FYI

So, now that I've informed quite a few people (including my parents, finally) that I'll be gallivanting off to a different continent in t-minus 106 days, I've come across a couple of misconceptions about South Africa (hereafter SA) that I'd just like to clear up once and for all and give you guys a little bit of context as to WHY I chose a program a little bit off the beaten path.

1) I will NOT have to take malaria pills. SA has a quite temperate climate (probably like a warmer Eastern Washington), is fairly dry, and therefore is not really conducive to hordes of disease carrying mosquitoes (thank NOB). The diseases that are of major concern in SA are tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS and since I have no intention of a) getting violently coughed on by TB patients, b) having unprotected sex with strangers, or c) sharing needles to inject drugs, I think I'll be fine. Seriously, people, it's cool. I'll be fine.

2) I am going to an ENGLISH-speaking university. Rhodes University is named after the same Cecil B. Rhodes as the Rhodes Scholar founder and was established by the lovely and familiar Brits in 1904. In fact, ALMOST ALL S. Africans speak English. It's one of their 11 official languages (including Afrikaans [a form of Dutch], Zulu, Swazi, Xhosa...). I think a lot of people fail to remember that many Africans speak multiple languages fluently. It never ceases to amaze me.

3) South Africa has many different races (and racial identifications) including: Black, Coloured, Indian, Chinese, White, etc. These forms of identification have been controversial, esp. since the abolishment of Apartheid in 1994, since one's designation does not necessarily reflect one's actual race, but rather social standing.

Fun Fact: South Africa has THREE different capitals: Pretoria (executive), Capetown (legislative), and Bloemfontein (judicial).

4) I will be studying in the city of Grahamstown. It's nowhere near Capetown. Or Johannesburg. Or the coast (well, kinda). The city is approx. a third Black, a third Coloured, a third White (split pretty evenly between Afrikaans and English), with a little Asian, population about 20K (Wikipedia). Rhodes is about half White and has about 7K students total, 5.5K of which are undergrads. It actually is a public university, with many departments and student organizations to offer.

5) I chose Rhodes because I was never really interested in the European study abroad experience, and while Europe offers a variety of cultures and histories, Africa was the one to piqued my interest. My entire pre-secondary education consisted of extolling and belaboring Caucasian history, philosophy, and cultures while "the country of Africa" was presented through the lens of colonialism (and perhaps even a little racism). The more I am exposed to African politics, culture, and history, the so-much-more I want to learn and understand. Because I want to eventually heal the world, my major is Int'l Studies, with a focus on Conflict Resolution *coughWorldPeace*. What better place to start to learn about mitigating, addressing, and moving on from current, complex conflicts than South Africa? Additionally, this program specifically requires students to join a community involvement group, which would be valuable experience for my future career in a humanitarian non-government organization (NGO).

Dear South Africa...

Why do you think I am going to lie about myself to sneak in your country, not pay my tuition, spread tuberculosis, and refuse to leave? Don't you trust me? I have not given you any reason not to. Can't we be friends?

For all my lovely readers, the following is the list of everything I need to gather within three months time in order to get a study visa. As you can see... it's long.

Checklist of Documents to be Submitted:

• A duly completed application form (BI-1738) signed by applicant
• Passport valid for no less than 30 days upon completion of studies
• Two (2) passport photos
• Notarized copy of birth certificate
• Proof of medical report (physical test by your physician)
• Radiological report (chest X-Ray) or skin TB test
• Police clearance certificate (criminal background check) from all countries the applicant has lived in since age 18 for one year or longer.
• Proof of health coverage (health insurance)
• Roundtrip flight itinerary
• An official letter from the institution in South Africa confirming acceptance and duration of the course
• An official letter of enrolment from the institution of learning concerned in the U.S. if applicable.
• Proof of financial means in the form of bank statement or notarized letter from the parents stating the financial responsibility.
• In case of a minor, a notarized letter of consent from the parent is required.
• Proof of U.S. legal status (I-20 for F1 visa holders, copy of green card etc).
• Non-refundable fee of  $72.00 money order for processing
• $16.00 money order for overnight mailing
• A repatriation deposit of $1,500.00 money order in case of applicants travelling on one way ticket

Moving Right Along!

SO many things to take care of before I can sit back and not flip out every two hours about how I have so much paperwork to fill out and shuffle.

Tomorrow, it's the Rhodes Application for realz this time. It's the specific application that Rhodes requires all of its exchange students to fill out. It was the weirdest thing to actually have a boxed labelled "CHINESE" to check off under "RACE."

Fun Fact: Around 1% of South Africans are ethnically Chinese.

Under "please list any physical disabilities," should I put "cripplingly good-looking?" Or is that just implied by these ridiculously attractive visa/application photos?

Don't I look so stunning? As in, like I am a stunned deer?

Next up, waiting for the official acceptance letter, and then visa application, plane ticket, living situation (paying for living situation), breathe.

I'm sort of bad at this, huh?

After my previous, ridiculously emotional, semi-diary of a blog, I attempted to create a fresh, new, positive outlet for my thoughts by starting a completely different blog...

then did the exact same thing again.

I guess that was predictable. Teenage Angst. Truth is, I only write about things that upset me (in a good or bad way) but I can't do anything about, which usually falls into the realm of human interaction and emotion, particularly love. With anything else, I'd prefer to act, rather than rant, mainly because I can't seem to improve my typing speed and have the tendency to type rather drawn out and grammatically incorrect sentences which I then have to edit due to my nerd-tick. Blogging takes SO much time.

But.

I'm going to South Africa.

That's right, kiddos. In July, this lunatic is going to be set loose in a completely foreign continent (NOB help us all), full of ideas about what she wants to do there and how she hates that she has an idea of what she wants to "do" there. If my liberal arts education has taught me anything, it's that academics can be so. fucking. pretentious. Who am I to "do" anything? My area of study is conflict resolution (something I BSed and came up with in five minutes while filling out my major declaration) and goes along the lines of "helping" "areas of conflict" "move on" through mutual understanding and an eagerness to SAVE THE WORLD. The more I think about it, the more I feel like I'm coming from the wrong place here, from my privileged, "educated" (and let's face it, white) mindset, condescending and deeming the poor, poor country of Africa and all it's naked, diseased inhabitants worthy of MY MOTHER-FUCKING-THERESA-SIZED HEART OF COMPASSION AND SELFLESSNESS. MY SUPERIOR INTELLECT (AND MY MONEY) WILL SOLVE ALL THE PROBLEMS. FOR DAYZ.

I. am. so. over. myself. I don't want to "help," because I have not even a neutrino of a clue as to how to deal with complex, structural, surface-level, ethnic, social, political, economic, historical, systemic, ANY KIND of conflict. What the hell do I know?

So. I am in South Africa to learn. To learn what humility truly is. To learn about the enduring human spirit, which is capable of utter evil, prejudice, and hate but also the pinnacles of truth, goodness, and cooperation. To learn about what elements of these I have within myself. Hope you guys will tag along on this here blog. Because if I'm doing study abroad (EXTREME!) right, I won't have the time to emall/message/skype you all individually about my little adventures and exploits. love. love. love.

Yes, we have no answers, We have no answers todaa-aa-ay...