Day One South Africa

So my parents dropped me off at DIA around 11:30 pm and before I had even started to go through security, Dad had managed to lose one of his precious bouncy balls into the maze of security ropes. Good thing there were all of 10 people in the airport (that includes security). I went through the ropes and bounced the ball back before heading off on my next big adventure!

 The plane ride to JFK was fairly uneventful; I sat in the very back row next to that seldom seen fat asian man who took up more than his fair share of the seat. Then I waited around JFK for a few hours - also fairly uneventful. 

We boarded for the JFK to Johannesburg 15 straight hour flight in the biggest plane I've ever been in. They started the boarding with row 70 and there were 8 seats to a row where I sat. The guy who randomly sat down next to me was coincidentally enough heading to Mossel Bay for the same internship! Crazy! Also a very nice South African man with a great accent but horrible breath sat on my other side. (Heads up: on planes that big the F seat isn't the window seat, so don't get your hopes up). 

15 hours later and WHAM! I'm in South Africa! I waited in the customs line with my new intern friend but lost him as soon as I got through. But it was ok, I wasn't worried, I was very distracted. Because the New Zealand All Blacks were coming out of the customs line right behind me! There were so many of them! And they were Huge! And Beautiful! (side note: literally every time I go to the airport I wish for something like this to happen! and this time it actually did!!!!! I was so so so so so so so freaking excited!!!!)  They were all there! right there in front of my face! I walked past their baggage claim like 4 times! and then waited to go to my next gate until they came out with all of their bags. I was trying to get the attention of their captain to get his signature, but I had to settle for the really cute player who was standing next to him. I'm totally ok with that! 

On the way to George, SA, my final stop I rode the bus next to these 4 little South African children traveling by themselves. They were very nice, but the older sister had to translate every thing the little brother asked me because I couldn't understand anything he was saying. 

I made it to George and got picked up by my new research people and there was a group of probably ten of us there. Once we were all there we drove the 20 minutes to Mossel Bay! 

Our hotel is pretty nice. We have a pool right outside our room. There are 4 of us crammed into a pretty small room, but I think it will be really fun. There's a British girl, and Australian girl, and an American in my room. They all seem very nice. 

Then most of the group of new interns walked across the road a ways to a really nice beach! There were some surfers out and Seal Island where all of the sharks hang out were in sight. The  water was pretty chilly, but not freezing. Then we spotted a bar on a hilltop overlooking the ocean. We went there and had a few beers and watched the Springboks beat the Wallabies! Overall a pretty perfect day!