Flannyland: HEY!

WOAH Hey world!! Sorry it has taken me so long to write a new post..I promise you it is not because I haven't had anything to write about. Quiet the contrary actually...but of course, my internet has not been working on my computer so I have been limited to using my cell phone. For those of you who have ever written anything longer than "hey what's up" (all of you) you know that writing a blog post from an iPhone would be pure torture. Anyway, I'M BACK! So let me just break things down for you in a concise fashion that will not bore you to tears but will also fill you in on what I have been up to...

2 weekends ago, I was fortunate enough to stay with a family in Ocean View, a township about 45 minutes away. This homestay weekend has been the most rewarding experience for me personally and I cannot possibly portray to anyone else how it affected me. I stayed with the Terry family which consisted of Bernadette (mom) Ivan (dad) Robin (13 yr old son) and Aimee (9 yr old daughter) along with another CIEE student, Lee. Although they do not have much to give, relative to our comforts in America, the Terry family gives everything that they can. This does not only mean financially, but personally...they give everything of themselves to their fullest extent. Bernadette is an amazing cook and I swear I gained 10 pounds just being with them for 3 days; Ivan is humble and kind and once he opened up to us I could have sat and spoken to him for hours; Aimee was the most boisterous personality I have EVER met...she puts Brooke and I to shame and makes us look like mutes (hard to do); and finally Robin was soft-spoken and driven, wanting more than anything to become a professional soccer player. Throughout the weekend they treated us like family and encouraged Lee and I to ask any and all questions that we had regarding their lives. We went to 2 church fundraisers including High Tea which was an extremely humorous experience in itself and then on Sunday morning accompanied them to their Baptist church. Personally. not being a very religious person, I have always observed religion from an arm's length and have never really been able to completely comprehend how people can fully commit themselves to this belief in "God" but after experiencing this service I finally have a glimmer of understanding. Church to them is more than reading the Bible and praying for forgiveness; no it is much more than that....with only 40 members, mostly consisting of full families, church is a family, a representation of unity in an otherwise chaotic world. Living in poverty, they are able to come together and look to a higher being for answers, for someone who will listen, somewhere that they can unload the baggage of life and move forward. This passage cannot even do justice to the Terry family, and I could certainly ramble on for pages about each one of them, but instead I will leave it with...I will be back to visit before I leave in November, hopefully more than once, and I plan to remain in touch with them for years to come.

I have also recently tried a number of great restaurants and explored the city a bit more. Thursday of last week I went to the City Bowl Market with 2 friends. The best way that I can describe it is a much less intimidating, and much more manageable Old Biscuit Mill market...plus wine tasting. For R40 we got 9 wine tastings from vendors from local vineyards and a 1 full glass of our choice of wine. There was also amazing food and I had a delicious burger with fig, rocket (kind've like arugula/spinach and on everything here), a cheese that I had never head of before but was good, and a million other veggies. It was awesome and affordable and I will definitely be back.
Then, on Friday I went to the V&A Waterfront with 2 other friends and wandered around the Market on the Wharf (a large fresh produce and food market where we taste-tested everything in site) and then walked to Greenpoint. Once there, we went to lunch at El Burro, an amazing Mexican restaurant where we enjoyed super fresh ceviche and margaritas. After lunch we walked to Long St. and went to Greenmarket Square for the 10th time since being here (I'll never stop doing the touristy things) and I got a hand woven purse that fits my camera in it. No one will appreciate how huge this is, but let me tell you, it's huge.
We were blessed with the most amazing weather all weekend. It was mid 70s and all sun, which was a VERY pleasant change from the rain and cold that it has been, so we went to the beach! Saturday, after Old Biscuit Mill we loaded up into our friends car and headed to Camps Bay. We lounged on the beautiful sand all afternoon and then went to an early dinner at a restaurant on that beach overlooking the sunset. Pure bliss.

Now..it's back to rain and bone chilling cold but don't worry! The weather is looking up for this coming weekend when I have my first trip planned! Tomorrow night we are heading to Stellenbosch in the Winelands for our holiday weekend. Because we don't have school on Friday, we are taking full advantage and doing a full day wine tour consisting of 4 vineyards, a cellar tour, a cheese tasting and lunch :) I couldn't be happier. Rachel and I spent all morning this morning booking transportation, the hostel and the wine tour for 8 of our friends for Thursday to Saturday. Look for a post about that Sunday or Monday!

I promise I will be better about posting future adventures in a more timely manner so that I won't have to create the Sparknotes version of everything!!
That's all for now,
XO
Linds