So for the past week I haven’t had access to the internet but I’ve been writing down things to share with you all. I forgot my camera usb cord at home so when my mom sends it, I’ll be able to share them. In the words of my best friend Susie these are “the struggles!”

So from the moment we touched down in South Africa we were greeted by the CIEE crew with a beautiful South Africa song and warm hugs. The CIEE group is wonderful. They are always there to help us out with whatever we need and they always make sure we are safe first and foremost. Within just a week I was able to do so many new things thanks to them. I ate goat sausage. Grilled lamb, I drove in a South African taxi (a completely different experience than in the U.S.), an eight seat mini-van that amazingly seems to fit about 20 people. I ate on top of world famous table mountain and got to take some breath taking pictures. Also I went to my first, second, and third South African braii (B-B-Q) which might just be better than an American B-B-Q.

On Sunday all the international students went on tour of the peninsula. We toured the city and I saw the jail where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and the city hall where he gave his first speech after being freed. I saw some South African antelopes and ostriches and the South African “jackass” penguin. Yes that was seriously their original name. They are now my new favorite animals. The tour ended at the Cape of Good Hope where we hiked to the top of the cape at the very end of the continent. It was an absolutely perfect day.

The next blog I plan to write will be about some tips and advice about pack and some challenges I faced this past week. Until then, stay cool people!

Location: Cape Town, South Africa