My First World Cup Game!

Here are some pictures from my first World Cup game - Argentina vs. Korea at Soccer City in Joburg!


Argentina fan area












I didnt get pictures from the USA vs. Algeria game but it was a crap game until the very end when Lando scored and I have pics from the USA vs. Ghana game and Spain vs. Paraguay game coming!

Habitat Build

The new people in the office were lucky enough to get a day off (hehe) to go build a house! Well some of a house. I wasn't too happy about getting dirty but I did not show it because I was really excited to see Habitat work on a grassroots level. So I mixed cement with dirt (but got my shovel taken away, apparently I didnt have the right form), carried plywood with my BARE hands (on my shoulder-felt pretty legit), painted oil on things to protect from water damage and mostly, I played with the neighborhood kids. Here are some pictures from the day- Oh, I also got into my first car accident in SA, just a fender bender from a lady with no insurance, id, passport- just another story for you folks!

















So this is just a small glimpse at the work Habitat is doing in Africa. We also renovate houses, give loans so families can build incrementally, build houses for free for Orphans and Vulnerable Children and give community education classes. If you get a free minute, check out the website www.habitat.org/ame (PSA over!)

I scored some tickets to Argentina vs. Korea tomorrow at Soccer City so stay tuned for those sweet pictures!

USA vs. Australia

Last Saturday I attended the USA vs. Australia friendly and it was AMAZING. Thanks to my pop's friend, this girl had first row seats and saw the husband UP CLOSE! Security was INSANE though and they weren't allowed near the fans..don't think I didn't think about jumping that fence..all's fair in love and war. Oh, and David Beckham was there. nbd.

Heyyy Husband (that doesn't know it yet)


Check out the assets! hehe





So excited!


A little Tim Howard action


Clint Dempsey- who I learned by watching this game has a very short temper..and I like it!


Landon love for Em


DAVID!




And that is just a practice game, think how awesome it will be/how jealous you will be when I am at the actual game! How fun. For me that is :)

Tomorrow, Habitat is taking all the new people on a build around Joburg. Which means I will be getting down and dirty (PPL)! Pictures to come!

***Note: I know that I look SUPER stalker-like with these pictures but it's all in good fun. If Carlos and/or anyone that knows him is reading, know that I ain't a crazy. Unless he wants to get hitched, in that case lez do dis. ***

Friday JAM

I first heard this song about 7 years ago when I was in SA...and its still on the radio. A true classic. Enjoy your weekend y'all!

7 Things

1. I heard the Spice Girls and the Quad City DJs (Cmon Ride the Train- Fun Fact: I made the DJ at my dad and stepmom's wedding play this jam- looking back I can't believe they allowed me to get down to that..I was 8yrs old-thanks guys for putting up with that) at the crappy equivalent of Forever 21 this weekend. It made me happy.

2. I got these.


3. I saw SATC2 and I don't know how I feel about it.

4. The USA team has a friendly next weekend and I am going! And I'm not eating for a week (I kid, I kid - see below)

5. I made homemade hummus. Mom, you would be proud.

6. I had the best cappuccino this weekend. The foam was made so well, it had the thickness of cream. Bravo, little cafe around the corner.

7. I got some exciting job prospect news!

PS- A driving dog! (Em, I can hear you making the "eeeeeee" noise)


and FLAN- thought of you!

Patriotism!

So here is the Shakira and Freshly Ground OFFICIAL video for the World Cup. At first, I could not stand it but it has grown on me. There's a lot of hype here as to why the South African band is just back up and that Shakira is singing in the first place when it should be an African artist but whatevs.



And Freshly Ground, which if you went to UF, is like Umoja Orchestra...you can listen to their most popular song below.

Miss Me??

Sorry I have been so scarce lately...I have been all over da joint. So the latest and greatest news I have is of my latest adventure to Durban, a typical tourist hot spot here. Even though its winter here right now, Durbs is summer all year long and FILLED with Indian influences (you know how I feel about Indian culture- if you don't, I love it) so I'm expecting some nice tropical vacay. WRONG. It was the scariest (like 7 year old kids huffing into coke bottles at 6pm on a street corner kind of scary) with a mediocre helping of Indian food. I did mess up and get curry instead of the beloved bunny chows, which consist of a spicy curry inside a hollowed out bread loaf..and kind of looks like this (its not the prettiest looking thing but its supposed to be the bomb dot com):



I did get a chance to touch the Indian ocean though-which is always warm- compared to the Atlantic, which is found in Cape Town. Durbs is also known for the Zulu people that live in the area and are mostly hawkers, or street vendors. I tried to bargain with these people but I get too nervous and the convo ususally goes like this..

Me: How much for this?
Hawker: R35
Me: How about for two?
H: I give you good price- R50
Me: How about R15 for one?
H: You're dumb (with their eyes that is)

I am terrible at this. They totally see right through me and I just end up walking away. Like a straight up chump.

In other news, I don't have a job or a ticket home yet. I get kicked out of the country on June 29th so I must get it togetha

Lookie Lookie

Got these beauties today!






Tickets! And my lunchbox (don't hate, this girl loves her some pink) and Water for Elephants (its an awesome book)



Look how big they are- I used my phone for a point of reference! (Yes, Im rocking lunberjack pj pants with my Uggs...straight up gangsta..they kind of look like Tims haha)

Lusito Land!

Heeyyy there! Here are some pictures from the weekend- I totally forgot about taking pictures at the Wine and Oyster Festival...I was preoccupied ya know? We had copious amounts of wine and oysters with tabasco and lemon, biltong, olives, cheese and made so many friends haha. Isnt that always the case? What I will say is that you should all go and find South African wines, especially pinotages, (Toasted Pheasant take note!) because they are better than pinot noirs. They. are. amazing.



We also celebrated my cousin Carol's birthday that day. Since we ate all that cake the previous weekend, I baked fairycakes (cupcakes)...who doesn't love cake in a travel ready form??





After all of our wining and dining, my cousin decided to take a whole bucket full of wine glasses..it WAS her birthday after all!

The next day, we celebrated the Portuguese culture by eating GOOD food, riding scary carnival rides and eating some more. First, we caught my cousin doing the damn thing with her dance group:



Then we ate...(I forgot to take a picture of the Prego roll, which is thinly sliced steak in a spicy sauce on a crusty roll, it kinda looks like this but no greens- its all about the meat (that's what she said) (i miss the office-i cant watch hulu here, it's illegal)




We also had a "fartura" which is a churro but flat and giant. Take that
Dani! You and your Californian speciality churros!



We also had a "candy floss" (cotton candy) that was as big as my cousin.



And what else do you do after you eat all that crap?



Go on super fast-make me want to puke- rides! We did this one, which whips your neck until it almost breaks- another one sort of like the Phoenix at Busch Gardens that rocks back and forward and swings over- and we also did the one that swings you in a circle (that ironically is called the "Mexican Wave" which is the SA version of our "wave" - sorry to all my mexican peeps, they dont even know why its called that) It was then that we decided to bounce but we couldnt forget a classic before we left!



This was straight up Portuguese prawn goodness..like pulling off their little legs and sucking their heads good. Except I can't get myself to suck their brains...it just feels wrong. They were tasty though. Sadly, the chips were crap. And that was the weekend...btw the new series we are currently watching at my weekend home is The Good Wife..and its [good].

And it is FREEZING in this country. Winter is coming so quickly and the *great* thing about South African houses is that they don't have insulation a.k.a. heating! Should be an interesting couple of months. Holler.

Make the Circle Beeeggaaa!

This song is all the RaGe in the clubz.

Weekend Update

Lizzie! (didnt get one of the other runt)

Forest! (Elaine named him that because he had a walk like Forrest Gump! haha)

It was this guy's birthday - I made him wear the "I am 2" and "I am 3" to make the 23 hehe


Here's his cake. Pretty sweet huh? My Aunt Gwen made this one.

And this one. Taylor is looking delish..and best believe he was :)


And this one too. My other cousin's superhero cake! After we got into it...


We gave her candles that you can't blow out...hehe



What goes better with cake than mini juice box sizes of wine?? You could fit a bunch of those in a purse ya dig? (but I didn't, promise!)


Look at that little prince. He calls me "Ah-ten" as in "Ah-ten come chase me (until you pass out)"


So it was a weekend full of birthday parties, braais, tv and sleeping in. Next weekend more birthdays and Lusito Land! Yay for Friday!

Look what I found!

I think I like this version better than the American one! Who wouldn't love a Snugget?!

Guess what I'm making this weekend?? Cheesy Potato Casserole (the one with cornflakes on the top!) I'm going to throw a little Americana at these South Africans! Should make my little cousin's birthday a hit!

Bowling was a hit - turns out most of my team had never bowled and had never heard of Queen's Another One Bites the Dust...? The good news is we were "released" at noon! Ended up getting some drinks in the square and am now heading to my other home. Have a fab weekend.