Xhosa lessons

Xhosa lessons could not be going any better. Our instructor Weziwe, or Wezi for short, is giving Haley and me private lessons three hours a day Monday through Friday. Yesterday we were able to read and understand an entire paragraph (slowly). We just completed our first week and have just now learned enough to see how beautiful the tones and melody of the language is. Here is link to a newscast in Xhosa so you can hear the language.

Cape of Good Hope

The three of us ventured to the Cape of Good Hope on Thursday. First the road full of baboons, which are much smaller and more adorable than I imagined, and then the view. Standing at the bottom of the continent and thinking about the significance this single spot had on the spice trade, colonization, etc. It was overwhelming.

Penguins!

Haley, Victor and I went to see the famous Penguins at Boulder's Beach - about a 25 minute drive from Cape Town. The African Penguin (Spheniscus demersus) is also called the Jackass Penguin on the informational signs at the beach because of the mating noises the males make to impress the females. They are found in South Africa, Namibia, and surrounding islands.

Arrival and Host Parents

I arrived safe and sound after 36 hours on planes and in airports. Steven and Denise, my host mom and dad, are angels. I was very ill my first night in Cape Town and they took excellent care of me. They have a flat attached to their gorgeous home that another Ambassadorial Scholar, Haley, and I are renting for a few weeks while I look for a more permanent place. (Their dog Sushi is pictured in the photo with them when we went to the ocean for me to see my first South African sunset.)