My "Farewell Dinner" Speech

Table Mountain & Thanksgiving!

It’s hard to believe there are only 2 weeks remaining here in Cape Town! I’m glad to say Jordan & Julianna arrived safely, and were able to enjoy some classic South African experiences. The weather here has been sunny & warm, in the high 80s - if I had to guess. Our pool has been well taken advantage of, as well as trips to nearby beaches. Camps Bay was the most recent beach visited - gorgeous scenery but ice cold water. I find it amazing how locals will urge you to buy anything & everything they are selling, and will go to great lengths to find a customer. While sitting on the beach, there had to be several vendors walking by each minute, offering cold drinks, sunglasses, or even - miniature chess tables! Even while waiting on the minibus, vendors poked their heads inside the door, offering last-minute sales of toothpicks, or whatever they could gather to sell. Cape Town never ceases to amaze me. Green Point and Green Square Market are two common festivities downtown, where locals sell anything from beaded items and painted bowls to tee-shirts and animal skins. Bartering is the key to the game. I have learned to stand my ground and not be fooled when vendors tell you they will give you “a special deal.” It seems everyone is getting special deals.


A group of us climbed Table Mountain! After 2+ hours of hiking and reaching the point where the trees cleared out, we thought we were near to the top. To our surprise, we soon reached a sign informing us that we had 3 hours left of hiking until we reached the cable cars, for the descent down! The view was nothing short of breathtaking, however. We started from Kirstenbosch Gardens, and hiked all the way to the top of Table Mountain, overlooking the entire city of Cape Town. It definitely had us checking our pulses as we felt our cardiovascular system go into overdrive! It gives a whole new perspective when looking back at that mountain across from 10 Loch Road. I can now appreciate its immensity!


This past week was also Thanksgiving in Cape Town! Despite the chicken instead of turkey, we managed to create a delicious Thanksgiving feast - consisting of mashed potatoes, butternut squash, homemade stuffing, peas, corn, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, stuffed mushrooms, and fluffy rolls. We went all out, and even had a full course of dessert - including peanut butter chocolate balls and apple pie. It was the first Thanksgiving eating outside, alongside a swimming pool, in sundresses and sunscreen. After Skype-ing family back home, I realized we had better enjoy the warm weather here in South Africa while it lasts!


Friday Jordan & I visited the V & A Waterfront - a more Americanized shopping spot, but it overlooks the harbor with incoming ships, so it’s a must to see if in the area. There were a couple groups of street performers, playing drums, marimba, and other rhythmic instruments. For dinner I had oxtail and Jordan had a braai meat kabob - both delicious dishes. The calamari here is also spectacular - so we had that as a starter. We couldn’t help but stop in the nearby mall afterwards and pick up some souvenirs for friends back home. Cape Town always seems so festive and alive - truly a remarkable place to spend 3 1/2 months!

Caves & Constrictors

Four weeks left! We just got back from our second excursion - along the Garden Route. This time we drove, instead of flying, and by drove I mean drove for 7-8 hours and then more.Friday morning we headed out, leaving 10 Loch Road, our quite familiar, safety haven by now. We went through Riviersonderend, Mossel Bay, and arrived finally at the Cango Caves in Oudtshoom - glad to be on solid ground after surviving the turns around the steep mountain curves! Now, the caves were the next fear factor. Let's just say there were 2 trails - regular and adventure - and I was totally ready to take the normal, regular, tourist trail. SOMEhow I ended up agreeing to take the adventure route. When we walked into the cave there was a wide open entrance. They actually used to hold concerts there, and there were still carved away levels where the choir used to stand. Our tour guide then led us deeper into the cave, with her "torch light" (South Africa's name for flashlight) - as the cave got progresively narrower and shorter. At one point there was the option to wait for the group and bypass the narrowest parts of the cave. I walked up the steps, took one look at the passage I would be crawling through and started to back out. The people behind me totally would not let me out! I could physically fit through the space, but the claustrophobia issue was another thing. I don't know how they talked me into progressing further into the cave, but they did. Once I told myself that - yes, I still could breathe, I managed to crawl through the passages - one on my stomach, one sliding down head first, one clibing up a space where rock touched me on all sides. It was actually really fun once I stopped thinking of "what if" scenarios, and after reflecting on it, when I finally made it outside with the fresh air & open space! South Africa never ceases to amaze me.

We drove to the town of George next, where we stayed the night at the George International Lodge. It was a cute, bread-and-breakfast type place. Carrie-Ellen and I passed out before 9pm that night, completely exhausted! Saturday morning we headed out to see elephants!! In the town of Knysna we took a safari-vehicle once again, and went to an area where there were a group of elephants. We got out of the truck, and walked right up to the elephants, getting to touch them and take lots of pictures (there were guides with us of course). There were a few baby elephants, who were bottle fed with the same infant formula as the human babies during our maternity rotation! We saw African elephants, obviously - you can tell the difference between African and Indian elephants by the shape of their ears (each resemble the shape of the continent they are from).

Monkeyland was next. As you can tell from the name - this is where we saw monkeys. It was an enclosed reserve, of 30 or so acres, with various species of monkeys, apes, lemurs, and birds. Just like in the movies, they swung from tree branches and usually went around in packs - where they either watched out for one another, or antagonized each other - similar to siblings haha. There was a separate enclosed reserve for birds. We walked on a suspended boardwalk for about an hour through a rainforest-like environment - seeing parrots, pelicans, and lots of interesting, colorful birds I've never seen in Connecticut.

Visiting snakes followed. The guides showed us various snakes - explaining which ones were non-venomous, semi-venomous, and extremely venomous. He also mentioned what would happen if a snake bit you...explaining in detail the hematoxic and cytotoxic venom, either causing you to bleed to death or stop breathing completely. Then he explained that when you don't breath that means you die. Good thing he explained this to a group of nursing majors! We saw Monitor Lizards next - they were actually kind of cute, as the guides held them like babies. I never thought I'd be calling a lizard cute. Moving on to bigger snakes, the guides took out the boa constrictors and other insanely large snakes. I actually held a boa constrictor around my neck! I guess you have to do it once in life.

The Masizane Children's Shelter was the next stop, in the Kwanokuthula township area near Plattenberg Bay. As soon as we pulled in, the kids ran up to us wanting to be held - even though we were complete strangers. Before we knew it, all of our sunglasses had been pulled off our heads and were adorned by the five and six year olds. They absolutely loved the attention, and it was a bit chaotic for a while. These kids were all orphans - really sad when you think of all of them with no parents and little resources.

We headed back to George, to stay the night again - but this time, at a different place. The circular dwellings we stayed in resembled huts. There were bunk beds, and a two-part door (like a horse stable almost) to the entrance of the dwelling. After a quick check for bugs and other possible creatures, we all passed out once again. Flexibility and a sense of adventure is a must in South Africa.

Sunday came pretty fast, as it always does.We grabbed breakfast on the way, and drove to Mossel Bay. It was an absolutely gorgeous and sunny day - warm enough for swimming at least. We stopped at the beach, and were free to walk around and check out the nearby Dias Museum. Then, our final destination: the most southern tip on the continent of Africa!! Cape Agulhas was beautiful. When standing facing the ocean, to the left was the Indian Ocean, and to the right was the Pacific Ocean. We were at the very tip where the two oceans met!

Another great trip! The Garden Route is absolutely breathtaking with the rolling hills and rural landscape. I have lots of pictures (and video clips) to show everyone when I get home!

Braii & Clinical

Our first braii was a success! Despite the scattered rain, Ashley still managed to get the grill going - with charcoal to cook our chicken, burgers, & sausages. Everyone here is a fan of "milk tarts" - they are like rice pudding poured into a pie crust...absolutely delicious. We met a couple UNC students (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) and compared experiences here in South Africa so far. They also do internships, but are located at various places since they're all different majors.

This past week in clinical was great. We now switched to 2 days of clinical a week, but extended the hours for each day. Tuesday and Wednesday are my days at the hospital and clinic. At Tafelsig I gave pediatric immunizations - including measles, hepatitis B, influenza, polio drops, BCG (the tuberculosis vaccine), Vitamin A drops, and DTP (diphtheria, tetanus & pertussis). We are now taking public transportation to some of the clinical sites. Ashley & I took a minibus to Gatesville Medical Center. I was counting, and I they actually packed 19 people into one van. Not to mention, the faster speed the better, and you better learn to like heavy-metal/techno at 6:30 in the morning. An experience nonetheless. At the hospital I did more patient assessments, went on rounds with the physician, and went up to theatre (the operating room) to witness a pediatric surgery. It was the day following elections, and almost the entire staff asked us who we voted for. Every newspaper, radio, and television broastcast seemed to be about the United States and the elections.

We just found out we're leaving for a second excursion next Friday through Sunday, to tour the Garden Route. Updates will follow. 5 weeks left in South Africa.

Paediatrics!

First week in Pediatrics!! My clinical schedule is two days at Gatesville Hospital and the third day at the Tafelsig Clinic, in a more informal health care setting. I'm falling in love with pediatrics! The children that are recovering, or well enough to move around, often wave and even run up to us as we enter the unit. The walls are covered in Disney and other cartoon characters, and the doors alternate bright colors. The sisters (nurses) welcomed us to the unit, showing us around and allowing us to complete patient assessments and view various procedures. The staff couldn't help but point out our "Connecticut accent" and asked us all about the States and our families back home. Already, I feel like part of the unit. Since there is continuity of care at the hospital, being present for both Monday and Tuesday, the children recognize us the second day and sometimes remember our names. I was taught how to color properly, by a 5-year old, who then gave me a Spiderman sticker that covered almost half my arm - to match the one on his arm. Little kids are satisfied by the simplest interventions. Distraction is a big part of making the hospital "less scary," especially when the child needs an IV line started or blood drawn. In the Tafelsig clinic I did well-baby exams, checking 0-6 month old babies from head to toe. I felt the scalp for any hematomas or abnormal fontenel closures. Then eyes, ears, nose, mouth, arms, & legs, etc, making sure certain reflexes were present, and that the baby presented age-appropriate growth development. Babies who need additional care are referred to the Red Cross Children's Hospital. I love being part of the true community setting, and seeing the reality of various health conditions and treatments. As a student, I feel completely welcome in both the hospital and clinic settings, and am able to apply learned assessment skills with each patient seen.
As far as life back on 10 Loch Road, we officially removed the cover off the pool in the backyard! It's slightly green and buggy, but after a good shock treatment, hopefully it'll be good as new. The weather here has been getting warmer steadily, as we are approaching summer. Ashley tested out the grill for the braii we will be holding next weekend. (A braii is the South African term for a barbeque or grilling outside.) We are inviting the UNC Chapel Hill students who also happen to be studying abroad here.The way it works is everyone brings their own meat and beverages, and the host (us) supplies salad and bread. This will hopefully be the first of many!
Last weekend most of us went to dinner at "Mama Africa." I tried crocodile kabobs with Carrie-Ellen, and they were actually pretty good. They had a live band with South African music, and an authentic flare to the restaurant. Long Street is the popular spot for dinner and nightlife here in Cape Town. During the day, there are large flea markets, where you can bargain with locals about how much rand you'll spend on a bowl or animal figurine.
We have passed the halfway point - I can't believe it. The 14 of us will be having our own Halloween, since it is not a recognized holiday here. We're also planning a house Thanksgiving meal in November, with everyone making a dish. There's never a dull moment here to say the least! Missing everyone from home - much love from Cape Town, South Africa!

more on our excursion:

Thursday morning started with a group meeting and breakfast at 9am, followed by a long relaxing run on the beach. I lucked out, getting the little bit of sun during my run - then it got cloudy, rainy, & windy for the rest of the day. We ate at a sushi bar for lunch, and later we got a tour at a Muslim mosque. We had to remove our shoes when we entered. Someone explained to us a little about the Muslim religion, and we got a view of the baths where people wash their hands, feet, face, and arms before praying. Muslims pray 5x/day facing the city of Mecca. Women must cover arms and legs and their hair whenever in public. We brought scarves since we weren't sure if we would be required to cover up before entering the mosque as visitors. After, some of us went to the local Indian market. They had spices for sale, as well as jewelry, little figurines, and other collectable items. For dinner we actually ended up going to an Indian restaurant - Durban has a large Indian influence. I got this lamb and vegetable dish. Everything had curry on it - so spicy I was sweating. We ordered some bread, rice, and yogurt for the table - to cool your palate down. I really enjoyed the food, but you can only have so much because it's so pungent. We ordered a selection of desserts for everyone to sample. The rice pudding had curry in it and was more like rice in sweatened milk or cream. I didn't try the Bombay Crush, but I think there was red caviar in it and people said it tasted nothing like a milkshake. An experience nonetheless.
Friday morning we left Durban again - this time for the Drakensberg Mountains. We drove for about three hours, heading back into the rural areas of South Africa. I was even more amazed than when visiting Hluhluwe. Our buses made it around the windy mountain roads, all the way into the Drakensberg Mountain range and finally the Orion Resort. I felt like I had literally witnessed a piece of Heaven. A panoramic view showed mountains, horses, rolling grassy hillls, and in the distance, tiny villages. This area is definitely a long distance runner's dream! We had to slow down and stop at times for animals crossing the road. Natives were selling pineapples by the roadside. It was a picture perfect experience. We eventually arrived at the Orion Resort and got the key to our Chalet (pronounced Shaa-lay), #507, shared with Carolyn B, Jess, and Carrie-Ellen. We had a little kitchen, a spacious living room and back porch, and two bedrooms. Stepping outside was the view of the Drakensberg Mountains, a pool, a life-sized chess boardgame, tennis courts, a golf course, a volleyball court, more horses, and lots of flowers and trees. We played a group game of volleyball (which got pretty intense). Ashley ended up jumping into the pool, which soon took the game to another level. Dinner was at 7, preceeded by wine and a lecture by Dr. Guma about the history of the Drakensberg Mountains. The night concluded with card games and pure relaxation.
Saturday was eventful. I woke up early - for an am run and then swim in the pool! Most of the group then left for hiking in the Drakensberg Mountains. We had a guide, who knew the trails and where to go. Starting off we saw a baboon, but besides that it was mostly just wild plants and trees. We hiked up and around the mountains - literally a breathtaking view the entire way. Midway we stopped for a swim - the water was numbing cold, but it was refreshing. Our guide somehow boiled water from the river - so we had coffee and tea with biscuit cookies. The way back we picked up the pace since eight of us wanted to horseback riding.
We arrived at the stable, got helmets, and were assigned to specific horses. I think the last time I ever rode a horse I fell off - if I remember correctly - back to grandma and grandpa's house. My horse was mostly black, with some brown shades and his name was Gadivar. When we started off he had a mind of his own, for sure. I know I have good horseback riding genes but I wasn't sure if they'd actually be dominant in my case. Eventually I got more comfortable riding, but after I showed him who was boss. Gadivar stopped to eat grass, then he'd realize he was behind the pack and race to catch up. The guide told me to keep the reigns taut and be firm and pull them back when he tried to put his head down. I also learned to click with my tongue to have him get going, and kick him with my heels for him to speed up, but most importantly, how to squeeze my legs and hold on. I was thinking of you, Mom & Deanna, and I now have a better idea of everything you talk about. I tried to keep good posture and get a rhythm when my horse sped up to cantor. The whole time I was just praying that my horse wouldn't take off - especially when we were climbing this steep path up the mountain. We were riding English style - and since I've never ridden Western I would say English is the way to go.

Durban, Hluhluwe, & the Drakensberg Mountains!

Hello all! There is lots to tell since I haven't blogged in a while. Some of the previous blogs were altered/removed per hospital privacy rules. The past few days have been beyond breathtaking. We had our safari excursion this past week. Leaving at 4:30am last Tuesday, we headed to Cape Town International to catch our flight to Durban. Durban is another section of South Africa, which is northeast of Cape Town. The flight was about two hours - nothing in comparison to the distance from the States. The 14 of us, plus Ben Brown, Lisa-Marie, Vernon, & Dr. Guma hopped into two vans, and we drove about three hours to Hluhluwe. I took a million pictures on just the ride alone. The Hluhluwe/St. Lucia area is extremely rural, with farms, rolling hills, cows, goats, ostrich, native huts, & women walking with baskets on their heads. We listened to African music the whole ride, really getting to experience Africa from a whole new perspective. When we arrived in Hluhluwe we stopped at a small craft market to admire the handmade items, and then headed out for our "ferry" ride in this river. It was totally what you'd see on Animal Planet or the Discovery Channel. We got on this wide boat or raft-like vehicle floating on murky brown water. Not two minutes into the ride we saw 3 huge crocodiles sunning on the river bank. We continued on to see hippos (lots of them), a monkey, a few grey herons, and other birds. Hippos usually travel in pairs or groups. They don't swim, but spend most of their time in water, and are large enough that they can walk on the bottom of the river, with their heads above the water. If there is a baby hippo, he is kept in the middle of the pack, to protect him from crocodiles or other predators. For the night we stayed at a camp-lodge in Hluhluwe. Carrie-Ellen, Kari, Ashley, and I shared a "chalet". It was a pretty nice lodge with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen, and a common area living room. Here it wasn't safe to drink the water, so we got bottled water for brushing our teeth, and kept our mouths closed when showering. The owners of the campground made us dinner - pasta with some type of ground meat, chicken legs, salad, soup, and bread. It hit the spot after a long day of traveling and sightseeing. Right on these premises were zebra, buffalo, bush babies, and impalas. The buffalo get overly curious and one started running towards us. The camp director told us previously that if this happens not to scream and, more importantly, don't run. Well, when a large wild animal is coming towards you, instinct kicks in. We didn't exactly run, but walked as fast as we possibly could back away from the buffalo. 5:30 am started our safai the next morning. We left the Hluhluwe camp and hopped into two Toyota canvas-covered off-roading vehicles. Our safari guide was great - he knew all the animal tracks and droppings so we could find different wildlife. We first saw buffalo, who started to fight (head-butting) each other, but soon resorted to grass grazing and going separate ways. We then saw giraffes! They were also eating - but treetops instead of grass. We saw probably eight or so giraffes, who crossed the path right in front of our vehicle. It's so neat to see animals in their natural environment. We were literally traveling throughh a large nature reserve, not knowing what we'd find, keeping our eyes peeled, and tracking down different animals. Rhinos were next. Our guide explained that rhinos mostly travel independently. When a baby rhino is born, he will stay with his mother for a short time, before she "kicks hims out" and he must search for another baby rhino and mother who will adopt him as their child and look after him. When that mother thinks it is time she will kick both baby rhinos out, and the two rhinos are left to travel together and help each other. When these baby rhinos get older, they will separate and go their own ways. Males will find a female to mate with & females will get pregnant. The cycle starts over, with the female rhino raising her baby until he reaches a certain age she feels he must leave. In addition to buffalo, giraffes, and rhinos, we saw Nyala (deer-like animals), warthogs, and zeebra - they were posing for us probably within ten feet of our truck. So...this whole trip we were hoping to see lions but our tour guide told us it's rare to actually find them (they lay low and sleep during most of the day, and hunt at night or early morning). Towards the end of our safari though, Seemo (our tour guide) spotted lion tracks. We drove about ten minutes more and actually saw three beautiful lions (two male and one female). They were lying in the grass behind some trees, but we were able to get some shots after zooming in. Everyone was psyched we actually saw lions! It was almost this creepy feeling knowing that if you stepped outside the safari truck you could be lunch. Our safari concluded - an awesome experience! We then drove back to Durban where we would be spending the next couple of days. Durban is a city, but also right on the water. We stayed at the Blue Crest Hotel, which was directly across from the beach and the Indian Ocean! Carrie-Ellen, Iris, and I shared a room on the 18th floor. We unpacked our bags and oogled over the view from our balcony of the waves and sand and palm trees. Ashley and I went with Ben to pick up Dr. Engler from the airport - he had just arrived in South Africa! Dinner was at Havana Grill, with all 21 of us (we included the two drivers as well). I can't complain about the food here - I got this amazing "Castro salad" with feta, cashews, dark greens, balsamic dressing, red peppers, and greek olives. Then the main course was green curried salmon and basmati rice. Dessert was friend bananas with vanilla ice cream. Yum.

Baboons at UCT !

I saw a baboon on campus the other day. They're actually pretty fierce looking. I happened to arrive early on campus that day & while getting coffee I saw everyone start pointing to the roof. I also happened to have my camera with me, so here is a look at the baboon. You know you're in South Africa when things like this happen.

I love everyone's comments! Michael & Matthew - unfortunately I have not seen any lions yet. I will let you know when I see some. When we go on our safari to Durban I'll have to keep my eyes peeled (and camera ready). There is apparently a "Big Five" list of animals in South Africa - Lions, Elephants, Rhinos, Buffalo, & Leopards. I am not doing so well in crossing off these animals on my list of things to see. I guess I have my work laid out. Hope all is well in school! See you around Christmas!

We now have internet access at our house, which I have never appreciated so much! For the update, this week we had clinical at Mitchells Plain Hospital on Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday. Mitchells Plain is a larger hospital than the previous clinics we have visited. The 14 of us (students) split up between this hospital and Gatesville Hospital. We will switch when we begin our Pediatric rotation. Mitchells Plain has similar "hospital technology" in comparison to the States - they actually have the same IV stands as Danbury Hospital & Carrie-Ellen said they have the same infant incubators as Uconn's Hospital. Last week there were 2 births during our visits, and plenty of babies to go around for feeding, burping, changing, & bathing. There are some tiny, tiny infants that need phototherapy (light treatment) to get rid of the excess bilirubin in their bodies (which makes them turn yellow). The babies are measured in grams, so it takes a bit of time to figure out what that number actually means. Another adjustment is different baby names - some I can't even pronounce. (And remembering them is another challenge.) We have been giving the moms discharge instructions, and teaching them how to diaper and breastfeed, etc.

I saw a baby come into the world today, in one of the clinics! It was a girl, and my first-ever experience of seeing a birth!! Hospitals in South Africa are much simpler than at home. There was the midwife and sister, as well as seven of us nursing students in the room with the mother and newborn. The baby wasn't suctioned, but was instead turned face-down on the bed, to drain any fluid in her lungs. They don't use the bulb suction here because it can break the baby's mucus membranes and create an outlet for bodily fluids from the mother to enter into the baby (specifically HIV/AIDS). The mother was indeed HIV positive, but the baby remained HIV free. Another means of transmission is through breast milk, but for many mothers they must breastfeed since there is no extra money for formula. The mothers are actually encouraged to breastfeed, even if they are positive for HIV, because the incidence of getting HIV from breastfeeding is only about a 7% chance, according to the sister, and breast milk provides the baby with all the critical nutrients and antibodies for it's immune system.

Of course I was the nursing student that had to step back because I almost fainted. Lisa Marie helped me to the bathroom and I was lying there with my feet elevated and wet cloths on my head - great. I saw the whole birth though (thank god), and it was about 15 minutes later that I started to feel lightheaded. I was just thinking how I actually witnessed the birth of a real, live baby, who took her first breaths in front of me, and was in her mother's arms for the first time. The whole event was emotional (as many things in South Africa have been), and I think it was the reflection on the experience that made me feel lightheaded.

We went to a mother & child clinic afterwards, where there were lines of mothers with their infants waiting (from 7:30am & it was then around 3:30pm) to get routine immunizations for their babies. A few of us watched a pair of twins receive their Vitamin A and various immunizations. The government provides money for these babies to get immunized, free of charge to the mothers. This is so great, because otherwise the majority (if not all) of the babies would never receive the necessary shots needed for their health, due to lack of money. However, if the government must provide meds for all babies, there is obviously a shortage that must go around and help everyone. Also, if we thought understaffing of nurses in America was bad, there were only 2 nurses to do routine check-ups and shots for about 300 babies per day. Insane. The nurse told us that they can't go home until all the people that arrived that day are helped, because the chance that these people will be able to get transportation at another time (for a different appointment) is slim to none.

Overall, life is good. The workload is picking up (lots of reading!), and there are opportunities to see things here that are so incredible. Hope everyone at home (& Australia-Jordan) is doing well! Miss you all.

Dr. Guma gave us all African names. He chose names based on each person's personality. Mine is Thandiswa (pronounced ton-dee-swaa). Translated into English, the meaning is something like one who brings happiness to others, or one who children feel better around. We are taking a cultural class here, to learn about the history and politics of South Africa. Currently in the news, the fight for power is between Thabo Mbeki and Jacob Zuma. Mbeki was formally asked to step down as a leader, since the country decided there cannot be two sources of power ruling over South Africa. Jacob Zuma will now rise to the top as the single leading authority, but before he can do that he must be a member of Parliament, which is a series of steps. I've been trying to read bits and pieces of news, but hopefully we will soon get a newspaper delivered to our house, so that should make matters easier.

Hello to all reading my blogs! I can't believe it's already almost the end of September...each day I find something new that I didn't notice from the day before. We have begun our visits to the area hospitals where we will be completing our "clinical internships" as they are called over here. The sites include the Themba Care HIV clinic for infants & children, the Christel House Elementary school where we will be doing school nursing & health education, the Bishop Lavis Maternity & Pediatric Hospital, and the Red Cross Children's Hospital. The past few days I have seen things that were incredibly shocking, immensly sad, and also intensly euphoric. To say the least, there has been a great deal of emotion with each visit! At the Red Cross Children's Hospital we visited the pediatric & neonatal burn unit. This was really tough. There were infants, toddlers, and young children with head and face, or worse - full body burns. The doctor explained to us that many of these accidents were caused by a hot water kettle falling on top of a child who pulled on the chord, or reached up and grabbed the handle. The majority of these burns occurred in the small township houses, where it wasn't uncommon for 3 or 4 children to be running around near a hot burner. Also, it is reality that there is often no supervision, because the parents or other adults have to work in order to survive - literally. On a more positive note, we saw the cutest pair of Siamese twins. This morning myself & a few others went to the Themba Care HIV clinic. I really loved it!! The 2 or 3 sisters (nurses) were in charge of 18 infants and young children, to which they happily assigned us duties to bathe, feed, diaper, get temperatures & weights, play with, & supervise the group. The kids would cry to be held; they were absolutely starving for attention. At one point I was holding an infant in one arm, and a toddler in another, and there were a few more tugging at my jeans and telling me something. The majority spoke English, so communicating with them wasn't the hard part. In fact, a couple of the older ones had quite an attitude! Nonetheless, they were all adorable. It was slightly different though, taking care of children you know have HIV/AIDS, or past TB, or scabies, etc. Each one had a long list of health issues, really requiring a lot of attention, compliance with meds, sufficient diet, and of course a lot of love and caring.

So I am finally somewhat caught up with my blogs. This past week the weather has been finicky, so our trip to Robbin Island was postponed until yesterday. Again, I went for a morning run around the Commons with a few other girls. We hopped on our bus to catch the ferry for Robbin Island, and found that something had blown with the engine - so 14 girls plus Lisa Marie got out of our bus and had to push it down the road until it started..only in South Africa haha. Well, anyway, we managed to get it up & running, & caught the ferry for a trip to where Nelson Mandela had been imprisoned. We had a dramatic tour guide who gave us every detail of the past history, and I got some amazing pictures - which I have yet to be able to put up online. STILL no internet at the house, so we have all learned to make do with what we have. So we all lucked out with the gorgeous weather & later stopped at the Waterfront when we got back, to have dinner in the seaport area - that was literally like a postcard view! It's a more touristy area at the Waterfront, but still amazing food for not that expensive. The seafood is really good here - I got a whole plate of seafood (muscles, calamari, shrimp, etc.) over angle hair pasta, for about 10 US dollars with tip included.

Here nurses are called sisters. Everything is very family oriented. The proper way to address an elder is to say "Molo tata" (if the person appears to be a male & about your father's age) or "Molo mama" (if about your mother's age). Molo means hello. After the church service (which was about 3-4 hours), there were some snacks they prepared for our group (ordinarily there are no snacks, and there is no bread or communion to share). After we left, we stopped for a short time at the Vangate Mall and ate lunch, and then began our township tour of Khayletisha, the crossroads, and Manenburg. Everywhere surrounding us were small shacks with dirt floors packed right next to each other, with men, women, & children barefooted and roaming around. Everyone turned to stare - we certainly stood out being white-skinned and wearing nice church clothing. Most places didn't even have 4 walls..there were old trucks turned into houses, with a fire in the middle to cook their meals. On the streets was garbage, people openly relieving themselves, and in some parts, outdoor grilling (which they call a "bry" here). We stopped to visit a maternity hospital, which resembled a jail to me. There were cement walls, with open rooms for multiple mothers birthing their babies - no privacy, no comfort, and all patients had to bring their own linens. There was one mother who had just given birth, all alone with her infant, with no family or husband nearby. It was certainly a change from in the States.

Sunday we departed from our house by 10am for a Sunday Baptist service at a church in the townships of Guguletu. The entire day was an incredibly emotional & moving experience. The parish was singing, dancing, clapping, & loud preaching. The women and children sat in wooden pews & the few men sat at the front of the church. Everyonel wore black & white, mostly frocks or long dresses, with the men in suits. The preacher made a speech about how we must have traveled to South Africa for some reason, & there must have been something in our hearts to make us come here. He blessed us, to keep us safe & welcome in South Africa, & said that God sent us here for some mission. Then Lisa-Marie was invited to make a speech, which explained our purpose here in South Africa to the parish, and asked everyone to welcome us in their community as equals.

Saturday Carrie-Ellen, Carolyn Baker, & myself went running again - 2 loops around the Commons. After, the entire group left for the wineries! We went to Durbanville & Stellenbosch vineyards -for tours, wine-tasting, and this incredible authentic African cuisine lunch at Moyo African Restaurant (which was part of the Spier Wine Estate). There was African singing and dancing (and drums). There were cheetahs in this area, and on the bus ride over we saw zeebras, antelope, ostrich, horses, and what I think were wildebeasts or really ugly cows haha. Each day has been such a different atmosphere than at home!

So Friday here in Cape Town was again another gorgeous sunny day! The group took a trip to Camps Bay, which is a beach area past Seapoint (the area where they are building the 2010 World Cup arena - Bryan & Brett I took a picture for you guys). The beach was SO gorgeous. The waves were pretty big since there had just been a monsoon right before we arrived in Cape Town. There were signs with Shark warnings - and mom I know, I'm not going in the water..at least at that beach. There was kelp instead of seaweed that was literally like mini trees washed up on the shore. Around the area there were small shops (and this really good espresso place Nando's) , palm trees, & mountains in the background. We ate lunch (snoek & chips) at Mariner's Warf, & then went to see penguins around Haut Bay (they were small & adorable!). After there was more sightseeing around Chapman's Peak and the Cape Peninsula where we climbed to the top near this lighthouse, which is apparently the most southwestern point of Africa. I cannot even describe the view from the top - literally, breathtaking. There were no baboons out though, which was a little disappointing, but on the way back we saw a wild ostrich so that made up for it.

On the way home, we stopped at the Internet cafe again, since not having internet is a huge adjustment for all of us! Jordan I am dying to talk to you! Mom & Dad, there's so much to say as well! My number here is 011-27-71-428-7365 (this is calling from the U.S. to South Africa, Jordan for you it will be different). Alright, so in conclusion of Thursday, we all had dinner at Diaz Tavern (this week most meals were covered by the trip cost, so they took us to this amazing restaurant and we could order whatever we wanted). This dinner, not even joking, took 4 hours. In South Africa there is emphasis on communication and talking with friends and family for long periods of time. They believe that if the waiter asks you for your order immediately it's rude, and rushing the moment. So, yes, our dinner was verrry drawn out and relaxed, and your food pretty much completely digests in between each serving (drinks, appetizer, main course, dessert).

We got lunch on campus after that, and campus food is even cheaper! I got this delicious avo sandwich (they abbreviate everything, so that means avocado), which was pretty much an entire avocado on a wheat & oat grinder roll, with tomato & lettuce, only costing R9 (about $1). So I will never starve! Our classroom that we are assigned to at UCT wasn't the most up-to-date with technology, and was actually quite small for 14 students, so we may just hold class in our house (and possibly have our Nursing Ethics class on the beach!). Next, we visited the US Consulate General office, to be warned about safety issues & whatnot in South Africa. Everything we were told was again repetitive, so I think at this point we all have a good idea of what to do & what not to do.

Thursday morning came really fast. I went for my first South African run in Rondebosch Commons!! Mom, don't worry - I ran with a group of people in broad daylight. The Commons is a fairly large field with Table Mountain in the background, and right next to the main road and some stores (and our house). It's not secluded at all & many people were running around. Still, the rule is always stick with a buddy, or group of people. We ran 2 loops, which is said to be 2 miles a loop but definitely didn't seem that long, so we're guessing it's about 1.5 miles for one loop around. We motivated each other to do lunges and abs after - I'm really excited that there's a group of girls that will run with me! There's also a ton of walking (40 minute walk to campus) so hopefully I won't ever feel trapped inside. Breakfast for the most part consists of yogurt & granola, plus instant coffee and a multivitamin (I told you I'd give all the details). There's also lots of fresh fruit in the house, which is amazing tasting (apples, clementines, and bananas that taste super fresh and don't have pesticides on them). Ok so we went to UCT (University of Cape Town) today to check out the campus. I was absolutely in love with the campus beauty. There is an upper, middle, & lower campus, all with Table Mountain in the background. The buildings look like castles, and the trees consist of palm trees, exotic flowers, and colorful evergreen-like trees. We listened to a welcome and safety lecture - reviewing everything we have been told by several different people - not to have cell phones showing, don't wear a purse (but a book bag is fine), etc. We got photos taken for UCT student ID cards (apparently if you don't have your ID on you & they ask you for proof of student enrollment when you're walking around on campus it's considered trespassing, and you could be put into jail for a night or so). I don't know how true that is but just in case I'll ALWAYS carry that ID!

Also, both places drive on the left side of the road (and therefore walk on the left side when you are passing someone, left elevators, etc). Also in our house there is no dryer, so that means everything must be put on a clothes line, which becomes difficult with 14 girls. We do have a system, however; everyone is assigned a laundry day - mine is Saturday - and we are taking turns buying items for the community fund (ie. things we all share, like paper toweling, & dish detergent). Our house has a maid (which I was shocked by), but she is referred to as a "Domestic Worker", which is apparently a flattering position in South Africa, highly respected by the majority. Her name is Margaret and she makes sure the house is clean & orderly (even throwing out some of our things if we don't put them away!). So I am getting off track but there is literally so much to tell everyone at home (and in Australia - Jordan). So for the rest of Wednesday we ate lunch at a place called Adesso's. It was Mediterranean style food, and absolutely delicious and healthy, plus only R20 for the whole meal (about $2.50). So yes, I am loving the food situation here. We took a tour around the area a bit more - stepping into grocery stores (Checkers, Pick & Pay, Woolworths), and the Internet cafe ( a must!!!). Later we walked back to our house (about a 20 minute walk) and ordered pizza from Mr. Butler delivery. The night concluded with a house meeting and falling into bed absolutely exhausted.

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Wednesday am - our first morning in Cape Town! We left the house by 10 am, to begin our scenic tour of the city & life in this new world. Dr. Guma, also known as "Tops," led us to Signal Point, to get a view of Table Mountain. Just a heads up - I took a million pictures of this one mountain, but it is so amazing (really), and I'm afraid the pictures don't capture half of that beauty, but it's an attempt. At this point we saw a group of African men conducting a spiritual ceremony on the mountain side, singing, and cooking some type of food that smelled like meat. It was like what you see on TV or in a movie..our first reminder that we were actually in South Africa. After this we went into the city of Cape Town for our introduction to Long Street, Strand Road, and Main Road. Ben made us pair up and go find out how to ask for a minibus at a certain location. Carrie-Ellen and I were first to volunteer. We walked up this flight of stairs and it was like stepping into a new world. We clearly stood up, being the only white individuals, and everyone was staring at us. Still, we both tried to ignore that , and kept walking a short way until we came to the minibus stations. Minibuses are the main method of transportation in the city. They cost about R7 (or less than $1). By the way the conversion rate is 1 rand equals 7.9% of the US dollar. So the buses are lined up in separate lines according to destination. We were told to find the bus to Mobray and ask the owner how much for a 1 way ticket to Rondebosch (where we live). He told us R7.50 and the other students in our group R6. Everything is very subjective and changes according to whatever the owner wants. There aren't set prices, except at the grocery stores, and you can barter for the price you would like. So after this experience, the group rejoined to see more of the city, and stop for a quick dessert or drink at this place called Charlie's. After visiting Jordan in Australia, I have seen many similarities, as far as food, electronics, roads, and housing situations. Just a few things: the coffee is espresso for the most part, with instant coffee if you are lucky.

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The flight wasn't that bad, but just long of course..we took Northwest airlines to Amsterdam (where everything was so expensive since the US dollar isn't worth much there), and then to KLM (a Dutch airlines) into Cape Town, South Africa. Nobody's luggage got lost, thank god, and we all arrived safely (thanks grandma for your prayers). I exchanged sixty US dollars into South African Rand, which gave me 423 rand (R423). Here the US dollar is worth A LOT! That part is good news. Reverend Vernon Rose, Ben Brown, and Dr. Guma were waiting patiently for us and took us to our house via two vans (there was a good amount of luggage between all of us). When we arrived at our house I was amazed - the house is so incredible! There are a million rooms (just about), a wide open kitchen with white cabinets and plenty of windows, a pool house and a pool (I'm really excited!!!), lounge rooms, and wood floors all downstairs. My room is almost all windows (so lots of sunlight which I love!) , but is also on the second floor and has curtains so don't worry mom. I have a huge closet, literally humongous, with PLENTY of space for the contents of my two suitcases and future South African purchases. So we got our keys (4 skeleton keys), had a brief house meeting, and then tried to fall asleep by 2am, even though we all wanted to get organized and rearrange things in our rooms.

Settling In..

So here I am, as weird as it is to say, in Cape Town, South Africa. Each day has been filled with eye-opening scenery of mountains & beaches, luxurious & inexpensive restaurants, and sadly - a view into real poverty, seeing so many people live with the bare minimum or nothing at all. Since there is still no internet at our house (which now seems like a luxury), writing blogs has been limited to time at the internet cafe downtown or at Lisa-Marie's house (our professor). There are so many things to explain, and sorry if I'm a bit repetitive, but here goes:

I'll start in detail from day 1: there are 14 nursing students including myself on this trip. Carrie-Ellen, Nayomi, Katie, Olivia, Carolyn B., Carolyn M., Carolyn Z., Jess, Kristin, Kari, Briana, Ashley, & me! Our instructor is Lisa-Marie (for the 1st half of the semester), and our RA (resident assistant) is Ben Brown. Reverend Vernon Rose and Dr. Guma are from Cape Town, and have been showing us around, providing transportation thus far. We arrived pretty late at the airport in South Africa..by the time we got to our house on Loch Road it was almost 1am South African time (7 pm in the States).

Here in Cape Town!

So I finally arrived in Cape Town, South Africa with 14 other co-nursing students!! Everyone is doing well & safe. So far, I am absolutely amazed, each day. Yesterday we went to Table Mountain and toured Rondebosch. Pictures don't give the area justice! The fruit and food in general is really inexpensive, and good, fresh food. I have my own room, with lots of windows and the biggest closet I have ever seen. It's pretty cold at night and early morning, so I take full advantage of this wall heater we have. No internet in the house yet, but Ben (our resident assistant) is working on it. We walked all around the city, and got to view "real life" South Africa. We clearly stand out - there are like 2 other whites in the entire city. Today Carrie-Ellen, myself, and a few other girls went running in Rondebosch commons. It was so amazing, with the mountain and city in the background early in the morning. I'll post pictures as soon as I can..but the internet situation over here is completely different than in the states. Jordan, Mom, Dad, Brett, Bryan, & everyone at home - I hope you are doing well !! I could go on & on but I'm at an internet cafe and have 2 minutes left. I have my phone, but don't have the setup to call out just yet..I'll let everyone know when things are settled.. Ok, until the next post -farewell from South Africa!!

Still on Familiar Grounds

Hi all - welcome to my blog site! I'm new at this, so don't expect perfection. Soon, I will be writing to you from Cape Town, South Africa. My room is currently a train wreck, but I am making some progress, as one suitcase is ready to go. Unlike my last trip overseas, I have managed to get it under the weight limit. I'm both incredibly excited and anxious at the same time. I will be traveling with 13 other nursing students, plus Lisa-Marie (our maternity instructor). In less than 48 hours I will say goodbye to my parents, friends, and America until December 14th (Jordan already left for Australia in July, so part of that transition has already been made). This semester I will be sharing with you my personal thoughts and views of South Africa, my emotions, and hopefully - my amazing experiences. This blog site is my way to connect to life outside Cape Town, to give you an insider's view of my daily voyages, and to let you know that, yes, I am ok.