VCU School of Nursing News Archive

Note from Cortney in South Africa

Hi everyone!!!
So far I am here in South Africa and I am safe. It’s beautiful. The first day we got here we were all tired and jet lagged so we pretty much got in and went to bed. The next day we went on a tour of the townships and saw some of the rural places in Port Elizabeth and what happened to the city during the aparthaid. It was pretty eye opening. I got some really good pictures of cute little kids in the town.

We got to go on a safari yesterday. It was AMAZING! I held a baby lion. YES I DID! And I saw an impala…and nooooo not that car…the little thing the car was named after. Crazy I know. It was great…plus my tour guide was gorgeous so that was great too. Haha.
The accents here are wonderful. Today Janel, Jessica and I spent all day pretending we spoke like them. I think we have the hang of it. We can fool anyone. Haha. We had a little orientation of the school (It’s the nelson mandela university here in PE). Tomorrow we have an orientation of the nursing stuff we will be doing. After our orientation we went to the mall. I don’t think a lot of us realized how cold it was going to be. It’s freezing!!!! Well, it was freezing until today where it got up to like 80 where i decided to wear a sweater. That figures. We ended up going to the beach today bit, but it was bloody windy when we got there (do you like my new vocab words?).
Everything is very reasonable price wise here. We ended up picking up some avocados for about 23 cents a piece. Take that you bad cholesterol. Haha i am such a nerd. We just picked up a six pack of Cider (that’s for you Gal) for about 5 dollars. Brilliant!
I haven’t really been in any dodgy areas so far. Everyone seems very very friendly. We found a great place to kareoke on thursday nights. You all know that I will be doing that. Let’s all take bets on what I will be singing. I have been practicing on our bus rides with Mica, Jessica and Margaret a lot. They play some pretty darn amazing music. I am pretty sure we did an amazing duet on the bus of linda ronstandt and lionel ritchie the other day that made the bus driver cry. He was literally in tears. I offered him my sleeve. It’s a good thing it’s winter here and I even had sleeves on to offer him.
So anyway, How is everyone else doing? How are my wonderful sorority sisters? Stacey are u getting excited for the big day?! I am still sad I am missing it, but I will think about you every minute! Mom and Dad…no use in writing to you becasue you are sailing the carribean. I am taking practice NCLEX on the plane…the other people think I am crazy. Andy, don’t you remember when I would write you everyday from Peru and you would write me these random stories back…can u believe I am doing this all over again?! I didn’t have enough of it. Make up a story now about me and a tribe where I am a princess. Erin, you were right…i am eating too much…it’s true. Farouk, I love the wine here…you totally need to come drink wine here!
Michelle I got your email but I will not be in the states in August on the 6th:( Sadness about life. I will have to visit london sometime for real. I want to travel over the world. I want to get the rest of my passport filled by the time it’s 2012. Mac, I am having a great time. Thanks for the email. It is cheaper over here than in the states for the majority of stuff…only if you have a job. haha. Thomas…you me and princeton when I get back…it’s a date. Gal…I saw monkeys. I know i told you this already but seriously I saw them. and I tried to get their feet, but they wanted to keep them, but don’t think I am not going to keep looking. I am going to live with a family for the weekend and I will be asking them to teach me traditional dances so we will swap when I come visit you when I get back….when I come visit in LA…hear that Kim…I will be in LA so you and I will be together again:)
OK I miss everyone. I will write again. PS. I will be going bungee jumping from the highest point in the world this weekend at 650 ft so pray for me.:)
Love you all!
Cortney and all the other names you love to call me

Categories Students