100 Days in Africa

I hit a huge milestone on Saturday!  It was my 100^th day living in Africa.  Where did the time go?  How am I already halfway done with my internship? 

To celebrate I spent the day climbing Table Mountain.  A group of us took the same path I have done before (Platteklip Gorge) up to the top.  It took just under two hours to climb up all those stone steps.  I am resolved to not do this path again, but to take a more scenic route that would be a 3-5 hour hike.  That way I don’t have to just climb straight up for two hours, but can meander around.  At the top we walked over to the edge and sat there enjoying the incredible view.  The weather was gorgeous, the sun was shining, and it was only the third time I have worn shorts since I got to Africa.

After enjoying ourselves for a long time, we decided to hike back down as well instead of taking the cable car.  The hike down was less strenuous on the muscles, but scary in terms of falling down or slipping on the rocks.  By the end my neck also hurt from looking down the entire time.  The hike definitely wore me out, and I was too tired to do much of anything Saturday night.  

The entire week was the best in terms of weather in the past three months.  It didn’t rain for over six days straight which has never happened in my African experience.  Spring is truly here.  On the mountain the flowers were starting to bloom with bursts of purple, white, and yellow exploding up next to the rocks and on the trees.  On Wednesday the weather actually hit over 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

I attended a drinks night at the Neighborhood bar on Long Street with all of the new interns through my program.  It is bizarre when I realize that I am officially the person who has been in South Africa the longest out of all of us (over 40 people).  I am the expert on what to do and how much things should cost and where to go. 

There have been more protests and marches going on all the time.  On my way to work on Friday, the bus took the freeway to get around a march that was occurring on my usual route.  At first I thought I got on the wrong bus and was not sure where I was going to end up.  Fortunately I didn’t mess up and got dropped off at my usual stop once we could get back on the main road.  Saturday morning there was a march to Parliament I witnessed from my apartment.  They walked down the street in front of my building and stopped at the end to chant and give speeches.  I believe this one was in protest of the treatment of the miners and their rights.

Things I haven’t done in 100 days:

1.       Drive – I walk, bus, taxi, but never drive.

2.       Clothes shopping – I have not bought a single article of clothing (even though they do have some cute stores here).  This one I plan to change before I head home!

3.       Taco Bell – it doesn’t exist here and I really miss it.

4.       Spent time with ANYONE I knew before I came – everyone I know and spend time with I have only met after I left America.

5.       Bought a book – This is very depressing.  Books are expensive here, even more so than back home.

6.       Been on USA soil – I left America May 31 and haven’t been back since.

Below is a picture of me with an Africa sticker on my forehead.