Monday, August 29, 2011

Paper Planes-M.I.A.


The study abroad wave has hit. Not here obviously, since we are just chilling in the middle of our term (actually, we are in the second to last week of term, and it is past time to make plans for term vacation), but facebook has been strewn with statuses about people either going back to school or going abroad. I am actually really glad that I came so early; not only am I a trendsetter (hahaha), but really, it is nice that I am not having the shock of settling in while all my friends back at Gburg have a jolly good time together. I am sad that I wasn’t at the Leadership Team retreat last week, and it is hard to know that I am missing choir recruitment and seeing everyone again, but I know that God has other plans. Sometimes I just wish I knew what those plans were :)

I am currently in the process of making plans for my term break, and it is comically stressful. Instead of going to classes, coming back from classes, and doing homework, I actually have to make travel decisions that involve other college students. If you don’t already know, getting people in this age group to make definitive plans is like trying to herd some creature that is not meant to be herded. I think goats would be too easy... Anyway, I will hopefully be going somewhere and doing something fun, although we decided that getting to Victoria Falls was too expensive to justify, so no bungee jumping off of the falls for me. On the other hand, the highest jump in the world happens to be along the Garden Route between here and Cape Town…

Anyway, classes have been classes; I go to them, take notes, play the djembe, the usual. This past week was a bit hectic because I had an Ethnomusicology paper due Friday, a Zoology paper due Friday, a Philosophy test Friday, and a History paper due this afternoon. Luckily, I was supposed to be gone this weekend, but the trip got postponed, so I had the weekend to write the history paper. And by weekend, I really mean Sunday, since inevitably that is when I write it. Friday night I was too happy about finishing everything else, and Saturday magically filled up before I noticed it. I went for a run around lunchtime up to the 1820’s Settlers Monument, which is at the top of a hill behind campus, and despite the fact that the steep part at the bottom made me consider quitting and/or dying, I made it up and it was totally worth it. I think that spring is coming; it is hard to tell because plants have been blooming constantly since I got here, but a new variety have started blooming, and they are gorgeous… random wildflowers blooming along the road, and more planted in beds everywhere. There are trees with what looks like cherry blossoms as well near my res, and I love it.

(This is in front of the Psychology building, which is right next to Beit House)

Saturday afternoon resulted in an impromptu tea date, where I finally found a travelling companion (hopefully two) for the term vac. I spent way too much time afterwards determining that a Victoria Falls trip was going to be too expensive to be feasible, and then I got to have great chat time with my Mom and Melissa. I recently made the magical discovery that I can call the US using skype on my computer, and it only costs 2.3 cents/min, which is way cheaper than every other calling plan I have found. So I can now call home, which I love, and obviously I use video skype all the time. Luckily, I am fairly good with my quota usage, so if I accidentally skype for nearly 2 hours, its okay :) 

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