Christine Gordon's blog http://studyaway.plu.edu/blog/13/atom/feed 2007-01-07T15:11:02-08:00 Not quite the Africa I had expected... http://studyaway.plu.edu/node/261 2007-01-14T03:45:21-08:00 2007-01-14T03:45:21-08:00 Christine Gordon Africa! What do you think? I bet you don't think of what I'm seeing here right now in this super fancy mall on the Cape Town waterfront! I almost guarantee you don't. Granted, there are some parts that I had expected. Mostly the polarization between rich and poor we had been taught about before leaving. What I didn't expect was how extreme it is. And how practically on top of each other they are. Imagine thousands of people crammed in on top of each other in extreme poverty, and literally across the road is a much bigger area reserved for five buffalo. Amazing! (and not in the good way).

]]> Africa! What do you think? I bet you don't think of what I'm seeing here right now in this super fancy mall on the Cape Town waterfront! I almost guarantee you don't. Granted, there are some parts that I had expected. Mostly the polarization between rich and poor we had been taught about before leaving. What I didn't expect was how extreme it is. And how practically on top of each other they are. Imagine thousands of people crammed in on top of each other in extreme poverty, and literally across the road is a much bigger area reserved for five buffalo. Amazing! (and not in the good way).
Everything here is fantastic. I have fallen in love with this place. There is such a sense of optimism and hope for the future. There is this sense that everything is new and you can change this country for the better. I'd like to think I could bring some of that optimism home with me. That sense of hope permeates everything here, from the environmental activism to the Congolesse church we attended this morning (my first bilingual service I might add). This place has already given to me the need to actually do something, rather than just being. I need to do something tangible with that 'wild and precious life' PLU has been trying to teach us about. I think I finally get it. There really is only one life each and it is therefore wild and precious and we must therefore do what we can to make it a good life, and a good life for others.
Our group is lined up for the internet so I must leave you now, but know that in four days this place has made me really think about my life and the direction it has headed, and me seriously reconsider things. Know that this place is fantastic and more than I ever expected. I cannot confer to you the natural beauty of this place in words alone, but know that is truly amazing and nothing like anything I've ever seen before!
Peace!

]]> Africa here I come! http://studyaway.plu.edu/node/165 2007-01-07T15:11:02-08:00 2007-01-07T15:11:02-08:00 Christine Gordon So, I finally figured out how to work this blog... so here I am. I can't believe that I am leaving for Africa in two days! I've spent half my life living in the United Kingdom, but I've never traveled outside the Western Hemisphere. I'm expecting a bit of culture shock, but I'm ready for it! I'm excited for it! I'm excited for something different. I'm definitely ready for a different climate! I love Seattle, but all this rain is getting to me. I'm so excited that its the middle of summer in the southern half of the globe!
I used to be very nervous about the trip. Heck, I was nervous about my study abroad last Jterm, and that was to Canada! I tend to get nervous when I don't know what to expect about the future. However, now that I've finished the reading material for the course in South Africa, I feel a lot less nervous. I'm actually rather excited. It will be amazing to have the opportunity to actually get the chance to see what I've been reading about. I'm so excited for everything to be tangible, rather than trying to abstractly extract the information from books and other sources. And while books can be full of great information, we all know its nothing like actually being there.

]]> So, I finally figured out how to work this blog... so here I am. I can't believe that I am leaving for Africa in two days! I've spent half my life living in the United Kingdom, but I've never traveled outside the Western Hemisphere. I'm expecting a bit of culture shock, but I'm ready for it! I'm excited for it! I'm excited for something different. I'm definitely ready for a different climate! I love Seattle, but all this rain is getting to me. I'm so excited that its the middle of summer in the southern half of the globe!
I used to be very nervous about the trip. Heck, I was nervous about my study abroad last Jterm, and that was to Canada! I tend to get nervous when I don't know what to expect about the future. However, now that I've finished the reading material for the course in South Africa, I feel a lot less nervous. I'm actually rather excited. It will be amazing to have the opportunity to actually get the chance to see what I've been reading about. I'm so excited for everything to be tangible, rather than trying to abstractly extract the information from books and other sources. And while books can be full of great information, we all know its nothing like actually being there.
Before I sign off, I would like to officially reccommend that you read No Future Without Forgiveness. I think it was an amazing read, and I feel much better for having read it. It really spoke to me, and probably to everyone else who's read it.

So, on that note, happy January to everyone and I'll see you in February!

Christine

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