Tuesday, January 12, 2010

December Wrap-up Part 1

I know you all have been waiting for me to post something so here is my December Wrap-up Part 1.

Dec. 29. 2009

December Wrap-up: Part I

Wow, I can not believe that it is already the 29th of December and soon it will be the last day of 2009. Since I am here in SA and my family is back home in Canada, for 7 hours between New Years Eve and New Years Day, we will be living in two different years; scary eh?

I just thought it was about time to do a December wrap-up. I had a very busy December and all of you my followers are probably very eager to know what I have been up to. So again grab yourself a mug and your favourite hot beverage since it’s probably very cold, and a snow storm blowing around outside where it is probably around -15 with a -25 wind chill!

Let me start off with the first weekend in December (4-7) which was my Advent Spiritual Retreat weekend with my 4 other SALTer’s here in SA and Lesotho. The Spiritual weekend we once again spent the Saturday and Sunday at Jim & Heather Johnston’s where Jim had us meditating, and journaling and presenting our case studies. After our first spiritual week with Jim back in August, he assigned us a case study where we were to describe our most difficult situation. During the weekend sessions we were to analyze each others situations and try and offer some solutions to resolve the problem if it needed to be resolved. Over all, the weekend was fun and it was great to have us all back together, to top off the weekend we spent the day in Durban where we visited Andrew’s and Felicia’s homestays and their work placements and before dropping Andrew and Felicia off we finally hit the Durban beach to take in the huge rolling waves hitting the shore. I have to admit it was great to finally be able to enjoy the water, and discover how salty the water is here!

Tuesday and Wednesday nights that week, was Gateway Christian School’s Year End Award Nights and Christmas Concert. Tuesday night was the Junior Primary Grades (Grades R- 3) and Wednesday was the Senior Primary. The hall was packed on the Tuesday night since it was Graduation night for the Grade R class, that there weren’t enough seats for all the guests. The children did an awesome job on their skits, singing, reciting and dancing. One of my favourite performances would have to be the Senior Primary boy’s performance of traditional Zulu dancing where they dance in traditional attire as well. Bravo!

The rest of the week I was busy going to prayer meeting at church and a movie night with some friends of Lucille’s. That weekend was a quiet and peaceful weekend to ready myself for the busy work week to begin again.

Tuesday the 15th I attended a Christmas Party with my new friends from my Alpha table. Alpha finished up on the 8th but I had missed it due to the School Concert. It was a great night and I feel very privileged to have made such good friends to be invited to their home group Christmas Party. It was very festive with décor (minus the tree, since Noel doesn’t own one), but included a fun game of Christmas Bingo, good food and good fellowship!

Wednesday the 16th was a holiday here, so I took full advantage of it, and Lucille and I enjoyed a fabulous day of day tripping into the Valley of 1000 Hills. Valley of 1000 Hills is situated about 30 mins outside of PMB, between Durban and PMB. It is so amazing how much breath taking, natural beauty there is here in KwaZulu Natal, and it’s just in their back yard! In the Valley of 1000 Hills and once we were on the right road we found our way to PheZulu. Here we learned about the Zulu tribe and some of their traditions and were entertained with some Zulu dancing in front of the amazing back drop of the Valley. And also took in their Crocodile and Reptile’s exhibit too. I don’t think I’ve seen so many crocodiles. Did you know that during the winter months here they can survive without food, since they are cold blooded animals? Also, did you know they have been around for about 200 million years and they can live up to 160 years of age and the females will continue to breed until she dies?

After we were done taking in PheZulu and the Crocs and reptiles, we tried heading down to Shongweni Dam, which also in the Valley of 1000 Hills. Actually we only touch a couple of the many places to visit in the Valley, and there is still more to discover and visit. When we left PheZulu, we somehow ended up making a wrong turn and made a complete circle back to PheZulu, but on the detour we came across Pot and Kettle, a neat little stop where we wondered in and out of some shops that sold a variety of souvenirs and where I bought myself a beaded necklace for R40, which would roughly be around $6.00. After speaking to someone in one of the shops, I finally managed some directions to the Dam, and off we went. The view of the Dam was very beautiful and breath taking, and we even took the adventure of walking down the inside passageway of the Dam wall itself. But it was rather dimly lit and very dirty and not as exciting as getting 2.5 – 3 m away from a herd of zebras in another area of the park.

To finish off the wonderful day of day tripping, Lucille dropped me off at the Alty’s and I took in a Menno braai (bbq) with my Mennonite family of friends here. It was an awesome African holiday!

End of Part I

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