Thursday, June 28, 2007

Not the winner, but definately the looker!



So tonight I participated in Extraordinary Idol...I didn't win but made a close second. The cool thing...they had a photographer just for the occasion and so I got a picture taken looking lovely. Gotta love the braids--eight hours of pure entertainment! Everyone absolutely loved my hair. It is also funny because most of them think that it is my real hair, but instead I have six whole packages of extensions.

Wednesday, June 27, 2007

I'm home, busy and disengaged

Well my fine friends...I did arrive safely home after something like 48 hours of flights and sitting around in airports. I went to bed at midnight on Sunday evening and Monday morning got up for 8:00 class--no rest for the wicked. I don't even think that I was more than 5 minutes late! Monday evening I talked with my intended and decided that we weren't really intended for each other after all. Tuesday and Wednesday were filled with homework and scheduling and book buying and such. Oh, I also happen to be in a competition at work...we are doing a spin off of American Idol and I am one of the finalists. Thursday I perform and hopefully win! I've been drumming up supporters so that they will cast their votes in my behalf. (Just like American Idol the winner will be selected by cell phone poll) Yep, so that's what's keeping me busy at the moment and hopefully out of trouble, but I can't always guarantee. Love you all!! Wish me luck!

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

PICTURES OF AFRICA

I know you all have been dying to see how things really are here in Africa. Here are a couple of pictures from our trip to Swaziland and Kroeger Park. The animals were just feet from the road!!






This is a picture of the safari vehicle with all of us in it. It gets pretty cold with the wind blowing on you. Shown here are: Maggie, Becca, Brady's hand and hat,Yours truly, Brian, Professor, Mrs. Professor, Amy, Karen, Paul, Elyssa, Yvonne, Jackie (hiding behind a piece of paper)


The huts in the native Swazi village. The floors are made with cow dung--gives new meaning to freshly polished floors!


Also a picture by the beautiful waterfall that everyone swam in. The water was bone chilling cold! I am the one taking this picture, so that's why you don't see my beautiful self. I also hate to make them feel bad in comparison, so graciously didn't insist upon being photographed.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

The last week in Africa!

Well, I am just so excited! This trip has been awesome! I have now
finished the course work and all of the other students in the program have
left for South Africa to go exploring. I am staying for a couple of days
with the two senior sister missionaries here in Maputo. They don't speak
Portuguese, so I can be of help to them as they would like to get to know
some of their neighbors and such. It is also cool because I get to feel
like a missionary again for a couple of days. On Friday I will be taking a
bus to Johannesburg and will be able to attend the temple there on
Saturday before catching my flight to London and back home.

It was kind of sad to say goodbye to everyone. Sunday, was especially
special. The Primary children sang in sacrament meeting and the spirit
that they brought was almost palpable. It was so beautiful! I was sad to
have to say goodbye to all of those cute faces. They are so like little
sponges and they learn so fast and just soak up all the love you have to
give them, much like everyone I've met here.

On Saturday we went to this beautiful beach where a river meets the ocean.
It was spectacular!! I feel like I'm in paradise.

I am also very excited to start summer semester. I am taking chinese 101,
techniques of teaching (portuguese), choral, piano lessons, and voice
lessons. I love school!!!

Anyhow, I am so excited to talk to you all and all of that. I love you!

ellen

Thursday, June 07, 2007

Safari Revisited

So, my friend Becca also has a blog and while reading her account on our
trip thought it was good enough to share:

Kingdoms and the Animal Kingdom...


Oh my goodness I don't even know where to start!! We spent this last week
traveling with Professor Williams and his wife and daughters and 2
daughters-in-law to South Africa. And Swaziland, which is a small Kingdom
inside of South Africa, and then Kruger Park, which is a wildlife reserve,
where we got to see many creatures from the animal kingdom, up close and
personal.

First of all, Swaziland was beautiful. It really looks like southern
California but there are only black people. We rode a Greyhound bus to
Nelspruit, South Africa and then we rented vans (like the one we rented in
Portugal) and drove to Swaziland. We had some unfortunate events including
long lines at the Mozambican border (we were in three countries in one
day!! talk about stamps in the passport!!) and 2 flat tires at the same
time on the same van. That was due to the awesome potholes on the road to
Swaziland. Great experience. But we were riding in comfort. Because the
vans we were in are the same size as the ones they use as mini buses here
that could fit 15 people, but they cram in 25...not joking. It is a sight
to behold. And we only had 8 in ours, so we felt like royalty. That
feeling only increased when we arrived at our destination which was a
lodge with little cabins. Each room slept 2 people and had a bathroom with
a shower and flushing toilet!!! Need I say more? But the luxury doesn't
end there. Walking out behind our cabins reminded us of the movie dirty
dancing except that there was just a pool instead of the lake. But there
was the side walk with the lodge at the top all lit up with little white
lights. And when we got there (after more than 12 hours of traveling) we
went straight to the restaurant where the proceeded to serve us the most
delicious 3 course meal...my mouth is watering just thinking about it. I
slept better that night than I have since I got to Africa. It's amazing
what a comfortable bed and bathroom can do for a girl!

The next day we got up early and continued with the royalty treatment with
breakfast...so scrumptious. We spent that day in a little cultural village
learning about the Swaziland traditions and swimming in a waterfall and
then buying souvenirs. There is so much more I want to include but I just
don't have time! I love the culture here and our group is just so much
fun. Everything we do is great. That night when we got back we played the
IPOD game, which is stinkin hilarious and we must play it when I get back
with our whole family. We were all falling off of our chairs with
laughter. But the next day we headed out for Kruger park. Which was
everything you ever imagined Africa to be and more. We camped in these
little tents and we went out on an African Safari at night and early in
the morning to see all the animals. I felt like I was on the Indian Jones
ride at Disneyland!! We saw giraffes, rhinos, monkeys galore, hippos,
lions, zebras....and the list goes on. I now understand what inspires
people to make those National Geographic documentaries, I could have sat
and watched those animals forever.

Well, my time is almost up and I'm sorry I don't have pictures to post.
Maybe next week. I hope everyone is doing great.

Monday, June 04, 2007

AFRICAN SAFARI

Well, we just got back from what may have been the most exciting trip of
my life! We saw so many animals! It felt like we were on Jurassic park
or Jumanji or something with all the animals running around. It was
great! We saw zebras, elephants, ardvark, lions, hippos, leopards,
monkeys, water buffalo, and many more, we counted about 30 different
things that we saw. It was just so much fun and so unreal as well. Once
in a while I would giggle to myself and think... I'm in Africa!.... it
was fun! We also got to see a traditional village in Swaziland and watch
some dancing and stuff. Basically it was great and I have some great
pictures of the animals and us swimming under a freezing waterfall. Not
to be missed, love you all! I'm so excited to see you Samuel!!!

ellen