Things to do in South Africa

Things to do in South Africa - Daniela Peguero

The currency in South Africa is called the South African Rand. On each denomination exists a different animal. The animals on the rand banknotes are called the Big Five and were coined under this term due to the difficulty in hunting them. The Big Five consists of the rhino, elephant, leopard, lion and african buffalo. These can be seen at a game reserve. I was fortunate enough to go to Umfolozi Game Reserve and see the animals in the Big Five. I’ve been told by many that it’s very rare to see a leopard.

The landscape in South Africa is one for the books. Durban, South Africa is a coastal city on the eastern side of the country. It’s beautifully located between the beach and the mountains. On my trip, I was able to go to the Drakensberg mountains, where I saw ancient old cave paintings. I was informed that these paintings could be as old as 5,000 years.

I was truly in awe with all the beauty that surrounds Durban. It was an amazing experience to be able to visit a beautiful country as well as research at the Pollution Research Group. I met students who come from all over the world, all wanting to work on improving sanitation. To meet people from different backgrounds but with a common purpose, gave me a global perspective on the sanitation challenge. This was truly a great experience and I hope to continue to partner on other sanitation related projects.

Photo 8. A family of rhinos

Photo 9. Cave paintings at Drakensberg

Photo 10. Me hiking a trail in Drakensberg Mountains

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Here you will find updates on our organization, and blog posts written by each of our Blum Fellows about their experiences abroad. Make sure to check out our website at blumcenter.ucdavis.edu, and like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/UCDavisBlumCenter to get regular updates and see our upcoming events.

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