Okay I'm sure I have a few people mad at me for taking so long... But I really have been busy!! And as you can see we did quite a lot and it actually took me like hours to write this thing !!!!
Then on Friday November 5th I set off to a Rotarian's house for the night so that we could leave early for Kimberly (the Big Hole) on Saturday morning. We had a lovely dinner and of course all the students had to do dishes. We had 2 new additions to the "team", Leonie from Germany and Coline from Belgium that are from a different district but joined the tour. We stayed up playing UNO but had a relatively early night because we were to be ready for 5 am the next morning.
got there in the afternoon and settled in at a small resort called the Gum Tree Lodge. We swam for a bit and played Jenga then we went to the Big Hole. I'm sure some of you know the importance of Kimberly in the Diamond
Mining Industry- but for those who don't, Kimberly is home to the biggest man made mine in the world and has produced 14504 566 carats of diamonds. It is massive. We watched a movie on the history of the mine (Cecil Rhodes and Benny Benito) and then got a tour of the museum that is there onsite. It was really cool to find out that the measurement of carats came from the weight of caron seeds. We go to see in the vault which was filled with millions of dollars worth of diamonds. We then went back home for dinner. After supper we went to a monument dedicated to the people who died in the siege of Kimberly. This was the beginning of our "Ghost Tour". We visited a few more historical sites and then a grave yard. At night. Yah it was eerie. Then it was back home and into bed.
Monday was a full day- we left quite early and met up with the Cape Town Exchange students (one of which I had already met at Grand Rapids!!!). We then went to a series of Rotary Projects: A safe house for raped or abused women and children, a community for "intellectually developed people" so that they can live a normal life, a educational centre that teaches locals skills so that they can get a job, and a primary 
school in a township. We then headed back to a Rotarians House for an amazing Braai. We had soooo much fun with the other exchange students just playing around, taking pictures and talking about our experiences. We really didn't want to leave... But we did, and it was straight to bed once we got home. (We never really stayed up once we got home... we were getting up at like 5 or 6 every day and getting home at 10 or 11)
Tuesday was also a busy day with lots of driving. We drove to
the Cape Point, to the Boulders and Boulders beach (PENGUINS!!), Simon's Town for lunch, Fish Hoek Beach (famous for shark attacks), and across town to another Rotarian's house for another lovely Braai. Then of course we did the dishes and it was back home. Then after a cup of tea it was bedtime again!!
We got to sleep in on Thursday (thank god!!) and we travelled to the outskirts of Cape Town to Stellenbosch which is the winery region of South Africa, well it's the most famous one. We did a tour of one of the wineries, and it was really beautiful. We got to try 6 or 6 different kinds of wine from the Fleur du Cap
brand. I won't lie- some of the students were getting quite tipsy and it was really, really funny. We had the opportunity to buy wine after that and we drove off with a van full of wine and exchange students... which I think is quite funny. We were th
en going to drive to an Afrikaans shop, but we got lost so we headed back to Hout Bay. We had a quick boat trip out into the bay to see Seal Island. It was really cool but quite smelly. After we got back to the harbour we got ready for the Rotary Meeting and drove there. We had a lovely dinner and all managed to live through our speaches. Afterwards we just hung out with the club's outbound student who will be going to Brazil in January. Then it was back in the van- and back home- and back to bed.
Saturday we left Oudtshoorn after eating breakfast in a lovely Afrikaans cafe and bakery. We drove and stopped for lunch on our way to Gariep Dam. It was quite an uneventful day- just driving and eating mostly. We got to our cottage which was right on the water. We watched the sunset and had a braai. After dinner we just played cards and relaxed. 
Sunday was the final stretch of the way home... It was a lot noisier and a lot more fun than the way down. We all wrote little journals and made a Video Diary also. The Cape Town trip was awesome. I want to go back !!! 
So.. I have to go back as far as Halloween. I dressed as a police officer and I went to a party with my host sister. It was lots of fun but nothing like Halloween in Canada since you can't really trick or treat here in SA!
Then on Friday November 5th I set off to a Rotarian's house for the night so that we could leave early for Kimberly (the Big Hole) on Saturday morning. We had a lovely dinner and of course all the students had to do dishes. We had 2 new additions to the "team", Leonie from Germany and Coline from Belgium that are from a different district but joined the tour. We stayed up playing UNO but had a relatively early night because we were to be ready for 5 am the next morning.
Saturday morning came and went as we drove south towards Kimberly. We
got there in the afternoon and settled in at a small resort called the Gum Tree Lodge. We swam for a bit and played Jenga then we went to the Big Hole. I'm sure some of you know the importance of Kimberly in the DiamondMining Industry- but for those who don't, Kimberly is home to the biggest man made mine in the world and has produced 14504 566 carats of diamonds. It is massive. We watched a movie on the history of the mine (Cecil Rhodes and Benny Benito) and then got a tour of the museum that is there onsite. It was really cool to find out that the measurement of carats came from the weight of caron seeds. We go to see in the vault which was filled with millions of dollars worth of diamonds. We then went back home for dinner. After supper we went to a monument dedicated to the people who died in the siege of Kimberly. This was the beginning of our "Ghost Tour". We visited a few more historical sites and then a grave yard. At night. Yah it was eerie. Then it was back home and into bed.Sunday was quite uneventful- just driving to Cape Town. It was beautiful though
when we pulled in and I got to see the ocean for the first time, as well as Table Mountain. We moved into our HUGE house in Hout Bay and we walked to the beach, which took all of 2 minutes.We played on the beach until it was dark and went back to the house for dinner. We heard about the plans for the week and some rules and then it was bedtime!
when we pulled in and I got to see the ocean for the first time, as well as Table Mountain. We moved into our HUGE house in Hout Bay and we walked to the beach, which took all of 2 minutes.We played on the beach until it was dark and went back to the house for dinner. We heard about the plans for the week and some rules and then it was bedtime! Monday was a full day- we left quite early and met up with the Cape Town Exchange students (one of which I had already met at Grand Rapids!!!). We then went to a series of Rotary Projects: A safe house for raped or abused women and children, a community for "intellectually developed people" so that they can live a normal life, a educational centre that teaches locals skills so that they can get a job, and a primary school in a township. We then headed back to a Rotarians House for an amazing Braai. We had soooo much fun with the other exchange students just playing around, taking pictures and talking about our experiences. We really didn't want to leave... But we did, and it was straight to bed once we got home. (We never really stayed up once we got home... we were getting up at like 5 or 6 every day and getting home at 10 or 11)
Tuesday was also a busy day with lots of driving. We drove to
the Cape Point, to the Boulders and Boulders beach (PENGUINS!!), Simon's Town for lunch, Fish Hoek Beach (famous for shark attacks), and across town to another Rotarian's house for another lovely Braai. Then of course we did the dishes and it was back home. Then after a cup of tea it was bedtime again!! 
Wednesday was a physically exausting day- as it was the day we climbed to the top of Table Mountain. It was probably the hardest work out of my life... but the views from the 
top were so worth it! It was so beautiful and it was such a nice day (especially for Cape Town!). It was sunny and hot, instead of the norm which is cold, cloudy and windy. We then ate a quick lunch, and then we went down in the Cable Car. We had
a bit of time to recover as we walked around the Cape Town Waterfront District while waiting for the ferry to Robben Island. We got some biltong in a small mall and got on our ferry. It was a beautiful view of Cape Town from the sea although it was quite cold in the middle of the bay. We got a tour of the island by bus- then a tour through the different buildings by an ex-inmate of the prison. We also got to see Nelson M
andela's cell and where he did his work. On the way back to the harbour it was so beautiful with the view- the sunset and on top of that there was dolphins playing in the wake of the boat! We ate
dinner at Spur, which is a common steak house here in SA, and it was probably the most fun we had all tour. Our councellor bought us balloons- and you should have seen us. It was like we were 5 years old again. When we got home we had to practice the speaches that we would be reciting the following night at a rotary club. We had to speak for two minutes about our host clubs and why we became an exchange student- which is alot harder than it sounds, even when you've known english your whole life. We stayed up quite late perfecting our little speaches and then bed time!!!
top were so worth it! It was so beautiful and it was such a nice day (especially for Cape Town!). It was sunny and hot, instead of the norm which is cold, cloudy and windy. We then ate a quick lunch, and then we went down in the Cable Car. We had
a bit of time to recover as we walked around the Cape Town Waterfront District while waiting for the ferry to Robben Island. We got some biltong in a small mall and got on our ferry. It was a beautiful view of Cape Town from the sea although it was quite cold in the middle of the bay. We got a tour of the island by bus- then a tour through the different buildings by an ex-inmate of the prison. We also got to see Nelson Mandela's cell and where he did his work. On the way back to the harbour it was so beautiful with the view- the sunset and on top of that there was dolphins playing in the wake of the boat! We ate
dinner at Spur, which is a common steak house here in SA, and it was probably the most fun we had all tour. Our councellor bought us balloons- and you should have seen us. It was like we were 5 years old again. When we got home we had to practice the speaches that we would be reciting the following night at a rotary club. We had to speak for two minutes about our host clubs and why we became an exchange student- which is alot harder than it sounds, even when you've known english your whole life. We stayed up quite late perfecting our little speaches and then bed time!!!
We got to sleep in on Thursday (thank god!!) and we travelled to the outskirts of Cape Town to Stellenbosch which is the winery region of South Africa, well it's the most famous one. We did a tour of one of the wineries, and it was really beautiful. We got to try 6 or 6 different kinds of wine from the Fleur du Cap
brand. I won't lie- some of the students were getting quite tipsy and it was really, really funny. We had the opportunity to buy wine after that and we drove off with a van full of wine and exchange students... which I think is quite funny. We were th
en going to drive to an Afrikaans shop, but we got lost so we headed back to Hout Bay. We had a quick boat trip out into the bay to see Seal Island. It was really cool but quite smelly. After we got back to the harbour we got ready for the Rotary Meeting and drove there. We had a lovely dinner and all managed to live through our speaches. Afterwards we just hung out with the club's outbound student who will be going to Brazil in January. Then it was back in the van- and back home- and back to bed. Friday was quite sad.. We were already p
acked by the time we had finished breakfast and we rolled out of Cape Town quite early. We drove to Oudtshoorn, which is known for being in the middle of nowhere as well as the home to all the Ostriches. We visited an Ostrich farm and learned quite alot about them as well as how they are used as a resource. We were lucky enough to
hold a baby that was just about 4 hours old! It was kind of cute.. but also kind of ugly haha. After a quick tour we got the opportunity to ride the ostriches! I did of course. It was scary and quick but was absolutely exciting. We then stood on the ostrich eggs and then it was off to the Cango Caves. We did a tour through the caves, big and small and it was so beautiful! It was hard to believe that all these formations had been made from underground running water. After we got settled into our little cottages on a different ostrich farm we went out for a nice dinner in town.
acked by the time we had finished breakfast and we rolled out of Cape Town quite early. We drove to Oudtshoorn, which is known for being in the middle of nowhere as well as the home to all the Ostriches. We visited an Ostrich farm and learned quite alot about them as well as how they are used as a resource. We were lucky enough to
hold a baby that was just about 4 hours old! It was kind of cute.. but also kind of ugly haha. After a quick tour we got the opportunity to ride the ostriches! I did of course. It was scary and quick but was absolutely exciting. We then stood on the ostrich eggs and then it was off to the Cango Caves. We did a tour through the caves, big and small and it was so beautiful! It was hard to believe that all these formations had been made from underground running water. After we got settled into our little cottages on a different ostrich farm we went out for a nice dinner in town. 
Saturday we left Oudtshoorn after eating breakfast in a lovely Afrikaans cafe and bakery. We drove and stopped for lunch on our way to Gariep Dam. It was quite an uneventful day- just driving and eating mostly. We got to our cottage which was right on the water. We watched the sunset and had a braai. After dinner we just played cards and relaxed. 
Sunday was the final stretch of the way home... It was a lot noisier and a lot more fun than the way down. We all wrote little journals and made a Video Diary also. The Cape Town trip was awesome. I want to go back !!!
