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July 28, 2003
Hey everyone sorry that I was not able to write sooner but as you read on you
will understand why. I guess I should just start from the beginning. I am
warning you this is going to be kinda long.
My parents, gabe and I spent the night in Reno on Thursday July 17th because my
plane was leaving early Friday morning. We got up and was at the airport by
5:00am since my plane was leaving at 6:40 am. I was really lucky when I checked
my bags in and all they did was test the zippers and I was done. We got a bite
to eat and then I had to say goodbye, which is one of the things that I hope i
never have to deal with again. Security went fine and when I got to my gate I
only had to wait a little bit until they started to board. I was lucky and had
a window seat on this flight. Everything went find and the flight went without
a hitch.
I got to the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport I had a 3 hour delay before going on
to Amsterdam. I got some McDonalds (it was okay mom but I still prefer BK sorry
dad) and waited. The number of different ethnic people waiting for my plane was
amazing. A lot of them were heading to India others to greece. Luckily for
this trip I had a window seat as well but it was on the row that divided the
business class and the economy class so I was not able to store anything at my
feet. We left almost an hour late from this flight because our main door would
not close. I was happy that I was to have another 3 hour layover in Amsterdam
(thank you Kiersten). The plane food was okay as always and I was very jealous
of the business class and what they got to eat. I slept some on this flight but
woke up just at the beginning of How To Lose a Guy In Ten Days, so I watched it
and slept some more.
When I got off the plane in Amsterdam seven and a half hours latter it was a
little strange. They did not have a lot of TVs showing were your next departure
was and they also were not in any specific order. They also kept changing from
some other language to english so it was hard to find my flight. When I got to
my gate I met two other Rotary Exchange Students going to South Africa and they
to were suppose to live in or around Johannesburg. We talked and stuck together
until we had to get on the plane. Unfortudently one was in the front I was in
the middle and the other was in the back. It was really nice though to know
that there were two other girls on the plane from the states going through the
same thing as me. This flight was not as comfortable for me as the others
were. I had the middle seat and this time it was in the emergency exit row so
again I could not store anything at my feet. I slept off and on during this
flight which lasted a very long ten hours. As far as plane flights go I will
remember I do not want row 21 ever again (had it twice) and the flights will get
shorter each time on the way home where as they got longer each time on the way
here.
The three of us girls met up again when we got off the plane in Johannesburg and
got our luggage and went through customs together. Our bags were last to come
off of the plane because we were one of the first to arrive for the flight.
When we walked out of the doors and into the main part of the airport there was
one man in a green blazer who had a couple of other men with him. This man was
Ian who for those of you who don't know is one of my guardian angels down here
because since then I have gotten a couple more. The other girls and I said good
by and we went off on our separate ways. I met my host parents for the next
week or so and actually went straight home with them and said goodbye to Ian.
They are the McBride's and wonderful people. Horace is a priest at a Anglican
church in the Mondeor which is a suburb of Johannesburg. His wife Loraine is a
fun lady and quite an nice friend. I exchanged some of my travelers checks
there at the airport so that I would have some money to spend. We went home had
some Milo (hot chocolate) and I got to take a shower. Then I packed for my bags
for the next week since we were leaving in the morning for Kruger National Park.
Loraine woke me up at 6:00am and we were out of there house by 7:15am. We met
Ian literally on the side of the road and he was giving us Thomas. Thomas is a
17 year old boy from Belgium and he lives on the French speaking side so we have
had a lot of fun teasing him about that. He was very quite and shy because he
is unsure of his english. I am very lucky everyone here speaks at least some
english. I do not know how many different languages Horace can speak but it is
more then I will ever know. I am learning a few Afrikaner words here and
there. Over the week Thomas has come out of his shell at least when he is alone
with me so I think he will be okay. Loraine thinks that I am going to have to
be his older sister and make sure that he
dose not get lost in the shuffle.
Our drive to the Kruger Park took us a little over six hours but was well worth
it. THEY HAVE PINE FORESTS!!!!! Of course they are all planted because south
africa has no native pine trees but I was so happy to see them and they
stretched as far as I could see. They have a lot of mines to. Coal and gold
are the main ones. I also got to see banana orchards. They had blue bags over
the banana bunches so that the monkeys could not get to them and eat up all of
the crops. It was beautiful country. Once we entered the Kruger Park it did not
take us long to see wildlife. We were driving to our site when we saw elephants
on the side of the road. We stayed and watched them eat for almost 20 minuets.
They were so amazing. At this time though we did not know that we would see
many more elephants in the next week. We got to our site which was more like a
resort with restraints, a bank, post office, car wash, and electricity and
running water. We stayed in Bungalows which had thatch roofs and but cement
walls. Loraine and I shared a bed in one hut while Horace and Thomas had single
beds in another. We also had a TV in ours which only got used really when
Loraine and I were going to bed.
To sum up the week we would get up early in the morning and be out by 6:30am
driving around the park. We saw elephants, buffalo, giraffes, monkeys, baboons,
rhino, leopard, cheetah, bushbabys, bucks or Impala in Afrikaners, hippos,
crocodiles, ostrige, and many other birds( mom and dad you would have loved the
birds) I am sure I am forgetting some to. The only thing that we did not see
and wanted to was the Lion. We were all very disappointed. We saw most of
these animals over and over again. They were all so beautiful and amazing. For
those who know me it hard for me to stay n the car and not go pet them but I am
also aware that they are wild. We would take snacks with us in the care and
also would have ours selves a brie (sp) or BBQ as we call it in the states. We
only went out to eat one morning to have breakfast but all of the other nights
we cooked and it was lovely or lacker in af.
One day we went out of the park and went site seeing. We went to a famous place
called Pilgrims Rest and had delicious pancakes which were almost like a
dessert. Thomas and I had the same thing and it was one thin pancake which was
rolled up and had sliced nuts which had been in a cinnamon sauce and then a
chocolate caramel toffee sauce on top of that. They were the best and I ate the
whole thing. We then drove to Gods Window which was so beautiful. I wish that
it had not been as hazy as it was but I could still see forever. That day was
so much fun.
We left early Saturday morning the 27th and got home in the early afternoon.
We managed to lock ourselves out of the house but then got back in just before
the McBride's nieces got home. They are Lauren and Clair. Both beautiful girls
who have taken ballet and tap but decided that they needed to go to college and
have a career. They had spent the night at a cousins house the night I arrived
so I was not able to meet them until then. Horace and Loraine took them in when
they were little because there mother was not looking after them at all. Thomas
stayed at the house until Ian came to fetch him. He is staying at another house
until Tuesday (tomorrow) when we
will got to St. Mary's (I believe).
Sunday we got up and went to church. I felt really awkward but things went
okay. We came back home had breakfast and then and nap then lunch and just laid
about the house the rest of the day. I was suppose to go to Ian's and use his
computer but something came up and he was unable to come and get me.
Today he came and got me and know I am at his home which also seems to be his
office using his computer to write you. It has been amazing to see all of the
similarities that there are here along with all of the differences. Some of
the people dress like it shows on TV but most of the teenagers ware the same
things that I do. It doesn't matter either way I still get to go shopping!!! :)
I am having to do a lot of division. I take the price of whatever something
costs and divide it by 7 to see roughly what it would ost in US dollars.
Everything is very cheap. I paid for the pancake breakfast and it was
R95.00which would be about $13.00. This meal in the states probably would have
cost $20-$30 dollars easily. If anyone ever comes to South Africa they have to
eat at this place. There are two main things that I do not like they drive on
the wrong side of the road and the car and there is barbed wire ever ware. The
car thing just messes me up completely, and also most of the cars are clutch or
stick whatever you call it. Now the barbed wire thing comes from there history
and the fact that Johannesburg is not the safest place. All of the houses are
surrounded by high fences which have either barbed wire or electrical wire
around them. It is just a natural site. Also all of the windows have bars over
them if you lock yourself out of your house it is very hard to get back in.
I don't know what else to write my head is starting to hurt from remembering
all of the details. I know that I have forgotten something and I'm sorry. I
hope that this did not take you as long to read as it did for me to type but I
kept saving it so that I would not lose it. I will let you know as soon as I
find out the address for St. Marys then you can send me all sorts
of letters there. :)
I love you all so very much and miss you to. I am having a ball and being
well looked after, please don't worry to much.
Love,
Katelyn
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