some pictures!

Hello again (I always seem to post twice in one day)...

Even though I have been bad about taking them, here are some pictures of Grahamstown! I haven't taken many more than this.

This (above) is a view of Grahamstown from the top of a hill on the outskirts. If you look closely in the right hand side of the picture, you can see a cathedral. This is the center of town - the Anglican Church. Just opposite the cathedral is the clock tower (off white, square) - that is the center of Rhodes. We are very close to town!


This is also Grahamstown. This is a photo of the township, on the outskirt section of town. Townships were created during Apartheid as places for colored and black people to live. Even though Apartheid was abolished 14 years ago, many of these communities have not been rehabilitated at all. Unemployment is at a HIGH percentage in this part of town.


This is one more final view of Grahamstown. This photo is taken from the ROOF of my res! The roof entrance is right near my room and I intend to spend a lot of time there :)

That is all for now - sorry there aren't more. I promise I will take pictures with the people I have met and other more interesting things like that!

--Lindapants

lingo & observations

This unorganized list that may be of use to you if you decide one day to visit South Africa. If not, I hope you find some of these observations and differences interesting :)

LINGO (some is South African, some is Rhodes)
-tomato sauce = ketchup

-dawny = a first period class (at 7:45am)

-jersey = sweater/jacket/cardigan

-hectic = anything that isn’t normal, easy, or status-quo (I generally hear the word in almost every single conversation I have with a South African student: “that lecture was quite hectic” or “She is a very hectic person, hey?” or “I hectically ran to the grocery store through the rain”)

-queue = line (i.e. at a store)

-marks = grades

-hash key = pound key (on a phone)

-SMS = text message

-surname = last name

-18/2/09 = February 18, 2009 = 2/18/09 (that is taking some getting used to…)


OBSERVATIONS
-Everyone drives on the wrong (left) side of the road here. Therefore, when crossing the street, instead of looking LEFT first, it is in one’s best interest to look to the RIGHT first to avoid being run over by a car (and they don’t stop here – I don’t think there is a law to “yield to pedestrians” like we take advantage of in the states).

-Unlike the crazy “hectic” northeast, everyone walks rather slowly here. One might even call it “meandering.” As many of you know, this is quite an adjustment for me as I am a speedwalker back home (and still sometimes unsuccessfully attempt to be one here)

-Rooibos tea is as common as normal tea and coffee here, and is the most amazing herbal tea EVER. It is packed with antioxidants and is really good for you! Rooibos, in Afrikaans, means “red bush” and is grown here in South Africa. I generally have 2-3 cups a day, or even more if there is the opportunity (it is THAT GOOD).

-Another note about hot drinks: coffee is always instant (even though I don’t drink it). I also found that throughout Burkina Faso last summer.

-Unfortunately, it seems that mayonnaise shows up more frequently in food/recipes than I might otherwise prefer… (mayonnaise isn’t really my favorite condiment, in fact I generally avoid it at all costs)

-The fruit is much smaller here. Like many other agricultural countries, South Africa ships its biggest and best produce to Europe and the US (next time you buy produce, check the sticker. You may be surprised at the number of miles it has traveled before actually consumed. I think that the bananas in the BC dining halls actually come from South Africa. Can anyone confirm that??)


Much love to all!
Love,
Linda

p.s it is 100 degrees here today.

keeping in touch

Hello again,

I just wanted to let you all know that internet here is a little bit different than at home. We have a limited bandwidth, and every two weeks if we use too much then we are cut off until the next cycle starts. Things like videochatting, facebook, and downloading anything use up the quota quickly.

The BEST way to keep in touch with me is through email. I have set up gmail to forward to my Rhodes email (to use less quota) and I check it frequently! I am also on gchat/aim somewhat frequently. I will be checking facebook and other blogs (and blog comments) far less (perhaps once a week or so).

Skype will unfortunately not work on my computer on this network. I am still looking into an internet café in town to get some skype time every few weeks. If you want to set up a skype date in the next few weeks, PLEASE email me and I will let you know when I plan to go camp out in the café.

Cheers!
-Linda

O-WEEK

One thing I have found thus far is that most people here frequently use abbreviations in their everyday conversations – and with the awesome South African accent, sometimes things can be quite difficult to understand. So when people were saying O-week, it took me a few days to realize that it is referring to the weeklong orientation for the first years and other new students. It has a reputation of being absolutely exhausting and ridiculous as the new students accustom themselves to the university. It is quite a comprehensive program, with lectures and discussions and events about every subject imaginable (from academics – with sample lectures and public health to a hall wine&cheese and campus-wide game nights).

The first thing I learned about O-Week was at 5am on my first morning. Every morning during O-week, we are woken at around 5am for the tradition of serenades. A men’s residence (res) comes and sings to us a few songs (usually complete with some kind of dance moves or costumes or something), and then we do a song/dance for them. Afterwards, we randomly pair up with a guy to “mingle” and exchange some small talk (which is always interesting at 5am…). At first I really didn’t like this (since I’m not exactly a morning person), but it has gotten better each day because it really bonds your res together. I hope to post a video of one of the serenades this morning but I might not be able to…

I registered for classes today, and I am taking Anthropology, Economics, Politics/International Relations, and Ethnomusicology. I am really excited!!! A semester free of the crazy nursing curriculum opens my schedule for the first time to take interesting classes just for fun, something I am not exactly used to back at BC.

I went to a Christian Fellowship meeting last night and met so many nice people! We played HUMAN FOOSBALL – such an absurd and fun game (it is a human version of a table version of a human game…)!! I might start attending church and events with these people, and I am really excited! I am potentially joining other clubs (they call them societies), and considering the African drum society, the wine tasting society, the mountain society (climbing and hiking), and the Choral society. As usual, I want to do too many things… (story of my life).

More to come later! Much love to all!
--Lindapants

the adventures begin...

Hello everyone,

I have arrived safely! Both of my bags and I made it to Rhodes on Sunday night - over 24 hours after I started traveling on Saturday afternoon.

A lot has happened in just a day and half. I am now mostly moved in to my all-girl mostly-freshman residence hall, so it has been fun and easy to make new South African and international friends (I am the only American student in this residence)! I am finally somewhat settled here, and after my first semi-full nights sleep on a real bed, I am feeling great today. International exchange orientation starts later on today and is throughout this week. Course selection/finalization is on Friday, then classes start on Monday.

My internet doesn't seem to work right now - I can only get onto Rhodes websites at the moment. I apologize if I have not responded to emails/comments/etc. Thankfully, one of my wonderful sisters has offered to post this for me :)

I hope all is well at home! Please keep me posted on things (and I will try to respond once my internet will let me check my normal email!)

Love,
Linda

ONE WEEK AWAY!

Hello fabulous friends, awesome acquaintances, and fantastic family,

WELCOME TO MY BLOG!!
Thanks for stopping by.

I hope to post here semi-regularly with updates about my travels and experiences at Rhodes University in Grahamstown, South Africa. Grahamstown is on the Eastern Cape, close to Port Elizabeth. While there I will be taking classes, hopefully to acquire core and elective credit - i.e. sociology, fine arts, language (Xhosa, the local dialect on the Eastern Cape!), etc. I will select my classes once I arrive for orientation. I will also be volunteering in some type of health-care setting, which will also be arranged once I arrive.

I leave one week from tomorrow on FEBRUARY 7TH! Until then, I am home, packing and preparing for this 5 1/2 month adventure. Please feel free to call/text my cell phone before I put it away until the end of June :)

Here is some contact information:

Skype: linda.eichling

Email: linda.eichling@gmail.com

AIM: LJE8888

Mailing Address:
Dingemans House
Private Bag 1030
Grahamstown
South Africa
6140.


Many of you know I am not always the best at keeping in touch... so I apologize in advance! I also don't know how good I will be with this blogging thing. Bear with me, and suggestions are always welcome :)

Please keep in touch!

Love,
Linda