This past week was our first week without clinicals. But I didn't like that, so I went to a clinic in a rural area on Thursday and went with the regular students to their service site on Tuesday. This put me behind school-wise, but hey, I'm only in Africa for 3.5 months. And it was totally worth it. I love being able to interact and serve with the people of South Africa! Although class time decreased this week, homework increased.
On Friday we went on Safari. I am not sure that I have the words to write about my experience, but I will try. We went to two combined parks called Hluhluwe-Imfolozi. We were out all day exploring in these cool Indiana Jones looking vehicles. We had awesome guides that knew so much about the animals there - it was like real life National Geographic. I really like facts, so this was idea. We spend Friday afternoon, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning there. We saw impala (like deer), kudu (look like 1/2 deer, 1/2 camel), dung beetle (actually fascinating animals - ask me about them), baboons, warthogs, giraffe, rhino (white and black), buffalo, wildebeests, all types of animals, elephants, and seven lions.
There are animals called "The Big Five" which were originally named this because they were the five most dangerous animals to hunt and they are the elephant, buffalo, black rhino, lion, and leopard. We were very very fortunate to see four out of the five of "The Big Five"! Other than one black rhino and the seven lions (6 lionesses and one lion), the rest of the animals we saw innumerable times. Honestly, though, the trip would have been amazing if there were no animals. Just the experience was worth it. The cars were so cool, the guides were so knowledgable, and the accommodations incredible. We stayed on big tents that were on wood platforms. We slept under mosquito nets and the bathroom was made of bamboo.
Literally, beautiful, beautiful accommodations. We were dropped off and picked up from our tents because there was no barrier between the camp and the reserve, so animals could come and go as they pleased (except for elephants). We would frequently see hyenas and impala near our tents or running around while we were sleeping. We had a braai one night and many hyenas came to see what was cooking (terrifying animals - but I believe we only hate them because of The Lion King). At one point we were five feet away from an elephant bathing in the road. We then got word that there was a lion sighting, but we were far away. Our guide told us to buckle up and then proceeded to RACE to the lions. There was such an anticipation to get to the lions - the excitement was almost too much! And I was already stoked about the elephant that we were just close enough to touch (but we didn't - that would be bad). The lions were cool, but not my fave. My favorite moment of the trip was after we left the lions. Everyone in the car was ecstatic because of the lions, elephant, and everything else we had seen that day. We were driving back around sunset and the sky literally looked like the children's literature books when Jesus resurrected.
It was incredibly beautiful. And as far as the eye could see it was rolling grasslands. We were all praising God for his creation, thanking him, and eagerly anticipating his return. All of this emotion plus the fact that we all got up at 5AM made for an emotional car ride home. It was fantastic, though. I will never forget that moment, this place, or the creativity of God. He is good!
On Friday we went on Safari. I am not sure that I have the words to write about my experience, but I will try. We went to two combined parks called Hluhluwe-Imfolozi. We were out all day exploring in these cool Indiana Jones looking vehicles. We had awesome guides that knew so much about the animals there - it was like real life National Geographic. I really like facts, so this was idea. We spend Friday afternoon, all day Saturday, and Sunday morning there. We saw impala (like deer), kudu (look like 1/2 deer, 1/2 camel), dung beetle (actually fascinating animals - ask me about them), baboons, warthogs, giraffe, rhino (white and black), buffalo, wildebeests, all types of animals, elephants, and seven lions.
There are animals called "The Big Five" which were originally named this because they were the five most dangerous animals to hunt and they are the elephant, buffalo, black rhino, lion, and leopard. We were very very fortunate to see four out of the five of "The Big Five"! Other than one black rhino and the seven lions (6 lionesses and one lion), the rest of the animals we saw innumerable times. Honestly, though, the trip would have been amazing if there were no animals. Just the experience was worth it. The cars were so cool, the guides were so knowledgable, and the accommodations incredible. We stayed on big tents that were on wood platforms. We slept under mosquito nets and the bathroom was made of bamboo.
Literally, beautiful, beautiful accommodations. We were dropped off and picked up from our tents because there was no barrier between the camp and the reserve, so animals could come and go as they pleased (except for elephants). We would frequently see hyenas and impala near our tents or running around while we were sleeping. We had a braai one night and many hyenas came to see what was cooking (terrifying animals - but I believe we only hate them because of The Lion King). At one point we were five feet away from an elephant bathing in the road. We then got word that there was a lion sighting, but we were far away. Our guide told us to buckle up and then proceeded to RACE to the lions. There was such an anticipation to get to the lions - the excitement was almost too much! And I was already stoked about the elephant that we were just close enough to touch (but we didn't - that would be bad). The lions were cool, but not my fave. My favorite moment of the trip was after we left the lions. Everyone in the car was ecstatic because of the lions, elephant, and everything else we had seen that day. We were driving back around sunset and the sky literally looked like the children's literature books when Jesus resurrected.
It was incredibly beautiful. And as far as the eye could see it was rolling grasslands. We were all praising God for his creation, thanking him, and eagerly anticipating his return. All of this emotion plus the fact that we all got up at 5AM made for an emotional car ride home. It was fantastic, though. I will never forget that moment, this place, or the creativity of God. He is good!
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