Blessings in the Tenderloin

When I hear the word "travels", I think long plane flights (stale peanuts included), faraway journeys, unique and distinct cultures, and the eventual acquisition of a brand new insight into to the lives of others and, in turn of my own life. 

I suppose this weekend, though not what I would immediately tag as "travels with Bryn",wasn't so different.

The 'long plane flight' was instead a 30 minute walk, 1.5 miles south west of my cozy apartment in protected Pacific Heights to the infamous Tenderloin (TL) district; mind you, stale peanuts were still included. In a way, it was a faraway journey to a unique and distinct culture. My world in the gentrified hubs of San Francisco is farther from that of the TL residents 1.5 miles away from me than any European city I've been to. The TL culture is distinct, plagued by vices that I don't even think about in my daily life, and yet free from miseries that I carry on my shoulders. My time there, left me with new insights, monumental in my life and in my development into the citizen, human, woman, I want to be. 

And so, my 'travels' continue...

To give you a summary, the 48-hour "TL throw-down"(as I like to call it) was two different events, each split into three parts. Saturday's event was a conference put on by City Impact, a Christ-centered organization that provides relief programs while breaking unhealthy cycles through education, leadership training, and spiritual transformation. Sunday's event was called Serve the City, organized by the collaboration of City Impact and Reality Church SF. Both events consisted of a morning message/worship service, an afternoon of outreach in the TL, and an evening message/worship service.

When I found out my community group and I had been assigned to the foot washing tent during afternoon outreach both Saturday and Sunday, I wasn't particularly ecstatic. I suppose, to a certain extent, what I had imagined when I registered was days filled with glorious games played with little kids who would love and look up to us, or perhaps handing out clothes to people who would gladly and gratefully accept them. No, foot washing was to be another matter all together. What I didn't realize at the time was that washing the feet of the people in the tenderloin would be one of the most uplifting, heart-transforming things I would ever do. 

The act of taking off a stranger's shoes and socks, rubbing and cleaning their feet in warm water, taking a pumice stone to their dead skin and tough spots, clipping their brittle and ingrown toenails, massaging lotion onto their bruised legs, and putting a pair of new, clean socks on their feet, is an act in and of itself filled with compassion. I could not help but love the people I was serving as they allowed me to see, touch, and heal them in a way that made them vulnerable and possibly self-conscious. I learned to see their feet as God sees their feet: perfect. How could I judge ingrown toenails, unpolished callouses, untreated wounds, when those were perhaps the least of their worries in life, when the aesthetics of their toenails was not their top priority? 

I met a man who had been attacked from behind years ago while working as a meter maid handing out parking tickets. He hadn't been able to work since, do to head injury. After I washed his feet, we held hands and prayed for healing and recovery in his life. Then we hugged goodbye. 

I met a local woman whose family had died in the San Francisco Earthquake. She had been shot and stabbed several times and was still recovering. It was very hard to understand her slurred speech, but, when she sang gospel hymns, her words were perfect and distinct. I sat with her and many others at the prayer tent for 30 minutes holding her hands and crying as I listened to her story. Even as we sat there, I could see her hunched back begin to straighten. When we went to the clothing tent together, I held up items for her approval or disproval; we seemed to have different tastes. When I held up what I thought looked very comfortable and warm -albeit a little homely-, she responded "Ah hell no! You know better than that." :)

I met a Napelese woman, probably about 75 years old, who didn't speak any English. We communicated via body language for 20 minutes as I rubbed her amazingly soft feet, and I learned that she had come to America from Nepal two years earlier. As she was leaving she turned around and hugged me, and her sister and daughter eagerly approached me to shake my hand and exchange 'Namaste's before walking away.

I met a man from Veracruz, living in Daly City, who had been volunteering with the city earlier that day to pay off a parking ticket. He told me he had had to "kick out" homeless people sleeping under the bridge on 11th St as part of his volunteering. He said that that was particularly hard for him because he had slept their many times while trying to find work in San Francisco. When I asked to pray for him he smiled, removed his hat, and said "yes, please please."

I met a man named Indian Joe. He is a total Alice Cooper doppelgänger, outfit, make-up and all. He was born on an Indian Reservation and had made his way into San Francisco, where he was recently featured in an Emmy-winning documentary titled "A Brush with the Tenderloin" and had proudly attended the awards banquet in his usual rock 'n' roll-style get-up amidst the sequen gowns and suits worn by other guests. He asked to take a picture with me, since I was wearing an AC/DC shirt. He was one of the friendliest people I've ever met.  

The list goes on and on. I'm sure if I asked any other volunteers this weekend, they would have their own stories to tell. Stories of amazing people whose pasts make my life look like a scene from the movie Pleasantville. Many of the folks that I met were just thrilled to know that someone was interested in their story and their well being. What struck me the most is that, as I loved on them, they loved on me right back. I tried to explain to them that, the reason I was out there serving was because I had been so loved by God and by those around me that I wanted to give some of that love to other people. But, even as I said that, I realized that they gave their love just the same, whether or not they had felt loved by the world the same way I had. 

I went to serve and bless others, but I was surprised to find that the people of the Tenderloin blessed me more than I could have ever blessed them. Mmm, God is good. 

The DR In Reflection...

“To those bred under an elaborate social order few such moments of exhilaration can come as that which stands at the threshold of wild travel. The gates of the enclosed garden are thrown open, the chain at the entrance of the sanctuary is lowered…and like the man in the fairy story, you feel the bands break that were riveted about your heart.”

~Gertrude Bell, as quoted in Desert Queen by Janet Wallach

For the last 6 months, we’ve been organizing, re-organizing, and starting from scratch; we’ve been detailing and problem solving and calling in reinforcements. It’s quite powerful how conditioned we are, as students of Tufts University, to strive for results and tangible successes. We yearn for something that in and of itself makes what we do worthwhile and effective.

We set off for the Dominican Republic with that notion in mind, and, for better or for worse, we left with something much different. Through unforeseen technical difficulties, language barriers, and time constraints, we fought fiercely to “stick to our plan” to be, in a word, successful. We struggled with feelings of helplessness and the thought that our work would not and could not truly make any difference or bring about any change.

And, in the midst of a scientifically and technically questionable trip, we learned what it means to be facilitators; we learned how to find our once-needed success in the success of others that we support. We found it in ourselves to let go of tangible achievements and think of the potential that motivation and self-assurance bring to an individual and, more so, to a community at large. We were inspired by the power of cultural interaction and its significance in the progression of community health. Perhaps, most importantly, we were challenged to understand that being seemingly successful ourselves meant little compared to the opportunity we had to inspire and be inspired.

Gertrude Bell, quoted above, was a queen of travel, born in England and at the forefront of the search into the unknown at a time when most of those born into the English “empire” focused only on their own country’s political and cultural power. Throughout her travels, she acted outside of her social restrictions, yet held on to her English roots in her attitudes, traditions and, of course, clothing choices. Yet, as she describes, her travels allowed her to open up her understanding, to comprehend herself in the midst of a world she never had known before. This trip has allowed me to do the same; perhaps all travels do. As travelers, upon our returns, we throw open the doors of our lives with new understanding and new outlook. And, the greatest challenge of all is to bolt the doors open, in the midst of a life that often keeps them shut tight.

To the people I had the honor of meeting in the communities of the Dominican Republic, you have taught me many things –most of which, surprisingly, fell outside of the scope of our research facilitation- and you have opened my eyes to many realities of my world and the world at large; you have challenged me and enlightened me; you have demonstrated what it means to show sincere love and affection to so-called strangers. And, most of all, over one week’s time, you have secured a place in my heart. We will not stop thinking of you, we will not stop talking about you, and we will not stop fighting for your cause; for, as friends, your cause is our cause. Here’s to selling a thousand more Club Tisch stickers…let the fundraising begin!

I will be back… Just look for a blonde woman, laughing about her long gone days of broken Spanish through the lively streets of Pancho Mateo.

The DR is in...

The days have been filled with work and play and a new culture that I never in the least bit expected. Pancho Mateo is a place of community, culture, and a sense of belonging. Even through the adversity of racism (and, believe me, it exists in a very significant way here) and relative poverty, contentment exists in human interaction and love. It’s a bit overwhelming to feel so at peace and so content in a world where so many things-literally “things”- that we often hold too close to our hearts do not exist. Why worry yourself when you have family, food, and the laughter that pleasantly echoes from every doorway? Here, houses are open, space is shared, and every adult scolds, feeds, and brags about every others’ children. I am humbled by the peace with which people carry out their lives when I myself rely on much more for my happiness.

Yesterday, after captioning photos for our project with our participants and newfound friends, we all went to play soccer in the park. To us, the park in Pancho looked like a mere concrete slab with two basketball hoops and a set of stands, but I have never seen a park in American used as much or as well as this. Needless to say, the game served as a reminder of the importance of proper footwear and clothing during athletics. Then again, my long skirt and rain boots seemed an acceptable choice after noting that several little boys in flip-flops and jeans were schooling me. Not many older girls still play sports with the boys, so it brought a lot of smiles and laughter from the group of kids that eventually caught wind of a game going on. Sure enough, there were soon two basketball games, a dance competition, and a girl riding around on her bicycle, on top of our game, leaving the court scattered with competitors. No one complained, however; this is space for everyone to share. When we grew tired and sat down to watch the scene, it was enough to just rest and chat about life and our similarities and hilarious differences.

Places like Pancho Mateo remind you of how much there is to be joyous about in life. Sometimes having more things is a distraction from the things that matter most. To this community, there cherish what they have. Although they are grateful for more, they do not seem to perpetually seek it as I often do. This is something I hope to take with me when I land on American soil.

P.S. My Spanish is believable when I say hello and goodbye now! What a miracle!

Travels in the Dominican Republic

It’s an amazing thing to travel, to enter a world in which unknown becomes normal and unimaginable becomes reality. After two days among the locals of Pancho Mateo and Severet, my normal has become my long conservative skirt, “botas” (rain boots) to avoid excessive and constant mud, and the persistent existence of sweat on my brow. Dominican weather is anything but dry, and I can only imagine living in a summer with a heat index of around 120 degrees.

So what is it like, you ask? When we stepped off of the truck on our first day in Pancho Mateo, a hoard of young girls with braided hair and flawless complexions came running to grab our hands and tug on our skirts. Perhaps this is because they expect gifts from international travelers; perhaps they are excited by the mysteriousness of a different world. Because I can say a total of about 10 words in Spanish, the best form of communication with these adorable children is hand squeezes and mutual funny faces. We were greeted by a group of young men and a few women, all around our age, one of which is the Community Health Worker of Pancho Mateo, Willy, hired by HHI to lead health initiatives in his community and aid those in need. It is one thing to join in an already established health initiative. It is another thing to initiate health promotion in your community, especially as a young adult. It is inspiring to say the least. I am reminded of the amount of times I have hesitated in community health promotion solely because the existing capacity and resources seems too limited; my observations in Pancho Mateo have already begun to challenge those hesitations.

What continues to amaze me are the many normalities that penetrate the cultural, economic, geographical barriers that I assume exist in the world. Young girls spend hours braiding each others’ hair, men gather together to play games and drink beer, and young adults enjoy dancing, music, and-of course- facebook. Commonalities reside in even the farthest reaches of the world (and the DR is surprisingly close), and traveling is a constant reminder that human interaction is natural and important to promote a better understanding of our nature. This is only day three, and my mind is reeling. I will have more to report later; I can’t wait to see what new experiences lie ahead.

In closing, two things I already miss: casual afternoon runs (we have been waking up at 7 am to run here) and being able to flush toilet paper.

ADIOS!!!!!! MUCHO AMOR!!!

-- Bryn

In Retrospect

I've been back for a month now; it hardly feels like I've spent 28 nights in bed in Medford, but the calendar doesn't lie I suppose. I'm standing on a crowded Monday morning T (subway). Its the usual clutter of professionals on their way to work, reading books and papers, listening to their ipods, and glued to their kindles. Of course, the T is delayed this morning, causing a bit of a silent panic, and you wouldn't realize the tension unless you watched people's legs fidgeting from my view in a valued seat among the standing train-goers.

Davis, Porter, Harvard, Central, MIT, MGH, Park st, and then a transfer passed Boylston, Arlington, and ending at Copley. Then I walk 7 minutes on Newbury St, one of the liveliest shopping districts in Boston, to L'aroma, the cafe at which I am working for the summer. Any tourist to the area would be wowed by the culture and history that enlivens each of these areas, but as I pass by them on my morning T ride, they seem only normal to me, still incredible places, but normal.

After work, I go running with a friend around the Charles River that runs through Boston. I try to ask a different friend every day to make sure I'm up to date on the lives of each. So, in a 2 week period, I have quite a variety of running partners.

Then I make dinner and find an activity for the night before winding down. No 3 AM library sessions on summer days. Everyone is on the 9-5 schedule now. This fact means that weekend are valued highly. I've spent my Saturdays here mud racing in Amesbury, attending my cousin's wedding with Geordie in NorCal, and backpacking in the White Mountains in New Hampshire.
On the more "regular" week days, some nights are particularly enthralling: an Ethiopian dinner out at Addis, a late night visit to the pub, a picnic, we even went to watch WWE wrestling, live from TD Garden last night. Other evenings are the perfect summer mixture of social activity and relaxation; something along the lines of cooking dinner and watching a movie with the house, working on my collage, or having heart-to-hearts with geordie. These nights I'm reminded why I came to Tufts for the summer, to be surrounded by activity and still feel at peace and ease.

Funny to think that my life one month ago was so drastically different in so many ways. I think back on those 5 months so fondly. It's not that I wish I were there, because I know, at this point in my life, I belong at Tufts; this is where God has placed me. It's that I wish, with every part of my being, that I could visit my life in Cape Town on one of my "highly valued" weekends or on a day off from work. I wish that I could see my friends there and explain to them how much they mean to me and how much more I understand that now that I'm not with them. It's painful to think that I may never see them again, and, I must say, I struggle to cope with the idea of moving on from one's abroad experience like so many people seem to do; if I lost touch with my life in Cape Town, I should think I'd lose touch with myself, since that life shaped who I am now.

So "how is it going?" Well, life is beautiful; I really am so blessed. I'm happy to be home and I am more than content with my new normal. And, more than ever I miss friends from CT, but in the best way possible, in the way that reaffirms His plan when He brought me there. I miss them because they made me the best version of myself, and I wish they were here to see how they've changed my American life.

Here's to a new chapter. Cheers.

That's A Wrap Folks

So here goes the last blog about Cape Town adventures…the short and sweet of my last two weeks, during which I…

Visited the Shepherd’s house for a delicious soup dinner and family time with them. Cara-Leigh introduced me to Stumble Upon, and, since then, I have watched the youtube video “People Are Awesome” about fifteen times. If you haven’t seen it, you’re missing out.

Breakfasted on eggs and toast with Storm, Tom, and Dave. Storm and I were indebted to them one breakfast for losing our tennis match. I was secretly glad we lost because Storm is excellent at making scrambled eggs.

Toured the District 6 Museum and several townships in Cape Town. It was truly an eye-opening experience. I asked our guide, whose family lives in the township of Langa, if residents moved from the townships when they had the means to do so. He explained to us that the township residents might be unsatisfied, but they are not unhappy. In fact, I would argue that the sense of community in such places creates a happiness that many wealthy people will never know. I do not want to understate their poverty, however. While some residents live relatively comfortable lives, it is not uncommon for two families to share a one-room house. It is a very different world.

Saw Goldfish live at Assembly. There was a very large contingent of Americans there, set on seeing the band one last time before leaving SA. Plus, I was thrilled to spend time with Elizabeth, a friend of a friend from home, and her boyfriend Tom who was visiting.

Spent many an evening in Constantia with 2/6 of the Hobbs family (Mrs. Hobbs was visiting for a couple weeks) and other friends. We watched movies, ate food, walked around gardens, exchanged the casual face massage and arm scratch, and played heart and soul on the piano.

Witnessed Boi submerged in ice cold pool water at 9 pm. What a time to be baptized! But it surely shows commitment. I was so happy to be there for such a special occasion.

Visited the art museum with Tash. I’ve never been so interested in individual pieces, but, it is easy when you are viewing them with someone well-versed in art and art history.

Chowed on waffles with Mark and Wimpy. For those of you who don’t know Wimpy, it’s a 5 star establishment. Denzel Washington was often seen dining there during his filming of Safehouse. J of course, asking the waitress for a waffle without ice cream and syrup on the side really complicated things…so demanding I am.

Hung out with George-ians for Tegan’s fondue night. Of course, it wouldn’t have been complete without potatoes and green beans dipped in fondue or without seeing how many marshmallows Nick could fit into his mouth at once.

Picnicked at the Mike Hobbs manor in Constantia with Pasqua, Cara Leigh, Rafe, Jono, Cale, Jenna, Mark, and Hobzy. We stuffed our faces with cheese, crackers, dried fruit, and chips ahoy cookies and then roamed around the gardens for the afternoon. Unfortunately, my branch did not fare very well in our boat race down the creek, but it’s the thought that counts. The property is so beautiful in the early evening, and it was lovely to spend a warm day outside with such wonderful company.

Dined at the Harbour House in Kalk Bay. We were seated next to the glass windows looking directly out onto the crashing waves on the rocks below. It was exquisite.

Roamed the Old Biscuit Mill for the last time with Pasqua. We split 2 crepes: one with caramel, nuts, and whipped cream, the other with egg, avo, and cheese. Sweet and savory never tasted so good.

Hiked table mountain via Platteklip Gorge with Lans and Brittany. Of course, the rain hit us about an hour’s time up the mountain, but they were great sports and we trekked on through the wet and the cold. The warm table top restaurant was a welcomed respite from the weather.

Said goodbyes to many Americans leaving between 7 June and 13 June, when we left. It is a strange thing to spend every day with people and then say goodbye possibly forever.

Went to Beef Cakes with the girls and Dylan for Sam’s last night. We spent the evening laughing and eating burgers and trying to completely shut the door that kept opening with the wind. At the end of our meal, they brought us toilettes that expand in the water. Unfortunately for many customers, these potential toilettes look an awful lot like mints at first glance. Needless to say, we tried to convince to attempt to eat them.

Attended Ruth’s ladies night with champagne and bread pudding and so much beautiful makeup. The ladies and I went to Cape To Cuba for the nicest pina colada I’ve ever tasted.

Hosted a “Fine Farewell Party” at the Strubens Diggs. I was so touched by the amount of people that came to bid me adue, even thought many had to write exams the next day. I made the mistake of buying balloons, which were then popped continuously throughout the evening, the shocks of which shortened my life span by a year or two. I played a powerpoint that I had made for everyone, and, after an evening of lively social activity, said my goodbyes to many people. Still, I couldn’t come to terms with the fact that I was leaving. It felt very surreal.

Hiked Table Mountain twice more with Taylor. The first time we went, we hiked Nursery Ravine in the rain and wind without any view whatsoever in the fog. Since we’ve ventured that way more than a handful of times, it was surprisingly exciting to be hiking in bad weather, simply for a new experience. The day before we left, Taylor and I took Izzy up India Venster. It was a very windy day, but we were cruising and made it up and down again (via the gorge) in 3 hours’ time.

Attended Dan’s breakfast get together. He made an infinite amount of scrambled eggs, tomatoes with cheese, and buttered toast. Well done, Chef Atlas. It was delicious!

Went Sokkie Dancing, planned by Ruth, for the first time. It was such a fun cultural experience. I had always imagined the Afrikaans culture from my time in Stellenbosch, and this was a completely different side of it. In fact, most people there spoke only choppy English. Sokkie dancing is a jol. After Ruth and Jono taught me the steps, Rafe tried his best to lead me on the dance floor. Not surprisingly, he found that I too often try to lead myself, but this led to many laughs. When cotton-eyed-joe came on, everyone jumped on the dance floor and began line dancing, and I was able to blend in a bit more. After dancing, Rafe and I went to visit Pasqua and Mike in Constantia.

On my last morning, I went to church on main for the final time with a blessing from Mark before he began his sermon. The meaningful goodbyes, prayers, and amazing worship prepared me to say goodbye, even though it still did not feel real at this point. After church, Rafe, Byron, Pasqua, and Cara-Leigh drove me to the Cape Town airport (don’t ask me how we fit all of my stuff in Rafe’s boot). With time to kill before my flight, we chatted over coffee and sandwiches before they walked me to my gate and hugged me goodbye.

The truth of my leaving did not hit me until I was on the plane, flying to Jo-burg. It hit hard and I fell asleep, exhausted by tears. Luckily, a large contingent of my American group was also flying to Dulles on the same day, so we all sat with each other for 6 hours in the Joburg airport before boarding our 18-hour flight. In that time, I felt more at peace about leaving, and I came to terms with my separations. I was happy to know that it would be easy to contact people across the world while at home.

Now that I’m home (at Tufts), I struggle to understand the reality of two completely different lives and the fact that, in a day’s travel, I jumped from one to the other. I have much reflection to do and will write about my thoughts on it all later…when I understand it. All I know now is that I’m delighted to be home and reunited with loved ones and that I dearly miss my friends and life in Cape Town.

The Home Stretch

We are hitting the final stretch here. What was once months left, turned to weeks, and now days. I’ve recently realized that I’ve experienced enough here to satisfy my “checklist”. Between adventure, travel, and must-sees, we’ve done it all. Now it is time for me to make peace with Cape Town, to soak in the last days and gain some closure. Thus, as you will see, my daily itinerary has changed quite a bit. What was once a life centered on activities, is now one rich in relationships and wonderful company. Because, what I now understand is that the “things” I’ve done here have provided me with stories and memories, yet the people I’ve met here will change my life forever.

In the past 2 weeks I've…

----Travelled to Stellenbosch with Byron to see Plush live with some new friends: Nick, Carin, Carla, Hilke, Liesa, Nick, and Dale (aka “the night walker”). Of course the evening wouldn’t have been complete without a late-night visit to McDonald’s, which-let me tell you- is a 5-star hotel here compared to Ronald’s American houses (think, two stories). For those of you who haven’t heard the band, I highly recommend their new CD. I managed to stay awake for whopping four minutes on the car ride home. Thanks for driving, By!

----Watched Due Date with Mike and Rafe for the 3^rd time in two months. “Why are your dad’s ashes in a coffee can?” Just watch it.

----Stood in line for Tiger Tiger (a dance club) for 1.5 hours with some Northwestern folk. Part way through the line a girl asked us which one of the “52 US states” we were from. I was tempted to tell her I was from the state of Boston, in case she was counting that as 51. *A common misconception here is that Boston is its own state since the area of Boston is much better known than the state of Massachusetts. Luckily we gained entrance into the dance club and had a fabulous time.

----Lunched on quiche at Mango Ginger as a group of seven (missed you Sam) before taking Eliza to get her nose pierced. The woman that did the deed was covered head to toe in piercings and tattoos, in places I’ve never imagined. Tattoos on her fingers and knuckles, piercings on her neck…she told us she had pierced either side of her nose over ten times so Eliza was not to worry. Needless to say, that fact helped little, but Eliza was a trooper and the nose ring looks great on her. Of course, we had to stop at a health food store en route back home, into which we excitedly entered and out of which we immediately fled, after seeing how delicious everything looked and how much money Cathy’s Date Balls and things were about to drain from our wallets.

----Witnessed Sino’s baptism. It was a beautiful event, a renewal of vows, so to speak.

----Dined on half price sushi at Food Lover’s Market before going to see Water For Elephants in Cavendisch. Before that night, I wasn’t aware that all are given specific seats in movie theatres here; you book them beforehand. Gone are the days of arriving half hour before a movie even after you’ve purchased your ticket, just so you aren’t kissing the screen or behind the tall guy in front. But, be forewarned, there are no ushers.

----Spent over an hour on a bouncy castle at Tegan’s 21^st, themed around childhood fantasy. What began as quick jol on the “bounce house” (ahem) turned into a mass chaos of bodies running and back and forth as the blow-up child’s toy gave way under the pressure of a clear weight overload. It was nearly impossible to resist the flow of the black hole of random limbs tangled around deflating pieces of the jumping castle. At one point, Ashleig and I became stuck in place, feet in the air, heads touching the ground. What a wonderful birthday that was.

----Watched Despicable Me on a laptop while crammed on a bed with seven other people. It was a feat, let me tell you. Yes, I do believe I used that word correctly; feat: an achievement that requires great courage.

----Spent the day in Stellenbosch with Ashleig, Nick, and Byron. We went to breakfast in town at Jan Cat (everything is in Afrikaans in Stellis, heads up). From there they gave me a tour of the campus and we were off to go wine tasting at Tokara. Because many of the wineries make most of their profits on wine bottle sales versus tastings, they often offer tastings for free. This is the perfect opportunity for poor university students like us who have no intention of buying wine but would be more than happy to partake in free samples. We spent the rest of the afternoon lounging at a park just outside of campus, surrounded by the beautiful Stellenbosch mountains. I fell asleep immediately upon entering the car on the way home.

----Attended Jaryd’s 21^st at Neighbourhood. Tegan brought along her pink, furry cowboy hat, with which we took around 20 pictures, all with different guests wearing it.

----Went to three church services in one day. I attended church on main campus service in the morning, went for a run, and then went to both the Common Ground and Church on Main Claremont evening services with Mike and Rafe. It was one holy day!

---- Saw Rosemary Towns End, (Chris, Jaryd, and Cyle jamming together) perform at Zula Bar. They were fantastic! It was an occasion that both my local and American friends attended. It is always interesting to compare and contrast the “going out” dynamic of the two cultures.

----Chowed down at the Eastern Food Bazaar with homegroup. This time, I was well versed in the largely oversized (or maybe just right?) portions that is EFB food. Of course, I did feel compelled to order an extra plate of hummus and pita bread seeing as half of my homegroup had never tried it before. The necessities in life…

---- Played squash for the first time with Coach Mike Hobbs. It was great fun, and I have a newfound respect for squash players. However, the right side of my body was embarrassingly sore for days.

----Hiked lion’s head with Melissa, Hellen, and Shewaga (they had never been!). Besides the numbness in my entire right side (yes, from squash) it was a wonderful hike with wonderful company. Because of the scattered clouds overhead, the sunset was an extraordinary array of deep pinks and reds.

----Spent a Friday night making pizza (aka watching Mariah, Geo, and Sam make the most delicious home-made pizza I’ve ever eaten [besides yours, Fred Kass]) and playing bananagrams. It was good to be with all the girls again for a nice, relaxing Friday evening in.

----Woke up at 4:45 AM to be driven to the White Shark Lodge in Kleinbaai (about two hours drive). We went the 8 of us girls plus about 4 others to finally, after a long awaited 4 months, go SHARK CAGE DIVING! The sharks are fascinating animals, not frightening, but rather intriguing. It is very clear that they are not at all interested in attacking/hurting/snacking on us in any way. They simply want the dead tuna head that floated in the water in front of our cage. The cage held five people and was fully submerged under water with the exception of about 1.5 ft of air space on the top in which we could catch a breath between dives. I went in the cage twice (going in again with a small group after everyone had had a go) and had the opportunity to stand on the very left and then the very right side of the cage, surrounded on 3 sides by water. There were a couple moments during which the shark would bump into our cage while turning one way or another. One such time, Taylor and I let go of our holds on the grip bar and just clung to each others’ wetsuits…talk about survival instinct. It was an amazing (but cold) experience to say the least. I have two simple suggestions for future reference: 1) put your wetsuit on the right way the FIRST time, 2) pee BEFORE you put it on.

----Watched the Bulls vs. Sharks rugby game with great company at Ruth’s house. She made a huge batch of delicious butternut soup and pudding for dessert and somehow managed to break her spatula while sanctioning order in the house (wink wink)! What a woman. And, of course, Mike and Jono had me convinced that one of the rugby stars was actually the actor that played Prince Caspian in Narnia. Thanks for that one guys.

----Played a few tennis matches with Storm, Dave, and Tom. Every since I taught Dave the endearment and tenderness of the word “betch” when used in a sentence such as “Luvv ya, betch,” he has begun to greet me regularly in such a way. Of course, it does not work unless said with an American accent, which he happens to be brilliant at. Must be why they picked him to be Ryan Reynold’s stand in in Safe House.

----Lunched with Dylan at Cocoa Wah Wah. He made fun of my tendency to eat breakfast food throughout the day (don’t deny it, you did).

----Spent a lovely afternoon over coffee with Ashleig at Cocoa Cha Chi. We talked about the abroad experience and how it is like living in an alternate reality. It was so wonderful to hear about her many adventures during her time in the UK and about her life in general. She is preparing to lead a missions trip soon! What an amazing woman!

----Celebrated Jo’s birthday with a short and sweet cocktail hour at Banana Jam.

----Made chocolate chip and banana pancakes for a crowd of unknowing Africans who still think pancakes should be thing and very large (aka crepes) during our Disney movie marathon at Tom’s house. I was asked several times for this recipe, to which I replied “your ‘pancakes’ plus the very necessary bit of baking powder.” They really were delicious though, but after four batches and three Disney movies (The Incredibles, Mulan, and Lion King) I had had my fill of pancakes for a few years.

----Became an official member of Church On Main. As I walked up to the front of the room to be mentioned with the other “newbies”, the lead elder smiled at me and said “Just in time, Bryn.” So true…

----Worked out at the Virgin Active gym with Rafe (aka sat in the jet pool for a while).

----Gone on countless runs around the Rondebosch Commons with Mariah.

----Attended Lisa’s final art exhibit at the Hiddingh Campus. Her work is beautiful. She even surprised me afterwards by organizing a homegroup date at Cocoa Wah Wah. When I arrived there, they had arranged a message with the magnets on the wall: “Farewell, Bryn. We love you.” It’s too early for goodbyes guys, seriously. But, it was a very sweet gesture. Highlight of the afternoon: Catching Chris “I don’t smile for pictures” Dudley on camera with a grin on his face! GOTCHA!

Worked? Went to lectures? Hmmm….

I sure do love this place.