"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.

"Take a Stand" By: Meagan Bourne

We had heard of Nelson Mandela, seen the movie Invictus, and learned about apartheid. The next step was to take a trip to Robben Island where he was held prisoner for 28 years. However, it wouldn’t be just any trip to the Island. We would have our tour guided by Nelson Mandela’s prison mate, Ahmed Kathrada.

The day started with a short film about Nelson Mandela followed by two guest speakers. Then around 12:00 we loaded the buses where we arrived at the V&A Waterfront for a 1:00 departure to Robben Island. When we arrived, we made our way through the prison passing by each individual cell, not much bigger than a closet. Passing by Mandela’s cell, it was hard to imagine spending so many years there and then going on to lead a country towards equality. At the end of the cells, we all gathered in a larger room and listened to Kathrada’s recollection of his time spent in the prison. As he talked about chiseling rocks during the day, going to church on Sundays, and bartering for any piece of news they could find, it was unbelievable to think of the journey he and Mandela had gone through.

Sitting on the ferry back to Cape Town, I realized that sitting right behind me was Nelson Mandela’s prison mate talking to the granddaughter of a past African National Congress president while a Pulitzer Prize winning author was standing just a few feet away from them (these were the two guest speakers from this morning). It was an incredible and privileged experience that I will remember forever. So, my three words to the world are “Take a stand.” Even when the prisoners were arrested and thought they were facing the death sentence, they never stopped fighting for what they believed and became important figures to change South Africa forever.

“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!

“Open to New Experiences” By: Kate Moore

After a great adventure week to kick off our Cape Town trip, I think it is safe to say that most of us could not imagine how starting class the next Monday could possibly compare to the adventures of the previous week. As our first session came to an end, we were surprised with plans for the night that we were not expecting – we were going to be staying in the township over night. While learning that we were going to be spending the night at Sir Lowry’s Pass brought about mixed feelings, I could tell that our service week was going to be just as, if not more exciting than the week before. As our buses pulled up to Sir Lowry’s Pass, we were immediately greeted by a crowd of smiling children who were so excited to see us even though they had never met us before. The afternoon and night that I spent with my soup mother and her children proved to by far the best experience of my time here in Cape Town so far and I can’t wait to spend more time at the township next week!

My top five moments at the township so far:
1. Walking up to the house with my soup mother and her grandchildren and being greeted by her youngest granddaughter waiting at the fence with the biggest smile, wanting to be hugged immediately.
2. Reliving my childhood by playing games all afternoon and night with the children, their cousins and their friends. My personal favorites were playing “hairdresser”, “3 Sticks” and “Simon Says”!
3. Sitting around the living room spending time with their extended family, including the grandparents, grandchildren and cousins, and enjoying conversation and dinner together. It was really refreshing to see the importance at which they held the closeness of their family and the quality of the time that they spend together regardless of their circumstances that may not seem ideal to many of us.
4. Learning several new words in Afrikaans from the girls in turn being laughed at when we attempted to say them, no matter how many times we tried!
5. As we were leaving and the kids were walking to the bus stop, the girls from a neighboring house went out of her way to yell our names so that she could say bye. It was great to see that the kids enjoyed the time that we spent with them just as much as we did, and I am even more excited to get to spend more time with everyone at the Sir Lowry’s Pass next week!

"What A View!" By: Sidney Sanders

Today, groggily, wiping the sleep out of our eyes, 104+ American students arrived at the base of Cape Town’s looming protector, Table Mountain. Equipped with sloshing water bottles and paper, we set out to overcome the ominous land form before us. With each step, we soon discovered that this relaxing sunrise hike was not what we expected, at all! Personally, I can affirmatively say I was dripping sweat by 10 minutes into our endeavor. As the sun rose higher and higher, we followed suit, making our way up the rocky slope. As we rose above the clouds, I thought for sure that we had reached Heaven and would perhaps see God himself. In fact, I would argue to say that in fact, we did. When we finally reached the summit, several thousand feet up, I finally collected my thoughts, and my breath for that matter, and embraced the opportunity to examine my surroundings. My breathing was with me only momentarily before it was taken from me again, but this time, in a more pleasurable way. The view from the top was one of the most picturesque sights I have ever seen. I was in awe of the clouds floating around us, the waves crashing ashore far below, the city—represented only by tiny colorful dots, and the large number of Global L.E.A.D.ers huddled together at the top. It was in this moment I realized that the sweat, blood, and tears (that may be a slight exaggeration, but maybe not) were worth every second. I felt a sense of triumph. I felt proud—proud of myself partially, but mostly, proud of the group as a whole. We had done it, all 104+ of us! This was no simple feat, but together, we had encouraged each other all the way up. We each traveled at our own pace, but in the end, we came together again. In this moment, the lesson for the day, “The Power of WOW!”, hit home, and hard. “Wow!” came to mind several times during this trek. Wow…are we really about to hike this mountain? Wow…this is tough! Wow…I don’t know if I can do this! Wow…I did it! Wow…what a view!

"Power of Story" By: Greta Spangenberg

The art of storytelling is endlessly instructive and has the power to launch the mind back through time during which we render order to the events of our lives, pronounce our decisions right or wrong, and ultimately explain ourselves to ourselves. The beauty of storytelling lies in its teachings and its rare ability to instigate radical change and advocate positive action.

On Tuesday, we traveled to the townships where I was forced to confront a change in my lifestyle, not just because of where I was, but also because of whom I was with and what I was doing. Most importantly, I owe my new found understanding of what it means to make something beautiful of your life to Miss Cheryl, my housemother for the evening, who is a woman that I will forever associate with the purest form of wonderful.

As I listened to her stories, I was captivated by her heart-wrenching words and deeply moved by her enduring edifice of character. In my own definition of what it means to be a woman, Miss Cheryl was exactly that, for she embodies everything that I hope to someday become. She is the glue that holds together her family and her neighborhood. Not a day goes by that she does not bring joy into the lives of others and I feel truly blessed and forever grateful to say that she has done so to mine. I learned several invaluable lessons during my time there, but my nugget to take a way from this experience is this:

An appreciation of our limited tenure on this earth is essential to understanding the self and the world we inhabit. By finding value in the wisdom bestowed upon us by others, whether it is in the form of a story or a simple conversation, we are given the most precious of gifts. Life, after all, is about giving, not receiving, and it is vital that we see ourselves on the same level as everyone else, for we all worthy of such love, trust, and respect.

"How Do you Truly Live Before Dying?" By: Lauren Howell

“How do you truly live before you die?” I haven’t been able to stop thinking about this question. Jumping off the highest commercial bungee in the world last week prompted the answer “Face Fear” (though I was too cheap to buy the t-shirt), while living off of a dollar and sleeping in the township yesterday prompted the answer “Reach Out.” Already, I feel like I’ve found lots of ways to “truly live” here in South Africa—whether it’s been taking a not-so-wild ride on a sleepy elephant or an exhilarating zip-line over Tstisikamma Falls, in nine short days this trip has transported me far and away from my normal comfort zone. And I’m not just talking about Adventure Week, either—coming into this experience only knowing four people amidst over a hundred Georgia Bulldogs was really intimidating at first! It’s becoming increasingly clearer to me that foreign experiences like these are what really allow you to grow as a person and experience life to the fullest.

In the township last night, I had the opportunity to stay with a family where one of the daughters was my own age. We talked for a while, and actually had a lot in common—but unlike me, after high school she had to go straight to work to help support her family. While the reality is that 98% of the world doesn’t get a chance to obtain a higher education, most of us on this trip can’t imagine not having college as an option. Spending the evening with someone my own age and talking to her about her responsibilities at work, as well as her dreams for the future, was a blatant reminder of how lucky I am to feel like I have so many options for the future.

What I took away from spending the night in Lowry’s Pass last night was a profound sense of gratitude—for everything I haven’t had to think twice about growing up (food, shelter, clothing), for a solid family support system, and for the boundless opportunities I’ve been handed, no questions asked, since day one. The families living in the township are often forced to ignore these needs and possibilities and worry about mere survival—something I certainly take for granted when I claim I’m “starving” in between meals or have “nothing to wear” in my closet. The fact that the families I met were constantly laughing, playing in the street together, and sharing what little they do have not only made me appreciate my blessings, but also shed light on how prioritizing relationships with family, friends, and the occasional stranger can make life so much sweeter.

“Reality Fosters Creativity (WAF or MAF)” By: Caroline Matte

As my roommates and I head out our apartment door to meet in the lobby for adventure week, I realize that I know absolutely nothing as to what I am doing that day. I climb in the van with my roommates and I take a seat in the back. I honestly thought that the car ride was 30 minutes; however, Gareth (our Will Ferrell tour guide) reveals that we have five hours of bonding time ahead of us. In the next five hours, I learn about everyone’s past and realize that my new friends are straight up comedians. Everyone played off each other’s stories and I woke up with a sore stomach the next day. Every time we got out of the van, even for gas, it was a humorous game of tag. Most of the time we were trying to find Gareth and he was always “trying to find us.” It always took an hour, regardless of how much Gareth jokingly threatened us. Some days, when everyone was tired from the long day of adventures, someone would start busting out laughing, and it became contagious. I feel like a laugh is the most memorable trait of someone as cliché as that is. “Reality fosters creativity,” because I feel like the best things are found through the simple ways of life (sitting in a van). I guess it wasn’t necessarily the adventures that drew me closer to these people; it was the ridiculous conversations that I will keep with me when I leave. I think not knowing where I was going or what I was really doing was part of my adventure in Cape Town, South Africa.

"Africa, I love you!" By: Meghan Jackson

After just returning back to Cape Town following what was the most exciting week of my life I was worried that maybe the rest of the trip would be unable to compare. The good news is that it only took the Global LEAD staff about 5 minutes into our first lesson this morning to prove me wrong. Even if it did require me to come all the way to South Africa to start to realize the power of living, I couldn’t feel more excited about life then I do right now. I know there is more to come, but so far here are my 5 favorite things I have experienced since being here:

1. Riding in a van for 20+ hours all over South Africa. No really, I feel like you never get to know someone the way you do after riding with them, seeing the things they see, eating where they eat (which is hopefully not Steers…), listening to their stories or watching them fall asleep in the strangest positions for as long as we did.

2. Hostels. They are the most unique places I have ever been to. They have the most incredible views, the coolest people and definitely the best meals. Hotels are great, but you don’t get to have a bon fire when you stay at the Hilton.

3. Views that can take your breath away. I never thought I would be able to see mountains, ocean, farmland and an ostrich all in the same view, but here it’s possible. I’m pretty sure we’re in the most beautiful place on earth.

4. Bungee Jumping off of Bloukrins Bridge. This is kind of an obvious one, but really… it’s AMAZING. Easily the scariest thing I have ever done, but the most peaceful, out-of-body experience I have ever felt.

5. Waking up every morning thinking…my life is awesome. I can see the ocean
out my window and we are the luckiest people in the world to be here.

Cape Town, you’re the best. I can’t believe we still have 3 more weeks here. All, I can say is Wow, what’s next?

"My Blog Poem" By: Katy Zisk

My life in only 3 words.
First, I would like to say that my life is not easily defined in three words. I feel that I have so much love and energy, but if I must...I shall. Peace, Love, Codo

Le Poeme African

On the ground in Af-Rika
To everyone on the lead trip: I want to meet ya

The plane ride was great
It was super far away from my home state

From Texas I hail
I think when I came here I left a little trail

Africa was such a huge surprise
My mother thought it would be my demise

I have people here to help me along
The first week I even learned a song!

The kids in the township just loved me!
They followed me around all day...didn't you see?!

My favorite part was when we spent the night
When I had to leave I was going to put up a fight

But it wasn't that big of a deal, it all turned out cool
The lead people took me back to their school

On the day we hung out with the kids at their place
We did cool things and my friend painted a kids face

It has only been one week
More adventures to come, I think!

Riding elephants I cant wait to do
They are graceful and loving animals...no silly, they don't moo!

I feel that the lead people help me anyway they can
The director Courtney is always willing to give me a hand

On this trip I know I can succeed
WITH THE GREAT LOVE AND SUPPORT OF GLOBAL LEAD!!!

"In the Moment" By: Meg Diamond

I have been non-stop since this trip began. Between the township service project, classes, cape extreme adventure activities and all the other things I want to do with my free time, I have hardly had a chance to sleep. On Monday I had the opportunity to go sand boarding and 4 wheeling. I was with a small group of seven and Christo, one of the cape extreme leaders took us to the second smallest dessert in the world. The four wheeling was great and sand boarding came pretty natural to me but what I didn’t expect to experience that day was the most incredible part. The group of seven was split into a group of four and a group of three. I was in the group of four and we went four wheeling first. During the bumpy ride we saw beautiful rolling sand hills but the beauty of the land was taken over by the loud humming of the motor and my focus on gripping the handles. When we came to a stop and switched activities and the group of three zoomed away I finally got to hear the silence of the dessert. We climbed to the top of a steep sand hill and look out to see an amazing view of Table Mountain. Even though I was standing there with three other people I felt alone. There wasn’t a single moving object around us and the beautiful sight of the white sand against the blue sky took my breath away. After sand boarding for a while we went back to the top of the hill for a rest and noticed some eerie clouds in the distance. These clouds were coming towards us pretty fast and the four of us sat and watched the clouds roll in and suddenly consume us. Before we knew it the view we had experienced only minutes before was gone and we could hardly see the hill next to us let alone Table Mountain. My roommate immediately said, “I wish I had my camera.” And in that moment I realized how cool the moment really was. No one had a camera because of all the sand and there was no way to capture what we experienced. That moment will be shared only between the four of us and as much as I ever try to explain it in this blog or to anyone else at home or on this trip it won’t ever to that moment justice. It made me think further about no matter how much I write in my journal or how many pictures I take there is no way I could ever describe this trip and this experience in South Africa. This month will be shared with the 104 students on this trip. No matter how hard I try to make my friends and family understand what I have learned and seen, they won’t understand unless they come and do this themselves.
Obviously I don’t have a picture of this moment or any pictures from this day but since I am required to attach a picture to this blog I will try to show you another amazing moment that I have experienced in Cape Town. This picture is of the Water Front as we came back from the sunset cruise on Sunday night. Most people were inside and did not get to see how amazing the Waterfront is light up at night but luckily I got to see this and capture in this photo.
As much fun as it is to take pictures to bring home sometimes it is important to put the camera down and be where you are. So my three words are: in the moment.

"Seize Life Today" By: Jenna Hoglund

How can I describe my time here in South Africa? In one word, it would have to be, amazing. From the people I’ve met to the experiences I’ve had, every minute has been unforgettable. Although I’ve had a hundred incredible experiences, I’ll narrow it down to my top ten all time favorites, simply because I don’t think that there is enough space on this blog to record them all.
10. Learning to sandboard down giant dunes in the world’s second smallest desert just outside of Cape Town (4 square kilometers).
9. Dancing the night away at the Dubliner to classics such as Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” and John Mellencamp’s “Jack and Diane.”
8. Bargaining in the Green Market for souvenirs.
7. Visiting a vineyard in the South African wine lands and participating in a private wine tasting with the owner of the vineyard.
6. Going to see the Stormers (one of the South African rugby teams) in action.
5. Hiking to the top of Table Mountain at sunrise.
4. Spending a night in the township with some of the most generous people that I have ever had the privilege of meeting.
3. Swimming in the ocean for the very first time along with learning to surf.
2. Painting the finger nails of a dozen little girls in Sir Lowry’s Pass, and then having them ask to paint mine; I asked them what color they thought would look best and apparently hot pink with silver sparkles is my color (and I must say that I have to agree).
And my number one experience was more of a change in state of mind than an actual experience.
1. I gained a new perspective on what it means to be poor and what is truly important in life. While visiting the township known as Sir Lowry’s Pass, I learned that being monetarily rich does not necessarily make one’s life rich. Although the people of Sir Lowry’s Pass did not have much in the way of material possessions, they were rich in spirit. The extraordinary strong bonds that existed between the friends and family members of the people in Sir Lowry’s Pass is what makes them rich. Even if one were to have all of the money in the world, it would be impossible to buy what they posses.

"Always Take Chances" By: Lindsay Shelton

We have spent most of our time in Capetown so far in the township of Sir Lowry’s Pass. The time we have spent there has been an amazing experience for me and one that I will never forget. From the moment we stepped off the bus, I was struck by the strong sense of service and fellowship in the community. The children were so happy and excited to have playmates and the soup mothers were so gracious and welcoming as we entered into their homes for to spend the night. Our mother, Ms. Gloria, was a mother to 10 children and a grandmother to who knows how many. Our group sat around the dinner table all night playing intense games of Janga and Dominos with her grandchildren and it was so much fun. The way that they were each so content with the simplicity of their lifestyle made me jealous and inspired to not take anything for granted.

Yesterday we were given the opportunity to repay Ms. Gloria and her family by cooking for them. We chose to make tacos (we had heard that they were a hit last year) and macaroni and cheese. We had rice krispy treats to make as well. We ended up not only feeding Ms. Gloria and her family but also all of the children that she typically provides soup for in the afternoon as well. The smile on the children’s faces as they received this foreign meal is something that will stick with me for a long time. I can’t even describe the feeling I received when serving the macaroni to these children and seeing how happy it made them. Visiting the township has definitely made me want to become more involved in service back at home. I am already looking forward to our next visit to Sir Lowry’s Pass! If I had to describe life in three words based on my experience so far on this trip it would have to be: always take chances.

"Surpassing Your Parents" By: Morgan Lambourn

Surprisingly, one of the most difficult things I have tried to do on this trip is explain the impact just one day of living off a dollar has. It wasn’t that it was difficult or anything (I mean, we only did it for one night) but the learning experiences and the stories you are told are so overwhelming and inspiring that it which makes it incredibly difficult to explain. The one thing I will probably be the most proud of is spending the night in the township.

I talked to my mom on the phone when I got back and told her what we had just done. She literally was silent. Your parents always try to teach you that “money doesn’t grow on trees” and tell you how blessed you are but until you actually live in it and see it first hand there is no way to truly understand. I encourage every person that is not on this trip and is reading this blog to go out somehow and try to capture and experience like this. When I was explaining it to my mom I almost felt uncomfortable talking to her about it because she is supposed to be the older and wiser one. She knows about poverty and has done more than her fair share of charity work but no one can ever understand it until they have been immersed in it.

For the first time ever, I feel like I have knowledge to share with my parents and that I am the one who slightly understands more about the world. Of course I don’t know everything and I would never say that I do but for the first time in my life I feel like I have almost surpassed my parents on a cultural level and that I have knowledge and experiences to share with them. From going to the bathroom in a “port-a-potty” outside to watching the love that was shared throughout the community, everything made an impact.

Ms. Susan, our house mom, summed it up perfectly for me, “We are poor, but we are happy.” Happiness for them doesn’t come from having the newest iPhone or going skiing for Christmas. It’s the little things that surround you; your friends, your family, and the comfort of being able to say I am happy. I think that is what I truly learned from spending the night in Sir Lowry’s Pass.

Life in 3 words: Never Stop Learning

"What Candy Jade Portia brought to the table…" By: Kylie Droke

Candy Jade Portia did not know what she was getting herself into at 5AM on the first day of a day 5 long Adventure Week. She was bombarded with 12 “Wild of the Wild” college kids on a study abroad program and pioneered by a hunk of a man tour guide named Cristo. She led the way through the winding roads of Africa during all times of day, withstanding all types of weather. Her precious carpeted skin got a little dirty from fish guts from sharkcage diving, elephant gunk from riding Jabia, dew from ziplining through African waterfalls and terrain, rock minerals from caving, dirt and dust from ATVing, and last but not least: sweat from bungee jumping. The thing I appreciate the most about Candy Jade Portia is the amount of memories she gave me that I will take away for a lifetime. At first, I was upset that I was going on Adventure Week right off the bat. Now, I thank the Lord I did because I experienced one of the best weeks of my life. It was amazing to see the transformation of the group as the week went on. It went from barely knowing each other and fear in our eyes during our first couple of adventure week experiences to a group harmony, pushing each other through, unified by spirit, motivation, and love. I was the first to go out of a group of 30 for bungee jumping. Talk about truly testing yourself, your composure, and the risk you are taking for the life you have been given and how easily it could be stripped away from you. My group was behind me, motivating me, and encouraging me to not turn back. I would have done it either way but it was because of those bonding moments in Candy Jade Portia that made me realize how much I loved these people and how much I did not want to let them or myself down. The memories I made during Adventure Week will forever be in my heart. Keep Truckin’ Candy…

"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.

"Can You Split the Check Please?" By: Emily Oliver

Since our group of over 100 American college students entered South Africa we’ve experience many different things. From stepping into the shoes of a family in a township to jumping off the highest bungy jump in the world, we all have had amazing experiences. Most of these experiences that we have accomplished have been pleasant over all, but one thing about the South African culture that is not so pleasant is the process of splitting a bill. That is, when a group of people goes into a restaurant to eat at the end of the meal we are not asked “Will that be on separate checks?” but are instead given a receipt with everyone’s order listed on it. We then must go through the process of figuring out who ordered what and paying with Rand or credit… overall it’s a mess. An establishment that will actually split your bill for you is few and far between. While being in Cape Town I have wondered why these people cannot do a simple process that is an everyday practice in America. After speaking with some locals about their process of delivering a bill they said that splitting a bill is not ever an issue with them. We asked, how can you be guaranteed that each party will pay their share of the bill and trusting others to do their part? They responded with, well we all know that if one person pays the bill one time, then the other person will cover it the next time, we just trust one another. This made me think of how untrusting most American people are of one another and how that affects our everyday actions towards one another. Even in the townships that we visited every home was completely open to anyone, no questions asked. These people would allow any child from the community into their homes and help them out in any way possible. I’m not saying that these people were oblivious to scams and crime that could occur; they were just trusting of others. I think over time people have grown untrusting of one another, which then makes us shut those who are different from ourselves out of our lives. My mother in the township, Miss Fila, told us one of the best things in life is meeting people from other cultures and learning about them and their way of life. She said it’s not about changing what you do in your life, but opening up to others in order to learn about their customs and way of life. Opening up to a stranger requires trust, and that is what Miss Fila showed to us. She trusted that we could live in her home, trusted that we could learn about her life without judgment and trusted that we could do our part so she could learn from us. Although splitting the bill between 20 college students may be hectic, in the end we can all pitch in to do our part and learn to trust one another.

"Surfs Up Dude!" By: Tara McDevitt

After a long night last night my two roommates and I contemplated even waking up to go surfing at 8:30 this morning. The snooze button must have been hit at least five times. After about 20 minutes we decided lets just go, we went with the motto: “We’re only in South Africa once.” We met our surfing instructor, Chris (who might I add is incredibly good looking) and met up with Guilome at the beach (Guilome is quite a looker as well). We all put the wet suits on and headed into the water, which wasn’t too cold once, we got over the initial shock!

In the beginning Guilome and Chris would push the boards to get us going. The first couple of times I’m going to be honest: I ate it, got hit with the board in the face, and got caught underwater in the waves hitting my head on the floor of the ocean... I thought I died a total of five times. Salt water in my mouth, eyes, and in the ears… BUT it was all worth it when I FINALLY got up! The first time I got up was probably the longest ride I caught. It. Was. Awesome. We all finally got the hang of it, paddling on our own and catching waves. The group of girls that went is great! Look out for us… you’ll probably see us surfing Pipeline next.

Three words: Surfs Up Dude.

"I love Food!" By: Thomas Brown

When I came to Cape Town, I recognized the emphasis on the importance of a meal. Food is very important to the culture. Meals are suppose to be a time of sharing communication and enjoying yourselves. Waiters do not rush your meal and often allow you to drink awhile before your meal is brought out. SInce I have been here I have had some incredible different foods, especially steak. Zorbas has an enormous T-bone steak that is 500 oz. It is presented by itself, but it is plenty for a meal. However, Balthazar takes the cake with the best steaks in Cape Town so far. The filet ranks in the top 5 best steaks I've had in my life. Im very thankful that Katie convinced me to change my order. I also had phenomenal oysters and highly recommend them if you enjoy shellfish. I cant wait to enjoy more meals in Capetown. I have enjoyed everything from pasta to burgers. At the moment, I am on the lookout for sushi and I am sure that my expectations will be surpassed.

"Week 1 Review - in Numbers!" By: Katherine Miller

Day 6

3,900 - (American) dollars that Miss Ann, township soup mother, makes in a year.
1994 - year Nelson Mandela was elected President of South Africa in the first fully representative democratic election.
335 - pictures I've taken since arriving in South Africa.
45 - minute bus ride to Sir Lowry's Pass township.
16 - cheetahs at Spier; only a few we could pet though!
15 - soup mothers in Sir Lowry's Pass township.
12 - apostles. (the Atlantic-facing range of Table Mountain)
10 - rand (South African currency) + our unique charms/talents = a gift challenge.
9.5 - hour we eat breakfast on week days before class meetings.
9 - missing face-paint markers.
5 - members of the band that sang to us at Mama Africa's.
4 - generations of women in Miss Ann's house on Thursday.
3 - restaurants in our hotel.
2 - meals I've eaten at Kauai, a sandwich and smoothie restaurant. It's delicious!
1 - great taxi driver named Ishmael Orrie.

Readers, feel free to comment with additional numbers/statistics!

Life in three words:
Africa is immeasurable!
(uncountable waves; more kids than I could ever have imagined; exotic, spotted wildlife)

"Vinos and Cheetos" By: Claire Shurley

Today was a beautiful day from start to finish. I woke up early enough to enjoy the serenity of an incredible sunrise from inside my apartment window. And again as I arrived home after all of the days events, I along with two others was stunned by the breathtaking orange and coral painted sky right before our eyes beyond the horizon and above the frothy waves that crash and cover the beaches here in Cape Town. Gorgeous. And a perfect way to end such an elegant day of wine tastings and cheetah viewings. This morning we Springboks got on the bus at ten and drove out to the Haut Espoir vineyards in Franschhoek. As we passed vineyard after vineyard, perfect row after row of grape plants plastered set in a background of rolling hills that lead to the beautiful peaks of South Africa, we noticed the stark contrast of our surroundings here from the valley of the township that we spent our time in these past four days. I and many of the others agree that we are so glad we ventured beyond to the more touristy side of Cape Town after our service week with the amazing people of Sir Lowry's Pass. We had a much broader perspective now, not only of the diversity of this city, but also of the real life situations and actual lifestyles of the people in and around the city. And with these new understandings we were able to fully enjoy and appreciate every little aspect of the wine tastings and tours as well as the cheetah viewings... and for the lucky few... cheetah pettings :). Everything is looking beautiful here in Cape Town!

By: Bailey Davis

This has been one of the most amazing experiences of my life so far. Just finishing up our week of service I already cannot wait to get back! The children are the most gracious, loving individuals—nothing like how I would generalize American children. They share what little they have with anyone and everyone and love each other like family. There were a few times that I saw a younger 5 or 6 year old holding a younger toddler and when I asked if that was their younger brother or sister they would shrug and say no, just a friend, which is something I’m definitely not use to seeing. It’s overall been a great experience being able to spend time with these people and seeing how much us just being there puts an enormous smile on each of their faces!

Also, today we went to the vineyards, which was absolutely amazing. It was the first full day of beautiful weather so the already amazing views were absolutely gorgeous! I had never been to a wine tasting let alone a vineyard before so it was so cool seeing how they do everything and how they harvest the flavors separately to combine them into one delicious bottle!

"K. Money’s debut" By: Katherine Marr

So I’m sittin’ here in Cape Town, and I’ve got somethin’ to say
I’m startin’ to see the world in a whole new way

With new friends to my left
And adventures to the right
It’s too late to turn back – the travel bug has given me a bite

The people. the places. so many things to see
Trust me folks – there ain’t no time for t.v.

I’ve chilled in a township that not many know of
And I’ve formed bonds - like a hand in glove

It’s not about the dollar sign, but the time you invest,
To make an impact with the utmost zest

So discover the lucky charms you bring to the table
because others simply might not be able

And don’t forget that when a hard day’s work is done
You’re in Cape Town home fry - you can afford to party outside the bun!

Go to Long Street, the Waterfront, and so much more
You haven’t done enough if your feet aren’t sore

Now, as I peace out- promise you’ll always remember
That I’m a super. cool. fly. Global LEAD member

"'My nuwe familie'= My new family" By: Samantha Carnline

Hetta and Wayne, the couple in this picture, are 45 years old. Can you believe that? I know I did not believe that these people were 45, because they looked at least like they were in their 60’s. This age difference was a realization that I had today that took place during my adventures in the township in South Africa.

Our mission as a group was to cook for our families an American dinner. My mission however was to break through and actually talk to the grandmother of our household. Her name is Hetta, and she is the 45-year-old woman in the picture. When the four of us American kids entered her home she was very skittish and did not speak a word to us. She seemed almost intimidated by us. The only members of the family that would talk to us were the younger adults and children in the house. These would be her grandchildren. All the other students on the trip kept talking about how wonderful these grandmothers were and how they were the powerhouse within the family, I did not gather this from my experience but deeply wanted to find that connection.

Hetta and I began to bond for the first time today. This bonding took place as she spoke her first words to me, which were to ask if she could take a picture with me. After taking the picture, she proceeded to want to see our recently captured memory. As I showed it to her, a picture of my family popped up on the screen by accident. The picture was of my mother and I. Hetta said: “Wow, this woman looks so young. Who is she?” This began to make me wonder how old she actually was. When I discovered that she was the same age as my mother it hit me how she really was a powerhouse. This woman was responsible for four children of her own and two grandchildren. After spending three days in the township I came to realize that everyone actually looks older than they truly are. I would assume that this would be caused by their habits, one being having children at such a young age.

As Hetta and I began to discuss our families to each other her true heart began to pour out its genuine goodness. She would do anything for her family no matter what the circumstances might be. She is typical to any American grandmother except for the fact that she is 20 years younger than most. Within the ten minutes we talked today I gained a strong respect for her. She is now a super hero in my eyes.

"It’s All about LOVE" By: Kelly Daniel

On Tuesday night of this week the Springboks spent the night in a township called Sir Lowry’s Pass. It was quite an experience, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. Through serving, I learned so much. My house mother, Ms. Gloria, taught me what it means to truly serve. She is one of the most remarkable women I know. She has ten children; three of her daughters live with her along with her grandchildren. She provides for them all and loves them with all her heart. She told me that on every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday she serves the children in her part of the township soup and bread. This spoke volumes to me! I thought of how I try to serve others, but now I’m not so sure if I truly serve. Ms. Gloria serves unconditionally and with all the love in her heart.

Another thing that really stuck out to me is how happy and content everyone was. Even though they are economically poor, they are rich in family, friends, and faith. Their faith in God is extraordinary. The children sang praises before they received their soup and they were so passionate and genuine about it, too. Watching them deeply touched me, and made me realize something; that it doesn’t matter how much money or how much “stuff” one has, all that matters is that one has love. I can’t help but think of a song by Steven Curtis Chapman called “It’s all about Love.” With love, one can do anything and survive any situation. “After all, it’s all about love.”

"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!

“Smiles Bring Faith” By: Lloyd Pember

Surprise! We are going to spend the night in a township tonight was one of the first things I heard Tuesday morning. As we drove 45 minutes out of Cape Town we sat in awe at the miles and miles of rundown townships. Little kids were roaming alone on the side of the highway, members of the townships were going to the bathroom with absolutely no privacy, and the houses were not houses at all. My heart was racing and I couldn’t imagine what we were getting ourselves into. As we pulled up to Sir Lowry’s Pass we were immediately overwhelmed by hundreds of children running after our bus with the biggest, warmest smiles I have ever seen. We spent the day dancing with children, playing soccer and rugby in the streets, and just getting an overall workout giving piggyback rides and tossing children in the air. We spent most of the day at Mrs. Fila’s house with all of her soup children. The biggest eye opener of the trip was when Mrs. Fila’s husband stood up in front of us and gave us his testimony. He had previously lived an incredibly rough life and just wanted to share his story with us and how thankful he was for us. He grew up in the ghettos, his life was filled with violence, and he didn't have a care in the world. One day God spoke to him and he has now learned English, has a family he loves, and a roof over his head. He said he never thought he would be where he is today and that he is extremely thankful for the work of God. Our Global LEAD group came into Sir Lowry’s Pass enthralled, looking at it as if it was the worst place to live. However, these people are absolutely amazing, positive, and extremely thankful for what they do possess, although it is not much. The community is so strong and loving and everyone looks out for one another. Teenage boys were carrying small children home and bundling them up in their jackets, the soup mothers were feeding hundreds of children so that no child would go hungry, and there was just an overall feeling of love and warmth. The people of Sir Lowry’s Pass live truly amazing lives and taught me so much about how I should be living my life. They really made me step back and think about the small things in life that I should cherish. I realized that my friendships and relationships back home are the most valuable parts of my life and I am anxious to build on them in the future.

Life in Three Words: Smiles Bring Faith

"Life Can't Wait" By: Thayer King

The world whirlwind doesn’t even begin to describe the past few days. From spending the night in Saint Lowry’s Pass (the township we are working with) to wining and dining on the Waterfront, I can’t believe that almost a week has gone by. I’ll have to admit I was slightly skeptical when I heard that we were going to be staying with a bunch of people we had never met before on one of our first nights of the trip, but once our small group arrived at Mrs. Fila’s house and her cat literally gave me a hug I knew we were in for an interesting but fun night. It was pretty eventful: from almost attacking the rest of my group members with flying potato and carrot peels to playing South African monopoly using Rand (at less than a snail’s pace) we all ended up having a great time. It was just as fun (although a much different kind of fun) as we had the next night wandering around Long Street and dancing up a storm at Chrome (a.k.a. Cape Town’s version of The Loft in Athens). Interesting/somewhat odd crowd, old school rap, and one big advantage over any of the clubs in Athens: Ish (our loyal friend slash ‘babysitter’ who should be given the Nobel Prize for putting up with us). Then today we went back to the township just to play with the kids. One thing I noticed right off the bat: I had totally forgotten how much kids like bubbles. I’m talking 2 hours worth of nonstop bubble blowing and I’m not going to lie, I loved it right along with them. I spent the whole day carrying around the most precious 3-year-old boy named Xander. Let me just put it this way: if I had my way I would have just put him in my pocket and kept him because he was just that adorable. He didn’t really but I knew that he was taking it all in and that we had formed a little bond by the end of the day when he refused to let me put him down when it came time for us to leave. That was definitely the most rewarding moment of the trip so far. Which brings me to my top 5 moments of the trip up until this point:

1. Blowing/catching bubbles with Xander
2. Singing and having a Justin Bieber dance party with Mrs. Fila’s soup children
3. Our group taking over the dance floor at Chrome (Ish included, of course)
4. Trying out different restaurants and cuisines of Cape Town (nope, haven’t tried the ostrich yet…)
5. Getting to wake up every morning to the amazing view of Table Mountain and the gorgeous beach
   

My caption for the picture (Life in 3 words): LIFE CAN'T WAIT

"Cape Town: Giving in All Sorts of Ways" By: Julie Tafel

Today I had one of my best days in Cape Town so far. After having a very interesting night in the slums, we came back to the Lagoon Beach apartments tired and ready for bed. Garrett provided us with an enlightening lecture on the power of giving that helped us reflect on our night and realize a lot of things I hadn’t. The families in the community are the most giving people I have ever met. They live off a dollar a day, but find a way to give much more than that. They not only take care of their children, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, etc. But also any other member of the community that needs help. I think that if everyone in America was like this, then we would barely have any poverty at all. One of the little girls named Kay helped her little brother who was sick with stomach flu. She fed him medicine and rubbed his back to try and make him feel better. I feel as if kids that age in America don’t understand how to give so much, but these kids think that this is the way to live. This quality follows them throughout life and is shown in the parents through their generosity to the whole community. Women work hard every day to provide meals to everyone they can, even us. I felt spoiled while I was there with them. It was an experience that I will never forget.

After we finished the lecture, I was able to go on a tour of Cape Town. The rain finally cleared up and we could see every ridge, hump, and other aspects of Table mountain. It was BEAUTIFUL. We also traveled down to the waterfront which was a Charleston looking area with many shops and music playing all around. I look forward to going there on late afternoons and nights with friends. After Charleston, we went up Signal Hill, which is right next to Table mountain and got to see an incredible view of the whole town, the stadium, Table mountain, and lion’s head. We ended the trip in Camps Bay where we could see the back of Table mountain, referred to as the 12 apostles because there are 12 humps that stick out, and the beautiful beach was in front of us with surfers trying to catch a wave. Cape Town is one of the most beautiful places I have ever been and the most unique with all of its diversity.
Life in 3 words: Admiring, spirit-lifting, beautiful.

"My day with Spider Man" By: Seth Guidry

Tuesday morning after sitting though lecture for the morning, Courtney stood up in front of the group and said something that shook me and made me think to myself- there is no way I'm going to survive... She told us we were spending the night in a township. Needless to say, I survived the night and walked away learning a little more about myself than I thought I did, as well as learned a few life lessons- which were an added bonus. Like cooking pasta without salt and not straining them right away leads to some puffy, nasty pasta. But that's not the point I'm trying to make. Fast forward two days and a new friendship later...

To set the scene: Wylan is the grandson of the soup mother we stayed with and he is about 8 years old. The coolest kid you'll ever meet in the world, basically. He is very shy and LOVES Spiderman. We went back to the township today to play with the kids and I went back to our house and met up with Wylan and the rest of the family.

Later on in the afternoon, I had been painting faces and dancing with the kids when Wylan came around and his face had been painted with an intense spiderman web and everything- kudos to whoever did it, and I was real happy to see him because 2 nights earlier he was sitting on my lap and we were talking about what he wanted to be when he grew up (a doctor, in case you were wondering) so needless to say, a bond was formed.

When all the games were done and we were all walking back to the bus, he asked to get on my shoulders- I of course couldn't say no. So he hopped up and we started walking and we talked about what he wanted for dinner the next night (because we're going back tomorrow to cook dinner for them) and he said pizza, we talked about his favorite kind (Cheese) and of course, about Spiderman. So after that he and I started walking around acting like we were Spiderman, and while we were doing that I realized something. We forget how to have fun and use our imagination, and ultimately lose sight of the important things in life. I learned a lot today and the smiles on these kids faces definitely makes it seem like there are no problems in the world, which is refreshing to know that somewhere out there (here, actually) people haven't lost sight of what's important.
--
Forever LSU,

Seth Guidry
LSU Ambassadors

"A Tale of Two Cities*" By: Carolyn Dilz

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” Just kidding. Before I bore anyone with Dickens and/or fail to live up to his great expectations (yes, that just happened), I should probably mention that I have never been to London or Paris. Thus, in hopes of maintaining whatever credibility I may have, I’ll resort to tales of two more familiar areas: Sir Lowry’s Pass, South Africa and Athens, Georgia.

· Comparison the First: Sense of Community

The first thing I noticed in Sir Lowry’s Pass was the sense of community. Older children took care of younger ones outside of their immediate families, “soup mothers” fed every child who came to their doorstep, and neighbors constantly went in and out of different houses to help one another. In Athens I can’t even name the people who live two doors down from me. Do I have something to learn from the township families? I think so.

· Comparison the Second: Openness and Hospitality

The coolest thing about our first day in Sir Lowry’s Pass was hearing the stories of the amazing people who live there. Within one minute of meeting, they were willing to tell me about everything from their past to their families to their dreams to their hobbies. Despite their poverty, they immediately shared both their homes and food with us. In Athens it takes me several days to find out the names of the new people I meet in class. I have never shared a meal –let alone my life story—with a stranger in my home. Yes, South African hospitality beats my southern hospitality (or lack thereof?) by a mile.

· Comparison the Third: Music and Dance

It doesn’t matter if you’re in America or South Africa: EVERYONE loves busting a move to Justin Bieber. Feel free to sing along: “And I was like baby, baby, baby ohhhh…”

*Sir Lowry’s Pass may be a township rather than a city, but please cut me some slack for the sake of a catchy title.

"10 Things I was Unprepared for when I came to South Africa" By: Alyson Seeling

• Having to switch on an outlet before being able to use it
• Driving on the “wrong” side of the road (even when you know it’s impossible to prepare for)
• Turning on the light before walking into a room because the switches are outside the doors
• The use of the phrase TIA (This is Africa.)
• The permanent night light that is the hall light outside of my room shining brightly through the window every night
• Being woken up by a human rooster at 5 AM
• Hotel construction at all hours of the day even when we go to sleep at 1:30AM
• Trying to convert rands to dollars in your head (you should just use the calculator on your super ghetto Nokia phone. Don’t guess... the locals make fun of you)
• Mentally calculating time zones from home to South Africa and attempting not to call anyone at home at 4AM
• The beautiful sights all over the city

Imagine. Inspire. Impact.

"Using Music to Bring People Together" By: Wes Nelson

Throughout my visit in the townships, there were hundreds and hundreds of differences between my lifestyle in America and the lifestyle of these South African villagers that were very evident. One main difference was the interaction between all of the villagers. Everyone talked to everyone, even if they did not know each other. If I tried to talk to a random person on the streets of New York City, that person would probably think that I wanted money or some sort of favor. No matter who they are interacting with, all of the villagers do it with a positive attitude. For instance, our host, Miss Thelma, did not know that we were coming to stay with her until the day of our arrival. However, when she found out that we were coming, she immediately went to buy more food for dinner and quilts for when it became time to go to bed. Although she was twenty years older than the normal age for retirement in America, she lived her life with a selfless heart and an amazing smile. Her actions made us feel welcome, but the music they listened to made me feel at home. Michael Jackson was the jam of the village. From the children doing the Thriller dance for our arrival to the Michael Jackson dvd we watched with our family, we conclude that we both enjoy Jackson’s music. A larger surprise for me was going to bed and hearing R.E.M, a local Athens band. I traveled ten thousand miles to come hear a band that plays at home. Despite all these differences in race, culture, and wealth, we were able to find a true connection through music that helped us realize that in the end we all have similarities between each other.

Three Word Shout Out:
“Everyone Loves M.J.!!!”

“Open your Eyes” By: Sally Anne Harrell

Have you ever been thrown a curve ball in life that gets you excited about the day ahead? Well this morning I had one of those experiences, and it was probably the greatest news I have received all week long! Garrett told us that we had one hour to pack a bag of extra clothes and a tooth brush because we were going to go to Sir Lowry’s Pass, a shantytown an hour outside of Cape Town, and spend one day living in the shoes of the families we were staying with. “One Dollar a Day”

Three other students and I were assigned to Ms. Anna’s home to stay with. Anna, a 61-year-old woman with 5 children and 10 grandchildren lived in a two-room house with 6 other family members. The second we walked into her house, Anna’s home smelled like my grandmothers house – warm, with the smell of fresh cooked food. She had just pulled out a loaf of bread and offered me some, which could have quite possibly been the best tasting bread I have ever put in my house.

But it was Anna’s daughter who I really connected with. She is 22-years-old, with two little girls (ages 3 and 2). Anna’s daughter is someone that is wise beyond her years with a quiet personality. Every time she needed to go somewhere within the shantytown she would not ask, but tell me, “Come With Me!” and off we would go to do another errand for her mother. She took me in the dark of the night to go pay their power bill. It was in a small building that looked like a convenient store with bars separating the cashier and the customer. I asked her how often they had to pay their power bill and she said at least once or twice a week, depending on if they could pay for more power.

I think Anna’s Daughter struck me so much was because she is only 1 year older then me and has already figured out what she is doing in life and has her head on her shoulders. Not that she had much of a choice in any areas, because she was born in her situation, but she has used her faith and her personality to make the best out of what they were given. It makes me think, I only having one more year of undergrad left, yet why is it so hard for an American student my age to understand where my life is headed and not taking more ownership of my future.

"LEAD Blog: Yell, Shock, Change" By: Samuel J. Pouns

Overcoming obstacles can be a defining factor when it comes to some one’s character. How people deal with the challenges of life defines what type of person others see them as. So, when it came to facing the challenge of spending the night in an African Township, I had to make a decision on what type of person I wanted to be. Did I want to go through the experience and come out unchanged, or did I want to make a change in the lives of the natives and my peers and through such a shocking experience come out changed myself?
All my life I have been a leader whether in sports, school, or arts, and this trip is a chance for me to enhance my leadership skills. My first chance to show others I am not afraid to break out of my shell and take a chance was at the township. We had been playing in the streets with a bunch of younger kids, when one of the older teens started running towards us with a rugby ball. As he approached, he threw me the ball, which was a surprise, but the biggest surprise was when he began to tackle me because I now had the ball. This is when I made the choice to make a lasting change. I could have dropped the ball, or tossed it to some one else, but instead I took the tackle and began hollering so loud I actually scared the girls in my group. I chose to take a small action like yelling in the streets to help myself and my peers step outside of our comfort zone but laugh and enjoy ourselves at the same time. I could see the reaction in everybody’s faces: this guy is a little crazy, but he will help us get through this. That’s just the kind of person I am. I will almost always take the extra risk to ensure that those around me feel safe and welcome while in such a strange and new environment.