Hace Frio en la Habana!

While the weather here is in no way comparable to what's going on in the U.S., Havana is experiencing what Cubans refer to as "los dias mas frio del ano" (the coldest days of the year). And make no mistake: to American kids who brought primarily shorts and tank-tops, it is a bit chilly.

But aside from the weather, I think this week has been the best yet. Last week was primarily settling in, which really kept us on our toes and left us somewhat confused as to what was actually going on in our study abroad program. We still managed to have fun though. We've all been out for drinks (and while I've gone, I've still yet to taste Cuban rum!), we've chatted to locals at every opportunity and we even went to a rave just off campus a few nights ago. Talk about an eye-opening experience!

Our time in Cuba has also left a lot of time for self-reflection as well, and I often find myself sitting on the Malecon, jotting down at least one of innumerable thoughts. Good thoughts, but thoughts that leave me wondering where each subsequent adventure will lead me and what my actual plans are for post-graduation. Luckily I still have another year and a half, but strangely I think being in Cuba might help to answer some questions, even if the answers have nothing to do with Cuba itself.

And on an exciting note, I finally met with the CNN Havana Bureau producer the other day. At this point, after sending emails since October and not receiving much response, I assumed that she was just going to have coffee with me to humor me. But instead, she actually explained that she and Morgan Neil (Havana's Bureau Chief) had been looking into the possibilites for taking on an intern. While I feel like my chances are slim, she promised that it wouldn't be too much trouble to take a look into OFAC regulations and see what might be done. She asked if I knew how to edit using Final Cut Pro and if I was interested in learning about producing. I could barely contain my excitement.

Vivimos en Cuba por cuatro meses!

It’s true.

The rest of the study abroad group (Rose, Allison, Casey, Nick, Drew, Alec, Alex, Louisa, Alyssa, Adam, John, Sarah and Brittany) and myself have been living in Vedado (in Havana) since this past Sunday. I think the fact that we’re in Cuba took a few days to sink in.

It’s been an adventure thus far, exploring Havana Vieja (the historic district), la Universidad de la Habana (where we will be taking classes) and preparing to celebrate the birth of Jose Marti with torches in a march.

The adventure wasn’t too fun for me the first few days, having a nasty ear/sinus infection and an ever-present fever. I’m just now beginning to feel better and I can’t wait to experience the nightlife that Havana has to offer!

We have some in the group who love to salsa, others who want to learn to box and…me? I’m still trying to figure out what it is that is authentically “Cuban” that I want to take away from this. Plenty of time to figure that out though. This is simply the introduction to an eye-opening four months.

"Bahamas for Obama!"

I got to Nassau, Bahamas yesterday around 2pm and as I walked around the streets near the hotel, signs on storefronts read "Bahamas for Obama!"

Clearly, everyone is excited about the inauguration.

I'm excited as well, but by the time Tuesday comes around, the rest of the study abroad group and myself will have been in Cuba for a few days. Our flight leaves for Havana this afternoon and I don't think any of us can really believe it's happening.

But while Cuba is just on the horizon, this is my first time in the Bahamas as well and it is BEAUTIFUL! I cannot believe how crystal-clear the water is and the tropical atmosphere is intoxicating. It reminds me a lot of Key West.

I think we're all going to walk around, explore and maybe visit a beach or two before leaving. And then it's off to Cuba...

I Swam with Sharks on My 21st Birthday!

I did, I really did.

It was a surprise though. Morgan has done a few different stories with a particular shark-diving company and, without me knowing, arranged for the two of us to dive with them on my birthday this past Monday. It was FANTASTIC! We were out in the Indian Ocean for the better part of the day when we first dove in to swim with about 30 or 40 dolphins and later, about that many blacktip sharks. Two tiger sharks also showed up a bit later, but by that time I was passed out on the boat with the color completely drained from my face.

...I get seasick.

Despite feeling terrible, I found my nausea almost funny. That WOULD happen to me when Morgan planned a great surprise and that WOULD happen to me on my birthday, with my head hung over the side of the boat while everyone else threw on their gear to jump in the water. Still, it was an amazing experience. No cages, no harnesses, nothing. Just swimming alongside tens of curious sharks.

One of the women working our particular dive was an American who is doing field work in South Africa as a shark conservationist. We learned quite a bit of valuable information not only about sharks, but about the particular organization which she started up: Shark Savers. For more information, I believe her website is: www.sharksavers.org.

Also, as predicted in my last post, I did have a South African braii for my 21st birthday. Friends from eTV (where I interned last summer) came, some of Morgan's good friends that I've since met and various members of Morgan's family. I have to say that for a 21st birthday far away from home and old friends, it was was wonderful. Morgan and his family prepared everything, down to decorating a little chair for me to sit in. I really couldn't thank them enough.

And now, after having spent an amazing month back in South Africa, I am little more than a week away from leaving for Havana, Cuba where I will live for the next four months. I leave for the the States on Monday, get back on Tuesday and that Saturday I fly out. When this realization hit me last night, it made me somewhat sad. I love South Africa and I think it's a beautiful country. I also won't see Morgan until I run my Ironman in Cozumel this November. However, I think that the best situation to feel sad in is when you're going from one exciting adventure to another.

A South African New Year

First things first: I suck at blogs. My entries are always weeks, if not months, apart. Still, I'm going to keep at it.

So: A lot has happened since my last entry. I made it to South Africa just fine, after two days of grueling flights. It occurred to me as I was walking down the passageway from the airplane, having had my passport stamped and wondering which line to stand in (there were only two: one said "RSA citizens" and the sign for the other line read "all other African citizens") that it had been quite a while since I had seen my boyfriend, Morgan. As I continued to walk, all of the weight of our cross-continental relatiionship seemed to overwhelm me and I was just about to turn when I saw a huge smiling face, clad in a faded UNC shirt, pushing through the crowd. While I was still pretty nervous about seeing him, the weight seemed to lift and right then I figured out what I had worked so hard for throughout the semester.

Since then, I've been living quite a fun (and MUCH more relaxing) life. For the first time in months, I'm sleeping in past 7am and enjoying the morning - and not lacing up my running shoes as frequently as I probably should. We've been keeping busy, though.

Morgan arranged a great surprise for me last week. He is a TV reporter for eTV, one of the national TV stations here, so he made use of some connections and I got to go to the Sea World in Durban and see the world's largest dolphin (he looked more like a miniature whale!) and it's 3-week-old baby. Very cool. We also went snorkeling with some fish native to the region and opted to later drop down into a pool of sharks. It was a FANTASTIC day!

I've also been meeting a lot of people. I visited the Zulu family in Cato Manor that I lived with this summer and dropped off some Christmas presents with them that I'm hoping they enjoy. I've been meeting a lot of Morgan's friends as well. I went to my first official braii (*South African version of a BBQ, very popular) and also went to a friend's 21st birthday celebration. It's funny how the legal drinking age here in RSA is 18, but the 21st birthday is still quite the big deal. My 21st is on January 5th (4 days!!!) and I'm pretty excited myself. I think we're going to have a braii...

As far as New Year's celebration, it was great. We scored complimentary tickets to a rooftop party at a hotel followed by dancing at a bar nearby. I must admit though, I did truly miss seeing the ball drop. BUT I don't think I'll have another South African New Year's anytime soon, (or at least not next year) so I soaked up every minute.

Bonjour de Paris

One flight down, two to go.

As the title says, I'm in Paris - yet doing no sight-seeing. I'm in the Charles de Gaulle Airport waiting to catch my next flight to Maritius, a tiny island near Madagascar. From there, it's only a one-hour flight to Durban. Yes! Ha, but I have another few hours before my next flight.

I think travel, particularly international travel, is so exciting. New places, new people, new languages. The thing is though, it is a little scary. Perhaps scary isn't the right word. It's just near mind-blowing how interesting the path to growing up is.

I was thinking today as I got off my first plane and entered the terminal for my second flight that it was only about two and a half years ago when my parents wouldn't even let me take a day trip, a DAY trip, to Tampa with friends over Spring Break of my senior year in high school. And here I am, less than three years later, in Paris and on my way to South Africa all on my own. Wow.

(Note: I don't know how to look at time-zones. My last flight is actually 4 hours long. Still the shortest of the three flights!)

Goodbye UNC! See you in August 2009!

It still astounds me how fast the semester has come to an end.

I'm half-way through my junior year of college and about to embark on a 6-month adventure. It will be the longest I've ever been out of the country and one of the longest times that I have ever been away from home.

The last post I wrote was quite a while ago and I only wish I had kept up better with it. To say the least however, our trip through South Africa and later Botswana, Zambia and Zimbabwe was literally something that I will never forget. Something that left an impression on me and somewhere that I plan to return to.

In less than two weeks I will be back in Durban, South Africa! I've been working three jobs all semester to save up the money to buy a roundtrip ticket back and I did it! I will be living there for a month with Morgan and his family. My plane leaves Miami on December 15th and I return January 13th. I definitely plan to visit the family I lived with in Cato Manor, too. I'm sure they'll love some of the pictures I took over the summer and a few extra Christmas presents. It's funny, but with these upcoming travels I feel so grown up. I must admit, I am a little nervous. I'll be in South Africa through Christmas, New Years and my 21st birthday (on January 5th). I know I've never spent all three occasions away from home. Yet my nervousness pales in comparison to my sheer excitement and I cannot wait to go!

Once I come back from South Africa, I have about three days at home in South Florida before I leave to study abroad in Havana, Cuba. The semester-long program is from January 17 through May 16th. I've been dreaming about this opportunity since I enrolled at UNC and it's finally becoming a reality. My Cuban grandparents were actually much more receptive to me going than I thought they would be. While still not thrilled, I know they're excited too. I'll be meeting family that I've always had, but never met.

So for now, I have one more final exam to go and then my drive back to Florida begins. I'm excited to spend at least a few days with my family before my globetrotting continues.