Cape Town Bound

Hello there! I am sorry for my delayed blogging, things here have been pretty hectic lately, but in a good way! To give a quick run-down of what I have been up to, I have compiled a short list of my experiences in the last 10 days:

1. I have been appointed Food and Entertainment Representative of Celeste Hall. My love of food and social activities (in lieu of studying or cleaning), is apparently a characteristic recognizable in all cultures.

2. Rhodes University recently hosted their organization and society night, and I was able to sign up for quite a few volunteer organizations, which is incredibly exciting. I have also been searching for a local NGO which focuses on women's rights and health initiatives, and I was recently able to pass my contact information along to several service coordinators in Grahamstown, so I hope to begin volunteering soon!

3. I have discovered that a local bar has poker night every Wednesday. I have begun to plot my entry into the seedy underbelly of Grahamstown (aka, I will be drinking water at a bar and playing cards with the elderly inhabitants of the town).

4. Vagina Monologues. That's right, it's an international production, and I have been cast in the Rhodes University play! I am performing the monologue entitled 'The Flood', which is from the perspective of an elderly woman. The monologue is incredibly funny and poignant, and I feel very fortunate to have received the part. The production's goal is to raise awareness about women's rights, experiences, struggles, and triumphs, as well as to raise funds for local women's programs.

5. I have managed to lock myself out of my room twice this week. In fact, during one of my accidental self-imposed lock outs, I was wearing a skirt and a bra. Only. So that was interesting.

6. I start Tae Bo classes next week, which should be a riot.

So as you can see, things are going quite well here in Grahamstown! Tomorrow morning I am headed off to Cape Town for the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Orientation. During the four day orientation the scholars will have the opportunity to volunteer at both a local children's hospital and at the Mvula School in the Nyanga Township, as well as speak with the Deputy Mayor of Cape Town. I will be sure to take tons of pictures and make the most of this incredible opportunity. Though I love my master's course and feel that I am learning a lot, I am excited to get out into the community, engage in service work, and travel around Africa.

Another important note: you all should see me ride my bike around town. I can now pop a miniature wheelie off of the speed bumps in the road. I've got mad skills.

I hope you are all happy and healthy!

Love,
B

Where the Magic Happens

And by magic, I mean napping.

After residing at Rhodes for almost a month, I have finally cleaned my bedroom, which means that it is suitable for me to post some pictures of my new home! Though humble, my room serves its purpose of providing me with a space to make toast, do pilates, and sleep my required 7-9 hours per night. My room is also bigger than my first apartment in New York (this is possibly a slight exaggeration), so there is plenty of room for dance parties. Whose iTunes library has played Beyonce's 'Single Ladies' a total of 523 times? That's right, yours truly.

Without further adieu, here are a few pictures:





I also wanted to include a picture of the fire escape that we, the occupants of the third floor, are to utilize in case of a fire emergency.



Here's the kicker, it is not the staircase that is supposed to serve as the emergency fire escape. It's the rope. Rope, need I remind you, is a flammable object. That's problem number one. Problem number two: seeing as how I have absolutely no coordination or upper body strength, there's an 87% chance that if a fire actually occurs, I'm not going to make it alive. I will be leaving behind my Beanie Baby collection for you all to divvy up amongst yourselves.

I miss you all and hope you're doing wonderfully!
B

Productivity is my Middle Name

Today I submitted my second essay for the ever challenging, incredibly intense, Media and Society course. To celebrate I laid in bed, ate a loaf of banana bread, and watched High School Musical 3: Senior Year.

All in all, a pretty sweet day.

Wishing you all a wonderful International Single's Awareness Day,
B

Marxed Out

I have survived the first two and half weeks of my Media Studies masters program. Right now I am writing a paper about various theoretical frameworks used in understanding the relationship between the media and society. I am pretty sure that I know more about Marxism than anyone ever should, but my hope is that one day, when I am on Jeopardy, a category pertaining to Karl Marx will appear and I will be able to sweep. And you better believe if I land on a daily double, things are going to get crazy.

In the last week I have attended five lectures, two cocktail parties, and one South African braai. A braai is equivalent to a good ole' Texas BBQ, only with cooler accents and less skeet shooting. Speaking of the States, last night, at our dining hall's cocktail reception, I was talking with some friends when I heard the strangest thing. That's right, it was an American accent. One that was not coming out of my mouth. So I did what I always do in social situations where finesse and manners are required. I literally jumped in front of these two people and yelled, "Holy crap, are y'all from the States?!" I had no idea I would get so excited, but after three weeks, the prospect of unexpectedly meeting someone from home was awesome. Both of the kids (I use this term because I was one of the oldest people at the cocktail, making me feel both incredibly sophisticated and a touch awkward) said they were from Maryland. I admit, Maryland isn't quite as great as the South, but it is below the Mason-Dixon line, so I'll give them credit.

And guess what? It cooled down here in Grahamstown. My prayers have been answered. Now I'm just waiting for Brad Pitt to materialize in my room.

Stay classy,
Brittany

My Very First Vlog (As the Hipsters Call It)

Hello all!

Let me preface my very first video blog with the following pleas:

1) Excuse the ball of frizz that is my hair. As I have mentioned, it is hotter than the inside of a crock pot here.

2) Apparently, video recordings make me sound as if I am a missing member of the Alvin and the Chipmunk clan. I am convinced that this is not how I sound in real life, so don't you dare try to convince me otherwise.

I love you all!
B