My name is Louise Louw. I live in beautiful Cape Town. I speak Afrikaans and attend Jan van Riebeeck High – the oldest Afrikaans high school in Cape Town. I am a truly African. My Louw ancestors settled at the Cape in 1656, to the day exactly 355 years ago. My home language is Afrikaans. Afrikaans is now recognised as an indigenous African language.

I love anything adventurous and crazy.  You can call me a Junior Adrenaline Junkie! Life expands and shrinks according to your courage. Courage is defined by knowledge, the willingness to learn and sometimes dead obedience! One summer I went to See-en Sand Survival camp along the coast at Hermanus. We learned about the ocean, dicipline and teamwork. This gave us the ability to swim in uncharted seas in ice cold water. We had such a good time jumping off cliffs into the Atlantic ocean. Then came Dreunkrans (Thunder Rock) – a 20 meter death defying leap into the void. When the instructor shouts “jump” you have a split second to react. Then you jump, because it is the right thing to do – there is no risk taking, it is pure applied knowledge. After a while you think:”Why am I still in the air….this was a very,very bad idea!”

Last winter I battled the cold Atlantic Ocean to earn my Junior Lifesaving Award.  Weekends you can see me on the beach in a yellow t-shirt with big red letters printed on the front. Recently I swam a 2,5 km ocean race in storm weather. You could not see land at all – you had to stop and ask directions from passing lifeboats.

I love participating in sport. To me an athlete is someone who stands on the starting line of an event. You do not have to win to be a champion. If you participate and challenge yourself, you are amazing. I have found out that only two people get a hearty applause – the first one and the last one. I have had my good share of applause. My great love is Surf Lifesaving. It is truly amazing to be out on the beach at first light, running and training with your team. Lifesaving breaks all boundaries – who you are or what you look like does not matter. The only important thing is loyalty, doing your fair share with a good attitude, and of course, being a whizz at cardgames. When I am not at the beach you will find me hiking in the mountains, doing mountainbike trails and just generally having an awesome time in the great outdoors.

I love the outdoors and I love art.  To me the word Pangaea "the world as it was" is painted on the sandstone cliffs of the Cederberg.  When I look at the ancient rock paintings, I see the world through the eyes of the San Bushmen.  I see the herds of elephant and antelope and can only wonder what had happened.  I believe that the answers to the environmental problems we face today is safely kept by the lost and indigenous tribes of the world.  They have thrived in this world for millennia without damaging the environment.  We must study their history, gather their knowledge and apply it to our modern situation.

I am passionate about the Yep program.  I am inspired by my brother, Tafelberg, who attended the Mongolia Selection camp and hope to follow in his footsteps.  Daniel and I working on a great environmental project that would benefit many people in the Kunene.  During the December holidays I started a Bead Bracelet Project to raise funds for the project.  I made and sold over 500 bead bracelets - that meant threading 40 000 glass beads!  By selling the bracelets at school we had the opportunity to speak to people on an individual level and tell them about the YEP Programme.  It is quite ironic that the semi-desert area of Namibia had severe floods this year.  We donated all our funds raised so far to the Namibia flood appeal for emergency relief.  Now I can start making bracelets again from scratch!

This year I am took part in an outreach to the Kunene of northern Namibia.  We travelled thousands of kilometers and travelled centuries back in time. Thus began my life as an explorer!

I have applied for the Canada, USA and now the Amazon Expedition.  I believe with all my heart that one day I will be part of this great international adventure.  There is so much that I can contribute, and it would be an honour to stand on the deck of the Pangaea vessel!

My Canada Expedition application video can also be watched on Youtube.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=R1QritjiSCo

I hope you enjoyd sharing my life.