finally!!

So after a 5 hour plane ride to DC, a 4 hour layover in DC, an 8 hour plane ride to Sengal, a 1 hour layover in Sengal, and an 8 hour plane ride to Johannesberg we checked into a nice hotel and slept!! The plane rides werent that bad, just long. But I did get to meet some cool people along the way. I sat next to this old man on the 16 hour flight. He had lots of stories to tell, was very loud, and very oppinionated. haha I also met this couple, Tom and Cindy, that moved to SA 4 years ago! It was really cool to talk to them and hear some things from the locals but also hear their perspective on what it was like picking up and leaving everything they knew behind!

After we had a full nights rest (which was amazing!) we went and saw some of Joberg (Johannesberg) and alot of Soweto. Soweto is a township just ourside Joberg. The name Soweto came from the question "So where to?" that the people asked when they were getting forced out of their homes in Joberg. We made many stops in Soweto. We were exposed to both the more developed parts and also the underdeveloped parts. We visited a Catholic church where some town meetings were held during the apartheid in their efforts to protest. We also visited a memorial of the apartheid, we drove by Nelson Mandella's house that was attacked, and also his wifes current house. We stopped at our tour guide's home/restaurant and had lunch. It was so fun so be in the neighborhood, watch some dancing put on by a group of teenagers, and play with the local kids!! I got to hold the cutest little boy that was trying to tell me something, but I couldn't figure out what he was trying to say. But it was still fun to just hold him and make him laugh! Then we went to the apartheid museum. It was really interesting to read about it bucause I did't know that much information going into this trip. We didnt get alot of time at the museum, but I still learned some intense things about that time and the way people were treated. I'm interested to learn more this semester about the apartheid and what it was like for the people who lived through it like my proffesor!

This morning, we hoped on a plane to Durban and then drove to Pietermaritzberg. With the flight and the drive, it only took us about 2 1/2 hours to get there! I was so excited to finally get to the campus! It is so gorgeous!!! I cant even begin to describe it!! There are waterfalls, a swimming whole, trails. We're right next to a game reserve. There's also a prayer chapel in the middle of a pond with the biggest coy fish I have ever seen!! They could litterally bite my hand off!! All the different colors and shades of green are incredible! I am just so blown away by God's creation! And also humbled by all this beauty around me! Just to be emersed in this new world is so incredible! I am so truly blessed to have this experience!!