Waking up at seven in the morning the group quickly brushed teeth and continued to walk to the waterfront from the hostel. Being Sunday, we had our weekly prayer service Al Walker has put together; with several readings and songs. We sat in the sand filled with crushed shells and watched the water change levels revealing curious black rocks peaking up their heads. After the service, the sun stood up from behind some trees as we discussed our highs of the trip. Students shared the ways the trip has changed them, what they enjoyed most, and what they plan to bring back to the states. Several commented on how happy they have become, finding wealth in self and not material things. As a wise man named Boesman once told us, "I have not had shoes for 15 years now, and I have never felt so rich!" Others discussed how they have not only experienced different places, but are taking back knowledge from each area.
With so much knowledge gained and perceptions changed, we depart from this beautiful city of Cape Town we have connected with on such a high level. Many plan to come back in the near future, and Joe Fitzpatrick has even started to plan his next trip. At three in the afternoon we head to the airport, and from their get to Johannesburg to switch planes. We stop in Senegal, Dakar to refuel then begin our cross over seas to the Dulles International Airport in Washington D.C. to enjoy a 4 hour lay over. When we hear the gate for Salt Lake City is boarding, I think many of us will be hit by a train of realization, recovering what are now memories of our travels. Though as we walk through the tunnel and relax into our seats, we look to the oval window and know parents and friends await our arrival, expecting these memories to flourish through the valley.
Thank you parents for changing our lives, and blessing us with this amazing opportunity. All students would also like to thank all those who have helped this trip happen, especially David McMillan and his family, they have shared everything with us and have enriched our young minds. This is something none of us will ever forget.
Stephen Strehl
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Quick Post
Here is a quick post about some random events:
The Shark Diving group saw 4 different sharks today out at False Bay in South Africa. The biggest one at 14 feet brushed the cage scaring the hell out of all the people in it.
Everyone is excited to be sleeping in beds again.
Nobody is seriously injured. Again, just scrapes and bruises.
Nick Brown has managed to go 8 days without shoes. Including walking through the mall, border crossings, hikes, dinner, a prison, and all over downtown.
David Griffin, Che Diaz, and Jazz Vitale have managed to backflip off about everything including cars, fire pits, and sand ledges.
Amazing pictures from everybody. Expect 2000+ facebook posts.
Adam Weaver is still adorable as ever.
Connor Purk has adopted the nickname "Ronnie" after his Jersey Shore doppleganger.
There are arguments over everything. Including PB&J thieves.
Jay Jensen and Kate Berry have come together to form our new friend "Jerry"
I discovered that Stephen Hemmersmeier is the perfect child and his parents must be so lucky.
A Baboon rode on top of our truck for a mile, and not many people were surprised... This is Africa.
Alec Walker can make Che laugh like a little girl.
We are continually complained about for loudness.
Kenzie Gaylord and Sylvia Austin are still best friends forever.
We have seen Nelson Mandela's jail cell.
We have experienced the Cape of Good Hope.
Never eat at Wimpy's.
KFC is everywhere!!
We rafted the Orange River.
We saw the Green Lantern in a theater. It is easily the worst movie anybody has ever seen.
We have bartered prices down at markets by adopting alternative nationalities including Mexican, Australian, and Canadian.
We managed to get laundry done.
We managed to make Namibian friends who have already added us on facebook.
We have managed to make an Austrialian friend as well.
We have also pissed a whole lot of people off with our Americanism.
We created the mud people tribe.
And many of us have discovered our spirit animals.
Gotta Love Africa.
(Sorry this is simple, but several students sit in front of me wanting to check their facebooks as if they were meeting up with an old friend after 30 years. I tried to fit what I could in here and hope it was a little informative. Just be excited for the photos your kids will show you, and the experiences they will share with you. We have 1 full day left. We plan to hike table mountain, and eat dinner in a botanical garden. As for all of us here at the Sunflower Stop computer room, have a nice day, and stay classy Cape Town.)
-Stephen Strehl
The Shark Diving group saw 4 different sharks today out at False Bay in South Africa. The biggest one at 14 feet brushed the cage scaring the hell out of all the people in it.
Everyone is excited to be sleeping in beds again.
Nobody is seriously injured. Again, just scrapes and bruises.
Nick Brown has managed to go 8 days without shoes. Including walking through the mall, border crossings, hikes, dinner, a prison, and all over downtown.
David Griffin, Che Diaz, and Jazz Vitale have managed to backflip off about everything including cars, fire pits, and sand ledges.
Amazing pictures from everybody. Expect 2000+ facebook posts.
Adam Weaver is still adorable as ever.
Connor Purk has adopted the nickname "Ronnie" after his Jersey Shore doppleganger.
There are arguments over everything. Including PB&J thieves.
Jay Jensen and Kate Berry have come together to form our new friend "Jerry"
I discovered that Stephen Hemmersmeier is the perfect child and his parents must be so lucky.
A Baboon rode on top of our truck for a mile, and not many people were surprised... This is Africa.
Alec Walker can make Che laugh like a little girl.
We are continually complained about for loudness.
Kenzie Gaylord and Sylvia Austin are still best friends forever.
We have seen Nelson Mandela's jail cell.
We have experienced the Cape of Good Hope.
Never eat at Wimpy's.
KFC is everywhere!!
We rafted the Orange River.
We saw the Green Lantern in a theater. It is easily the worst movie anybody has ever seen.
We have bartered prices down at markets by adopting alternative nationalities including Mexican, Australian, and Canadian.
We managed to get laundry done.
We managed to make Namibian friends who have already added us on facebook.
We have managed to make an Austrialian friend as well.
We have also pissed a whole lot of people off with our Americanism.
We created the mud people tribe.
And many of us have discovered our spirit animals.
Gotta Love Africa.
(Sorry this is simple, but several students sit in front of me wanting to check their facebooks as if they were meeting up with an old friend after 30 years. I tried to fit what I could in here and hope it was a little informative. Just be excited for the photos your kids will show you, and the experiences they will share with you. We have 1 full day left. We plan to hike table mountain, and eat dinner in a botanical garden. As for all of us here at the Sunflower Stop computer room, have a nice day, and stay classy Cape Town.)
-Stephen Strehl
Greetings From Cape Town (and Khayalitsha)
Sorry for the late update but the last couple days have been full of activity. We arrived in Cape Town late on July 4th and quickly rested up for our big day with Sporting Chance. We woke up around 5 to make 240 PB&J's for the kids and a sandwich each for ourselves (which most students gave away to the coaches). From our hostel we took our faithful truck named "Marylin" to the Khayalitsha township to help in the clinic the organzation was putting on. We drove past many townships on the way, but Khayalitsha was the most humbling that we came across. When we arrived at the field we went straight to work, separating into three groups: Netball, Rugby, and Soccer. Each group rotated through every sport, participating in drills, games, and coaching. We got the chance to become familiarized with sports like rugby and netball, and the techniques behind them.
Once the clinic was finished, the kids gathered on delapedated bleachers and began to sing, chant, clap, and stomp while we sat amongst them in awe. From there we began to pass out our pre-made lunches to the participants and coaches and any other township kid passing by.
With a backdrop of razor wire and tin-roofed houses we felt at home in the smiles of the talented kids while we moved onto streetball. Local Police shut down the broken road and we separted into teams once again with team names such as "Mufasa", "Netherlands", "Spain", and "Brazil." Three of our students matched up with three of the participants to make a team, many without shoes for the glass filled gutters. Several pairs of shoes were handed out from our Land Rovers and two pairs of nets were set up to begin the games.
After the final game we gathered to take pictures of the teams, and hand out a check of 1500 Rand to sporting chance. With kids hanging on our backs and dancing with us, it was hard to leave the people we had grown so fond of. Coaches invited us to Mzoli's Meat, a local braai in another township that provided us with some of the most savory, delicous meat including Lamb, Chicken, and Sausage. With stomaches and hearts filled we departed from a place we have every intention to return to.
Stephen Strehl, Jay Jensen, and Kate Berry
Once the clinic was finished, the kids gathered on delapedated bleachers and began to sing, chant, clap, and stomp while we sat amongst them in awe. From there we began to pass out our pre-made lunches to the participants and coaches and any other township kid passing by.
With a backdrop of razor wire and tin-roofed houses we felt at home in the smiles of the talented kids while we moved onto streetball. Local Police shut down the broken road and we separted into teams once again with team names such as "Mufasa", "Netherlands", "Spain", and "Brazil." Three of our students matched up with three of the participants to make a team, many without shoes for the glass filled gutters. Several pairs of shoes were handed out from our Land Rovers and two pairs of nets were set up to begin the games.
After the final game we gathered to take pictures of the teams, and hand out a check of 1500 Rand to sporting chance. With kids hanging on our backs and dancing with us, it was hard to leave the people we had grown so fond of. Coaches invited us to Mzoli's Meat, a local braai in another township that provided us with some of the most savory, delicous meat including Lamb, Chicken, and Sausage. With stomaches and hearts filled we departed from a place we have every intention to return to.
Stephen Strehl, Jay Jensen, and Kate Berry
Monday, June 27, 2011
Greetings From Swakopmund!
Hey everyone, I know you have been all waiting for a post from this blog, as I have been waiting for the chance to write something. First off let me say I am sorry I haven't found an internet cafe until this morning, and that is the reason you have not seen any activity. Apparently third world countries are not that connected. But I have a 10 minute time limit so lets see what I can pump out:
To all those loving and caring parents (hopefully all of you) NO SERIOUS INJURIES! So that is a success. The majority of us have scrapes and bruises from seeing how far we could jump down a sand dune on the coast on our way to Swakopmund. So I assure you there is nothing to worry.
All of us travellers met several other students from Namibia and traded contacts, and several have already added us on facebook. We discussed our cultural differences and found many simmilarities picking up on some fantastic slang words.
We have seen Lions, Cheetas, Elephants, Rhinos, Zebra. We have also ate Gemsbok, Springbok, Ostrich, Kudu, and Impala.
We have been on game drives, we have been sand boarding, swimming, seen different cities and towns. We have climbed mountains, dunes, and waterfalls. We have waken to stunningly beautiful sunrises, and picture perfect sunsets.
I hope to post again soon with more detail, as there are so many experiences and sights I have left in the back of my memory card. With a minute left I am closing this blog for the time being letting you know THIS TRIP HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING I THOUGHT OF AFRICA. (all positive) So I apoligize if there are misspelled words or poor grammar. But T.I.A., and all is well.
To all those loving and caring parents (hopefully all of you) NO SERIOUS INJURIES! So that is a success. The majority of us have scrapes and bruises from seeing how far we could jump down a sand dune on the coast on our way to Swakopmund. So I assure you there is nothing to worry.
All of us travellers met several other students from Namibia and traded contacts, and several have already added us on facebook. We discussed our cultural differences and found many simmilarities picking up on some fantastic slang words.
We have seen Lions, Cheetas, Elephants, Rhinos, Zebra. We have also ate Gemsbok, Springbok, Ostrich, Kudu, and Impala.
We have been on game drives, we have been sand boarding, swimming, seen different cities and towns. We have climbed mountains, dunes, and waterfalls. We have waken to stunningly beautiful sunrises, and picture perfect sunsets.
I hope to post again soon with more detail, as there are so many experiences and sights I have left in the back of my memory card. With a minute left I am closing this blog for the time being letting you know THIS TRIP HAS CHANGED EVERYTHING I THOUGHT OF AFRICA. (all positive) So I apoligize if there are misspelled words or poor grammar. But T.I.A., and all is well.
Friday, June 10, 2011
Africa Blog
Hey everyone, this site is where the students (and alumni) will blog while in Africa. For those who don't know what to expect, this will simply be a place the students write entries about their experience so far while in Africa; being updated via laptop or iPad when we find areas with WiFi. Hopefully we are capable of not only uploading text entries to the page, but will also be capable of including photos and videos.
To stay up to date with entries, you can either hit the "follow" tab, or just check in every couple days.
-Steve Strehl
To stay up to date with entries, you can either hit the "follow" tab, or just check in every couple days.
-Steve Strehl
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