June 29-30, Kirstenbosch/Hike

Saturday morning I woke up, and after laying in a bed all week I decided that I wanted to go out and do something. I was starting to get anxious and almost depressed just sitting in the house. I talked to the group and we decided to go to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. I was quite excited and couldn't wait to walk around for the first time since the surgery. We arrived there in the afternoon and upon pulling in I knew that this place was going to be beautiful. We bought our tickets and walked through the gate into a short wooded area. As we came out of the woods there it was: one of the most beautiful sights of the mountains I have seen so far. The grass was the most vibrant green I've ever seen and there were flowers everywhere. We walked from garden to garden and saw all of the different flowers, some native, some not. Words cannot really describe all of the beauty I saw that day so I'm going to include many pictures so you all get to see some of the amazing sights that I witnessed.

First view at Kirstenbosch

Protea, the national flower of South Africa

Later that evening I went to my first braai! A braai is basically like an American cook out or BBQ. Boyd's friend James invited us all over, but only all of us girls and Boyd went because Matt and Chris were out with their co-workers. We arrived at this beautiful house that James was staying at. A few minutes after we arrived, some of James' friends arrived. We got to talking and I was so curious to here about their lives. After laughing and talking about all of our adventures they got to talking about some things they have done. This couple has been bungee jumping, to safaris, and are planning on going skydiving soon. The thing is, they aren't the first adventurous couple I have met. Many of the people I have met here have experienced so many crazy things and participate in all of the extreme sports. I know part of the reason is because they live in the perfect location for it all, but they also don't take life so seriously and enjoy every aspect of it. I decided that when I go home, I'm going to start being more adventurous. But anyway, back on track...I was talking to Rebecca (one of James' friends) about us wanting to go hiking the next day. She suggested that we hike Skeleton Gorge because it was a fairly simple hike compared to Table Mountain, and perfect for someone who just had surgery done.

Rebecca was completely wrong! We (Jenny, Allison, Boyd, Matt and I) got to Kirstenbosch the next morning and started making our way toward Skeleton Gorge. We quickly found the entrance and immediately we were hiking up the side of the mountain at basically a 90 degree angle. We climbed steep stairs the whole way up and after reaching a certain point we had to literally climb rocks in the middle of the gorge to get to more steps. We climbed three ladders which were attached to the steep rocks and let me tell you, it was extremely difficult. About 30 minutes in I thought I wasn't going to make it. I kept pushing myself and by the time I realized that I couldn't do it anymore, it was too late to turn back. We kept going and pushing on and after many difficult climbs and beautiful views we made it to the top of the mountain. We met a family at the top who said we should take the 45 minute hike over to the cable car, that way I didn't have to walk all the way down. We took their advice, but first walked over to the dam and ate some lunch. The dam was beautiful and unlike anything I've ever seen really. I never expected their to be such a large amount of water at the top of a mountain. Finally we picked up our things and made our way to the cable car. Sadly, our hike that was supposed to be 45 minutes ended up being almost 3 hours. Here we were completely alone on the top of Table Mountain and it was brutally cold and windy. The sun was starting to set and we were getting quite nervous so we picked up our pace. At one point, while we were walking through a valley, I completely collapsed right into a bush. Part of me just wanted to lay down there and give up but I got up, laughed and carried on. The rest of the hike was pretty intense with wild winds and steep ladders that overlooked cliffs. When we finally reached the cable car we had 45 minutes to spare before it closed. After all of the hard things I went through that day I was just ready to get off of this mountain. I will say that even though my experience was hard, it was most definitely worth it. The views were absolutely amazing and probably something I will never see again. And how many people can say they hiked such a hard trail 4 days after surgery. In the end I was quite proud of myself, and I hope that someday I can go back with my family...when it's warm out.

 

xoxo,

Alexandra

June 25-28, My Hospital Adventure

As many of you know (some of you may not) I had an unfortunate incident happen while here in South Africa. When I was feeling sick a week ago it was more serious than I thought. Tuesday morning I woke up with a sharp pain in my stomach and was feeling very sick. I decided to go back to the doctor, which I had gone to the previous week, and figure out what was wrong with me. I arrived at the clinic and after talking to the doctor, for only about 10 minutes, he had a suspicion that i may have an appendicitis. He immediately called a surgeon at one of the hospitals downtown and told him of my symptoms and that I would be on my way to see him. I arrived at the surgeon's office pretty quickly and was promptly brought into his room. He was very calm and sweet, and quite young I may add. I told him how I was feeling and how the antibiotics I was given the week before only seemed to make it worse once I finished them. He pushed on my right side and there it was, a sharp pain. He looked at me and said, "Honey, I'm sorry but we have to operate now." I didn't really have much of a say in the matter so I quickly got a hold of my mom and boyfriend. I told them the bad news and of course my family was shocked since it came out of no where. After a brief conversation with the two of them I was admitted into the hospital which luckily was a pretty simple process once the travel insurance was sorted out. On a side note, the hospital I was staying in (Cape Town Medi Clinic) was absolutely first class, and beautiful. It was extremely fancy and I was told by the nurses that many of the presidents and celebrities stay at the that hospital. As a matter of fact, Nelson Mandela is at the same chain hospital in Pretoria. Pretty cool!. Anyway, I was in the room for less than 30 minutes when they came to retrieve me. On the outside I appeared pretty calm, but in all honesty I broke down on our way to the operating room. I was so afraid and knowing that I was waking up to no one was the worst of all. I just prayed a lot and told myself that everything would be better in an hour or so. After a long talk with my anesthesiologist, they brought me into the operating room and put me on a tiny table in the middle of a massive room. There were about 7 people in the room which made me feel a little more afraid because I knew it was serious. The nurse grabbed my hand and said, "Alright Alexandra, we are giving you a sedative to calm you down, than the anesthesia. Think of something beautiful, and something that makes you happy." I thought of home.

When I started to awake, I thought I was in heaven. This was most definitely the anesthesia talking. The lights were so bright and I couldn't really see anything. I could only hear people saying, "Hi Alexandra! Hello Honey! Everything is okay now." I felt so relieved but I was in a lot of pain. They brought me up to my room, and not even an hour later three of my roommates (Allison, Jenny, and Boyd) came to visit me. I must say that I'm extremely proud of myself for not crying once while in the hospital. I had to stay at the hospital until Thursday afternoon so they could keep an eye on me. The surgeon came and visited me the morning after my surgery and he explained his findings. Supposedly (in his words), my appendix looked fine on the outside, but the inside was completely destroyed and my lymphnoids were "obliterated". He told me I had about two more days before it would have burst. I thanked God that I went to the doctor when I did because I would be still be in the hospital. For the next two days after the surgery I laid in bed and slept. My roommates would come visit me every night which was extremely comforting. The nurses were all extremely nice and really catered to me. Oh and the food! Of course it was delicious as well. I mean really, Cape Town just amazes me with food. If their hospitals have good food, then you know the food everywhere else is just a million times better.

I tried very hard to gain some strength back and the same day as my surgery was walking to the bathroom. I did have an extremely difficult comeback though from the surgery. I was in extreme pain constantly, but I knew that in a few days time it would be so much better. Thursday I left the hospital and as I was leaving all of the nurses were saying goodbye and hugging me. They told me I was one of their favorite patients, which I'm sure they probably say to everyone. The drive home was quite difficult. You see, Cape Town has a lot of speed bumps, and every one that we hit was like a jab in the stomach. I went home and rested for a while and then bathed myself for the first time since the surgery. I made the horrible mistake of going out to eat that night. I ended up having to leave the restaurant in a taxi because I was in to much pain to sit upright and eat that much. I came home and got a little emotional, so my guy roommates came in my room and sat with me for a few hours. We all just talked for a long time and they did everything they could to make me feel better and happier. Friday I stayed in bed all day and slept. I knew that on Saturday, I wanted to take a leap of faith and go on a walk somewhere for the day, so I had to gain some strength.

Although it was a horrible thing that happened, it ended up being a good experience. I was surrounded with nothing but love and given all of the proper care plus more. I happy to say that I survived surgery in Africa and did it like a champ.

xoxo,

Alexandra

June 18-24, work and Allison's Birthday

So the week was usual and nothing exciting really happened throughout the week. I was feeling a bit under the weather for a few days but by the end of the week was ready as ever to celebrate Allison's birthday. Friday morning we woke up and of course I had to go greet Allison with a big "HAPPY BIRTHDAY". We decided to go back to Langa to pick up a few things that we wanted there the weekend before. On our way there our driver got lost. It was quite obvious he had been drinking a little so we think he may have just forgotten where it was. We ended up about 45 minutes away by the airport. All around us were the squatter camps, which had homes the size of a small bathroom. This was the moment for me. At this time I finally realized that this was all real, that people really lived this way here. The saddest part was that the camps went for MILES!!!!! I thought to myself, "this would never happen in America, ever." Although we have homeless people and people living on the streets, we don't have it to this extent. I've never felt so heartbroken, knowing that there were children raised in these camps that would never see the outside. I knew there was nothing I could do, so I just prayed. Maybe someday, someone would take these people out of their misery and give them the homes they deserved. (I was quite hopeful.) I knew that I just had to be grateful for what my family has provided for me, and after seeing all of that I definitely am grateful.

*I wasn't able to take a picture of the camps, but in all honesty I don't think it was something you would want to see. If you are really curious just go on Google and type in "squatter camps, cape town".

After our trip to Langa we headed home to take a nap before we went out for Allison's birthday dinner. We decided to go to this restaurant called TrenchTown Beer Garden for dinner, and boy was that a great decision. The restaurant was covered with a tent, somewhat like a circus, and it had a really fun atmosphere. Our waiter tried to convince us to get bubblegum tequila shots since it was Allison's birthday, but none of us seemed up to it. Instead we got some Miami Vices and ate chilli poppers (jalapeno peppers stuffed with feta and cream cheese than deep fried) and a mexican burgers, which were like tacos but on a burger. After dinner some of my roommates got milkshakes, and sure enough the waiter not only spiked Allison's milkshake, but made her a special blue drink for free. We then went home and spent the rest of the evening in quietly.

Saturday morning we woke up ready to explore. We first decided to go to Hout Bay, knowing there was a really cool market there that everyone had been telling us about. As we arrived to the Hout Bay Market we got a beautiful view of the mountains and the ocean. Of course we had to take plenty of pictures, but the wind was extremely cold so we didn't stay outside too long. The market was so cool, with little stands set up with many different items. I got this really beautiful wooden bowl, and a present for my sister since her birthday was coming up the next day. I also got a really cool necklace that had a pendant, which was carved out of stone. The pendant had a special meaning behind it: the sharing of knowledge and wisdom; that everyone is interconnected and in some way infinite. It was amazing to say the least. There were stands with all different types of foods, juices, and desserts. The tables were all family style and people were sitting next to people they didn't know. There was a band playing music in the corner for all of the people to listen to. I absolutely loved the feeling of this place, and although it was somewhat big, it felt homey and small. Allison and I got these delicious "paninis" for lunch. They used some type of oat or wheat and sprinkled it on top of cheese, chicken, and basil pesto. It tasted nothing like a panini but was a million times better. We also got samosas, of course I couldn't pass those up. After my delicious lunch I got some fresh juice, which had mango, pineapple, apple, carrot, and passionfruit in it. It was really really good and perfect instead of dessert. After hanging out at the market for a while we decided to walk down the street to the harbor. As we were walking over there we heard a loud siren go off, which I was told was the signal for a shark sighting. I sadly didn't get to see any sharks, but I did get to see some seals at the harbor. In fact, one very large, fat seal name Peterboy swam up to us while we were sitting on the edge by the water. One of the little boys at the harbor was feeding him fish, and compared to the little baby seal that swam up, Peterboy was HUGE!!!

Hout Bay

Harbor in Hout Bay

Peterboy

On our way back home our taxi driver decided to take us through Clifton to Camps Bay. Clifton is one of the richest places in South Africa, and is sadly somewhere I could only dream of living. All of the homes were huge and overlooking the Atlantic. The each had a lot of terraces and many windows (something my parents would have loved). We finally made it to Camps Bay and pulled up to this beautiful white sanded beach with massive rocks in the high tide. We walked out on the beach and took pictures of the beautiful mountains behind us known as the 12 Apostles. We climbed out on the rocks and watched as the waves crashed into the ones further out into the water. No matter how cold the weather is here, I can never get sick of the beautiful beaches. The all are so unique, each with their own character and beautiful views. We also drove past Sea Point, but it wasn't somewhere I think I would stop. The massives waves were perfect though for the drive past. Later on that evening there was a Springbok rugby match, so we went back to TrenchTown to watch it. We hung out for awhile and watched the game then headed back home for a girls night. As lame as we are, we had a super fun dance party in our kitchen with just the girls, and I tried to teach them how to bellydance (they tried to say the least, and were able to do some things haha).

12 Apostles

Camps Bay

Sunday morning we woke up to the boys making us french toast. I was getting pretty used to the idea of having breakfast made for me on the weekends. It was nice since Jenny and I made most of the dinners. Allison, Jenny, and I got ready for our big day at Waterfront and in the HELICOPTER!!! Allison's boyfriend was so sweet and bought her a helicopter ride was three people for her birthday. Lucky for me I was chosen to go with her. Matt and Boyd decided to come down to Waterfront with us and hang out while we went on our joy ride. We went to this super fancy restaurant for lunch and all got seafood. I got delicious yellowtail sushi and even tried my first mussel ever, which I have to say was absolutely delicious. Afterward, we rushed down to the helicopter pad so we wouldn't miss our flight. I had an absolute blast!!!! It was only a 30 minute flight but those thirty minutes were the best 30 minutes ever. The view from the air was beautiful and we got to see so many cool things, including our house. I got some really cool pictures too.

 

After the helicopter ride, we went back to Waterfront and got some gelato and walked over to The African Trading Post. When we got home we made mac and cheese and chocolate cake for Allison's birthday. We then watched Bridesmaids together which was a lot of fun. Monday was another day of class, and Jim had a man come in and speak to us about Cape Town Jazz. he told us some pretty interesting things and I learned more about Jazz than I ever knew. We stayed home for the rest of the evening so we could relax and we watched another movie, Water for Elephants (one of my favorites) to end the night.

xoxo,

Alexandra

June 17, District 6/Langa Tour

Monday morning we woke up early and were picked up at the house by our tour guide, Sally. We all piled into the van and made our way to District 6. We drove past an area where all of the houses were painted with vibrant colors. Theses houses were known as the slave homes. They were so beautiful and the streets were full of color. These were some of the first images that I saw on Google before coming to Cape Town, so I was excited to see them in person.

After stopping to see the colorful houses we headed to the District 6 museum. As we arrived at the museum I was surprised to see that District 6 was in the city (downtown area). I was expecting it to be in the middle of no where or by the townships. To give you a quick background on the District 6, it was an area in the downtown region where many colored (mixed race) people lived. The government designated it as a white area and told all of the colored people that they had 24 hours to evacuate from their homes. After all of the colored people were evacuated they destroyed and tore down the neighborhoods. The people were forced to move to the outskirt settlements and leave everything behind. The people created this museum as a rememberance of the area they lived in. The museum was beautiful and in an old church. It had pictures and items that were donated by the people who previously lived in these neighborhoods. The man who gave us the tour was a former citizen and told us many stories about the area. They were all very interesting but also very sad. After walking around the museum for awhile we went outside and got a tour of the District 6 area. They showed us the areas where homes and buildings used to be. Now it is just empty land with little remains of the buildings. In one of the fields there was a giant palm tree that they named the remembrance tree. It was most definitely an amazing experience and I learned so much while on the tour.

Map of District 6

Street signs from District 6

After we left District 6 we headed to Langa, the oldest township in Cape Town. We arrived at the community center at the entrance of Langa. That is where we met our tour guide which was one of the residents of Langa. He first brought us through the community center and introduced us to all of the projects that were there. The projects were designed to get the people and children out of the "dangers" in the community and give them something to focus on. The projects ranged from pottery and artwork to music and dancing. I bought several things for family and friends there especially since it was all so unique and beautiful. We left the community center and headed for the neighborhoods and housing. As soon as we stepped out of the bus all of the children ran up to us and were grabbing our hands. It was nice to feel so welcomed and loved by all of the kids. We got to walk around with the children and get an outside view of the homes. Then we got to go into one of the "homes". It was like one big house with a lot a bedrooms. These bedrooms were then turned into the homes and the living room was the common area for all of the people. You had to be in the home by 8:30 before theu closed and locked the door for the night. I guess this was a preventative measure to reduce crime. The bedrooms, or houses, had several beds to a room. The one we got to see had three small beds, a stove, all of the kitchens supplys, clothes, and there wasn't even glass over the window to keep them warm, just bars to protect them. It made me horrbily sad that people lived in these conditions. The saddest part was that these were actually nice and the squatter camps were ten times worse. We also got to see a home that was a bit nicer and had rooms, a bathroom, and a kitchen/living room. It was all extremely eye-opening.

Community Center

Pottery project

 

Later on we went to another part of the township to watch the children dance. All of the children in the neighborhood came out to either participate in the dancing or watch the dancing with us. The dancing was amazing. The boys did some sort of stomp routine with rubber boots on. The girls danced to drums. The vibe was extremely fun and all of the kids were having a blast. After they showed us their dances, they asked if we wanted to learn one. Allison, Jenny, and I (the brave ones) went up on the stage and got to learn one of the stomp routines. This was honestly one of the best things I have done since I have been here, especially since it gave me an insight into the art culture.

Below I have included some videos of the dancing. I hope you enjoy!!!!

 

 

We all then got back into the bus and drove through the township to a restaurant where we were eating a late lunch. The restaurant was in a home and when we walked in I was honestly shocked. It was absolutely beautiful! African art on the walls, white table cloths, wood floors, and much more. It was nothing like I expected it to be. We were fortunate enough to meet Sally's family (husband, son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter Zola) and the foreign exchange students that were staying with her family. We first got to listen to some marimba music while we waited for the food to be set out. Finally we got to eat. The food was all homemade and absolutely delicious. I honestly can't really tell you what any of it was because I can't remember the African names. I do remember the name of the dessert though (malva pudding) because it was absolutely delicious. Malva Pudding is basically a sponge cake with a caramel sauce that has soaked into it and then it is placed in custard. Oh my Lord, it was my favorite sweet treat so far and I'm definitely making it when I get home. After dinner we got to learn how to do some African dancing, how to play the marimba instruments, and watch a play. It was so much fun and I hope I can go back before I go home. They made me, and I'm sure everyone else, feel like family. It was a wonderful experience and a true highlight of this trip!!!

xoxo,

Alexandra.

June 15-16, Fish Hoek and Long Street

Saturday we decided to sleep in and get a late start. Boyd made us girls breakfast: cheesy eggs, sausage, and toast. It was great to have breakfast made, because I don't even eat a breakfast like that at college. It made me really miss my family because they always make the BEST breakfast. We then decided that we were going to go to Fish Hoek for the day. We thought the best way to get there would be the train because a taxi would be too expensive. When we went to the train station, which is not even a ten minute walk from our house, I was expecting to pay around R100 for a return ticket. We got return tickets for R24 each, that's about $2.40. SO CHEAP! I honestly was shocked and decided I was going to be taking the train everywhere from now on. We got on the train and it looked almost like the rapids in Cleveland, but not as many seats. It was an interesting experience and I loved being able to see all of the different areas that the train passed. As we started to get closer to Fish Hoek the train began riding right along the coast. The view was absolutely spectacular and the beaches were beautiful!!! The sand was perfectly white and the water was so blue. There were a lot of people out surfing since it was such a nice day.

Jenny and I on the train

As we arrived in Fish Hoek we got off the train and headed for the beach. My first time seeing the Indian Ocean was perfect. The water was so blue, the sand was white, and the mountains with houses up the side was the cherry on top. It was everything I imagined it to be and more. The water of course was cold, but not nearly as cold as I expected it to be. We walked around and looked for shells, and watched snails wiggle their way into the sand. After hanging out at the beach for awhile we walked to one of the oceanfront restaurants and sat outside to eat. I just got something simple to eat that day (chicken sandwich) since I wasn't feeling too adventurous. We then decided that we were going to walk to Boyd's family friends' house. He told us that it was quite a walk, but I honestly was excited for it since I haven't exercised much. It ended up taking us quite a long time to walk their, but it was worth it. The Hudsons were so sweet and welcoming to us all and provided us with biscuits and tea. We talked about our adventures so far and what we were still looking forward to doing. After a long day, Erin Hudson and her boyfriend drove us back to the train station and we made our way home.

  

 

Sunday, we woke up and once again Boyd decided to make us all breakfast, but with Jenny's help. The pancakes were huge and absolutely delicious. After breakfast we relaxed for awhile and then did pilates, since Allison is an instructor. Chris and Matt finallly arrived home from their weekend on Table Mountain. After they freshened up and everyone got ready, we all went down to Long Street. We made the mistake of going on a Sunday, and forgot that everything was closed (also because Youth Day was Monday so most people took Sunday off as well). We went into the few shops that were open and I got a beautiful scarf. We then decided to get dinner and found a restaurant called The Diplomatic Bar and Restaurant. This time I chose to be adventurous. I got boerewor (sausage soaked in a warm tomato salsa) for an appetizer and lamb curry for dinner. The lamb curry was not the best of choice. I'm not really a lamb person, but I figured I would try it since it's popular in South Africa. The day was somewhat wasted, but we learned a valuable lesson: don't go shopping on Sundays.

xoxo,

Alexandra

June 14, Saartjie Baartman and Girl's Night

Friday finally rolled around and I was lucky enough to go to one of the other NGOs for the day. I decided to join Allison and Jenny for the day at Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children. The day was already starting out good when I was able to go into work a little later than I normally do. When we got to the center we went into one of the rooms and I was able to meet some of the other interns that are working with Jenny and Allison. After realizing that we had nothing to do for the rest of the day, we decided to eat our leftover Chinese from the night before and watch Despicable Me with some of the boys. The boys were so cute and lovable but I was slightly afraid after hearing the stories Jenny had told me about getting peed on and the other intern getting pooped on (ew). Most of the staff was leaving early, so they told us we could leave around 12:30. It was nice to have a shortened day, and being at the center was a good experience. Our driver picked us up from work and decided to take the three of us to the University area. We went to this little cafe for lunch (even Jenny and I already ate) and smoothies. The smoothie that I got was super delicious and hydrating. We were fortunate enough to meet our driver's daughter who is a year younger than I am. She was super nice and the coolest thing about her is that she is going to school to be an opera singer. I've never heard of anyone doing anything like that before. She told us girls that she would take us out one night and show us a good time. I'm definitely holding her to that!

Later that evening we (the girls) decided we wanted to go do something, but we didn't really know what since it isn't too safe for women to be out at night without any men. We thought we could just walk to Station Road in Obs (Observatory) and get some dinner at Pancho's. We got all dressed up and did our hair and makeup. I did all of the other girls' makeup too, which was a lot of fun. We walked to Pancho's and all of the restaurants on the way looked empty so I was worried Pancho's would be too. I was completely wrong! It was absolutely packed and they actually have two seating times for Fridays so we only had about an hour to eat, which was plenty of enough time for me since I was starving.

We first ordered some strawberry margaritas. They were delicious and not too strong either which was perfect for me since I don't really ever drink. I've never seen anyone use sugar instead of salt around the rim of the glass though, so that was something new for me. We also ordered some chips and salsa (they don't bring them out for free like they do at the Mexican restaurants back home). We discovered that all of the food in the restaurant is homemade and the chips and salsa were so good, so I had high expectations for the main course. I went simple and ordered the D.I.Y. tacos. I made a GREAT decision. They gave me shredded beef which was soaked in some type of barbecue sauce and provided me with two salsas, avo as the call it (guacamole), sour cream, and all of the other expected toppings for tacos. I'm so happy I made the decision to get that and we have decided that we are going to have girls' night on Thursdays at Pancho's for the rest of the time we are here.

xoxo,

Alexandra

June 10-13, Advancement Academy and work week

Sorry about the late posts, but it's been a hectic week. I decided that I'm going to write about all of my work days in one post since I don't really do enough during the week other than work.

This past Monday we had class and walked around Observatory for awhile. After that I went to bed, knowing that I had two really big and long days ahead of me. On Tuesday and Wednesday, Boyd and I were participating in or NGO's Advancement Academy. It was a long two days but I learned so many things. On Tuesday, we arrived and heard some opening speeches. Afterward we participated in a masterclass on leadership in non-profits. Although I was not the CEO or director of a non-profit, I still was able to participate and learn a lot about leadership. I realized that most of the things I learned could be applied to anything in life, and I'm hoping that someday when I have a real job, that I could apply what I learned and be a leader myself. Throughout the day we attended several other speeches and of course, had amazing food. It was nice to have food provided for a day, that way I didn't have to go out and spend more money. During the academy, I met Sandra Ambrose. I was fortunate enough to hear Sandra's story and how she started her own non-profit. Sandra told me about her son and how he has a disability: this then became her inspiration when starting the NGO, The Disabled Children's Action Group (DICAG). Not only does Sandra's organization help children who are disabled, but they also offer advice and support for the families of the disabled child.

If you would like to see more on Sandra's organization, click below:
DICAG

The went by so fast and by the end I was exhausted and preparing for another long day. Wednesday was a little shorter than the first day, and the masterclass I attended was M&E, or Monitoring and Evaluation. It was definitely different than I expected it to be, but the "teacher" of the class (Dugan Fraser) was quite vibrant and had a lot of energy, which made the class extremely interesting. I learned a lot about non-profits, and honestly after that class I could probably start my own if I wanted to. The day came to an end, as well as the academy. I gained a lot of knowledge and made a lot of connections. I'm extremely happy that I got to participate in the Advancement Academy.

Thursday went by fast since it was just another day of work. I did not go out at all for most of the week because I was extremely tired for working and such. My weeks, most likely, will not be very exciting from here on out, but I'll definitely include all exciting things that I do.

xoxo,

Alexandra