First two and half months spent in South Africa

Today I read my friends blog. She is serving with the Peace Corps in Albania. Now here I am, fully inspired to write my own blog about my life in Port Elizabeth, South Africa.

I live in an apartment complex full of many Americans, a few Sweeds, Irish, and Germans. The Apartment is only a block from the ocean and only a twenty minute walk from the pier and the Boardwalk. I am attending Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University commonly known as the varsity or UPE (University of Port Elizabeth). At NMMU I am studying HMS (Human Movement Science) where I am finishing up my last bit of courses so I can return home and get my BS in Kinesiology.
Life in PE is pretty simple. I mean it took a bit of adjusting, but now I feel like a local! At first we (Me, Jen, Aisha, Bim and Kelleigh) were taken back by how many people honk at us, but with time we realized that is what the taxi's do to get your attention- they just want you to jump in their taxi and pay them money. I've enjoyed meeting a variety of locals out for a jog, on my walk home from school, in the taxi's, at the gym, while traveling or at the varsity. I've been told by a variety of people that I have a familiar face. Hmm...Guess I'm naturally a local!
Aside from studying a lot, I have been able to travel a bit. When I first arrived I went to a Bush camp with all the other internationals where we ate traditional African food, went swimming in the lake, did the foofoo slide, went out in the canoe and did a variety of group activities. At one point I had to swing from a rope across a huge mud pit. My teammates greeted me on the other side with open hand so I wouldn't fall back into the muddy pit. I was able to lead my team in creating some chants and dances for the nights campfire presentations (thanks to the skills I gained from Camp. Our first road trip was to Jeffery's Bay; beaches well known by the surfers. This was our first rental car experience and lets just say when we thought we were getting a (modern) Jetta we were wrong. Imagine 4 girls pushing a broken down car in JBay. Haha. Yah that was us. It is actually quite a long story, I'll save it for home. Another weekend I was able to go camping with the NMMU mountain club with Alina. It was amazing! Two nights and a full day of hiking. I must add it wasn't a typical kind of hike by any means. We had to water proof all of our gear because we would hike then come to a natural pool, throw our bags in the water, take a deep breath and try to take in the beauty around us and swim to the end, put our bags on and hike some more. There were nine pools! Amazing does not even give the beauty justice! My next big trip was traveling to Lesotho. I got my first stamp for my passport!!! Lesotho is a country with in South Africa. Lets just say it is how I imagined Africa to be aside from the big 5. It was nothing but country. People everywhere even though the land is so spread out. The children will come greet you from their homes if you pull off the road for a kodak moment. The language (basotho) is much different than isiXhosa (the language I am learning) so we had no way to communicate with the locals, but at the stores and in the more urban areas most people spoke English. In Lesotho we saw two waterfalls, played in one waterfall, went hiking, trail running and rode besotho ponies. I will try to put some pictures on this page so you guys can so how gorgeous it was. On the weekends that I stay home I do yoga at the beach either before or after the free Roxy surf lessons. One time I did yoga on the beach I saw a pod of dolphins!!!
The food here is pretty good here to the average person I would say. I personally had some withdraws from the lack of good smoothie shops, but thanks to my parents I was supported in purchasing a blender. :) I feel Port Elizabeth is far behind the States in regards to nutritional health. Fitness does seem to be big here; there are many joggers along the beach all times of the day.
My Easter vacation starts in less than two days. I will be traveling along the garden route to Cape Town.