6/8

On our way to the project site we saw a rhino! It was too far away to get a good picture, but it was very cool to see a wild one on our regular route. Professionals will cut off the horns of wild rhinos to prevent them from being poached. There has been a rumor going around Africa that the rhino horn will cure the flu, so they are being killed more than ever. 

On a brighter note, we finished constructing and building the walls today! I think I finally mastered the tedious art of hammering the stupid four inch nails. Now we need to install the windows, put up the zinc side panels, and install the actual toilets! The sun was out today, so we all got a bit of a tan. The children were also able to be with us outside, and play on the playground that the previous ISV group built. 

6/8

On our way to the project site we saw a rhino! It was too far away to get a good picture, but it was very cool to see a wild one on our regular route. Professionals will cut off the horns of wild rhinos to prevent them from being poached. There has been a rumor going around Africa that the rhino horn will cure the flu, so they are being killed more than ever. 

On a brighter note, we finished constructing and building the walls today! I think I finally mastered the tedious art of hammering the stupid four inch nails. Now we need to install the windows, put up the zinc side panels, and install the actual toilets! The sun was out today, so we all got a bit of a tan. The children were also able to be with us outside, and play on the playground that the previous ISV group built. 

Areena Resort

All of the girls in the group chose to go zip lining as one of our optional activities. Mila drove us to the Areen Resort in the morning so we could get an early start to the day. We signed all of the release forms, got our harnesses on, and rode in the back of a bakkie (a pick-up truck) to the zip line location. Right when we got into the area, we saw zebras, spring bucks, and the giraffes! The giraffe that we were able to meet/play with is named Abby, which is short for "a big baby". When we drove closer, he walked right up to us, and stuck his head down to be pet and kissed. Our guide told us to.blow in his nose, because that's how giraffes say hello. After we took a few pictures, we went to the zip lines. It was a wonderful way to see the scenery, and all the different types of landscapes. We rode through trees, over caves/canyons, and between the rolling hills. It was such a great experience. 

When we returned back to the beginning, Abby was standing there waiting for us! He walked with us up to the bakkie, and posed for plenty more pictures. Unfortunately, we did have to leave, but not before the female giraffes came closer to us than they ever have, according to our guide. The first picture is of Abby following us when we were leaving, the second is of Abby playing with the guides backpack, and the third is our view from the highest point of the course. 

Momma Tofu

We went to visit Momma Tofu at her home for her to explain the culture of the Xhosa women, and have a home cooked Xhosa meal. Momma Tofu is 95 years old, and speaks to any groups of people that want to learn about the Xhosa culture. First, she had us sit and listen about the traditions of becoming adults for males and females. Then she proceeded to go in depth about how a man should propose to a woman, and what she should say to him. She said that a woman should never just give into a man because he said he loves her. She needs to find out where he lives, if he works, and if he can actually support her/their future children. My favorite thing she said was, "when a man says I love you, you say what is your love about?" She also told us that when a man wants to marry a woman, he needs to have at least 18 cows, because that means he has worked for something in his life. She also told us about how the older women check if a girl is a virgin. They will take a group of girls away from the village, and make them jump. If they don't jump high enough, or with enough energy, they are not a virgin because they were too busy the night before. When she was done explaining the different stages of marriage, and other things that women do, we got to buy some jewelry from the local women. I got two necklaces that they hand made, and a nice little bag. 

Then she fed us (in the picture below), and a bunch of little girls sang and danced for us. It was an amazing way to really experience the culture, and meet the local women. 

Morgan Bay

On our way to see Momma Tofu, we drove to Morgan Bay to see the cliffs. They were beautiful, and the huge waves crashing into them were equally as impressive. Milton thought it was hilarious to watch us freak out while he climbed along the edge of the cliff. 

The Barefoot Cafe

The Barefoot Cafe is the local bar/restaurant about 5 blocks away from our house. We went to celebrate our long week of hard work, and to try the local beer. The local beer is a gold ale, and reminds me of a less sugary summer shandy. We couldn't get enough of it! The alcohol percentage in it is much higher than regular American beer; I believe we all estimated it to be 8% or possibly higher. To start off the night we tried the shot of the night, which is called "Ebola Vaccination". (Yes, I'm being completely serious) They were way too sugary/sweet for me, but a lot of the girls in our group took multiple. It was a blast getting to know our group members, and leaders, in a totally different setting than work. 

We were able to meet a few of the locals, and another volunteer group from England. We all assumed they were much older than us, but after talking to them for a bit we discovered that we all were the same age. One of the guys in that group is turning 21 a few days after me, so we had to have a little bit of an early celebration together. Unfortunately, they are leaving to go home on Monday, but they all insisted on adding me on Facebook at the bar so we can stay in touch. Now I have multiple connections in England to meet up with if I ever go.

Overall, it was a wonderful experience, and I wish we could get to know the people better before everyone goes their seperate ways. I also wish that we could get the local beer when we get back to the states, because it's so delicious. 

6/5

Thankfully the rain held out today, so we could get extra work done that we missed yesterday. We finished the main floor, the deck, and the front wall/doorways. The other half of the group finished painting all of the zinc panels for the walls/roof. It took me a few try's, but I finally mastered nailing the long nails without completely bending them. I plan to be a master carpenter when this project is finished. (Lol) Today was very rewarding when we finally put up the first wall! The first picture is what we did before lunch, and the third is at the end of the day! Emily was obviously working very hard today.