I've got game

Zebras, giraffes, rhinos…oh my! Today I went to Ithala Game Reserve. Ithala is only 45 minutes from my home here and is even closer than our big shopping town so my principal decided to take me there today. Ithala Game Reserve is a KwaZulu Natal game park that has many of the Big Five animals that tourists and game lovers alike love to catch a glimpse of. For seven hours, I rode around in a VW Polo sighting giraffes, zebras, impalas, springbok, rhinos, kudu, rock rabbit, partridges, and warthogs. It was absolutely amazing! This might have been the best day yet I have had in South Africa.

Before we even got into the park, we passed a giraffe standing on the side of the road and we had to reverse the car because we almost missed it. As odd as it might sound that you could miss sighting a giant animal, such as a giraffe, just chilling on the side of the road, it is so common. The animals are very well camouflaged into the landscape so it is easy to just drive right pass them without noticing them there at all. We did this two times that we were aware of with giraffes. There are elephants at the park as well but we were unable to sight any. The park is a really relaxed area because there are no dangerous big cats, such as lions, to worry about. The scenery is absolutely astounding and I really am at a loss for words to describe what it felt like to stand on the side of the cliff of one of the tallest mountains in the park looking down on the Pongola River. The wind gently swept through the bush as lizards scurried around my feet and the sun beat down on my face. I stood there and I thought to myself “I am in Africa and this feels like home”. Though I might not live here for the rest of my life, or even for more than two more years, I am entirely sure that I will come and visit this place whenever possible. There is just something incredibly humbling standing on the top of a mountain in the bush with just the sun on your skin, the wind in your hair, and nothing but nature all around you. I felt so small compared to the vast expanse of untouched beauty. I really don’t know the words in English, Spanish, or Zulu that would do a shred of justice to what I saw today. I am the luckiest Peace Corps Volunteer ever!

Besides the amazing day today though, life is carrying on as normal; that is if there is such a thing as normal for me here. I volunteered for 52 hours this week and am volunteering for another 11 tomorrow. I have to keep busy here or else I know it will be very easy to fall into patterns of loneliness and routine. I know Peace Corps stresses establishing a routine as a way to cope with all of the changes that living and working in an unfamiliar culture presents; however, I have almost no routine here. I know that I will establish one, but right now I am content not having one at all. It really brings a bit of variety to life not knowing what I will be doing in two days time. Oh yes, I have plenty of plans, but this is Africa and the best of plans sometimes go awry. Oh well, such is life. Until next time…