"Scatterlings of Africa" - Garden Route

Last week was designed to give those of us here in South Africa an extended chance to take advantage of all Cape Town and the surrounding region has to offer. Being of increasingly audacious spirit and curious mind, I decided before this trip began that I would be a participant in one of the "off-week" adventure tours the Global L.E.A.D. program would offer. In a country filled with numerous uplifting landscapes and opportunities to make memories unimagined before,the chance to lose myself in a week of boundless exploration and fellowship was an easy decision.
Beginning early Monday morning, fourteen others and I set off on a five day journey in which we explored and experienced South Africa's popular Garden Route to its fullest capacity. What an amazing time we had!
I'm not sure I will ever get another chance in my life to do so much in the spanof a week's time. Over the course of our five days, we went sea kayaking in thepresence of playful fur seals, canoed up a glassy river and hiked to the spectacle of a rhythmically flowing waterfall, encountered and rode elephants in theirnatural sanctuary, felt the adrenalin rush of the world's highest bungy, zip-linedthrough the air over the scenic earth below, rode on a game-drive in one of thecountry's twenty national parks, surveyed the chambers of caves millions of years in age, and visited an ostrich farm rich with history in the industry of meat processing and leather production. Talk about five days packed with tons of fun and excitement!
My favorite memory from the trip would have to be my mission of conquering Bloukrans Bridge, site of the world's highest commercial bungy jump at 216 meters. All throughout the trip, the thought of relishing in the adrenalin of this free fall stayed fixed inside my mind. I knew that if I didn't push myself to theedge and complete the jump, I would regret it for the rest of my time here in South Africa and probably forever afterward. The people at Bloukrans have a saying that goes, "fear is temporary, regret is forever." Bailing out was not an option. What I came away with was without a doubt the most exhilarating and breathtaking feeling I have ever felt. The jump is furious and tranquil all at thesame time. During the initial free fall you have no time to think about the enormity of the test you're putting your body through. Only after the fall is finally over, do you have the chance to look back on what just happened andfind yourself at peace with it. I'll never forget the vivid memories I have of before, during, and after the jump. My mother was very happy to hear I survived Bloukrans, but she would not be pleased to know that I would do it again in a heartbeat!
Beyond the incredible activities I experienced on the trip were the chances I got to get to know those around me every single day. Our days were filled encouraging each other to push ourselves to our limits and our nights werespent sitting around toasty fires gazing up at African skies, enjoying the company of one another, and savoring tasty meals with our most hospitable hosts. Those times are priceless. I learned so much about myself over thecourse of the week, but building friendships and learning about others is specialand can't be replaced.
We were especially fortunate to be led throughout the route by two very intriguing people, our guide Christo and our driver Jason. Very wise at 22 years of age, Christo has already faced so much in his young life and he had an incredible amount of knowledge to share with us about his time spent "in the bush" and his life as a young Afrikaner. Jason is an eccentric character whoreminded me a lot of my Uncle Max back home. His love for South Africa as anAfrikaner floats on every passionate word he speaks and even though he is older he is definitely still young at heart. On more than one occasion we foundourselves as the last two still awake, sitting around the fire listening to eachother's stories, sharing memories of days gone by and hopes of days to come.All of the people on the trip were amazing and this only strengthened the magnitude of the times we spent together.
We all have to let life happen, but the great thing about this life is how easily wecan control how we spend our days. Perspective and purpose, knowledge and wisdom. I feed on these things. This trip was awesome because I was surrounded by truly passionate people who want to get the most out of their time in South Africa just as I do. As we heard "the White Zulu" Johnny Clegg singso many times throughout the week, "spirit is the journey, body is the bus, I am the driver, from dust to dust, trying to be near you, searching for a way, listen to your life song, before it fades away."
My life song was playing loud and clear this past week...and I know fourteen other people who would agree with me. Great times with brilliant people, and many more to come!

-Scott Sumner

Each day this week, those of us who stayed in Cape Town on our off-week have had the opportunity to do extra service work.   One organization that we have gone to work at, Themba Care , is a hospice for children with HIV/AIDS.  Today my group went to go play with and nurture the children who are there.  When Themba Care was created in 2002, the death rate was 77%, but today its only 2%.  Themba Care has become a place where children can go and get healthy so that they can return to their homes.  Even though many of the children have families, there are several that will have to be placed in foster care after they leave Themba Care.

Most of the children there were babies and young toddlers.  We got to hold them, give them their bottles, and love on them. Our group lucked out because no one needed their diaper changed.  There were two toddler girls who were probably two years old, and they loved playing with sunglasses.  They would put them on and pose for us.  It was really cute to watch them try to put the sunglasses on themselves—they always ended up upside down or hanging on one ear.  After we were there for a little while, some older children came into the center when school was out.  They were around five years old and immediately decided to make Mark a human jungle gym.  They just laughed and laughed when he would lift them up to touch the ceiling, and it didn’t take long for everyone to want a turn.  Some of the older girls also liked to play with our hair, and we taught them how to put it in a pony tail.  Even though several of them were very shy, it did not take long for them to start laughing and playing.

Being at Themba Care was both a rewarding and humbling experience.  I realized that the smallest actions, like holding a child, giving a child a high five, or helping caregivers out by feeding a child a bottle,  can make a difference.  I also remembered how fortunate I am to have grown up healthy with parents who always take care of me.   

--Lia Conrad

Today was just an ordinary day. We saw the most southwestern tip of South Africa, traveled through various bays along the coastline, and were forced to visit a penguin colony. Life is tough. A group of us arranged a tour of the Cape Town Peninsula, which follows much of the southwestern coastline of Cape Town. This adventure lead us to visit the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point (they are not the same thing as we once thought). Cape Point is the most southwestern tip of South Africa, which allows its visitors to hike up to an old lighthouse and look out over the Pacific Ocean. The views were stunning and the weather was perfect. As we left the great peninsula, we then traveled to a penguin colony located in Simon’s Town, a small community along the coastline. Hundreds of penguins waddle around in tuxedo suits playing with each other and enjoying an occasional dip in the ocean. To finish the day off we enjoyed a lunch at an old seafood restaurant in Kalks Bay. One-day-old fresh tuna and fish and chips were of the favorites ordered in our group. The rest of the Global Lead group left today for Victoria Falls and the Garden Route. The few of us who have stayed in Cape Town will hopefully enjoy more adventures around this beautiful city!

--Nancy Wilfong

Today was another ordinary day in a nation that is eerily reflective of the United States. I spoke for a few hours today with one of the front desk attendants of Lagoon Beach, the hotel/apartments in which we stay. His insight into South African economic and social development provided a new perspective which we had yet to receive. He grew up in a townships and through hard work, pulled himself, and his six-year-old son out of the grip of poverty that so tightly holds millions of citizens of Cape Town. Though we’ve observed that racial integration has been smooth, he recounted stories of discrimination similar to our home in the southeastern US. As a contrast to the US, nearly all jobs, including those in the fast food industry require a minimum education of what is essentially a high school diploma. This seems like a hinderance in allowing uneducated township citizens to better their lives by obtaining jobs to provide for their families. He told us about the corruption within the current government, a widely shared sentiment among locals. They appear to be embezzling tax revenues through the Bureau of Labor. He was unsure of any potential solution for this problem.The most interesting comment he made was regarding the current two party system that existed in South Africa. He commented that it seemed as if neither party was willing to put its own political ambitions aside for the betterment of the general populace. Sound familiar Americans?

--Eric Friedman

Today was definitely an intriguing experience as we journeyed to Franschhoek for a vineyard tour and wine tasting. For someone that's never tasted wine or was fully aware of the proper wine tasting techniques, I learned a ton. We were told the in's and out's and the wine industry and devastated to learn that the grapes weren't juiced via foot stomping. =) Our guides also dispelled my myth that red wine comes from red grapes and white wine from white grapes. It takes about 5 years maximum to produce a bottle of wine, and at this particular location they have the added hassle of fighing off wild animals such as baboons and leopards. After our tour, we then embarked on the highlight of our trip for most, wine tasting. I took this opportunity to learn the 3 fundamental steps of wine tasting: swirl, smell, and taste! We were given two types of white wine and two types of red wine. The white wines were generally sweeter than the red but none of the four pleased my taste buds. Following the wine tasting we proceeded into the town for lunch. I met a man named Alfred, from Malawi, who was selling crafts and jewelry with his wife and son. He approached me with a warm, welcoming spirit and began to talk about some of the items that sparked my interest. He mentioned how he saw me as his long lost sister, and how he dreams of coming to the states and interacting with his extended family. Our discussion was so heart warming. We learn in school that African-Americans generally descended from Africa and to come to South Africa and hear somebody call me their "sister" is amazing! That interaction was more meaningful than my wine tasting experience. It reminded me that this trip is about more than being a tourist in a foreign country; it's about the moments. My moment-interacting with a total stranger and feeling as if I’m among family.

--Cori Pinkett

Swimming with the sharks.. what?!

Today was absolutely amazing! Although we had to wake up bright and early to load the buses at 5:30 am, we didn’t mind because we were full of excitement and eager to go shark cage diving! I have to say that I was quite nervous and my stomach was completely full of knots, but everyone in our group came together to support and encourage one another. After we arrived and unloaded the bus, we settled down to a nice breakfast before we faced the great white shark- another creature that was probably getting ready to feast on his own breakfast (and we were just hoping it wouldn’t be us!). The captains then escorted us to the boat so we could begin our adventure at sea. The sight we were brought to is nationally known for it’s numerous great white sharks, and it is actually feeding season in South Africa so the chances of seeing a great white doubles! We were then divided into groups of four to go into the cage where we would be dropped into the ocean to experience some one-on-one time with a great white shark. As we climbed into the cages and dropped down into the cold water, our fear suddenly turned into anticipation and excitement! The crew was able to lure in quite a few sharks, and they came within touching distance to our cage. We could physically touch this man eating creature if we wanted to- we were that close! At one point, one of the sharks came close to biting the edge of the cage and we were able to see his enormous, sharp, and intimidating teeth. It was such an incredible experience, and every one in our boat was lucky enough to see at least one shark while submerged in the cage. The adrenaline that overcame us was extraordinary, and it was such a rush to swim with one of the most feared animals in the ocean. I have to say that today was yet another incredible day in South Africa. This country never ceases to enchant me.

-Liz Stone

Teamwork makes the Dream work

Coach Vince Dooley gave the students a lecture about communication and teamwork today. Here are a couple of photos of Coach and the teambuilding activity students completed within community groups, which helped to learn how critical it is to work strategically together in order to be a successful team.

Today was another beautiful day in Cape Town. Some of the group had an early morning hike up Table Mountain before Coach Vince Dooley taught us a little about teamwork. The rest of us showed up bright eye and rested to our early morning lesson. Coach Dooley shared with us some of what has made him successful as a football coach and as a man. He expressed that even though passion is important to your goals, intelligence is vital to actually accomplishing them. He said to be a good leader you must have "intelligent fanaticism". He shared with us stories about his childhood, becoming a Hall of Fame football coach, and his part in Atlanta being chosen for the Olympics. Coach Dooley was inspirational and eye opening. After wrapping up on leadership for the day, a large group went to hike Table Mountain. The group of 20 decided to hike up the harder but shorter trail. We figured how hard could it be? We soon came to find out when it says strenuous trail, that is the truth. The path is vertical most of the way. It was like being on a Stair-Master for miles in 3 o'clock heat. Once we reached the top, the view was well worth the blood, sweat, and under-breath profanities. The 360 degree views of Cape Town and the oceans were indescribable when the sun began to fade behind the horizon. I can't wait to explore the intricacies of the city we saw from above in the weeks to come.

-Spenser Bomholt

Kirstenbosch

Yesterday the majority of the students went to Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, one of the six floral kingdoms of the world. Students spent the afternoon roaming the gardens, and had the opportunity to reflect, hike or tour the area with Coach Dooley, Barbara Dooley and recent speaker Dr. Betty Siegel. Here are a couple of photos from our afternoon!

I came to South Africa with the hopes of changing someone’s life. Little did I know that the life that would be changed would be my own. For the past few days, the questions that have been repeated have been
- what do you want to do with your life?
- what is your legacy?
Those two questions, among numerous others have been questions that I have constantly asked myself but didn’t really have an answer to until this trip. Dr. Betty Siegel told us today that, “leaders are those who enroll others in their vision.” Truth is, I’ve had a vision, but I never considered myself a leader. I have constantly lived my life trying not to follow in the footsteps of others, particularly my family. What I realized today is that you can follow in another person’s footsteps and still leave your own footprints. Just like each UGA organization on campus has it’s own purpose and mission, each person has his or her own mission as well. As I sat down to write my own mission, it was easier than I had expected, it was simply a matter of putting it down on paper. While writing, my mission just kind of flowed from my pen to the paper and this is what I ended up with:

My mission: I want to be a person who goes beyond physical and self-manifested boundaries. Who travels the world spreading the notion of equality and perseverance. I want to be able to speak in front of thousands and listen to one. I want to be an example and an everlasting legacy of good works.

I think it was easy for most of us to realize what we have each been called to do. The only thing that could possibly stop us in living up to our individual missions is our fear of failure. What makes us different from other generations is that we were conditioned to be a “free generation,” one with no real problems facing us where everything else had been achieved except for perfection. How do we know what perfection is without experiencing failure or realizing our flaws? Kevin told us that in order to truly live your life you have to be willing to fail. If there’s no risk, then there is no gain. It’s just what is expected. Dr. Siegel said that, “young people are the message we send to a world we will not see” and I feel that it is up to our generation to create a world worth seeing. Overall, our time here in South Africa has been full of moments of self-reflection where each of us has asked ourselves…

What will it take for me to change the world?

-Taylor Stanley

Today was special in that Vince and Barbara Dooley both came and sat in on breakfast and the lesson with us. The topic of discussion was visionary leadership, which emphasized forward-looking goals and using these goals as a focusing lens to look through in everything we do. This allows for us to see the little steps it takes on an everyday basis to achieve what we really want to accomplish in years to follow. As a supplementary to what we were learning, we broke up into our community groups to further discuss what we want our accomplishments to be, and how we want to be remembered. We listed each of these on our own, and discussed them around the groups. Although at first this seemed somewhat menial and elementary, midway through I realized that most of us have never really spent much time thinking of what it is that really makes us happy and what we really want to be able to look back on one day and be proud of. After the lesson a few of us had to go to the agency that is taking us to Victoria Falls for some paperwork. Their office is located along a pretty busy downtown area of Cape Town near Long Street. This turned out to be a good thing because we got a chance to get some authentic South African food. We went to place called Nyoni’s Kraal Restaurant, where I got a chance to eat some Snoek, a very common, coastal fish in SA, and a Kudu steak, which is a type of antelope, both of which were delicious. We followed dinner with a little walk around the area until our taxi came to take us back.Today was not as busy as many of the days we have had here, but tomorrow seems to be a good one coming. We have a discussion with Vince Dooley and a trip to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, and I have heard many great things.

-Kavi Bhai

There is so much adventure here in Cape Town – shark cage diving, skydiving, bungee jumping, hiking Table Mountain, and for the past few days, that has been all that I have been thinking about. When I have described my experience thus far to others, I have talked about all of the activities that await us, and how much I have enjoyed the nightlife, the food, the views, and the excitement of the city. This morning, however, I was reminded of our real reason for coming to this beautiful city. I woke up early in the morning to attend a nearby church for the 9 a.m. mass. The priest gave a beautiful service filled with humor and witty jokes. But his central message was that of 1 John 4: 1-7, which is that we should love one another as God has loved us. He spoke of service to others, and we prayed for those in the city that have been the survivors of segregation. For me, his words reminded me not of the poverty-stricken townships, but of the bright and hopeful faces of the children who live there. My adventure here in Cape Town is so much more the skydiving and climbing mountains, it is being blessed with the opportunity to help others and truly make a difference. After the wonderful service, my day got even more exciting when I returned to our apartments. Since I went to church alone, I was headed to eat breakfast in the hotel by myself, until I walked in to find Coach Vince Dooley also walking to breakfast! He went to go get his wife, Barbara Dooley, and we all sat down to a lovely breakfast in the hotel restaurant. There was a huge breakfast buffet, and we were able to eat it while sitting beside a huge window with a beautiful ocean view! Breakfast was wonderful, and Coach Dooley and Barbara were the nicest and most welcoming people. Eating breakfast with the Dooley’s in Cape Town is certainly a life moment and an experience I’ll never forget!

-Amanda Accarino

This morning everyone met in the lobby to sign up for all of our adventures we plan to do while we’re here in Cape Town! I think it got everyone really excited about our upcoming weeks because the company we are working with offers a wide variety of activities. I signed up for skydiving, sand boarding, and a 3-day Garden tour that is supposed to be absolutely incredible! The weather today is pretty rainy but it seems to be somewhat clearing up so I don’t think it’s going to hold any of us back from exploring the town! Today we are planning to head to Century City which is a huge tourist spot for South Africa. It has one of the largest malls in Africa. Canal Walk, the area of the mall, also has countless restaurants, shops, cinemas, and even a bird conservation area. Supposedly the restaurants are very good so I think we are planning to stay there for dinner. As of the moment, I am sitting in our wonderful apartment looking out onto the beach. Our condos are literally right on the shore so we have the most beautiful view of the coast. This entire area truly is the most beautiful place I have ever seen! Even with the somewhat cloudy weather today I can still see all of the huge mountains surrounding us, especially Table Mountain which I plan to hike one day soon!
-Alix Rhett

The past 24 have been absolutely phenomenal! Many of us went out last night for a night on the town with the students from Cape Town University. The people here could not be more hospitable and willing to help us. We all had agreat time hanging out with each other and getting to how the kids our own age treat their nightlife. This morning we went to meet with the company that will be helping us with all of our adventure desires from Great White Shark Cage Diving to Sandboarding down the dunes just outside of Cape Town. We boarded a bus around 11 am local time and drove throughout the city. We went to the city center, the Waterfront where the 2010 World Cup Stadium is being built, Camps Bay which is an area of spectacular cliffs and rock formations with hugeswells driven by the collision of the two oceans, and a local fishing marina. At the marina we were served fresh fish and chips and it was amazing. The people were great and so happy to see us. After our meal we drove up the mountain to"Lions Head". This overlooks the entire city. Unfortunately we were so high up that the clouds from the storm hindered our view, however when we could seethrew it was spectacular. A large group of us afterwards went back to the Waterfront for shopping and to indulge in some more local seafood. Again, the food was incredible. Were all back at the apartments now getting ready to go out with the students again. This country is amazing! How will we ever leave?
-Ryan Rearden

We aren't in Athens anymore...

We spent the morning learning about the city’s current social structure from a panel of professionals that reside here in Cape Town. They each expressed to us the progress this city has made since the ending of the apartheid, and explained that even though there are challenges still to be met, Cape Town’s people have an enduring faith that will push through them all.
Later in the afternoon we were able to see the townships first hand.

Shock.
Disbelief.
A sense of urgency and a tug at the heart.

These sentiments were what all of us felt as we drove through the township not far from the hotel in which we are staying. Just a short drive away is this other world – just a short drive away is this place filled with people who know nothing else but this poverty-stricken life. This, indeed, is reality here in Cape Town for 80 percent of its people.

….We aren’t in Athens anymore…

Curious faces.
Bright smiles.
Proud teachers.

They all greeted us as we arrived at the primary school in the township. In all honesty, I was surprised with their ability to have such a strong spirit. They were proud to show us their talent whether it was through dance, song or instrument. Members of the Amy Biehl foundation, these kids dedicate their efforts to developing their talent in one of these artistic ways. The kids invited us into their lives, even if it was just for an afternoon, and we all saw their own passion radiate. Without question, these kids blessed us today. They invested in us with their acceptance in humility. Now it is time for us to do the same for them – to make an impact as they managed to do with us in two short hours.

-Amanda Abbott

We aren't in Athens anymore

We spent the morning learning about the city’s current social structure from a panel of professionals that reside here in Cape Town. They each expressed to us the progress this city has made since the ending of the apartheid, and explained that even though there are challenges still to be met, Cape Town’s people have an enduring faith that will push through them all.
Later in the afternoon we were able to see the townships first hand.

Shock.
Disbelief.
A sense of urgency and a tug at the heart.

These sentiments were what all of us felt as we drove through the township not far from the hotel in which we are staying. Just a short drive away is this other world – just a short drive away is this place filled with people who know nothing else but this poverty-stricken life. This, indeed, is reality here in Cape Town for 80 percent of its people.

….We aren’t in Athens anymore…

Curious faces.
Bright smiles.
Proud teachers.

They all greeted us as we arrived at the primary school in the township. In all honesty, I was surprised with their ability to have such a strong spirit. They were proud to show us their talent whether it was through dance, song or instrument. Members of the Amy Biehl foundation, these kids dedicate their efforts to developing their talent in one of these artistic ways. The kids invited us into their lives, even if it was just for an afternoon, and we all saw their own passion radiate. Without question, these kids blessed us today. They invested in us with their acceptance in humility. Now it is time for us to do the same for them – to make an impact as they managed to do with us in two short hours.

Amanda Abbott

Life is Made up of Moments

Follow along as 50 students travel 10,000 miles away to the African continent for a new way to engage globally--they will See, Study, and Serve abroad through the Global L.E.A.D. Program. Be part of the journey as we update with a different student's perspective each day live from Cape Town, South Africa.

When you look back on life you may not remember the years, but you will always remember the moments—the moments that take your breath away. In a city with the charm of Paris, the beaches of Brazil, and the home to the 2010 World Cup, see life from the vantage point of 50 unique students as they take part in service projects in the slums, hear from dynamic speakers, and stretch their limits in a land far away.

Life is made up of moments, and this is the blog to capture each one!