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This was a great trip! I had the opportunity to return to South Africa which has a special place in my heart because it was the first country I visited on the continent. I also had the opportunity to visit 2 more countries (Zambia & Botswana) and learn about their history, challenges and possibilities. The purpose of the faculty study abroad trip is to expose faculty to Africa with the intention of faculty somehow sharing that information with students or incorporating it into their research. This trip opened up so many possibilities for my teaching and research. I'm looking forward to seeing how this seed grows. Africa is so diverse, and I love her for that! I have to keep coming back. Until next time...

A Day in Botswana

On Wednesday, we went to Kasane, Botswana to experience Chobe National Park. We had a 45 minute drive to the border and then took a boat across the river. My first impression of the lodge where we were staying was that it reminded me of Jurassic Park. The vegetation seemed to be supersized, and once again there were way too many wild animals just roaming. We went on a 4 hour safari cruise which was pretty nice. We saw lots of wildlife in the water as well as things along the bank. We got to see an exciting match between a leopard and a water monitor. (The monitor won.) As we rode back to the lodge, we witnessed a beautiful African sunset.

Victoria Falls & Children's Home

On Tuesday, I went to Victoria Falls (one of the 7 natural wonders of the world). It was very beautiful and breathe-taking. It's one of those sites where you can't help but to acknowledge God's awesomeness. I saw several rainbows which confirmed my feelings of spirituality while there. Zimbabwe boarders the Falls as well and you can clearly see the other side. There was a very scary and high bridge that I didn't cross. Besides the fact that I have a fear of heights, it was wet and slippery looking. Other people from the group crossed, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. Later that day we went to a children's home. The home depends largely on donations to operate. The children plant gardens and grow their own vegetables. They sell the surplus at the market. If you are inspired, consider sending a donation (monetary or materials). On the way back to the resort, we saw giraffes just past the main entrance.

Now in Zambia!

We arrived to Zambia this afternoon around 1pm. Livingstone has a completely different vibe than Cape Town. Seeing zebras out my hotel window and monekys walking around will do that! I only have internet access at the business center, so I can't promise pictures, but will try to upload some in the next few days. Tonight me, Gloria and George had a wonderful experience with one of the guides from the hotel. We had a tour around Livingstone, went to a museum on Zambia's history, shopped at a market, met his family, and had dinner at a pub (I tried nshima). It was a great experience! We are going to Victoria Falls tomorrow.

A Day Around the Coast

We spent the entire day traveling around the coast seeing different parts of the cape. I saw many of the places when I was here 2 years ago, but of course, you can't get enough of South Africa! As we were heading to Table Mountain National Park, I saw a baboon chilling on a ledge watching the cars go by! Afterwards, I noticed several "Baboons are Dangerous" signs! Tomorrow we're heading to Zambia. We have to pack and be on the bus at 5:30am! We fly from Cape Town to Johannesburg to Livingstone. I don't know what the internet connection will be like so the blog may be a few days behind for the next part of the trip.

Township & HBC

Today was a busy, fun day. We went to the oldest township in Cape Town, Langa. We visited a community center that is teaching young artists and sponsoring local art work. I met a few of the artists and made a purchase for my mom for Mother's Day:-) I had mixed feelings about the township visit. On one hand, I was fascinated by the history and on the other hand I saddened by the poverty. Since this is the oldest township, there are actually a range of different socioeconomic statuses that people live in. We were able to see all of them. We also talked with some of residents and visited their homes. It's amazing how people can be hopeful even when they have so little. I spent the afternoon with my friend and colleague Berte. I wanted to see an historically Black campus, and he took me to Western Cape University. It was a great tour and fun meeting some of his friends. Afterwards, we drove through several colored neighborhoods. I ended the day with dinner at Karibu, a South African cuisine restaurant. I had the King Clip which is the local fish along with my favorite, malva pudding!

From Stellenbosch to Mama Africa

We started our day at Stellenbosch University. This was my second visit to Stellenbosch and I had the opportunity to connect with my friend and colleague, Berte, who is a professor there. Gloria and I had the opportunity to lecture in his philosophy of education course to teaching majors. We talked about how our universities are similar in demographics and the kinds of strategies we are implementing in our teacher ed programs at USC in order to prepare teachers for diverse populations. Afterwards, Berte took us to visit a nearby township. We met some school children at the new secondary school in the township. We then went to Boschendal Vineyard. South Africa is a large producer of wine, and most of the vineyards are near Cape Town. We ended the day with dinner at a restaurant called Mama Africa. We had the best time eating some authentic African cuisine and listening to a great local band.

Hey Everyone, I made it safely to South Africa. The flight was fine. I had a good seatmate and we actually had an empty seat in between us, so we were able to stretch out and have a little more room. The flight from Atlanta to JoBurg was 14 hours, and then another 2 hour flight into Cape Town. We had a full day today (cultural briefing and overview of South Africa's economy). The hotel is on the Waterfront and in a very nice, upscale touristy area. But not so nice that I didn't see a gigantic rat run across the street in the middle of the day! You know I started screaming and acting a fool. Tomorrow is pretty packed as well. I'm hoping to post pictures tomorrow. The internet was going really slow, so I'll do my best to show you Africa through my eyes as soon as possible. Thanks again for your prayers. Love, Tambra

I am returning to Africa! I leave tomorrow and I will be going to South Africa, Zambia & Botswana. I have re-opened my blog to post pictures and thoughts about my experience. Stay tuned...