Orientation Week: Part 1

Happy Saturday!

My orientation week is now over! I am registered for my classes, which start (gasp) on Monday! To all of you people in the states… enjoy your summer :P

This week has been a bit ridiculous. Busy and relaxed at the same time. We spent the week attending organized information sessions and exploring the town and campus during unstructured time. Overall it’s felt a lot like summer camp. At the beginning of the week, everything is new and you want to try everything, you have high expectations, you could burst from anticipation (not advisable). By week’s end, the anticipation has faded and everything feels routine. Thankfully, because I know I’ll be here for a while, there are plenty of things I have yet to explore and experience. Plenty more to discover and learn, but I no longer feel like a blind baby giraffe trying to walk on a boat for the first time.

Sunday Night June 14^th

I mentioned before that Caitie and I arrived Sunday afternoon and joined the other internationals for dinner in Kimberly Hall (all the way up the hill. A giant hike, in high elevation for my first decent meal in days. More on the food later). That night we were invited into town to The Rat and the Parrot for some drinks. (Dear future employer, the drinking age is 18 here. K thanks.)

We actually went to KFC first to get some free WiFi. So American. Gillian, who is from Kentucky, got a great picture out front to show her friends and family lol

The Rat has a cool, clean pub atmosphere. It wasn’t terribly crowded (the night life picks up once all the students are back). We spent most of the evening in the upstairs area at a long table. We kind of took over and made an international students section. Not all of the internationals had arrived yet, but we took up a lot of space nonetheless.

I sat with my back to a giant projector screen that was showing cricket - a confusing sport that I’m sure someone somewhere enjoys very much. We spent the night drinking Black Label, Castle Ice, obscenely named shooters, and sinfully sweet Mojo Jam Jars. (Dear Mom, Gam, and MomMom,  not all at once I promise! Love, Your Baby Girl) It was a great way to bond and get to know one another better. We shouted across the table at one another to find out each other’s’ names, majors, hometowns etc. Met a guy, Jake, who apparently swam for one of my high school’s rival teams. I traveled around the world to meet someone who lived in the next township. Go figure! So glad I went J definitely will visit again.

Back at the res Caitie, Gillian and I stayed up really late girltalking. We didn’t have any internet set up yet so we had no reason not to enjoy each other’s company. This tech cleanse is actually pretty awesome. My only need for the internet at this point is to tell my family that I am actually alive and well at my destination.

After saying good night, I went up to my room and let my mind stop racing for a little bit. I took a much needed shower (more on the showers later) Then what should I hear but the infectious unmistakable laughter of my friend Patrick (also a WAC student). Patrick had traveled separately from me and Caitie and it was such a relief to know that we were all together at last. We caught up briefly before deciding sleeping sounded like the best thing ever.

Monday July 15^th      

                                                                                                                                                         

Our first official day of orientation began the next day. We rose bright and early (lol jk its winter here. It was dark when my alarm went off and I had no idea where I was for a solid 3 minutes) and then stumbled downstairs to the adjoining dining hall for breakfast. (I just know you wanna hear every detail about what I’ve been eating (so nosy, geez) but you have to wait)

Next we went to the Eden Grove administration building – a fairly modern looking building with a lot of offices, a diorama map of campus, and a few lecture theaters – to register as students. We waited around and got insurance and other documents photocopied before getting our student IDs printed. It’s good to know that the DMV phenomenon of cuing and waiting for IDs and paperwork is universal. They initially misprinted my name on my ID (they thought my middle name was Miss…my card said R ISS DILLIPLANE) and had to reprint it. My picture….is acceptable. Starting to feel like an official Rhodent! (Rhodes +Student. BAM!)

Overall, the whole process barely took any time at all, and our next scheduled event was a walking tour of campus in the afternoon, so we had time to walk into town for errands (lots of people needed cell phones and various living essentials). On the way back onto campus from town for our lunch we stopped at a coffee place called Under the Arch.

Let me make this very clear. I love coffee. 90% sure I’m addicted to it and it is one of my favorite things in this world. Black, sugary, hot, cold, whatever I love it. This coffee place is one of my new favorite places. It is located under the archway (hence the name) of the gate of the main entrance of campus. Stay tuned for pictures.  The place is tiny and gives off a cool dude, hip, well kept secret vibe plus it has an apparent sense of humor. The place is owned and run by one of the sweetest guys on the planet. There is barely enough room inside for two people to stand and order a drink (imagine a walk in closet with an espresso machine and a toaster oven inside). The barista chatted with us while made coffee art with the foam of our drinks. (I got a heart in my mochaccino thank you very much!) Coffee always has the ability to improve my day somewhat, but it is impossible to leave Under the Arch, coffee in hand, and be in a bad mood. When my bank account is empty…we will all know why. Worth it, though. Worth it.

After lunch we had a walking tour with Aidan. By that time, my jet lag had settled in a bit and I was jonesing for some more Under the Arch coffee. Regardless of my grumpy fatigue we trekked all over campus. It was helpful to have certain buildings pointed out, but I quickly lost track of where I was and got turned around. I also don’t feel like I learned a whole lot of the history of the place. If you were able to walk near the front of the pack you could maybe get some cool info from Aidan (who once attended Rhodes as an undergrad). 

Aidan outside of Provost Cafe. Isn't he adorable?!

Highlights of the tour were seeing the koi fountain, a the second ever discovered coelacanth (living fish fossil), learning about some prehistoric trees on campus, and the Provost Café, which used to be a prison, but now serves meh coffee and pastries. People mostly go there for the atmosphere. 

prehistoric plant. They are everywhere here!

Coelocanth.Delicious embalmed giant fish..

Open air dining at the Provost Cafe

The oddly beautiful path to the bathroom at the Provost Cafe

Patrick and Caitie imprisoned in the Provost Cafe

It was also super hot for our tour. I had packed anticipating winter and I was beginning to panic that I was horribly unprepared for the weather here. (It had gotten colder, though, which is a relief. More on the weather later!)

That night a lot of people from the group went to the bar again. Patrick hadn’t gone with us the night before so we introduced him to the Rat and the Parrot. It was a more casual night, but the bar was a bit busier. We hung out in the downstairs/ main part where we encountered 3 game reserve rangers that behaved like frat boys past their prime. They were friendly, loud, and certainly entertaining.  Caitie and I and a few others left earlier than everyone else to try and combat our jet lag with a good night sleep. Of course we all stayed up really late talking anyway, completely defeating the purpose. Worth it, though. Worth it J

Tuesday July 16^th – The Day of Semi-Informative Lectures

Tuesday was spent in an upstairs seminar room listening to a number of lectures about the programs and services of Rhodes. Most of the speakers Aidan had arranged to speak to us pulled out at the last second so Aidan did a lot of the presenting. The best lecture was about the service opportunities available at Rhodes. I can’t wait to get involved in the community! I will let y’all know what I end up doing.

The good news is they fed us a lot. We had donuts and sandwiches and other familiar treats, but also glazed-donut –like pastries called Cook Sisters – braided fried dough dipped in deliciousness – and Milk Tarts – quarter sized pastries topped with something creamy. They sort of resembled deviled eggs but they were delicious too.

That night people went out again, but a lot of us stayed in for a lazy evening. Sean, Jennah, Caitie, Katie (awesome girl from BC who knows her South African ish!), and I found the common room and watched Invictus on Katie’s  Mac. Great movie if, if you haven’t seen it, about how Nelson Mandela used the South African rugby team as a mechanism of mitigating post-apartheid prejudices. Arguably a bit idealized, but I’m not gonna be the one to tell that to director Clint Eastwood.  Jennah and Caitie started falling asleep half way through (I did too a little bit) and went to bed. I enjoyed what I remember of the movie, and it was really cool to watch it knowing how close we are to Nelson Mandela’s birth place. Sadly, Nelson Mandela is in very poor health currently. I’m anxious to see how if he will improve or worsen during my time here. (Not to say that my presence in his country is directly correlated with his health. Though if he lives for the next couple years, I totally helped.)

It was another very late night, but instead of going to bed, I Facebooked with my boyfriend J Worth it.

Wednesday July 17^th

Wednesday was reserved for individual meeting times organized according to our colleges for the purpose of discussing intended courses. By the time Patrick, Caitie, and I arrived for our meeting, Aidan and the other administrator, Helen, were running an hour off of schedule. So we braved the rain to visit Under the Arch again for some coffee. I got a cappuccino that the barista decorated with a Teddy Bear in the foam J Then we decided we should probably head back for our meeting.

A word on course selection: Everything you are told about courses before you leave on your trip will be immediately contradicted during your advising meeting. Be flexible. All schools have different systems. Ask lots of questions. I’m in a bit of a unique situation because, though it is my first semester of my junior year, students here are entering their second semester of the school year. Be careful when considering what courses are actually available. Get as much information about classes before leaving for your host institution, but also keep in mind that there are no guarantees. Don’t show up with a totally inflexible hypothetical schedule. You will be in for a world of hurt if you do.

At Rhodes the classes are run very differently than what I’m used to. You have a class at least 4 times a week with Tuts (tutorials) and Pracs (Practicals) in the afternoon – think of them as extra lab time or a more hands on lecture. A typical class schedule here reminds me of high school schedules more than my college schedule. The Drop/Add system here is also more flexible than I’m used to. You can shop around for classes and then drop them any time leading all the way up to the, say, the day before your final exam. Consequently, they recommend you take a heavy course load and drop a class as needed.

Aidan and Helen helped me devise a hypothetical schedule that comprised of Drama, History, and Psychology. I’m not really sure how to explain how they do their classes here. They have very set curricula for specified majors. For example: A drama major takes Drama 1 one year, then Drama 2, then Drama 3. Drama 2 for instance is comprised of a series of lectures and practicals. At my institution I am used to a set of requirements for the major that I am responsible for filling through any combination of courses that are available from semester to semester. Make sense? No? Good.

Wednesday Night is Karaoke Night at Champs – a slightly dingier pub down the road from The Rat and the Parrot.

I’m going to let you mentally prepare for that story.

Talk to you soon! Thanks for reading! More to come J

Thoughts on Campus

The campus is exactly and not at all the way I imagined it. The beautiful pictures from the website made it look like the buildings were more spread apart. In the residential part of campus at least, the buildings are rather nestled together, distinct buildings, but they give me the sense of being closed in like a city block or large neighborhood.  (Disclaimer: my verb tense is/was/will be/has been all over the place…womp)

My Washington College campus suddenly feels tiny and flat and boringly organized in comparison. Because the building all look uniformly the same but uniquely distinct at the same time I get turned around and just let the one-day-on-campus veterans lead the way. The campus is probably smaller than I think and I will become more familiar with it eventually. The entirety of campus is fairly uniform and identifiable. There are some newer buildings and some departments that used to be Grahamstown residences. The buildings are also intimidatingly tall to me. Most buildings at WAC (Washington College) are 2 stories (3 max) tall. At the bottom of a hill, staring up at the solid flat façade of a monochrome 4-5 story building I feel miniscule.

Okay…how to describe the buildings…They look familiar to me but somehow unlike any architecture I’ve seen before. They feel more familiar to me now, but that is perhaps because I’ve been here a week. The novelty and strangeness has worn off somewhat. Perhaps also, the buildings are comprised of an eclectic combination of architectural elements I’ve known throughout my life. But actually.

The base of most buildings resembles Wisahicken shist (sp?) (the type of stone common in the Philadelphia area). The rock looks like it belongs on the side of a cathedral or at Bryn Mawr College. And that only goes on until about a foot off the ground. The majority of any given building looks like off-white plaster of some sort. I thought it was a bit bland and boring at first, but it’s starting to grow on me. The windows have white frames and black shutters that remind me of my grandparents’ Friends Meeting house. The roofs are terra cotta rounded tile that look like the roofs in Spain at the beginning of Dreamworks’ The Road to El Dorado (but that could just be because I watched that movie with my love last night. Yes we watched another movie together. It was glorious. Also Tulio and Miguel are my favorite <3) Anything else is brick, which I associate with my beloved Washington College campus. (I belovedly hardcore stubbed my toe on a protruding brick in the sidewalk this morning. It was awesome. Be jealous)

For your viewing pleasure, here are a variety of shots from campus:

Final word on campus: No matter where you are going YOU WILL WALK UPHILL….

Spot the new guy #feelinawkward

The actual date of this post is July 14, 2013 (oooh aaaah time travel)

Up until reaching Port Elizabeth, I had felt like just another nondescript traveler. It was easy to careen through airport terminals, disregarding everyone else, focused solely on my gate, my destination. In London, other travelers could be headed anywhere. We were all out of place – in transit. Now, in Port Elizabeth, where I was actually supposed to be, I realized how out of place and far away from home I truly was.

Exiting the plane onto the tarmac, we walked into the airport to a singular baggage conveyor belt, mercifully collected our bags and searched for the bus service that would take us to Grahamstown. Not gonna lie… I was hoping for a beautiful strapping South African to be standing at the gate with my name on a sign. No such luck. We did however find Blunden Bus services. The office was surrounded by other tired unsure travelers, who I assumed were other internationals en route to Rhodes. Turns out there were only two other students headed to Rhodes, Jennah and Sean – two delightful people from Boston College.

After some extreme Tetris-like packing of suitcases into a tiny trailer behind the bus (because of course the smallest trailer available should be provided to accommodate college kids who packed for 5 months of travel. Duh.), we climbed aboard and road along the coast to Rhodes. Eventually we lost sight of the coast, but we did see was stunning. It was less cold than I expected, but it was drizzling a little bit as we headed further inland, specks of rain hitting the windshield as we wound our way up and down hillsides.

For your reference:

I drifted in and out of unattractive mouth-hanging open bus ride sleep, waking up in time to see cows and…wait for it…..ZEBRAS!

Eventually we arrived at Rhodes. I recognized buildings from their website and saw the school seal hanging on walls and banners. Here at last! But where were we supposed to go…? The only information we had received was that we would be shuttled by Blunden Buses to our “vacation residence” where we were to stay for the duration of orientation before moving into our permanent res halls. (Res = what everyone here calls their dorm/ resident hall. They love to abbr.) So there we were in front of Jameson (my soon to be home), but that couldn't be right.

The university is also hosting a conference right now so a bunch of people are indeed being housed in Jameson Hall, but I was pretty certain that we were not. We called Aidan, our International Office host, to let him know we had arrived but had no stinking clue where to go. The bus driver meanwhile packed and unpacked our luggage from the trailer, not knowing if we had to drive to a new destination. Aidan told us to walk up to the corner where there would be someone to meet us.

The bus pulls away. The four of us lug our collection of suitcases up the hill to the corner where we meet…no one. The rain is heavier and no one is there. Womp. We go back down the hill considering calling Aidan again or running after the bus. I run into Jameson to ask if they know what we are meant to do. They don’t know. I run across the porch to the next building called Oriel and meet the sub-wardens of the residence. The two girls in the lobby flash two beautiful smiles and ask me to verify my name is on the list before confirming we are where we are meant to be. Sweet relief floods over us as we drag our suitcases across the awkward cobble stone and brick courtyard up into Oriel House, where we are given keys and directions to our rooms. Of course, I’m on the third floor.

My frustration at having to lug my suitcase (that now sports a sticker that says just how damn heavy my bag is) up to the 3^rd floor is mitigated somewhat by the beautiful view from my window.

I’m also just so relieved to have actually reached the place I had traveled 2 days straight to see. But I know I can’t relax until I actually see my room. And…

My temporary room is wonderful! We are all in singles, equipped with a decent sized bookshelf, a desk, a bed, a bureau with a mirror, a heater, a bulletin board, a spacious closet (good thing I brought hangers….) and a little sink in the corner with a mirror. I gently tug the curtains apart and I am greeted with an amazing view of trees and terra cotta roof tiles of neighboring buildings. On the horizon are colorful buildings cascading down the side of the mountains at the edge of Grahamstown.  Despite my exhaustion I am thrilled with my accommodations and can’t wait to settle in.

The first person I meet is the lovely, bubbly, perfect Gillian from Furman University. She has become easily one of my very favorite people here since her friendly greeting in my doorway. 

Study Abroad tip: As a general rule, people who study abroad are driven, adventurous, smart, amazing people. Get to know everyone.
*** Also, remember that you are awesome, too and people are just as interested in getting to know you.

The commotion of new arrivals attracted other international students into the hall way to meet us. We exchange names, share travel stories, and get the scoop on life at Rhodes so far. Everyone is so nice and we bantered for a long time. It was great how readily we befriended one another. Being the only ones on campus, and having Rhodes in common made for easy conversation. One of the students, John (also a BC student), helped me take my biggest bag up to the top floor. Thanks John!

A handful of us decide to kill time walking around campus before dinner. It’s a lovely night, not terribly chilly and we are anxious to see the campus. The people who have been here for a day than us have already been to town and already walk the sidewalks of campus with more comfort and sense of belonging. I hope I start to feel that soon.  (Though we all looked stupid when a car approached us from the left side of the road and we scattered desperately to get out of the way. Smooth)

For the first night I felt pretty out of place, but now (almost a week later) I keep forgetting that I am the stranger here. For orientation week, the majority of the student body is comprised of the exchange students. We walk around and talk about how strange and different everything is, until, abruptly, I remember that I am the thing that is out of place. The trees, the plants, the birds, the terrain all look and feel totally different here. I want to hold on to this feeling of how exotic and new everything feels, but I know by the end of my time here even the most novel thing will become common day. “That bird of paradise outside my window? Whatev they’re everywhere.” “Hadeda Ibis chillin’ in the courtyard? Pffft they are just like Canadian Geese. Over it!!” But for now…I’m still painfully, unabashedly, obtrusively the new guy.  

Travel tip: It's okay to feel completely out of place. Ask questions. In many circumstances there is absolutely no hiding that you are foreign. Go with it. Find little ways to feel like you belong (ex: become a regular customer at a cafe or be able to give someone directions)

The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.

~Eleanor Roosevelt 

Welcome to South Africa: Pains and Planes

Greetings from the Oriel House lounge! – the temporary residence for the internationals during orientation week. This is the first afternoon I’ve had free to collect my scattered thoughts (and my first full day with internet - Holla!) Officially I have been in South Africa for 3 full days.

Caitie [my sweet beautiful travel companion (also from Washington College)] and I successfully arrived at Rhodes the afternoon of Sunday July 14^th. We said goodbye to family, awkwardly checked grossly overweight luggage (mine not Caitie’s), stumbled through security, and flew out of Philadelphia airport at 11 PM Friday July 12^th (The flight was delayed from its original departure time of 10 PM due to FIRES AT HEATHROW AIRPORT?!!? <<< An extremely comforting tidbit of information to receive after boarding the plane.) I had my first experience with the full body scanner and felt surprisingly less violated than I would have expected.

We landed in London around 11 AM the next morning, which, with the time difference, made it about a 6maybe7 hour flight. Inflight movie of choice: Forgetting Sarah Marshall. (Place Want-To-Go-There pin in Hawaii……now)

Not having sat next to each other on the plane, Caitie and I did not reunite until after disembarking straight onto the tarmac (#celebritystatus) and going through security again (#loljkjustlikeeveryoneelsestatus).

We then proceeded to settle in for a 9 hour layover in the famed Heathrow Airport. We sat in a boardwalk-like eating area behind a French bistro called Pret, twiddling our thumbs and waiting for our ears to pop. Given more time we would have liked to take a VERY brief field trip into London.
                Sorry London, maybe next time.

The wait was semi uneventful apart from all the designer outlets in the terminal (many perfume samples were tested) and the Ben Affleck look-alike seated a few feet away from us. Mostly we tried to stay awake and figure out where we were meant board the plane.

At 18:55 (military time is stupid) barely an hour before our departure time the board finally told us we had to board at terminal B33. Of course, this meant we had to hop on the terminal transit to another terminal. We were fine time wise, but the hurry-up-and-wait system of traveling always makes me anxious. I was very glad to have Caitie calm my nerves and together we made it to the terminal in plenty of time.

Travel Tip: Traveling with a buddy is awesome. Granted, many of the internationals made it here by their own means totally en seule but there was never a moment that wasn’t glad to have Caitie with me. I would have been absolutely fine traveling by myself, but Caitie made the whole journey that much more enjoyable. 

Traveling buddies are great for several reasons:

1. Conversation and time killers. Even if you don’t know your companion that well, time flies a bit faster with him/her by your side. 
2. Validation of concerns and questions. No one knows exactly where they are supposed to go when they travel. All airports are different. Questions like “Is this really the way I’m supposed to go? This can’t be right” or “Did we miss a turn somewhere?” are so much better when asked out loud to a buddy. In my experience it’s better to be lost with friend. Without someone there to say “Let’s just keep going” or “I think you’re right” or even “Shit…what do we do now?” uncertainties fester, allowing panic to settle in and <<<< that’s no fun for anyone. 
3. You have someone to watch your luggage when you have to pee. Thanks Caitie J

Next leg of the trip: Heathrow to Johannesburg took about 11 hours, including the one hour time difference. The plane was a three seater, but mercifully I had a window seat again and there was no one between me and the person in the aisle seat.

Travel tip: Window seat pros and cons….Window seats are great for comfort, a bit of privacy, and a good view when taking off and landing. TERRIBLE when you really have to pee and your seat mates are asleep.

It was a long flight, but I was pretty comfortable. I watched Ratatouille and a couple episodes of New Girl and 30 Rock, drank wine and slept.

Travel tip: (This is a twofer. Lucky you) 

1. Alcohol on planes pros and cons… Wine is my example here. You are at a high elevation (ostensibly) so it doesn’t take too much to feel a little more relaxed and sleepy. Great for sleeping. However, you will wake up at 3 AM (no matter the time difference) and then….please see window seat cons ^^^^
2. Long distance relationship ideas. ***Feel free to disregard. All relationships are different*** (My darling, perfect boyfriend will be in the States while I’m at Rhodes. I don’t claim to be any kind of long distance expert. I’m just sharing cute things that work for us.)While in Heathrow airport I had enough WiFi to tell my boyfriend what movies were available on the plane. We agreed to both watch Ratatouille while I was on the plane and pretend we were watching it together. Vomit. I know. Whatever. I miss him. It was awesome.

Before long we landed in Johannesburg. Finally in South Africa!! It was fun to see how the bird’s eye view varied between England and South Africa. South African backyards have a lot of pools and their fields are circular plots(?). They were beautiful and a little eerie. What is M. Night Shamalan (sp?) up to now?

This airport was a little more confusing than Heathrow. We had to get our passports checked right away. Caitie and I were right next to each other as they checked our passports. Caitie went through no problem(show off :P), but the guy looking at my visa had this concerned look on his face and I thought I was going to die. Let me into your country!!! Do you know what I went through to get that visa??

Travel tip: If you even think you might need a visa for a trip you possibly might take ever in the near future (next 10 years) start applying for your visa yesterday.

He just needed to see my itinerary for my return trip. *Exhale**Unclench* My bags came through no problem and Caitie and I awkwardly hobbled through the airport.

Two porters approached us and took our bags out of our hands and started rushing to the British Airways check-in. They were so nice and so funny, and they helped us get our boarding passes in no time at all. But of course all the fun and games ended when they demanded a 50 dollar tip. Luckily we barely had any cash on us. We gave them what we had and awkwardly bid them fair well. Be careful…

After checking bags (a bit of an ordeal but no one cares about my airport frustration so moving on!) Caitie and I searched for cell phones and call plans. We were told there weren’t many retail stores once you passed security, something we would have been sad to find out the hard way. We were successful! And the phones didn’t cost that much. Horaay R8.34=$1.00 exchange rate! They aren’t the prettiest of phones (think about the first cell phone you ever saw circa 2000) but they will get the job done. I have a bit of separation anxiety about leaving my smart phone behind, but between that and the considerable lack of easily accessible and abundant WiFi I’m actually enjoying a bit of a technology cleanse at the moment.

Travel tip: Seriously consider what you can and cannot live without. I brought my favorite shampoo as a way to pamper myself, but a lot of my other indulgences were ultimately excluded from my suitcase. Make a list!

Cell phones (i.e. bricks) in hand, we went through the least thorough security check ever. Our terminal was just on the other side and we settle in those giant egg-shaped swivel chairs (typical of a Super Villain starter kit). You know the ones we all wanted when we were younger (still do). They were so comfy! 

Unbeknownst to us, the chairs were located in a complimentary WiFi, coffee, and dark chocolate hot spot. I wish we had had more time there before boarding the plane. Boy, were we pampered!

The final flight was less glamorous than the two previous, but it was also a shorter distance. Caitie and I actually sat together for this flight which made it easy to commiserate nonverbally about the screaming baby sitting with his mother next to us. What felt like seconds after taking off we were preparing to land again in Port Elizabeth. 

Sorry kids!

 Long post. More to come. 

Thanks for reading :)

First Post: Welcome to PINS IN THE MAP

This blog is meant as a simple, periodic, newsletter-type report to tell friends, loved-ones, and curious strangers about my study abroad trip at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa  and to help me document this (hopefully) remarkable experience. It is my hope that this blog will eventually serve as a travel journal for my future excursions, as well. Though, after 5 months studying in South Africa, I might be ready to be home for a while. Maybe.

All my life I have been curious about the world – a passion that probably comes from my wonderful grandparents who have traveled near and far, always sending postcards as tiny tastes of their adventures abroad. I can still remember looking at the 3-D maps that adorned the walls of the steps to their basement, running my fingers over the bumps and dips of foreign lands. I was always bad at geography (it took me an inordinately long time to figure out the names of the continents and oceans I am sad to say) but, nomad that I am I have always wanted to travel to new places (even if I didn’t know their names).

The other idea behind this wanderlust blog sort of comes from a travel wish-list I first encountered in the movie The Prince & Me (I’m sure this idea originated someplace else, my grandparents probably even did it, but I first saw it in this ridiculous chick flick so…tada) Julia Styles’ character, Paige, has extreme aspirations to travel the globe making a difference and become a woman of the world. In her bedroom, she has a world map riddled with colored pins; One color designates places she’s been, and the other indicates places she wants to go. In the past few years, I have been fortunate enough to accumulate several Places-I’ve-Been pins, which, of course, engendered a burgeoning of Oh-My-God-I-Wanna-Go-There-Now-Aaaagh pins. The beginning of this blog marks the celebration of a OMGIWGTNA pin graduating to PIB pin status. How exciting for you all, really, to witness such an event. You must be very proud.

Anyway, the good the bad the beautiful and ugly will all be coming at ya right here (when my time allows…I do have to go to classes). Disclaimer: Please do keep in mind that this is totally 100% my experience. I am pleased as punch to share my anecdotes/advice with you guys, but keep in mind it’s only my perspective, flavored with my biases and my limited background. Nearly all of the other international students here with me are having different experiences through different lenses and maintaining blogs as well. I encourage you to check those out as well. I will try and get links posted to them ASAP.

Enjoy reading. Go well J

P.S. Friends and Loved Ones. When I repeat these same stories to you in person, please react as though you’ve never heard them. Laugh when appropriate. Thanks!