"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.