To encourage transcontinental communication

Abigail Huston

c/o Ayesha Kajee, IHRE

Wits International Office

University of Witswatersrand

Private Bag 3, Wits 2050

South Africa

Too tired to come up with a title

I leave for South Africa in approximately 17 hours, which happens to also be the amount of time that I'll be spending on the plain to get there. Oh jeez. I've been trying to plan how to spend that chunk of time, and i've settled on watching the second season of Six Feet Under, which I purchased from some sketchy vendors outside of Penn Station, and popping a Lunesta or five. Nothing better than soapy HBO goodness and pharmeceuticals. Oh right, I could read, maybe, but I didn't pack many books because my bag is already than the average sumo wrestler, and toting it around is treacherous as is. I'll buy the Economist but that is so wholly depressing that I'll be forced to self-medicate. 

Orientation has been lovely. The Bard campus is gorgeous and the people in my program seem pretty nice. While the orientation activities have been monotonous (we played icebreakers, we saw the culture shock graph, we were instructed not to do drugs while abroad), I am incredibly excited about my impending adventure. 

I will try to update this at least fortnightly

Overheard in Adams Morgan

Woman in HUGE sunglasses: It's just I only like men from the waist up...

This morning I woke up at seven thirty and made a detailed list of EVERYTHING I have to do before Sunday morning, i.e. when I abandon my cell phone and family to go to Bard for Orientation before I leave for South Africa on Tuesday. Suffice to say it was a pretty long list, and I felt myself getting a little bit panicked. And then, I honestly don't know what happened, because the next thing I knew it was 11 am and I had just had the strangest dream about riding horses in my basement. 

Luckily today I managed to accomplish a thing or two. My highlight was buying a pair of Birkenstocks. Yes. I know. Shocking, But in my defense they are extremely comfortable and not as asinine as the Jesus sandals that have pervaded the feet of fashionistas for the PAST THREE YEARS. Some may cite the crashing economy, the increasingly terrifying examples of climate change, or the decline of Britney Spears as evidence that the apocalypse is near. Let's add these heinous roman sandals to the doom list, for they are the fashion undead, zombie zapatos. 

Oh, and I got a new haircut yesterday. 

Abby Knows Best

Chronicling Abby's adventures as the master of the house while her mother is off gallivanting in Miami. With her trusty sidekick Ana she will battle the forces of evil to keep peace on Spruce ave.
Day One

After a harrowing incident with Mr. Baba Ganoush and a jar of Nutella, I know exactly what sort of mother I will be. As soon as I discovered that my dog had pilfered the jar of canine kryptonite, I began to hyperventilate and run around in circles. It was thanks to Danny's level-headedness that my precious dog did not expire on my Mom's first night out of town. As I fretted, Danny called poison control and the ASPCA. Okay, so...confession: I felt like a Mommy and Danny was the Dad. In high school we used to joke about getting married, just to have something to do, just to get our parents to pay attention to us. Last night, our unholy union felt like a reality. Danny, if you're reading this...

Have you ever had to induce a dog to vomit? I have. As per the vet's instructions, I put two tablespoons of 3% hydrogen peroxide in a turkey baster (which must be the most useful tool in that it can produce hydration, impregnation and regurgitation). I don't think I have ever disappointed someone as much as when I squirted that vile liquid into my dog's eyes. If he could have spoken he would have solemnly declared: "Abigail, I love you a little bit less."

So he vommed. Since then I've been closely monitoring every sigh, bark, whimper, and tail wag. Meanwhile he has developed a very intense affection for Ana, and is wooing her with all his might. He will not let her read in peace, instead performing outlandish tricks to try to get her attention.

Day Two
My entire lunch was deep fried. Ana and I went to Ruan Thai where I ordered a dish comprised of deep fried water cress, deep fried squid, deep fried shrimp, deep fried onions, and deep fried nuts. The first bite was incredible. Unfortunately it was downhill from there. Ana ordered my favorite thai dish, Drunken Noodles. Supposedly they are so spicy that one needs to get drunk to eat them. Strangely, every Thai restaurant I've been to prepares it differently.

Books, Family, Weapons

In the past week I've been in LA, DC, and Boston, read three books
(The Last Chinese Chef by Nicole Mones, The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton, Midnight's Children by Salman Rushdie),
seen countless fantastic Holden-folk (let me take a moment to praise my glorious West Coast brethren. O holy kinfolk, whose blessed blood flows through my veins, thanks for being so hospitable, incredible, generous, and benevolent. Whew.)
and a few friends, and am now sitting on my porch eating day old sushi (vegetarian) and listening to lawnmowers. My what a turn my glamorous life has taken.

Things that must be purchased in the coming weeks: pocket knife, pepper spray, flash light. Does anyone else's study abroad packing list include weaponry?