06/11/2014

Hello!

It has been quite some time now since I last posted on here (so sorry).... About two months, but I am alive and doing well!

In May I celebrated my 21st birthday, which happened to fall on hump day(Wednesday), so we went camel riding. It was a lot of fun and my camel was the only one who didn't stop to pee. Thanks to everyone who wished me a happy birthday!

I'm about 6 months into my trip now and I've got about 6 months left to go. Work has been going fine, but it's gotten to be much different than what I had expected. We've reached our winter months so there aren't many campers coming through to work with. This really bums me out because that's what I was hoping/expecting to be doing rather than the landscaping and other odd jobs we keep occupied with when we don't have any camps. Anyway, when I go out to see some of the new friends I have made on the weekends it usually brightens my spirit enough to get through the week of no campers... Trying to stay positive on that front.

We had a conference out in Jeffery's Bay which is on the Eastern Cape... about a 10 hour drive. It was very cool. It was a conference for all of the christian campsites throughout southern Africa and there were people from many countries. It was sort of like a think tank for campsites.

I've spent a few weekends at Longstreet Backpackers (Shout out LSB) and have met so many amazing people from all over the world. It's such a lively environment and I feel like I relate much more with the other travelers that I've met there. I've gone to a couple music festivals the past two months. South Africa hosts some terrific parties. There are a lot of great people around too. This last weekend a few of us went camping out like 2 1/2 hours outside of Cape Town at this amazing venue out in the middle of nowhere in the forest. It was absolutely stunning. And on Sunday the sun came out and it was so warm out so we got to enjoy the heat for a bit before it got cold again.

It has been quite cold lately and our house doesn't have insulation or heat, so if it's 45 outside it's 45 inside too. There was even snow on the tops of the mountains! Who knew that South Africa could be so cold?! I have learned what a hot water bottle is. I've also learned that you cannot microwave a hot water bottle.... It explodes. I've become a professional in layering clothes, and I am very happy that I packed my over-sized sweaters.

I'm getting pretty anxious to come back home and see familiar faces again. I think I'm beginning to realize how long I've been gone because I don't speak to my family and friends quite as often anymore, and I don't really know what's going on in their lives all that much. Sometimes I wish I could fly home for a weekend, but I will see them all soon enough. And I know that once I get home I will just want to come right back here.

I am so so so excited to see my friends Kelsey and Heidi in Europe in December. I just wish time would move faster! Now that I have made friends who will be in Europe when I go to visit I am even more excited to go. Only a couple hundred more days until I am home!

Hope you're all enjoying your summer!
Xo.

American Products vs South African Equivalent

American Products vs South African Equilivants 

 A&W Cream Soda vs Sparletta Cream Soda

Alright, so, aside from the cream soda here being GREEN these two products basically tastes the same. The A&W takes the cake though because they are straight up geniuses for adding vanilla essence to their cream soda which is a hands down win in any situation. 

Hershey's Chocolate Bar vs Cadbury Chocolate Bar

Hate to break it to you Hershey's but Cadbury is SOOOOO much better. This chocolate sends your tastes buds on a journey to the center of the earth, and it melts in your mouth so deliciously that if you don't eat it quick enough you basically have Wonka's chocolate waterfalls pouring out of your mouth.  

Jack Links Beef Jerky vs Droëwors

We all know what beef jerky is, but how do I explain Droëwors? My only explanation for this South African jerky is EW. What does it taste like? Dried skin of a questionable animal, EW. What does it look like? It looks like beef jerky... Which, let's be honest, doesn't look all that appetizing anyway, so, EW. Jack Links, keep up the good work. You win. 

Cheese Balls vs Bubbles

I will be the first one to say that there is almost no other snack food quite as satisfying as cheese balls. To quote one of the greatest minds of our time, "I wish I had a extra finger. Then I could grab more cheese balls." - Honey Boo Boo HOWEVER, bubbles win. Yes, bubbles are better than cheese balls. I mean sure, they don't come in an oversized container that may or may not resemble an artery that's about to explode, but this cheesy delicious product of South Africa will have a special place in my suitcase when I come home.  

Cheetos vs Nik Naks

While Cheetos are better than Nik Naks I'm still going to go out and give the win to Nik Naks. For starters, this cheesy snack is made by Simba..... That's awesome. And to win over those of you who don't enjoy anything that even slightly reminds you of your favorite musical lion (what kind of person are you?) this bag has like the coolest rasta dude on it.... Also awesome. 

Mountain Dew vs Mountain Dew 

I've said it once and I'll keep saying it until I step foot into the land of the free and re-light the flame with my one true love, Mountain Dew. Seriously, I don't understand why I am facing this dilemma it's the same drink same brand same look. I am not Kelly Rowland in a Nelly song, but the longer I go knowing I can't have the dew from back home, the more I relate to the lyrics from that amazing 2002 jam. "... No matter what I do all I think about is you...."  

Ball Park Beef Franks vs Red Viennas

Well, in all honesty, it took me about two months to figure out that a Vienna is in fact, a hot dog. Though, being a spoiled first world-er I am far too scared to eat a "hot dog" that is glowing red and I'm not 100% there's any actual beef inside. I did try one once.... Then I made the mistake of asking what it was I was eating. I haven't had one since. Ball Park BEEF franks for the win. 

WalMart vs Pick n Pay

K. Come on. Anything> WalMart. 

Also, even though pick n pay is the African Walmart, they left the whole "people of Walmart" thing to America, and for that, I thank you Africa.   

Target vs Woolworths

Target. Sorry, but it's Target. It's a one stop black hole that has everything you think you need AND a dollar section. Woolworths is awesome, I'll admit. It kind of has a Lunds feel to it and at most of them  they sell clothes too, but Tar-Ghetto/Tar-jay Boutique will forever hold a place in my heart. There use to be Woolworths in the US.... If you're old enough, you remember. 

Kmart vs Shoprite

Neither wins. 

Angry Orchard vs Savanna Dry

TIE! Now you know what to order when you come visit me if you're a fellow non-beer drinker.

Miss you all! 

Xo.

3/19/2014 RIP Matt

Some days when I look out my window overlooking the ocean it's clear and I can see the mountains in the distance very clearly. Other days there aren't any mountains in the distance and it seems like the ocean goes on infinitely. Every day I look out the same window but I never see the same view. Some days the sky is a shade of blue that even Crayola couldn't capture, and others it's filled with clouds that you could spend hours finding shapes in. Some days the ocean is calm and looks as if you could slide across it in a pair of socks like you would on a wood floor, but most days it's wavy and white capped. When the sun sets it takes away every passing thought and consumes you with the notion that must be what Heaven looks like.

 After the sun and the moon cross paths and give each other their greetings you're presented with the night. When you look up from where there was once a landscape you find yourself lost in galaxies that can only shine in the dark. You can touch the ocean, the mountains, and the natural beauty earth offers, but you can't touch the night. You can't reach out and touch the stars. And isn't it what we can have that we always want the most. I want to hold on to all the beautiful things I see. The things that make me feel a kind of peace that I can't control. I want to keep the feeling I get every time I look up at a clear starry sky, but every time I let the feeling go I lose it until it comes back to me on it's own.

 I want to keep my friendships in moments. I want to remember things like in The Butterfly Effect. I want to resurface a moment in time physically and do things differently. But isn't that what we all want? I don't want to go back and change anything drastically, but what I really wish I was capable of is going back to the moments where I had the perfect opportunity to tell someone how much they mean to me. Remind my friends that I love them; say it to their face and have it be genuine and not a casual "oh I love ya". It makes me sort of confused-angry that it's "weird" or an "uncomfortable" thing to tell someone how much they mean to you. I don't ever want to go on again wishing that I would have said something when I had the chance. I don't expect to live a life with no regrets... That's not realistic. If you don't have experiences you regret then how will you ever learn anything? But one thing I am done regretting is not telling my loved ones all the silly random things that make them important to me.

We lost a member of our UND family this week. To some he was apart of the Lakeville family. But ultimately he was apart of the Heisler family. I've known Matt since Century Middle School, but we didn't cross paths and become friends until college. Matt was many things but mainly he was a loyal friend. He could make you laugh. He was willing to make a fool of himself to make your day. He radiated good vibes and smiles. He could bring people together, and even in his death he is bringing people together and filling rooms with smiles and laughter from his memory alone. Losing Matt has been eye opening, shocking, and heartbreaking for so many people. It isn't right. You're not suppose to die when you're 21. You're just not. Death is not suppose to hit close to home. We're surrounded by it, aside from celebrity gossip, death and tragedies seem to be the only things getting recognition on the news. We see it so often that people have become disrespectful to those mourning and gawk as if they're driving by a fender bender on the highway. It isn't until you are within the mourning circle that you realize how messed up it all really is. We must learn to respect the privacy and mourning of the families and close friends of those who have lost someone.

It's not fair how it's always the kindest people who are taken from us. It doesn't seem right considering how many rotten souls there are in the world. Mitch Albom said, "Fairness, does not govern life and death, if it did, no good person would ever die young." It's something that will never be understood, and I don't think understanding would make the feeling any better any way. When we're in pain we look so quickly to place blame rather than look at what God is really trying to show us. God is showing us that we are not infinite, we take our loved ones for granted, and life isn't meant to be fair. We only get a short time on earth, but we get an eternity in heaven. In that light, it seems so childish to spend our lives letting negative emotions consume us while all of our fallen watch down shaking their heads at our behavior.

Every day as I look out the same window, and see a different view, I am reminded to cherish the small moments that may seem meaningless, because when you look back, it's the small stuff that is actually what you hold on to. And every night as I look up at the countless number of stars I am reminded how small I really am in this universe, which makes holding on to negativity seem pretty silly. We have to remember to close our eyes, clear our hearts, and let the bad stuff go. It shouldn't take losing someone to realize and remember these things. As the great Ferris Bueller said, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it."

RIP Matt Heisler

You will be greatly missed.
We love you.
Xo.

Some Things I Miss

I have been away from home now for 72 days, and as I am nearly midway through month 3 I thought I would share some things I miss most from back home.

My family

Seriously it's amazing how much I miss my family.... And I'm still talking to them pretty much every day. I've been sick the past week and there's nothing I wanted more than to be lying on the couch, yelling at my mom that I don't feel good, have her respond with "I'm sorry honey what can I do to help", and me yell back "I DON'T KNOW". I miss my dad making fun of me for still being a diehard Spongebob Squarepants fan. I miss chilling on the couch with Donny watching movies that we just sit and quote the entire time. I miss going out with PJ and wrestling in the middle of his frat house, while genuinely concerned people who don't know we're siblings, wonder why no one is stopping us. I miss the comfortable chaos that is my family.

My friends

It is mind boggling. I know I love my friends, like duh, but I never realized how much I would miss the random stuff that I never would have thought made a difference. It's hard going anywhere without them because seriously I have the coolest friends. You can't even argue it because I know I'm right. The thing is that I never knew how completely insane we all actually are until I didn't have them by my side... Suddenly I'm this weird ass american girl who partakes in random dancing, burps like a lumberjack, and comes with a singing commentary of everything I do... To name a few talents. I was driving with my roommate and his friend and I saw some people walking on the sidewalk so naturally I screamed "I LOVE PICKLES!!!" At them.... And no one laughed. I was so confused. What I miss most is the days where we all congregate to one of our beds and make/order a buffet that could feed a small country and have a movie marathon or watch britains got talent auditions for five hours.

I miss eating a whole pizza and then not being judged for still wanting a McChicken with cheese on it. I can't wait until I reunite with these goons again because not sharing every amazing thing I get to do with them is the hardest.


 Mountain Dew

My life without this sweet nectar is so incomplete. I have no clue what to do with the morning monster that is myself without a cold can of Mountain Dew. To avoid being corrected there actually is Mountain Dew in South Africa but it tastes like flat mellow yellow and if you're a real Dew-er then I need no further explanation on why I wouldn't let it anywhere near my precious taste buds.


Taco Bell




I probably talk about Taco Bell on a daily basis. I dream of rolling hills of fiesta potatoes with flowing waterfalls of nacho cheese and sour cream snowcaps. I get goosebumps when I relive the memory of feeling so full I actually unbutton my pants. I yearn for the instant regret and self shaming that comes with subtly searching for a missed nacho chip as you jam the last wrapper into the bag. I can not wait to break through those doors only to be welcomed by smells of questionable beef and grease. Taco Bell I miss you more and more each and every day.

Not having an accent

Dear Barbara how much I cannot wait to not be called out for sounding different. Ask me to say water one more time. It has become one of my more favorite things to tell people that I was actually born and raised in Cape Town and watch them get confused. Yes I'm from America. No I do not know Justin Bieber. No I do not know Miley Cyrus. No I don't know your friend's cousin's sister's friend who went to America on holiday in 1873. At the same time I do enjoy being the foreigner so I'm just complaining for kicks.  

Other things I miss that I'm too lazy to go into detail about:

Flavored Greek yogurt---- it was hard enough finding actual Greek yogurt

My bed--- I cannot wait to collapse onto that cloud I use to sleep on each night

Savers--- I miss my favorite store. I suppose I can handle a year without though. 

My lava lamp-- I count the moments until I can fall under my lava lamp hypnosis

Netflix--- 'Sorry netflix isn't available in this part of the world yet' 

Huge gluten free selections-- it's like being GF before the millennium all over again

Teresa's Mexican Restaurant-- I plan to comsume the entire menu when in return

Not wearing pants--- unfortunately not everyone is as comfortable with undies as I

That's all for now folks!

Xo. 

2/18/2014

Hello everyone!

Sorry I haven't posted since 'Nam. I totally suck at this blogging thing. So much has been going on I've been completely zonked by the end of the day. All I can say is that it is going great on my side of the world. I've been learning all sorts of new things including some words in Afrikaans, none of which I remember or am actually saying correctly. I've become trained in for belaying, first aid, and life coaching which is all pretty sweet. We've also been doing a lot of mountain hikes, archery, tomahawking (old school hatchet throwing), african drumming, and a whole bunch of swimming. 

We. Eat. So. Much. Chicken. 

We've had a run in with baboons coming into camp trying to snag some grub. One managed to run off with a head of lettuce... Must be watching his figure. Later when we were talking with the baboon monitors I learned the dieting baboon was named Merlin, he's 16 years old, has lost most of his teeth, and he is the alpha in the troop. Those guys are huge though for real! It was pretty cool to experience. While Merlin and his monkey friend were busy raiding camp you could see the rest of the troop up on the mountain watching. A few were chillen on a big rock not too far up from camp and you could see a baby baboon walking around and having his hair cleaned, he was super tiny so he was adorable. 

During first aid training we learned about all the obvious first aid stuff, but we also had to learn about all the creepy crawleys that you can find around camp including some crazy venomous snakes like the puff adder and the cape cobra. One bite from one of those guys and you'll be a goner in about an hour.... So that's reassuring.

That one is the cape cobra

,

This guy is a puff adder

Pretty nasty, eh?

I should be getting my camera cord pretty soon so I'll be able to upload some legit pictures for you all to gawk over. In the meantime here are some low quality pictures from my iPad for you to see...

 It has been HOT lately, especially when there is no wind, I've been loading on the SPF in hopes to defend my ginger skin from the killer rays, unfortunately it hasn't worked so well in my favor. I've sprouted more freckles than I can count and my hair is beginning to turn white in some places. I have complete faith that once I'm home I'll bounce right back to my pale self in no time, but for that short amount of time I will be tanner than all of you Minnesotans and I will be sure to let you know every chance I get. 

Some bad news though......... I've started picking up their slang. I CAN'T HELP IT! I haven't started sounding funny or anything, but I've started using phrases that I've heard nonstop since I've been over here. For example.... This is so embarrassing... 

Instead of saying "the truck" it is now comfortably called "the bakke" (pronounced bucky)

A BBQ  is no longer a BBQ but rather a "braai" 

Instead of replying to something with a phrase like "oh really?!" I now say "is it?!"

And instead of saying "that sucks" or "that's too bad" or "bummer" it's perfectly normal to just say "shame"

Don't worry though I've gotten my revenge as my roommates now use the word "like" a lot. Which is enough for me! 

Thanks to modern technology I've been able to Skype and FaceTime with my friends and family almost daily. It's really helpful otherwise I would be tragically homesick and feel like I was totally on another planet. The good news that I haven't been homesick and cried yet.. So that's cool because it's totally got me shocked. I'm a big baby. Strangely enough after two months I already feel at home. My roommates feel like siblings and it's fun having them to laugh and banter with. 

I miss my dog Fargo though. Like a lot. More than most people... No offense guys. If you have a dog you understand. So I can't wait to see him most of all. 

I still miss all of you and can't wait to see you all in 10 1/2 more months! Time flies, hey? 

Xo.

Skype me if you feel like it! KronkMcSpanky 

1/27/2014

Hey guys!

I spent my weekend hosting my first camp with another intern, Tarryn. It was a lot of fun but not overwhelming for us because we totally lucked out and got a group that had been coming for quite some time now and one of the leaders was actually a former intern here at Rockland's. The main leader was Janet, if you don't remember she was the woman I stayed with in Fish Hoek for a few days, who is also a trustee and has been around for 25 years. So it's safe to says that this camp knew the ropes quite well. Sunday I got locked in the bathroom. I got out of the shower to find that the door handle broke from inside the door and we had to drill out the window. I felt like I was escaping from prison so it was pretty cool. It gave us all a good laugh.

We've continued our training and start programming this week which means that we will lead campers in assorted activities throughout the day like the climbing wall, drumming, the initiatives course, archery, tomahawking, etc. Today we went out with the campers to the initiatives course and watch as they worked together to complete all of the obstacles together. Tonight we took them up the mountain trail for a night hike. It went pretty well. Only one camper twisted her ankle but aside from that it was a good time. I saw a few different spiders and some hissing cockroaches (at least I think that's what they were).

On an ending note I found ketchup! If you know my family you should know that ketchup may as we'll be its own food group. I finally spotted it at the grocery store and actually dropped to my knees and hugged the bottle of ketchup. Tarryn was with me and she stood there looking at me like I was completely insane and kept telling me to get off the ground. Eventually, I got up.... But only to sprint to the check out counter. All around it has been a pretty good week!

Xo

I think I figured out how to add photos!