Well, it's sort of surreal to actually be here. I mean it was surreal to be in South Africa a week ago, just because this is the country I've been looking forward to since Day 1....but to be in Plettenberg for a month, studying and working...that's SUPER surreal.
I'm sitting at a restaurant that has Wifi right now drinking a Macadamia Frappe (it's really good!) in the middle of Plett's main street. There are boutiques and cafes and sports/surf shops all along the road, nice cars, roads that are fully intact. There are ice cream shops and delis and people in cute beach clothes everywhere. It's a relaxed town, a true beach town. I'm about an 8 minute walk from the beach right now. (Mind you it's down a steep hill that is grueling (for me at least) to climb up again--but i'll be in really good shape by the end of my month here!) We have our seminars in a restaurant right on the beach--we hear it and smell it the whole time we're discussing HIV/AIDS and public health. My house, which is also housing Kasha, Mckinley, Alex, Maddie, Eirann, and Lauren, is about a five minute walk from Plett's main street. And it's awesome. There are four bedrooms, a real kitchen, fresh fruit, a pool, clean tap water, a WASHER, a coffee maker...the list could go on. Our "host dad," if you can call him that, is named Bruce. I wish I could describe him....he's pretty hardcore. Bruce is a surfer and loves nature. He has spent time in the South African army, sailed part of the globe on a yacht, lived in Botswana, volunteered with HIV positive patients, and is now working with plant medicines for various diseases. He's been fun to be around, and all of us are enjoying ourselves.
I started work with my careworker this past Monday. My carer's name is Marie, but it's pronounced MAH-ree, not Muh-REE. :) I'm working in Kurland village with McKinley and her careworker Sindiswa. We are having a blast together. We have a couple difficult cases; one man has Parkinson's, and he's so sweet. I am enjoying getting to know my patients.
On Wednesday Marie, Sindiswa, McKinley, and I all went to church at the Methodist church in Kurland. The service was very Methodist, but the music was very African. I loved it. Marie led the singing, and I really enjoyed getting to see how they worshiped. And it was just SO GREAT to be at church!
Yesterday I went bungee jumping off the highest bungee bridge in the world with nine of my friends--SO CRAZY! It was literally the most insane experience of my life. I have some really great pictures that I'll try to post soon. I can't say that bungee jumping is something I will ever do again, but I am SOOO glad that I went. How many people can say they've jumped off the highest bungee bridge in the world?
I can. :)
Anyway. Tomorrow we're hiking Robberg, which is a famous view here in Plett. I am not really looking forward to the hike so much as I'm looking forward to the pictures I'll get. It's supposed to be really spectacular.
I'll post again soon. I hope you all are well--thanks for reading! :)
