This picture was taken in Bilene, in Mozambique. Over the holidays Aissa and I got to go with LIz and her family to this beautiful beach. It was so much fun. I'll post a pic showing the lagoon where we swam, later...My dad keeps telling me I should write. Its not that I don't want to...its just that it is kindof overwhelming... :) I don't ever know what to include or what to leave out of blogs. Are they supposed to be deep and meaningful, or can one simply say what they're thinking about that day or what they've been doing?? I seem to include details on all of the above every time I write so I'll just stick to what I know haha.
You know what stinks?? I went to the orthodontist yesterday...so EXCITED because it was THE day I was getting my braces off!! YAY... but NOO, I went to get them off ryte?? And I came back not only WITH them on, but WITH rubber bands as a bonus!! HOw cool is that!? lol. :) He said my bottom teeth need to move 1 more millimetre...(dude...a millimetre??) so I have to wear bands for a month and THEN I can get my braces off... sigh. Oh well...at least they will be off for my birthday...hopefully...
It is now the 3rd week of I.B. (which is a 2 year pre-university course I'm doing) and I can't even believe how much work I have. I should be doing it right now...but I was stressing about what all I was going to say in my blog, so I figured I'd go ahead and do this. Plus...I seem to be really good at procrastinating unfortunately :) So...usually in IB there are a few weird, random, crazy people who come as international students from around the world...but in our class of 120...everyone is AWESOME!! Seriously...we have an amazing group!! I dont know everyones name yet, but I'm getting there. I now have friends from Bermuda, Cayman Islands, Kenya, Zimbabwe, England, Norway, Finland, Italy, Argentina, Afghanistan, India, more from Ethiopia, Mozambique, and many other places. (even some cute guys ;) haha. Everyone is really cool and its been fun getting to know them. There are even two from the USA...which has been nice. We have conversations about how much we miss pop tarts and easy mac and krispy kreme and tootsie rolls and basically everything...in math class. Yea its sooo much more fun than doing exponential equations :)
There are even a few Christians, a really cool group from Kenya, who were so happy to find out they weren't alone. We even have become really close with our SRC president (student rep) Vivian, who is in IB 2 and I think is the ONLY Christian in IB 2. Now that there is HEaling Place Church Swaziland...we have somewhere to go for fellowship and just to experience God in such a real way. 412 is kicking off big this new year and God is already doing great things...
Quite a few Waterford students have been coming to HPC on Sundays, there is a bis that brings them to church and back to school, as well as on Friday nights for youth. HPC is all about being real and connecting with other believers...and going though life together...the students at my school love that! Lizette, Seipati, Ziyanda, Tukiya, and I are all youth leaders at HPC and LOVING being a part of 412. I had been leading worship at 412 and playing guitar at church on Sundays, but I haven't lately because I had to take a little break off from leadership. Just to get some things in order.
I got mugged just after New Years...two guys held me and my friend Ntsiki at knife point and stole our phones. That was a big wake up call for me... they took my phone, my soccer cleats, and my Bible...3 of the most important things in my life...they each represent something which so easily can take the place of God in my life. It was scary, but I thank God we didn't get hurt and that God spoke to me through it... I'm still trying to find my way, I'll get there... I kinda find myself wishing I didn't have to grow up, a lot. The more I grow, the more I realize how bad this world really is and how easy it is for me to fail everyone I love...including God. When I was little, life was sweet, easy, and when I messed up it was always easy to fix the mistake...because I learned not to do certain things as they ended in punishment, or pain in some way or the other. Its still the same...the consequenses part anyway...only that the consequences now are soooo much worse and doing the wrong thing is so much easier. Ahhhh life... But hey, we all have to grow up. We all have to see the world for what it really is...a really messed up place, with really messed up people...all in desperate need of salvation, peace, and love from the only One who can clean up our messed up lives...
The past 3 weeks I have been training with the number one team in SD, Muchachas Ladies FC. Theis coach asked me to play with them in the Shosholoza tournament a few months back and I finally got my coach to release me to play with them. The tournament was this past weekend, here in Mbabane. This tournament is HUGE...each year it is hosted by either Mozambique, SA, Angola, or SD (the countries involved). This year there were two teams from here: Kappa ladies (number 2 in the country) and Muchachas. 2 teams from SA : Flamingos, and Nigel. And one from Mozambique: Ajax. Since my team wasn't in the tournament and I really wanted to be a part of it...not just for the soccer but for the experience...I was sooooo excited when my coach released me to play with Muchachas. I trained with them for 3 weeks...and it was the best training I've had in a while. Real, professional training...on a NICE field. It was like being back in the US. I loved it. And I became really close with the girls on the team. I was a bit nervous about the weekend though because we stayed at a hotel called Esibayeni, so that the coach could make sure we all got enough rest, we weren't drinking or smoking (some girls on the team have a problem with these 2 things), we were bonding before the games, and so that he could give us plenty team talks lol. I was nervous because at first I was only really close to Ntsiki...and i though maybe they would only speak Siswati and leave me out... But the lady coach (thats what they call her :) told them to include me and try to speak English sometimes so I could understand. It was funny because sometimes they would be talking in Siswati to me or to each other and then I would answer back in English and they were so surprised that I understood what they were saying. I can pick up a few things, but I cant answer in Siswati. I was shocked too.
The weekend was interesting, shocking at times, but SOOO MUCH FUN!! I really became close to them...and we won FIRST PLACE!! KFC sponsored the tournament with like 95000 rand, and they gave us lunch everyday...yummy. :) We got a big trophy, or kept it because Muchachas won last year too...and silver medals. Oh and I got to keep a few things like shirts and bags that say Muchachas...which I was very thankful for because I love that team. There were pictures of us playing in both newspapers Monday and tuesday this week. I wish I could post them but there not on the website, or atleast I cant find them. I am saving the papers though cuz there are some funny pictures of me. I was the only white chick...as usual hehe. I love it!!! Oh and Saturday night...we had a big braii with all the teams, with speeches and a talent show and dance etc...it was so cool to meet the other teams and just hang out with everyone. Sunday after we won...I cried. I love my team, but the connection I have with them and with the girls on Muchachas is different. Im close to 2 people on my team, the 2 I can talk to because they are the only ones that can speak good English... On Muchachas I feel like Im part of the team and Im close to everyone. Not only that but the way they play...wow. I wish you could watch. They really play as a team and have such great coaching. They said there is always a place on the team for me and I really hope my parents let me play for them next season so I can improve and play that kindof game again...I really miss it. Its still my dream to play in university so I would love to take this opportunity to get better these last 2 years I'm here. Anyways...I'm probably boring you to death...haha. Sorry. One more thing...sigh...we're playing Muchachas this weekend...my mom promised my team KFC if we win...so hopefully. Im kind of sad about playing against them... My dad said the only way we will win is if they have a bad day, and we have a really good one. haha. Sounds mean, but its true... Not many people come to training on my team so we don't exactly play as a team. We'll see what happens though...we have beaten Muchachas before u know... :)
What else?? Oh...I got my IGCSE (final high school results) and they were pretty good. I got a distinction.
English Lit A*
English Lang A
History A
Biology A*
PE Studies A*
Spanish A*
Physics A
Chemistry B
Maths B
I was pretty happy about them. I'm really enjoying some of the classes I'm taking in IB now. I'm doing History (higher), Bio (higher), and English (higher). Spanish (standard), Maths (standard), Siswati (standard), and T.O.K. (theory of knowledge)
I love English...the poetry we are doing is sooo cool. I never thought I would appreciate poetry so much. T.O.K. is very challenging at times, we question things like our existance and perception and belief vs. knowledge etc. It leaves me lost at times, but its never boring!!
I have a TON of homework to do so I better go get to work. I know this was basically like a news report on whats been going on...no deep or interesting stuff. Next time :) I could always tell you my latest T.O.K question and then you could help me think of an answer....please??
The latest one is : "We see the world not as it is, but as we are." Comments...
God bless!!!
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