A colorful start at NMMU

Hello everyone!

I have been in Port Elizabeth for nine days now.

Or rather:

I have only been in Port Elizabeth for nine days?

I'm really having a hard time deciding which statement better captures my current thoughts. Because in this short time, I have already met so many new places, people, and things that I hardly have time to process it all. One reason for this is definitely the wonderful work of the International Office of Nelson Mandela University (NMMU). The staff and volunteers have provided us international students with a diverse, colorful, and above all helpful Orientation Week, which I couldn't have imagined better. Since I only arrived on Monday, I only participated from Tuesday morning, but together with my small group, I was able to experience and learn a lot. For me personally, my Orientation Week started with a highlight right from the first step on the university campus.

Monkeys.

Although I was prepared for them through reports, I didn't think I would see these little creatures on my first day.

The topic of "monkeys" also followed me in the first day's program, the safety briefing on campus life in Port Elizabeth and in South Africa in general. There, the specific circumstances of NMMU were also discussed, such as the location of the university in a nature reserve. As I learned, the animals that I had just admired are not to be underestimated as food robbers. However, as long as you don't try to pet them, they remain harmless companions that I will gladly watch playing and hunting in the future. During the rest of the morning, we listened to lectures on homesickness and IT and visited the library. In the afternoon, the group leaders of the individual small groups organized various games and competitions to help us international students get to know each other and the university campus better. The day ended with a workshop in which we built rattles together with an African music group and of course tried them out immediately!

Even though we only had three points on our program on Wednesday, this was probably the most beautiful day of Orientation Week for me. After receiving an introduction to the general structures of academic life and work, we created a joint drumming session with a huge group of students. This was again led by the same music group as the day before, and only these four people managed to create a rhythm together, feel it, and take it in! They infected us all with their joy and exuberance for the moment and the music, so that in the end we even danced together. A really great experience!

In the afternoon, we were picked up by a bus and taken to Kragga Kamma Game Reserve.

And there I was suddenly.

On top of a jeep, surrounded by greenery, with a rhinoceros only 20m away from me.

In that moment, I thought the same thing I thought when I saw the first monkey:
I expected it, I really wanted to experience it, but it happened quickly!

I never thought that I would go on a safari on my fourth day in South Africa. But of course, I also enjoyed this time very much and was able to admire giraffes, buffalos, wildebeests, springboks, ostriches, and cheetahs. However, my personal favorites were actually the zebras, with their beautiful fur, and the warthogs. Anyone who has ever seen "The Lion King" must want to see a Pumbaa in the wild!

Although we had a really comprehensive and informative tour, the time on the jeep roof up there went by way too quickly. And I am already longing for the next safari!

On Thursday, we finally got to know the campus in small groups and inspected the buildings and rooms where we will acquire new knowledge in the future. After that, we listened to a lecture on the "Danger of Single Story," that is, the danger of reducing people to just their country or knowledge about it without really knowing them. In the afternoon, a diving school presented us with the opportunity to obtain a diving license, which I will definitely take advantage of!

On Friday, we were finally able to complete the long-awaited registration, officially enroll as students of NMMU, and choose our courses. And this showed me that universities all over the world seem to have the same problem:

Offering user-friendly course selection systems.

Although I had already selected my courses at home and felt really well prepared, I still had to use the full three hours provided to us, and I still didn't have my complete schedule afterwards! I will probably have it finalized by the end of this week. However, I also enjoyed researching and reading, as it sparked the anticipation for the upcoming semester and the associated sports courses!

In the afternoon, we were shown a little of Port Elizabeth until we were able to celebrate the conclusion and success of the diverse Orientation Week in a bar with all the international students.

Right now, I would describe it like this:

I have been in Port Elizabeth for nine days, when I think about how long it's been since I last saw my loved ones and hugged them.

However, I have only been in Port Elizabeth for nine days, and in this short time, I have already seen so much that I never expected.

Best regards,

Your Caro

Completed steps of the "Africa" race: 67,908