A Summer Turkey Day

On a gorgeous 90 degree day two interns embarked upon creating a turkey day to remember. With Fantastic Mr. Fox playing in the background, heat coming from the tiny oven and pots bubbling on the two electric burners on top, they dared to complete the impossible, a 8 person meal that would have them fed for days to come.

This was the first Thanksgiving I celebrated without my family, did a good chunk of the cooking and hosted. Lets say I was feeling the stress that I’ve seen other people have to deal with but never personally associated with Thanksgiving. We were lucky that we were granted the day off so we could fully commit to cooking. And that’s what we did…cook all day. I’m definitely an amateur chef with my only experience really coming from dabbling in a few recipes since moving to Kimberley. So I offered up my time making side dishes and leaving the heavy hitters (turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, green bean and sweet potato casserole, and APPLE PIE (for real he cooked all of that in 1 day)) for cook extraordinaire Mr. Barron.  I made mashed potatoes, quinoa salad, cornbread, broccoli fritters (not a great idea), gravy (not well executed), and a cake (burnt bottom). Still I’m very proud of myself, and if you had asked me if I would even ever attempt cooking so much in one day well lets just say I’d have committed you to an insane asylum if I could.

Still can't believe we found turkey in Kim!

Best apple pie ever

I really am so thankful for so many things. A lot of them are similar to what I’ve been constantly thankful for over the years, but this year in particular they’ve been highlighted since I’m away from home. My family being number one on the list. Without their support I would never be able to be in South Africa and working with GRS. I know it hurts them as much as me to be away from them for so long, but they’re the ones who taught me to take chances and also bred in me the need to see the world. So really it’s all their fault that I’m not a homebody. Number 2 has to be my friends who I've been in constant contact with thanks to technology. Every skype session, fb chat, and snapchat makes me feel so lucky that I have such crazy nutty friends that are always there for me even from the other side of the world.

Miss ya gang!

I’m also incredibly thankful for the Kimberley family I’ve gained. I really was anticipating a bittersweet turkey day with me wishing to be with my family in a climate that actually felt like Thanksgiving instead of the sweltering heat of Kim. But the dinner felt like any other great Thanksgiving, with people chatting, cracking jokes at each others expense and of course lots of eating. I really enjoyed myself and couldn’t have asked for a better day. It also helps that Thembi and Christa have the two cutest kids.

Good food, good people

Me with TJ, yes that is terror in his eyes

Post turkey coma

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone back home! Also 18 days until my family arrives in Cape Town!

See you soon Mom and Dad!

Can't wait to be chowing down with the sister

Sense of Normality

         It’s been a while since I’ve posted for the blog and I have a theory of why. I really believe its because things have lost their shock value. Things aren’t these crazy new adventures but have transformed into part of every day life, making it more difficult to find a topic that I think is worthy of posting on the internet. Which seems really stupid when you consider most of the stuff on the internet is pure garbage, but I guess you have to set a standard somewhere. For example of how I’m finding a groove here, I now look right then left when crossing the street, I’m not terrified of driving anymore, and I’m no longer shocked by everyone’s lack of being hyper aware of always being “PC”. But now I can give some updates.

            Lets see…what have I been up to. Two Saturdays ago was the longest day ever. It started off with me waking up at 6:30 to go and pick up Thembi and all the girl coaches to finish our last day at Barkly West for our Skillz Street program. The worst part of waking up so early on a Saturday was that my roommate and fellow intern, Nick, was the lucky schmuck who got to sleep in because he is not a girl and therefore was not allowed to be at the program. We had to fit in 5 practices in one day (1 practice = 45min usually), the most we’ve ever done before was 3 and it’s a stretch because we’re throwing so much information at them. We were supposed to start at 11 but of course nobody had showed up on time.  I along with Thembi and one of the school’s administrators ended up having to drive around the resort to knock on all of the doors to get the girls to join us at the classrooms. After another 45 min we had everyone present and started. We didn’t finish until 5:30 and then still had to do the graduation ceremony. I was so impatient to get a move on knowing that certificates always take a while and my chances of seeing the Arsenal v Liverpool was shrinking with every passing second.

            By 6 we were finally wrapping up and I was tearing my hair out knowing we still had to drive 40 km back to Kimberley and it would be almost dark so I’d have to drop every coach off at their house because its dangerous for them to walk around by themselves at night. My attitude took a 180 degree turn once we finished and all the girls started singing and dancing and hugging all of the coaches including me. It was so amazing to see how much fun they had with us, and their appreciation for what we do. It really was an indescribable feeling and zoomed my perspective back in on what was important and why I am in South Africa. So after taking another 20 minutes to take photos with everyone we were finally on our way home. And I made it just in time for the game  :)

Monkey spotting!!! Rooting through the garbage at Barkly West

All of our Skillz Street participants for graduation day!

Chuckin up the deuces and certificates

Waratwa photo bombing her Mommy

            The past week Nick and I spent a good chunk of time working on a mural in the office. For people that know me, I know I can’t believe it either that they’re allowing me to mutilate a perfectly good wall. Our concept for the mural is a map of Kimberley. We’ve drawn the different townships and the schools that we work in, each school is symbolized by a soccer field. So far it’s not looking like a total mess. We’re keeping it simple since our collective art skill is close to that of a 4^th grader.

Nick working hard on the mural at GRS Kim office

            Since last week it’s been hitting 90 degrees every day. I’m not use to this type of heat at all. Luckily it’s dry and not humid, but it’s hard to remember that blessing when you’re standing outside and you feel like an ant that is frying under the magnifying glass of a masochistic 5 year old. I am honestly always sweating and every time I go onto Facebook and see everyone in their cute sweater and scarf outfits I die a little inside. I want to go skiing sooooo bad and won’t have the chance until probably June. Apparently you can ski in Lesotho in the winter so I’m already planning my trip of course.

            Every day brings my family closer to visiting me in South Africa. I can’t wait for them to be here!! I’m such a mamma’s, daddy’s and sista’s girl. It’s been hard to be apart from them for so long especially since this is the first time I’ve been over 10 minutes away from home for over 2 weeks. Also here are some extra pics of Kimberley. Until next time…sharp sharp.

OBSESSED with Jacaranda Trees

Sunset over Long Street