sitting in the airport

I'm sitting in London Heathrow Airport waiting for my flight to Boston and already I'm missing South Africa. I just finished eating breakfast and after the first three bites I found myself wishing that the spread in front of me was South African beans and back bacon smothered in sweet chili sauce instead of the blah I was eating. I used up almost an entire bottle of ketchup to get through the meal (and even the ketchup was different than the tomato sauce found in SA).

An early morning view of the Drakensburg Mountains. 

But let me rewind a bit - I'm sitting in London Heathrow Airport waiting for my flight to Boston! Waiting for my flight back to the States! Exactly a year ago I was sitting in the same airport waiting to catch my flight to Johannesburg. Talk about coming full circle!

I'm excited for my return to the States. I'm so excited in fact that I keep seeing people from back home in the airport and end up doing ridiculous double takes (I almost knocked an elderly gentleman trying to gawk at someone I swore was Quinn). But pretty soon I won't just be seeing my friends and family; I'll be talking to them, hugging them, jumping on them and maybe even tackling them out of sheer joy.

My last few days in South Africa were fantastic. I drove to the Drakensburg Mountains where I spent my days hiking and my nights curled up in front of a fair listening to the Olympics via the radio (talk about old school) and talking to other travelers. It was idyllic. 

Day 1: A view from the top of Witsishoek.

I had a lot of time to reflect on this past year while hiking. I had so much time for thought that I ended up reflecting upon my reflections. But I think that's a good thing because I can now clearly see what this past year was all about: people, growth and adventure.

A bedrock river channel that I came across in the
mountains.

Let's start with people. This year I met some amazing people and made some even more amazing friends. But the people who so often kept me strong and determined to do my best each and every day were my friends and family 7,000 miles away. And some of my fondest memories from this past year were "with" those friends and family members. From Google Hangout book club sessions to making international prank phone calls (Kevin and Matt), this was a year that brought me closer to friends and family. I can't wait to start visiting everybody soon!

Day 1: That's the Sentinel in the background and the
Amphitheater in the foreground. 

This year was also about growth. I grew a lot as a person and learned about my strengths and weaknesses. I grew a lot emotionally and learned how to adapt to new cultures and customs. I grew a lot as a young professional and learned about program management, grant writing, financial management and sport for development. I think even my dreams grew and I find myself often thinking about new opportunities and new paths that I hope to walk in life. 

Day 2: I found a sandstone wall that had been well-
weathered by wind and water and climbed up it.

Last but not least, this year was about adventure. I immersed myself in entirely new cultures. I travelled to seven different countries. I played soccer with plastic bags and oranges. I learned to cook new foods. I ate plants in the bush. I trekked desolate mountain trails. And I even drank fresh mountain water.

Day 2: Near the top (as high as I could climb) of a weathered sandstone
cliff face. 

People. Growth. Adventure. That's what this year was about. That's what this year was filled with. And as I move on to whatever is coming next, I hope those three things will continue to come my way. If my life continues to be filled with people, growth and adventure, then I will live and die happy. 

Day 3: Sitting in the Crack - I had to climb down into
this crevice between two mountains.

ha ti ncahm

Note: Internet is being odd right now... but check this page again I've got some videos I plan to upload!

I just finished my last full week in Kimba and what better way to spend it than leading a Skillz Street Toc? Skillz Street - as you should know by now - is Grassroot Soccer's girls-only program. It is also the program that has consumed the majority of my time, heart, soul and energy over the past seven months. After a ton of brainstorming, writing, piloting and editing (from a whole lot of people including myself) a new and improved Skillz Street curriculum has been produced. This week Thembi (Kim's Master Coach), Lerato (a coach) and I presented this finalized curriculum to Kim's female coaches and we spent a week training them at our ToC (Training of Coaches).

During the first few days the ToC leaders (Thembi, Lerato and myself) led a variety of educational sessions to provide coaches with the information necessary to do Skillz Street. We had sessions about building self-esteem, healthy and unhealthy relationship, how ARV's (anti-retrial virals) work, puberty/ menstruation and gender-based violence in South Africa. After that Thembi, Lerato and I took turns running through the 11 different Skillz Street practices with the coaches. Towards the end of the week we gave each coach the chance to "teach" the whole group a practice and give them constructive criticism on their performance. I took a ton of pictures throughout the week and compiled a Skillz Street ToC Graduation video for our coaches. It was my way of thanking them for such a great year. 

The best part about leading the ToC was that I finally got a chance to do the activities and take part in the Skillz Street discussions. I learned a tremendous amount as I sat with a group of young women whom I've grown close to and listened to what they had to say about everything from sex and gender, to their definitions of beautiful. I saw how passionate they were about certain topics (i.e. whether or not you should date older partners) and listening to them share their life experiences with me was inspiring.

Another cool aspect of our ToC was the culture sharing. One of the activities we did as a team was create a Team Anthem. We decided to make and anthem that combined music and words from all of the different languages and cultures that were present at the ToC. We ended up combining a Sotho beat with KhoiDan (a branch of KhoiSan), Afrikaans, Tswana and English words. We titled this anthem Ha Ti Ncham (the 'c' is a click), which means "I love you" in KhoiDan. How cool is that?

I had a blast this week! I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to be a part of Skillz Street this year. Skillz Street not only enabled me to build special bonds with all of the female coaches, but it also taught me a lot about myself. I pushed my boundaries - physically, mentally an emotionally - I was exposed to new ways of thinking, and I learned a lot about program development and management. I am so glad I got to spend my last week "in the field" playing and laughing, singing and dancing, sharing and listening, teaching and learning, and making new memories with GRS Kim's female coaches. It was also great to fully immerse myself in South African culture for one last week. It's incredible to think that I've been here a year, but I still have so much to learn!

Our food! We ordered food from the Taxi Rink (the place my land lord
swears only serves road kill). This particular meal is mystery meat, Domby
(a bread), and Babalas salad.

When our ToC ended on Friday I did two things; the first - I made each of the coaches a Skillz Street picture collage (you can check them out below). This collage combined pictures that I had taken throughout the year and pictures I took during the ToC. It was my gift to each of the coaches so that they could remember Skillz Street and me (I wrote little notes on the back of each collage). The second thing I did was make a promise. I promised the coaches that within the next year - so by 27 July 2013 - I would come back to Kimberley to visit. I mean to keep that promise and even though I'm saying goodbye, I'm already looking forward towards coming back!

in da hood

Soweto. Is. Da Hood. I don't care where you are from, where you have travelled or how rough your neighborhood was growing up; until you have braved the streets of Soweto - the tracks, the pickpockets, the nightlife, the street vendors and the taxi drivers - you odn't know what it really means to be in 'da hood.' Galeshewe (the township in Kimberley) has its rough and sketchy areas... but compared to Soweto, Kim's got nothing. And I give major props to Benjy and Katie, the two interns who have spent their past year working at GRS Soweto.

But this weekend Trevor and I joined up with our Joburg/ Soweto counterparts for one last big sha-bang to commemorate all the crazy adventures we've had this past year. Our first stop: Club O-Zone in the heart of Soweto and its night life. 

The whole group in the back room of The O-Zone.

Going out in Soweto (like going out anywhere) is a unique experience. Like most township bars in Galeshewe it plays great house music, has plenty of room to dance and is devoid of white people. And just like in Galeshewe, there is as much going on outside the club (vendors cooking meat, taxi drivers trolling around, cars blaring music and other general debauchery) as there was inside the club.

Trevor busting some moves on the dance floor.

Me weaving my way through the dance floor.

Some of the group in a corner of the dance floor.

What was different about The O-Zone though, was that it was cleaner, bigger and much more modern looking than the bars and clubs Trevor and I have come to frequent in Galeshewe.

On the car ride home (back to Joburg, rather) I couldn't help but reflect on how different I feel going out in the townships now; a year ago I was timid, reserved and never left Trevor's side. Now I am much more comfortable; I'll order drinks at the bar without an entourage, I'll talk to pretty much anyone (I've also gotten good at escaping from unending conversations), I'll leave Trevor so he can flirt easier, and I'll even dance! (Note to the parents: I also am good at minding my surroundings so I don't get pick-pocketed.)

Day two in Soweto was perfect. We went to a Buy & Braii (you buy raw meat by the kilo and then give it to a chef to braii/ BBQ). WHIle waiting for our meat to cook we pulled a soccer ball out of our car and started kicking around. And this is what makes the township such an amazing place: within minutes, four boys had gathered near our kick-about and asked to play. Trevor, Benjy, X (one of the GRS Soweto coaches) and I started a game against these four Sowetan boys (probably ages 8 - 13). After five minutes two more boys joined the Lil' Sowetans Team. And soon after that we had more players, an audience of all ages and a few cheerleaders. Just another day in the middle of a bustling township!

The group in the middle of Soweto.

Benjy schooling the Lil' Sowetan team.

Our soccer field. In the background you can see the Buy & Braii (left)
and some township homes.

We went to dinner at a Mexican restaurant and Trevor and Benjy
shared the biggest burrito!

Sunday morning rolled around and I had no desire to call an end to the weekend and return to Kimba. So when Trevor and I arrived at the train station only to find out that all means of public transportation back to Kim were sold out, I did a happy dance! Privately, of course...

Hot chocolate!

It was an idyllic lazy Sunday. We went to two different markets - a food market and an African craft market - in the city. We swapped a lot of sotries and memories. We indulged on hot chocolate with marshmallows and Amarula. Trevor and Katie cooked a delicious stir-fry while Benjy and I concocted brewed a delectable tea. And to top it all off, we snuggled up on the couch to watch I Love You, Man. It was the best way to end a fun-filled weekend in da hood.

Snuggling on the couch.

on my way again

Exactly two weeks from today, I will finish up my last day of work with Grassroot Soccer Kimberley, pack my bags and hit the road. I cannot even begin to describe how bitter-sweet my impending departure is, nor can I justly extol the incredible people that I have met throughout the past year. But I can say that I am ready and excited to be on my way once again.

The last time I went on my way, I knew right where I was going: Kimberley, South Africa. This time though, I have no idea where I'm heading. That in itself is a little daunting... I have spent the past few months applying to a plethora of jobs and even had some interviews, but thus far, my efforts have done nothing but produce the realization that I am not "experienced" enough for the likes of prospective employers... Major buzz kill. A year ago I could excitedly tell people that I was on my way to South Africa and now all I get to say is that I'm on my way to... my parents house.

But at least I'm still moving. When I created this blog a year ago, I thought long and hard about what I wanted to call it. I like words a lot and I didn't want to settle for a mundane title like "Lauren in Kimberley." The title I finally chose was inspired by Rusted Root's song, Send Me On My Way. I love this song. It's simple, albeit a little confusing, it's got an uplifting beat and I felt that I could really relate to the repetition of "on my way" throughout the song. A year ago I was on my way to what ended up being the greatest adventure of my lifetime. Today I am happy to still be on my way. I don't really care where I end up because as the song (and hopefully my blog) suggest, the best part is the journey. 

And even though I am a little discouraged with the whole joblessness thing, I'm still pretty excited to be on my way. I have no job, no apartment, no steady income and no attachments. The world is my proverbial oyster. I can do just about anything, I guess. I could bike across a continent. I could become an ice-picker in Antartica. I could open my own kota stand in the States. Or I could wrap things up in Kim, road trip through South Africa and go spend a week with my family in Cape Cod. And that last option is exactly what I plan on doing!

i'm gonna miss this

I'm really glad my family came to visit me in South Africa. It was nice geting to show them the country that has become my second home. And even though I only took them to Halfrica/ fake Africa (the parts of Africa that have a plethora of wealthy white residents), they saw township shantys, explored beautiful countryside, partook in certain local customs, drank local wine and even ate South African cuisine!

One thing that surprised me about our trip was that after I left Kimberley, after I entered cities where I wasn't familiar with the local languages at all (and had to speak English like any other tourist), after I spent more than a day in Halfrica, I realized just how much I'm gonna miss this place.

I'm going to miss the food - African spices, pap and the delectable sauces that always accompany it, spakloh and kotas, potato chips (I'm tearing up just thinking about not having my Sweet Chili Doritos), chakalaka, Wellington's Sweet Chili Sauce (there isn't a dish I won't slather in Wellington's), South African pizza and the mouth-watering combinations they're willing to try, Chock-its, Cadburry hot chocolate mis, and the free rande, high quality cuts of meat.

I'm going to miss the soccer - the omnipresence of supporters and team flags, the pick-up games around every township corner and the soccer fields squeezed into different landscapes.

I'm going to miss the environment - the diverse landscapes, plants and animals. I'm going tom iss the sunsets in Kim - Kim is devoid of a skyline and instead of skyscrapers and sprawling trees, I get a fantastic view of the sun as it sets every day. I'm going to miss the weather! Sure, I've bitched and moaned about the scorching sun that boils blood as well as the cold winter air that penetrates four layers of clothing, but for most of the year the weather is very pleasant. There is no humidity, the air is fresh and its very pleasant to be outside.

I'm going to miss the township scene - sitting behing shantys with some of my guy friends as they drink and smoke and shoot the breeze; listening to House music (and dancing occasionally) at Telos Place; hanging out with coaches at Hulana Park; and being recognized as a Grassroot Soccer Coach by dozens of kids.


I'm going to miss Skillz Street. So much of my past year has been dominated by Skillz Street and it has been incredibly fulfilling to see my program suggestions become a reality. I also don't know the next time I will have the opportunity to help craft an incredible program that has the power to affect positive change in the lives of young girls.

I'm going to miss the daily interactions - greeting everyone I see, whether I recognize them or not; listening to people's stories from the past day, month or year; getting big smiles when I speak the lieelt bits of Tswana that I know; having people take an interest in why I am here and wanting to get to know me more; and joking with Stretch and Mpho every time I go get spakloh.

And last but certainly not least, I'm going to miss the people. From interns to coaches, from roomies to landlords, a lot of people have mad a difference in my life this past year. And I'm going to miss them.

this is how you do Cape Town

I have been to Cape Town several times now and as much as I love the beaches, the wine lands, the gardens, the cafes and the culture, when I brought my family to Cape Town there was only one thing I insisted that they had to do: climb Lion's Head.

The day we chose to hike Lion's Head was quite blustery. And even more foggy. In fact, the fog was so thick along the walk that there were times when it was hard to see more than five meters ahead. But my brothers and I were undeterred and we scampered all over the mountain. 

Our favorite part was definitely the rock climbing section. But I also really enjoyed being engulfed by the clouds. It was a creepy yet cool feeling.

A picture of Camp's Bay (where we were staying) and the 12 Apostles
covered in fog. Taken in between the clouds. 

My brothers and I made it to the top just as the weather began to clear up.

And this is why Lion's Head is my favorite part of Cape Town: the views are always breath-taking!

Hiking Lion's Head with my brothers was great. We took a ton of goofy pictures, talked about life sang Disney songs and actually bonded. I'm pretty sure my brothers would agree with me - hiking Lion's Head is the best way to do Cape Town. 

when the world is falling out of your bottom

I didn't have Internet access during the final week of my family's visit so I wasn't able to post any updates! But that was probably a good thing... we drove a lot of kilometers, overcame worldly bottoms, ate delicious chocolate mousse, engaged in family-bad-habit-competitions and did the sorts of things that I think are best not shared with outsiders... Instead of explaining what happens when a family of five spends every waking moment together for two weeks, I think its best to save face and just show you some of our family pictures. So here you have it: Oh my gosh! The Lamp Family Vacation, Week 2.

We toured Cango Caves.

We opted for the Adventure tour that had us crawl through tunnels, slide
down cave shafts and squeeze through tight spaces.  

We stopped over in Mossel Bay for some rest and relaxation.

It was a little cold for swimming, but we all touched the Indian Ocean.

Cape Agulhas. The southernmost point of the African continent.

The Cape of Good Hope.

Climbing rocks at the Cape of Good Hope.

A very typical Lamp Family scenario - one brother trying to kill me,
the other could care less.

At the water's edge.

Climbing the old fortress and battlements. 

Boulder Beach! Penguins were nesting and we saw lots of baby penguins.

The walks along the beach brought us really
close to the penguins.

One of the many beautiful images captured during our many drives.

We did a lot of other things too. We explored the Castle of Good Hope, we roamed through Greenmarket Square, we visited Robben Island and Nelson Mandela's prison cell, and we ate. A lot. I guess that's what families do on vacation; one activity, followed by a meal, followed by a siesta, then another meal, then maybe an activity and last but not least - dinner, drinks and cookies.