helloooo

so my pictures from vacation are up! here is a taste: the elephants by the car is about to charge them. i think i forgot to mention that had happened. well it did, and it was sweet.




here is the link : http://picasaweb.google.com/thereseclaxton/KrugerNationalPark

today is the national taxi strike--lots of businesses are not even opening because there is no way for people to get to them. the economy here really just relies on taxis. the point is to shut it down to protest high food prices and the like (read about it). i don't like the idea of the strike, however, because ordinary people can't get to work. they are the ones that suffer. i don't think that the south african government really cares too much about missing a day of work anyways--in june they just made a holiday for no reason on a friday, so the work week was only 2 days long. south african economists said that this lost the country billions (of Rand, $1=R7.5). so, like i said, they don't care, so what is the freaking point??

i went to durban last weekend. it was warm and balmy. durban is awesome. if you people come and visit me i will take you there, promise. however, it is very similar to the us, so for all you people who still live there it probably will not be that exciting. whatever, i just like the fact that it was 10-15 degrees hotter than where i live (because i live in the mountains/the elevation is high).

this weekend i am back to washing my clothes and buying groceries and all those exciting errands. however, during the day i will be WATCHING THE OLYMPICS, which (can you tell?) I am super psyched about. i love the freaking olympics. my tv doesn't really get pictures, per say, so we will see how this goes. this means it is mostly all sound. however, it does seem to pick up pictures around 10pm so hopefully it will be on then! it will be fun to root for my 'adopted' country. hopefully we will get at least 4 medals or something. i think we have good swimmers.

sadly, i don't have much more to report from the african side of the world--however, from the american side--if you haven't heard, my brother is engaged! it's pretty crazy because i have never met his soon to-be-wife, because they started dating about a week after i had left. nuts. anyways, i approve of the fast engagement (like that matters anyway, hah!) and think they may try and get married next year. this means i would be gracing america with my presence in 2009. i hope america can handle me! i'm hoping i don't explode from culture shock or die in a car accident driving on the wrong side of the road.

i'm feeling good about today.

oops, i do have more "africa related news". my organization has gotten a grant from the US Embassy ("funded by the People of the United States of America"--thanks, guys) to open an income generating bakery. i'm going to try and finagle this into becoming one of my main projects. pretty exciting! i will keep you posted.

ok ok i have nothing else to report...lame.

miss you all!

<3