Only TWO WEEKS until Africa!

In two weeks exactly, I will be departing the Twin Cities for South Africa! I turned in the last of the paperwork, received my study permit, and got my housing assignment. Last week, I went to the bank to telegraphically transfer money for housing to a bank in Cape Town. I was very confused what that meant and so was the bank teller, but we figured it out after about 30 minutes. Then less than two days later, I got my housing assignment. I will be living in a 16-bedroom Victorian mansion that was converted to a private hotel. I’ll have 20 other roommates. It’ll be kind of crazy living with so many people but it should be fun!

I got my study permit back last week and I pranced around showing my siblings and parents. Then it kind of hit me, wow I’m actually going to Africa soon. For the last few months it has seemed so far away and I’ve tried not to get too excited. But now in 14 days, after a 19 hour flight, I’ll be in Cape Town. I keep trying to imagine what it’ll be like to walk off the plane and be in another country. I have never flown overseas and have only driven across the Canadian and Mexican border. One of my African Studies professors walked me through the best/worst-case scenario upon arrival in the Cape Town airport so that helped ease my first-time abroad traveler worries.

At times, I forget about the school part of studying abroad. I start classes in less than a month and I have no idea how many credits I’m signed up for. Hopefully, orientation week and being on the University of Cape Town campus will help get me in the school mode again. I will also be arriving during South Africa’s Mediterranean winter which means 50s and RAINY! Lots of rain, I hear. So goodbye Midwest summer and hello Mediterranean winter (I can’t complain though, it’ll be a million times better than Midwest winters). Once September rolls around, it’ll be summer again!

Overall, I’m very excited and a little anxious to leave for South Africa. One of the things I’m most dreading is saying goodbye to my mom. I know she is going to cry and be very worried for 5 months but I’ve just been honest with her about where I’m going and the kind of city Cape Town is. I don’t think she has much to worry about as long as I’m smart. At times, I start to get nervous but then I whip out my South Africa travel book and I get so excited!