Orientation Week

What a long week! Friday afternoon we left for Tsitsikamma National Forest with all the other international students at NMMU for bush camp orientation. We stayed in a tourist hostel/ backpacking lodge called tsitsikamma adventures. The area was stunning, with many farms surrounded by mountains. The weekend proved to be a forum for all of the students to get to know each other. We met students from Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and more. Unfortunately, St. Cloud State has an existing program at NMMU as well and 45 of the 90 students at the event go to school in St. Cloud, MN. Ironic I know. The feel was very different from typical orientation weekends here in the states. We had tons of down time because there was very little structure. That said, we ziplined and hiked for most of Saturday.

A few things about bush camp: the ziplining was awesome. The hiking was better. The company was better still, especially when the bar was open. The landscape in the countryside of South Africa is remarkably diverse. While driving we saw the richest neighborhoods, the poorest, farms, mountains, pasture, and near Tsitsikamma is a European Fir farming area, and I swear it looked just like the Northwoods of Minnesota. Great weekend, but enough about bush camp. 

Monday we visited NMMU for the first time. Ryan Fuchs and I met with the soccer coach and earned a tryout starting next Monday. Although, we also learned this team won the national championship in December... it's ok, they have a reserve team. 

Our home stadium has a bar and an ocean view, not bad!

Tuesday just so happened to be my birthday. And what a day it was! In the morning we had a short introduction to our service learning and then had the rest of the day off! We went to the beach, hung out, and planned for the evening. At about 4:30 I got a wonderful invitation from my neighbors (a flat of 6 young women) to eat a formal birthday dinner with them. I got dressed up and walked down the hall to find a candle-lit multiple course meal waiting, not to mention the girls, wearing their favorite sun dresses. It was a great way to get the night started, it reminds me how easy it has been away from home so far. After dinner the party got started. Everyone came including a group of South African friends we had met over the weekend. A great time was had by all, that I am certain of!

Wednesday we had more orientation--incredibly boring in the morning, unbearably boring (maybe had something to do with the fact that it was my 21st the night before, but still). The afternoon was much better because we took a bus into the townships for the first time and visited our service sites. This was quite an experience of mixed emotions. To be completely honest, my first impression of the poverty was "this is it? It's not nearly as bad as I thought." That, however, was just one of the townships which had received government housing and appeared relatively close to middle-class. Two of the three service sites are in this neighborhood, including Pendla Primary school and the House of Resurrection. When we visited, students were not in session at Pendla, so it's hard to know what that site would be like. However, the impact SJU has made there is noticeable to say the least. House of Resurrection is an AIDS orphanage, for youth up to 12 years old. House appeared slightly disorganized, but the kids were frickin cute and it would be a fun place to serve.

On Thursday we took an all day tour of Port Elizabeth with our tour guide Bradley Lawack. Bradley has worked with our group for 7 years and grew up in the townships. He will take our group on outings all semester long, and I can't wait to get to know him better, he is one of the most interesting people I have ever met. He took us to his childhood home, and then showed us the worst of the worst poverty. This is where I realized the poverty here really is THAT bad. This was a slum, houses were not built, they were tied and taped together. This is where Missionvale, the last of the three service sites, and the site that I will be working at is. Missionvale is well funded, and well established. They give food, medical care, clothes, and even christmas presents to hundreds of locals. As of last year, they also have a nearly free private school for children k-3. This is where I will spend my time for service learning. The principal has an amazing vision, and I look forward to learning as much from him as I can. 

We left Missionvale and visited the Red Location Apartheid Museum. Turns out Bradley also curates different exhibitions at museums. He taught us all about the massacre of 1970 and brought many if not most of us to tears. The museum is internationally renowned, and maybe my favorite place I have visited since arriving here. 

 Michelle and me drumming at Bush Camp

 The library at Pendla, a tiny building CSB/SJU built.

 Port Elizabeth's public library in the city center, guarded by Queen Elizabeth herself.

 Typical township home, maybe a bit on the lower end. 

The front homes are among the toughest we saw, the painted homes beyond are government built, and our home is along the beach off in the distance in the former white district called summerstrand.

We are spending the weekend finishing up homework for our first classes this week, and sunning at the beach. But like I said, It was a week to remember.