Ok, so I just came into class and my friend grabs my hand and we run through to another room where there is a chameleon! She and I had been talking about the geckos that hang around on the ceilings, how I think they're cool and how I'd never seen a real chameleon. So when someone found one outside, she made sure to bring it in and let me hold it. Cool, huh? It was such a tiny little thing, but really cool!
Today was also the performance for my African music and dance class. Yesterday was dress rehearsal in our red skirts, feathered hats and beads. Today for the performance my professor (who I get to speak French with, since he's from the Congo) wore his traditional dance costuming. It was so much fun with the class! About 9 or 10 friends from the university came to watch me, it meant so much that they would come show their support! (Even though it was kind of embarrassing, my singing eeeee a!) The guys started calling me the angel, because in the performance of the Fire dance I bring warriors back to life. Two sides of men fight and then one side dies, I come bring them back to life and we all celebrate. Fun fun :) The other dance, the Spirit dance, all the girls get speared and land on the ground. Haha, but we all have a ton of fun. Despite the embarrassment I love the class and had a blast performing!

Posted by Lauren at 04:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

So first off let me say 22 feels fantastic! Got some sweet calls from home, always means so much to hear a familiar voice, even with a time delay on the phone! My friends took me out for a nice dinner to celebrate (and brought along a furry tiara I had to sport for the evening, ha-ha) and we went dancing at a club downtown after. So much fun! Celebrations continue well through this week with friends who were out of town. Ooh and one of my good friends from Durban gave me a sari for my birthday that we’re having sewn just in time for dewali (which is on Saturday) I’m really looking forward to spending it with her family, fireworks and all! Today was also the dress rehearsal for my African music and dance group’s performance in the theater tomorrow. I get to sport a feather headdress and African skirt, but the lone sports bra as a top makes me a bit nervous. Part of me wishes they would have mentioned that when I signed up for this, part of me is glad they didn’t cause I might have chickened out. And I’m invited to a friend’s for a special...what’s it called again…darn I can’t remember the word, but its basically a barbequed stew she tells me, and its more about the experience than the food. Exciting! My friends are coming to tomorrow’s concert where I hope I don’t embarrass myself too much. I LOVE dancing and I love the group I’m dancing with, I even love the dances. There’s just this one part where I “bring warriors back from the dead” and its just me…awkward! I should feel really special and honored that I get to do it, and part of me is. But the other part of me wants to crawl back under the covers. In the end I’m sure I’ll be glad I did it, it will be something wonderful to look back on, but man its a little nerve racking right now! Wish me luck and here I go!

Posted by Lauren at 02:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)