Like this:

alright.  i have really good intentions with the photos.  you need to know that up front.  it seems that our constant downfall is the lagging internet here.

see that tree? the purple one?? jakarunda! they're like the cherry blossoms of south africa. i regrettably don't have a better picture. however, it, like many trees in south africa, is a non-native species from south america.

i shouldn’t complain.  i was talking with our driver, doelie (doo-ly) yesterday (he came over for our thanksgiving feast) about the internet and he was surprised to hear that most americans have internet in their homes.  he was concerned that when we went back to the states for a month (did i mention that? i’ll mention that in the next post), it would be expensive for me, as an unpaid intern, to keep in constant contact with everyone else via the interwebs.

it was one of those conversations where you really realize you’re not home.  where there’s one really apparent difference.  where, while finding white balsamic vinegar isn’t too difficult and ergonomic desk chairs are at hand, internet is a hot commodity.

the living room! if i'm lucky, i can get internet in that sunny chair to the left. a room with a view is kind of a very close cluster of houses and we've got one all to ourselves. there's a kitchen, too with a finicky gas stove. we're all in agreement that it's a pretty tasteful and comfortable setup.

it’s kind of something part of a bigger pattern, i think. there were discussions early on about how to classify south africa in an… economical sense i suppose.  is it developing?  is it kind of developed already?  how insulting would it be to them to call it a developing country?  they’re probably somewhere in the middle?  a pattern of in-between-ness in everything?

i mean, i don’t really care for the terms to begin with–developing and developed.  you may as well just say savage and civilized in my mind (is my anthro showing?).  i suppose with globalization we have to make some kind of global classification system…

this is the b&b's token dog (there's another--a jack russell named pixel, but he's hard to get on camera), crricky (pronouced hr-icky--she's half spaniel half dalmatian. oh, i know). she's such a gentle dog and only understands Afrikaans, which has been hilarious for all of us yanks trying to tell her she's a 'goeie hond.' the fun thing about dogs here is they can go anywhere--the kitchen, the breakfast dining area, anywhere. i was telling doelie about how this would never happen in the states and he gave me such an incredulous look. talk about perspectives...

aye me.  i’m getting caught up in my words.  it probably doesn’t help that i’m developing some allergy-induced head cold hell.  you, my friends, are suffering my undefined waxing because of it.  my apologies, absolutely.

there's several cages around the premises. jacques (the owner/caretaker) told me that they used to be full of canaries and guinea fowl and parrots, but they've since died of age or escaped.

i do mean well with the photos.  obviously, these posts aren’t going to be in a completely chronological order, so a giant series of photoblogging might need to happen when i get home with some reliable connection.  sorry, south africa, but my amurica is showing.

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