How sweet it is.

The Old Biscuit Mill was everything I hoped for and more. There was a large tent overflowing with fresh bread, baked treats, sandwich stands, wine tastings, and more. It was basically a cultural paradise—I actually overheard a girl from Czechoslovakia tell her friends she was in paradise after she found a pair of shoes in the shopping area outside of the tent. After I bought the world’s largest blueberry muffin, I headed toward the chocolate factory which happened to be behind the “shopping paradise.” This is where I found my new Switch wallet, an adorable giraffe-print top, and a special South African present for Louisa. It is also where I was suddenly hit with homesickness: More than anything, I wanted Loree Anne and my mom to experience this perfect Saturday with me.  I also felt like Amanda Miro, my world-traveling role model, as I tried new foods, tasted (and poured out) new wines, and talked to new people. I even told one vendor, Rebecca, about Amanda and her fiancé, Chad, because I needed to be sure I found the perfect gift for their wedding in July. I’m sorry to say that I used the rest of my cash to buy a steak sandwich, but the ATM is my new best friend and I’ll be back to get Rebecca’s suggestion for them!

              After I finished my delicious steak sandwich, I hopped into one of Ish’s infamous vans that was going to the Waterfront. I finally bought a K-WAY jacket to protect me from this entirely unexpected Eskimo weather and managed to steer clear of the sketchy bathroom alleyways (I felt like I was filming Taken and immediately decided to wait until we got home). The rest of the afternoon was spent reading and resting for the Goldfish concert. Good Lord, did I have a culture shock waiting on me Saturday night.

But first, my sweet roommate prepared a lovely pasta dinner for us. The four of us had an incredible conversation that literally lasted for hours—until the boys came stampeding down the stairs looking for hair gel. They decided they wanted to dress like loyal and local Goldfish fans, so I sacrificed a bottle of mousse to make them look as ridiculous as possible. Mission accomplished.


AnnaBeth the chef



TIA

Let me tell you about this concert we observed/participated in: We’re dropped off at The Assembly on Long Street where a huge bouncer checked everyone’s I.D. but ours. I then walked through black panels, showed my ticket, and received an invisible, glow-in-the-dark stamp that nearly covered my entire forearm. As I climbed the stairs into the smoky and foggy unknown, I specifically remember telling Sadie Lambert that “this is not my scene.” Someone immediately shouted “TIA!” which is one of our many mottos here in Cape Town, meaning “THIS IS AFRICA.” AKA: Live it up while you can.

Goldfish concert

I tried. Following in the footsteps of another role model of mine, Lydia Jacobs, I “rocked out” and jumped up-and-down near the front of the stage. None of us knew the lyrics and people were mad that 101 Americans were drowning (Goldfish, get it?) their scene, but that didn’t stop us. I have never felt more preppy or out-of-place in my life, but that’s what this trip is all about: living, learning, and growing along the way. 

No idea who that guy is, but welcome to Cape Town!

While we were there, I met a guy from LSU who went to high school with a guy in our group and happened to be visiting Cape Town this weekend. It came up in conversation that he was a state champion wrestler from Lovett, and I asked if he knew my cousin, Bryan Benton. “The 4-time state champion from Toombs County?” he asked. “That guy’s a legend. I watched him wrestle all through high school.” I was, of course, so excited to have made a connection and beaming with pride for my awesome cousin back home. What are the chances that I would meet someone in Africa who knows and admires my cousin from Lyons, Georgia? It’s such a small world! And I love it.

GHSA State Wrestling Tournament {02.17.07}

 

Lovett boys {05.28.11}

The world felt even smaller and more personal today when Jacqui Berry, a Cape Town local from Durban, picked up Emily Gregory, Emily DeJarnett, Anna Marchman, and me for church at Hillsong and then took us to lunch in Blouberg with her 12-year-old daughter, Taylor. Emily and her roommates met Jacqui and her husband, Dean, at a restaurant during our first week, spent four hours talking to them that night, and have stayed in touch ever since. Jacqui is so kind, and she taught me more about present-day South African culture during our time together today than any class lecture or homework assignment could ever do.

Primi Piatti = Mellow Mushroom with a beautiful view

When we made our “Things to do in Cape Town” links on the first day, I wanted to include seeing the everyday life of a typical South African, but I didn’t because the Global L.E.A.D. program already incorporates once-in-a-lifetime adventures, gorgeous tourist destinations, and priceless trips to the townships. How could I possibly expect more from this one trip? The Berry family is honestly an answered prayer. They have opened up their hearts and their homes to us, and I can't wait to spend more time with them over the next three weeks.

So, to recap the weekend: The Biscuit Mill was awesome. I finally bought a jacket. Roomie dinner was so much fun. The guys looked exceptionally guido last night. The concert was crazy. Church was amazing. Jacqui Berry is “lovely.” Service week starts tomorrow. It’s a sweet life we're living: no complaints, no regrets. #TIA

"Be young, be foolish, be happy." - The Tams

"Step out into the sunshine, walk with firm feet."

 Hello again! This week has been full of adventures. As the Dooleys prepared to depart for Kenya on Thursday morning, the Global L.E.A.D. team began to spend more time with the groups we were divided into before the trip began: Bafana Bafanas (South African soccer team) and Springboks (South African rugby team).  Here’s what the ballin’ Bafanas have been up to this week:

Wednesday:  Vineyard tour

If you ever want to experience exquisite wine tasting, you need to go to Franschhoek Valley.  This is where I’d want to live if/when I move to South Africa one day. You’re all invited to visit! It’s a small, quaint town that reminded us of Italy. As we approached the vineyard, someone spotted a double rainbow in front of the greatest waterfall I’ve ever seen. And our welcoming only got better from there.  

A 6’6, 300 pound MMA fighter greeted us in the driveway. Rob, whose Twitter name is @rambowine, owns and operates Haut Espoir in Franschooek Valley. He’s a stud. After walking us through the vineyards and showing us various herbs that can be used to cure anything from common colds to hangovers (You better believe our guys ripped that plant to shreds and stuffed their pockets with its leaves),  Rob took us to the actual winery where he had designed a competition for us.

We split into six teams and each was given five different base wines. My team decided to make a pink rosé and named it Sassy Diva. We came in sixth place, and the all-boys team won a case of Gentle Giant red wine. Fortunately, I didn’t mind losing a case of wine because I would have given it away anyway, but let’s keep in mind that the guys had just won trivia on Monday night. The competition is getting fierce over here in Africa.

              Mrs. Barbara toned down my attitude that evening when I returned. She and I had a special conversation about life, love, and football players. What a doll—I absolutely adore her!

Thursday: Boulders Beach, Cape of Good Hope, & Cape Point

               It’s true, there ARE penguins in Africa! Not only did we get to see a beach full of the waddling black-and-white nuggets, we were lucky enough to witness a baby penguin hatching from an egg.  It was such an awesome experience. An SAE from Auburn went so far to say that Boulders is “even better than frat beach because everyone’s wearing tuxes.” True life. That really happened. Thank you, Jack Konas.



Jack Konas (AU)

Boulders Beach

            Since our plans to smuggle a penguin failed, we loaded the bus and headed to the Cape of Good Hope. It is the most southwestern tip of South Africa and is absolutely breathtaking. We found baboons, ostrich, and eland on the side of the road and, of course, our Davy Crockett frat stars on the back of the bus—who are outnumbered 4:1 by the girls—had a heyday. You would’ve thought they won the National Championship when they saw that first eland.

Cape of Good Hope

               Last but certainly not least, we ventured to Cape Point, where the Atlantic Ocean is said to meet the Indian Ocean. The entirely uphill hike to the lighthouse was bearable thanks to Jack’s rendition of “Get Low” by Lil Jon. The Europeans who passed us didn’t exactly appreciate his musical talent, but we had a good time nonetheless. The view from the lighthouse was so incredible, and I had a ball until the guys left me stranded on the side of the mountain while they raced to the rocky side of the cape. Rude.

Cape Point with Joanna Harbin

            I ended the night with a few Global L.E.A.D. students and Muslims in Cape Town. Ish’s cousin is the leader of a local mosque, and he was kind enough to let us have a Q&A session with him before we observed a prayer service. The Islamic faith is fascinating, and I am so glad that I decided to go because we had such an eye-opening and enriching evening.

Friday: Robben Island

               My inquisitive, nerdy, wanna-be politician side came out today.  Everyone knew I was excited about the seeing the place where Nelson Mandela spent eighteen of his twenty-seven years in prison when I showed up to the bus with three books in my hands. It’s alright, I’ve embraced my potentially embarrassing, studious ways.  I had a great conversation with Kelly Sugrue (Westminster STAR!) on the ferry ride to the island as we worked on homework assignments. Once we arrived, Kelly went with the Springboks and I went with the Bafana Bafanas to meet Thulani Mabaso.

Thulani Mabaso

              Thulani was sent to Robben Island as a political prisoner because of his affiliation with the African National Congress and his contribution to the National Intelligence Services explosion. He was only 19-years-old, the same age I am right now. His story literally gave me chills. He talked about the Security Police who broke his ribs, made him partially deaf in his left ear, and shot his father eight times when he tried to visit his son in prison. His father has been in a wheelchair ever since, and the men who shot him are now among the most successful businessmen in South Africa.

Thulani also told Courtney and me about Nelson Mandela’s ingenious plan to escape that he withdrew because he was suspicious of one of his prison “comrades”—and he was right. The comrade was actually a spy and was assassinated soon after the failed attempt by the white oppressors who had essentially hired him to trick Mandela.

Hearing Thulani explain life as a political prisoner and the influence Mandela had on the island was unforgettable. Based on Thulani's stories, I think Mr. Mandela and I could be good friends. Thulani said that “he was a man of his word and loved to talk to people,” even in the bathroom where the prison wards demanded silence. My sweet friends from the yellow room can probably empathize with Mandela’s comrades. Thinking out loud can be good for the soul!

As we all know, Mandela was an inspirational leader who was willing and eager to help anyone—white, black, or colored—in need. He believed in facilitating someone’s cause but not substituting someone’s problem. When meek and timid comrades would ask him to represent them in a debate, he would say: “No, stand up for your own.” How awesome is that? My Republican daddy taught me all about individual responsibility, and my admiration for Nelson Mandela skyrocketed when I heard that story.

               Once we arrived back at the Waterfront on the very boat that Mabaso and Mandela rode when they were finally freed from Robben Island, we asked Ish to take us straight to the apartments in order to finish and turn in our workbooks before the 8 P.M. deadline. We ended the night the watching the sunset from Café Caprice in Camps Bay. You need to visit my friend Meg Gheesling’s website for better pictures of our amazing South African journey. She’s a 20-year-old professional photographer, no big deal.

"In my lifetime I shall step out into the sunshine, walk with firm feet."
- Nelson Mandela

Camps Bay

      
         I hope everyone enjoys the upcoming weekend! I’m going to get back to my books and rest up for the Biscuit Mill tomorrow morning and the Goldfish concert tomorrow night!

Peace, love, and politics.

“One of the most difficult things is not to change society—but to change yourself.” – Nelson Mandela

How 'Bout Them Dawgs?

            It’s not every day that one eats an ostrich burger with a living legend. Thanks to this trip, though, I can mark it off my bucket list. The fourteen Cape Town community group leaders had dinner with Vince and Barbara Dooley last night, and I’m sure they would’ve come out on the town with us afterward if only they didn’t need to rest for their Cape of Good Hope visit today. Those two know how to have a good time.

Rick's Cafe {5.24.11}

            On Monday, we reviewed leadership styles in class and then broke into groups to discuss A Walk in the Night by Alex La Guma. The SEC student body never ceases to amaze me. As we discussed the conflicts and circumstances surrounding apartheid, our awesome TA (Chase Hagood), informed us of the desegregation research he had done. The schools represented on our trip (mostly SEC) were officially desegregated in the following years:

Georgia Tech: 1961
Tennessee: 1961
UGA: 1961
Wake Forest: 1961
Ole Miss: 1962
Alabama: 1963
Auburn: 1964
LSU: 1964
Mississippi State: 1965

Universities in South Africa were officially desegregated in 2003-2005. If that’s not jaw dropping, I don’t know what is. After learning this, a handful of us decided to tour the District Six Museum as well as the Slave Lodge. District Six is an area of town in which Africans (freed slaves, merchants, artisans, laborers, and immigrants) were forcibly removed in 1901. The government intended to make District Six a White Group Area under the Group Areas Act of 1950, but the prosperous white people began moving to the suburbs soon after the 60,000 blacks were displaced and their homes bulldozed. In 1994, the neglected area was re-opened to those who had been forced to leave. The museum was opened on December 10, 1994 to maintain the memories of those who had once lived in the vibrant mixed community of District Six: “It is a celebration of local triumph, which resonates with all those who have experienced marginalization.”

District Six Museum {5.23.11}

We then skillfully navigated ourselves to the Slave Lodge, which is the oldest slave building in South Africa. It was shocking and heartbreaking. There was so much to see, but I spent a good amount of time reading the heroic stories of Anton Jonas, Emilie Lehr, and Lydia Williams. All three were freed slaves who went above and beyond to help their families and communities in some way. Anton’s grandson became a renown teacher, Emilie’s grandson became a missionary, and Lydia had a strong impact on the local church fellowship. I was drawn to these people—who were granted citizenship awards in December 2005—because they reminded me of my own family and friends. They were people who valued education, hard work, and sacrifice. Props to them for surviving slavery and rising above it.  

            Monday night became trivia night in the Lagoon View (our classroom). Dr. Wolf hosted the event, and it was quite a success. I didn’t know that the Barbie doll was created in 1959, but I did know that South African apartheid began in 1948. See, Mom and Dad? I really am learning things over here! Trivia night soon became Chucky P’s (Charles Purcell) birthday party, which obviously meant we had to go downtown. We piled into taxis and headed to Dubliner’s, a local pub with live music/crazy DJs who dream of being on the cover of Rolling Stones. We sang and danced the night away, and I loved every minute of it.

Courtney + boys = trivia champs

The birthday boy {5.23.11}

The Dubliner at Kennedy's

            I loved every minute until 8:45 on Tuesday morning when my roommates and I realized we had all slept through our alarms. We frantically dressed and, by the grace of God himself, made it to class by 9:00 to hear the Dooleys’ speeches.

            Coach Dooley reminisced about his coaching days (Rex Robinson's save in the Kentucky game may beat Rudy and possibly The Blind Side for my favorite football story) and taught us how to prepare ourselves for the opportunities that await us.  He emphasized the power of discipline and prayer, using the word “pride” to guide his way.

Preparation
Risk
Integrity
Drive & determination
Everybody

            Coach Dooley talked about learning the hard truth that you must “teach yourself to be lucky,” and incessantly reminded us how important integrity is. In his words, “If you don’t have integrity, you don’t have any worthwhile program at all.” I wish I could adequately explain his countless examples, but believe me when I say that this man has integrity. He and his wife are true gems.

            Mrs. Barbara, who is fabulously energetic and spunky, also values integrity. When she spoke, she emphasized the power of attitude, for “the only thing you can control in life is your attitude.” She told us about surviving breast cancer and the chemo treatments which she turned into weekly champagne parties with her friends. “You’ve got to keep things lively,” she said. And that she did.

            Mrs. Barbara lights up a room the moment she walks in, and her sense of humor is wonderfully contagious. She and Coach Dooley’s genuine interest in the students and this program has really blown me away, and I will always treasure this time with them. Coach, if you’re reading this: Thanks for the flower lessons and cuisine challenges. I’ll always think of you whenever I see a protea or eat ostrich!

South African protea in Camps Bay {5.24.11}

            My favorite thing Mrs. Barbara said was this: “Fame is so fleeting, but morals last.” This is especially poignant when it comes from such a successful couple. As much as I admire Coach Dooley for his contributions to UGA athletics and Mrs. Barbara for her astounding strength as a wife and mother, I am so much more impressed by the character of these two individuals. They bring “vibrancy and life” to others in the same manner that Coach Dooley believes a football team brings vibrancy and life to a college campus.

            When someone asks me about my study abroad experience months or years from now, I won’t talk about the famous football coach who came to speak to us. I’ll tell them about the amazing couple I met who not only spoke about the significance of morals but exemplified it. I’ll tell them about my ostrich burger, Mrs. Barbara’s heartfelt advice, and watching the sunset with them as we celebrated Hines Ward winning Dancing with the Stars. GO DAWGS!

"To dream anything that you want to dream, that's the beauty of the human mind. To do anything that you want to do, that is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits, that is the courage to succeed."
- Bernard Edmonds

So let it be.

This weekend has been wonderful. My roommates and I overslept yesterday—rookie mistake—and missed going to the Old Biscuit Mill with the majority of the group. We were pretty sad that we missed this Cape Town Saturday tradition, but Ish lifted our spirits when he told us we would be the first people at The Green Market and that we could experience the Biscuit Mill next Saturday. I told you he was great!

We ate lunch at a precious pizza and pasta place while we waited on the rest of the Global LEADers to arrive. After bargaining with locals for random souvenirs at the market, we decided to walk to the V & A Waterfront for groceries. I’m proud to say that we survived our thirty minute walk through downtown Cape Town without any tour guides or iPhones. We did make a few wrong turns, but we were all happy to be navigating and experiencing the city on such a direct and personal level. The most exciting part of the escapade took place on the Waterfront itself, where we happened to see a seal swimming toward the dock. When we wandered over, we found several of them lying next to the boats. I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen a seal on my way to Kroger in Athens.

        After grocery shopping at Pick-n-Pay, we managed to pile eighteen people into one cab and seventeen in another (great South African bonding) to head home. We spent the night cooking in our apartments, talking on the balconies, and watching the boys attempt to play baseball with sticks and rocks out on the beach. I ended the night at the hotel bar with Matt, an aspiring businessman from the UK, Joseph, the bartender from Zimbabwe who gave us free key chains, and my ADPi girls who love chocolate cake just as much as I do. We probably won’t like it so much when we come home penniless, but we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.

The highlight of the weekend, WITHOUT A DOUBT, was church this morning. We went to Hillsong, which reminds me very much of North Point Community Church but on an international scale. Our entire group of 101 didn’t go, but we had enough J.Crew scarves and Ralph Lauren polos in the audience to attract attention to our American selves. We let out a stereotypical loud cheer when the pastor mentioned that there were visitors from the States. I loved it!

        Two years ago, Mary London invited Anna Marchman and me to a Hillsong United concert at Verizon Ampitheater. Never in a million years did I think Anna and I would attend a Hillsong church together in another hemisphere. Thank you, God, for having such awesome plans for us.

May 2009 in Alpharetta

May 2011 in Cape Town

"There must be a God, I believe it's true.
We can see His face, when we look at you." - Matthew West

          The message this morning was about living with pressure. Jon Norman, the pastor, listed the top ten most pressurized careers (PR executive was #2, great) and gave a brilliant perspective on how to handle the pressure and stress of life. According to Norman, “If you’re under pressure right now, you’re exactly where God wants you to be.” He insisted that “pressure creates character” and that we should cope with our occupational, educational, financial, social, and other pressures by:

1) Applying spiritual release to natural pressure
Even youths shall be faint and weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:30-31

2) Applying wisdom
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. James 1:5

3) Applying the joy of the Lord
Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Nehemiah 8:10

His sermon was great, and the joy in that church was indescribable. It was so cool to talk with the volunteers, pray with the locals, and worship the same God I worship back home with people on the other side of the world.

We ended the afternoon at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, where I had the pleasure to spend time with “The Golden Girls” (Emily DeJarnett, Emily Gregory, Anna Marchman, and myself) and the honor to meet Vince and Barbara Dooley. The gardens were beautiful, but I’m sad to say that this is where I lost the program from church which contained my sermon notes and the phone number of our new missionary friend from Montana who invited all of us to his home—where we could sit in the hot tub and watch penguins roam the beach. ROOKIE MISTAKE TO THE MAX. I’m sorry, team.

“We have to stop speaking about the Earth being in need of healing. The Earth does not need healing. We do. Our task is to rediscover ourselves in Nature. It is an individual choice. And how or where do we begin? We begin exactly where we are right now, when we look at the world as a mirror when we discover that our sense of freedom and authenticity is linked to the well being and authenticity of others, and that includes the animals, the trees and the land.” – Ian McCallum

On the way home, E-Greg and I had the most engaging conversation with our cab driver, Lanz. We told him about the differences between North, South, East, and West in America and convinced him to say that Georgia is his favorite state whenever his next group of tourists asks. We also talked about this beautiful city he calls home, the diversity of this place we call Earth, and the global family we are beginning to sense, appreciate, and love.

I’m not going to lie, I’m pretty upset about leaving that dang program at Kirstenboch. I want my notes and my group wants that phone number! But, I’m going to try to let it go and remember that there are better ways to spend my energy—which I’m running low on right about now. I learned this morning that “Amen” means “so let it be.” And you know what? I’m in South Africa. Vince and Barbara Dooley are here. I have 24-hour access to chocolate cake and ice cream. I'll just have to deal with being forgetful and losing my notes this one time. Amen? Amen.

 “We’ve got to keep smiling.” – Jon Norman

Table Mountain

March 20, 2011 was the most physically challenging day of my life—until today.    

I didn’t think a three mile hike would be as strenuous as a thirteen mile run, but it was.  The Global L.E.A.D. staff surprised us this morning in class and announced that they were taking us to the infamous Table Mountain. What a journey we had waiting on us!

Table Mountain

After studying the importance of core values and reviewing our top five personal core values within our community groups, we filled up our water bottles, grabbed our cameras, and headed to the bus to meet Ish.        

I started out with a solid group, but they fell behind as soon as I took my magic Jelly Bean of energy. I ended up hiking the homestretch with a Cape Town local, Peter, a recovering alcoholic who left his career as a criminal defense lawyer to become a support counselor at a local rehabilitation center. He is absolutely fascinating. I told him about my friend, Louisa, who is studying psychology at Wofford College in hopes of helping drug abusers one day. When we parted ways at the peak of the mountain, Peter encouraged me to keep an active lifestyle and a jubilant spirit. The chances are slim that we will ever meet again, but I hope that I will never forget his story or advice.

I don’t know who would have been more proud of me for reaching the top of Table Mountain: Mary London Carswell or Beth Ann Hamilton. I thought about both of them as I spent nearly two hours hiking. At the beginning, our motto was: “Slow and steady wins the race.” By the end, our motto had become: “Slow and steady takes the most pictures.” We made several pit stops for photo ops and water breaks, but none of the pictures compare to the experience. It was unbelievable.  

Go big or go home.

I ended the day with dinner at Cape to Cuba and a quick appearance at Neighborhood, a bar on Long Street. This program strongly encourages us to step outside our comfort zones, so I’ve decided to take advantage of my temporarily legal drinking age and test the waters of alcohol—responsibly, of course! I took a sip of seven different drinks from my friends, but I have yet to find anything remotely enjoyable. We’re working on it.

Meanwhile, I’ll be working on homework and reading my book about Nelson Mandela as I sit and gaze upon the island where he was imprisoned for eighteen years. I honestly have to ask myself if this is real life sometimes. Hope all is well in the States!

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” – Howard Thurman

The Amy Biehl Foundation

It’s 8 o’clock on Thursday night. I’m eating an Oreo McFlurry that was personally delivered to our apartment, and I’m working on assignments from the Global L.E.A.D. workbook. Tonight’s sunset was just as beautiful as yesterday’s, and the Internet is up and running again. There couldn’t be a more perfect end to this incredible day.

This morning’s class time was devoted to Kevin Chaplin, an esteemed South African banker who left his venerated career and fixed salary to become the director of the Amy Beihl Foundation. There’s no way my writing will serve justice to his speaking, but I’ll try my best.

Mr. Chaplin spoke to us about ubuntu, which is a universal concept that Archbishop Desmond Tutu once called “the essence of humanity.” Ubuntu deals with reconciliation, restorative justice, respect, recognition, reliability, responsibility, and relationships. In Chaplin’s words, it is the idea that “I am a person because of other people.” Imagine life without your family, friends, neighbors, business partners, mentors, teachers, coaches, classmates, and teammates. Who would you be? Where would you be? We are all connected in some way, and the influence we have on each other’s character is vital.

Dr. Wolf, our professor, likes to give us 2-3 minutes for free writing exercises. Today’s prompt was to identify someone we think expresses ubuntu and to discuss how he/she does so. This was my response:

Kevin Scott is the first person to come to my mind. He has a heart for service and a head for business, and he is the prime example of making the world a better place. I admire Kevin because he has a God-given talent for turning positive thoughts into significant actions.

Amy Biehl also expressed ubuntu. After graduating from Stanford, she received a Fulbright grant to assist the people of Cape Town as the South African government transitioned into democracy. She worked in the townships and fought for the political rights of the black people who lived there. On August 25, 1993, she was stoned and stabbed by four black males in a gas station parking lot. They assumed she was pro-apartheid because of her white skin and killed her, two days before she was scheduled to return to her home in Sante Fe, New Mexico.

Amy's memorial in Guguletu

        Four years after the four men were sentenced to eighteen years in jail, they were called to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which Archbishop Tutu and President Mandela created to allow offenders the opportunity to express remorse. The driving force of the TRC is the hope that true emotions will be addressed whenever a victim comes face-to-face with his/her offender. Mr. and Mrs. Biehl felt that the only way to fill “the void” was through forgiveness. Shockingly, they forgave the men who killed Amy. According to Mrs. Biehl, "they didn't murder [her] daughter, apartheid did." In their eyes, the stoning and stabbing wasn't murder. It was a political movement.

A wise man (Kevin Paul Scott) once told me that “it’s not about politics, it’s about people.” I wish he would have been able to hear Chaplin’s ubuntu message today. Chaplin also explained the Amy Biehl Foundation, an organization designed to keep youth off the streets and away from drugs and violence. It is an after school program that taps into the right side of the brain (the emotional side) via music, drama, dance, and sports. It was founded by the Biehls and Tobako, one of Amy’s perpetrators, in 1998. Can you imagine hiring and working with people who had killed your child? That’s forgiveness, my friends.

When Mrs. Biehl asked Chaplin to take on a crucial leadership position after the first director, Solomon, died from stress-related diabetes, he agreed with no hesitations. Talk about stepping up to the plate. As the director of an organization in a country where the average non-profit life span is only three years, Chaplin is on a mission for both national and international support. He and his colleagues are currently selling beaded bracelets, Amy bread, and Amy wine around the community to promote their cause. The Foundation received financial support from the United States government until 2005 when President Bush had to cut the international budget due to the war in Iraq. It is aided and equipped with volunteers from all over the world, but American college students are the most popular Amy Biehl fans. They gained 101 more today.

We went into the townships of Guguletu and Crossroads to see some of the Amy Beihl centers this afternoon. The 6-year-olds sang The Lord’s Prayer, the 14-year-olds performed a skit about HIV/AIDS, the 8-year-olds played the trombones (Mom, you would have LOVED this place!), and various age groups from seven different centers showcased choreographed dances for us. They put my Tiger Tiger moves to shame.

Our program director, Courtney Doran, challenged us to leave our cameras on the bus while we interacted with the kids today. She wanted us to experience township life from our own eyes rather than our Nikon, Canon, and Kodak lenses. I’m so grateful for her leadership because I was honestly moved today. I’m sorry I don’t have more pictures to show you, but this is something you need to experience firsthand.

I had a striking realization as I watched the kids dance this afternoon. As a performer, I always look for glitches (which are really just random and inevitable mishaps) between scenes. In this case, I simply watched the different groups transition and take turns owning the “open stage” they had created in the sand between buildings. The performance costumes—Amy Biehl Foundation t-shirts—had to be shared amongst 50+ dancers (ages 5-18). T-shirts. Not enough for everyone. What?

Here we are, 101 college students from various universities with enough t-shirts in our suitcases to clothe at least one class of Amy Beihl students…each. Here I am, complaining about leaving my cute coats at home and instead having to wear sweatshirts to keep me warm in this chilly South African fall weather. Goodness gracious, I am so ridiculously blessed. When you go to bed tonight, please pray for the people of Guguletu and Crossroads. They need it much more than I do right now.

It's 11 o'clock on Thursday night. I’ve finished my McFlurry, and I can hear the waves crashing from our kitchen table. I’m talking to friends from home on Skype, and I’m trying desperately to upload pictures of my new friends to Facebook. Life is good, y’all. Life is really good.

“Real leaders need to be able to open up. They need to be emotionally intelligent.” – Kevin Chaplin

Look at me now.

Well, everyone at Tiger Tiger seemed to appreciate my dance moves.  I went out Tuesday night for Megan’s birthday, and we had a blast. Ish took us to Claremont (and yes, I did tell him about Clairmont, Georgia) to check out the South African club scene. Instead of spotting frat stars and athletes, I spotted spiked hair and unbuttoned shirts—not my personal favorite, but I’m trying to appreciate the cultural difference. There are a few guys in Athens (cough Chase Vasser cough) who could easily rock their hair gel and V-neck shirts here. My favorite reminder of the classic city took place about twenty minutes into the night when I made my dancing debut with AnnaBeth and Megan on the “girls only” stage to “Waka Waka” by Shakira. Chris Ramanauskas (AKA: Romo) and I also broke it down to Chris Brown and Lil Wayne, hence the blog title today.



Thanks for plenty of practice, Bourbon Street.



We didn’t get back until 4:30ish, but that didn’t keep us from skyping with my hilarious and insightful sister. Here’s your shout out, hope you enjoy it! I’m really missing everyone back home, especially since I missed Christian Robinson’s 21^st birthday. Love and miss you, Crob!

I didn’t just dance and skype that night; I also did a little schoolwork when I got home at 4:30 A.M., the most productive time of day. I had to review my strengths assessment and answer questions about our guest speaker from the University of Western Cape. She reviewed the history of apartheid in South Africa and went into great detail about the forced movements of colored and black people. The Group Areas Act of 1950, the Separate Amenities Act of 1953, and the Separate Representation of Voters Act of 1956 in South Africa remind me so much of the segregation problems that led to the Civil Rights Movement (1955-1968) in the United States. Did you know that the South African government used to put a pencil through someone’s hair to determine if he/she were white, black, or colored? It breaks my heart to hear such personally traumatizing stories of interracial inequality, and it blows my mind to know that such extreme ideas of white superiority existed on both sides of the globe. Although apartheid and segregation are technically and legal over, we still have a long way to go.

A man by the name of Ghamza Adams, interviewed by the professor who spoke to us on Tuesday, said that “justice was not done” when he received his restitution rights from the South African government at the fall of apartheid. Another interviewee said that “Restitution cannot undo the past. It cannot transform this city.” I hope and pray that we will be able to make some sort of a transformation, no matter the scale, to this incredible city and amazing country.

Dr. Wolf's lighthouse view, no big deal!

I spent yesterday morning cooking breakfast with my community group and running around the resort to take ridiculous pictures for a scavenger hunt designed by Global L.E.AD. interns Dustin Harris and Matt Fornito. The winner gets to have a private lunch with Vince and Barbara Dooley! They’ll be here next week.

Ben (AU), Romo (UGA), Carey (UGA), Sarah Lawton (AU), Carey (Wake)

P.S. I took a big step outside of my comfort zone and drank champagne on our sunset cruise last night! Don’t worry, it’s legal here so my future politician reputation is still clean. I had approximately two sips of champagne and one sip of white wine, with a sour look on my face the entire time. Good thing I have a year and three months to prepare myself for drinking in the States!

Shelby Ausband (Ole Miss)

South African sunset

My dear friend Shannon Dooley found the Cape Town version of Chili’s molten chocolate cake at the hotel restaurant. It may or may not be the best thing I’ve eaten so far. In the words of my favorite South African friend, Gavin, the past three days have been lank kief (very fun)! The Internet connection was down last night, which is why this post is so overdue. I’m hoping to write another one tonight to tell y’all about the incredible organization we learned about and experienced today. It definitely requires its own blog post. Prepare yourselves!

“To be what we are, and to become what we are capable of becoming, is the only end of life.” – Robert Louis Stevenson