"Seize the Day" by Graham Williams

It is taken from the Latin word, "Carpe Diem". One life, that's all we get. Take advantage of every opportunity and seek out every chance you get to do something you will never forget. So when I heard about 4 weeks of living/studying abroad in South Africa, its the first 3 words that came to mind. Yea it was going to be an expensive trip and it might put me in a little debt to the ole parents but how often to people get to go LEAD in South Africa and do all that we've done? My parents never have, my grandparents never did, and most of my friends at home probably never will... But thankfully, when the opportunity came about, I knew I had to go for it no matter what. Here in Cape town, I've been able to experience many amazing things and even cross off 5 things off of my bucket list. Here is a list of the 5 things on my bucket list that have already been checked off in just a matter of 3 weeks:

1. Submerse myself in a completely different culture and experience life as they do. CHECK.
2. Dive with Great White sharks. CHECK.
3. Go bungee jumping of the highest bungee in the world? CHECK.
4. Go skydiving?? CHECK.
5. Go on a safari in Africa? CHECK!!!

And not only is all of this happening but as our trip is dwindling down and it will be disappointing to separate with new friends- I know that just one week after they all leave, ill still be here in Cape Town knocking just one more big thing off my bucket list: Going to the WORLD CUP

“Always Take Chances” By Laney Pait

What did I do yesterday do you ask?

Welllllllllllllllllllll, without thinking, I threw on a harness and hopped in a miniscule rickety old airplane. I sat watching the buildings and cars become smaller and smaller until I finally realized the reality of what I was about to do.

Why in the world did I think this was a good idea? It’s not natural for ANYONE to want to jump out of a plane 9,000 feet in the air…Clearly; this was the worst idea I had ever come up with.

Too late for doubts, the door swooshed open and I was being literally dragged out of an airplane by a complete stranger.

The second the wind hit my face and I spiraled out of the airplane, I knew I had made the right decision. The view was devastatingly beautiful and the feeling of my cheeks flapping in the wind was indescribable. I was flying.

Haven’t you always wanted to fly?

"Grounded at Last" by Arielle D'Avanzo

I’m not one for heights—I don’t like them, they make my stomach queasy and, to be totally frank, they scare me to death. Hanging by my feet from a bungee cord, after jumping off the highest commercial bungee jump in the world, just dangling there hundreds of feet in the air, I said to myself, “What was I thinking? I will NEVER do anything like this again” — all the while analyzing every possible scenario where my feet could slip out of the harness and I would very soon meet my demise somewhere over South Africa. Nevertheless, I survived. And I now know that bungee jumping is just not going to be my thing. But at least I can check it off the ol’ bucket list.

But what about jumping out of planes? Well, that’s a whole other matter. After the big bungee jump, I boldly (um, foolishly?) signed up for (you guessed it) skydiving. Again, what on earth was I thinking? Jumping out of an airplane, 9,000 feet in the air? Bye-bye, mom and dad. Bye-bye brother. Bye-bye life. The jump was breathtaking…literally. I haven’t experienced anything like it in my whole 20 years here on this planet. It was so exhilarating that, once I hit the ground, I was ready to go right back up in that raggedy, 20-ft. plane and do it all over again. All of us here know Cape Town is one of the most beautiful places on earth. Let me tell you, though, from 9,000 feet it’s absolutely stunning. When we climbed Table Mountain, I thought that was the best view of Cape Town. But I can now say with authority, that the very best view is high, high above, floating through the sky, looking up at—and down on—on heaven.

"The Five Senses" by Francie Fisher

SEE: Boys chasing our bus. Over 1000 houses no more than five feet apart. Cigarette butts covering the ground. Children in school uniforms, others in dirty clothing. Bare feet. Grimy fingernails. Blank faces. Stares. Clotheslines. A drunk father. Powerful women working. A man with dreadlocks down to the ground. Chipped paint. Bones protruding from bodies. Pink gums. Rotting teeth. Wounds. Gravel. Smiles. Waving. Glassy eyes. Brown. Pigtails.

HEAR: Dogs barking. Roosters cockle-doodle-dooing. Children laughing. Children crying. Silence. Pleads to be hugged and picked up. Afrikaans. Attempts at speaking English. Yells. Sniffles from a runny nose. Singing. Hand games. Hitting. Wheels of a bike. Grumbling stomachs. Whispering.

SMELL: Mildew. Marijuana. Alcohol. Stale breath. Grass. A dirty stench. Body odor. Outhouse. Gasoline.

FEEL: Strong wind. Rough skin. Dirt. Unwashed hair. A slap on the back. A little girls hands embraced with mine. Tension. Cold. Love. Hate. Excitement.

TASTE: Dirt particles in the back of my throat. Home-cooked pasta by my host mother. Dry, dirty air.

"Family Comes First" by Thomas Wamsley

Sir Lowry’s Pass has made me reflect on many facets of my life, but the most dominant area is with regards to family. Every visit I have left with an altered view of family. To them there is nothing more important than relationships. The relationship they most visibly show as most important is their family. However, the most disturbing part of their family life is that most families appear not to have their fathers living with them anymore. This is also the greatest irony since if the men took family as seriously as is portrayed to us during our visits; they would obviously stay with the family and care for them. Therefore, it seems that this view of family as the most important aspect of life seems to apply primarily if not exclusively to the women at Sir Lowry’s Pass.

What I want to stress in this blog is the changes and aspects of my family that Sir Lowry’s Pass has induced. First of all when I go back to Atlanta I want to make spending time with my family a priority. Additionally, when I get into the next stage of my life and start having a wife and kids of my own I want to create an atmosphere centered on relationships and family rather than material goods. In America, a lot of people lose sight of this. In particular, a lot of men will spend countless hours at work in order to make more money so they can buy more things. On the other hand, I want to balance my life between work and my family in a healthier way. The last area is that I want to make sure to take every possible step to stay with my family and not divorce my wife. Seeing all of these kids fatherless has been a tough thing to swallow because it is apparent that when things got tough they decided to split instead of help. This is especially difficult considering they were directly responsible for the kids, which are the major source for the drain on money. Therefore, witnessing all of this has refocused me to committing and dedicating myself to staying with my wife, and if I get divorced for some reason supporting my family no matter what.

My time at Sir Lowry’s Pass has been an invaluable experience. Among many other things it has reprioritized my view and dedication to my family. Throughout the rest of my life I plan to make it a point to spend more time with my family rather than on myself, do whatever I can to stay with my future wife, and to support my family no matter what happens. Therefore, my three words are family comes first.

“THE 2010 SENSES” by Mackenzie Lee

They told us to simply listen to their stories. This was the only piece of advice, we, the Bafana Bafana’s were given before our surprise trip to Sir Lowry’s Pass to spend the night. It may have seemed lacking at the time, but nothing could have prepared us for our encounter. Anything gained had no doubt been truly experienced; it had been soaked in from all angles. I’ve come to realize the heart of this trip has been a beautiful combination of observation and analysis.

We started out blindly by listening to the voices and stories of the people, our new families. We saw the bare feet, the cinderblock houses. Nobody missed the mangy dogs or the trash lining the road. We could smell the amazing meals wafting out of the windows of the houses, and they tasted even better. We smelled the soap the people used, since many don’t have showers. Nobody will forget how little legs feel wrapped tight around our waists, and the feeling of little hands running themselves through our foreign hair. Or the way the wind sounded as it blew straight through the cracks of the little houses.

All these feelings, sights, smells - they all contribute to something bigger. Because that extra long hug I got from one of the little girls wasn’t just another ordinary hug. After soaking everything about Sir Lowry’s Pass, I knew we were giving the people there something they could hold onto long after we are gone.

"This is the Day" by Hayden Rome

“This is the Day that the Lord has made;

I will rejoice and be glad in it.”

As a result of my time spent with the families of Sir Lowry’s Pass, I believe that the power of giving is a trait that can only be enriched through personal experience and growth. The selfless act of giving does not derive from a particular holiday or event, but simply from the heart. One should not give with the hopes of receiving anything in return but rather because one wants to share what they have to give. Often times the response can be a bit overwhelming because we are conformed to such a materialistic society but with time, the gift of giving will reap its benefits.

Deeds such as cooking, washing the dishes, and merely playing with the kids seem so minor to us but in context, the people of these townships spend all of their time, energy, and money making sure these major deeds get done in a day’s work. Thus, a response such as a simple “thank you” lets us know that we have made a difference in someone’s life. My experience at the townships has provided me with the ability to realize that too often we get caught up in our own problems that we fail to see the bigger picture in life-- it puts any suffering we may feel into a more proper perspective.

"Living the Life" by Meredith Vaughan

Yesterday we went to the Sir Lowry’s Pass to make them lunch. Ms. Shirley asked us to make her tacos because they don’t ever eat them. Before heading over there we went to the grocery store and got all the ingredients for her and her four grandchildren. When were walking up to the house more and more children starting following us. As we starting cooking, the kitchen was packed! All the kids wanted to help cooking, so much so that we didn’t have to cook anything ourselves. I started getting nervous we wouldn’t have enough food for everyone to have one taco and one rice krispie treat. We made small tacos in the beginning to make sure everybody got some because it ended up being fifteen people to feed. Thankfully there were enough even for us to eat one and some kids to get seconds! They all loved the tacos like they were something hard to make or a fancy food. After lunch we cleaned up the mess we had made in the kitchen but there was no running water let alone a dishwasher so that made it difficult. Dish washing was interrupted quickly by children trying to be held and wanting to be played with. So I did just that. When we had to leave I got so many hugs and “I’ll miss yous.” This was so far my favorite day since we’ve been in South Africa.

"Africa, WHAT UP" by Meghan Deere

Having been here for almost THREE weeks already, how can I truly put my experiences into one entry? I tried coming up with clever ways to make my blog stand out (including a failed attempt today on the bus to think of a rap… I guess I’m just not reppin’ my ATL roots) but there is no other way for me to even begin to express my time here without a simple list. But hey, at least I’m trying, neh? (‘neh’ is my attempt to fit in with the locals…) So here are some trip highlights so far…

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• BEING STUCK IN AMSTERDAM. Yes, it’s as crazy as they say it is. After being delayed in Atlanta for 3 hours, a small group of us quickly realized we would be stuck in Amsterdam for the night. (Team Amsterdam for life!) Naturally, we explored for the day and saw the, ahem, interesting sights, sounds, and smells of the city. It was a good time considering that we were delayed getting to Cape Town!
• ADVENTURE WEEK. How I miss staying in amazing hostels, meeting amazing people, never really knowing when we were going to get out of that van, and driving through the beautiful Garden Route of S.A. to new adventures! I loved being able to see more of S.A. outside of Cape Town and do things- like BUNGEE JUMPING- that I probably will never get to do again! I only wish it had lasted longer!
• SIR LOWRY’S PASS. How can I put this place into words? I cannot get over how generous and happy these people were to welcome us into their homes. I have had so much fun going back this week and getting to know my host family better and being able to play with the most badass kids around! Just be sure to know all the words to Justin Bieber songs or you will be shown up by a 2 year old…
• TABLE MOUNTAIN. Curse you Table Mountain!! You were a beast to climb, but once I made it to the top (see Dad I’m exercising!) it turned out to be the best view in all of Cape Town! Definitely worth it!
• ROBBEN ISLAND: Learning about the history of this country is so important to my being here. I cannot understand anything about South Africa without knowing its history, and I am so glad we got to go to Robben Island to see it first hand! And having Mandela’s cellmate give us a first-hand tour wasn’t too shabby either.
• MAMA AFRICA. Deliciousness wrapped up in great food, great atmosphere, and a band that likes to pull as many girls up on stage at once as possible! It’s quite an experience being able to taste all the different food like Ostrich and Warthog. Feel free to try everything, just make sure to stay away from the flaming shots!!
• FRANSCHHOEK: Napa Valley, Smapa Valley. These vineyards are set in the most beautiful mountains I’ve ever seen! I loved getting able to taste the different types of wines (and possibly have purchased some different types as well…) and walk around the quaint town of Franschhoek!

Just being here soaking up the amazing culture and scenery was all I wanted out of this trip, and all of these things have just added to my experience. I’m never going home!

PS- HEY MOM AND DAD. IGNORE THAT LAST SENTENCE. XOXO

"What A Ride" by Laura Mason

After three weeks in Cape Town I can describe my trip literally as a wild ride. It began with Adventure Week and a seven-hour van ride on the first day. I could not imagine a better way to become incredibly close with thirteen new friends. The van rides continued for the next four days and were filled with such immense laughter that my stomach was sore days after we returned. At the elephant reserve, we were given the opportunity to ride on the back of three different elephants. I could not recommend this enough. Yes, you may be able to find an elephant ride at a zoo in the U.S, but nothing beats a bareback elephant ride in Africa. The next ride of a lifetime came at the Ostrich farm we visited on the last day of adventure week. I never thought I would have the opportunity to brag that I have ridden the world’s largest bird. However, the most important ride we have been on leads us to Sir Lowry’s Pass, a South African township. Each trip begins with anxiousness as to what we will experience that day and ends with an exciting ride back full of stories of giving and service. I can only hope that the rest of my trip will be as wild a ride!

"Ready. Set. Jump!" by Emilie Tollison

In one of our class lectures on the “Power of Living” we watched a video called “Everybody is allowed to wear Sunscreen.” If you have never seen this video I encourage anyone and everyone to take only five minutes out of your day and watch it! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xfq_A8nXMsQ. This video relays life’s simple yet often forgotten rules to live by. One of my favorites was …

“Do Something That Scares You Everyday”

Well Capetown, Congratulations…you have really left me no choice.

I have marked more off my “Bucket List” in the past two weeks than in the past twenty years of my life. So far to be checked off my list:

Bungee Jumping Shark Cage Diving with Great White Sharks

Go on an African Safari Ride an Elephant

And last to be checked off my list….

SKY DIVING

I never thought I would find myself on top of an elephant or diving head first off of the tallest bridge in the world. Nor did I ever dream of my Monday morning schedule having “shark cage diving” on the agenda. However, this trip is not one to cater to any form of a comfort zone. Today after a 2 minute briefing, I harnessed up and got into a plane to carry me 9000ft into the air only to hear the words…READY..SET…JUMP! Before I knew it I was spiraling downward with nothing but air separating me from the beautiful scenery that surrounded my fall. The first thing I said when I made the landing was, “Where do I sign up for round 2?”I jumped out of a plane today. Enough said.

"God is Here" by Kristen Stamps

South Africa has been absolutely incredible so far! Every aspect of this experience has resonated with me and formed a precious memory that I will cherish forever. All of us have been pulled out of our comfort zones, faced fear as we’ve tried new and adventurous activities, and learned so much about leadership and how to truly serve others. One of my favorite parts of this experience has been how my faith has grown and how clearly God has shown himself to me over the past few weeks! Whether through a peace that surrounds me when facing terrifying situations such as bungee jumping or skydiving, a sweet gesture and conversation I have with a local around Cape Town, a smile and warm hug from a child in the township, or a majestic sunset painted in the sky as the day comes to an end, the Lord has surprised me each and every day with something that fills me with complete happiness and lets me know He is here. He is here and visible for all to witness if eyes are opened to see the beauty around us and ears are listening to hear loving whispers… .

“Go Exploring” by Kiersten Williford

The scheduled events of Global Lead have been amazing, but some of my best days have come from my experiences of exploring Cape Town and everything it has to offer without any particular agenda.

One day a group of us went into the city to visit some places we had heard were interesting. We went to the District Six museum and were exposed to the history of South Africa. Charley’s Bakery provided us with a delicious treat and break before we made our way to the Castle of Good Hope. After looking at all the exhibits, we found ourselves on the roof of the structure, doing nothing but enjoying the weather and each other’s company.

Round two of exploring Cape Town came with fewer participants, but the same level of gratification. We went to the slave lodge for our historical fix of the day before we walked around the Company Gardens. The weather could not have been more perfect. Huge trees and indigenous flowers provided a beautiful foreground, while Table Mountain and the perfectly blue sky created some awesome scenery. The friendly, fat squirrels were benefiting from the people out and about the gardens. They will literally eat out of your palm and the size of them proves it. The night ended with an authentic African meal at Mama Africa, filled with many laughs and good conversation.

No official plans were made either day, but it proved that simply getting out of the hotel and taking advantage of this great city make some great memories. And of course genuine people and perfect weather are always a plus.

“All for Them” by Ryan Baker

Earlier this week we traveled back to the township of Sir Lowry’s Pass, located on the outskirts of Cape Town, South Africa for more service learning experience. On this particular day, we volunteered at the Community Center in Sir Lowry’s Pass so that we could play with the children and take some of the burden off of the three women who work with the over 120 kids. This blog is a dedication to the children of Sir Lowry’s Pass and others in similar situations around the globe. It is with great pleasure that I write about the many methods one can use to connect, play, and interact with the children of Sir Lowry’s Pass. Without further hesitation…

The Top 10 Ways to Have a Great Time with Children of South Africa

• Play, sing, hum, whistle or make any other audible noise with the tune of “Baby” by Justin Bieber and you will instantly be surrounded by upwards of 20 children all singing along and dancing.
• Play touch rugby. The boys of the township can be seen playing this modified form of rugby at nearly every time of day. Be forewarned however: Be prepared to sweat as you will play for at least 30 minutes. These kids just don’t tire.
• Make beaded bracelets and/or necklaces. I’m not going to pretend to be an expert on the subject because let’s face it, I’m not, but I think I made over 20 bracelets in the half hour I worked at this table. Oh, and there was a constant line of at least five kids at all times waiting for their turn.
• Face Paint. The kids love painting on their faces, but particularly enjoy painting on yours.
• Walk around with a child on your shoulders. Pretty hard to say no when there’s a cute little boy staring you in the eyes, with his hand pointing to the sky and whispering the word, “Up”.
• Paint Fingernails. Let’s look at the facts here: Girls love getting their nails done regardless of where they live. I think it’s genetic.
• Play “Little Sally Walker” or any other dancing game.
• Let the kids play with your hair. This one is pretty labor intensive (end sarcasm) so it can be a favorite after you’ve been running around for hours and just need a five or ten minute break.
• Play soccer. It seems to be very popular, especially with the FIFA World Cup coming up in the next two weeks.
• Bubbles. What kid doesn’t have a blast blowing bubbles? Enough said.

"Wave Your Flag" by Robert Armstrong

Today was our second day back in Sir Lowry’s Pass. Our group entertained lots of young school children at the community center. After reading a few books to one boy we made our way over to the face painting section. I would end up spending the remaining time painting faces and arms as everyone wanted multiple flags covering their body. South Africa and Brazil were by far the two most popular choices and by the end of the hour there were dozens of kids running around, proud to be wearing their flag on their face in light of the upcoming World Cup.

After we finished with the kids in the community center we broke into smaller groups based on the families that we stayed with during the overnight. Since Vanessa was still at work, Mackenzie and I joined Cheryl (the main soup mother in Sir Lowry’s Pass) in her home for the afternoon. We talked for some time while drinking coffee and watching Savannah, Cheryl’s granddaughter who just turned two, as she played with Greta’s hair. It’s incredible how open and loving the people of Sir Lowry’s Pass are. The kids run to the bus, only wanting to be picked up and loved on for the few hours we’re there and the mothers have graciously invited us into their homes for the second time now, giving us a glimpse into township life. They may not have a lot but they give so much more readily than we do. There’s a lot to be learned from the people of Sir Lowry’s Pass and more often than not I feel as if they’re helping us more than we’re helping them.

“This is Africa” by Katherine Short

From the second we landed in Cape Town the phrase “TIA” was dropped in nearly every chat, but it took me a few days to realize what it really meant: “This Is Africa.” Below is a list of my top TIA moments:

• Bungee jumping off the highest bungee bridge in the world. Definitely the most terrifying thing I have ever done and had I not been in Africa I probably never would have done it. The support of friends along with the blaring techno music is what got me up there (not to mention two men pushing me)
• Pulling in to Sir Lowry’s Pass and seeing a million smiling faces running along side the bus. I have never been so humbled as I was to see these children who have close to nothing light up over a hug.
• Visiting Robben Island and having Nelson Mandela’s cell mate, Ahmed Kathrada, guide our tour. It was such a neat experience to hear him talk first hand about what it was actually like living in prison for all those years.
• Hiking, more like climbing, Table Mountain at sunrise. All 104 of us set out to hike the hardest trail on table mountain, Skeleton Gorge. It was a very long, hard hike but at the top of the mountain we experienced the most incredible view of Cape Town.
• Getting stuck in the middle of a heard of elephants. As we drove into Addo National Park we were ecstatic to see one lonely elephant but as we got farther in one elephant turned in to about 30 surrounding our van to the point where we could not move.

In a city like Cape Town it is easy to forget that you are in a place like Africa but these moments along with many more have reminded me that “This Is Africa”.

"Live it Up" by Amy Bisger

The Top 10 Things that Surprised Me the Most About South Africa

• KFC is everywhere. South Africans adore KFC. In fact, the ratio of KFC’s to McDonald’s that we have seen is about 10 to 1, and South Africans call KFC “Kentucky.”
• South Africans refer to stoplights as “robots” and flashlights as “torches.” This was fairly confusing at first, but something that we picked up on pretty quickly.
• South African ketchup is not the same as American ketchup. However, we have discovered that adding large amounts of salt to South African ketchup can help.
• There is quite possibly more sushi available in South Africa than in some areas of Japan. If you want good sushi, you don’t need to go all the way to Asia, go to Africa instead.
• Animals such as Springbok and Ostrich are readily available on the menu. Don’t be afraid of the names, they are actually delicious.
• The tallest bungee jump in the world is in South Africa.

• The restaurant service in South Africa is a lot more relaxed. Even if you are only going to breakfast, you should allot at least 45 minutes to an hour.
• Table Mountain alone contains more different types of plant species than all of the United Kingdom, over 1,500.
• South Africa has a penguin colony. The penguins are able to survive due to the cold Antarctic currents on the West Coast near the Cape.
• It is very rare to be pulled over for speeding in South Africa. This became apparent after Adventure Week when we reached ridiculously high speeds on both highways and main roads, without a second glance from a cop.

"Simplicity Brings Happiness" by Kristen Chrismer

“My Mom Away From Home”

This past week we had the opportunity to visit Sir Lowry’s Pass. To reiterate what others have said, it truly was a life-impacting experience. For me personally, I had the honor of meeting my mom for the next two weeks, Mrs. Fiela. Mrs. Fiela is truly one of the most genuine, gracious, and loving person I have ever met. Just being in her presence puts me in a better mood. Her immense faith and heart is evident through her actions and simple conversation. She immediately welcomed us into her home with open arms and shared her journey with our group. The struggles she has overcome have molded her into the wonderful lady that she is and motivates me to try and be a better person. Spending time with her as well as her family taught me how the simple joys in life are what are truly rewarding in the end. Material luxuries are obviously nice to have, but I honestly did realize that when it comes down to it, essentially faith, family, and friends are the genuine joys of life. Mrs. Fiela truly is an inspiration and the epitome of a woman I strive to be and I am more than blessed to be able to spend this special time with her throughout this trip.

"America vs. South Africa" by Jason Hafford

Any time you leave the country, you tend to notice the subtle
differences between home and abroad. Here are a few from Cape Town:

America has stop lights. South Africans call them "Robots".

America has fast food. South Africa has Steers Burgers and KFC on EVERY corner.

America has ketchup. South Africa has 1000 Island and BBQ sauce for burgers.

America has Six Flags. South Africa has the Worlds Tallest Bungee Jump.

America has petting zoos. South Africa has Shark Diving with Great Whites.

America has rush hour traffic. South Africa has Elephant road blocks.

America has football, baseball, and basketball. South Africa has rugby, cricket, and the 2010 FIFA World Cup!

While there are obviously differences between the two countries it is
ultimately the similarities and relationships that make this a special
place. I thoroughly enjoyed staying up late into the night talking
SEC football with a Canadian tourist at a hostel and realizing that
McDonald's will deliver McFlurrys to your hotel room. Moments like
these remind you that in the end people really aren't that different
even if they are separated by the Atlantic Ocean.

"See Everything Possible" by Lauren Shuler

Top Ten Things You Must Do While in Cape Town:

1. You must hike up Table Mountain. Yes it is a struggle, but the view from the top is absolutely breathtaking.

2. You must dance to the song “Stereo Love” at a bar Long Street. Everybody goes crazy when this song comes on.

3. You must try springbok. While it sounds gross at first, it is actually delicious and taste like pot roast.

4. You must bungee off Bloukrans Bridge. It is the world’s tallest bungee and an adrenaline rush like nothing you have ever felt.

5. You must visit Robben Island. With the apartheid being such a big part of South Africa’s history, you must go see where Nelson Mandela spent most of his time imprisoned.

6. You must ride an elephant. It is amazing to see these massive animals close up. Riding one is a chance of a lifetime.

7. You must visit the Green Market. It is full of great souvenirs. It has everything you could imagine from tapestries to funky tribal jewelry to fun colorful African tunics. Make sure to bargain well with the vendors.

8. You must go eat brunch at Manna Epicure on Kloof Street. This local bakery is decorated so cute and the eggs are to die for. Also they have great homemade bread. YUM.

9. Enjoy an amazing cup of African coffee. Everywhere I go the coffee is so good I can’t get enough of it!

10. Go to Franschhoek wine lands and visit a vineyard. It is a such a cute little town and the drive from there to Cape Town is something out of movie it is so beautiful. It is such a neat experience to get to see how all the wine is made and tasting it is fun too!

"My Top 10" by Emily Roach

My Top 10 Favorite Memories from Cape Town Week 2:

1. Reaching the top of Table Mountain, and being greeted with a slushy from one of my friends. The slushy and the view fostered an environment perfect for reflection and a new found respect for my foreign environment.

2. Watching Rugby in a local bar. I met a student who attends my university, and loved watching a thrilling, aggressive, sport.

3. Meeting Nelson Mandela’s former cell mate on Robben Island. He opened up and shared with our group the ways he smuggled news into the prison, and the mindset he kept in order to survive. His story caused me to reflect on how blessed I am to live in such a wonderful and free society.

4. Spending the night in Sir Lowry’s Pass. My house mom, Miss Sus, was immediately hospitable upon my arrival. She withheld no information and cooked an incredible pasta dish for supper.

5. Meeting an extremely smart 12-year-old boy in Sir Lowry’s Pass. He had interests in my home, reading, and the sounds of New York City, that I often forget to cherish. He was different from the other children. He hated rugby, and said he had more fun learning. This is rare in American children, and we should all learn from his passion.

6. Going to the vineyard in Franschhoek. We met the owners of the vineyard, and learned the proper way to taste wine, and differentiate the various tastes. My group, the Bafana Bafanas, bonded while tasting the unique wines.

7. The Darius Goes West video. If you haven’t seen Darius Goes West, you should. Seriously, YouTube it. The video is inspiring, and will make everyone reconsider the way they treat others.

8. Bartering in the Green Market. Today, Monday, I went to the local market where vendors sell souvenirs like soccer jerseys, jewelry and tapestries. My dad is a lawyer, and my mom has always said that I am clearly my “father’s daughter.” Today, I understood our similarities. I loved bartering with the locals and working the vendors down to my desired prices.

9. Watching the sunset from my balcony at Lagoon Beach. Two of my favorite things are the beach and boating. This week, I have a point to pay more attention to the sunset. Last day, I saw a sail boat fading into the distance and the sun slipped behind the horizon. While it sounds cliché, it was one of the most poetic scenes I have ever witnessed.

10. Seeing the entire global lead group out at Cubanas. Cubanas is a “salsa dancing” bar in Cape Town. While I never actually saw people salsa dancing, I saw every person from Global L.E.A.D, and finally realized that I have made one hundred new friends in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

“Caging My Fears” by Claire McDonald

Nothing can send someone an adrenaline rush when you’re swimming in the ocean and you think you see a shark fin in the distance. So, how do you think I felt floating in a cage with an undersized wetsuit staring one in the face? Interesting, to say the least.

Sharks have never been my cup of tea. Even when I was younger on beach trips, I was always paranoid that I would get eaten. When I heard we were going to go shark cage diving, there was a huge part of me that had absolutely no desire to go, and seeing that I had an option, I highly considered skipping. However, I knew it was something I was going to regret if I didn’t do it. After a 5 AM wake up call and a two-hour bus ride, it was time to go. I was anxious on the boat ride out, and made the ultimate decision that I would go in the first group, just to get rid of my anxiety. It ended up being the best decision ever.

I put on an incredibly smelly wetsuit and snorkel and hopped in the cage. Almost immediately, one of the members of the crew told me to go under and look straight ahead. Not even ten feet ahead of me was the biggest great white shark I had ever seen. Granted, I don’t think I’ve actually ever seen one in person, but it was still huge. For the next twenty minutes or so, I saw sharks up close and personal. The crew even drew the shark in so close that I could almost feel its tail whipping towards me. Needless to say, I’m so glad I faced my fear and took advantage of this opportunity. If given the chance, I would definitely do it again.

“Pay It Forward” by Madeline Tanner

So far, my time here in Capetown has been unreal. It’s only 2 weeks into the trip and I have experienced so many different things, overcame more obstacles, and seen more beautiful places than I have in my lifetime. One of my favorite parts of the trip so far has been the lectures. Hearing about the impact others have made in the world really encourages me (and I’m sure most everyone else on this trip) to make an impact in the world. After we spent the night in Sir Lowry’s Pass, we were all given 10 Rand during our lecture and were told to add, multiply, subtract or divide this money to do something for someone else. The father at the house in the township that I stayed in had told me that some of the children have to be sponsored to go to school. So my goal for paying it forward? Anonymously sponsor a child in Sir Lowry’s Pass to go to school. Wish me luck!

"Life is Adventure" by Andrew Meaney

A quick recap of my 2^nd week in Cape Town…

Monday – 3 pet birds (Lorenzo, Dubs, and J Cole) and 4 noise complaints later… and we’re still allowed to stay at the hotel.

Tuesday – Snowboarding… on sand dunes. We made ramps, slid down on our butts, and just had one heck of a good time out there with some friends. Our guide, Christo, decided to show off for us by jumping off this huge drop he had never done before and probably getting about 3 or 4 meters in the air. Unfortunately, he ate it... hard. Next was Groves, a first time sandboarder who landed the same jump to perfection.

Wednesday – WOW. We started the day off at 6:30am with a brisk hike up Table Mountain – much more difficult than many of us anticipated, but it made us appreciate the unbelievable views much more once we reached the top. We hiked above the clouds to create our bucket lists that had no limits.

Thursday – A dozen of us did something we never thought we would do today – we jumped out of a plane! I felt like a little kid again and was laughing uncontrollably the whole 30 seconds that I was free falling before the parachute deployed. The best duo to go up in the plane together had to have been Katy and Graham. Katy was extremely scared before going, so Graham was inevitably the best partner to calm her down on the 10,000 ft. flight up. They both got videos, and Katy’s showed her fear since she was holding on to her harness for dear life the entire descent until she touched solid ground. But she did it! Graham’s video is priceless as well, and everyone on Global LEAD should watch it sometime before leaving the country. Put it on the bucket list.

Friday – This is the day we visited Robben Island, the place where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned, and we were showed around by his cell mate, Ahmed Kathrada. He educated us on what it was like to live in that jail for 18 years and described Robben Island as a microcosm of apartheid in South Africa. Kathrada is an Indian whereas Mandela is a colored man, and they received differential treatment, even in jail. Ahmed Kathrada would get ¼ loaf of bread a day. Mandela would get none. Kathrada was allowed to wear pants whereas Mandela was required to wear shorts. Hearing Kathrada talk really hit home and showed me how prevalent and real apartheid was, even in the isolation of Robben Island.

Saturday – The majority of the Springboks traveled to Cape Point yesterday, the destination where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans collide. This was an extremely rugged and beautiful place with gorgeous views of mountains butting up against the edges of the water. One of the highlights of this trip occurred as we were leaving the Cape of Good Hope to go up to the lighthouse for some better views of the area. We saw a baboon that came close to us and decided to take some pictures. The baboon zoomed right past us, heading straight for an unsuspecting van where he jumped through the driver side window. The best part is that the baboon invaded the car right over a sleeping Asian man who bolted out of the door as soon as he awoke and realized that a baboon was in his van eating his food! The Asian fellow opened up all the doors and tried to beat the baboon out with a jacket – an effective way to piss off a wild monkey and encourage him to eat the rest of the food in your car. This went on for a good 5 minutes, and much of the madness was captured in pictures by the 50 of us surrounding the car.

It has been a fairly fun week to say the least…

"Into the Wild" by Will Badcock

We have just finished our second full week here in Cape Town and the adventures never end. My two newest adventures came this past weekend and they did not disappoint. First, we made the trek to Cape Point on Saturday to witness what happens when two oceans collide. Let me tell you, the sight was….. not a Fantasia moment. There were no giant collisions of differing tides or huge walls of water that came crashing down around us, but it was an extremely beautiful view. I took loads of pictures of the scenery but no picture will ever do the sight justice.

But, the view and standing at the Cape of Good Hope was not the adventure.

No, the adventure began when we were heading back to the bus and I saw a baboon running across the parking lot. I watched it run up to a white van then jump into the driver seat via the open window. The snoozing Asian man in the driver seat looked as if he would jump out of his skin when he realized what had happened and flung himself out of the car as fast as he could. The baboon didn’t care that he had disturbed the man’s nap; he had smelled food and he was hungry. The baboon climbed into the backseat where he began to open bags of chips and other assorted foods and then proceeded to chow down. It took about 10 minutes to get the baboon out of the van and when he finally did get out, he took a pack of crackers for the road.

My most recent adventure occurred Sunday when 43 of us woke up before dawn to drive 2 hours all so we could get in the freezing Indian Ocean with countless Great White Sharks. These animals are enormous. They exude power and efficiency; and being less than 5 feet from them underwater is quite an experience.

“Live Out Loud” By: Melissa Guidry

My three-word shout out “Live Out Loud” has been my theme this entire trip, to do everything possible with not regrets. Well today was no exception on our visit to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope. I kept pushing my boundaries and took risk, like scaling the side of a cliff to get to a point I wanted to go, and I wouldn’t have enjoyed the moment as much if I hadn’t.
The view was indescribable. My camera could never truly capture the beauty of this land. So instead of focusing on what my camera couldn’t do, I did what I could: enjoy the moment and the beauty surrounding me.

We even saw penguins today and had a close encounter with an ostrich! But the real treats were the baboons! Our first encounter, several baboons took the leisure of relaxing… on the middle of the road! My second encounter was at Cape Point when I was returning to the bus. I had just bought a can of soda, and the cashier told me to hide my can because the baboons love soda. I thought nothing of it until I saw a baboon grab on to Samantha as she walked by! They were so entertaining.

So, in my every attempt to live out loud, I try to live out what I think would be fun… fyi they really are fun. I try to not focus on what’s to be put on facebook but what’s right in front of me. And I try to make the best of every situation by exploring all the possibilities that can exist.
I have no regrets of “I wish I would have done that”, and I can only hope the other people on this trip are doing the same because this—being in amazing Cape Town, South Africa with 100 other students—we will never experience again. I almost can’t believe this experience is real and already half way done.

So thanks Global LEAD for the amazing time so far, I look forward to the next half being just as incredible.