Tomorrow is my 22nd birthday, and wow has 21 treated me right! Before I left for study abroad I thought it would be bittersweet to have a birthday here without the ones I love, but honestly who can say they spent their 22nd birthday among their crew of South African friends? More than that, I’ve gotten an exciting email from my friend who is studying in Italy, a package from my sweet sweet friend studying in Mexico, and lots of love from around here. It’s not even my birthday yet, and I’m feeling so blessed and so excited. My biggest fear in coming here was that I would be alone, but honestly this is the most surrounded by friends I’ve ever been. Half the time I’m late for class because on the way from residence to the lecture I run into person after person and get lost in conversation. There is always someone wanting to hang out, always something exciting to try, and the few minutes I spent in the San Francisco airport without knowing anyone on my plane, were the only ones I’ve felt alone since I left. It’s so nice to have the time to sit down to coffee with a friend from class and enjoy the day. Just amazing to be here, for so many different reasons. I find myself constantly thinking, “self, you should be so glad you came” ha-ha. I really am so glad to be here, I wake up everyday wondering what today will hold and glad that I am where I am; scary crime rate, cold showers and all. What a blessing to be living life and loving life!

Posted by Lauren at 01:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)

Last night was the graduation for UKZN students that finished their degrees last semester, and as a couple of my best friends here had graduated (and are now doing their honors degree, bachelors here are 3 years and the 4th honors year is additional and optional) I was invited and gladly went to wish them well! What a crazy ceremony! The typical American graduation is quite a bit different, first off the academic procession was like a royal parade! The acting chancellor of the school sits on a throne with a sceptor and confers degrees on the grads like she's knighting them! Cool huh? And my university here (UKZN) is a combination of 5 university campuses, each represented by a different color, so the university staff all have really colorful robes and caps to match. The speaker was a member of SABC (South African Broadcasting Company) who was speaking about social values especially in the media, and the educated student's role in changing society for the better. Especially because of what I study, her words really hit me. It was wonderful to see my friend's achievements and congratulate them, especially since one of my friends is the first ever in her family to earn a degree. The whole affair was beautiful, and so diverse. My friend's sister who I was sitting with said it was easy to spot me, she just looked for the one head of blonde hair on that entire side of the auditorium. How much fun it is to see women clad in bright saries and others in traditional Zulu clothing, some hooting a high pitched, "aye aye aye aye aye" to support their grads. So many people there have sacrificed SO much to ensure the successful education of their loved ones, it is both beautiful and sad at the same time. The same thing goes on at home, but very few people live in a shack and scrimp on food to put their children through college. It is such a valuable and important thing, it made me happy to be a part of it. The whole ceremony made me proud to attend here, though I wish the queen-like vice chancellor would have conferred degrees with a tad more enthusiasm, but then again if I had to dub 300 people graduates I might get tired too. Anyway, my friend's parents looked so proud, I really enjoyed being there. I'll be spending dewali with them next weekend too (a Hindu festival) which I'm looking forward to! I can't belive I've only got a couple months left here, feels like time is slipping away!

Posted by Lauren at 10:08 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Its a rainy rainy week in Durban, and my seventeen pages of paper writing are finally done! There are only a few weeks left in the school year here in South Africa, and eveyone is gearing up for summer. Even the weather. The warmer it gets, the more bugs I find everywhere. From something that resembles a praying mantis in the kitchen, to the geckos on the wall, to the billions of long beaked birds flying around; spring has sprung. Its kind of a strange feeling knowing that summer has just ended back at home, and its just about to begin here. But I can't complain, Durban is pretty mild on the whole and I'm told it gets sweltering hot when summer is in full swing.
On another note, my food has been swiped for the third time. Food theft is quite an issue in the residences on campus. Its not the girls that live on my floor that steal, they are as sweet as pie (and they love to joke around with "Miss America"), I actually really enjoy hearing them go back and forth in Zulu. Its such a loud language! So charismatic and fun :) the girls try to teach me new words, but I'm afraid the clicks of the Zulu tounge get lost in my "soft" western mouth. Oh how I would appreciate a hot shower though. Aye. The comforts of home. I can't believe its only another couple of months left here, doesn't feel like its been nearly long enough.
Also, we got mixed up a bit on Point road the other night...um yeah no repeats please! My friend who has decided to move to Johannesburg rented a car to go interview there for some jobs, and we all went out to dinner in it a couple nights ago. One wrong turn and there we are in the worst neighborhood in Durban. As the cars next to us sped through the red lights, I suggested we follow suit. Thats NOT a road you want to stop on. Believe me!
Caught the blue balled monkeys in the mango tree behind my room too this week, they are so noisy! But I love to watch them jump around and be crazy. Ooh, my friends tell me lechee season is coming up, I've never had a fresh lechee (just the juice since I've been in South Africa) and I'm quite excited about this fact :)
More updates to come, got questions? I've got answers!

Posted by Lauren at 03:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) | TrackBacks (0)