Here's a picture of me and the love of my life kissing on the beach in South Africa.

Just kidding, this is a random couple that I took pictures of when we were sitting on the rocks at the beach this evening watching the waves crash. So creepy I know, but they were just perfect. They were so in love, he was handsome, she was beautiful, they were kissing and cuddling and laughing and smiling and it was completely candid. They didn't even know I took these pictures. I really wished that I brought my big camera, though. My biggest hope/dream/goal is to end up with the love of my life, so I love to watch others and be happy for others who have already found that. They were just casually enjoying a bottle of wine, all by themselves, in the most beautiful scenery in the entire world. I might be more single than ever, but this is, without a doubt, the perfect place to fall in love. Even though I haven't found the love of my life, that person and partner, I have fallen in love here -- with Cape Town itself, and with all of the people who have made this trip what it has been for me already.

Deep, I know. With that said...let me tell you all about my first weekend in South Africa!! It was perfect.

On Saturday morning we went to the Old Biscuit Mill which is a little enclosed marketplace where you can eat delectable food and go into all kinds of cool shops, indoors and outdoors. I didn't bring my big camera so I didn't really take pictures, but I'll take them next week. OBM is only open on Saturdays. It's amazing. You can eat breakfast and lunch, shop all day for anything, get anything from coffee to smoothies to champagne or all of the above. It's AWESOME. I had a berry smoothie, a glass of champagne with fresh pomegranate, and an omelette with avocado, parsley, ham, and mozzarella. So good. I bought a really awesome gold necklace of the outline of Africa and it has a little heart where South Africa is! I love it :)

We went to the Waterfront for dinner and went grocery shopping in what I thought was a MUCH better grocery store than what we went to before. It's so interesting doing everyday things in a foreign country to grasp differences between their country and yours...like going to the grocery store. This is something that I've found to be really cool about actually living here as opposed to just vacationing. Random things I've noticed:

-PEOPLE HERE LOVE BLONDES. A man actually came up to me and put his phone in my face and took a picture of me. IN the store. It was so weird.
-People here are fascinated by Americans. A person actually walked after us today asking us to buy something and was chanting "Charlies Angels! Charlies Angels!" {It was so hard not to laugh}
-We've all seen homeless people ask for money or try to sell things {at home or in other cities}, but here, we experienced our first group of children BEG for stuff. Specifically, they begged for coins and for coffee, holding out their hands, and trying to snatch our coffee cups. Really different from what you see at home.

Coincidentally, I bought fruit, water, chia seeds, and energy bars: I'm back to my old ways. Eating junk food on a physically draining trip like this is NOT the move {that being said...soooo not giving up the amazing food I've had out here}.

We went out last night to an Irish bar called Dubliner's which is on Long Street {the party street of the city}. It was SO MUCH FUN. Really the best night out I have had in a LONG time. The whole study abroad group came, and we met so many people from so many countries. Awesome music and really good local beers. Also, our taxi driver who is part of the Global LEAD staff comes into every single bar and club with us to make sure we are safe. It makes us feel really comfortable and protected. It wouldn't be the same without him -- we love you, Ish!

Today marks one week of our arrival in Cape Town! We went to Camps Bay for the day {which is the place that I said was the first time Cape Town took my breath away -- when I first saw where the mountain meets the ocean}, and we ate lunch at a restaurant called Blues right on the beach. I started with a salad called the "Rocket and Avo" {which means arugula and avocado...those words are ALL over every menu in Cape Town}, and it was amazing. Then we each got a burger. Here are some pictures of our lunch...

We spent the rest of the day at the beach just running around in the sand, walking along the water, and sitting on the rocks. So incredibly beautiful and peaceful. Something I just can't really describe. It was a great day, but next time we go back, I need to bring my big camera.

Every Sunday, Global LEAD provides us with dinner in the hotel. We sit at assigned tables with students that we don't know very well. We played a game with the staff where we had to ask them questions on a spot in order to learn more about them. It was fast paced and the answers were hilarious. Then, all of the girls came to our room to have a little girls night in, just tell stories and get to know each other better.

All in all, it was a great weekend!! I am really excited for week 2 to begin tomorrow. It's bittersweet, though...my time here is going by way too fast.

PS -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my sister Amy!!!! Today she turns 31 and I am so sad that I'm not there to celebrate with her! I love you, Ames, and thank you for being the best big sister, second mother, and best friend I could ever ask for! You mean the world to me!

Goodnight friends :)

xoxo,

Anna

Hi friends!
Yes, it's Friday night, and I'm blogging. Amber, Ali, and I are all sitting on the couch on our computers, completely worn out after today. Let's see, I left you at about noon {my time}. What have I done since then? ...

I HIKED TABLE MOUNTAIN!

After seeing the mountain so many times on the trip, I really developed a love for it these past few days. It's huge, can be seen from anywhere, so beautiful, and separates water and city and all kinds of crazy majestic nature. There are 12 peaks, something I learned when I went on my first tour here in the city. But today...today was soooo different.

We left for the hike after class. The buses took us to the start of the hike, and as we looked up, we thought it was going to be easy, or at least "not that bad." I'd done a lot of hiking before in my childhood, and even though I'm not nearly as physically fit as I was in high school, I wasn't expecting it to kill me.

Well, it did.

The beginning of the hike went smoothly. Everyone started singing "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus, and it was really cute. {I'll come back to that}. The trails started out winding and winding and winding. Not too terrible, though.

Then the African sun started beaming. I wore shorts {first time on the trip...yay! remember -- it's winter here}, an under armour shirt, and a quarter zip jacket. I got SO hot. Sweat was pouring, and the trails were getting harder and harder. I was using muscles that I didn't even know I had. It was TOUGH. This part was actually terrible. My breathing was heavy nearly the entire hike. I started to realize how hungry I was, too. I actually thought I was going to throw up or pass out or both. Someone graciously offered me a cliff bar and I honestly don't know if I could have made it up the mountain without it. My blood sugar went back to normal, at least for a little bit, and I was able to keep going.

At this point, Amber and I had split up. She went way ahead of me and was a total rockstar. What I loved most about the hike today was the encouragement everyone was giving each other. When I was having trouble with my breathing and my blood sugar, everyone was saying, "You can do it, Anna! You got this, Anna! I'll take a break with you, Anna!" It was so sweet and really meant a lot to me that everyone was looking out for each other! Helping the group stay motivated is a great thing to practice early on in a trip like this. There were posters with encouraging messages up the ENTIRE mountain pushing us to keep going. They were exactly what I needed! We also did a lot of teamwork. There were a lot of waterfalls and slippery rocks on the mountain, so we all took turns giving each other a hand. It was really great.

When I made it towards the top, I have never been more excited in my life. Throughout the entire hike, the views were absolutely stunning. But once I made it to the top...I could give my muscles a rest and feel accomplished for enduring such a challenging workout! We walked through a tunnel of rocks and made our way over to the kids who finished before us. WE DID IT!!!

I took incredible pictures AND videos on my new big SLR camera, but I'm having an issue with the iPhoto on my computer. I can only upload iPhone pics for now. Even those aren't too shabby, though!

At the top of the mountain I found Amber. Yes, I got up on a rock and started singing Lion King. We even reenacted the scene where Scar kills Mufasa. Completely delirious from being physically exhausted..but we thought it was really funny. {We also reenacted the Titanic}.

There was a pizza restaurant at the top. YAY!! We were STARVING!! We got our dinner, hung out for a bit and just relaxed, then went down in a cable car. Honestly, the cable car was awesome. It was spinning as it was traveling down the mountain, so the views were constantly changing...all of them beautiful.

The mountain really pushed me to do my best and just GO FOR IT. There was a part, close to the top, that I actually prayed to God and my grandfather out loud looking for assistance climbing up this mountain. That is how hard it was for me. I'm surprised it didn't hurt my knees TOO badly...I have chronic patellar tendinitis in both of them from dance. Just like Miley's song "The Climb," it really was all about the climb. Making it to the top was a really rewarding feeling...but only because the climb itself was so tough and such a memory. I will always remember pushing through the physical challenges and how the emotional support helped me to reach my goal. The journey, not just in hiking a mountain -- but in life, is really important to cherish and to remember. That is what gets you to where you are. That is what makes you you.

This was more of a Veni Vidi Vici moment for me than anything else in my life -- I came, I saw, I conquered. Although I've always admired the mountain, now I have a whole new appreciation for it. I apologize for underestimating its size and I am grateful that it provided me with so many challenges that forced me to explore my depth and realize what I could really accomplish. Plus...did I mention it's one of the Seven Wonders of Nature?! Super cool.

Moral: ALWAYS take on new challenges...do something that scares you every day. Experience things as fully as you can {don't just look at the mountain, CLIMB the mountain} so that you can appreciate them for all that they're worth and let them give you what they can to help you grow as an individual. Help other people in their journey, too. They need your support to help them grow. Be that person for them.

All for now friends. Tomorrow my first weekend in Cape Town begins. I can NOT wait.

xoxo,

Anna

It's getting deep over here. Today's class was GREAT. For the first time, Avery, Jen, Amber and I did not struggle to force open our painfully tired eyes. We got a LOT out of this class in so many ways. It made us realize...we would have taken a whole lot more from the other classes if we weren't suffering from jet lag. Disappointing, but we definitely learned a lot from them anyway. Sleep is so important when you're on a trip like this. I'm definitely going to use today and its positive impact on me as a reminder to get enough sleep for the rest of the trip so that I can be mentally and spiritually present and listen and participate to the fullest.

SO -- what did we do, you ask?! We first listened to a presentation about Social Change and the Model of Leadership. The most important thing I took away from this presentation was the 7 C's of Change: Citizenship, Common Purpose, Collaboration, Controversy with Civility, Consciousness of Self, Congruence, and Commitment. After discussing definitions and personal examples of each, our teacher encouraged us to pick one of these C's and focus on it during the trip. I have chosen Consciousness of Self, which basically means that I want to become more aware of my values, emotions, and surroundings and really focus on making introspection and reflection an important part of my everyday life. On a trip like this, all of the knowledge and experiences that we are accumulating can directly impact how we grow as people and how we help others grow as people. This is so important to me.

I also learned a lot about leadership today that I'm planning on using with my girls that I coach when I take them to summer camp in July. I'm always looking for ways to help them grow as leaders and as people, not just as dancers. So, if you're reading this, ladies: get ready to inspire and be inspired.

We also learned a lot of tidbits here and there that I found really interesting. We talked about Gandhi and his experience as a lawyer in South Africa during Apartheid. A lot of people probably just associate him with India, but really, he was incredibly influential worldwide. We also talked about how the food here all has a story...for example, when we went to a traditional South African meal at Moyo, they served us a lot of food with curry. This is because the slave trade here imported people from Indonesia and surrounding areas, so their influence carried over into the food. It was interesting to think of food on a deeper level like that {being the complete foodie that I am}. Now, I have a greater appreciation for what I eat, and I'm going to try to enjoy it more.

One of our interns, Chris, explained that when he was a student on the trip, he took extensive notes and really got the most out of the Global LEAD program. This inspired my roommates and me to take more elaborate notes, stay attentive, and really do the readings. All of the homework and assignments are really, really interesting, and I want to do the absolute best that I can so that I walk away from this program with no regrets.

Joanna, the program director, lead us in an activity next. We explored who we lead and who we influence, learning that everyone who you influence, you lead. Leadership is influence. A few deep thoughts and quotes that she shared with us that really got me thinking:

-Do you like the person that you are when you're with this person?
{on dating and friendships}

-When I have something to say to someone, do I say it to them or about them?
{on integrity}

-Is there an area in my life that I don't want people to ask me about?
{on being comfortable with ourselves and addressing our insecurities}

-"It's easy to do the right thing when you know ahead of time what you stand for"
{the CEO of Johnson & Johnson on establishing values and following through -- the incident with the Tylenol recall lead him to make the decision to take ALL Tylenol off the shelves at that time...costing the company one hundred million dollars}

She talked to us about an author named John Maxwell, who writes about integrity and what it means to use integrity as an integral part of personal leadership.

We closed the class with discussing the importance of not oversharing...of sitting in silence and becoming better listeners. There is so much you can learn from people and what they say, if you let them speak.

Well...that's all for today. I am about to take on the most challenging physical activity I have ever done -- I am off to hike TABLE MOUNTAIN :) I've seen the mountain several times on this trip, but this is about to be incredibly enduring and eye opening...something on another level of amazing.

Moral of the story: Always inspire and be inspired, friends. They go hand-in-hand more than you think.

xoxo,

Anna

"Knowledge is like a garden. If it is not cultivated, it cannot be harvested." This is a quote that I saw painted along a wall today when we were walking around town. I didn't have time to take a picture, but I remembered it and wrote it down later. I feel like it's a direct representation of my experience with studying abroad so far. All of this knowledge that I'm acquiring through interactive learning is more valuable to me than anything I've learned in a classroom. I know it's something that I will retain well, use regularly, and apply creatively in many situations in my life.

So...there were a million things I could've titled this blog post, but because I skipped a day yesterday {told you I wouldn't, I know, but I didn't do anything particularly eventful until the evening}, there have been a million things going on. Hence...I named this post after the Step Brothers quote because I have been doing so many activities {AND I signed up for some crazy things yesterday -- stay tuned}.

Yesterday we started with class, as usual. We did an activity about our personal strengths, and we shared them with each other and explored them and what they say about us. It was really interesting how accurate my results were. My 5 strongest attributes were Activator {I love to jump on ideas and act impulsively}, Futuristic {I am constantly imagining the future and getting excited over what my future will bring and what I can do to make it amazing}, Maximizer {I would rather strengthen my strengths to the max than improve my weaknesses}, Ideation {I get so excited about a brand new idea or concept, and I love to look at life and the world from my own angles}, and Input {I love to collect and acquire information and experiences from anything and everything}. What I love about the Global LEAD program is that we learn so much about ourselves which helps us to do better in the classroom and in life. Super interesting.

We also listened to a panel of speakers of all different ages, races, and socioeconomic statuses talk about their experiences growing up in South Africa during Apartheid, and we had police officers give a demonstration on safety in Cape Town. I feel very safe here at this hotel and in the city for the most part, but they gave us some incredibly insightful information that my roommates and I have really been taking into consideration. Just like any city, it's dangerous here, and it's important to not be some stupid blonde bimbo American {like a lot of the South Africans probably think I am}.

Anyway...yesterday we got so tired so we took a long nap. By the time we woke up, we got ready and went out to an AMAZING restaurant. This was our first fantastic meal on the trip. This restaurant was right on the waterfront and has the largest wine bar of any restaurant in the world :) Pretty great claim to fame.

After dinner, we walked over to a bar where the musician was playing American oldies music. It was hilarious. We also tried our first South African beers. Then comes the fun part -- our first South African club! Pretty much our entire study abroad group was there, so it was great to be with everybody in a different setting than the classroom...haha. A great time for sure.

Now today! One of the best days I've had here so far. This morning in class we talked about Nelson Mandela again and what made him such a unique and influential leader. It has been incredible studying him here in his hometown of South Africa, seeing where all of these monumental turn-points in history actually occurred, talking to people who knew him, and especially just a few months since he passed away. Incredibly relevant. Cape Town was actually named {by I think National Geographic} the number one place to visit in 2014. Kinda cool.

After class, once again, we took a nap. Shocking. We are STILL having trouble recovering from jet lag. I am hoping to get a really good night's sleep tonight. I've been sleeping well, I just haven't gotten enough hours.

As a whole group, we went to Robben Island. This is where Nelson Mandela was held for 18 of his 27 years in prison. We actually got to go to his actual cell, which was so eye-opening. Our tour guide was a prisoner with Mandela, and he shared incredible stories with us that gave us a whole new perspective on how real this was, how recent this was, and how saddening this was. Learning about Apartheid here in South Africa is something that I have such a grasp on and an interest for. It makes me realize that hands-on, interactive learning really is the best way for me to learn. I wondered, if I studied all of my history lessons in their relevant countries with their relevant people, would it be more intriguing to me, more valuable to me, and easier for me to retain? Absolutely.

To get to the island we took a ferry. I absolutely loved the boat ride to and from, even though the water was rocky. It was VERY cold and windy today, probably the coldest yet, but the views are just breathtaking and it brings a whole new appreciation to being outdoors. Amber even said to me, "Do you ever feel like you look at these views and you just feel the presence of God?" Again, absolutely.

We went to a pizza place on the water after we got back, just the four of us roomies. It was insanely good. It took us a while to find the amazing food here, but now we've got it down pat.

I have tons of pictures on my big camera, but I haven't worked on posting those yet -- just the ones from my iPhone. Stay tuned.

Thanks for keeping up with me while I'm here! Miss you guys.

xoxo,

Anna

Hi friends!

Today was our first real day of school! Yesterday we had class, but it was more of an introduction. Today we took our first test, and I think we rocked it. My roommates and I got up early to study, then we went to the classroom to take the test. It was based on all of the readings that we were required to do pre-departure. I really liked that we had to do this because it gives this whole trip a sense of purpose. Yes, I'm here to check a million things off of my bucket list, but getting 6 credits in 5 weeks is really cool and quite an accomplishment. I'm really motivated to do well.

We did a little cultural activity after the test (and after we got to come home and take a nap). Essentially, we just played a game, but the point of the game was to help us better understand why being ethnocentric is not a good approach to a study abroad program or any international travel. Our instructors encouraged us to be open-minded to the culture here and not to be frazzled or turned-off by any of the cultural differences. Which brings be to...

What I'm noticing is different over here:
-We went to the grocery store for the first time today. It was small, the brands were mostly completely different, and the selection was incredibly limited. Even simple things were different. I didn't know I was supposed to put stickers on my own fruit, I didn't know that you were supposed to push the cart on the left side of the isle, and I didn't know where to find some things (for example, they didn't refrigerate the eggs).
-The waiters at the restaurants are incredibly casual and laid back. They take their time when asking for your order, it takes them a while to bring you your check, they won't split checks, and they take a while bringing you drinks, menus, and food. As opposed to America, where we need everything immediately.

The food here is supposed to be amazing, but we really haven't had a great meal yet. We went to an Asian restaurant tonight that was right by our apartment. It was ok. We are really excited to try some of the amazing food here...we just need to find it! So if any of you reading this have been to Cape Town...let us know!!

Today was REALLY low key. It was pretty much our first day of rest, so nothing that exciting really happened! But still, I wanted to blog to tell y'all what I've been doing because if I miss a day, there's no way I'll be able to keep up.

So far, I am just so extremely happy to be here. It's beautiful, and we have SUCH a long list of amazing things that we are going to be doing!! Tonight I need to {finally} unpack and do a little bit of homework. HOPEFULLY the jet lag will be better tomorrow. I am still suffering...haha.

Still fighting the internet, but trying to post as many pictures as I can :) It is breathtakingly beautiful here. I can't wait to take more pictures and post them for y'all to see.

The weather is very cold. This week it is supposed to rain. I am really crossing my fingers that all of our amazing adventures we have will not be interrupted with the weather!

I can't read two books at once because of my short attention span. But...I am trying to finish the book that I brought with me on the plane so that I can start a new book that I brought with me. It's a devotional that I haven't started reading yet, and I think this is the perfect place and the perfect opportunity to grow spiritually. Stay tuned. I am really hoping to be able to write more lengthy, meaningful blogs instead of just "I did this today." I'm getting there, I promise! A few more days of sleep and a few more adventures, and you will be reading some great stuff from me. Mom, if you're reading this, I'll call you tomorrow. Too crazy here right now :)

That's all for now! I hope you guys are enjoying tracking my trip:)

xoxo,

Anna

As promised...

I'm back! Told you guys that I would write a better post today, so here I am. Pictures will be limited because the Wi-Fi SUCKS here, but I will definitely post as many as I can for the time being.

{For the next few days, this might be more of a play-by-play than actual good, real writing. I need to get everything situated and get some rest before I can really sit down with my computer and pour my heart out to y'all about this incredible place!}

This morning we woke up at about 7:30 and got coffee down the hall. We got dressed and ready, then went to our first class! It was really difficult to keep our eyes open the whole time because we technically missed out on a whole night of sleep. It's kind of like crashing on adderall after pulling an all-nighter...except you didn't have time to recover from the crash. MISERABLE. Hence...the title "jet lag."

Anyway, it was a GREAT introduction to the program. I am realizing more and more that I definitely made the right choice by choosing Global LEAD to study abroad with. The instructors are just so inspired to give us the best experience possible and help us learn so much about ourselves. It's right up my alley :)

After the class, we went on our first tour of Cape Town!!! The city itself was not what I expected. Most of it was very poor, a little bit scary, and run-down. But then...we entered the most beautiful gardens and we saw the majestic Table Mountain.

When we were in the city, we saw two museums, both of them related to the history of Apartheid. One of them was called the Slave Lodge, which is the oldest slave housing in South Africa. The other was a museum about slavery and other related Apartheid information in District Six. Additionally, we saw the balcony where Nelson Mandela spoke when he was elected as President. No one has spoken on that balcony since, and no one is ever allowed to. It is sacred!

After walking through the gardens and taking pictures in front of the mountain, we drove up to the top of the mountain to take even better pictures.

Then...my favorite part! We drove to the OTHER side of the mountain and saw THE OCEAN!!! It was so breathtaking that my jaw literally dropped. I could NOT believe my eyes at how beautiful this place was, right before my eyes. The little town on the waterfront was so chic yet simple at the same time...it was PERFECT and I can't wait to go back for dinner and drinks. It was really amazing!!! I know that I am going to be just as stunned every time I see that beautiful mountain and the ocean. I love the way the ocean smells, and I love the color of it. I expected it to be brown and ugly like any other ocean, but it's not. There were a lot of beautiful rocks, and the water was pretty clear compared to what I expected. I can't wait to get my feet in that sand :)

We had a two hour break after the tour. I HIT THE HAY. This jet lag is KILLING me. It's funny because when I first woke up today, I felt ok. It was as the day progressed that I realized this jet lag is really kicking my ass.

We got up and took the buses to dinner. Global LEAD treated us to an AMAZING cultural dinner at the most authentic restaurant right on the ocean! It wasn't until this dinner that I truly felt like I was in Africa. There were drummers and singers right in the walkway, and the restaurant was so incredibly beautiful. They painted our faces, and they served us traditional South African cuisine. There was a lot of curry and a mix of sweet and spicy tastes. We all ordered drinks and got to know each other a little better. I am really looking forward to the friendships I am going to make through this trip, in and out of class.

We have a test tomorrow, I haven't slept a full night in days, and I haven't unpacked yet -- I've been SO busy! I have to go, but tomorrow is my first day where I get free time for the rest of the day after class. Look for a blog post from me soon :)

xoxo,

Anna

So...

I MADE IT TO AFRICA!!!

This is so crazy y'all!!! I am literally on the other side of the world right now. This is just a QUICK post because it's the middle of the night here and I have a long, early, and busy day tomorrow. But I wanted to pop in and tell y'all that I made it here safely!

The flight was really confusing. Yes, it was long, but it seemed like a twilight zone or something because of the 6 hour time difference. I can't decide if the journey felt like it started days ago or if it started this morning. It was just weird to travel for a total of 34 hours (including layovers and car rides). My parents dropped Amber and I off at Dulles around noon on Saturday, and we boarded our first plane. I wasn't nervous, but I was definitely anxious. I had a lot of heavy luggage, and I was really eager to just get on that plane and go.

First we flew to Senegal. It was a 14 hour flight...I think. We stopped for an hour to refuel, but we didn't get off the plane. The meals were really gross and the seats were really uncomfortable,  but I wasn't bored because I had Amber and my book. Then we flew to Johannesburg. I believe that was an 8 hour flight. We got off the plane and went through customs, re-checked our bags, went through security again, had our first meal here (which was kinda weird), and then got on a different plane.

On the last flight I sat with Ali, one of my sorority sisters from home. We drank wine and talked about how EXCITED we are to be here! The flight was only about 2 hours this time.

We landed in Cape Town, got our luggage, and met with the program directors here! They are so sweet and helpful. We got on buses and headed to the apartments. Y'all...they are BEAUTIFUL! Right on the ocean, pretty big, and beautifully decorated with colorful pillows, sweet care packages in the kitchen for each of us, and all kinds of little trinkets and goodies. Our (Me + Amber) roommates are named Jen and Avery. They are SO cool! They go to the University of Texas together. I can already tell that we are going to have such a fun room!

Tomorrow is our orientation day. I just got a brand new camera (thanks, Mom!) and I've been using my iPhone to take pictures, too. I will post pictures tomorrow, I promise! But tonight... I need to go shower and try to go to sleep so that this jet lag does not kill me tomorrow.

I PROMISE to have a better blog post tomorrow!! So excited to be sharing this journey with my readers!!

xoxo,

Anna