Katie and Joey's South Africa Blog: Slip n Slides, Weddings, and Homecoming Oh My!

Friends and Family!

Once again apologies for not being up to date on blogging, things have been so hectic...like usual! So let me fill you in on what we have been up to the last week or so. Last week was homecoming/spirit week. Katie is a part of the activities committee and was part of the group that planned the spirit week and homecoming dance. For the spirit week, each day was a different theme. Monday was pajama day, Tuesday was twin day, Wednesday was white v-neck wednesday, Thursday was tacky wacky tursday, and Friday was apu blue polo day. The spirit week ended on Friday with a community soccer game and slip n slide session! Slip n slide was so fun! We took our slip n sliding to the next level and started jumping people while going down the 90 ft slide! We will post some pictures to give examples of the epicness!

Saturday was our last final which was for intercultural communications and afterwards a few of us had the amazing opportunity of going to a traditional Zulu wedding! The wedding was an amazing experience, probably the most fun we have had since we have been here. We got there and there was a large circle around two people laying on mattresses on the floor and then other people coming sitting next to them and have a blanket put around them. This event went on for a few hours. What the blankets represented is that the family would be provided for as a result of this marriage union. Then there was dancing and yelping and amazing food! We got to dance with them in big circles doing the Zulu tradition dance which basically is bringing your leg up as high as you can and slapping you foot on the group over and over again. The food was amazing and kept coming and coming. There are probably many details that I am missing that katie can expound on more in her next posting if she wants. The key things that the Zulu wedding showed us is that 1) Zulu people know how to have a good time. and 2) They have amazing hospitality, even to strangers, and that is something we Americans desperately need to learn from.

wrapping blankets and aprons around the families

dancing.. its like a competition between the bride's side and the groom's side

our delicious dinner. CHACKA-LACKA=soo good

dessert = fruit, jello, custard = SOO yummy!

decorations!

the boys.. dancing :)

me and Thembe :)

Then there was Sunday, the day of the Homecoming dance. Let me just say that Katie and the activities committee did an absolutely beautiful job on decorating and planning. It was seriously one of the highlights of peoples semester here. Words cant explain the fun we had, or how beautifully decorated it was, so we will post pictures! To try and express how much fun we had, the only thing that can be said is that we danced from 6pm to almost midnight...non-stop. It was so much fun! That briefly covers our last week or so. If you have any questions or would like hear any particular event in more detail don't be afraid to say so!