Moving in out and around

We are finally moving out of the dorms and into our permanent living!!! I couldn't be more excited as I was getting a bit sick of living out of a suit case. I am living in the apartment above Vodacom (the phone store) with 10 girls and 2 guys. The flat is split up into clusters of apartments, 2 with 3 bedrooms and 1 with 4 bedrooms and then there are 2 bedrooms that are doubles. Two girls already offered to take one of the doubles and you would think that the boys would offer to take the other but of course they didn't so we are picking numbers from a hat to see who has to take the other one. The apartment seems like it's in a really convenient area as it is right on Main Rd and pretty close to campus. I am praying that I don't get the double or the one room in the middle of the apartment that has no windows. How depressing does that sound?? No windows. That must be a health hazard or something. I am also really hoping that I don't have to share a bathroom with one of the guys. Mom and Dad, I know you think I am a pig but we can all agree that most boys are on a different level. Anyway, I am really excited to get moved in and settled so that I can finally unpack and make a space my own. Later today I am going to try to find some things to decorate my room with and make it a little more homey. So, as I sit here waiting for it to be my time to move out/in let me recap my past two nights.

4th of July was so much fun..even though I wasn't in the country that it celebrates. South Africans love Americans. I know you probably don't believe me, but it's true. They are just as into wearing american flag printed things as the frattiest frat star out there. During the day we did a scavenger hunt around the UCT campus which was supposed to get us "acclimated with the campus" but it honestly made me ten times more confused. The campus is HUGE and it feels like you are walking up-hill in all directions. Besides getting lost every day on my way to class and having no clue where I am going, I will at least have a nice butt by the end of this. After finishing this "AMA-zing" race as they called it, we had a braai which is the South African version of a BBQ. Not sure what all of you hooligans did back home for the 4th but I'm sure it consisted of something similar to drinking a beer and BBQing. At night we went out to this club called Tiger-Tiger. I swear, you would have thought you were in the states based on the decorations...red white and blue EVERYWHERE, bartenders wearing american flags as dresses, and an Uncle Sam on stilts...it was insane. The club itself was awesome, there is this circular dance floor in the middle of the place set lower than everything else and they played every single kind of music from rap to techno to throwbacks. I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate 'merica day.

Last night was the most fun night that I have had here yet. During the day we had some free time so I was able to go down to Cocoa Wah Wah which is a really yummy cafe that gives 100mb of free wifi to customers. For all of you that have no concept of how much wifi you use on a daily basis, I wish that I could explain to you how much 100mb is but I still honestly have zero clue. Bottom line, it gave me enough time to call Brooke on viber and catch up and open the 40 snapchats that I had waiting for me. Keep em coming people, they gave me a good laugh. Then, at night, we were bussed to a  restaurant called Moyo about 40 minutes away. I had heard that this night was really fun by people who have gone on this program in the past, but any description of it didn't even do it justice. Once arriving there and getting off the bus we walked through a little gift shop that had all of the classic "I went to Africa" trinkets for sale and then into a bar area that looked like it should be in the middle of a rainforest somewhere. There were fountains and fire pits and little sitting areas with couches and tables etc that looked like they would be really fun to hang out at during the day when it wasn't freezing. For all of you who say it's Africa it never gets cold...WRONG. It's cold people, and I'm not just saying that because I am a complete wimp and have poor circulation..it is actually cold. So after making our way through the bar our entire CIEE program, including all of the RA's, settled in this tented area that was set up in the back with dinner tables, heat lamps, a dance floor and an endless line of buffet style food that smelled amazing. Before coming here I didn't really know what to expect food-wise but let me tell you, I have not been disappointed. Even though they are really into meat, which is not my favorite, everything is super fresh. Avocado is in absolutely everything along with pumpkin, sweet potato, feta couscous...the list goes on, and includes all of my favorite foods. The seafood is also amazing and the calamari that I ate last night was cooked to perfection. I didn't even realize until later in the night that the restaurant is set on a vineyard which would explain why the wine was also amazing. Women came around a painted our faces with little designs and the music and wine continued late into the night. I can honestly say that this was my favorite experience here so far. Here are some pictures from the night :)