My Final Post

After spending the last month in Cape Town and London, I am finally back home in Kansas City!!  This trip was an unbelievable, unforgettable, and life-changing experience for me, and I actually really enjoyed putting this blog together.  There were some challenges along the way, but I really have no regrets and am so grateful to have been given this opportunity.  This trip would not have been possible if it weren't for the support of my incredible friends and family.  Thanks to all who followed along during my crazy adventure and I hope you all enjoyed it!!  I'm sad this has all come to an end, but I guess it's time to get back to reality and get ready to start year 2 of medical school. 

Goodbye Cape Town... Hello London!

July 2, 2013

On my way to Cape Town from Kansas City a little over a month ago, I traveled for 36 hours straight before finally reaching the Cape Town airport.  It was brutal!!  So, when planning this trip back in February, I decided I didn’t want to put myself through that kind of travel day twice, and I decided to delay my flight through London for a few days.  It wasn’t any more expensive to delay my flight and I have always wanted to see London!

I arrived in London early Sunday morning after flying all night and spent all of Sunday and Monday touring the city.  I knew my trip to London would be yet another challenge for me since I have never even traveled alone in the US, but I was up for the challenge and am so glad that I decided to go through with the trip!

I was actually surprised by how safe I felt traveling alone in London (London was really a breeze after having to watch my back every time I stepped out the door while in Cape Town)!  The city and the underground were really easy to navigate, and I must have looked like I knew what I was doing because several people asked me for directions.  It was nice being able to see London on my own schedule.  I could do and see whatever I wanted on my own time, but it was a little awkward eating dinner alone.  Two days in London was a perfect amount of time for my little adventure.  I really was able to see the majority of the London attractions.

On Sunday morning, I dropped my luggage off at my hotel and set out on foot to see the city.  I walked through Hyde Park, Kensington Park, and St. James Park before arriving at Buckingham Palace just in time to take some pictures and find a place to watch the Changing of the Queen’s Guards ceremony.  After the ceremony, I walked to Trafalgar Square and then down Whitehall and Parliament Road to see Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye, and Westminster Abbey.  At this point, I had probably walked about 5 miles and decided to visit Churchill’s War Rooms Museum.  I’m not much of a history fan, but I was told by several people that I needed to visit the War Rooms.  Going into the museum I really had no idea what the museum was about, but I really enjoyed learning about how Churchill commanded the British forces during World War II via these rooms.  I have really only learned about World War II from the US point of view, so it was interesting to learn about it from the British point of view.  After a long night of traveling and a long day of walking London, I decided to grab dinner at this nice little Italian place by my hotel and get a good night’s sleep!

I woke up early Monday morning and took the underground to the Tower of London museum.  Fortunately I got to the museum right when it opened because the place filled up quickly with tourists and students on field trips.  The Tower of London was absolutely amazing.  Once again, I really had no idea what it represented before arriving (my sister is the history buff… not me!) and I spent several hours roaming around the Tower grounds and learning about its history.  I got to see the rooms and the devices used to torture prisoners, the types of armor and weaponry used by the British forces over the years, the area where the Royal menagerie was located, and the Crown Jewels!  The Tower Bridge was also located next to the Tower and spanned across the Thames River.  Even though the place was pretty congested, it was definitely worth the time and money!  After leaving Tower Hill, I took the underground to Trafalgar Square where there was a huge party for Canada Day.  People were decked out in Canadian gear and there was Canadian beer, a street hockey tournament, and live music.  It looked like a good time so I grabbed a little Canada flag and joined in on the celebration!  I really do wonder how many people celebrating were really from Canada though.  I ended my last night in London at the Red Lion Pub and finished off my trip the right way with traditional fish and chips and a beer! 

I really enjoyed my time in London and I’m proud of myself for taking on this trip alone, but I am more than ready to head back to the States to see my family and friends!! 

Changing of the Guards

Tower of London

Tower Bridge

 Houses of Parliament and Big Ben

A Cape Town Way of Life

June 29, 2013

Life in Cape Town this past month has been incredible but it took some getting used to in the beginning.  For the first time in my life, I really had to make some lifestyle adjustments in order to fit in and be successful in Cape Town. 

One aspect of South African life that I had to get used to was the language.  Yes, English is spoken to some extent by nearly everyone in Cape Town, but I had to learn the lingo to really fit in.  Just to give you a few examples of the different terminology… A robot is a traffic light; A garage is a gas station; An “oke” is a “dude”; The theatre is the operating room; You don’t call someone you phone them; You don’t pick someone up you fetch them.  I really could go on and on.

Another aspect of life that I had no problem adjusting to was the food.  The food in Cape Town is amazing!!  The Cape Town population consists of a mixture of many different cultures and the food represents all those cultures.  Foods most popular to Cape Town include: Samosas (fried savory pastries), koeksisters (donuts covered in spices and coconut flakes), pies (similar to pot pies), bobotie (traditional South African dish consisting of spiced minced meat and an egg topping), curry, lamb, ostrich, gemsbok (type of antelope), gatsbys (gigantic sub sandwiches filled with the meat of your choice along with chips (French fries) and various sauces), biltong (South African beef jerky), just to name a few things.  The chocolate in Cape Town was also unlike any I’ve ever tasted.  I can’t remember the last time I actually bought a candy bar but I probably bought more chocolate in this month than I have in my entire life :/  It was not difficult to find good food in Cape Town and my house mom was also an amazing cook.  I know I’ve gained a few pounds on this trip and a detox is a must when I get home!!

Living in Cape Town also forced me to live a simple life.  Back home, I am used to long hot showers, heat during the winter time, and high speed Internet access anywhere and anytime.  Saying this makes me realize how fortunate I am and really makes me appreciate what I have, but it also makes me feel a bit ashamed.  In middle class South African life, most homes do not have heating or a/c, water and electricity are limited (if the country uses too much electricity at any given time, parts of the country will get their power turned off until the usage decreases), and Internet access is limited and there is definitely no such thing as Google Fiber speed.  Life in Cape Town definitely took some adjusting to.  I froze the first several nights while I adjusted to the cold and I actually really enjoyed being unplugged from the rest of the world for a while.  After seeing the struggles that many people in South Africa face on a daily basis, I think that I need to make changes in my own life to live more simply, to conserve my resources and not waste, to not take life for granted, and to not complain about the little things. 

But… one of the most difficult adjustments I had to make was driving on the left side of the road and on the right side of the car!!  I had to take on a lot of the driving responsibilities while in Cape Town, and for those who know me well, you all know that I don’t like to drive, especially in unfamiliar and congested areas.  For the first few days driving I had to constantly tell myself to drive on the LEFT side.  It doesn’t sound all that hard but it was a little difficult at first.  And to make matters worse, the drivers in Cape Town are crazy!!  They cut people off, weave in and out of traffic, and definitely don’t follow the speed limit, and… people generally think that it’s ok to cross traffic on a busy highway.  After a few days of stress, I finally adjusted and tried to drive with the flow of the rest of Cape Town.  If I get back home and start driving like a maniac, you all will understand why!!

My Cape Town journey has almost come to an end, and it has truly been an experience of a lifetime and an experience that I will never forget.  I have grown so much and learned so much about myself over the past month.  While I am sad to say goodbye to Cape Town, my journey is not quite over yet…

My home-stay family!

My lovely program directors!

Victoria Hospital

 My Cape Town Home