Tot siens

     That's "good bye" in Afrikaans. The language I'm taking here. And also what I'll be saying to Cape Town until Thursday! See, while all my friends' statuses are about one of two things; going abroad or going back to school, my status will soon read "Garden Route." That's what I'm doing on my second spring break of 2011. My first one was, of course, last March and mostly consisted of wet spandex and van rides. This one will be quite different. No 5am wake up calls, unless we decide to do a morning safari. I'll get wet at the beach or ziplining down a waterfall. Instead of me running, I'll ride an ostrich. And instead of driving a big, white, sketchy van, I'll sit on an elephant. I don't have any substitutes for hours spent overtaking/overwhelming Panera though. Simply too unique to compare.
     This past week, I have really understood what it's like to live away from home. Everyone else is just starting up a new school year and I've almost completed half of mine. This was the first week I've really felt far, far away. My old summer house is being sold soon. My dad is on Gould's orientation, which I was doing this same weekend 6 years ago. My mom is becoming closer than ever to my childhood best friend's family in my absence. It's all just very strange. When I left, and since I've been here, nothing at home has changed much. Now, life is moving on and, for some reason, it's surprising to me. I guess it won't be July when I get home..
     Back over here, things are picking up rapidly. My capstone, the independent project I have to implement at my site, is about to be concrete. I'm thinking about bringing an NGO into the hospital to either help promote literacy through their new library or find one that caters to the needs of toddlers in order to make the nursery school a more sustainable idea. I'm excited to start researching organizations and get to know the people who run them. Can you say interesting and amazing?! I'm really growing attached to the kids at the school as well. They were all so sad to see us off today because they know we're not coming next week. I don't want to think about how hard it'll be in November. But, at least, one little boy can count to 30 now!!!

Here are some pictures from a high ropes course, "family dinners," avoiding homework, touring, and memory lane!

I'm assuming I'll make many faces similar to this one in the next week..

Elephants, ostriches, left side of the road driving, etc.

Emily and I at Marco's, traditional African restaurant. 

I have since tried caterpillar; tasted fishy, but also weirdly crunchy.

Using Social Research Methods books to help complete a Jillian Michael's workout.

Not quite like a 5 Alive workout..

Laura G, Emily, and me at the aquarium in the frog section.

SHS/HYA soccer days.

Me, Alexa, Taylor, Leah, and Lauren