We're Here!

So after a very long couple of days of traveling (we left APU at 2:30 am on Thursday and arrived around 6 pm on Friday) we FINALLY arrived in Joburg, South Africa! The second flight was about 17 hours but thankfully I was able to sleep for some parts of it. 

This weekend we spent time in Joburg and stayed at this hotel. We all were (and still may be) completely jet lagged and out of it. For dinner on Friday and Saturday we went to restaurants in the area and that was pretty fun. Just a random fact, the ketchup is sweeter here! On Saturday we went on a tour of the city. The people of South Africa are very friendly and would wave to us as we drove by on the bus, welcoming us! Just a side note: after being here for a couple of days it still is weird to me that the driver is on the right side of the car and that they drive on the right side of the rode. We’ve had several good laughs about this when we forget how its different than in the U.S. We also went to a mall and saw different parts of Soweto and were really able to start seeing the people and culture of S.A. We had lunch at our tour guides’ restaurant, where some African children came and danced for us! There were so cute! Then we went to the Apartheid museum, where we learned a ton of history about South Africa. 

On Sunday we took another flight from Joburg to Durban. And we are all pretty much tired of flying by now, but it was only a 55 min. flight. As soon as we stepped off the plane it were greeted by hot and humid weather! I feel as if growing up in Fresno has prepared me for this time in S.A. (except that the humidity is a new concept). The drive to our new home was incredible! South Africa is BEAUTIFUL! There is green everywhere! I cannot believe I get to live in such an amazing place. We finally reached our new home, African Enterprise :) There are trees and green everywhere, and a waterfall and swimming hole right by us. We live in these chalets and I can hear and see the waterfall from our room! 

Today (Monday) I woke up at 6am and went on a run slash walk through the game reserve in hopes of seeing zebra. We only got a little lost and had to ask for directions twice but we did see an antelope! Oh, and route we ended up taking was about 5 miles.

Today was the first day of class but it’s hard to think about studying here! We had our first tea time, which we have two times a day in addition to three meals. Tea time is simply great; they have tea, coffee, and some type of muffin, cookie, scone, etc for us. They feed us here so much! 

As you can probably tell, I am so excited about this semester! It has been great getting to know everyone in our group and I cannot wait for all we will learn together and for all the fun we will have!  You can be praying that my body adjusts to the time change and to being here (it would be nice to sleep past 5 am!) and also that I would be prepared for all the things I am about to experience and see!