Student Project Perspectives

December 3, 2007

Week 6 - Thanksgiving week

One big plus to having a project during B-term is this past week we worked Monday and Tuesday but then got the rest of the week off for Thanksgiving break. Not only did this give us a break from our project but it also gave us a chance to fit in a ton of the things that we wanted to do while we were here. I also had the excitement of having my parents come and visit for the week and had the ability to show them around the city, which I had been calling home for the last five weeks. With so much to show them, I along with some of my friends, tried to plan the week out to ensure they got to see as much as possible.

Aquila Safari

As a group, we have done mostly everything together. This can be especially hard when you are trying to be seated in a restaurant as a table of twenty-three. However, this past week was the first time we were going to separate as a group for a significant period of time. Half of us were headed on a five day safari at Kruger National Park. The other half of us, including myself and my parents, had chosen to stay in the Cape Town area and do a multitude of things. For the latter group, on Wednesday we left for a two day safari at Aquila. Aquila is a small, relatively new animal reserve just about three hours outside of Cape Town. To be completely honest, we really weren't sure what to expect. The brochures looked great but why would they publish a brochure that made it look bad. To our surprise, Aquila far surpassed our expectations. The accommodations were cabins that overlooked the safari. We were fed full buffets for breakfast, lunch, and diner. It was a true African safari experience minus the sleeping out in tents. When we were out on our game drives there truly wasn't much protecting us if one of the rhinos decided he wanted to come over for a visit. In addition to rhinos, we saw lions, giraffes, zebra, springbok, wildebeest, water buffalo, and even a hippo. If that wasn't enough, the best part of the trip was something we did right before leaving the reserve. Our guides took us over to what they referred to as the cheetah project. Basically, it looked like your typical cheetah exhibit at a zoo. These weren't your typical cheetahs though, as we would soon find out. They had actually been brought up from birth to be completely people friendly. We were able to go right in and pat them and let them lick our hands. It definitely was one of those things that mentally took a while to get used to.

Turkey Time

Yes, it is indeed possible to get a turkey in South Africa. That seemed to be the most common question from home over the past week. When we had returned from the safari we began preparing for Thanksgiving diner. We had arranged ahead of time to have the turkey cooked by a restaurant down the street because we simply didn't have an oven big enough. Even though we had turkey and all the sides to go with it, it just wasn't the same. Even though I was lucky enough to have both of my parents there, it wasn't the same without the full family being there. That being said, it is definitely a Thanksgiving celebration not soon to be forgotten. Overall this trip has really emphasized that I have a lot to be thankful for. This fact was emphasized even more the following day when, as a group, we went back to the settlement we had visited the second week to help them lay the foundation for their new community center. This wasn't just any foundation, though. The system they used was created by a company known as Ecobeam. The foundation we helped with was made entirely out of large sand bags that are compacted to give them stability. Now if you can imagine, this technology doesn't require extreme precision since most of the people that will be using it don't have the skills necessary to do so. With a group of fifteen engineers though, I'm pretty sure we constructed the most level sand bag foundation that has ever been made. Though we played a major role, there were so many people from the community there helping us as well. The construction of this community center is just another step in what will hopefully be an eventual overhaul of this entire community into sustainable housing. It was a very fitting experience to have the day after thanksgiving because it really reminds you of how little some people have. I'm glad it was an experience my parents were able to take part in before they left.

Just about two more weeks

It is pretty amazing how much, in the six weeks we have been here, we have adapted to the city. There are times when I feel like we have been here much longer than just six weeks. It definitely worked out well for my parents because in the five days they were here, we were able to take them to the best of the best when it comes to things to see as well as places to eat. I hope they weren't looking for a relaxing vacation because there was no time for relaxing if they were going to see everything I wanted them to see. Their visit also worked out well for me because I sent them home with an entire suitcase of souvenirs that I have no idea how I would have gotten home otherwise. As sad as it is to say this trip is almost over, I think a lot of us are starting to be ready to head home. The other day we were talking about the things we miss most. The list included family and friends as well as up to date TV shows and working internet. I feel as if there is so much I need to catch up on when I get back but I think being away definitely taught most of us how important so many things are to us. The next couple of weeks are definitely going to fly by with so much project work to do. I'm sure we will find time to fit in a couple more adventures along the way.

Until next week,
-Nick