states changed forever. Some of the things we have done here, whether it be serving the people in Sir Lowry’s Pass or hiking the steep paths of Table Mountain, have made me grow as a person as well as a leader. I think I can speak for everyone when I say that this trip has been one of the most significant months in my life and I can honestly say that I have learned more during this month in Cape Town than an entire semester of school.

“Learn to Listen” by Lauren Miller

My experience in Cape Town is almost indescribable. I feel like I have been living a dream and when I wake up back in the United States I am going to have to convince myself that it was real. Since my arrival in Cape Town, I have reached new heights (literally), by climbing Table Mountain, jumping off of the highest bungee in the world, and skydiving out of an airplane at 9,000 feet. I have built new friendships that I know will last a lifetime. I have learned to ask questions, stay curious, and keep my eyes and ears open for new opportunities.

I must say however, that although adventure got my adrenaline pumping and I got to share it with my new friends each step of the way, my experience inside the township filled my heart with happiness more than I could have ever imagined. My experiences there may be the closest I will ever come to being famous, because the members of the Sun City community and Sir Lowry’s Pass Township treated us like rock stars. They would cheer incessantly upon our arrival and without fail they would line the streets and wait outside of the bus to see familiar faces. It blew me away to know that I had impacted another person’s life, nonetheless multiple peoples’ lives. Not only was I able to see a part of reality that I had never experienced firsthand, but also I was able to immerse myself in a culture that I barely knew anything about before coming to South Africa.

We got the opportunity to live life in the shoes of the individuals living in the Township of Sir Lowry’s Pass. Sir Lowry’s Pass is run by fifteen wonderful soup mother’s who provide food with love to as many children as they possibly can. Unlike many individuals, we were awarded the chance to get to enter their community as strangers, sit down with them in their homes, learn their culture, and ask questions, cook food, dance, play, laugh, and basically live life, as they know it. These families barely have anything, yet they were willing to open their hearts and homes to us so that we could experience life from a different view. I have never seen so many generous, fun-loving people in one place in my entire life. By the end of our stay, they were thanking us for sharing our love and calling us family. I only hope to continue my life being as generous and loving as the people of Sir Lowry’s Pass. I hope to return one day and see the warm, smiling faces of my new friends that I will always remember.

"This is Africa" by Andrew Hurwitz

When the Term T.I.A. (This is Africa) Becomes Applicable

When you eat breakfast at the same bar you were at the night before

When your cab driver chooses what you’re going to do that night

When a traffic light is called a “robot”

When all gates are electric and high voltage signs are the most common sign around

When you actually hear a person tell you to take a left at the next robot

When a taxi holds over 16 people

When your T.A. helps you the most when you’re playing slots

When a restaurant’s menu has warthog, kudu, crocodile, and springbok

When penguins become aggressive

When elephants are obedient and listen well

When the locals think you’re insane for climbing Table Mountain

Move jackal, we don’t want to see you we want to see liiiiions

When winery tours are free

When baboons are attracted to the girls on our trip

When docking a boat requires hitting a beach at top speed. Everyone, hold on…

When you always find yourself waking up to Johnny Clegg on adventure week

When everyone calls you “my friend” and “cheers” means goodbye

When goodbye celebrations at the township turn into raging dance parties

When you miss a call from one of your parents

When you’re late to class

"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.

"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.

"Love That Hair" by Carlin Conner

Cape Town: Fighting Your Fears

So far in Cape Town I have constantly been presented with opportunities to fight my fears. During my adventure week I was submerged into a metal cage to swim with wild, hungry, great white sharks while teasing them with food, and I was shoved off of the highest commercial bungee point in the entire world to face not only my fear of heights, but to also battle motion sickness (that whiplash is intense!). Plus, when you have never really been acquainted with wild animals and a herd of elephants surrounds your van you get a little scared! But besides all of these incredible opportunities that I have had to conquer my fears, I was by far presented with thus far in the trip was today, when I was given the opportunity to go skydiving.

At first I was excited, looking at the plane that I would soon be jumping out of while simultaneously looking at pictures of the past skydivers that lined the walls left me more excited than scared. However, as soon as I piled into the tiny, rickety plane that would transport my 9000 feet into the sky, all feelings of self-assurance leapt right out the window. When sitting in a tiny place 9000 feet above solid ground, strapped to a complete stranger, the only feeling is fear. Well, fear and panic, but those feelings are pretty much intertwined. All I wanted to do was escape, but as soon as I was looking out of the window I knew that I would have to face my fear. Fortunately for me, if you have a fear of heights, facing your fear is one of the most enjoyable experiences in the world. Never in my life have I been so pleasantly surprised when conquering a fear, and I hope that I have the opportunity to do so again. Free falling through the sky while looking out at Table Mountain and Robben Island is an experience I will never be able to repeat, and I only hope that all of you reading this are able to one day have the same experience that I did. Plus, the effect of wind blown hair is just as elegant as you could have ever imagined.

"Grounded at Last" by Arielle D'Avanzo

I’m not one for heights—I don’t like them, they make my stomach queasy and, to be totally frank, they scare me to death. Hanging by my feet from a bungee cord, after jumping off the highest commercial bungee jump in the world, just dangling there hundreds of feet in the air, I said to myself, “What was I thinking? I will NEVER do anything like this again” — all the while analyzing every possible scenario where my feet could slip out of the harness and I would very soon meet my demise somewhere over South Africa. Nevertheless, I survived. And I now know that bungee jumping is just not going to be my thing. But at least I can check it off the ol’ bucket list.

But what about jumping out of planes? Well, that’s a whole other matter. After the big bungee jump, I boldly (um, foolishly?) signed up for (you guessed it) skydiving. Again, what on earth was I thinking? Jumping out of an airplane, 9,000 feet in the air? Bye-bye, mom and dad. Bye-bye brother. Bye-bye life. The jump was breathtaking…literally. I haven’t experienced anything like it in my whole 20 years here on this planet. It was so exhilarating that, once I hit the ground, I was ready to go right back up in that raggedy, 20-ft. plane and do it all over again. All of us here know Cape Town is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Let me tell you, though, from 9,000 feet it’s absolutely stunning. When we climbed Table Mountain, I thought that was the best view of Cape Town. But I can now say with authority, that the very best view is high, high above, floating through the sky, looking up at—and down on—on heaven.

“This is Africa” by Katherine Short

From the second we landed in Cape Town the phrase “TIA” was dropped in nearly every chat, but it took me a few days to realize what it really meant: “This Is Africa.” Below is a list of my top TIA moments:

• Bungee jumping off the highest bungee bridge in the world. Definitely the most terrifying thing I have ever done and had I not been in Africa I probably never would have done it. The support of friends along with the blaring techno music is what got me up there (not to mention two men pushing me)
• Pulling in to Sir Lowry’s Pass and seeing a million smiling faces running along side the bus. I have never been so humbled as I was to see these children who have close to nothing light up over a hug.
• Visiting Robben Island and having Nelson Mandela’s cell mate, Ahmed Kathrada, guide our tour. It was such a neat experience to hear him talk first hand about what it was actually like living in prison for all those years.
• Hiking, more like climbing, Table Mountain at sunrise. All 104 of us set out to hike the hardest trail on table mountain, Skeleton Gorge. It was a very long, hard hike but at the top of the mountain we experienced the most incredible view of Cape Town.
• Getting stuck in the middle of a heard of elephants. As we drove into Addo National Park we were ecstatic to see one lonely elephant but as we got farther in one elephant turned in to about 30 surrounding our van to the point where we could not move.

In a city like Cape Town it is easy to forget that you are in a place like Africa but these moments along with many more have reminded me that “This Is Africa”.

"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.

"See Everything Possible" by Lauren Shuler

Top Ten Things You Must Do While in Cape Town:

1. You must hike up Table Mountain. Yes it is a struggle, but the view from the top is absolutely breathtaking.

2. You must dance to the song “Stereo Love” at a bar Long Street. Everybody goes crazy when this song comes on.

3. You must try springbok. While it sounds gross at first, it is actually delicious and taste like pot roast.

4. You must bungee off Bloukrans Bridge. It is the world’s tallest bungee and an adrenaline rush like nothing you have ever felt.

5. You must visit Robben Island. With the apartheid being such a big part of South Africa’s history, you must go see where Nelson Mandela spent most of his time imprisoned.

6. You must ride an elephant. It is amazing to see these massive animals close up. Riding one is a chance of a lifetime.

7. You must visit the Green Market. It is full of great souvenirs. It has everything you could imagine from tapestries to funky tribal jewelry to fun colorful African tunics. Make sure to bargain well with the vendors.

8. You must go eat brunch at Manna Epicure on Kloof Street. This local bakery is decorated so cute and the eggs are to die for. Also they have great homemade bread. YUM.

9. Enjoy an amazing cup of African coffee. Everywhere I go the coffee is so good I can’t get enough of it!

10. Go to Franschhoek wine lands and visit a vineyard. It is a such a cute little town and the drive from there to Cape Town is something out of movie it is so beautiful. It is such a neat experience to get to see how all the wine is made and tasting it is fun too!

"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.

"Just Another Day" By: Tyler Mobley

The day started off with what I thought to be a nice, easy stroll up Table Mountain at sunrise. I was wrong. It was a rigorous two hour hike straight up a mountain. I haven't done physical activity like that since football back in high school. The hike was well worth it. When arriving to the top absolutely exhausted we were met with one of the most beautiful views my eyes have witnessed.

The next part of my day was skydiving. Within twenty minutes of getting back to the hotel from table mountain, I was on a bus heading to the skydiving site. In the bus I was terrified. I have never been to good with heights and was absolutely regretting my decision to sign up for this. Somewhere between the bus and arriving to the site my nervous feelings turned to excitement. After talking with the people I felt completely comfortable and was eager to get in the plane and dive. It was amazing. The whole time falling I felt like a five year old on Christmas morning. It was one of the best experiences of my life and something I definitely plan on doing again.

The next part of my incredible day was a trip to a casino. Arriving at the Grand West was like arriving at disney world and I spent equally as much money. After an hour of texas hold em I was out of the money that I felt comfortable losing. Thankfully I was smart enough to cut it off then. Not everybody in the group was as lucky.

The day had to eventually come to an end. I arrived back at the hotel around 2:30 AM. I laid and bed and reflected on the day I had. Before I could begin to think back on the day my alarm was going off. It was time to begin yet another day.

"Thoughts on Capetown" By: Chelsea Biele

After being in Cape Town for only 12 days, I have already learned that taking action is the only way to truly make the most of the trip.

C is for conquer.
Just 2 days ago, our entire group of 100 plus students climbed all the way to the top of Table Mountain- that’s 3,563 feet or 1,086 meters in elevation! It was truly an accomplishment to look out and see just how high we had climbed.
A is for adapt.
Being over 8,100 miles away from home in the U.S., we have had to adjust to a new environment with different ideals, social norms, and ways of life. Adapting to be accepted here has been a challenge when others stereotype you as “obnoxious, un-educated, drunk Americans”. (direct quote from Jürgan the German)
P is for persevere.
Today, we visited Robben Island with special guest accompanying us-Nelson Mandela’s cellmate for 18 years. He shared his experience and demonstrated how both are truly living examples of what it means to never give up. Instead of repeating the cycle of violence that stemmed from the Apartheid, the men survived the hardship of imprisonment, rose above it, and did not seek revenge, but instead made positive change.
E is for explore.
Cape Town has so much to offer whether it is the shopping, dining, or nightlife. We have ventured to the Green Market to haggle for some trinkets as well as tested out as many restaurants and bars as possible. There is no time to waste when there is a new discovery around every corner.
T is for test.
At the core of this trip has been to do something out of your comfort zone and truly test your limits. I’ve already gotten to pet a baby cheetah and spend the night in a township, which are things I never would have foreseen myself doing. Skydiving, shark cage diving, bungee jumping, and elephant riding are on the list for next week.
O is for offer.
We spent the entire week last week learning the true meaning of giving in Sir Lowry’s Pass. I really got to know my family through storytelling, dancing, and rapping all night long. I was able to offer them my knowledge and encouragement as well as show them love.
W is for wonder.
For lunch yesterday, some of us walked to the lighthouse and ate at Maestro’s right on the water. We had a perfect view of Table Mountain and the entire city of Cape Town. It is important to stop and admire the scenery because otherwise you’ll miss out on one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
N is for navigate.
After learning the Power of Living, Giving, Wow, and Now, I have realized how important it is to figure out what I want to do in life. The only way to get there is by plotting a course to follow. Whether or not that course has it’s detours will only make the voyage that much more interesting.

“Prove Yourself Wrong” By: Helen King

“Do you think I could go on this trip and not skydive because you know me and that. ain’t. happenin.” This exact sentence was what was written in the e-mail I sent to my parents above the link to Global L.E.A.D Cape Town. My parents replied later that day, assuring me that no one would make me do anything I was not comfortable with. So, with my parents’ support and my love for great white sharks biting at my heels (literally?), I decided to sign up for the trip. To this day, I am not really sure why I did. I have always been an overly cautious person and have felt strongly about what I did not want to do: no roller coasters, no cruises, no plane rides (which never seemed to stop my parents from booking transatlantic flights for the family sans discussion), among other things I was not willing to do, but CERTAINLY I was NEVER going to skydive. Have you seen those shows were the parachute doesn’t open and people die? Well, I have so count. me. out.

Well, I did sign up for the trip and I did fly over 20 hours in a plane over the course of one (maybe two? …I lost track) days. (Side note: can’t Delta just order Domino’s for the whole flight and call it a day? )

Since I first arrived in Cape Town, my view of myself has changed drastically. I spent the night in a township on a dollar a day, danced with creepy South Africans at a club (for about 2 seconds, but it counts!), and climbed Table Mountain (the most rigorous, but rewarding hikes of my life). And none of it was that bad (okay, maybe the South African dancing part). But, most importantly, I skydived. I did the thing that I said I would never, ever do. And it was definitely one of the best moments of my life. Not only was the feeling and experience incredible, but most importantly, I proved myself wrong. I thought I could never do it and I did. So, take that, self!

"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.

“Bucket List Time” By: Taylor Cardwell

South Africa is a place where one should go to complete his or her bucket list. No matter what activities that you enjoy participating in, South Africa will have it. You might be a hiker; well you could always climb Table Mountain. You might like swimming; well you could cage dive with Great White Sharks. You might be crazy; well you could jump out of a plane to skydive or off a bridge to bungee jump. There are also plenty of places to shop and tons on wine vineyards for those people who like to keep their feet more grounded. Those cat lovers out there could go to the Cheetah Outreach and pet cheetahs. If you love playing with kids and can resist making someone truly happy you can visit Sir Lowry’s Pass where “out of energy” is just some the kids do not experience. There is plenty of rugby and even the World Cup for all of those sports fans. The point is that South Africa has it all and I would like to share some of the things that I will be checking off of my bucket list on this trip.
1. Bungee Jump (off the 2nd highest bungee jump in the world.)
2. Pet a Wild Animal (the cheetahs)
3. Climb a mountain (Table Mountain)
4. Learn to surf
5. Cage Dive with Great White Sharks
6. Go on a Safari
7. Go to a World Cup match

"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!

"Don’t Believe It" By: Kent Cawley

Yesterday morning we hiked a portion of Table Mountain. That was an incredible experience. We hiked for over an hour on some very rough terrain, but it was definitely worth it once we reached the top. The picture I included was a picture from a look out spot on top of Table Mountain. Don’t believe what you see in this picture because this picture does not really capture what we saw up on Table Mountain. The picture can only describe a piece of the magnificence we experienced. This is one of my favorite experiences on this study abroad thus far. It was awesome to see Cape Town from the top, and I would say that this is definitely one of the must see/do things in South Africa.

"The Climb up Table" By: Jack Austin

Since entering the exciting country of South Africa, everyone in Global Lead has been going nonstop, whether its bungee jumping off Bloukrans Bridge, the highest commercial bungee jump in the world, or spending the week in the township creating lasting relationships with many of the children. Today, our focus was on the “power of wow,” and to truly experience this, our wonderful directors decided to get us up bright and early this morning at six to hike up Table Mountain. After finally gathering everyone together on the buses and driving over to the right trail (which took a few tries), we began our hike right at the crack of dawn. After a few hundred feet I could already feel the fatigue settling in. I pushed through, however, and after many stops and turning around for incredible views, I finally prevailed over the seemingly never-ending hike and reached the top. Now I was curious to see why these crazy directors woke us up so early for this exhausting hike at sunrise, so I staggered to the side of the mountain and looked over the edge. The only word that came to mind was “wow.” The view over Cape Town was breathtaking and you could see for miles. Now I understood why we attempted this treacherous hike.

"WOW...What a View!" By: Elizabeth Weaver

Today’s Global LEAD theme was The Power of WOW…and what a WOW day it was! We woke up before the sun with a mission to climb Table Mountain. After admiring it’s majesty from the ground for over a week, it was time for us to conquer it. We arrived at the base of the mountain in time to see a beautifully clear sunrise and began our ascent. All one hundred plus of us climbed single file, one step at a time, up the treacherous mount. We huffed and we puffed, cheered each other on, and kept our eyes on the prize of what we heard was an unbeatable view. Anywhere from one to two hours later, we reached our finish line: an indescribably magnificent view of what seemed to be the entire universe. We were on top of the world!...and we could do anything. Embracing this moment of inspiration, our Global LEAD assignment was to write a 50-item life bucket list. Scuba dive the Great Barrier Reef, start our own restaurant, drive a Ferrari, we wanted to do it all. We took the cable car down for what was a much faster, though less satisfying ride down the mountain. And those bucket lists? Some of us didn’t waste any time....

Immediately following our hike, 14 of my fellow mountain climbers and I hopped into a taxi and headed over to accomplish a goal we had all included in our ambitious bucket lists. We were about to skydive out of a plane at 9,000 feet (three times the height of our previous summit of Table Mountain)… as if the morning had not been thrilling enough! Legs shaking, heart racing, and brain telling me I was defying all common sense, I knew there was no turning back. The ride was incredible. We were on top of the world...for the second time today!

Incredible. Breathtaking. Unbelievable. All of these words attempt to describe our experience in Cape Town today….but really, the whole day was just one big WOW. We started the day going up into the clouds and ended it by falling out of them. My life in three words today? WHAT A VIEW!