T.I.A.

I’m in Africa!!! Sorry for the delay in letting you all know that I’m here safe and sound but there’s just been so much going on and so much to adjust to already. I’m going to do my best to sum up the past few days. But quickly before I forget, thank you so much to everyone who wished me a happy birthday. It wasn’t quite like how most people imagine celebrating their 21st but at least it’s one I’ll never forget. And I ordered my first alcoholic drink on the plane, a 2007 South African Cabernet Sauvignon. Happy?

The flights were pretty good, the 12 hour one from London to Cape Town was loooong but I attempted to sleep most of the way even though it wasn’t very restful. We arrived in Cape Town International around 6:15am (local time) which means we were in transit for 29 hours. We were greeted by our SOLmates (Student Orientation Leaders who are all UCT students) and when they found out it was my birthday, well let’s just say that the entire terminal knew. We took a “Jammie” to the hotel where I kept having a mini heart attack every time a car got too close to the right side and where I got my first view of Table Mountain. It really is as beautiful as everyone says.

When we had left the airport I wouldn’t have guessed that we were in South Africa but on the drive to the hotel we passed by the many townships that are seemingly endless stretches of tiny shacks. It’s going to be very interesting as we discuss this combination of a first and third world country, especially as many of the service opportunities will take us into the townships.

Most of the day was very relaxed since participants were gradually arriving. We went to the waterfront for lunch where we saw a number of street performers (my favorite being an all male a capella group…typical I know). We went to Long Street for dinner and walk around a bit but everyone was exhausted/jet-lagged so it was a pretty early night. Everyone kept asking if I was going out for my birthday but since they said it with a yawn, they weren’t entirely surprised when I insisted that we can celebrate next week-ish.

Thursday was serious orientation business; we spent a good portion of the day in the hotel going over a lot of technical stuff. I found out that I’m going to be living in a house only a few blocks from Lower Campus with 7 other students and our RA, Faith. She’s from Durban and a fourth year at UCT. A fourth year is the Honors year, kind of like doing a Masters degree. By the way Mom, don’t worry, the house is very well protected; there’s a fence, an alarm system, a security guard at night, and keys to the gate, front door, and our personal rooms. We’re moving in tomorrow morning before the braai (BBQ) over at the dorms to end CIEE Orientation. That night we had dinner at the waterfront before going to a club called Hemisphere which was a ton of fun, they had pretty good music too.

Today we went to campus so we could start getting our bearings; it is gorgeous and built into the mountain which does make it a bit steep to walk up but it’ll be good exercise haha. We got to hear from a number of the community service organizations we will get to work for, learned more about what registration will be like next week, among other things. It was a bit overwhelming and so different from what I’m used to at the berg but I’m looking forward to figuring out a routine for myself in the next few weeks.

There’s so much more I could say but I think I’ll just end it with explaining what T.I.A. means. African time is different from time as we’re used to it. There’s “now now” which means now. There’s “now” which means in the next few minutes. And there’s “just now” which means between 15 minutes to 6 hours from now. As we toil with getting used to the many quirks of being here, our SOLmates just remind us, T.I.A. This Is Africa.

Who else?
Sarah

"i may be small but i've got giant plans"

It's departure day!! I can't believe that in less than 24 hours I'll be flying over the Atlantic on my way to Heathrow before my final flight down to Cape Town. These past few days have been such a blur of goodbyes and packing, even a sort of birthday party. And now, after all the planning and waiting, it's finally here. I don't know how prepared I am but I'm so excited, nervous, and also kind of in denial; I just can't believe it's today after all the waiting and the anticipation leading up to it. Am I really going to South Africa for 5 months? And why does it sound like such a long time right now?

Visiting berg last weekend was pretty surreal. It was fantastic seeing everyone who was abroad and hearing stories of their adventures, it didn't take long to feel like I hadn't left and like I wasn't going to leave in a few days. The routine of going to minyan and dinner at hillel, the hockey game with friends, and then back to the apartment to watch The Dark Knight was so familiar from last semester. But the next few days were reminders that I'm not going to be at berg this semester as I jumped from place to place, saying hello and goodbye.

Since then I've procrastinated a lot, seen both sides of my family, packed two suitcases and a carry-on, and tried to talk to everyone I'm going to miss so much. My parents and Erica have been unbelievably tolerant of me throughout all of this; it's actually quite impressive because I know I've been much less focused than I could (or should) be. Even though I've been feeling pretty torn about leaving right now, I know that the most important thing for me to do is to go and have an incredible time, take lots of pictures, and come back in one piece. ;)

I leave you all with lyrics from one of my favorite songs (call me corny) which also gave me the name of this entry. Ironically it is from the musical Woodies is doing this spring, Little Women. Sung by Jo, Astonishing has managed to inspire me many times to keep on with what I'm doing and I know that it can't better fit what this experience is going to be.

There's a life that I am meant to lead
A life like nothing I have known
I can feel it, and it's far from here
I've got to find it on my own

Even now I feel its heat upon my skin
A life of passion that pulls me from within
A life that I am making to begin
I've got to know if I can be astonishing, astonishing

I'll find my way, I'll find it far away
I'll find it in the unexpected and unknown
I'll find my life in my own way, today

Here I go, and there's no turning back
My great adventure has begun
I may be small, but I've got giant plans
To shine as brightly as the sun

I will blaze until I find my time and place,
I will be fearless, surrendering modesty and grace
I will not disappear without a trace
I'll shout and start a riot, be anything but quiet
Christopher Columbus,
I'll be astonishing, astonishing, astonishing at last!

Sorry these entries tend to be so long. I'll try to make them shorter but more frequent. The next time you all hear from me, I'll be in sunny Cape Town, South Africa.

As always,
Sarah

getting closer...

12 days!! Or more specifically 272 hours, 38 minutes, and 5 seconds from right now until I get on a plane that will take me first to London and then on to Cape Town! I got my visa last week which was really exciting, it continues to solidify the fact that I'm going away. For the past few days I have been working on slowly packing by making copies of pretty much everything, shopping with Mommy, and trying to avoid the reality that the semester at berg began already and I won't be there. I know a lot of people who have already left for their study abroad adventures so I guess I'm glad to at least have a bit more time at home. Even still, I am somewhat reluctant to get to the bigger things like actually packing up my stuff into 2 suitcases for the next 5 months.

I thought I'd mention quickly that there's some significance to the name of my blog. Michael Phelps was quoted saying, "You can't put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get." I'm not some sort of die-hard Phelps fan but that quote struck and inspired me. Clearly I've been dreaming a lot because Cape Town is approximately 7800 miles away from home (joking, I'm not that literal). Maybe it's a good thing that I'm so stubborn because when I put my mind to something, I work unbelievably hard to make sure it happens, just like going to UCT for this semester. It still feels like a dream - the fact that I'm going away - but I know that is going to be possibly the most amazing 5 months of my life, hopefully 5 months that will just encourage me to dream more and farther.

later,
Sarah