Greetings all--an update to finish off Week 3!

Rocklands was a huge amount of fun. It's an interdenominational conference center/camp/retreat with adventure course settled near the base of a mountain in Simons Town. You wake up in the morning, go outside, and face this immense peak on one side with greenery brushing the ledges, and the vast ocean on the other--so beautiful! I had a really nice time of mental, spiritual, and physical refreshment:

-Physical: went on a hike, jumped up and down on a trampoline(normally I'm terrified of trampolines--well, of falling off of trampolines, but these were inserted into holes in the ground, with the edge of the trampoline just meeting the edge of the earth), built a house of cardboard and a sandcastle with my "team", and slept. Sleep is good.

-Mental: I let go of all the homework I still have to do to complete "South Africa and Its Peoples." I outlined a summary the last night I was there, and that was it.

-Spiritual: amazing praise and worship services and messages and a really great, healing prayer time--and some quality time journaling by my lonesome. *sighs happily* I think Christian retreat centers have this universal quality of peace about them--Susque felt the same way; it's this wonderfully restful sensation of being in a place that is being prayed for by a lot of people. You feel an extra bit of protection, like Jesus going away on the mountain top.

And now...
down...
to...
EARTH!

Back at the ranch, there was more official orientation at Cornerstone to prepare for classes to start next week. Over the past two days we've toured campus, received a TON of information and booklets, received security tags to get into the building without having to buzz the entrance and wait for the receptionist, and in general tried to get our brains into gear for the rest of the semester. The grading system is different here--an "A" is 75-100, a "B" is 70-75, a "C" is 60-69, a "D" is 50-59, and an "F" is anything below 50. However, the difficulty remains the same--that is, it suddenly becomes much harder to achieve a 75, etc. 4 full-semester courses taught in seven weeks--this term is going to go fast.

On that note, I'm still not sure if I should take Peacemaking and Reconciliation. It deals mostly with the history of conflict resolution, different types of conflict resolution in different cultural and interpersonal aspects, and one's own methods of dealing with conflict. It sounds interesting, but...does it work with my major, Cross-Cultural Studies? My other option is Theories of Personality, which goes into the major personality theorists and then discusses different personality traits, internal/external motivation, and intrinsic/environmental factors in personality. Again, it sounds very interesting: question is, does it work better or worse than the first option? *sighs* I have no idea, but I'm very open to anyone's ideas, suggestions, or random comments. I need to decide by Monday.

Oh, by the way, more adventures with Janeen and the Many Locks That Don't Like to Open For Her:

-having been dropped off at the nearest supermarket, the Intrepid Explorer walks approximately ten minutes, purchases secured in her oh-so-theft-deterring black backpack of Wal-Mart fabulousness; she is anxious to get inside and have a snack. She approaches the gate, pulls out her key ring, and attempts to unlock the gate. Doesn't happen.
-the Intrepid Explorer THEN twists the key this way and that, alternatively tries the other lock even though she knows it never works in that lock, and in total spends about 4-5 minutes struggling with the implacable piece of intricately cut metal. The lock stays locked.
-after this defeat, the Intrepid Explorer walks a short distance away from the offending gate to the end of the block, trying to trick the lock into letting its guard down. She then walks back and plunges her key into the keyhole and--nothing. The lock laughs at her.
-she then prays, which she should have done to start with, and calls her flat-mate's cell phone. Nothing doing on that end.
-the Intrepid Explorer then half-heartedly tries the lock a few last times, and calls her flat-mate's step-mom. Ruth answers the phone, and sets about Doing Something.
-the Intrepid Explorer waits for the Something to be Done, and while idling, manages to sneak inside the gated fence after someone else who's key DOES work the lock. Perhaps they secretly bribe the lock with chocolate-flavored WD-40.
-upon entering the flat, the Intrepid Explorer then has to sort out the fact that her flat-mate WAS in the flat, and she could have "buzzed" her, had the Intrepid Explorer the slightest idea what "buzzing" was, and in the mean time, she has to sort out things with Ruth and the flat-mate who is exasperated at being fussed at by Ruth.
-Eventually, a snack is eaten. It is tasty and involves lots of vegetables. The End.

When I get a house, I'm thinking of just getting a nice, safe moat and drawbridge; no keys, no fuss, and you can have goldfish and rabid platypi in the moat.

A last note: there's a really good health food store within walking distance--it sells wheat-free, yeast-free stevia cookies! :-D

“You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to you.”- Psalm 86:5

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!