2/1/2018 0 Comments One week done!It is hard to believe that we have only been in South Africa for a week as we have already done so much! There has been lots of USA vs. SA comparisons, us trying to pronounce new words, and boot camps with Professor Themeli. Here are some of my highlights from our time in South Africa so far! After landing at 8am off of a 14.5 hour flight, Saturday was a day for trying not to fall asleep. Our mentors (local students many of whom have been to Fordham on an exchange program or plan to apply for their masters) greeted us at the airport and helped us settle into the Village at Hatfield where we will be staying for the next five months. That night we had a welcome braai (it's basically a barbecue but don't call it that in front of a South African) and were introduced to many of the people who will be involved in our semester abroad. We also got to try local food for the first time including delicious meat, perfectly ripe fruit, and pap (pronounced "pop", a dish made from cornmeal that looks like mashed potatoes but tastes completely unique). On Sunday, our driver for the semester K.G. gave us a tour of Pretoria. The highlights were the zebras on the side of the road and the Union Buildings with the statue of Nelson Mandela! On Monday we visited the US Embassy in Pretoria before leaving for our three day retreat run by the Jesuit Institute. On the retreat we learned more about the history and culture of South Africa including terminology (a favorite is that they call traffic lights "robots") and hearing stories from people who grew up under apartheid.
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