Cheers Everyone!

Sorry it's been a while, but things have been crazy lately. Time is really ticking for me here - I leave for home in a little under three weeks. I am conflicted about this. On one hand I am more than ready to get back to my loved ones, my relationship, and to start moving forward with my "real" life. But on the other, my "Africa Life" feels like my real life. I have connected to this place, to these people, and living here feels normal; I don't feel like an outsider anymore and I'm not ready to leave. A few nights ago a big group of us (me being the only American, I don't really hangout with other Americans in "Maritzburg anymore) were hanging out at my friend Mbo's flat. Later one of my other friends commented that he was listening to me talk (I have picked up some really kiff South African slang) and watching me interact, and he said it didn't seem like I was foreign anymore - i was just part of the group. And that's how I feel. Leaving home was really hard, but I knew I was coming back and that I would see everyone again. When I leave here I don't know when I'll be back or if I'll ever see these people again, and that is REALLY hard.

Anyway ... Instruction ended on the third of November. Then we had a few day "study break" before exams started. So early on Tuesday the seventh Shannon and I headed up to the Northern Drakensburg Mountains for a little r&r. We took the Baz Bus up, which worked out really well since they stop in Durban and 'Maritzburg. Were we in the mountains at the Amphitheater Backpackers by 2 pm. The Burg is beautiful - flat green highlands surrounded on all sides by beautiful mountains, with high craggy peaks interesting rock formations. There are baboons EVERYwhere! You wouldn't necessarily think baboon and immediately associate them with the mountains, but when you see them climb you think again. They are really cool animals, but really dangerous (a male baboon's jaw is stronger than an adult lion's) and we got really close to a few of them. Our backpackers was really nice. It had a thatched roof and a Zulu-country club -esqu feel. Shannon and I had our own room with a private bathroom (it's so nice to be able to lock your door and know that no one else had the key). The Backpackers had a big restaurant where everyone took their meals and a bar (with a hookah pipe!) where everyone hung out at night. It was very communal, people were very friendly, and I actually felt like they took and interest in getting to know us and each other.

The first afternoon, after we settled in, we went hiking in the Royal Natal National Park. Shan and I hadn't seen each other in a bit, so we spent the majority of the time laughing at inside jokes, talking about our roomies from back home, and generally being silly and annoying. That night we ate at the restaurant and then hung out in the bar. The next day we got up ridiculously early for breakfast and to join our group Sentinel hike up the Amphitheater (a well known part of the burg) to the top of Tugela Falls (the highest in Africa, and second highest in the world). The hike started as a difficult walk up the coutours on the mountain. Most of the way we walked along narrow ledges looking down the cliffs into valleys filled with rippling earth, folding over itself like green and brown cloth until it disappeared at the hazy horizon. But at one point our guide pointed to a narrow gapgoing up the rockface further that we could see, and said "climb up," so we did. We climbed up the side of a mountain with no equipment, warning or experience. There were times where I wasn't sure if I could do it, but I pictured my mom at the top shouting about "warrior women!" or my sister yelling "towanda!" and I kept going. One we got to the top, we were at the top of one of the highest points in the Burg. The views were amazing. We sat near a ledge eye level with circling vultures and ate our lunches - soggy tomato and cheese sandwiches - ie the most delicious thing I've ever tasted. From there we walked to the top of the falls - more breathtaking views. Then to get down we walked over th "the chain" - a series of metal ladders which go down the side of the mountain. This was the scariest part for me. the start on top of the ledge and then disappear into oblivion. You climb down for what feels like forever. At certain parts my knee was shaking so badly I thought I might make myself fall, and my hands hurt from gripping so tightly. I was super relived to be back on the trail. On the way down we came across a family of baboons, they weren't nearly as excited to see us as we were to see them. Finally, after 7 hours (7 HOURS!) of hiking/ climbing, we were back at the van on our way back to the backpackers. We ate dinner and crashed, we didn't even bother with the bar that night.

The next day we woke up super early again to eat and meet up with out tour going to Lesotho. Lesotho is an independent country in the middle of South Africa - a weird outcome of the colonial process. Needless to say, Lesotho is tiny, and very remote. Set in the Burg it is the highest country in the world; that is that it has the highest low point of any country in the world. It is also one of the poorest with one of the highest AIDS rates. We were driven though poorly maintained mountain passes in a 4 x 4 to get there. The Amphitheater backpackers is the only group that takes people to this part of Lesotho, so it was extremely UN - touristy. Lesotho is beautiful, mountainous, with green valleys filled with willows and traditional round huts. The people are substance farmers who also raise domestic live stock and get around by way of horse. First we went to a school, where the youngest children sang to us and then surrounded Shannon and I, touching our hands and posing for pictures. The were SO adorable! Then we hiked up to a spot where there is preserved cave paintings done be the nomadic hunters and gathers who lived in the area 1,000s of years ago. The painting we say told of game not far away, but warned of Zulu warriors in the area who terrorized the ancient people's of Lesotho. Then we hiked back down and drove to the Sangoma's hut. A sangoma is a traditional healer, unlike a witch doctor a Sangoma can only do good and must be called to the occupation (?) by a vision. She was awesome, she allowed in into her home and answered our questions while our guide translated. Ironically, as we were leaving the healer's hut I slipped and fell down a steepish portion of a hill and scraped up my knee and the top of my foot pretty badly, miraculously I actually brought a first aid kit with me and was able to clean it. So it didn't get infected, thought it is still pretty angry looking and it's been a week. After the Sangoma we tried traditional Lesotho pineapple beer (not to bad as far as beer goes, and I don't drink beer) and food. Then it was time to leave. As we drove, everyone we passed waved and we waved back. I started thinking about how warm and welcoming everyone through out the course of my stay here has been so warm and welcoming - I was really touched.

We had out guide drop us off in Harrismith where we caught a grey hound back to our respective hoods, I got in late on Thursday night. I wrote my first and only exam on Saturday, and then entered a mad rush to finish all of my drawings and my animation for submission on the 14 and to get all of my painting and printmaking done and hung for the exhibition that started on the same day. And now I am done and don't know what to do with myself. I start traveling again soon - I leave for Capetown and then Namibia in a week, then I'll be back in Maritzburg for a few days and then I leave for home. So I feel like I have to be really careful about prioritizing my time here while I have it. Mostly I've been spending it with friends and exploring previously undiscovered aspects of Maritzburg.

Lauren