Thursday 26 January 2012

     Molweni!!!  That is the greeting for many people in isiXhhosa.  Let's start with last night.  I got to skype with my Sisana (younger sister) Julia last night!!  It was super fun =]  You can tell how happy she was to see and talk to me.
Yay for Julia!
     The only other exciting thing that happened last night was while I was skyping Julia.  The weather was really nice again, so we kept the door open.  There aren't bugs here like there are in North Carolina meaning they aren't all over the place so it normally isn't a big deal.  Unfortunately, this time I felt something crawling up my pants and for some odd reason I completely freaked out and threw my pants off squealing like a lil' girl.  Tyler was just telling me "Put your pants back on, put your pants back on."  But at that point I was pushing it outside with my pants.  It was pretty funny.
     I do believe I am going to take isiXhosa because they don't have any past and future tenses and the professor is awesome.  The would be Pulmani Sibula and he is SO COOL!!!  The language actually isn't as hard as it looks.  When the Afrikaans professor got up and talked to us about that language it was much more difficult for me.  The isiXhosa language is actually one of the languages that clicks which is even cooler.  I will explain why I am not taking Cellular Biology because I know my Mom is wondering.  Cellular Biology conflicts with my Community Service program class which I am not going to trade in for Biology.  The good thing about both these classes thought is that I will be working in townships with children which will pretty much prepare me for anything a low-income school in America can throw at me. 
     The campus here is so beautiful!  I am going to post a few pictures.  On our campus we have the biggest subterraneann library in the Southern Hemisphere.  It is really cool!!

The walk way on our beautiful campus!

These statue guys are all over campus.

This is just a really pretty campus building.  They all look alike.

These are the stairs to our underground library =]

Walking to the library

Library entrance in Afrikaans.
     The library is really nice here and it has very nice computers AND it's one of the few buildings that has air conditioning.  You can kind of see this, but right inside the doors there is a security guy behind a really thick sheet of glass who is essentially guarding the entrance to the library.  In order to get in you have to scan a student card and go through those walk through spin things that you see at the zoo.  The security is HUGE here.  There are cameras all over the campus and walk ways.  There is also a "Green Route" that has security monitoring it all the time. 
     Today was really fun, but the next two days will probably the best days of orientation.  Tomorrow we are registering for our Internet access on the campus and picking up our tickets for Moyo.  Moyo is this massive party they are throwing for the international students.  It's going to be really nice because it will be on the SPIER Wine Farm.  There will be a DJ and traditional African food and everything!  Saturday is our tour of Cape Town which I am really excited about because apparently Cape Town is just a huge deal.  Well, that's about it.  If anyone has questions, just ask on the comment box and I will include them in the next blog.  Hamba Kakuhle! (Go well)

3 comments:

  1. I completely concur with dropping cellular biology to learn isiXhosa. isiXhosa is of great value and will be the language of the 21st century, whereas everybody has cells and the study of cells is so yesterday. Good call!

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  2. What kind of bug was it!? And I'm surprised that was Tyler's reaction....I would think he wouldn't mind your solution ;o)

    Just wanted to comment so you know people are reading! I just caught up with all your posts. Have fun!!!!!

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  3. It was just a beetle! Haha, ya I am sure he normally would, but the door was wide open and there are other guys living here.

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