First week completed! And already a new apartment...

Howzit? Which means something like "How are you", and is a phrase that I hear about 20 times a day whenever I engage in conversation with someone. So I've officially been here for a week and completed my first week of work! It has been enlightening, fun, rewarding, frightening, happy, sad, and pretty much a complete whirlwind.

To start, I am already wearing a number of different hats at BigShoes. I work on their database, I answer the telephone, I invite people to events and make invitations, I make diagrams, I see patients, I visit facilities, I do research...in short it's never boring! And I am still loving it and learning new things everyday. I also did my first day of volunteering at Friends of the Children's Hospital, which is the volunteer organization within Red Cross. Basically all I did all day is do puzzles, read books, play with Legos, color, and go on rounds through the E2 ward handing out toys and trying to squeeze smiles out of the patients and their families. You really have the chance to see how much the patients and families appreciate the relief and attention, and all the playing helps the kids get their minds off where they are and why they are there. As soon as I come through the doors of the ward with my cart, they all just run to me smiling, tugging on my apron, and telling me what they want to play with. The best is when you can crack a smile from the kid that isn't happy at all when you get there. The worst is when it's time to leave and the kid starts whining, won't let go of the toy bag, and then proceeds to hit you (yes this actually happened). It's nice that I will be doing this every Friday because besides being slapped by a three-year-old I really enjoyed it.

Last night I went with 11 other girls to Madame Zingara's 10 Years of Dreams. Celebrating 10 years of shows, it's a "dinner cirque spectacular" that is in one of the last remaining mirror tents in the world. I wasn't quite sure when I signed up if I really wanted to go, but I thought it would be a good way to meet some of the other girls. I'm really glad I went. It was an amazing show, with an incredible four course meal and some very interesting entertainment. Besides the antipasta appetizer, pasta, and three type dessert, I got the filet with chili chocolate sauce for my main course.

I also got a new apartment! You're probably thinking "What? I thought you just moved there a week ago?" Trust me, I'm thinking the same thing. Since my old roommate Natascha went home this past Wednesday I was set to be in my apartment alone until the end of the month when I moved to a different apartment. It turns out that the girl currently living in the apartment I was moving into in October doesn't have a roommate, so they asked if I wanted to move in early. It's actually a nicer apartment then the one I was currently in and has an AMAZING view of Table Mountain and Lion's Head so I gladly obliged. Funny because I finally decided it would be a good idea to unpack all my stuff since I'd been here nearly a week and then they call telling me to move. So I'm taking the weekend to move my stuff but this new apartment means I now have working internet! Hooray! I'll have to upload a picture of the view as soon as it's light out, but for now here's a picture of my new room:

Tomorrow, a bunch of the girls and I are going to Stellenbosch, a gorgeous town about an hour east of Cape Town. It's home to Stellenbosch University which apparently has some fun places to go out. We are going out and staying in a hostel tomorrow night, and then plan on going to Moyo there on Sunday. Moyo is an African buffet with entertainment and traditional African face painting. You can even see a cheetah sanctuary, ride an ostrich, and hold tiny owls (don't worry Amy, I'll take pictures for you). Needless to say, I'm excited! I'll have to update you on how it goes!