Facts, Universally Acknowledged

Day 35:  Rugby? Nope. 

Day 36: 

Day 37:  I met three little girls at a rugby match.  When they found out I wasn’t married and I didn’t have a boyfriend, they were shocked.  They said I was very nice and pretty.  I told them to tell the boys that.  On another note, Institute is way more fun when you sit by Mechaeler Horner.  Mostly because when everyone else is delving into deep [possibly false] doctrine, you and Mechaeler are playing with her baby cousin. 

Day 38:  Went to King William’s Town to eat dinner with the missionaries and sleep, and wake up the next day to see the King sites.  The best part was that I was awoken in the middle of the night in a strange place with the wind howling and rain pounding by some man trying to turn on the light of my bedroom (which didn’t work).  Yup.  I got no sleep that night.  (But don’t worry, the man actually lived at that house, he was looking for a key to something and didn’t know that I was there.  Of course, why I had to find out about this in the morning and not immediately after being terrified, I don’t know.)

Day 39:  Did I get to meet the sister of one of South Africa’s most famous anti-apartheid leaders, Bantu Steve Biko?  Why, yes.  Yes I did.  Be jealous.

Day 40:  I went to the grocery store intending to buy food.  I came out with a large bunch of spinach and four boxes of biscuits (cookies).

Day 41:  Sandal tan is coming along nicely, for it being winter and all.

Day 42:  You know what is the best?  Getting invited to a birthday party when you have never met the birthday-haver or any of the guests except your roommate.  You know what is the worst?  Actually going to said birthday party.

Day 43:  Here is how you become best friends with the amaXhosa: Step 1) say, “Nditheta isiXhosa kancinci.”  Step 2) before they have a chance to speak say, “Hayi!  Ndiyaxoka!”  (Translation: I speak a little Xhosa. *Pause* No!  I’m telling lies!)  Then they say “Tshini!” and everybody high-fives.

Day 44:  It is a fact, universally acknowledged, that no matter where you are in the world, Chinese food is often the only food worth eating*.

*Except in China. 

Day 45:  Dear family, I’m glad we’re family.  Mostly because you gave me SNL Presidential Bash 2000 and the sense of humor to enjoy it.  Love, Heather

Day 46:  I might have had the number one fish and chips in the world (minus the chips—not number one).  Be jealous. 

Day 47:  Woke up in the middle of the night and realized I am halfway through my stay and I have done about 1/8^th of my homework.  Spent the entire day doing homework.  

I Live in Perpetual Winter

Day 17: INTERNET FOREVER!!!!

Day 18: This was the coldest day of my life. I am not kidding. Not only was it freezing, but also the power went out, so I couldn’t do anything to get warm except wear all of my warmest clothes and snuggle under blankets. And as anyone who has been to East London knows, this is not very effective.

Day 19: Saw Beastly today. And it was just that. Beastly.

Day 20: Lunch with the Thomases and dinner with the Wainwrights, you say? Eat human food? Yes, please.

P.S. The Wainwrights are the greatest people in the world. We love them.

Day 21: The rugby kids are the cutest kids in the entire world. The end.

Day 22: Jackie arrives. Finally.

Day 23: Stop by the Curry Palace and run into Brother Maseti. Kindred spirits?

Day 24: I could do my Afrikaans homework…or I could go to the mall… Are you sure I’m in South Africa, because this sounds exactly like my daily dilemma back home.

Day 25: The library is on Gladstone. Let me repeat that in American, English, and South African accents. Oh, you still can’t remember even though I told you five times already? GLADSTONE!

Day 26: Why yes James McAvoy, I would love to marry you. And Magneto. Oh, and throw in Kevin Bacon speaking German, if it’s not too much trouble. And the entire male cast, for good measure.

Day 27: I spent a whole Sunday working on my Relief Society talents. And by that I mean sewing things and whatnot.

Day 28: Don’t worry, but I watched five hours of youth rugby, panicked because I thought I got left behind on the other side of the river after dark, and then hosted a taco party when I got home, with real American tacos.

Day 29: Dear rain and cold, thank you for allowing me to stay home all day. Love, Heather.

Day 30: Do I have to go eat dinner with a stranger because my roommate isn’t allowed to eat with him alone? Oh, what’s that you say? He’s paying? Sign me up!

Day 31: I made an apple pie from scratch (yes, even the crust), and it was delicious. And no one has died from food poisoning yet. I call that a resounding success.

Day 32: I’m 21 Imma do what I want. And that’s going to see X-Men again.

Day 33: Nothing like a sunny day, a clean bathroom, hanging up the wash, clean flannel sheets, clipped toenails, and Lord of the Rings to improve ones mood.

Day 34: Bishop said “dammit” during his fireside talk. The only person who thought this was odd was me. Does that mean that that’s not swearing here? Does that mean I can say “dammit” as much as I want to from now on? I think so…