Beginning of Spring Break: Game Reserve!

View of the Cape when flying to Durban

At the Sand Forest Lodge - the sun was going down. This field is where a ton of animals were

Some sort of antelope

And a zebra right behind my hotel!!

And the hotel - that was actually the eating area and bar. Where we slept was behind it.

I am copying the entries from my journal - sorry it has taken so long for me to do this, I have been really sick...:(





3/22/08:





So I am on the plane to Durban for the start of our spring break! I am so ready for a week of relaxation where I can just take in the scenery of South Africa and forget about all of my responsibilities. Good news, I also got into John Hopkins! I actually never thought that I would and now that I did, it is not an easy decision, or as easy as I thought it would be. I built up UMD so much and built down JHSPH so that I would not be upset about going to UMD. Now though I am torn. Yesterday I wanted to go to UMD, today I am leaning towards JHSPH. Who knows what I will feel tomorrow? A big problem is that I am doubting myself and my own capabilities. Honestly, I am terrified of going to JHSPH because I am afraid that I am not good enough. Mom is right though, I am turning my anxiety towards the fear of the unknown into a lack of confidence in myself. If I wasn't qualified, I would not have been selected I guess. I know that I have until April 15th to make a decision but I was never good at waiting. I just want someone to tell me what to do and where to go. Everybody has been so supportive of me and my fears. They are always willing to talk it over with me. I am being a brat though because I got into two amazing PhD programs, more than some people can say, and I am complaining about my decision. What if I can't do it though?





night of 3/22/08:





So we traveled all day today. It took about 4 hours to get to the game reserve from the Durban airport but we took an hour lunch at Steers at a gas station (really crappy food - don't ever go there!) This part of SA is what you would think Africa looks like, at least more so than Cape Town. It was rolling hills of grass with Zulu huts, rows of planted trees with a dirt lane in the middle, leading off into never never land. Men and women were walking alongside the highway, the women carrying baskets on top of their heads. Mia and I were listning to my iPod as we drove by houses the were falling down, rural shacks with naked children playing in the dirt, no electricity. Coincidentally, the song that came on was "Waiting on the World To Change". I could totally relate to those words as we were driving by extreme poverty, the people who are forgotten.


Anyways, the lodge is amazing! We are staying at the Sand Forest Lodge and we saw a giraffe, actually several, on the way here and right outside our little house is a huge field with some type of antelope, wildebeast and a zebra. Sarah, Amanda and I almost got run over by a stampede. I got such good pictures! They were so close that it was unreal! After that, a huge thunderstorm rolled in. We got soaked by downpouring rain and it felt like stereotypical Africa - a storm running in and within 20 minutes, completely gone. If you watched the field, when the lightning would strike, you could see the animals standing there - it was kind of creepy. Currently I am in a house with Joelle, Ruth, Steph, Abby and Mia (who I am sharing a bed with and consequently have gotten sick from). Yay for interhouse correlation! Tomorrow is game drive at 5:30!!