“It always seems impossible until its done.” – Nelson Mandela

          So much blog catch up to do! So this past week and a half has been just as great, if not better, than the rest! Last week for clinical I was at a HIV/AIDS orphanage. At the orphanage we prepared medications for the children for the following day, then on our last day for the entire week. After we prepared the medications we were able to go into the cottages (the children’s homes) and play with the kids. They loved having us there so much and were climbing all over me for hours. It’s great to make them smile even for a little while, one “cottage mother” has so much on her plate and is so busy. It is amazing how the mothers care for the children as if they were their own.

            This week I am at a big hospital again (the same one I was at the first week). The nurses (called Sisters here in South Africa) were even more welcoming today because they remembered me and let me do everything a nurse would do. It was absolutely amazing how much they let me actually do, I felt like a real pediatric nurse (a dream come true)! The babies were wonderful of course too (they call me Auntie or Sister, SOOO CUTE)! Once again when the mothers left I was able to hold, play, rock and feed the babies and play with the older children. Even though most of the babies cry (for what seems like hours) because they are scared and in pain while you are holding them, its so worth it when you are able to comfort the next baby in your arms until their mommy comes back for them. 

          We have also been to many different places for fun in the past week as well. Last week I went out to dinner for amazing fresh sushi and to play pool on my night off during the week. After a long week of clinical, class and studying for our first test we all went out on Friday night to Long Street in downtown Cape Town. We all had a blast and our favorite place was called Dubliner where we danced and sang to great music from a cover band. On Saturday I went to my first Rugby game and it was so much fun! Rugby might just be right after football on my best sports to watch list. Saturday night a group of us went down to the Waterfront to have dinner and walk around. Of course it was absolutely beautiful and great to see at night. After dinner we all walked by the water and rode the ferris wheel, the view was absolutely stunning. Sunday was a relaxed day but also very fun. First a few of us went into downtown Cape Town to shop at Green Market Square. It was fun to barder with the merchants there and I bought so many fun gifts! After shopping I went down to the Waterfront again for Haagen-Dazs ice cream and then later was able to watch football. Watching football was definitely one of the best parts of the weekend (even though I am not pleased by the scores, as most of you know).

         Thanks for reading <3