"My Summer 2k10 Dominates all others" By: Julia Ezell

Words can truly not describe the past 13 days and all that they have entailed. Although that statement seems quite cliché, I honestly can’t think of any other way of wording it and I know most others on Global LEAD will say the same. From the initial 24+ hours of traveling to climbing up Table Mountain, the past week and a half in Cape Town, ZA has made my summer 2k10 dominate all others. As if adventure week with bungee jumping, talking elephants, and a Will Ferrell look alike tour guide wasn’t exciting enough, the instant bonds and friendships I formed with the rest of my group was even more special and exhilarating. The second part of my experience has consisted of singing and dancing to nineties’ jams in Dubliners, rave dancing in Chrome, living off a “dollar a day” in Sir Lowry’s Pass, climbing up the Table Mountain, and learning about the different aspects of leadership and life with speeches on Wow, Now, Giving, and Living. All these activities have all been equally rewarding and exciting but each with differing aspects. While I can only hope that the rest of my experience will be half as fun and rewarding as the first 13 days, but I feel as though that it will more than likely be just as amazing if not, even more awesome.

Now, for my lesson on the efficient way to ride an ostrich:
1. Do not be intimidated by this bird’s giant size; considering its brain is smaller than one of its eyeballs, it’s more than likely more scared of you than you are it.
2. In order to keep the icky feathers off of you, a pair of leggings or long pants is essential for the riding experience.
3. In order to maintain stability on the ostrich when it’s frolicking through the pin, you MUST grip its wings with as much strength as possible. Make sure not to grip just the feathers or else you will end up like Devon did and fall on your face.
4. In addition to holding onto the wings, tightly wrapping your legs around the ostrich’s body is essential for keeping composure while riding at a fast pace.
5. Lastly, when the strange men pushing the ostrich around the pin begin to yell “Let go,” take immediate action and release all force from the ostrich. This is the most important step; they get angry if you’re hesitant.
SOUTH AFRICA IS WAF!

"Seize Life Today" By: Jenna Hoglund

How can I describe my time here in South Africa? In one word, it would have to be, amazing. From the people I’ve met to the experiences I’ve had, every minute has been unforgettable. Although I’ve had a hundred incredible experiences, I’ll narrow it down to my top ten all time favorites, simply because I don’t think that there is enough space on this blog to record them all.
10. Learning to sandboard down giant dunes in the world’s second smallest desert just outside of Cape Town (4 square kilometers).
9. Dancing the night away at the Dubliner to classics such as Van Morrison’s “Brown Eyed Girl” and John Mellencamp’s “Jack and Diane.”
8. Bargaining in the Green Market for souvenirs.
7. Visiting a vineyard in the South African wine lands and participating in a private wine tasting with the owner of the vineyard.
6. Going to see the Stormers (one of the South African rugby teams) in action.
5. Hiking to the top of Table Mountain at sunrise.
4. Spending a night in the township with some of the most generous people that I have ever had the privilege of meeting.
3. Swimming in the ocean for the very first time along with learning to surf.
2. Painting the finger nails of a dozen little girls in Sir Lowry’s Pass, and then having them ask to paint mine; I asked them what color they thought would look best and apparently hot pink with silver sparkles is my color (and I must say that I have to agree).
And my number one experience was more of a change in state of mind than an actual experience.
1. I gained a new perspective on what it means to be poor and what is truly important in life. While visiting the township known as Sir Lowry’s Pass, I learned that being monetarily rich does not necessarily make one’s life rich. Although the people of Sir Lowry’s Pass did not have much in the way of material possessions, they were rich in spirit. The extraordinary strong bonds that existed between the friends and family members of the people in Sir Lowry’s Pass is what makes them rich. Even if one were to have all of the money in the world, it would be impossible to buy what they posses.