Beaded figures like these were very popular all across South Africa. They weren't mass-produced or created in any sort of factory, but handmade by patient women and creative men, content to sit twisting wire and stringing beads all day for a meager income. There were some incredible animal figures - giraffes, elephants, tiny insects, long fish meant to hang on a wall - all of them made up of a thousand tiny pieces, all intricate and carefully made.
The study abroad experience itself was completely eye-opening. I saw people of every ethnicity, ate interesting foods, saw two oceans at one time and lived my life more full than I ever had before. It was an inspiration that I continually draw from, and I am thankful for the opportunity that the University of Arkansas has given me through my study abroad experience.
Erin Rose Robertson
English major, Spanish/History minor
Green Forest, Arkansas
UA South Africa Tour July 2009
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