South Africa: Wednesday

Today, we visited Charles Memorial Primary School. I wish I was eloquent enough to describe my feelings today but I'm not so I'll just have to try. Walking into the school, we were greeted by the students and teachers of the school. They sang and were incredibly welcoming to us. It was wonderful (a teacher thought we were from America and mentioned how great it was that us Americans were doing so much to help them but it was funny. I also love America so I didn't mind). Afterwards, I went into a couple of classes and, eventually stumbled into one with 6-7 year olds. I think it was Grade 2. I met a six year old called Asanda and she stayed with me for the rest of the day. She was very quiet but stuck to me like glue and was quite possessive of me in an adorable way. I spent the whole day with her; carrying her around, holding her hand, dancing with her. She was amazing! I even bought her an ice-cream (which she was very grateful for). I also spent time with other students. Leaving them has to be one of the hardest things I have ever done. Asanda tried to take me away to stop me from leaving and I was trying so hard not to cry and show her how upset I was. Many of the children there are orphans and they're all struggling in some way. It broke my heart. I just wanted to adopt her. I think it's one of those things that you will never truly understand until you experience it for yourself and can't explain it if you have. There were so many emotions; I was thrilled to meet the children and to get to spend time with them but leaving was heartbreaking. So many of us were crying. It was horrible! I just have to think of it as we made these children so happy for a few hours and that is amazing.
Afterwards, we went to a stadium but me and a few others just had lunch. Some of the guys went and looked around but I don't think many people were up for much after what we had just experienced.
I don't really remember dinner (Finishing writing this on Tuesday 19th February, the day after I got home) but I do remember not eating very much and just wishing I could go back to the hotel the whole time. It was a very difficult day but I'm still glad I experienced it. It was unforgettable.
I've attached two photos to this post. I'm with Asanda in both. I love her so much and I wish I could have adopted her.

3 Days To Go...

This is my first blog post, ever so bear with me... I've always wanted to blog and Ugly Betty seemed to enjoy it so I'm finally giving it a go. Although I highly doubt anyone will ever read it, I have to admit, it's kinda therapeutic.
So, for me, 2013 has gone by pretty fast. I turned 17 on 3rd January and I leave for Durban, South Africa in two days. I'm not entirely sure what to make of it yet. Part of me is excited, another part of me can't wait to wander around in the new clothes I bought but the final part of me is a little nervous. I've never done anything like this before, gone so far out of my comfort zone. I'm the type of person who finds change scary so this is a big deal for me. The only time I haven't felt nervous about going to another country was when I went to America in June 2011. I loved the whole experience. I know this sounds melodramatic and cheesy but I truly felt like I was home for some reason. I felt as comfortable there as I do right now living in Edinburgh, United Kingdom. I stayed in New York for half of my trip and Washington DC for the other half and I can honestly say that it was one of the best week of my life. I felt like I belonged there (I know, yet more cheese. I'm sorry). I'm a pretty optimistic person but, while there, I felt ten times the amount of hope I normally do. It was almost as if being there, where all my favourite celebrities and movies live and happen (Except J. K. Rowling, she lives in Edinburgh and the Harry Potter films, pretty sure they were made in the UK) helped me to be able to imagine all of my own dreams and aspirations coming true. I really hope I get to go back there someday. Also, Dollars seem to be the only currency beside the Great British Pound that I can actually understand. Euros confused me and I don't know what I'm going to do about Rand. This is going to be interesting... And by 'interesting', I mean embarrassing. I'm going to humiliate myself. Especially when I have to ask my friend Megan what a certain coin or note means in English. And I will definitely say 'English' even though that's probably not the right thing to say. I'll say it because that's the only way it will make sense to me. Because I'm a nitwit. On the upside though, I'm positive that this trip will be unforgettable. I'll see things I've never seen before and will never see again, I'll meet people who will teach me things I could never imagine knowing, I'll have once in a lifetime experiences... I know that some of it is going to be really upsetting and that it won't all be fun and happy, I'm not that naive. The thing I'm going to focus on though is all of the good that I'll get to see. I can't wait for the experiences I'll get to have and everything I'll get to do. I feel so incredibly lucky to be going there. I realise that I may be putting too much pressure on this trip to be everything I expect it to be but that's just because I'm hopeful that it will be. And I've heard good things about this trip... Going to sleep now and then I'm going to cram for my Philosophy prelim tomorrow... And by 'cram', I mean do the first lot of studying for this thing that I've done at all... Oh well, maybe I'll do well and only fail one of the four topics... One can only hope.
Jessica
xoxo