Right now I am sitting at the airport, waiting on my 26 hour journey back home! yes, 26 hours! I fly to Washington, then down to Joburg, then connect to Cape Town! How do I do it? I have no idea! I suppose it’s just one of those things you have to do. I have taken this trip 8 times (one way).

I am looking forward to going back home. I am going to see my grandparents, parents, and friends. I have a whole list of things I want to do. I must confess that every time I go home, I have a list, and barely get through the first two or three things! But this trip, I am going to:

1. Go to Moyo (this beautiful restaurant on a wine farm. You have your meal in private tree houses!

2. On the Wine farm, they have cheetah cubs that are part of a rehabilitation center, and I can play with them!

3. There is a lion rehab. near to where my grandparents live, so we’re going to have a picnic at the lion rehab (I hope we aren’t their picnic!)

4. I am a pathetic South African! I have never been to Robbin Island (where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned for 27 years). So, I have to do that. It’s very historical and Mandela’s artwork is showcased there. The tourguides are all ex-inmates! You have to take a ferry out to it though.

5. There is this fantastic beach club called La Med. It was the highlight when my parents were in their early twenties, and still is today! It pretty much dies during the winter, but during summer, on Sunday nights it makes up for all that it lost in the winter. It’s view is what makes it what it is. I have never seen as beautiful sunsets as seen from La Med.

La Med

The sunset from La Med… seriously.

6. I always go to Greenmarket Square, it’s basically a huge outdoor market in a square in the center of town. Many of the African’s (from all over, esp. from the Ivory coast and Zim.) sell their artwork, sculptures, carvings, and innovative designs here. You have to barter the price down…as they like to take tourists for a ride. So, I generally speak to them in the little Xhosa (Cape Town’s tribal language) I know, and then they realize I’m not a tourist and I get a more reasonable price. In the past, I have purchased the most beautiful masks, carvings and drums from this market.

Well, my flight is about to board! You unfortunately will not be hearing from me whilst I am in South Africa, as we have prehistoric dial up, which costs an arm and a leg per second, but I’ll be back in the first week of Jan. I promise to have tons of great pictures and lots of exciting news.

Happy Holidays and best wishes for the new year…

You’ll be hearing from me in 2008!

On Sunday, I went to the National Horse Show in Wellington. I have been a rider almost all of my life, except when I came to the US, as it was too expensive here. I rode for the South African Team and spent every weekend at horse shows, and most afternoons training. It was so odd going to the horse show this weekend and being on the ground! I half wanted to put on my jods and steal a ride!

Well, I dragged my poor boyfriend there, who says going to horse shows is like watching paint dry! Anyhow, he endured it, and luckily we ended up sitting next to another South African Family. The show was amazing. It’s incredible to think of the amount of money that goes into that sport. I think most of it gets consumed by traveling costs, vet costs, and general fees! My dad always used to say you should never invest in something that eats while you sleep.

I went to watch the Finals, which was an international event. It was incredible.

So, I recently wrote a story for the Ipulse about having a green holiday (and I’m not talking about the adjective).

I thought I’d post it as I really think its something every one should think about. This holiday season, I decided that instead of having a christmas tree, I’d decorate my potted tree (Rather pathetic looking tree as I always forget to water it… which reminds me!).

A Green Christmas
By Ashlea Evans

The holiday season is a time for giving, so why not give back to the environment? When you set out to celebrate the holidays this year, consider going green. Christmas takes its toll on the environment, with tons of extra garbage, millions of chopped-down trees and megawatts of flashing lights. But, it doesn’t have to be that way. When you set out to celebrate the season this year, take a little time to consider how you can make your Christmas a green Christmas. “Most countries produce too much waste,” says Bernard Londoni “It is only through recycling that we can help diminish the waste amounts. Many of the plastic products we use today are either recyclable or made of recycled materials.”
Before you rush out to pick your Christmas tree, there are a few things to keep in mind. Fake trees are non-recyclable, while real trees can be recycled and used for much more. The best option would be to have no tree at all, and rather decorate a potted tree. Wrapping paper and gift boxes can be recycled, as well as all the glass and plastics collected over the holiday. Why not replace your old string lights with low energy lights, such as LEDs? The U.S. Department of Energy completed a study and found that if everyone replaced their holiday lights with LEDs, in a month two billion kilowatt-hours of electricity could be saved, that would be enough to power 200 thousand homes for one year.

Next year, I will be starting as a grad assistant in the Marketing Department. Well, I am all set to start and am just waiting on my graduation verification. So, yesterday and today I met with Jena (who is the current grad assistant there…and my glue) to go over all I need to know before I start. I am so excited! The position really gives me the freedom to be creative and put all the skills I have learnt at Lynn in my undergraduate degree to practice. I will also be overseeing the blogs and not too worry, I will also be continuing my blog next year! I start in January and thoroughly look forward to working with all the friendly faces in the Marketing Department.

Laura and Jena from the Marketing Department

I think that the Grad Assistantships are a fantastic opportunity. So, if you are a undergraduate, work hard and do your best in everything you do at Lynn, as when you’re looking to graduate, having a good track record and having proven yourself in your undergrad, will open many doors for you. Not only giving you the option of doing a grad assistantship, or getting into an amazing masters program, but you never know, perhaps a professor recommends you to a business owner or employs you within his/her own company! That’s what I love about Lynn, the numerous opportunities. Being a small university, you have the opportunity to shine, and to have your excellence recognized. My motto is do your best in all that you do, because you never know who may be watching.

I can’t wait to get back after the holiday break. I have so many ideas and can’t wait to get started.

So, this week has been mad! My parents flew in, I’ve had papers to write and projects to complete… and flights back home to book!
The weekend could not have come sooner!

Well, it’s 4 PM and I am still working. Whilst I’m typing this, I’m digitizing the footage Jena (the glue in the productions we put on - the most amazing, multi talented producer you’ll ever meet!) and I shot last night at the Lynn University Second Annual Project Runway Fashion Show. It was such a glamorous event!

Jena and I started at about 4 PM. We went to the salon (Studio 10) where the models were having hair and makeup done. I interviewed a few of them. Then we rushed back to campus and got ready for the event. I rehearsed my intro and outro (with much help from Jena teaching me how to say apparel the american way) (a-pear-rel).

We then went behind the scenes to get footage of the girls getting dressed and the designers rushing around etc. I interviewed a couple of models and designers there. We then came out to the front of the catwalk to shoot my intro…and we started rolling… and discovered the wireless mic we had, was no longer working!!! *panic* As any communication student at Lynn knows, the first thing that comes to your mind in a moment like this is: ANDY!!! Andy is the most amazing guy, he’s always there when you need him, and he knows more about the cameras, equipment, editing etc. than everyone at Lynn combined. And, there was Andy! (*phew*) He was such a super star, he saved our show… within two minutes he had brought us a new wireless mic and set it up for us.

So, the show continued…

We then found our position for the night. We took tons of footage of all the beautiful designs waltzing down the runway. I’m not much of a ‘Fashionista’ so I actually learnt a lot last night! The first thing I learnt is that heels are horrid! I tried to dress ‘glam’ for the event, but all I was left with were sore feet!

Well, all I have to do now is edit the footage and it will be up on the Lynn website soon… so make sure you keep your eyes open for that!