Happy gobble gobble day!
Trip Start
Sep 09, 2009
1
69
90
Trip End
Dec 18, 2009
Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Anyways my morning began kind of early again today but it was really great because I got to skype some of my family. I talked to my dad, although now that I think of it I never saw him, my nana and papa my sister and 2 cousins. So that was a nice treat :) Right now I am waiting to skype them again and my mom and mike and a few others. So at around 11 we went to go do this debriefing with horses at Neils' house where his wife runs this horse therapy ministry. To my disappointment we didn't actually get to ride the horses but we dressed them in ridiculous things and gave them names that represented our time here and idk it was ok but I found it a little weird. And when we went it was really sunny out and I don't burn often but I am burnt :( like definite tan lines from my tank top.
We got back to AE at around 2 15 where the 8 of us had lunch (the debrief had 3 different groups today and ours was through lunch so we had our own when we got back) and then parted ways. I ended up going around campus and taking a video of everything so I can bring it back and show everyone what it looks like. And as I was finishing of course it begins to thunder. Well I still had to run today so I went back changed, and it starts to rain but I got to run so I go out anyways and run stairs and then it just begins to pour huge big rain drops... and I was actually ok with it. There are those days where the rain is just so refreshing and today was one of those for me. I put on some worship songs while I ran and just ran through the rain and it was idk more Jesus time. It made me think of that song let it rain, let it rain, open the floodgates of heaven... just God's spirt and love and mercy just washing over us. I can't describe it but it was really cool and afterwards I ran to this area where there was a bench and just sat and let God speak to me again through songs and just reflect. It was really cool.
Then it was Thanksgiving dinner time!! We pushed all the tables together so that we had 2 big tables and all our professors came and the people from our service sites and it was huge and really fun. We had some tearful goodbyes at the end though :( Oh! before that dinner... ok so we had a roll but it was like a hotdog bun.. haha only in Africa! and then we had some really good soup and for the main course they gave us turkey and ham and green beans and carrots and potatoes. No stuffing :( but it was pretty good :) and dinner was pumpkin pie with out crust and same with the apple one lol but it was good :) Sarah and I sat together and it was kind of just the two of us but we had some good conversation. After the dinner and Reg's speech we went out to the main part of the dining room and got all 60 people in a circle and sang Zulu songs and I was trying my hardest as I stood next to Phindile and Bruce's wife not to cry... I seriously had to bite my lip because it hit me that I'm leaving and I'm really going to miss all this. This culture, these people, how vibrant everything is here and joyful. It was a good Thanksgiving. I realized today that Thanksgiving isn't the food or the place you are at but the people that you share it with around you :)
One of the saddest goodbyes to see though had to be Taylor and Musa :( Musa is Philip's son and I feel like I have already said this before but seeing them cry was really sad :( Baba left too before most of us could say goodbye to Musa because he was too sad. Tomorrow will be a hard day when we say goodbye to him.
Now though we have been hanging out int he dining hall/tea time area and I baked the cornbread that dad sent and shared it and we raided the kitchen one last time haha. Taylor at one point took the pan and ran out the door and I ran after him and then when i looked he was standing on then bench by the phone booth and using it as his table and stuffing his face lol. And I still have yet to pack! ah! we are planning on one more run through the game park at 4 30 am .. yikes! and our stuff has to be out at 5 45 and bussed down to the end of the road by 615 and leave at 630 ... less then 7 hours left!
We will be traveling to Cape Town now and it will take 4 days so I get there Monday. We bungee jump Saturday at 1 pm ! so scary! but I'm not sure when we will have internet again but I will keep writing and post them when we do have internet :) Happy Thanksgiving to all! :) :)
