Update from the Pietermaritzburg Campus!

It's been a little while since I've given an update, I apologize for making you all wait! I finally have a few minutes to spare before I go to bed, but let me just start by saying that the school campus here in the hills of Pietermaritzburg is the most unbelievably beautiful place I have ever been! The nature and scenery all around has the strongest gift of relaxation, from the perfectly warm sun and cool breeze to the big waterfall conveniently located right outside our main classroom!

I didn't want to begin to talk about this place until I would be able to put pictures up, because words just cannot describe it, nomatter how hard i try! I hope you are able to get a little taste of this South African paradise!

i got a little peak of the indian ocean while flying from Joburg to Pburg... i have not gotten to tough it yet but I cant wait! its beautiful!

this is my dorm, or "chalet" as we call them here! my room is on the bottom left, facing out to a big green lawn usually full of monkeys playing with eachother!

the view from my bedroom window... we only open these windows when we are sitting inside the room because if we leave them open, the monkeys will jump inside and do what they do best! they are such little pesks... and they are quite vicious too! the boys carry around a paintball gun to keep them from cornering us on the balconies and on the paths!

heres what they look like... cute but so mean. if youd like to see a little bit more of the monkeys, i have more pictures and a video of them on my facebook!

The weather here has been so cool. Monday it was HOT and so so humid we could hardly breathe... and sitting in class from 8am-9pm with the sound of the waterfall right outside was pretty terrible. There is no air conditioning, only open windows (which the monkeys love to take advantage of) and fans. The heat definitely wore me out and I was so exhausted by the end of the day!
Tuesday I had a free morning so i went on a walk after breakfast with Alex and Rachel through the game reserve down the road! That was alot of fun, saw many monkeys and antelope. It started raining as soon as we got back, and absolutely down-poured the entire day! i never let up once, it stayed consistently pouring all day long and even after we went to sleep, but while we read and worked on homework all day in our room, we had all the windows wide open because the air finally felt so nice, and slightly cooler than the day before :) i LOVE being able to wear shorts and a tshirt when its raining!
Speaking of the homework, this semester is going to be really difficult! Our entire semester of school is squeezed into just 6 weeks, so for the next 6 weeks I am going to be so overwhelmed with studying! It is going to be alot, but so worth it. I love my classes and professors here, so that helps alot!
Todays weather reminded me alot of a California summer day, it felt amazing! I sat on a bench down by the creek and read for one of my classes, it was so nice :) My days are filled with lots of homework, which is never fun... but im hanging in there! Life is pretty good otherwise!

Nate- I miss you so much and I hope someday I can bring you here to show you how incredible this place is! You are wonderful, and the time change is tough but we've been making it work :) I love you, and I will talk to you tomorrow!