Finally in South Africa!!

Hey guys! Just wanted to write you all a quick message to update you guys on my arrival! The flight was very long but surprisingly not that bad at all! I had two seats by the window to myself, and because I didn't get any sleep before I left I had no problems sleeping on the plane! I met an amazing girl from Oregon named Kimberly and she is working with YWAM (Youth with a mission) here in Capetown! It was sooo good to meet someone who was also working with a Christian organization. We exchanged info and prayed together before we went out to meet our people that were picking us up. I was sooo lost as to where I was going to be staying, etc. The driver took me to this Bed and Breakfast that Living Hope uses to house its volunteers. The volunteer coordinator for ACTS/African Encounter (they are the people responsible for my housing, transportation, etc., met me at the house. Her name is Mandy, and she took me to my room. Well I should probably say condo...because that is exactly what it is!! Its sooo nice and clean and very spacious! For the time being I have my own room, bathroom, living room and kitchen. There are still guests that stay at the B&B so there is a chance that we will be moved around from time to time to different rooms on sight. So at times I could have roommates. Mandy told me that there are two other 20ish girl volunteers but they are leaving Monday I think. Next door to me there are two 60-70 yr old women volunteers from Australia, and a 40ish man. I haven't met anyone yet except the owner this afternoon because I really slept in this morning.

Oh and let me say I will be doing alot of swimming this year and will probably come back with a six pack! LOL I say this because there is no shower...only an oddly shaped bathtub...which makes washing my hair an exercise all in its self! Thank goodness I cut my hair before I came!

So much of this place reminds me of Argentina. The weather, the city, etc. Its their winter time, but its not really cold just windy, but I love it! We are right beside huge mountains and the ocean. THere is apparently a nice beach just a road over but I haven't ventured down that way becuase I am by myself today. I am free at nights and on weekends, so since I arrived on a Friday night this whole weekend I have to just chill. Which is good so I can get my bearings and rest up! I am actually staying in Fish Hoek outside of Cape Town.

Everyone here speaks a different language! It is so strange. Most all of them speak English as well, but in passing my initial instinct is to respond in Spanish when I hear something other than English....which speaking of, I may be speaking alot of Spanish to myself while I am here since there are definitely not any SPanish speaking people around. Whites are definitely the minority which is strange to see. I have only been down one main road this afternoon. LIke I said, I was late getting up this morning so I just wandered around on my own. I went to the ATM, because I had no Rand (dollars). The exchange rate is crazy here. 1 US dollar = almost 8 Rand. The internet situation is better than I thought! I am at an internet cafe that is very safe and secure and it is just a few minutes walk from my room. They charge R20 for 1 hour. Which is about $3. I didn't think that was too bad. I can also bring my own computer up here and use skype and everything! And they have skype on these computers! I will have to work out a schedule with everyone as to when we can skype because I am 6 hours ahead of yall!

I cannot wait to see what I will be doing on Monday! Mandy said to not worry about it...that it will all just happen! So I'm just going with the flow for now. Tomorrow we will be heading to church and hopefully I will be able to meet more people then! Tonight we have dinner. All meals are provided which is nice, but of course that is if I am there when they eat LOL.

I am going to be posting this email on my blog, since it takes so long to write multiple things! I will continue emails my family individually but would like everyone to check out the blog since it is easier than sending tons of emails!

I love you guys sooo much an miss you all!

Thank you for the prayers and encouraging words! I can feel them so much!

Talk to you soon!