Karoooo

I went with the Archaeology society to visit the scrubby Karoo over the weekend. I wrote a nice summary in my journal you can read when you get here. =) In addition to knapping stone tools, crafting ostrich eggshell beads, and attempting some pottery, we spent some time having fun. We cooked a lot, and all had "family" meals at the table together.


A botany student came along and helped us identify interesting vegetation, like wild rosemary and hoodia. The rosemary made divine potatoes, but the hoodia will curb the appetite for a week. Vince, our fearless leader, made some sweet syrup out of strange tiny berries.

To cool off after hiking a bit, we went for a (scary!) swim in the dam. It was soooo deep! You were almost a widow, I'm sure.

A Sparrow on a Barren Bough

"Pain has an element of blank;

It cannot recollect

When it began, or if there were

A day when it was not.

It has no future but itself,

Its infinite realms contain

Its past, enlightened to perceive

New periods of pain."

When Emily Dickinson wrote these lines, they may have corresponded to any of the pains i her life: the loss of her loved ones, her seclusion, or any of the days' woes. But primarily, they echo the ways of pain itself. Is life all about pain, moving from one to the other with such intensity that the good times are forgotten?

I remember my good times quite well, but lately the pain has crept up on me, attacking the life I try to lead here in Cape Town. Some nights I sleep in total peace, and some frighten me so deeply that I hide under the comforter. There really isn't even a reason to be afraid, yet when the feelings come, they are paralyzing. I wish you were here to be my comforting teddy. I miss the temporary sanity you lent me.

Going swimmingly

Wish you were here to play in the pool...

I'm trying to be productive this week. I finished book III of Argonautika, and I've bought Paradise Lost on audiobook to help me get through it. Runtime is a little over 3 hours, so it should be done soon, hopefully! I need to finish an archeology packet and go over Shakespeare's Sonnets and Comedies some more. I wish you were here for me to read to; it would be so much easier.

Longest. Day. Ever.

So I thought today would be a comfortable, pleasant day. I had planned on going to KirstenBosch Gardens with my friend from the NY, which seemed reasonable enough. At a fork in the trail after the more formal gardens were some options like "children's garden" and "useful plants garden," and also, "skeleton gorge."

Well, where did you think we would go? What we did find out was that skeleton gorge is really far away, and that after a while ( a really, really long time) we ended up AT THE TOP of Table Mountain! In shorts and sneakers. Up rickety ladders and chains.

What also seemed like a good idea was to follow the cable lift off in the distance and ride it back down. This also proved futile. It was not running.
So we had to hike back down, and spent a total of 6 hours (totally unprepared without even water or snack bars ) wandering Table Mountain in the sun.

I won't lie, it was actually pretty awesome. Photos tomorrow.

Valen-times

Catching up

I'm sorry I've been neglecting to post. Once I was a little behind, it seemed to avalanche.

Here's a summary:

Before James and Andre got back, I was in the house with Thea, Kirsten, and Alex. There were no extra keys, so I got locked out a few times. While trying to walk Cavendish, the closest mall.That seemed like a swell idea; he came over, I opened the gate from inside and then closed the door.

Oh no....

The front door locks automatically, and the button to open the gate was inside!! Now we were stuck inside the gate and outside of the house.

I ran to the last road that I hadn't checked, and found Thea. Thank God. I used her gate opener to free us and brought it back to her.

At Cavendish, I managed to spend $14 through Skype for internet, and gave up on the day. The following days continued similarly.
--

Registration was also a hassle.

I couldn't register until my US loan cleared, so I missed regular registration. When it cleared, I had to complete International Office Pre-Registration, then I had to go to registration late. Alas! They did not have my registration paper, and I had to visit the Humanities Faculty, who were unable to print another one. I was told to return the next day. I returned the next day to a hectic woman yelling that the faculty was closed to students that day. Ah, but I went passed her and saw the woman from the previous day anyway. They still could not print my sheet, but suddenly found it in the original pile anyway.

Ha.

Registration was a holy nightmare. I had to get permission of heads of departments to enter upper level courses. I met the head of the : French Dept, English Dept, Psychology Dept, Philosophy Dept, Mathematics Dept, Historical Studies Dept, Archeology Dept, Linguistics Dept, and almost the head of Statistical Sciences and Astronomy.

I registered for clashing courses. I registered again.

Business French IIIA was awful, and the instructor didn't seem to care that the one bookstore she asked to carry the book ordered far too few.

I went to Archeology and switched my major immediately. The Head of Archeology, and professor of my first course in it, was a very lovely woman. Always good to start off the semester by meeting interesting and intelligent people.

A day in the air

Excepts from journal- (unedited)

Monday, 25

After rarely shedding a tear or two the past several years, I have cried quite a bit. I had evidently forgotten what heartbreak is like.

We were served an elegant lunch with two Heineken Beers, although I had asked for "club soda or seltzer." Sounds similar, no? Well, I guess I looked like I needed two beers.

The seatbacks have their own entertainment, and first I chose the movie "Up." Okay, so it's an animated movie. It was so beautiful, and , of course, I though of Raul the whole time.

Yes, the whole time. And I cried. For a digitally animated film. Over and over. I was jealous of the love the film portrays.

The plane ride was comfortable, but is was sooo long. Luckily, I made it safely to Jo'burg and on to Cape Town, where Kamal was waiting to fetch me.