Hi everyone! So sorry it's been so long - the library's computers don't really load this website properly, so it makes it difficult to blog. Since I'm in Cape Town this weekend, I splurged for the internet cafe to skype with my parents and update you all on the past few weeks.
The last two weeks have consisted of working at the creche, where the kids that I work with (3-4 years old) don't speak any English and don't understand that I don't speak Afrikaans. Luckily, I've found that children can be pretty easy to understand if you read their body language or just start guessing what they want. I do feel pretty awkward when they ask me questions over and over in Afrikaans and I just have to smile and nod. Interestingly, these kids are actually taught more than the kids in the pre-primary school. I've already learned my shapes, colors, and how to count to five (although I would like to move on past five, but I don't think they're ready yet). I have also been learning Afrikaans through the soap opera that my host mother watches every night, 7 de laan, where things have finally gotten interesting after a month of nothing happening.
Two weekends ago I went on a safari trip along the Garden Route with three fellow volunteers and a random guy from the Czech Republic named George, who happened to book the trip the same weekend we did. Although we were a bit nervous that the trip would be a bit of a repeat because we had driven part of the Garden Route the previous weekend to go bungy jumping, it turned out to be an excellent adventure. The first day we went to an Ostrich Farm, where we would have had the chance to ride an ostrich if it hadn't rained the day before and left the ground all muddy. It wasn't terribly exciting, and ostriches stare at you a bit creepily, but it was still cool to see them. Next, we went to an elephant sanctuary, where we got to feed baby elephants! It was very adorable and they even gave us hugs. We spent the night at then nicest hostel I've been in so far, adequately named Backpacker's Paradise, where we sat by a fire and got to try ostrich steak, which is eaten quite commonly here. I don't eat red meat but decided to try it anyway, and it actually wasn't that bad. The next morning, we went to the Cango Wildlife Ranch, which is similar to a zoo but nicer since the animals are in more natural habitats. The best part was that we actually got to pet cheetahs! You had to pay a bit extra, and it turned out to be more of a photo-taking experience than a cuddling-with-cheetahs experience (the latter of which I would have preferred), but it was pretty awesome. In the afternoon, we went on a game drive, which was definitely the highlight of the weekend. It was very peaceful and calm watching the animals roaming around and it was cute when a baby rhino went up to our car only to scurry back to its mother a few seconds later. All in all, it was a fantastic weekend, and definitely filled in some of the more traditional "African" things I've been wanting to do.
Today I went to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, which is absolutely gorgeous. The weather was perfect today (it's usually freezing but it was actually warm for once) and I can only imagine what it looks like in the summer instead of winter. With only two more weekends to go, next weekend I'll be going on a township tour and the weekend after I'll be staying in Mamre for some relaxation (and to save some money). It's hard to believe my time is winding down!
P.S. Just to rub it in Cerianne's face, I'll definitely be trying to see Harry Potter this week/weekend.
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