Updates!

So after sorting out the whole mess with my address (they were sending things to Easton), I finally received my official acceptance to the University of Cape Town!

As you can see, this place is gorgeous. Now, I loved, and still love, Ithaca, both the college and the city. It's the perfect suburban college town, with lots of things to do, natural beauty, and great views of Cayuga Lake, especially from campus. But Ithaca pales in comparison to UCT. Located in one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, the main campus is situated on the base of a mountain, and is minutes away from lovely beaches. I've only seen pictures so far, but some of the views from the mountain tops, both of the city itself and the nearby Atlantic Ocean (take THAT, Cayuga Lake!), are absolutely magnificent. I'm definitely going to need to get my camera fixed before heading there.

I got my housing information too, and THANKFULLY I won't have to repeat the, for lack of a better word, interesting freshman dormitory experience. Actually, my experience wasn't too bad--the worst part was the floor bathroom, and the horrifying condition in which it would almost invariably end up during the weekend, when the cleaning staff was off-duty. That's something every college student should experience, I think, but only once, which is why I'm thrilled to have been placed in a campus apartment. I'll have three roommates at the most, but we each have our own, large-for-college, single bedrooms, with a shared bathroom and full kitchen. These residences are usually reserved for second-year students, or students over 21, like myself, which (hopefully) means that there's a better chance I'll have relatively more mature roommates. And I can cook, which means saving money on food, and not wasting food with a traditional meal plan. (With a meal plan, you pay even if you don't eat--say you skip lunch to study? You're still paying. Decide to eat off campus with some friends? You're still paying. Not to mention the un-eaten food that gets made by the foodservice staff, that probably gets discarded at the end of the day...) Being able to cook and having an apartment means I can also entertain...Hey, girl, hey!

So of course, now I'm in the OCD stages--planning, making shopping lists, researching airfare (it's a 14+ hour drive, NOT doing that again with a packed car; plus it's cheaper to fly), getting advice from current students/alumni via Facebook, etc. And of course, counting down 'til February 3....

***

In other news, it's still warm. I feel like it's been summer since June. Granted it was "cold" here in June and July, but it never got below 40 degrees F. Now, I wake up and it's already 68, usually getting to the mid-70s by afternoon. If the weather could stay like this all summer, it'd be great, but I know it's going to get hotter...yuck. The weird part about that is that, it's NOVEMBER. It should NOT be this warm. I love the cold months, so this is definitely something to get used to. (Feel free to email me scanned copies of maple leaves. Kthanks.) I've been checking the weather patterns in Cape Town (CT) as well, and it doesn't seem to get as warm there, which is nice. But I've heard notorious things about CT weather, most notably that it often changes two or three times during the day, and that you should always carry an umbrella and an extra piece of warm clothing to throw on, because at some point, you'll probably need it. If that's true, the unpredictability of that is sort of exciting to me...and I'd rather take those kinds of conditions over sweltering heat any day.

No to mention the fact that I'm missing cold-weather institutions like Thanksgiving and the usual things that come along with it--the Easton/P'burg game, the Bonfire at the high school, the candle lighting in the circle, seeing old friends, the food, and of course, Black Friday. In the stores, I've already seen Christmas decorations for sale... as I walked up and down the aisles in a t-shirt and shorts. My friend Alan asked for a picture of a menorah and a palm tree, and it certainly looks like I won't have any trouble finding that!

***

It's rather interesting to see all of the changes that the world is going through, and to realize my generation, and those that follow, will have be extraordinarily creative--and prayerful-- to find unconventional solutions for our problems. It's equal parts scary and exciting, but I'd rather be excited. Excited to work hard and to make an impact. There's certainly no shortage of issues to deal with...

And it's definitely interesting to see where all of my fellow high school graduates have ended up post-college...some teaching, some traveling, some entering the corporate world, and others that just make you say, wow! My friend Neil, for instance, was recently working in Wyoming with the Deer Habitat Initiative, doing field research in the desert and woods around Saratoga. Another friend moved to Australia. Of course that makes me feel better about moving across the world--at least I'm not the only one! This move made me realize how much I want to travel though. I'd love to live in a few more different countries before I'm 40, and the way things are going, I'm well on my way towards that goal! People keep telling me to write a book...

***

SIDEBAR: If you have children, or know someone who does, you might encourage them to take a closer look at their childcare. I have a friend here whose three-year-old daughter had soap put in her mouth by the director of her daycare simply because they "lost patience." In the mother's own words:

"When I arrived to fetch my daughter, one of her friends (3yrs) says "Morgan's crying , she had soap in her mouth 'cause she was talking". No teacher approached me. No teacher came to get my attention, or for that matter made any attempt to talk to me. So I asked the teacher about this, she confirmed it very firmly. Her words " We Lost Patience" ( these are daycare tachers of children from 2-5 years!) Apparantly after talking through sandwich time, not responding to being humiliated by standing in the middle of a circle of adults and teachers, consistant ignoring of teacher and possibly climbing a fence.....she was sent to the head mistress," who put soap in her mouth.

After reading my friend Tanyetta's story about how her child, along with the rest of his class, was left unattended outside during recess (Tanyetta was later told that she had "unrealistic expectations" after assuming that someone would always be doing their job--watching the children), and hearing this one, I encourage all of you to check on your childcare! We don't want things like this happening unneccessarily to any more children. Don't be afraid to take action!

***

I'll end this post by with a question. Last month my dad and I took a trip to the south-eastern part of the country to visit some old friends of his, a couple who he's known since before I was born. It was a very nice trip, but one thing left me slightly puzzled/uncomfortable.

While casually chatting with the Mrs. on our first night there, I mentioned that I cook.

The next day, and for the rest of the week, she levied the daily kitchen duties to me. I was to decide and plan a menu for each night, and cook it.

Now, I like cooking, and I think--and have been told--that I'm good at it. I cook here at home because my dad doesn't know how (he can, however, turn eggs into baseballs simply by boiling them for 3 HOURS).

But, well, for all intents and purposes, we were on vacation at this couple's home. We were visitors.

Now I understand the whole friends-who-are-family thing, and how I would be included in that, as I am their friend's son. And I certainly don't mind helping out in the kitchen. And to be fair, both Mr. and Mrs. worked during the day. I cooked, and everything was delicious, of course :-)

But, as a visitor, specifically a first-time visitor, should I be expected to be responsible for every meal, even down to the grocery shopping? Isn't the point of being a visitor, and a guest in someone's home, to take some time off??? I mean, sure, we're familiar, but that familiar? So soon? In my opinion, I should know you for at least a month before it's ok for me to know where you keep your sugar honey iced tea (thanks, Tanyetta!). Am I crazy?

***

...Ironically, I'm off to cook now.

Listen: "Radio" - Beyoncé

Beautiful!

Regardless of your personal politics, or what you thought of the election's outcome, I know you will appreciate this:





























































































Listen: "Eye to Eye" - Tevin Campbell

Cravings! (Thanks, Tanyetta!)

Foods I've missed from the US:

-Bagels!
-Bacon Blue-Cheeseburgers from Brew Works
-Subway
-Pizza (Not that Domino's crap-- pizza made by REAL Italians)
-Kraft Macaroni & Cheese (don't hate, you know you love it.)
-Ellio's!


-Taco Bell (After 1 AM, Taco Bell becomes extremely delicious, and is almost always worth the time spent in the bathroom afterwards. Trust.)
-Plantains! (Although maybe I can find those here, so there's hope.)
-Breyer's/Edy's/Ben & Jerry's


There are probably a few more, but I'm making myself really hungry right now, and there's already enough drool in my keyboard....





Listen: "Gettin' in the Way (Live)" - Jill Scott

Right Your Wrongs

I'm pretty certain that everybody has a story or experience in which they offended someone, but for whatever reason has yet to apologize for their actions. Perhaps you didn't realize the effect you had until it was too late. Perhaps you think too much time has passed for your apology to sound sincere. Maybe you're struggling with that guilt everyday but have no idea, or are too ashamed, to make things right. Perhaps you feel that the gap between you and the people you've hurt is too great to mend.

My advice is simple: just do it. Even if it's been years and years, just do it. Often we don't realize just how far reaching our actions can be--they have to power to influence people for years and years. Even if you can't be there in person to express your contrition, make a phone call, write a letter, hire a skywriter--do something. Perhaps that simple action will make all the difference. And even if it doesn't, maybe you'll even sleep a little better at night knowing that you've done your best. Part of growing, I believe, is not only learning how your mistakes affect you, but realizing their effects on others, and humbling yourself enough to admit your imperfections. Imagine how much more fulfilling our relationships with each other would be if everyone was willing to admit their faults. Or how much more we would respect each other if we were willing to do whatever it takes to make things right. So, do it! You have the power!

I guarantee you that you'll be a much happier person if you do. By showing others enough respect to admit what you've done wrong, you'll be better able to respect yourself.

A Day in the Life, Pt. 3

Shopping

Yes, this is important, so wipe that look off your face.

Shopping is very interesting here. It starts from the most basic of levels, some of which I'd never even seen before, to levels which I honestly thought I wouldn't see until I became a multi-billionaire. Here you will find everything.

One thing to get used to is the "hawkers," people selling their wares on the side of the road. Come to almost any intersection, and you'll find a man/group of men trying to sell various items. If my camera hadn't decided to retire (grrr), I'd have pictures for you, but instead I'll just list some of the things I've seen for sale, roadside: coat hangers, sunglasses, water bottles, tires, wicker furniture, baskets, candy, fruit, cell phone chargers, garbage bags, toys...just to name a few. This is also where a lot of advertising takes place, as companies or small businesses will often place people at various intersections to pass out fliers or coupons. I can't imagine having to be out there, standing amidst crazy traffic, trying to sell things to motorists who for the most part, ignore you, but I'm told that for these people, it's either stand there and sell, or, well, starve. Some of them can't get jobs for whatever reason and are forced to find some way to provide for themselves and their families. I must say I comment their courage, because the way people drive around here...

That being said, there are, of course, more "traditional" methods of purchasing items. There are many shopping centers/complexes, just like any other country, I suppose. If you've seen one supermarket/hardware store/whatever, you've basically seen them all.

There are of course the mainstream department/specialty stores that you'd find in any mall (occasionally I'm surprised to see what I thought was exclusively a US store, i.e., the Body Shop). I do, however, miss some of my favorites: H&M, and Express Men. I liked these stores because they always had something that catered to my needs/wants/size. Clothing there was classy, refined, and elegant, while still being fresh and youthful, and best of all, AFFORDABLE. Their T-shirts don't double as wearable billboards, and thankfully aren't full of crass sexual innuendos. I've found similar stores here, though, so on that front I can rest easy and won't become a fashion disaster anytime soon. You don't really see traditional African articles of clothing in those types of stores though; for those you would probably need to find some sort of open-air market, or find somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody, etc.

One thing that puzzles me is that I've seen quite a few people wearing Abercrombie & Fitch/American Eagle clothes, which is somewhat confusing considering I haven't seen one of those stores here, although it's possible they're imported. A lot of that happens here, which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in the sense that, if you can't find what you want here, you can have it imported, but a curse in the sense that it's probably going to be more expensive than it would be if you were to purchase the item in its country of origin. I suppose that has something to do with avoiding the fluctuations in currency, as well as covering import/export/customs fees and taxes, but still, annoying. (Anybody want to buy me a MacBook Pro? Kthanks.)

And then there are the stores that come as a sort of surprise. Technically, they shouldn't be, since many companies are international, and obviously for these companies to stay in business here, people would have to be purchasing their various products, but it still is a surprise sometimes. I went to a mall in Hyde Park (north of Johannesburg) a few weeks ago, for instance, and saw an Audemar-Piguet store. In case you don't know, Audemar-Piguet is a Swiss luxury brand of fine jewellery and watches, with prices for watches averaging in the $20,000 zone. They are some beautiful watches, not gonna lie. In the same general area, there was a Lamborghini/Aston Martin dealership, and we were behind a Bentley or two in the afternoon traffic. We all know that the people who can afford such things usually get them, and I'm certainly not demonizing brands like these or the people who enjoy them (my birthday is in 10 months). I think it was just jarring for me to see that kind of luxury brand, thriving in a country where, just a few miles away from the store, you'd surely find someone offering a quick window wash so they could feed their families, or a family walking around barefoot, and not by choice. It's quite a contrast.

Paying for things can also be weird at first, because of the differences in currency--sometimes it's a slight shock to hear and see what things cost here. If my dad and I go out to eat, we average about R150 for the two of us. At first glance, I think, "A hundred and fifty bucks?! For two entrees and drinks? WTH?!" But then I remember to do my conversions, only to realize that R120 equals about $25 or so (at least, it did before the global economy imploded). Perhaps the good thing about that sort of thinking is that I'll be more keen to spend as little as possible.

The "nice" thing is that, coming into this country with dollars, I kinda feel like one of the disciples must have felt as Jesus was feeding the 5,000: you start off with a certain amount, change it over, an it multiplies! What fun. You can be sure I'm going to ride that wave for as long as I can.



Listen: "Damn, I Said It First" - Nikka Costa

Note to Cameraman: Strike While You Have the Chance!

Honestly. I need to find the people who took this picture, specifically the person holding the video camera, and find out why he didn't hit when he had the chance. He was already standing that close to Robert Mugabe (center), so why would he hesistate?! I'm sure that camera is heavy enough to do some serious cranial damage!

Now before you start calling me a homicidal maniac, slow down. Unless you're an insect and have come into my home/vehicle/ general 10-mile-radius without an invitation, you will probably never see my violent side.

And I'm assuming by now that you know who Robert Mugabe is (President of Zimbabwe for the last 28 years); if you don't, now is a good time to come out from under that rock. Long story short, his behavior is tyrannical, and it's alleged that he uses fear, intimidation, threats and often, actual incidences of violence to fix voting to ensure he stays in power (even though he lost the March election, he's holding the presidency in a death-grip, literally). Under his "leadership," Zimbabwe's economy continues to spiral downward, and experiences hyperinflation (1 US Dollar = 505 Zimbabwean Dollars; even Monopoly money is worth more!); the people who can actually afford the food suffer from food shortages (shortages meaning no food, no where); and the nations infrastructure seems to be crumbling. Even while facing international ridicule, sanctions, and pressures, he refuses to resign, even after so long in office.

He and the main opposition party in Zimbabwe, the Movement for Democratic Change (the party that actually won the Election), signed a power-sharing agreement back in September, but of course, any positive results from that event have yet to materialize. Zimbabweans--those that survive, anyway--are leaving the country in droves, fleeing to the nearest borders, not to defect, or emigrate, or protest--simply to live.

This is why we need people like Jason Bourne to be real, and not fictional. There is WORK to be done! Come on, CIA! Or they could use Daniel Craig to knock him out, and then put it in the next Bond film.

But even THEY are taking too long. That's why I'm upset with those camera men. Those cameras aren't light. A good thwack or two.... They had the perfect opportunity and they blew it!


On a serious note, though, something needs to be done. I wish there was some way to convince Mr. Mugabe of how badly his country is really suffering, since he obviously can't recognize. I see TV reports everyday of how people there are starving, being forced to sustain themselves on contaminated water, as they become more and more to ill. It's a shame to see that he is more concerned with his status as president than the people he's actually presiding over. I don't understand how you can ride around in government-owned motorcades (consisting of only Benzes and BMWs) while your people die. I love my German cars, but when you are a leader of a country whose people face extinction due to your policies, I believe there are far better things on which to spend your money.


...If nothing changes within Zimbabwe's government soon, there will be nobody left in the country to govern.

Excited!

Ok, building off the last post--

I'm excited to go back to school! I mean, really excited. Finally doing what I want to do!

I've realized that sometimes, when you've dealt with so many painful situations, there's the danger of becoming so used to those situations, that you never really let yourself enjoy the good things in your life. The yoke has already been unlocked, and yet you can still be carrying it around your neck because you don't think you deserve to be happy. But the past is the past for a reason--it's over and done! It doesn't have to dictate who you are or who you will be. If God opened the door, why are you still standing outside?! Go in, take your shoes off and relax! Like mom always said, you can be bitter, or you can be better.

And I'm so much more prepared. This time around, there's a much smaller chance of the financial problems I had previously with school creeping back up again. This time around, I'm better prepared to handle the stresses of an academic, social, and working life. I've learned how to properly manage my time, and when to say no and spend the night in doing work instead. I know how to deal with crazy roommates. I know that all nighters make you look more worn out than a Ford Pinto and should be avoided at all costs (the last time I did that, by 6 AM I was typing and dozing off at the same time and drooling onto the keyboard; not cool, especially when you're in a computer lab). I know that sleeping in too long on Sunday mornings cuts down on available study time. I know the importance of saving money, especially when in college. I know what works and what doesn't work in a dorm room setting (desktop computers are the devil), and I know how to organize and pack things efficiently. I've been able to use this time off to sharpen my cooking and food shopping skills, so that I can make cheap, healthy meals on my own and avoid meal plan costs (and I can even entertain!). I know what type of "friends" to avoid, and what kind of friends to keep, how to handle different situations as an adult, and I know I'm mature enough to let the drama-prone chicken heads do their clucking far, far away from me!

And I'm excited to able to stretch my academic and intellectual muscles again! It's been too long!

And besides, Cape Town is gorgeous!

Listen: "Encourage Yourself" - Donald Lawrence & the Tri-City Singers