University of the Free State, Universiteit van die Vrystaat

The main and oldest building on campus.

I've been in Bloemfontein for about 6 weeks now and I am just finally starting to feel settled.  It's been a very intense 6 weeks adjusting to a new educational system, culture, and finding my footing in a completely new environment.

My experience working with international students at my university for the past two years has taught me a lot. I have watched foreign students come to a new culture to study and the ups and downs that are associated with that. It's been an interesting position being the international. The Free State does not have a similar organization like at App State, not because they don't want one, but because there are larger issues and priorities that need attention, like the integration of black and white students.

The Apartheid regime ended in the early 90's here but as we all know change takes time. The province of the Free State is a rural conservative area that has a culturally rich Afrikaans population. The integration process is naturally slower in this part of the country because of these factors, where as the larger cities like Capetown and Johannesburg are more progressive.

A few years back there was a racial incident at UFS and since then the university has been trying to promote the integration of black and white students. Up until two or three years ago dorms were separated by race.Now the school has slowly started mixing blacks, whites, and coloreds. The racism here is not immediately apparent but you can feel the tension and see it in the subtleties of daily interaction. That being said the University has implemented programs to help combat racism and expose students to more diversity.

CLASSES:
Classes have been interesting to say the least. Some of the courses I take are over crowded and if you come late to class there is a real chance that you will not have a seat, and have to sit in the side aisles. The registration process, getting books, and figuring out when and where classes were was a bit of a mess. UFS is on it's way to having similar university standards as the states but they're a good 10-15 years behind.

Campus

I am learning a lot, but more because of my cultural experiences outside of the classroom.  Only being here six weeks I have a new found love and appreciation for my university back in North Carolina. The smaller class sizes, integration of technology in the classroom, and holistic approach to learning are what I realize I like about App State.

HOSTEL(dorm):
I am living on campus in a residence. I'm, fortunate to have an amazing roommate that has made the transition here so much more bearable. The residences here act as sororities and fraternities do in the states. The first year students have a lot of rules and regulations. They have to do front desk duty in the foyer of the hall and stand up when upperclassmen walk in. The school does not have as many extracurricular activities as in the States but their attention and energy into each residence compensates for that. They sell shirts, umbrellas, water bottles, and anything else you could think of with the name of the residence. It's been really interesting to watch from the sidelines. Now that I can finally feel settled I am focusing on classes and trying to find ways to get involved. I am out of my comfort zone which gives me a great chance to challenege myself with things I never thought I'd do.

My room, there is a partition of cupboards to the right
that separate me and my room mates sides.

Finally, South Africa!

Johannesburg skyline.

 After months of planning and preparing, I finally arrived in Johannesburg, South Africa on January 12th. I was greeted at the airport by a friend's family. They graciously hosted me and helped make the transition to this new country warm and welcoming. I was fortunate to stay with another dear friend Ambrose who was an exchange student at App State last year. His family hosted me for three days and also gave me an incredible introduction to South African culture. While staying with Ambrose I had my first Braai, which is like a barbeque grill but not quite. Braai refers to several thing. A Braai is what you use to cook the meat and bread and you invite friends over for a Braai. Many South Africans have told me that Braai'ing is a lifestyle and I'd have to agree.

 South Africans LOVE their meat. I had my first Braai with Amrbose's family and it was amazing!

The Braai

Another traditional South African meal is a Potjiekos  (Poy-key-cos). They slow cook meat, broth, spices and vegetables in an Iron cauldron over  a fire. It cooks for hours and when it's done it's an explosion of flavors and tender meat that falls off the bone.

Ambrose's Dad tending to the Potjiekos

My initial arrival in South Africa was wonderful. I had amazing hosts and got a glimpse of the rich culture that some of the people in this country hold dear. From Welkom, where Ambrose's family lives, we made our way to the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein where I began my study abroad.

New Years Eve, The UK, and overweight luggage

London

 In the early morning of December 31st I took a flight with my friend Lauren to London. Before an epic year of study and travel in South Africa I wanted to visit some friends in the UK. Lauren is traveling to China to study abroad and we thought it would be awesome to make a detour before our respective semesters.

We arrived in London at 8pm in the midst of the chaos of New Years Eve. This was intentional of course. We had made a plan to go straight from the airport to the madness that ensued in the center of London. Upon arriving we changed into our NYE outfits, hopped on the tube, locked up our luggage and merged with the hundreds of thousands of people celebrating the new year. To be along the Thames River across from the London Eye was one of the most electrifying experiences of my life. The energy and spirit of the crowd was infectious and not even the stress of the tube or jet lag could prevent me from the adrenaline rush of being in the middle of it all. New Year's Eve 2012 will be a cherished memory that I will definitely tell the grandkids.

The streets of London NYE 2011

Our UK tour lasted 12 days. From London we went on to visit Manchester, Wilmslow (a suburb), Liverpool (my favorite), and Lymm. We stayed with friends and had a wonderful experience eating a traditional English breakfast, watching a real football match in a pub, to visiting the Beatles Museum in Liverpool.  On January 11th Lauren and I said our goodbyes at Heathrow getting on our planes bound for China and South Africa.

Liverpool

Manchester

There were of course, moments of drama and difficulty. One of the more notable experiences was while Lauren and I tried to check our bags in at the airport. I was about 20 lbs over for my carry on luggage and 10 lbs over for my check in luggage. Flying into London from Newark I paid $60 in overage charges but now Air France wanted to charge me $135. I panicked and tried for about an hour to throw away and layer the excess weight. In the end I threw away 10 lbs worth of stuff, layered my clothes, and still had to pay for the overage fees. Lesson learned.

Trying to condense! Major fail!