| South Africa Journals
July 2010
Hello Family and Friends ~
Well, we did finally make it to London today and we are enjoying every minute with a whole
new group of friends. Our flight out of Amarillo and Dallas were all on time. Most of the
excitement in Dallas centered around the World Cup. Everyone is well and says hello as we
are off to South Africa in 15 minutes. EVERYONE SAYS HELLO.
Take care,
Buddy Hello Family and Friends ~
We awoke to a windy, cold rainy day this morning. The temperature was probably never above 50 degrees all day, with a cold wet wind. After a wonderful breakfast at our hotel, we set out to see the beauty of Cape Town, which was stunning. We were a bit concerned with the rain since many of our sightseeing activities today were planned for outdoors. It rained off and on all day, but fortunately it stopped each time we got out of the bus. The first activity was a boat trip in Houk Bay to Seal Island. The waters were very choppy with swells about 15 feet high. There were hundreds of seals on the island, which was really rocks protruding out of the ocean. This information was reported to me by others since I didn't do this activity for fear of sea-sickness. On the way to our next stop we saw a few wild ostriches. Our tour guide informed us that there are more ostriches in South Africa than any place else in the world. The next stop on our agenda was Cape Point, which is where many South Africans argue that the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. The Indian Ocean has warm tropical water, whereas the Atlantic Ocean has cold water that flows in from Antarctica. At Cape Point we ate a delicious dinner and went up to the lighthouse at the top of the mountain where we saw some magnificent views of the two oceans. We, then, went to the Cape of Good Hope, which is the most south-western point of the African continent. Here the water was very rough so the waves as the water hit the shore were quite magnificent from our view. From here we went to Boulders and saw many African penguins. It was odd seeing penguins on the sand and not on ice. However, these birds are native to South Africa.
Jeanie Hello Family and Friends ~
Cape Town and the University of the Western Cape
Our group had planned to start the day touring Robbin Island so that we could view a slice
of President Nelson Mandela’s life. However, our tour was cancelled due to inclement
weather and high swells on the ocean that prevented ferry transportation. We were all
extremely disappointed but made good use of the first half of our day exploring the
beautiful Victoria and Alfred Waterfront. Many of us returned with treasures we found in
the many shops. This afternoon we visited the University of the Western Cape to meet with staff and
students of the Education Department. Prof. Zubelda Desai and other faculty members
discussed the history of the University and the effects of apartheid and democracy on South
African education. They also discussed projects in which they have participated. We were
privileged to visit with some of the university's students about educational issues.
We ended our day packing for tomorrow and relaxing at our hotel.
Nena Additional thoughts from Dr. Spaulding: Dear Friends, Family and Colleagues,
What a great group of travelers! I am truly privileged to take this journey along with each
of our Go Global South Africa members. They are exceptional representatives of you,
WTAMU, and our country. We are still fighting through the effects of jet lag -- but it hasn't
impeded our packed travel and cultural itinerary. The internet connections in Cape Town
have been slow, so, if you have missed any electronic communications from your traveler,
that is likely the reason.
Tomorrow, we begin our journey to the Ngala game reserve. We will be 'deep' in safari
country and may not have internet access. So, don't worry if you don't hear from us for a
couple of days.
Today was a great day to interact with students and professors at the University of
Western Cape. We found that we have more in common than not with our South African
counterparts. We reflected on both the theory and practice of bilingual education. It was an
exceptional cross cultural learning opportunity.
And, as Nena mentions in her journal log, we were disappointed to miss the visit to Robbin
Island. However, safety is always our first priority and fighting 20 ft ocean waves was clearly
not in our best interest.
Sincerely,
Dr. Spaulding Hello Family and Friends ~
Today has been diverse. We started the day in Cape Town and flew and drove to the Ngala Safari Lodge and the African bush. As we flew into Nelspruit to make our connection to the bus that would take us to our next adventure, the land below us changed from the coastal mountains of the days previous, to the African plains. Maybe it’s the presence of the small scrub trees that spot the land or maybe its the drought that has lasted since early March, but this land actually looks fairly similar to that of the Texas Panhandle, although much more densely vegetated.
The bush seems to be accurately named, and our first activity of our adventure at Ngala Safari had us riding in open-air Land Rovers in search of big game. We separated into three groups, each with our own driver and spotter. These individuals are responsible for both our safety as well as our success in spotting the animals that, at least in my mind, represent Africa. The guides, both spotter and driver, have been impressive. While we watch for animals, they are watching for tracks, listening for calls and navigating the brush, each of which represents a skill set the rest of us lack. Very shortly after we began, we spotted our first African Safari animals, the Impala, a deer like animal with horns. The guides were not interested in spending much time on these animals, which confused us at first, but was made clear as we left and came upon a group of hippopotamuses, cooling off in one of the remaining water holes. While these animals were impressive, they seemed to pale in comparison to our next big find, a solitary
African Lion! While the Lion wasn’t interested in posing for many photos, we were impressed with his size and grace, and particularly his ability to disappear into the bush. While I would like to recount each animal we came across, and the excitement, fear and awe that we experienced, there just is not room nor time to describe them all. I’m sure each of you will enjoy the numerous pictures taken and the glimpse into the world which they provide.
As night fell across the Game Reserve, we found ourselves still driving around the bush, hearing the sounds of the wildlife around us. This and the clear and starry night, unblemished by pollution or light, brought a new sense of awe and smallness. It isn’t often that we have the opportunity to fully disengage from our computers, tv, and the other aspects of technology that allow us to be closer and yet more distant with each other. This place has a power to it, a power that I feel speaks to our nature, makes us feel alive, and forces us back to ourselves. I’m not sure I would want to deal with that power on a daily basis, but this reminder, this experience, is truly something that I will cherish. I am excited and hopeful for the experiences to come during the rest of our stay here.
We miss family and friends, and are looking forward to sharing this adventure and the other experiences we are having, with you.
Aaron Hello Family and Friends ~
This morning we got up and headed to the jeeps for a 6:00 am game drive. The first thing
we saw was a pack of wild dogs feeding on a recent kill of an impala. We stumbled upon the
wild dogs only moments after they made the kill. We were able to get some great photos
and videos of these extremely rare creatures. A few years ago these dogs were close to
extinction. There were approximately 12 dogs that were feeding, and they were sharing the
carcass among themselves.
The next amazing animal we saw was the leopard. We followed a male leopard for about 25 minutes and at some point he was 3 feet of the jeep. We could have reached out and
touched him, but refrained. Another other saw the male mating with a female that we saw
in the distance. The male leopard was estimated to be 4 years old and weighed about 150
lbs. The leopard had been seen in the past dragging a full grown wildebeest up a tall tree.
We had a coffee break after that and our guide, Mike, and a fellow traveler Daniel had a
contest were the objective was to see who could spit impala dung the farthest. Mike won
with a spit of 35 feet (photo right).
After frolicking in the bush, we discovered we were covered in tiny ticks. We had to use a
branch covered with leaves to get the ticks off. It was quite a harrowing experience.
Next we saw some zebras. There was a group of them with 1 male and 3 females.
Next we spotted 2 young male elephants who were estimated to be 18 years old. The same 2
elephants wandered onto the lodge area and we saw them from a deck overlooking a close
water hole. I took a picture with my toes in the foreground to show how close the elephants
actually were. While the elephants were drinking, a family group of warthogs came to have a drink. After going on a nature walk and learning about the flora of the bush and having
lunch, we were ready for the afternoon game run. We first saw a giraffe and some
hippopotamuses. As we approached the watering hole the hippos ran into the water. Next
we had a close encounter with 2 young male rhinoceros. Then we went on an intense lion
chase, which yielded a leopard.
The weather here is rather chilly at night (mid 40’s) and very cold in the morning (upper
30’s). At dinner the Ngala choir came and sang traditional Zulu songs.
Teresa Hello Family and Friends ~
This morning was no different than the other two nights at the Ngala resort. We started
with a personal wakeup call at five thirty this morning. The GoGloabal WTAMU group meet
at 6:00am to head out for this morning’s game drive (Safari exploration). We boarded our
assigned Safari vehicle (topless Range Rover) seats and headed out. The weather was
quite comfortable this morning compared to other mornings. The smell of fresh moponi
trees and grasslands was all around us as was the sound of birds and wild animals.
Most of the group had not had the opportunity to view a lion and therefore were on a quest
- lions today please. A sighting of a lions and two lionesses was soon shared over the air
waves. After a 12 minute thrill ride through the thickets and meandering vehicle paths, we
arrived at our destination. From what we gathered, the three had just enjoyed a kill and
were leisurely enjoying the morning sun.
One group viewed a total of 16 rhinos during the three day stay at Ngala. The “Crash of the
rhinos” was a new term I had not heard before.
Some park rangers refer to the crash as they spot several rhinos running through the brush
crushing everything along their path. Others enjoyed viewing of elephants, leopards, water-
buffalos, giraffes, wild dogs, hyenas, hippopotamuses, impalas, kudus, zebras, and several
indigenous birds. Hello Family and Friends ~
Yesterday’s highlight of the day was the viewing of 600 water-buffalo on a quest for water.
The group was patiently waiting on a side of the water hold directly in front of the oncoming
water-buffalo. A small dust storm marked the location of the incoming buffalo. There were
five or six hippos laying around and enjoying the water before the water buffalo hit it with a
sense of urgency. It was truly beautiful to see 600 plus water-buffalo come in for a drink of
water.
We soon headed back to camp for a quick breakfast and shower. The accommodations at
the resort were first class. Our rondavel (somewhat round hut with a thatched roof)
quarters were equipped with hot running water, electric bed covers, lush beds and
furniture, and a full size bathroom (bathtub and shower).
We were transported to our awaiting charter bus and soon on our way to Graskop.
The scenic route from Ngala to Graskop was breathtaking - scenic mountain side views, a
waterfall, and two quick stops to view boabab trees (some of the people here call it the
upside down tree). We quickly stopped at “Three Rondavels View” or Blyde River Canyon
for some quick photos. The panoramic view of the canyon was spectacular.
The Blyde River Canyon is the third largest canyon in the world.
Hello Family and Friends ~
Greetings from Johannesburg, South Africa! Today was in many ways the most special day of our amazing journey. We had the opportunity to tour parts of the historic Soweto Township and later serve lunch at a soup kitchen operated by MES (Metro Evangelical Services). Soweto played an important role in the fight to overcome the oppressive rules of apartheid in South Africa. It was long the home of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu, both Nobel Laureates. The lasting effects of apartheid are clearly visible through the large number of homeless and unemployed among the black community. It was very moving to hear the stories of young men struggling daily to survive on the streets. MES has offered them food, shelter, and even more importantly, job training and counseling to help them permanently escape the difficulties of life on the street. A tour of MES facilities gave us a better understanding of the challenges faced by masses of people dealing with the grips of poverty as well as the valiant efforts of groups like MES to offer a hand up out of poverty. MES also helps low income families with child care and other services. We were able to visit the Roly Poly facility of the MES Early Childhood Development Programme and interact with some very enthusiastic children. The afternoon afforded us the chance to visit Zifuneleni Junior Secondary School and be treated to a general assembly with the entire school singing for us before continuing outside to hear more of their beautiful music presented by the school choir. The school staff welcomed us and spent time explaining the unique situation of this special school that had once been labeled a complete failure. Today, it boasts an impressive record of success in virtually every aspect of school life. After a nice lunch in a local restaurant, we walked down several streets of Soweto as we were told a bit of the history of apartheid by our guides from MES, Michael and Nicodemus, until we reached the Hector Pieterson Museum. Hector was just a twelve year old boy when he was killed in the racial violence as protests took to the streets of Soweto on June 16, 1976. The museum is an inspirational tribute and memorial to the people and events that erupted that fateful day. We capped off an emotional day with dinner served to us by members of Diepkloof South Church of Soweto. Once again there was spirited singing combined with fellowship with church members. A general theme ran throughout the day: South Africa is on the rise, but needs a little help from countries like the USA. We were asked again and again what we could do to help them overcome their challenges. We had no easy answers. There is no way to explain to you the emotional highs and lows of this day. I am including a few photos help in this department. Suffice it to say: the people of South Africa are among the warmest and friendliest I have ever encountered. Their tarnished history is not so different from our own. Although we were shown that many differences exist in our two nations, we soon began to realize we have so much more in common. If you really want to understand, come to South Africa and discover it for yourself. Terry Hello Family and Friends ~
Hello from the Zambezi River,
We have officially been in Zimbabwe for 22 hours and are now about to depart again for Zambia's Livingston Airport. Today I believe the group is feeling a bit fatigued but well worth it since we had the opportunity this morning to watch the sunrise over Victoria Falls. The Zambezi river (4th largest river in Africa) flows into Victoria Falls. The Falls are considered to be among the Seven Natural Wonders of the World. The view was absolutely amazing! We prepared for the trip by doubling up on our rain ponchos to ensure that our clothes would stay dry from the heavy mist that is thought to be a blessing . Victoria Falls is claimed to be the largest waterfall in the world due to its height of 360 ft and width of 5,604 ft. We made our way through the mini Victoria Falls rainforest stopping for views of the Zambezi water plummeting into a raging roar and constantly blessing our group with it's mist. I have truly felt blessed to have traveled on such an amazing journey these past two weeks. Looking forward to sharing all of our adventures with our family and friends. I would like to send out a special hello & I love you to both my daughters Madison and Chelsey.
Amy Friday July 23, 2010
Today we arrived in London around 6am and they are an hour behind S. Africa. After customs, we rode the subway train (tube) to our hotel. Today we spent the entire day in London. The group split and we all were able to go do our own thing. Some went on the hop-on-hop-off bus to go see all the sites, while others went off on their own. The ones I was with decided on which sites we wanted to see and then we headed off. We navigated through the subway system for transportation all day.
The first site we went to was the Buckingham Palace. We want to tour it but the tours were closed. So we went into their little store. At the store Amy and I picked up a book about the guards and read that the changing of the guards was starting right then. Therefore we ran downthe street to watch it.
The next stop was West Minster Abbey. We went through and toured this church. The architecture was exquisite. And it amazed me how many people were buried there. There were graves and memorials everywhere. (In/on the walls, in/on the floor, tombs around the rooms.) As we walked out and around the Big Bend Clock Tower was there to see.
After that we went to St. Paul’s Cathedral. It was quite large and we toured it as well. We climbed about 260 stairs to get to the look out around the top. Then we climbed another 120 stairs to get to the roof part that looks out over London. There was then another 150 stairs to the very top. This church was also beautiful with a great sight of London. Then we walked about
a block to see the outside of Shakespeare’s Globe Theater.
Then we met up with another one from our group to go to dinner. This was one of the most expensive meals I have ever eaten. We then decided that while we were in London we wanted to see a Broadway Production. We went and saw the show The Lion King. This show was a wonderful musical. We then walked to Picadilly Circus. It made for a quick tour of London and there is still so much more to see. Hello Family and Friends ~
After a very long day and over 4,700 miles I can say with much relief that we have safely made it home to Texas. Since not much happened today, aside from everyone sleeping on the plane, I want to take this time to say what a wonderful experience this adventure has been. I think I speak for everyone when I thank the university for giving us all the opportunity to visit South Africa and Dr. Spaulding and Professor Fox for leading us on this journey.
Daniel Interested in following the travels of the Go Global students? Get a first-hand look at their cross-cultural adventures. | 
