Funk Stop: Orientation Week

They woke me up and we went to a braii, a cookout. I almost ate a sausage cause I misinterpreted it to be a hot dog. I pretended to eat it. Then we had to do these serenade things where we sing these songs with words that go to real songs, but have all of these sexual innuendos. Every morning of that week, orientation week, we had to sing to the boys houses, and then do like speed dating to get to meet people. I skipped every other day because I was out partying so late and they wanted us up at like 6 am. The next night there was this huge Jazz concert, where they give away free wine and everyone just gits down, did that up and then hit the bars. Didn’t get that drunk but shit sure was cheap!!!

The first morning I got in contact with my family and people from home I heard there was a fire at 104 and Steve had passed away and Matt was in critical condition. I don’t want to get into that, but I will say it made me a stronger person, made me realize that I need to live my life to the fullest and just go at everything full hearted, being who I am and having no regrets. It weighed my mind for a while, but I did what I could. Laughed at the conversations Steve and I had had, how he lost his pants my last night in Plattsburgh because he was so wasted, and then they were soaking wet in Brads room. He then wore them to class lol. I don’t think it all hit me as much as it will hit me when I’m home, when I get my cell phone back and go to call the people I always called to hang out. Things will never be the same, but I have to accept that, if I don’t ill be running in place. For now I just try to make everyday better than the last, answer another one of life’s questions, discover something about myself, or just laugh at anything and everything to seize the day.

Since the first day I’ve been here I’ve had about 3 memorable dreams a night, of which I will mention sporadically. My rooms fung-shui(sp?) must be awesome. I’m taking Anthro 3, which seems pretty easy, and Modern Fiction 2, which is just full of literature talk. We have an internet quota. I had mine revoked within 5 days of being here. Ha. I’ve walked around town with some people I’ve met, South Africans and Americans. Eating out is cheap, there are about ten bars, all with their own personality. At first I was going to this place called Friar’s every night, which plays this HORRENDOUS American mainstream music, like rhiana and all that bullshit. I would get wasted and get down, but then I would step into reality and hope that wasn’t the only dance party in town. Sure enough it wasn’t. I discovered how amazing tequila is, especially when its 60 cents a shot. There’s no Castillo. I decided I want to start a garden when I go home. Before school started that week they had a street party, where they block off the streets and play some techno and shit like that, im legal to drink here too, which kicks ass. It started downpouring, people went crazy, it was like an unwookified version of Camp Bisco. I remembered a conversation Steve and I had before I left, about hoping there were some techno gitdowns. It was the epitome of that. The last night in the Burgh Steve was getting down in the living room and we were all sitting around, he was green in the face and trying to get us all to dance, “Come on GUUUUURL!” I was hysterically laughing at his attempts to start a dance party.