"40 More Minutes..." By: Matt Barlow

So far my experience in South Africa has been unreal from day one. Cape Town is one of the most beautiful cities in the world and is never boring. I could write a novel about all we have done and seen, but I will try to shorten everything into five unforgettable memories for the sake of this costly internet.
1. Adventure week. Getting the chance to bungee jump, ride an
elephant, quad bike, go dolphin viewing, go on a safari and almost get
trampled by a herd of elephants, zip line through South African gorges,
get a “kiss” from an ostrich, and crawl through the Congo Caves all in
one week.
2. The scenery. There are countless amazing views around every
corner. Pictures cannot even describe what I am getting the chance to
experience personally.
3. Table Mountain. Hiking up the rigorous terrain in order to look
over all of Cape Town.
4. Robben Island. Getting the chance to meet Nelson Mandela’s cell
mate and absorb all that he had to say along with experiencing all the
history that Robben Island displays.
5. Service. My favorite part of the trip so far hands down. Going
to Sir Lowry’s Pass and living with a family there was truly humbling.
They showed me happiness is not in the form of materials, but in the
three most important things in life: faith, family, and friends.

"Most Interesting" By: Blake Porche

Coming to South Africa, I didn't know much history or information about the country, and pretty much nothing about the people from here. After an overly exciting adventure week, I had experienced thrills I never have and some of the best hostiles/bars in the world. The first week back to the Lagoon has been informing in lectures, but the most interesting day has been the trip to Robben Island. Getting toured by Nelson Mandela's cellmate was a great experience, and I feel as though we got an inside peak which most people don't get to experience. From learning the entire history of the apartheid and also seeing how a leader in politics at the time viewed it all was the most I've learned since I've been here (no offense teachers).

"Just Another Day" By: Tyler Mobley

The day started off with what I thought to be a nice, easy stroll up Table Mountain at sunrise. I was wrong. It was a rigorous two hour hike straight up a mountain. I haven't done physical activity like that since football back in high school. The hike was well worth it. When arriving to the top absolutely exhausted we were met with one of the most beautiful views my eyes have witnessed.

The next part of my day was skydiving. Within twenty minutes of getting back to the hotel from table mountain, I was on a bus heading to the skydiving site. In the bus I was terrified. I have never been to good with heights and was absolutely regretting my decision to sign up for this. Somewhere between the bus and arriving to the site my nervous feelings turned to excitement. After talking with the people I felt completely comfortable and was eager to get in the plane and dive. It was amazing. The whole time falling I felt like a five year old on Christmas morning. It was one of the best experiences of my life and something I definitely plan on doing again.

The next part of my incredible day was a trip to a casino. Arriving at the Grand West was like arriving at disney world and I spent equally as much money. After an hour of texas hold em I was out of the money that I felt comfortable losing. Thankfully I was smart enough to cut it off then. Not everybody in the group was as lucky.

The day had to eventually come to an end. I arrived back at the hotel around 2:30 AM. I laid and bed and reflected on the day I had. Before I could begin to think back on the day my alarm was going off. It was time to begin yet another day.

"Thoughts on Capetown" By: Chelsea Biele

After being in Cape Town for only 12 days, I have already learned that taking action is the only way to truly make the most of the trip.

C is for conquer.
Just 2 days ago, our entire group of 100 plus students climbed all the way to the top of Table Mountain- that’s 3,563 feet or 1,086 meters in elevation! It was truly an accomplishment to look out and see just how high we had climbed.
A is for adapt.
Being over 8,100 miles away from home in the U.S., we have had to adjust to a new environment with different ideals, social norms, and ways of life. Adapting to be accepted here has been a challenge when others stereotype you as “obnoxious, un-educated, drunk Americans”. (direct quote from Jürgan the German)
P is for persevere.
Today, we visited Robben Island with special guest accompanying us-Nelson Mandela’s cellmate for 18 years. He shared his experience and demonstrated how both are truly living examples of what it means to never give up. Instead of repeating the cycle of violence that stemmed from the Apartheid, the men survived the hardship of imprisonment, rose above it, and did not seek revenge, but instead made positive change.
E is for explore.
Cape Town has so much to offer whether it is the shopping, dining, or nightlife. We have ventured to the Green Market to haggle for some trinkets as well as tested out as many restaurants and bars as possible. There is no time to waste when there is a new discovery around every corner.
T is for test.
At the core of this trip has been to do something out of your comfort zone and truly test your limits. I’ve already gotten to pet a baby cheetah and spend the night in a township, which are things I never would have foreseen myself doing. Skydiving, shark cage diving, bungee jumping, and elephant riding are on the list for next week.
O is for offer.
We spent the entire week last week learning the true meaning of giving in Sir Lowry’s Pass. I really got to know my family through storytelling, dancing, and rapping all night long. I was able to offer them my knowledge and encouragement as well as show them love.
W is for wonder.
For lunch yesterday, some of us walked to the lighthouse and ate at Maestro’s right on the water. We had a perfect view of Table Mountain and the entire city of Cape Town. It is important to stop and admire the scenery because otherwise you’ll miss out on one of the most beautiful cities in the world.
N is for navigate.
After learning the Power of Living, Giving, Wow, and Now, I have realized how important it is to figure out what I want to do in life. The only way to get there is by plotting a course to follow. Whether or not that course has it’s detours will only make the voyage that much more interesting.

“Prove Yourself Wrong” By: Helen King

“Do you think I could go on this trip and not skydive because you know me and that. ain’t. happenin.” This exact sentence was what was written in the e-mail I sent to my parents above the link to Global L.E.A.D Cape Town. My parents replied later that day, assuring me that no one would make me do anything I was not comfortable with. So, with my parents’ support and my love for great white sharks biting at my heels (literally?), I decided to sign up for the trip. To this day, I am not really sure why I did. I have always been an overly cautious person and have felt strongly about what I did not want to do: no roller coasters, no cruises, no plane rides (which never seemed to stop my parents from booking transatlantic flights for the family sans discussion), among other things I was not willing to do, but CERTAINLY I was NEVER going to skydive. Have you seen those shows were the parachute doesn’t open and people die? Well, I have so count. me. out.

Well, I did sign up for the trip and I did fly over 20 hours in a plane over the course of one (maybe two? …I lost track) days. (Side note: can’t Delta just order Domino’s for the whole flight and call it a day? )

Since I first arrived in Cape Town, my view of myself has changed drastically. I spent the night in a township on a dollar a day, danced with creepy South Africans at a club (for about 2 seconds, but it counts!), and climbed Table Mountain (the most rigorous, but rewarding hikes of my life). And none of it was that bad (okay, maybe the South African dancing part). But, most importantly, I skydived. I did the thing that I said I would never, ever do. And it was definitely one of the best moments of my life. Not only was the feeling and experience incredible, but most importantly, I proved myself wrong. I thought I could never do it and I did. So, take that, self!

"Stop at Steers" By: Scott Franzen

The experience of Cape Town thus far has been too great to sum up into a small blog. The trip has been full of highs and lows, and for my blog I have chosen to share a few of my top emotional highs with all of you reading this at home:

Top 10 Emotional Highs:
1.) Bungee jumping – one of the most peaceful, liberating experiences of my life
2.) Cage diving with great whites – getting over my biggest fear…sharks
3.) Sunset cruise – the scenic view of Table Mountain
4.) Hiking table mountain – overcoming physical barriers to reach an incredible view of the city
5.) Meeting Nelson Mandela’s cellmate – never in my life have I been so humbled by this tour of Robben Island
6.) Having our van surrounded by elephants on the safari – an overwhelming vision of the power of nature
7.) Our night spent in Sir Lowry’s Pass – I have never been so thankful for the simple luxuries of life
8.) Caving – an adventurous experience into history
9.) 6 Hour car rides on adventure week – I was able to make new friendships and share experiences
10.) Meeting Wesley at the hostel – a true symbol of South African Hospitality and a mirror to model myself after

So far, my time at Cape Town cannot possibly be written down in words, but I believe these 10 key points have been the most memorable of them all. My experiences here are far from over and I know that I have many more emotional highs to come, especially with service week in my near future. I know that when time comes for me to return to the US I will not be ready, and I can only hope that I will experience all that is key to have a true South African experience.

"Take a Stand" By: Meagan Bourne

We had heard of Nelson Mandela, seen the movie Invictus, and learned about apartheid. The next step was to take a trip to Robben Island where he was held prisoner for 28 years. However, it wouldn’t be just any trip to the Island. We would have our tour guided by Nelson Mandela’s prison mate, Ahmed Kathrada.

The day started with a short film about Nelson Mandela followed by two guest speakers. Then around 12:00 we loaded the buses where we arrived at the V&A Waterfront for a 1:00 departure to Robben Island. When we arrived, we made our way through the prison passing by each individual cell, not much bigger than a closet. Passing by Mandela’s cell, it was hard to imagine spending so many years there and then going on to lead a country towards equality. At the end of the cells, we all gathered in a larger room and listened to Kathrada’s recollection of his time spent in the prison. As he talked about chiseling rocks during the day, going to church on Sundays, and bartering for any piece of news they could find, it was unbelievable to think of the journey he and Mandela had gone through.

Sitting on the ferry back to Cape Town, I realized that sitting right behind me was Nelson Mandela’s prison mate talking to the granddaughter of a past African National Congress president while a Pulitzer Prize winning author was standing just a few feet away from them (these were the two guest speakers from this morning). It was an incredible and privileged experience that I will remember forever. So, my three words to the world are “Take a stand.” Even when the prisoners were arrested and thought they were facing the death sentence, they never stopped fighting for what they believed and became important figures to change South Africa forever.

“Bucket List Time” By: Taylor Cardwell

South Africa is a place where one should go to complete his or her bucket list. No matter what activities that you enjoy participating in, South Africa will have it. You might be a hiker; well you could always climb Table Mountain. You might like swimming; well you could cage dive with Great White Sharks. You might be crazy; well you could jump out of a plane to skydive or off a bridge to bungee jump. There are also plenty of places to shop and tons on wine vineyards for those people who like to keep their feet more grounded. Those cat lovers out there could go to the Cheetah Outreach and pet cheetahs. If you love playing with kids and can resist making someone truly happy you can visit Sir Lowry’s Pass where “out of energy” is just some the kids do not experience. There is plenty of rugby and even the World Cup for all of those sports fans. The point is that South Africa has it all and I would like to share some of the things that I will be checking off of my bucket list on this trip.
1. Bungee Jump (off the 2nd highest bungee jump in the world.)
2. Pet a Wild Animal (the cheetahs)
3. Climb a mountain (Table Mountain)
4. Learn to surf
5. Cage Dive with Great White Sharks
6. Go on a Safari
7. Go to a World Cup match

"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!

"Don’t Believe It" By: Kent Cawley

Yesterday morning we hiked a portion of Table Mountain. That was an incredible experience. We hiked for over an hour on some very rough terrain, but it was definitely worth it once we reached the top. The picture I included was a picture from a look out spot on top of Table Mountain. Don’t believe what you see in this picture because this picture does not really capture what we saw up on Table Mountain. The picture can only describe a piece of the magnificence we experienced. This is one of my favorite experiences on this study abroad thus far. It was awesome to see Cape Town from the top, and I would say that this is definitely one of the must see/do things in South Africa.