What you see on the surface looks always amazing.
Indeed, we were having an incredible time. We laughed together, we experience moments of adrenaline
but there was beauty in the more serious moments as well.
There were these moments when we really had a chance to experience that there’s a lot that pull us apart in life
but there are many more things that make us closer.
While the journey was still starting, we all enjoyed the intensity of the international study experience
to get to understand each other better, accepting the similarities and differences among us
and using it as a fuel of a friendship that was already formed.
The second day all of us were getting to know each other. It was much more fun because we were talking more to each other.
The first time we met was so awkward. I wish I could delete that part of the day.
They were on their phones. I was trying to make conversation. It was like: Where you’re from? Turkey…
I think the first person I bonded with more was Cinthya. I don’t know why actually.
Me neither. We were like: Ugh, we have to socialise here.
On the second day we left early to the Cango Caves.
It is incredible to believe that we were in a place where people used to live 20 million years ago.
And it’s more than a historical place. It’s also full of challenges.
During our tour through the cave we had to pass through many tiny spaces and sometimes it seemed to be impossible.
In the end, we all made it.
So, this is a comfortable place to be sitting with you guys. This is the Cango Caves. I’m claustrophobic. A lot.
I’m going to make some time to talk to you and tell you about my experience learning English.
I really don’t remember whether I wanted to learn English, I don’t think I wanted to.
My mom got me to go to a bilingual school when I was very, very little. I was 3 years when I started learning English.
My mom doesn’t know any English. I think that’s why she wanted me to learn some.
One year only I learn English, yes. Actually, as I said, we don’t speak English in Turkey that much.
Sorry.
That’s why I say South Africa is so amazing. We can see beaches, we can see forests and we can see caves like these. Breathtaking.
Actually, I wasn’t expecting it. Were you?
I mean it’s really amazing and I was not expecting it at all.
It was so narrow. I’m 1,85 m high, it was so hard for me!
He’s just saying that because he wasn’t so good at it and I’m better than him.
I’m just bigger!
That’s an amazing experience. It’s beautiful in there! You need to see it, it’s awesome.
Everything happens so fast. You arrive, stumble upon each other… We throw our ideas, life expectations, values out there…
We’ve explored each other’s mindsets, cultures and beliefs
and as if it was some kind of magic, we embraced each other.
After that we made our way to the Cango Wildlife Ranch.
This place is a sanctuary of endangered species and we got to see a lot of beautiful animals that are having a chance to survive.
You can choose to get closer to many species such as cheetahs, lemurs, crocodiles and so on.
Besides all that amazing experience it’s beautiful to see how respectful they are with the animals.
How they want people to know that we should all respect them.
The last but not least destination of the day was a surprise from the guys.
We got to feed the giraffes in Ourdshoorn.
Our purpose was to come here and learn more English. Do you think you’ve learnt more English?
Yeah, of course. We talk English all the time, you know.
I have 2 Turkish friends here so I talk Turkish sometimes but with all other friends we talk English all the time.
Getting better every day. Every day. Yeah. That’s good, you know.
Actually, for me I think I’ve improved my English because of the friends that I have here.
I have friends from Mexico, Brasil… I actually have learnt some Portuguese and Spanish too.
I can say my name in two new, different languages.
One of the many challenges we had is having to speak English. Also, trying to teach each other to speak our own languages.
Even the names! Learning the names was an adventure.
Especially for the Turkish guys because one is named, now I can say it, it’s Mervan, the other one is Berk and the other one, Baturay.
Baturay was the hardest one. It’s the name that you will never hear in your life.
Man, we’re only half way through this journey and we all know we’ve grown a lot as people.
It’s incredible how such an adventure can transform us.
It’s not enough to mention the wildness of activities we were living here.
Let’s just say that we never had to face so many of our fears in such a short period of time.
You’ll see much more of these in our next episode. See you then!