Not really experiencing a new country

Fenced in
Originally uploaded by ccarlstead

While it is true that I'm in South Africa, I can't really say that I feel like I'm experiencing much of a new country. I have ridden in a car from the airport to the American International School of Johannesburg (AISJ) where my program is taking place, gone to the mall for supplies, and wandered around campus. That is pretty much it. The majority of my time is going to be taken up with coursework and reading (gosh it has been a long time since I was a student). The few things I have noticed have mostly been from out of the window of the bus. The country is dry and brown right now, although I can see how it could turn quite lush during the wet season. I'm glad I'm not having to deal with the rain, although it is a bit odd to be in the middle of winter. Everything is fenced in. And much of the fencing seems to be electric. I can't figure out why this is. If they just feel like they need to make it that imposing, or if the fencing is also to keep out some sort of wildlife (really, I have no clue). I'm also struggling to adjust to being a country where everyone speaks English. I didn't realize how much that effected my daily interactions, but it does. I find myself having to hold back Turkish daily phrases and am working to make sure that I actually greet everyone I come across.

It looks like my program is going to be pretty intense. What can I expect for only 3 weeks? There is an interesting group of fellow students. Among them a Brit living in Uganda, various Americans living in China, Japan, and Cameroon, a woman from Nigeria, a Cameroonian, A Ugandan who is on the Olympic (national) swim team (500m freestyle), and a man from Zimbabwe, as well a few people that are working at the school here in Johannesburg. Its a good mix and makes for some interesting conversations. I think we'll be going out on some field trips this weekend, so hopefully I'll get to see a bit of what Johannesburg has to offer.