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South Africa Adventure

Favorite South African Desserts!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Malva Pudding

Pudding Ingredients:
15ml (1 Tablespoon)
brick margarine 125ml (½ cup)
White Sugar1 egg 15ml (1 Tablespoon)
apricot jam 15ml (1 Tablespoon)
vinegar 250ml (1 cup)
cake flour 5ml (1 teaspoon)
bicarbonate of soda
Pinch of salt

Sauce:
125g brick margarine 185ml (¾ cup)
White Sugar65ml water 185ml (¾ cup)
cream 5ml (1 teaspoon)
vanilla essence

Pudding Directions:
Cream the margarine and sugar. Add the egg and blend well.
Add the apricot jam and vinegar. Mix well.
Sift the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.
Pour into a deep round dish about 19cm diameter.
Cover the dish with a lid or foil and then bake for 1 hour at 180 ÂșC.

Sauce Directions:
Boil the margarine, sugar and water
Remove from the stove and then add the cream and the vanilla. Pour over the hot baked pudding.
Serve with hot custard or vanilla ice cream


Melktert (Milk Tart)

Ingredients:

Pie Crust
1/2 C. margarine
1/2 C. sugar
1 egg
2 C. flour, sifted
salt, sifted

Filling:
4 C. milk
1 Tbs. margarine
1 C. sugar
2 eggs
3 Tbs. corn starch
3 Tbs. flour
1 Tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions:

Cream the margarine and sugar together and beat in the egg.
Add the flour and salt and knead until a soft dough is formed.
Press the mixture into a greased circular pie dish and bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
In the meantime, Bring the milk and margarine to the boil.
Cream the sugar, eggs, corn starch, flour and vanilla essence.
Add some of the hot milk to the creamed mixture, then pour it back into the pot and heat gently until it thickens. Do not boil.
Pour the filling into the pie crust and cool.
Refrigerate the Milk Tart until required and sprinkle with cinnamon to serve.

Kelby's Baby Brother

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Checkout Kelby's blog for the latest information on his new brother!

The Apartheid Museum Experience

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Reflections

Today has been spent recovering from our long trip home and reflecting on the experiences we shared together in South Africa. I go over the memories in my mind and have read the blogs the students wrote. I enjoy the personal insight they offered on their blogs and find myself thinking back on several of our activities. I most often recall the time spent in Johannesburg at the Apartheid Museum and with the children. It is hard to explain the harsh reality that the children of South Africa have to face each day. I hope that we all will use this wonderful opportunity we had to broaden our view of the world. As our days become crowded with summer activities, it is my prayer that we won't forget the lessons we learned while in South Africa but will use our experiences to help others live a more rewarding and productive life.

Back Home

Monday, June 15, 2009

The South Africa Discovery Student Adventure Pilot 2009 have arrived back home after a long journey. Keep following our blog as we recap our fabulous adventure!

Krueger Highlight

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Germany

We are sitting in the airport in Frankfurt waiting for our 10 hour flight to Dallas. This trip has been one of the most awesome experiences of my life. What a wonderful opportunity it has been to share it with my students and all of you who have been following our blog. They checked the other day and Arkansas has a tremendous amount of hits on the DSA blog. Thanks to all of the folks back home who have supported me and the students as we traveled. We will post more videos and pictures when we get home. Stay in touch.

Headed to Kruger

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

We are headed to Kruger this morning for what may be the most exciting part of our adventures. This will be just one more facet on the "real" South Africa. We may be out of touch for a couple of days but will try to blog as soon as we get a chance. There are several new photos added to our blog. Check them out.

Discovery Challenge

For these of you who have been following our blog, please take the time to participate in our DE Challenge. Just click on the hyperlink, type in your name and answer the questions. Good Luck! We will announce a winner at the end of our South African journey.

#1 South Africa Geography
#2 Textbooks and Dreams
#3 A Land Apart
#4 Slavery, Society and Apartheid
#5 Nelson Mandela and Freedom
#6 Malaria in Africa
#7 Anthropologists
#8 Africa: The People
#9 Africa Facing the Future
#10 Africa: Stories, People and Places

Cradle of Human Kind

Yesterday on the 6th day of our South African Journey we traveled to the cradle of human kind and learned that the Caves of South Africa hold the key to our origins. Australopithecus -Africanus was discovered almost entirely intact after the area was upturned by Lime-stone miners sometime in the mid-1900s. To be there where the origins of our species are thought to originate is an awe-inspiring event. It is also something that very few people have the opportunity to experience because of the remote location. Caving has always been a great hobby of mine and the cave system there at Sterkfontein were among the most impressive that I have had the privilege to explore; especially because of the historical significance of the site. 

Yesterday's Photo Recap

More fun images from yesterday's adventures.


South Africa Early Highlights - 2009

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Daniel's Apartheid Museum Experience

Today was a bit more serious than the other days that we have had in Africa. We were introduced to the HIV/AIDS epidemic and the apartheid issue that plagued South Africa. We started our day by visiting the apartheid museum. The visit made me reflect upon my personal history as well as the history of my own nation and caused me to look at human nature in a whole new way. Visiting the museum made me realize that we as humans do not always treat each other as we should. It made me examine the entire history of humanity and notice that whether you are talking about the Egyptians and Hebrews, the Mongols and the Chinese, the Germans and Eastern Europe, or the US Civil Rights Movement, people have treated other people in derogatory manners because of simple culture or phyiscal differences. Why is man so petty that is quarrels over simple things? Why can't we all live in a world were we are all accepted for who we are? These are the questions that have baffled man for millenia and have caused countless wars. When the day comes that people can just "be" we will have universal peace. 

Reflections on suffering

Today we visited several places that reflected the suffering of South Africa. The first place we stopped was at the Apartheid Museum. Because I have been to the Holocaust Museum, I was somewhat prepared for the type of museum we were going to visit. Our students hung on every word of our tour guide, thus they got a very personal glimpse into that time period. After a drive through one of the townships, we visited Nelson Mandela's house and The Elton John Masibambisane Centre. The students thoughts while visiting the Apartheid Museum and the children's centre as well as my thoughts on the townships follow:

Kelby: Apartheid, spelled A-P-A-R-T-heid. The spelling literally talks about the separation this movement caused. Today we visited the Apartheid museum - sometimes explained as the South African equivalent of the Holocaust. The entrance to the museum is segragated, making a very powerful statement to those who haven't experienced this level of segregation. The museum covers every aspect of the apartheid, using historical documents, pictures, videos, and artifacts. The beginning, middle, and end were covered very thoroughly. Seeing that the very same people who've been running the restaurants, driving the coach, and planning our trip are the same people that fought for their freedom some fourteen years ago is very compelling.
Niki: The first place we went today was the Apartheid Museum. The museum was not like I expected. I thought it would be just another museum filled with historical documents; instead, it was more of an interactive museum. The tour through the museum came to mean so much more to me because of our tour guide, Kenny. Kenny was twenty years old during the last days of Apartheid. He had lived his whole life being told he was a lesser person than the white people of South Africa. His whole identity was tied into the color of his skin. The one video that touched me the most showed the scars on the bodies of the men who had resisted the police. It had footage of a young boy trying to get away by jumping over a razor fence, but before he could get away the police dragged him through the fence. The thing that upset me the most is that these events occurred just a few years before I was born. The world should have known better than that.

Danae: Tears filled my eyes as I walked into the The Elton John Masibambisane Centre and saw the faces of all the children. There was a glow to their smiling faces. They were very proud to see us and their love showed through their eyes. They taught us how to play their games and laughed at our lack of rhythm. It was a very heartwarming experience to see how content and happy they are even though some are affected by HIV.
Meagan: When we visited the centre, we not only learned about them, but they learned about us also. We got in a circle and sang and danced with them for what seemed like hours. They were all so filled with enthusiasm. It is amazing how one little face can make someone view things so differently.


Seven million people live in Johannesburg and its surrounding townships. As we drove through the townships, I decided that today I would put down my laptop and my ever increasing need to blog to really focus on the world outside the coach's window. The sheer number of the population came home. While some parts of the townships were orderly, far too many were not. It seemed to me that there were people everywhere. Women picking through the trash on the side of the road, children playing in the streets, and men standing around fires. With immigrants coming to Johannesburg because of the economy in outlying areas, there are too many people seeking jobs that are just not there. Government preference for help is being given to families with young children with more people here living on welfare than in any other country. On a positive note, education is free with no child being turned away because of an inability to pay school fees. Health care is also provided by the government, and there is a concentrated effort to see that all South African children are healthy and educated. They feel this is the only way to make sure that future generations of South Africa can overcome poverty. While the plan sounds like it will work, the people of South Africa know they will have to take ownership of their own personal lives and strive to work toward a more progressive South Africa.

SoWeTo (South-Western Township)has 30% unemployment and covers eighty square miles. Although the government supplies some water and some electricity,4% of its people are still without electricity. As I continued to watch from the comfort of the coach and eat my McDonald's cheeseburger, I contemplated the absolute unfairness of life. Why should someone who was born the same year I was but only in a different part of the world have to suffer so much more than I ever did? Probably most bothersome to me was why I had never even thought about the absolute terror that most of these people had lived with for countless years.

Ending on a more upbeat note with images from the children's centre.



The Apartheid Museum and The Othandweni Centre

Today we went to the Apartheid museum. With a feeling similar to the Holocaust Museum in Washington D.C., this museum takes you into the freedom struggle, the grip of the National Party’s Apartheid, and the happy days of liberation. This museum was extremely powerful. The entrance of the museum has to entry ways; one is designated for “whites” and one is designated for “non-whites.” After merging the two sections, the museum goes on to chronologically depict the freedom struggle and the intensity of the Apartheid. My favorite part was the ending. When leaving the museum, the exit path goes in between two piles of stones. On your left, there is a much larger pile with a huge African flag behind it. On the right, there is a smaller pile. As each person leaves the museum, they are to move a stone from the right to the left to signify the change and that they have been informed. Very powerful. Overall, the day was great and very moving.

After the museum we went to the Othandweni Centre.

"Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Genetic research indicates that HIV originated in west-central Africa during the late nineteenth or early twentieth century. Many people are unaware that they are infected with HIV. Less than 1% of the sexually active urban population in Africa has been tested, and this proportion is even lower in rural populations.”

All of the children at the Othandweni Centre, ranging from ages three to eighteen, are affected by HIV AIDS either directly or indirectly. Many of these children have lost parents to this terrible disease. Othandweni means “Place of Love” in Zulu and Xhosa. The centre offers residential care for up to 90 children who have been abused, abandoned or neglected. Due to poverty and increased social problems, facilities such as this are in high demand. Due to the AIDS pandemic there has been an increase in the rate of child abandonment and many HIV-positive babies are in need of shelter and special care.

These children were so cute, fun, and full of life. Judging by their disposition, you would never know that they are in such dispiriting situations. We had a great time with them!











The Soweto Uprising

On June 16, 1976, hundreds of schoolchildren in Soweto marched to protest the use of Afrikaans as the primary language of education in the overcrowded, much neglected Bantu schools in the townships. This was a highly charged political issue. Not only was Dutch-based Afrikaans considered the "language of the oppressor" by blacks, but it also made it more difficult for students to learn, as most spoke an African language and, as a second language, English.

The march turned nasty quickly. The protestors, mostly young students, became overexuberant, and so, to, did the police. The police started firing into the youthful crowd. One of the first people of more then 500 to die, in what was the beginning of a long and protracted struggle, was 12-year-old Hector Peterson. A picture of the dying Peterson in the arms of a crying friend, taken by photographer Sam Nzima, put a face on apartheid and sent it around the world.

Peterson was just a schoolboy trying to ensure a better life for himself and his friends, family and community, but but his name lives on. He and the many students who joined the liberation movement strengthened the fight against apartheid. Eventually Afrikaans was dropped as the language of instruction, and more schools and a teaching college were built in Soweto. Today Hector Peterson's name graces a simple memorial and museum about the conflict, and June 16th is Youth Day, a national holiday.

We flew back to Johannesburg last night. While on the plane, I found out that the operators of the shark tours made a video of our day with them. I hear I looked green in the video. I am so glad that they were able to capture ALL of my misery! I miss the beauty of Cape Town, but this part of South Africa looks more like what I had pictured in my mind. Although it is brown and dry, there is also beauty here. We are currently on our way to the Cradle of Humankind where some of the earliest remains have been found. These remains were found in Sterkfontein Caves. While we were there, it started raining - something that NEVER happens in Johannesburg. The temperature was the low 50s and very, very damp. Then we joined Dr. Collin Mentor at his archeological dig at the Drimolen Caves. He has spent over fifteen years of his life overseeing this dig. He has dated this site at approximately one million years old and told us that thirty percent of all the world's information about fossils is found in a five-mile radius around this site. This accumulation of fossils is partly because of the limestone deposits in this area which aids in the preserving of fossils. We then visited a open market area where people from the country sell their crafts. The vendors would try to direct everyone into their booths and then would talk nonstop. Most of the students were able to deal with the extra attention given to them by the merchants. I thought I might have to rescue Kelby, but he was having the time of his life. He was talking to all the vendors. I think he may have even been able to sell them some stuff! Our last stop for the day was the Lesedi Cultural Village that depicts the traditions of the tribes of South Africa. We enjoyed a traditional dinner there and watched a native dance performance. Probably the most sincere moment I have witnessed while on this trip occurred when I talked to our tour guide about the effects Apartheid had had on his life. He became emotional because he had lived through such horrendous things in his life. He was unable to speak about these things but said he felt compelled to tell the students about the sufferings that had occurred under Apartheid laws. He will share the story with them tomorrow - if he is able. He loves his country so much and wants it to progress into becoming the nation he knows it can be.

Great Whites-Shark Diving!

More images from our Cape Town Shark Alley Diving!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Today we experienced the Cradle of Humankind: Sterkfontein Caves, and also visited the Drimolen Caves to experience a live dig with an anthropologist. The rest of the afternoon was at Lesedi Cultural Village for a tour and dinner. Check out our pictures.

Another Great Day

Today we visited SANCCOB Penguin Rehabilitation Center. SANCCOB takes in coastal birds, mainly penquins, and helps them return to full health. We learned about conservation efforts to save the African penguins and got to visit the rehabilitation clinic.




We also visited the Cape of Good Hope, which is the most south-western point of the Africa Continent. The scenery was beautiful.


Even though we didn't get to go to the top of Table Mountain, we got some great pictures.

Drumming Circle

Sunday, June 7, 2009

We had a great time at the drumming circle tonight. Everyone got to play the drums for quite awhile; of course, some of us had more rhythm than others. When it came time to get volunteers for the dance, we knew that Danae would be the perfect choice. She wasn't as thrilled with her selection as we were. Here is her native South African dance tryout.

Shark Alley!!!




Today was the day! The weather was beautiful until...we got on the boat. And as you would suspect,our group volunteered to go down first. Most of you know I suffer from motion sickness. I had made a valiant effort not to get sick by triple protecting myself with motion sickness patches, Dramaine, and wrist bands for motion sickness. This definitely didn't work. I did go into the cage and absolutely loved what I saw but was so sick. Midland's students really did like it. Here are some of their comments:

Meagan: It seemed as if I was in a dream! It was so surreal. Words will never be able to describe the feeling that I felt when I saw that Great White Shark.

Kelby: The Shark Dive was amazing! My perception of sharks is completely changed. To me, they are no longer the scary underwater monsters we have to worry about, instead, they are calm and peaceful animals.

Niki: Even though the water was 56 degrees.I couldn't even think about how cold it was because of the adrenaline running through my veins. Twice the shark dove right at me with its mouth wide open!

Danae: Our teeth were chattering, hearts thumping, and adrenaline was pumping while the huge jaws of the great white were coming towards our head! It was the most exciting, unreal feeling to have a four meter long shark close enough to touch!

P.S. Keep watching the blog - tomorrow Danae puts on a special show with the drumming circle.

Eye to eye with the Great White

When people refer to the 'big five' in Africa, we've learned that they're making a gigantic mistake. Because if the Great White Shark doesn't deserve to be on that list, then somebody hasn't done their due diligence.

In Chicago, we have a fantastic aquarium, and one of the tanks has quite a few sharks swimming the reef. The powerful yet graceful swimmers never fail to generate a visible, emotional stir amongst viewers. And while everybody always spends a few extra minutes in front of that tank in hopes of seeing the deadly beast in action, it seems most of us have always 'just missed' a feeding.

Our cage dive with the sharks couldn't have been a more different experience.

While the marine biologist who shared her unique perspective on the great white called them 'elegant' and 'largely misunderstood', I'd say that outside the Hollywood sensationalism, they've earned every ounce of reputation that they have. And after yesterday's adventure, I've seen their viciousness firsthand.

After taking the boat out to Shark Alley, they dropped the cage into the water and 7 brave souls suited up and took the dive into the frigid waters of the Indian ocean. The crew chummed the water, and then threw out a decoy that cast a sea lion shaped shadow as well as a line with a fish head the length of my arm. They would toss them both into the water, leave them be for a while, and then when a shark was sighted, they would reel them back in towards the cage, entice the shark to swim closer.

How close? Close enough for us to stare it in the eye. And believe me, I blinked first.

While the first few groups dove, those of us on the deck got a bird's eye view of the graceful behemoth. Sharks that were 6 or 7 feet were surprisingly being called 'babies' by the crew. It wasn't until we saw what they termed a 'grandmother' that I understood why. One of the sharks we saw had to have been at least 13 feet long, and at least as wide around as a horse. It was massive, and yet glided along without an ounce of energy being wasted. Truly, the marine biologist's use of the word 'graceful' was appropriate. As exciting as the view from above was, it was just a taste of the adreline inducing rush that awaited below the waves.

After donning my own suit (I'll leave the imagery to your imagination), I slipped my googles on and slid into the cage. Everything seemed peaceful until the crew barked "DOWN. TO THE LEFT." Believe me, when the captain yell's "DOWN", you get underwater and fast! At first, I saw nothing but blue and the shadow of our decoy above. And then the first shark swam past. With a small headfake towards the decoy, he swam directly in front of the cage. I swear, I could have reached out and touched his fin... if I weren't quite so attached to the idea of having five fingers. The first few minutes, we saw several different sharks swim by the cage, which was quite exciting enough. But that was just the prelude.

It seems that sharks don't quite like having their food teased in front of them and then yanked away. Because after those first few minutes, they started to show their teeth. Literally.

At this point, we were used to them swimming across the cage, front right to left or vice versa. So it was a little surprising when the captain yellow "DOWN. CENTER." And once again, when I ducked my head under, there was little to see except a tattered fish head floating directly in front of the cage. And then seemingly out of nowhere, a gigantic great white burst out of the darkness straight at us, jaws lined with jagged white teeth wide open. I can't speak for anybody else, but involuntarily I pressed myself to the back of cage as he swam straight toward us, veering away at the very last second. That was my first up close viewing of a great white shark in attack mode, but it wouldn't be my last.

Over the course of the next ten minutes or so, they seemingly teased those sharks into a frenzy because we saw them go after the bait with a vengeance. One got a hold of that decoy and thrashed about, likely trying to figure out why it didn't taste quite as good as it looked. Another had a chunk of gore caught in the side of it's mouth, trailing behind it like a streamer as it swam by.

What was astonishing was how incredibly docile and fluid they could seem as they swam by, and yet with just a burst of their powerful tails, the water frothed in the wake of their powerful, vicious attack. Despite the crews best efforts, the sharks still managed to get ahold of the decoy and bait on several occasions, and it was none too pretty when they did. As I mentioned earlier, in my opinion, they've earned every ounce of noteriety that has ever been told of them.

And all without a single blink of the eye.

Photos

Check out some photos from Friday, June 5th on this flickr account. As you can see, we had a fantastic city tour and scuba diving lessons. More photos to come when we have more time.

JAWS Encounter

Saturday, June 6, 2009

We had an unbelievable opportunity today to view the Great White Shark up close and personal. We started the day with a relaxing drive to Gansbaai to meet up with Great White Shark Tours. We were given a personal introduction to the sharks by a marine biologist who was studying migratory patterns of the shark species, who have been known to swim from Australia to South Africa in just 90 days. After a short boat trip to Shark Alley we saw the most amazing thing many of us have ever seen. It was a thrill rush plus more. The sharks were literally in touching distances and in some cases even bumped our cage. We saw great whites that were just over two meters to another that was over 4 meters. It was awesome! After we pulled our cage in we went over to look at the seal island that is a temporary home to seals during this time of the year and the primary food to the sharks. There was an incredible amount of seals and it was truly a sight to see. After the shark encounter we went to a loacal family household for an uplifting drumming session. Many of us were tired by the end of the shark dive but after participating in the drumming session we regained energy. The family then served us an amazing meal that was appreciated by everyone. We then headed back to the hotel to get to bed in preperation for a busy Sunday.

Adventure to the Coast

Wow! Today was day filled with action and adventure. We left the hotel at 6:20 a.m. and took a 2 hour drive to the tip of the African continent. When we reached our destination, our grouped was briefed about today's activity, the shark dive. After our brief, we traveled out to sea. The water was a little choppy and made some of our party "sea sick". Overall, the experience was thrilling; the sharks came so close to the diving cage and even bumped it. It was an once in a lifetime experience that we will never forget.

After we returned to land and docked the boat, we had lunch and did a little souvenir shopping. After lunch and shopping, our group took the scenic route back to Cape Town. The mountains and coastline were so beautiful. On our drive back, we even saw whales. This was extremely fortunate considering it is not the height of whale season. It was a perfect photo opportunity.

We concluded our day with a African drum circle and traditional African dinner at a local home. The drum circle was very fun and all members of the group participated in making beautiful music. During the drum circle several members of our party participated in an African dance. The instructor did a great job of teaching the dance to our group. After the drum circle and dance, we ate a delicious African dinner. The meal consisted of three courses and was very filling. On the ride home nearly everyone fell asleep after our adventurous day. Tomorrow we will finish our activities in Cape Town and travel to Johannesburg.

Cape Town At Last

We had our first full day in Cape Town and in South Africa today after months of anticipation. We are actually here! It was a very exciting day, while still very educational.
The day started off with a breakfast, which some of us missed. Then it was off to Langa township to learn about the life of South African people who live in these communities. No one probably could prepare themselves for this, but everyone enjoyed it and it was very intriguing. The first place we went was Langa township. Langa is the oldest township in Cape Town, and is quite large, but not the largest. The townships like Langa were set up as a place for blacks and coloureds to live after they were forced out of the white residential areas under Apartheid. Life in the township can be tough. People live in very small homes, hostels, or shacks. Some have running water, but not uncommonly the toilets are communal. Our guide, Samantha, was very knowledgable, as she lives in Langa and knows many people there.
It was then off to Khayalitsha township, the largest by far (over 1 million people), and visited a woman named Rosie. Her story is remarkable. Many years ago, Rosie came from the Eastern Cape looking for a job, but couldn’t find one, so she started cooking for the people in the township. She eventually realized that she didn’t want any child to go to bed hungry. Since then, that has become almost a motto for her, and is her mission. Like many people, Rosie used to live in one of the shacks, and her story relates to us how dangerous that is. Many people used to use candles or paraffin, and it didn’t take much to make your own shack catch fire. The shacks are packed together, though, and when one shack burns, hundreds burn. Rosie’s shack was caught in one of these fires, and she was injured in it when she went back to get her kids. She didn’t tell us that, though, and I don’t think she would have, she was very humble. She now serves Somewhere around 300 meals every day to the kids so they can go to school or to bed with a full stomach. She is really passionate about her work, and truly was in inspiration for us all.
For lunch we then traveled to a church, where they served us our most authentic meal yet. We got some sort of rice, cabbage, sweet potatoes, beef, and regular potatoes. Homebrewed ginger beer was to drink, and for desert they served us pudding/ custard, which was hot, with guava underneath. All the food was enjoyed by all. The people there were very welcoming and we had a great time. They had a map on the wall on which all of the labels were printed correctly, but the orientation of the world itself was upside down of “normal”. They do this in order to put Cape Town at the top of the world!
Sadly, we did not visit Robben Island as planned, but maybe not so sadly, we went to a pool on the water’s edge and learned how to scuba dive. The guides weren’t sure if we would be able to go out on the boat to do the shark cage due to the weather, so as a back up plan we were doing the training in order to be able to swim in the aquarium tomorrow. It was a great time even though the water was cold, and it meant we might not see great white sharks. The plan is still to go on the boat, though, so we are hoping that the weather will clear up enough to go out.
Because we didn’t go to Robben Island, the guides invited the headmaster of the island school, Teta, to join us for dinner at the Ferryman’s Tavern. He told us about the school at which only 22 children attend! Most of them live in the island village, and others are children of island workers.
Other than that, we posted photos and one video, so check them out and keep coming back for updates, as well as on the student blogs and the twitter feed!

We have arrived!







After skipping across three continents, we have finally arrived in Cape Town! We took a total of five planes to get here. After the first leg of the trip(Little Rock to Dallas),we met up with the students and teacher from Dallas and shared the next four flights with them. The second leg of the journey took us to Frankfurt(what a beautiful city). The third leg from Frankfurt to Johannesburg was the longest. I never want to take another flight that long! Sleeping in an airplane for two nights straight isn't my idea of fun but to see the city was well worth it. We met up with the rest of the group from Discovery and Cedar Rapids in Frankfurt. Then the fun began: exhanging money, keeping up with boarding passes, and making new friends. There were no in-flight problems except that we had to be shuttled to a different airplace in Little Rock because our plane was late, and they were afraid we wouldn't meet our connection to Germany. I really appreciated their concern - it made my life easier. Hats off to people at the Little Rock airplane.
Yesterday we visited townships where the people literally live in shacks. It is only a few minutes from Cape Town but,in actuality, it is world's apart. While there we visitied with a lady named Rosie who cooks for the children of the township. She is feeding several hundred kids a day because she knows they need the nutrition in order to do well in school. The school doesn't have a free lunch program like we have in the United States. This one woman has an incredible drive to fulfill her mission to help feed the children of South Africa. Her story touched me because I see how fortunate our students are and they have no idea what lives other students are living in other parts of the world. I know the students from Iowa, Arkansas, and Dallas had their eyes opened. What an amazing opportunity for them. We spent the rest of the day getting the students ready for shark diving. If the weather holds out, we will dive this morning. If not, Discovery will provide another adventure for us.

First Full Day

We jumped right into our first full day in Cape Town. It's been rainy, windy, and cold but the weather could not dampened our spirits. Here are some photo highlights of today's adventure while touring a township area as well as scuba lessons in preparation for tomorrow's dive-with weather permitting, that is.
The water was cold, cold, cold, but ALL the students went in! Brave souls we are!




USA to Germany to South Africa

Friday, June 5, 2009

After many, many hours of plane rides from CR to Chicago and then Chicago to Frankfurt, we finally got the chance to explore in a different country. We had trouble at first finding our Frankfurtian guide, but we did eventually, and she took us to the city center to meet up with the other groups. After getting to know everyone briefly, we walked to the Main Tower, and ascended to the 200 M high observation platform. From there we could see St. Bartholomew's cathedral, which was our next destination. There was a huge organ inside, and the church itself was very old, dating back to the time of the Holy Roman Empire. Then we went on the the Romerberg, which is the old city center with traditional buildings and a large, open square. We didn't get to spend much time there, though, because we had to get back to the airport, AKA Fraport (Frankfurt Airport) to eat our custom made pizzas. We then had an even longer flight on a 747 this time to Johannesburg. Almost everyone slept for much of the flight, some even missing meals. We eventually landed in a sunny Johannesburg, but we had to stay in the airport in order to catch our fourth! Plane ride to our first South Africa destination, Cape Town. In the Joburg airport, we all encountered different people and languages, but most importantly, the food. We learned about “take away” (fast food or to go), tomato sauce (ketchup-like), and “chips” (AKA French Fries). If we ordered fountain pop, it came warm, and with two pieces of ice to make it oh so ice cold!
One the flight to Cape Town, we got fed, this time with ice cream, and eventually landed at the not so sunny Cape Town International. There, we met our South African guides, and got on the bus for the hotel. Our hotel, the Breakwater Lodge, is located near the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, and is very, very close to the ocean. It is also just right across the street from a 6 star hotel! We can see Table Mountain (what is visible under the clouds at least) from the hotel. Our meal tonight consisted of beef, fish caught off the coast of SA, potatoes, and lots of other good stuff. Tomorrow should be a nice day as long as the weather cooperates, but we’ll see if that happens. Our trip to Robben Island depends on it, and the guides and DSA leaders have been switching things around to try and work out when things can be done in order to hopefully be able to do the shark cage!!

From there to here by way of Frankfurt.

We've now arrived in South Africa, and it only took us 2 days! While that may seem like a long journey, and it is, we did have the luxury of taking the scenic route. From the US, we flew in two groups to Frankfurt, Germany. Because of the long layover, we had the opportunity to explore the city for several hours before returning to the airport.

But what can you really do in just a few hours? More than I would have thought possible. One group arrived earlier,so on leaving the airport we heade;into the central part of Frankfurt to meet up with them. A gigantic stage had been erected to showcase gymnasts that would be competing in an international competition within the next few days. The skyline is dominated by towering skyscrapers that reek of wealth, and with good reason. Each skyscraper is named for a different bank, and billions of Euro's are exchanged in transactions every day. Upon meeting up with the early group, we took off to get a birdseye view of the city from the top of one of the massive buildings.

After a surpsingly quick 54 story climb in the elevator, we experienced an amazing view of the entire city of Frankfurt. From there,we could see the stark contrast between the glass and steel spires reaching into the sky and the stone buildings and churches that were literally thousands of years old. On the outer fringes, we could see the Futbol stadium that regularly seats over 60,000 screaming fans, as well as the gentle sloping mountains off in the distance. Our guide pointed out a series of beige buildings that at one time were used to develope lethal gasses used by the Nazis, that were then converted to be the headquarters for US troupes in Europe in the closing years of the war.... and are now serving as University buildings.

We spent the rest of our time in Frankfurt exploring the main square, where royalty used to stay be seen by the public. At one end was a church that dates back about a millenium, and is still being used today. The artwork and archicture were truly awe inspiring. After a short time to visit stores, and explore the area individually, we headed back to the airport to meet up with the rest of the crew.

From there, it;was just another day on a plane to JoBurg and then one final jump over to Cape Town. Hotel check in, a relaxing dinner and then our first bed in what seemed like weeks. And now, we're refreshed and ready to tackle the upcoming day! On the agenda: Township tour, lunch at the Khanyisa Community Church and then a visit to Robben Island!

Dinner

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Dinner was great. We had fish caught off the shore of South Africa.

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In Cape Town




Waiting in Frankfurt for our next flight to Johannesburg.

Had a warm welcome at the airport...

A life saver after 40+ hours of flights and connections.


Ready for a full day tomorrow!

We Can Blog From Our Phones?

We are all practicing blogging on the go. Many have conquered Twittering and have moved on to bigger things. Make sure to check out student individual blogs to see their perspectives of the journey thus far.

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Pictures from Frankfurt

Left Europe last night and slept on another flight. Tonight we at our hotel in Cape Town and looking forward to sleeping in a bed. Click her to view some of our photos from Frankfurt, Germany. Many more are in the process of being uploaded to our web album on the blog.

From Iowa to Germany to Africa

After many, many hours of plane rides from CR to Chicago and then Chicago to Frankfurt, we finally got the chance to explore in a different country. We had trouble at first finding our Frankfurtian guide, but we did eventually, and she took us to the city center to meet up with the other groups. After getting to know everyone briefly, we walked to the Main Tower, and ascended to the 200 M high observation platform. From there we could see St. Bartholomew's cathedral, which was our next destination. There was a huge organ inside, and the church itself was very old, dating back to the time of the Holy Roman Empire. Then we went on the the Romerberg, which is the old city center with traditional buildings and a large, open square. We didn't get to spend much time there, though, because we had to get back to the airport, AKA Fraport (Frankfurt Airport) to eat our custom made pizzas. We then had an even longer flight on a 747 this time to Johannesburg. Almost everyone slept for much of the flight, some even missing meals. We eventually landed in a sunny Johannesburg, but we had to stay in the airport in order to catch our fourth! Plane ride to our first South Africa destination, Cape Town. In the Joburg airport, we all encountered different people and languages, but most importantly, the food. We learned about “take away” (fast food or to go), tomato sauce (ketchup-like), and “chips” (AKA French Fries). If we ordered fountain pop, it came warm, and with two pieces of ice to make it oh so ice cold!
One the flight to Cape Town, we got fed, this time with ice cream, and eventually landed at the not so sunny Cape Town International. There, we met our South African guides, and got on the bus for the hotel. Our hotel, the Breakwater Lodge, is located near the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, and is very, very close to the ocean. It is also just right across the street from a 6 star hotel! We can see Table Mountain (what is visible under the clouds at least) from the hotel. Our meal tonight consisted of beef, fish caught off the coast of SA, potatoes, and lots of other good stuff. Tomorrow should be a nice day as long as the weather cooperates, but we’ll see if that happens. Our trip to Robben Island depends on it, and the guides and DSA leaders have been switching things around to try and work out when things can be done in order to hopefully be able to do the shark cage!!

Political History

Tuesday, June 2, 2009


Getting ready to learn about the African National Party.  In 1948 the National Party was voted into power and set in motion the "apartheid machinery". The majority of the people of South Africa were denied the right to vote. Fortunately people like Nelson Mandela would not accept the status quo. We will learn more about this special man and his life while we are in Cape Town.

DSA World Travelers--Are you ready...


...for this amazing journey we are about to embark upon tomorrow?! South Africa, here we come!

Can't wait to meet everyone on this trip...(O:
It's 8:15 a.m. in Arkansas, and we have started the first leg of this amazing journey - a two-hour drive to the nearest major airport. We'll meet up with the Dallas group this afternoon and then look forward to meeting the rest of you tomorrow in Germany.

Sarafina! Starring Whoopi Goldberg & Leleti Khumalo

Monday, June 1, 2009

Movie Review: Sarafina
A South African girl, named Sarafina, lives with her aunt and uncle in Soweto. Her mother works as a maid in a white household in Johannesberg, where she goes to school. Mary Masombuka, her rebellious history teacher, encourages the children to be aware of the political forces that rule their lives. She even helps the pupils put on a play expressing their desire for the eventual release of Mandela. But when one of Sarafina's classmates gets involved in an arson attack, the police crack down hard on the students. As a result, the children boycott white-owned stores in the neighborhood, and tensions begin to rise. Even as Mary reassures Sarafina that she dreams of a free and peaceful South Africa, violence erupts throughout the township. A riot ensues when policemen fire at some of the children, and Sarafina faces years of imprisonment and torture for her role in the protest. Eventually, she is released and reunited with her mother. Rent Sarafina or watch it on youtube.

Essential Programs Details

Duration 12 days
When June 2nd - 13th, 2009
Focus Wildlife Research/Conservation
Political History
Culture