Week 9: Getting ready for my Independent Study Project!

It's official, I have an ISP project! I will be working with CANSA, the Cancer Association of South Africa learning about perceptions of HPV and cervical cancer in South Africa. I'll also be interviewing a ton of students at University of KwaZulu-Natal and hopefully visiting a clinic or two. Can't believe it's almost game time: this project will be the foundation for my senior thesis. I'll be living in Durban for the rest of the semester (some people go to rural areas or Pietermaritzburg) and will only have to conduct research (NO CLASS!). Until then, it's time to finish my project proposal and my Community Health Seminar paper... yikes! I wish I had Ladd to hide in for a few days to write these papers. Living by the beach is so distracting!

Despite the challenge of trying to study by the beach, life is pretty good! Every Sunday, there is a market across the street from where I'm living. So many cool things! People try to sell the typical touristy stuff as well as clothes and other assortments of goods. The produce stand has all sorts of crazy looking fruits! I've also become quite the chef. Sally (my roommate) and I have been cooking up a storm in our tiny kitchen. Last week we made fajitas, some red thai curry, and pasta with pesto. We even made brownies this weekend. YUM! tonight we're making some sort of curry dish.

This semester has been flying by, I only have 44 days left in my program and 52 days until I arrive back in Cleveland. Miss you all and can't wait to see you soon!