Belated update

So it seems my previous blog entry that I posted on Sunday did not take. Strange. Ahhh... love those sketchy internet connections.

So here is a summary, from what I can remember: As those of you on facebook may have seen, I have posted pics of a 10k hike I did with some friends in a national reserve about an hour outside of Joburg, on Saturday. It was beautiful, super hot, and there actually some wild animals roaming around which was surreal. Saw some baboons, antelope and zebra (though nothing close enough to get good pics). Other highlights from the previous week included an anti-valentine’s day party at a co-workers house on Thursday, getting my movie card and being able to go to cheap night at the movies Tuesday nights for 20R, or about 3$ (sweet!), making a communal supper on Friday night and eating in the moonlight out on the patio, dancing a jig with the housekeepers delicious little 2 year old Andrea (who I will have to get some pics of--- she is going to be a star!), and generally going to work and being busy. Frankly, I feel like I am living with this constant state of elevated adrenaline—between work stress (soooo much to do-- we are totally understaffed), general security on-edge-ed-ness, and just not having a lot of down time to reflect, regroup or stop, you know? Again, I keep flagging this, but I wonder how it will affect me down the road re: burnout and/or stress-induced stupidness. We shall see.

As for this week’s update, things have been relatively quiet all things said and done. Work continues to pick up even more, while the learning curve feels like it is slowly starting to level off and I am feeling more confident about what I am doing. Went to an African craft market on Sunday afternoon—neat to see what is out there. Of course there are the requisite masks, etc… but also interesting and ingenious things like little toy cars made from recycled pop cans, and bags made out of bottle caps, and some amazing beading. Otherwise, have been up to little things here are there—went out to a movie on Tuesday, cooked a chicken with some gals from the house on Wednesday, complete with stuffing—although it took way longer than expected and we didn’t eat till almost 10pm. Whoops!

Upcoming plans: Myself and two friends, Anu and Yosi, have been making plans for an Easter trip, and have finally booked a few things to go to Cape Town at the end of March. I take 4 days off, but get 10 days vacation--- pretty good! Will probably rent a car and do some of the Garden Route as well while we are down there, which I am really looking forward to. Will be in Scotland in June for the World Assembly, and there is a possibility of attending a conference in Spain in July, so may have a few weeks to bum in Europe (makes more sense to stay up there than flying back down to South Africa, just to come up again 2 weeks later). If anyone will be in the area at that time, let me know!

Am off to Limpopo, a state in the north, bordering Mozambique and Zimbabwe, for the weekend, and will post some pictures on Facebook of that adventure when I get back. Happy trails to all, and keep in touch!