Here I go again on my own
Hey Everyone!!
Well, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this is already my last e-mail that I’ll be sending from SA. It’s already been over 5 weeks, and it feels like 5 days. I leave on Wednesday for a bus trip around SA with a bunch of other exchange students, and will only return the night before I leave for the US. Ahh I can’t believe it.
It seems like every time I sit down to write these I have so much I want to tell that it’s impossible to get it all done. For instance, the day after I wrote my last e-mail, I got to see one of my closest and dearest friends in the universe, Kim, who I met while on exchange in France and never thought I’d be able to visit her in SA. It was awesome to see her again, and although it was only 2 short nights, I couldn’t be happier. We went to Tugela Mouth (a beautiful mouth on the Indian Ocean which is barely inhabited) with her boyfriend David and her friends Mike and Tamryn, all three of which are wicked nice, great people. I had so much fun and hope I’ll be able to see her sometime in the not too distant future, maybe even in the US next time.
The day I got back from seeing Kim my family and I left for the Drakensberg Mountains, which are about 4 hours inland, not far from the Lesotho border. We basically just became ‘one with nature’ all over again (I still can’t believe half the things I’ve done here) and did a lot of hiking around the mountains. It was absolutely beautiful, but unfortunately we left on Monday, right before it started snowing. (Not that I don’t get enough snow in Boston, mind you.)
I stayed in Mtunzini on Monday night, and on Tuesday night I had to give a speech not only in front of my Rotary Club, but also the District Governor, and only had a day to write it. Fortunately I survived, and it didn’t go all that bad.
I went back to Durban to stay with Michelle on Wednesday, and true to form we went to 80s, our favorite bar/niteclub for my last ‘jol’ (a very South African word that Warren is making sure I take back with me) there. And today we came back to ‘zini, where I will stay until Sunday, when we go back to Durban to watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show (haha, of course, huh? This damn thing is following me!) for Michelle’s bday. (Followed by a night at Joe Cools, of course, another bar we love). After another night out on Monday and Wesdnesday, I’ll be on my way for my last 10 days here on a bus with about 50 other exchange students throughout the world. Safari time, what what? Ok im tired leave me alone…
I’ve already had to say goodbye to people, which is so sad. Even though this exchange has been hard at times, and I’ve been more scared in the last 5 ½ weeks than I ever have in my whole life, I’ve really had a great experience and have met so many wonderful people. It sucks having to say goodbye to my family, and Michelle and her friends, and of course Warren. But Michelle and Berdette will be coming in July (watch out boston!) and Warren in May or June, so hopefully contact will stay intact with everyone.
I, of course, cannot finish my last email without another story of excessive racism. We were sitting at the ‘berg, around the fire, and Michelle and her friend Eleni and my host dad were all there. They asked me about like Jerry springer and ricki lake and everything, and I was jokingly trying to explain the expression ‘white trash’ to them. Then, completely out of the blue, my host dad goes ‘well I guess we at least have it easier in that sense- we can tell who the trash are in our country simply by their colour’. I nearly punched him right then and there. We have butted heads so much on this topic, and unlike most people, he wont learn to just not say things like that around me. Like the other night at 80s, some guy started bringing up the whole racism thing, and Warren, being smart for a second, had to tell him to not even bring it up around me. At least some people have learned.
Well, I guess this is goodbye until I get back on the 3rd. (you can email me before tomorrow, Saturday the 16th, nighttime, and ill check it tomorrow night. Remember im like 7 or 8 hours ahead, depending on where u are). Oh, and Conor, its now 409. Just to keep ya updated. J
Bye everyone, and talk to you all soon!!
Lauren
Well, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but this is already my last e-mail that I’ll be sending from SA. It’s already been over 5 weeks, and it feels like 5 days. I leave on Wednesday for a bus trip around SA with a bunch of other exchange students, and will only return the night before I leave for the US. Ahh I can’t believe it.
It seems like every time I sit down to write these I have so much I want to tell that it’s impossible to get it all done. For instance, the day after I wrote my last e-mail, I got to see one of my closest and dearest friends in the universe, Kim, who I met while on exchange in France and never thought I’d be able to visit her in SA. It was awesome to see her again, and although it was only 2 short nights, I couldn’t be happier. We went to Tugela Mouth (a beautiful mouth on the Indian Ocean which is barely inhabited) with her boyfriend David and her friends Mike and Tamryn, all three of which are wicked nice, great people. I had so much fun and hope I’ll be able to see her sometime in the not too distant future, maybe even in the US next time.
The day I got back from seeing Kim my family and I left for the Drakensberg Mountains, which are about 4 hours inland, not far from the Lesotho border. We basically just became ‘one with nature’ all over again (I still can’t believe half the things I’ve done here) and did a lot of hiking around the mountains. It was absolutely beautiful, but unfortunately we left on Monday, right before it started snowing. (Not that I don’t get enough snow in Boston, mind you.)
I stayed in Mtunzini on Monday night, and on Tuesday night I had to give a speech not only in front of my Rotary Club, but also the District Governor, and only had a day to write it. Fortunately I survived, and it didn’t go all that bad.
I went back to Durban to stay with Michelle on Wednesday, and true to form we went to 80s, our favorite bar/niteclub for my last ‘jol’ (a very South African word that Warren is making sure I take back with me) there. And today we came back to ‘zini, where I will stay until Sunday, when we go back to Durban to watch the Rocky Horror Picture Show (haha, of course, huh? This damn thing is following me!) for Michelle’s bday. (Followed by a night at Joe Cools, of course, another bar we love). After another night out on Monday and Wesdnesday, I’ll be on my way for my last 10 days here on a bus with about 50 other exchange students throughout the world. Safari time, what what? Ok im tired leave me alone…
I’ve already had to say goodbye to people, which is so sad. Even though this exchange has been hard at times, and I’ve been more scared in the last 5 ½ weeks than I ever have in my whole life, I’ve really had a great experience and have met so many wonderful people. It sucks having to say goodbye to my family, and Michelle and her friends, and of course Warren. But Michelle and Berdette will be coming in July (watch out boston!) and Warren in May or June, so hopefully contact will stay intact with everyone.
I, of course, cannot finish my last email without another story of excessive racism. We were sitting at the ‘berg, around the fire, and Michelle and her friend Eleni and my host dad were all there. They asked me about like Jerry springer and ricki lake and everything, and I was jokingly trying to explain the expression ‘white trash’ to them. Then, completely out of the blue, my host dad goes ‘well I guess we at least have it easier in that sense- we can tell who the trash are in our country simply by their colour’. I nearly punched him right then and there. We have butted heads so much on this topic, and unlike most people, he wont learn to just not say things like that around me. Like the other night at 80s, some guy started bringing up the whole racism thing, and Warren, being smart for a second, had to tell him to not even bring it up around me. At least some people have learned.
Well, I guess this is goodbye until I get back on the 3rd. (you can email me before tomorrow, Saturday the 16th, nighttime, and ill check it tomorrow night. Remember im like 7 or 8 hours ahead, depending on where u are). Oh, and Conor, its now 409. Just to keep ya updated. J
Bye everyone, and talk to you all soon!!
Lauren