Pics from yesterday

WHAT a day!

Now I can believe I'm in South Africa. I couldn't see anything when I got in last night and even if I had, it really takes seeing the landscape and meeting some people for your mind to recognize that you're somewhere else. We toured Cape Town's Western Coast today. We left around 9am and made our way about an hour out of the city to a national park on the coast. The spring wildflowers are in full bloom and the whales are mating so there was a lot to look at and take pics of. The coast was stunning. The tide was just coming in so the water was creating small pools in the rocks. The waves were huge and I got some good shots of them crashing on the rocks as well. We went to an ostrich farm on our way back to Cape Town. We had a really nice meal there and I got to feed, touch and SIT on an ostrich. I was hysterical the whole time. HUGE me on an ostrich. Of course I was the first person to do it and everyone was cracking up. I'll try to post some pics from today soon. Only photos will do all these words justice.

After the ostrich farm we passed one of the "townships" like the one I'll be volunteering at. Although I was seeing it from a passing car, I got a pretty solid impression of the deplorable conditions some people live in here. I know this will only strengthen over time. For those that have seen the film "The Constant Gardener", imagine the slums in that film. Kibera in Kenya, although it is the largest slum in Africa, is an accurate representation of where I'll be. Some of the girls on my shift told me some details about what to expect when I'm on "shift". I'll wait until I experience it myself to tell you but it's going to be rough. I appreciate these day trips to the coast and seeing the beauty of this country but I also look forward to experiencing firsthand the ugliness of this country as well. Without one I don't believe you can fully appreciate the other.

Until next time...keep in touch.

I'M HERE

What a feeling!!! I'm here! In SOUTH AFRICA! Madness. The flight was surprisingly pretty painless. South African Airways is really nice. The plane was very comfortable, the attendants very hospitable and the food delicious. I watched "300" and a couple of other current films. I slept a bunch, of course. My connection was seamless - nothing out of the ordinary. I sat between 2 South Africans who made me even more aware that where I'm going is incredibly unsafe. The woman told me an associate of hers was shot at in Khayelitsha last week. The man, an economics professor at the University, explained to me about some of the prevalant social issues and the HUGE disparity between the wealthy and the poor here and the unrest its caused. All issues I will see firsthand. (Note: I will be staying in a closed compound when I'm in Khayelitsha and transported to and from the orphanage in a secure vehicle.)

I was "collected" at the airport by Ursula - a very nice South African native who gave me a tour of the house I'll be living in and got me situated. The house fits 16 - there are only girls here now - about 9. I don't know if there will ever be another boy here...but I'm used to chillin' with the ladies. ;-) They already imparted alot of advice to me and asked me to join them tomorrow night for dinner and a night on the town. I'm going to join some of the other volunteers on a tour of the Western Cape tomorrow - it's supposed to be some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. It's spring here now and the wildflowers are all in bloom on the coast. I'll be sure to take pictures.

I got a SIM card for my phone - here's my number:

078-7052388

I'm not sure what additional numbers you need to put in front so I would check before you call. I can take incoming calls free of charge and send texts but it's too expensive to make calls from it so I'll get a calling card. Feel free to call or email whenever! I'd love to hear from you!!! I'm going to shower now and go to bed. It's 12:08am here. I'll post again soon.

Here we go

Well...not quite...but New York here I come! The journey begins...

I must say thank you to everyone for being so supportive and excited for me at this time. It really has meant alot hearing from people, "I'll read your blog! I love it!" I'm obviously not a journalist but now I see one reason they like their job. It's nice to sit here and share and let you know how I'm feeling and it's even nicer knowing that you're reading it and are so excited to share in this experience with me. I promise to try to post here as often as possible. I'm unsure of IF we even have a connection at the orphanage but the minute I'm back in Cape Town I will fill you in.

I know I've said it before but I still CANNOT believe I'm going to AFRICA! WTF?!? It's a very weird thing because, as I am excited, it's hard to be excited for something you know nothing about. Like when I went to Israel my Freshman year of college - I had spoken to 30 different people who had done the same program and knew what to expect every step of the way. With this, I've read 1 girls blog (thanks Eliza!) and have absolutely NO clue what I'm in for. I purposely have prevented my mind from creating any fantasies about what this is going to be like. I don't want to go in with any expectations. I haven't imagined the children or where I'll sleep or how beautiful Cape Town will be. I'm just open. Open to whatever comes my way and ready to experience it, whether good or bad. But I've learned that with that openness and a positive attitude, most things turn out pretty good...even the bad stuff.

To fill you in on some logistics: today at 12:15 I fly to New York, where I'm spending the night with some old friends. Tomorrow I fly at 5:20pm to South Africa. It's a 17.5 hour flight to Johannesburg (after a brief touchdown in Dakar, Senegal) and then another 2.5 hour flight to Cape Town. I won't arrive until 9:20pm on Wednesday. I'm not too anxious about the flight...just that I want to sleep. I'm also anticipating that 11th hour when I'm sure I'll get pretty restless. Or not.

This is it for now. I'll try to write again from New York...maybe tomorrow. Again, thanks for reading. :-)

6 days

Quick post - not much to share right now, aside from the redundant "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!!!" I do want to say thank you to all who were able to make it to Uptown on Sunday. I know it was short notice but thanks to all who made it and made a donation. For those who offered to donate clothes and toy, I'm sorry I was unable to take those items. The orphanage advised us that it's really hard to get things like that through customs, if they aren't in the original packaging or still have the tags on. They told me to collect $$$ and decide when I'm there how to use the money. They said everyone chooses to contribute in a different way. I see myself buying soccer balls and maybe some gym shoes and some dolls and stuff...the kind of things that kids hold on to for a long time and always remember who gave it to them. They won't remember who bought them that diaper...

I booked the hotels for Thailand. AMAZING...and SO cheap. 4 nights in Chiang Mai, which is in Northern Thailand, staying in cottages in a rice padi at the base of a mountain for $125 a person. 3 nights on Phuket, an island in the southwest, for $111 a person. And really nice places too. It's nice to have Thailand to look forward to after SA (South Africa). I know I'll need a break after that.

Mentally I'm doing really well right now. Little anxiety, doubt, etc. Just looking forward to this journey.

the home stretch

2 weeks to go! Got my immunizations. Hepatitis A, Polio, Tetanus, Typhoid (which made me pretty sick). Also have the anti-diarrheal and Malaria pills to take with. It took me a little while to process the fact that we have to constantly be aware of mosquitos and cannot drink ANY water that isn't bottled. That's weird for me. I drink water non-stop. I guess I'll be spending a lot of $$$ on water. I don't but bottled here, because I think it's a marketing ploy, but I guess I have no choice.

As the date approaches, I'm seeing more and more coverage of other people's voyages to Africa. I can't wait to see myself in those photos...with those kids. There are so many different reasons why you can go to Africa right now. Notice I didn't say the word SHOULD. I know this is not for everyone. I don't even really know why I have such a strong urge to go...but it's not something I feel the need to work against. This is important to me. I don't know if I will commit the 6 weeks and feel an even greater urge to go back, now that I've seen it...or if those 6 weeks will be enough. I do know a part of me is looking forward to settling down here but a part of me is open to the fact that I will be forever changed by what I see in Africa and I will always be able to find more ways to help. I just read last night that Malawi "is now one of the poorest nations on Earth. It’s been especially hard-hit by HIV/AIDS, losing a huge portion of its 20 to 40-year olds. Young parents, especially. It’s now a nation of children and old people." That devastates me. To know that so many children are losing their parents and have nothing. Is that any way to grow up? Understanding human development and how critical a child's developing years are...

I know I can't save the world...I'm not trying to. This does help me sleep well at night, though. ;-) It's important to me to make small differences in the lives of others any way I can. This time it means spending nearly $4000 to fly to Africa and give 6 weeks of my life to these kids...I may do more. Maybe I'm the guy that will open that orphanage.

Do more. Give more.

Have a nice Sunday.

BENEFIT FOR "BAPS"

Here's YOUR chance to make a difference! We're on our way to SOUTH AFRICA soon to
volunteer at the Baphumelele Children's Home. Join
Soraya & I for one night of fun to bid us farewell and
also to contribute to an amazing cause. Please
help us make an even greater contribution to
"BAPS" by making a suggested donation of $20. Your money will be used to buy toys, medical
supplies, diapers and other items the children need. Your support is greatly appreciated!!!

When: Sunday, August 19, 8:30PM
Where: Uptown Lounge, 1136 W Lawrence Ave @
Broadway, Chicago

Bring friends! See you there!