May 01, 2005
random happenin's
It's been a while since I've written! Sorry! "Varsity" has really picked up here. I've had so many ridiculous tests and papers. You wouldn't believe it :-). I feel so productive! It's great! Lots of reading here, too. I'm taking an African Literature class that's really fascinating. My favorite class right now might be photography. The class system here is by quarters for many classes, so I'll only have 9 weeks of photography and some other classes.
What's been up? Really, a lot of studying. But Friday was Ben's and my roommate Anouk's birthday.
We made pancakes in the morning and chocolate cake at night! There's a LOT of junk food eating around Concordia. We had a braai for Anouk's birthday. The braai is basically a cookout/barbeque. A REAL braai will have a pig or a lamb on a spit, but we usually settle for sausages, and sometimes fish. Veggie burgers and squash are popular vegetarian alternatives :-)
I get around Stellenbosch on a little red bike. I've only had to get the tire reinflated once. It cost me R30 (about $5) (is that good? or a rip-off?). Somehow a thorn poked all the way through the tire and into the inner tube! I was surprised a thorn could do that.
Most of the international students here live in a place called Concordia. My favorite feature is the courtyard in the middle. Right now there's a kiddie pool on the grass in the courtyard of Concordia. North Americans are crazy, is all I have to say :-). Last night Brice decided to ride his bike around the second and third balcony, and then into the kiddie pool. I think it's time to find a new hobby . . . never a dull moment!
There was a Mexican, a Canadian, an American and a Dutch guy (all guys, of course) involved in this scandal. It was pretty funny, though. The same group of boys also had a food fight last week. The maids weren't too happy.
ughhhhhhhhhhhh.....Cate you make me sick! :) In a good way. I'm really fighting my flesh not to be extremly jealous. I hope you are taking a LOT of pictures. Where do I sign up to study abroad???? I'm being semi serious. I would love to travel.
Well, send me an email sometime.
[email protected]
whenever you get a chance. I tried emailing your clemson account but I dont know if you got it. Take care.
david
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Hey Cate! Glad to see that you're being "productive!" I love being around people from other counties and being in other cultures! don't you? I think i just love the newness and freshness of it all, new tastes, ideas, and traditions. Have fun with photography!! You know the great thing about Photography is that you've captured a moment in time in your life that no one will ever see again except for what you've captured. Anyroad, Glad to see everything is going well. We're praying for you on this side 'o the pond!
Posted by: ethan at May 5, 2005 07:57 AM
Hey guys! All is well "on this side o' the pond" :-). Thanks. David, you HAVE TO study abroad. I know tons of people here who are doing one semester (or two) of their master's abroad. Check out www.studyabroad.com and click "find program," then enter the program you're looking at (I saw graphic design in Buenos Aires and Barcelona??). You've GOT to do this! Seriously. I went through my school's international office, but another route would be to just go straight through the university you want to go to. I have American friends here who have completely transferred to Stellenbosch, which costs them $5,000 a year including room and board. The exchange rate for us is GREAT. Do it, man! They have graphic design here! You'd love it! I can give you more info, seriously!
Posted by: Cate at May 5, 2005 03:39 PMHey Cate!!! I'm back from Germany. I just wanted to say hello. I haven't had much luck posting things lately on these blogs. So I hope this works. Ya...so Germany was great!! I'm going through withdrawl right now. I miss it so much and it hasn't even been 24 hours yet. I'm sure you'll feel the same way after you get back from South Africa. I hope classes are going well.
In Germany we spent a lot of time in Dresden. Marie lives there. She is studying Dentistry in the University there. Her little apartment is soo cute. The view is beautiful. You can see a church steeple and other nice apartments. The bells ring once in a while.
Did you visit Dresden at all when you were in Germany?? The Elb flows through the city. The Altstadt (old city) section is beautiful. A lot of it has been restored since WWII. They are just finishing the Frauenkirche (an old Cathedral). Sylvanna one of Marie's friends told me that the Church actually wasn't bombed but collapsed because of an architectual problem. At night if you cross of the bridge over the Elb going towards the Neustadt you can look over towards the old part of the city. They light up all of the old building in slightly different hues. It's a beautiful sight. The Art Academy has a dome that is shaped like a citrus fruit. It is glass so it lights up at night. Students congregate along the river on the weekends and picnic or drink.
When we were crossing the bridge the night before we came home Sylvanna said that one of her relatives lived in Dresden during the horrific bombing at the end of WWII. She said the Elb was actually on fire and that the city was in such chaos animals from the zoo were wandering the streets. Elephants and lions...I can't imagine the horror of something so architectually stunning crumbling in around you. Especially when you look at how beautiful the city is today.
Well, this is only a scrap of what I have to tell you. I can't wait to stay up all night and chat when you get back. I hope we have a starry night. I love you and miss you tons.
Rebekah h.
Reba! How awesome! I can't wait to hear more about your travels--Germany sounds amazing. Yeah, I'm sure I'll go through withdrawl when I come back, too. But it's kind of cool that a lot of my friends have had the same kind of experience so we can mourn together :). Misery loves company. We'll have to make each other German/South African comfort foods and eat under the stars. On your trampoline. Can't wait to see you!
Posted by: Cate at May 31, 2005 12:57 PMSounds like a plan. I can't wait to see you. About a month left to go right?? Time flys. Keep studying hard...yeah right study. So keep partying hard...just kidding. I love you.
Reba.
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