In Limbo

India! I've already been here for a week and it's just flown by. The minute I stepped off the plane in Mumbai I just felt so calm and right in place. Going to Vaishali Monday afternoon was comforting in its familiarity. The waiters welcomed us with broad grins and happy 'hellos.' My favorite dish was perfect, Onion Uttappa dipped in Sambar. The slight spice didn't even bother me.

Then a few days later at Madhuban eating Pav Bhaji with my mom. The waiter knew what my mom wanted right away. I ordered extra Pav and stuffed myself until I couldn't eat anymore. My Orange Mirinda helped ease the burn on my tongue and a dessert of Butterscotch ice cream soaked out the ache and created a satisfied, content feeling in my stomach.

On Sunday I went to my Tabla teacher's house to listen as the older students practiced. It was so nice to just sit and listen as the boys joked around with Aditi and played faster than I could ever hope to. Their fingers fly over the top of the Tabla and Bhaya, the sound echoing deep and strong. I've missed it.

My time here feels like I am in limbo. I love it here but I've been feeling odd, sad, uncomfortable. I'm tired all the time and stressed. I don't know what it is but I hope I work things out soon.

I can't believe Thanksgiving is the day after tomorrow. I only have a little over two weeks left in Pune and then I fly to Delhi on the 11th. My mom, Chinu, Naveen and I are going to Misoouri and Rishikesh for a couple of days before my birthday. I'm excited, I think it will be a lot of fun. I also can't wait to go home for Christmas though.

I love winter in PT. Sitting in the store by the fire and reading, going to Elevated for hot chocolate with Rosie, driving into town and seeing snowflake christmas lights hung over main street. There's such a comforting, familiar feeling to it. I'm really looking forward to it.

End of an Era

On Thursday as we made our way to the winelands I looked up at Table Mountain unable to see the top as it was covered in fog. High winds made it impossible for the cable cars to make their way up so the Mt. was closed. It was beautiful to see the clouds seeping into the mountains crevices, they gave off an impression of mist pouring over a waterfall.
Today the sky was clear and the weather was hot as we waited in line to go up. Finally we got into a cable car and made our way up 1,063 meters to the top. The view was spectacular. Capetown spread out on all sides with the clear aqua colored water of the carribean lapping at the shore of the beaches, turning a rich dark blue as it deepened. I could stare at the water for hours.

Tomorrow we leave for India. I can't believe another semester is over, another experience is ending. I am starting to understand how fast life can pass you by, it's an interesting realization. I'm looking forward to going but I will miss South Africa. I will miss this place that has given me so many new moments, changing me in ways I have yet to discover. But hopefully I will make my way back here some day...

Adults have over 2000 spots!

Cape Town is gorgeous. The weather was rainy today so we weren't able to go up Table Mountain but we drove to the wine-lands which was a good consolation prize. We went to the SPIER winery and my mom did a wine tasting and even bought some. Part of the property is also dedicated to a "Cheetah Outreach" program. They have twelve adults and four cubs fenced in and people can go in and pet them during the day. The project is having cheetahs who have been born in captivity and raised by humans act as "ambassadors." You pay a certain amount to go pet the cheetah and the money goes to breeding Anatolian Shepherd Guard dogs which guard livestock from wild cheetahs so that farmers will stop shooting them. There are only about 10,000 left, and they are the most endangered big cat in the world. So long story short, I got to pet a cheetah today, it was amazing! He was lying down and there was someone there with him just in case things went wrong but it was fine, cheetahs sleep 16-18hrs a day anyway so he kind of just acted like we weren't even there. Some part of me felt pretty weird about the fact that these are 'tame' cheetahs living closed in but they seemed happy, they had a lot of space and they don't seem to mind the attention. And if it's helping to save cheetahs from extinction then that's pretty cool right? My mom and I got to pet a six year old adult named Kaya but I saw the four cubs that are apparently going to California next week to be part of a sister organization. They are so beautiful...

Testicle Takedown

So my mom and I have left Joburg. She enjoyed her time walking around, seeing the sights and now we are in Durban. We left Joburg Saturday morning and ended up taking two wrong turns, accidentally driving off the road and getting TWO flat tires. It was pretty traumatic. Finally after about 91/2 hours of driving we got to White Elephant Safari Lodge (named for the Albino Elephant born in the area about a decade ago). Sunday we woke up early and went on a boat ride, we saw White Rhinos and way too many types of birds for me to remember. Apparently the only difference between White and Black Rhinos is size, Black ones are smaller and endangered...

In the afternoon we went on a game drive and saw Giraffes and their babies :) 

Giraffes are so graceful and can get up to 60km/hr when they run. Our ranger, Phillip, told us that the Kruger Park Pride is known for taking down male Giraffes. When a male goes to drink water a single Lioness can take kill him by jumping up, biting into his testicles and just hanging until he can't take it anymore and falls over. She can only do this when he's drinking though because he has to spread out his front lets at an awkward angle so he can bend down all the way to quench his thirst. I thought that was pretty amazing. 

There were also Mpala everywhere. They have markings on their butts that look like the McDonald's "M" and Phillip said they are called the McDonalds of the jungle because there are so many and everything eats them. Today we left White Elephant and drove to Durban. It's nice to be out of the car.

What's a baby Mpala called?

A Happy Meal!

Buzzing Insanity

Yay my mama is getting to Johannesburg tonight! I can't wait to see her, it's been like four months! Ugh on the downside my Internship essay is almost half finished and is waaaaay boring to write. But oh well, as always I will get it done. I've also been looking at internships for BGIA and getting my application stuff together. I'm pretty excited about January, especially cause I have friends who will be in the city so I won't be quite so alone.
Oh man, last night there was this huge mosquito in my room buzzing around. It kept flying by my ear and keeping me awake. I didn't go to sleep until almost 4am what with the oven that was my room and the little bloodsucker supposedly in love with my ear. Before I even got to bed he bit me about 5 times and my legs itch like crazy. I ended up going to my friends room to sleep since it's empty while he's traveling so I wouldn't be eaten alive.
I really hope that bug isn't still in here somewhere waiting to keep me awake for another night, I will go crazy.
I'm looking forward to watch the election results on TV in the wee hours of the morning. I can't believe it's already time! Good luck America...

Love Of My South African Life

MALVA PUDDING

cake
2 Tbsp butter
1 tsp white vinegar
1/2 cup milk
1 1/3 cups cake flour
1 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1 cup castor sugar
2 large eggs
1 Tbsp smooth apricot jam

sauce
1 cup double cream
115g butter
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup water, orange juice or sherry

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

To make the pudding, melt the butter together with the vinegar and milk in a small pan over low heat. Remove from the heat and set aside

Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a separate bowl.

Beat the castor sugar and eggs with an electric mixer until fluffy and light. Gradually mix in the apricot jam.

Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture, alternately with the warm milk mixture. Pour the batter into a greased 24 x 34 cm ovenproof baking dish and bake for 45 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the centre comes out clean.

To make the sauce, place the cream, butter, sugar and water in a saucepan and stir over moderate heat until the butter has melted and sugar dissolved. Do not let mixture boil.

Remove the pudding from the oven, pierce several times with a skewer or fork and pour the hot cream mixture over the hot pudding.

Serve hot or cold.

From: Bon appetit, Mr President!
By: Hilton Little

Sister Babe

Sister babe
I know you are reaching
Deep inside to scratch
At an itch that won't go.

We always look outside ourselves
For something to fix the wrongs.
But we always come back,
Basket empty, bearing no fruit.

How do we go about
Truly seeing within?
How do we heal
Ourselves?

Your eyes are so glassy
These days.
But you don't notice
Because your grin is stretched wide
Across a flawless face.

Or maybe...
I'm wrong
And I just judge because
You don't mind running
While I have nowhere to go...