Nearly no time to blog anymore!

Hello again, after a long time without an update!

Classes have obviously come into full swing, and I am busy busy busy! After only 2 weeks of school it is time for midterms already, since our entire semester of classes here is condensed into 6 weeks! Term papers will be due next, and before I know it I will be in the middle of finals!

Although the condensed time makes for VERY little free time and much more stress, I will be so thankful for the intensive study period once it is over, because that means more opportunity to invest attention into our service projects and fun excursions in the weeks afterwards. For now, however, it is tiring, but we will make it!

I am really enjoying all my classes, my South African professors are incredibly nice and so fun to learn from, so despite the work load and number of assignments they give us, I like learning here!

This past weekend we took a trip to Durban on saturday and went to the beach! It was such a relief to escape the crazy heat and finally be in the ocean again... the water in Durban wasn't quite as warm as in Umzinto the previous weekend, but much more refreshing in the heat and just felt to nice... obviously i was VERY happy :) I'm getting tan again, which is fun because everybody in the states are in the middle of winter, and I couldnt be happier being as far away from the cold as I can be ;) We got to shop in a GREAT market downtown, and i began my purchasing of souvenirs and gifts to bring back to my loved ones, everything is SO cheap, and it was not rare to see earrings or figurines for 5 rand, which is equivalent to about 70cents in US dollars! I was able to control myself though, and had to constantly remind myself that that shopping time would not be my only opportunity to shop while I am here! (mom, when you come, keep in mind wall decorations and kitchen utensils... i love them).

The weather is beautiful here, very hot but with an occasional thunder storm in the evenings, and today I layed on a towel next to the bottom of a waterfall up the hill from my chalet, and I studied for my midterm as the mist from the falls kept me cool in the heat! It was WONDERFUL!

I want to also briefly express my EXCITEMENT for starting service projects after classes end. For 4 weeks, each person in our group will be assigned to a location in the outskirts of town, usually in small group of about 5-7 people at each site, and we will be giving our time and help to these places for the remainder of our time in Pietermaritzburg. I really cant wait for this opportunity to serve, and to be one more set of helping hands in a place that is constantly short handed!

This week... to begin with, valentines day on Sunday was lots of fun, and our activities committee here put on a fun, romantic, beautiful dinner in the Jabulani room on campus, complete with flowers and candles and michael buble background music :) The committee even gave the kitchen staff a recipe for chicken alfredo pasta and garlic bread... tasted like home for all of us :) I finally got to open the letter I got in the mail from nate, and it was so encouraging and uplifting, and really made the day easier to get through while missing him.

Natalie turned 13 yesterday on the other side of the world, and getting to talk to her on skype this morning helped me get through that, I miss her and my family so much, and a birthday makes the distance much more apparent to me. The combination of both of those events back-to-back was honestly very emotionally draining, and paired with midterms and minimal sleep, these have been some of the toughest days I have had since I have been here. I am incredibly thankful for the wonderful friends that I am surrounded with here though, and they have really been so supportive of me and comforting too!

Until the next time I find an opening in my schedule! Comment so I can hear from you all as well, i miss you all!