So sorry guys for taking so long for an update. Things have finally, for once, settled down and we have now transitioned into living on our own, in our own apartments and working on our separate independent study projects. But before that, I should talk a little about the homestay in Bo Kaap, the final homestay.
After Stellenbosch, we returned to Cape Town, spent a night in a backpackers, and then moved in with our new families. Bo Kaap, a colorful (literally- the houses are bright pink, blue, yellow and orange), secluded section of Cape Town on a (huge) hill leading up to Table Mountain. The community consists of a 70% Muslim population, and as with many of the other home-stays, there is a very close, tight-knit feel within the area. Almost everyone knows each other, and there are always neighbors chatting and walking in and out each others homes. I stayed with a family at the VERY top of the Bo Kaap hill, so I got my share of exercise that week, to say the least. Even though it was interesting to interact with another group of people and experience another culture, I (and most of the group) felt pretty spent and burnt out by time we got there. With three papers due that week and no break from the Stellenbosch homestay, it was hard to focus on spending time with my family. However, while I was there, I was able to attend my little homestay niece’s first birthday party where I experienced my first sheep slaughtering. It was actually pretty fascinating. Everyone sang prayers and songs while they performed the sacrifice, and it was surprisingly not as disturbing as I had imagined. In addition, I spent some time (well actually, almost every night and morning before school) at Raissa’s homestay family’s house (just a few steps away from mine). Her family was beyond welcoming and hospitable. The second I walked in the door, I was welcomed with a hot plate of food, three desserts to choose from, and a place to sit and hang out. Since the homestay, Raissa and I have gone back to visit several times now which has been great (especially when we run out of food and don’t want to go to the grocery store). But in all seriousness, it has been great to form such a great relationship with a family here and keep up the relationship when we’re past the home-stay period.
Once we moved out of our Bo-Kaap homes, we moved into our new apartments! I’m living with 5 other girls on my trip, Kayla, Karen, Maddie, Tess and Alex. I was a little hesitant at first since there are so many of us, but it has seriously worked out for the best. The apartment is beautiful, with tons of space and light and a great balcony with views of all of Cape Town, Table Mountain to the right and the ocean and harbor to the left. Sitting outside and eating my breakfast every morning seriously makes my day.. can’t get over it. This last month of the program is dedicated to working on an independent study project. We all got to choose our topics, find an advisor and if possible, find an internship at an organization. I am working for Passop, a NGO that fights for refugees’ and asylum-seekers’ rights (google it). I come in every morning, by train, to the office and do research on the topic as well as some work for the organization. My advisor, the head of the organization is in the complete center of the issue so he is always busy, running around and doing a million things at once. As frustrating as it can be at times, he has exposed to so many aspects and details of this issue. I got to sit in on a court hearing on xenophobic attacks at the Equality Court, stand outside of the court and sing songs in protest with Zimbabwean refugees, and sit in on a meeting in which a Congolese refugee told his story to Braam, myself and another volunteer. Just hanging out in the office with the other British, American and South African volunteers, I have learned so much about the topic. Tomorrow, I am spending a day with a Zimbabwean immigrant family so I can interview them, hear their story and retell it in my 35 page (ah) independent study project paper. Our ISPs are due next Thursday (7th) and then we leave South Africa and head home on the 14th. Ahhhhh.
Besides the actual ISP, during this last month, I have climbed Table Mountain (incredible), went restaurant crazy and tasted amazing food at as many restaurants as possible (until I ran out of money), attempted to go surfing and lay out at the beach, hosted a Passover seder and Easter potluck dinner, explored Greenmarket Square (artisanal market), attended Taste of Cape Town (an outdoor food festival in which some of the best restaurants in the city featured their best dishes and drinks), watched as South Africa’s new President, Jacob Zuma was elected (read about it- Capetimes.co.za), spent afternoons at the waterfront (just a 20 minute walk from my apartment), ventured out to Long Street to experience more of Cape Town’s nightlife as well as host some parties at my apartment, and explored sections of Cape Town that I had never seen.
Well, with all that said, this will probably be the last blog post for me. Sorry for the delay in posting, but I hope you have enjoyed reading these updates, as few as there were. Can’t wait to see you all and talk to you in person about the semester! Hope you are all doing well!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Durb, Safar and Stell
I got back from Durban on Sunday, March 22nd and it feels great to be back in Cape Town. I wasn’t very impressed with Durban. It had a much more industrial feel to the city, and not as many beautiful houses, buildings and parks to see. While there, we had an Indian identity seminar at the University of Ka-Zulu Natal almost everyday. It was fascinating to learn about the history of Indians’ presence in South Africa while in highly Indian populated area. On our lunch breaks we had the chance to walk through campus and eat where the rest of the students eat. We saw the segregated groups of students- the Whites sitting together, the Indians and the Blacks. We even witnessed a protest during one of the lunch breaks. All of a sudden we heard a crowd of people yelling and chanting, and after walking over, following the noise, we joined a group of mainly Black students protesting their ability to afford residence on campus. Of course I pulled out my camera to document the moment and before I knew it, the crowd of about 400 all turned and yelled at me and Karen both for taking pictures. Apparently, cameras were not allowed. Whoops. At another point, the crowd started acknowledging our presence at the strike. They said something like “look, there are White people here supporting us!” Even though we didn’t really notice that we were the only White students at the rally, apparently everyone else did. After the protest, we headed back to the classroom to have a round table discussion with about 7 University of Ka-Zulu Natal students. We talked about everything from on-campus life, the upcoming election, to immigration and racism within South Africa.
On Friday (March 17th), we drove from Durban to Isinkwe, a backpackers in the “bush” for a safari. We woke up at 5 AM on Saturday to head out into the game reserve, watching the sun rise as we descended into the park. We saw elephants, zebras, and giraffes, but unfortunately no lions- a little disappointed. Later in the afternoon, we drove to St. Lucia for a boat ride to view exotic birds and many, many hippos.
It felt great to come home to Langa after a two week trip. It was awesome to come home to a familiar house and family and neighborhood and to see my Mama and buthi again. As soon as we drove into Langa, we noticed that there were a lot more White people there than before. As it turned out, that there was another US study abroad group staying in Langa, and two of them were staying with me. So, I got to hang out with some different Americans for a change which was cooool. After our very short, two-day stay in Langa, we had to pack up and say goodbye to our families for good. We were off to the wine country, aka Stellenbosch, home of the Afrikaners (about 40 minutes from Cape Town).
We drove by hundreds of wine vineyards, viewed gorgeous mountain vistas and when entering the center of town, noticed the beautiful, European-esque outdoor cafes and restaurants. It felt like driving into another country. The people looked and dressed differently, the wealth was noticeable, and everyone spoke a different language (Afrikaans). That afternoon, we took a tour around town, through the neighborhoods and through their own township, Kayamundi. Afterwards, we were taken to the botanical gardens with a café and lecture room where we were briefed on Stellenbosch and our upcoming homestay. We were served bobotie for lunch, a traditional Afrikaner dish, a “noodle-less, red sauce-less lasagna” as Raissa described it…basically a meat and cheese casserole. Despite its unappealing description, it was surprisingly delicious. Towards the end of the day, we had a little wine and cheese party with our new homestay families. Raissa and I stayed together, in a beautiful house that reminded me of houses in my neighborhood at home. We had a mom, Liezel, dad, Louis, brother, Michael (8) and sister, Jana (12). They were all really welcoming and inviting and cooked us amazing meals that made me feel right at home (think stir fries and spaghetti). They also cooked us typical Afrikaner dishes like braaied (grilled) barracuda, curry dishes and bobotie. While there, we went to church with them, played games and watched movies, played soccer, took amazing showers, and spent hours outside on their porch. During the week, we had Afrikaner-Identity classes, ranging from lectures on Afrikaner history to a guilt and collective responsibility seminar to two art classes with University of Stellenbosch students (one drawing and one photography class). It was great to interact with students on campus to get a feel for the student body and to view the community through another lens. The whole time I was there I was constantly reminded of the United States and my life back home. The pace of life was similar, as well as the wealth and class standing. Raissa and I had many talks about how confused we were when we first arrived in Stellenbosch and to our homestay house. Prior to that stay, we were constantly faced with challenges and new experiences, but for some reason, we were both most uncomfortable at first in Stellenbosch. We heard story after story about the struggles of individuals after apartheid, about how nothing had improved after apartheid and that there is so much more to fight for. But while in Stellenbosch (which felt like a bubble from the outside world), I did not hear about those struggles, but instead had to pass them on to others. It was as if I was shielded from the rest of South Africa. For the previous month and a half we had been learning about one side of the story, but all of a sudden we had to change our mind sets and be open to learning about the other side. It was an awkward transition, but also a very comfortable and enjoyable stay. It really helped bring this whole trip full circle.
On Friday (March 17th), we drove from Durban to Isinkwe, a backpackers in the “bush” for a safari. We woke up at 5 AM on Saturday to head out into the game reserve, watching the sun rise as we descended into the park. We saw elephants, zebras, and giraffes, but unfortunately no lions- a little disappointed. Later in the afternoon, we drove to St. Lucia for a boat ride to view exotic birds and many, many hippos.
It felt great to come home to Langa after a two week trip. It was awesome to come home to a familiar house and family and neighborhood and to see my Mama and buthi again. As soon as we drove into Langa, we noticed that there were a lot more White people there than before. As it turned out, that there was another US study abroad group staying in Langa, and two of them were staying with me. So, I got to hang out with some different Americans for a change which was cooool. After our very short, two-day stay in Langa, we had to pack up and say goodbye to our families for good. We were off to the wine country, aka Stellenbosch, home of the Afrikaners (about 40 minutes from Cape Town).
We drove by hundreds of wine vineyards, viewed gorgeous mountain vistas and when entering the center of town, noticed the beautiful, European-esque outdoor cafes and restaurants. It felt like driving into another country. The people looked and dressed differently, the wealth was noticeable, and everyone spoke a different language (Afrikaans). That afternoon, we took a tour around town, through the neighborhoods and through their own township, Kayamundi. Afterwards, we were taken to the botanical gardens with a café and lecture room where we were briefed on Stellenbosch and our upcoming homestay. We were served bobotie for lunch, a traditional Afrikaner dish, a “noodle-less, red sauce-less lasagna” as Raissa described it…basically a meat and cheese casserole. Despite its unappealing description, it was surprisingly delicious. Towards the end of the day, we had a little wine and cheese party with our new homestay families. Raissa and I stayed together, in a beautiful house that reminded me of houses in my neighborhood at home. We had a mom, Liezel, dad, Louis, brother, Michael (8) and sister, Jana (12). They were all really welcoming and inviting and cooked us amazing meals that made me feel right at home (think stir fries and spaghetti). They also cooked us typical Afrikaner dishes like braaied (grilled) barracuda, curry dishes and bobotie. While there, we went to church with them, played games and watched movies, played soccer, took amazing showers, and spent hours outside on their porch. During the week, we had Afrikaner-Identity classes, ranging from lectures on Afrikaner history to a guilt and collective responsibility seminar to two art classes with University of Stellenbosch students (one drawing and one photography class). It was great to interact with students on campus to get a feel for the student body and to view the community through another lens. The whole time I was there I was constantly reminded of the United States and my life back home. The pace of life was similar, as well as the wealth and class standing. Raissa and I had many talks about how confused we were when we first arrived in Stellenbosch and to our homestay house. Prior to that stay, we were constantly faced with challenges and new experiences, but for some reason, we were both most uncomfortable at first in Stellenbosch. We heard story after story about the struggles of individuals after apartheid, about how nothing had improved after apartheid and that there is so much more to fight for. But while in Stellenbosch (which felt like a bubble from the outside world), I did not hear about those struggles, but instead had to pass them on to others. It was as if I was shielded from the rest of South Africa. For the previous month and a half we had been learning about one side of the story, but all of a sudden we had to change our mind sets and be open to learning about the other side. It was an awkward transition, but also a very comfortable and enjoyable stay. It really helped bring this whole trip full circle.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Rural Homestay and Durban
Ok so I apologize for the very delayed post, but the internet access has been limited for past week or two.
On Friday, March 6, we left Cape Town and flew to East London in the Eastern Cape. We drove to Tshabo, the village where we lived with families for five days. Karen and I (stayed together) arrived at our house after a straining hike to our house (due to our obnoxiously large rolling duffle bags that are not designed to roll down gravel roads). We looked like stupid Americans carrying WAY too much stuff. Karen and I arrived at our “house” and noticed that it consisted of a bed, kitchen table, fridge, stove and random cabinets and drawers. The two of us slept in the same double bed while our two sisis slept on the floor on a makeshift mattress (blankets upon blankets). Life there is drastically different from anything I’ve ever experienced. There is no indoor plumbing or running water, so you have to go to the bathroom in a hole in the ground/makeshift outhouse, bathe in a plastic bucket in the middle of the house, and fill up water at the spout outside. Both our Mama and Tata (dad) lived with us which is unusual because most dads work in Jo’burg and come home about 4 times a year. We also had two sisters (sisis) and the baby of one of their other daughters who doesn’t live there. They were really sweet and welcoming, really tried to make us feel part of the family and happy to be there. People are so poor there that families literally live in shacks with little amounts of food. But at the same time they fed us mounds after mounds of food every 2 hours. I think I ate more during that stay than in Langa. It was really ironic because they treated us like kings and queens (serving Karen and I on special trays while they didn’t use them). The scenery around the house is absolutely gorgeous. There are endless rolling hills with random animals wandering around (cows, goats, chickens etc.). They fed us everything from rice, chicken and potatoes to fat cakes (fried dough) to steamed bread (the most delicious freshly baked bread) to African salad (mealie corn and full cream milk…not my fave..).
After leaving Tshabo, we drove through the beginning of the Wild Coast and stayed at a place called Buccaners aka paradise for three nights. First of the all, the drive was beautiful- tons of lush trees and wildlife- we even saw Zebras. It was the first time I saw scenery that made me feel like I was in stereotypical Africa. The group slept in 2 very comfortable and spacious bunk rooms. The beach was a three minute walk from the bunk rooms, and a pool just a minute passed the beach. While there, I took surf lessons, got a massage, went out a few times to the bar that they have (and met a lot of international travelers- Europeans and some Americans), had a bonfire on the beach, and ate DELICIOUS food.
After those three relaxing days, we hit the road again and started our twelve hour drive to Durban. When we arrived in Durban on Sunday (March 15), we had a quick meeting and then about 8 of us went to the beach about 10 minutes away. The weather here is really humid and hot so it was really refreshing to be in the water for a few hours. The water was a gorgeous deep blue and it was packed with people body surfing and riding the enormous waves. This was my first exposure to the huge Indian population that is Durban. In Cape Town and in other areas, I became accustomed to being surrounded by Blacks as the majority of the population, so it was almost shocking to come to Durban and mainly see Indian people. I felt like I traveled outside the country- even to India.
Also since being in Durban, I have tried Bunny Chow (an Indian dish filled with your choice of meat or veggies in a spicy, but tasty sauce served in a bread bowl), visited Victoria St. Market (a famous Indian street market), visited the largest Muslim mosque in the Southern hemisphere and toured a Hindu temple.
We will be spending another 3 days in Durban before going to Unfolozi National Park for a safari. On Sunday, we will be traveling back to Cape Town for a 2 night stay with our Langa families and then we are off to Stellenbosch for a homestay with an Afrikaaner family and a tour of the wine country.
It is insane to think that a month and a half has already passed by. I am trying to enjoy every moment, knowing that time is starting to fly. I have genuinely loved spending this whole time with the people in my group. Even though we sometimes spend too much time as group of 19, it has been great and helpful having people surrounding you that you can talk to about all the challenges and experiences. It has also been great meeting South Africans and other international travelers when I can. Through the homestays, nights out and visits to schools and organizations, I have been eager to talk to South Africans to learn more about this country first hand.
Miss you all!
On Friday, March 6, we left Cape Town and flew to East London in the Eastern Cape. We drove to Tshabo, the village where we lived with families for five days. Karen and I (stayed together) arrived at our house after a straining hike to our house (due to our obnoxiously large rolling duffle bags that are not designed to roll down gravel roads). We looked like stupid Americans carrying WAY too much stuff. Karen and I arrived at our “house” and noticed that it consisted of a bed, kitchen table, fridge, stove and random cabinets and drawers. The two of us slept in the same double bed while our two sisis slept on the floor on a makeshift mattress (blankets upon blankets). Life there is drastically different from anything I’ve ever experienced. There is no indoor plumbing or running water, so you have to go to the bathroom in a hole in the ground/makeshift outhouse, bathe in a plastic bucket in the middle of the house, and fill up water at the spout outside. Both our Mama and Tata (dad) lived with us which is unusual because most dads work in Jo’burg and come home about 4 times a year. We also had two sisters (sisis) and the baby of one of their other daughters who doesn’t live there. They were really sweet and welcoming, really tried to make us feel part of the family and happy to be there. People are so poor there that families literally live in shacks with little amounts of food. But at the same time they fed us mounds after mounds of food every 2 hours. I think I ate more during that stay than in Langa. It was really ironic because they treated us like kings and queens (serving Karen and I on special trays while they didn’t use them). The scenery around the house is absolutely gorgeous. There are endless rolling hills with random animals wandering around (cows, goats, chickens etc.). They fed us everything from rice, chicken and potatoes to fat cakes (fried dough) to steamed bread (the most delicious freshly baked bread) to African salad (mealie corn and full cream milk…not my fave..).
After leaving Tshabo, we drove through the beginning of the Wild Coast and stayed at a place called Buccaners aka paradise for three nights. First of the all, the drive was beautiful- tons of lush trees and wildlife- we even saw Zebras. It was the first time I saw scenery that made me feel like I was in stereotypical Africa. The group slept in 2 very comfortable and spacious bunk rooms. The beach was a three minute walk from the bunk rooms, and a pool just a minute passed the beach. While there, I took surf lessons, got a massage, went out a few times to the bar that they have (and met a lot of international travelers- Europeans and some Americans), had a bonfire on the beach, and ate DELICIOUS food.
After those three relaxing days, we hit the road again and started our twelve hour drive to Durban. When we arrived in Durban on Sunday (March 15), we had a quick meeting and then about 8 of us went to the beach about 10 minutes away. The weather here is really humid and hot so it was really refreshing to be in the water for a few hours. The water was a gorgeous deep blue and it was packed with people body surfing and riding the enormous waves. This was my first exposure to the huge Indian population that is Durban. In Cape Town and in other areas, I became accustomed to being surrounded by Blacks as the majority of the population, so it was almost shocking to come to Durban and mainly see Indian people. I felt like I traveled outside the country- even to India.
Also since being in Durban, I have tried Bunny Chow (an Indian dish filled with your choice of meat or veggies in a spicy, but tasty sauce served in a bread bowl), visited Victoria St. Market (a famous Indian street market), visited the largest Muslim mosque in the Southern hemisphere and toured a Hindu temple.
We will be spending another 3 days in Durban before going to Unfolozi National Park for a safari. On Sunday, we will be traveling back to Cape Town for a 2 night stay with our Langa families and then we are off to Stellenbosch for a homestay with an Afrikaaner family and a tour of the wine country.
It is insane to think that a month and a half has already passed by. I am trying to enjoy every moment, knowing that time is starting to fly. I have genuinely loved spending this whole time with the people in my group. Even though we sometimes spend too much time as group of 19, it has been great and helpful having people surrounding you that you can talk to about all the challenges and experiences. It has also been great meeting South Africans and other international travelers when I can. Through the homestays, nights out and visits to schools and organizations, I have been eager to talk to South Africans to learn more about this country first hand.
Miss you all!
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Simonstown and District Six
Hey!
Hope you are all doing well! I had a great weekend in Simonstown. On Friday, after class, we all boarded the train and zigzaged through the mountains and along the ocean-side. It was absolutely breathtaking. I took tons of pictures so you guys can see what I'm talking about. We stayed at Topsail, a hostel about a five minute walk from the main street of town and a five minute walk in the other direction to the beach. There were great restaurants and antique shops, but not too much of a young, nightlife feel. I definitely got the sense that it was mainly operated by Afrikaner/British/Europeans. I think I saw more White people there than I have this whole time in South Africa. On Friday night, I went to Café Pescado with about six other people, and enjoyed the catch of the day (some fish I obviously can’t remember the name of now) and some rose wine (Bridget, def thought of that blush we drank when you visited ha yummm). The owner of the hostel came by, and naturally, my friend Kayla asked about his sons that we had heard about. He called them and told us that they were coming to get us to take us out. When they got to the restaurant, we found out that they were actually in their 40’s, but because there are no taxis or public transportation in Simonstown, it was great having someone to drive us to some other bars/restaurants that are not in walking distance. We went to Cape to Cuba, a cool, tropical-y bar with sand and tiki torches and fires surrounding outdoor tables and couches. After a few round of drinks, they drove us to a cool bar with glass windows overlooking the ocean. It was gorgeous. The band played such American songs like Sweet Home Alabama and How to Save a life (but more upbeat?) It was pretty funny. On Saturday, I enjoyed a DELICOUS picnic with Kayla and Karen. We walked around town and bought a fresh loaf of bread, pesto, cheese, fruit and wine and sat down by the water at a picnic bench. It was so relaxing and amazing to just have some quiet time away from the whole group. Later that day, we all drove to Cape of Good Hope (saw baboons on our drive- in the middle of the road) and Cape Point, where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. Gorgeous scenery and great walk down to the ocean. On Sunday, I spent the day at the beach (and got the worst sunburn of my life…hurts to sit as I write this). That night, those same brothers took us on a tour of Simonstown, winding through the mountains and stopping at different spots to view the ocean and houses. At one point, we drove through an informal settlement, a community of shacks set away from the rest of the town. It was actually one of the most uncomfortable and disheartening experiences. We were a group of White people driving in a Mercedes SUV through a street lined with shacks. There was not one person who did not stop and stare at us. Leaving the informal settlement, we all noticed the HUGE disparity in that area. Just a minute outside of it, we passed beautiful homes looking over the ocean. After the drive, they took us to the Red Hearing, a restaurant with great pizzas and great service (for once). It was one of the best meals I’ve had yet.
Yesterday, on Monday, we took the train back to Cape Town (at about 6:30 AM :-/) and had an HIV/AIDS workshop run by an organization called Positive Living. It is run by a handful of individuals currently living with HIV. They do an array of things to education people about HIV and talk openly and positively about it, attempting to change the attitudes and stigmas attached to the virus. It was the best workshop/lecture we have had so far, in my opinion, and it actually allowed the rest of us open up to each other as well.
This morning, we went to the District Six museum which focuses on educating people about the forced removals that took place during apartheid. It was one of the biggest and first forced removals during that time. The government and organizations are now working to rebuild the area to give people their homes back. There are currently 24 families living in new housing on that same plot of land, and there are plans for thousands more to move in.
That’s it for now. I have a Xhosa test in a few hours that I should go study for. Ahh. Talk to you soon!
Hope you are all doing well! I had a great weekend in Simonstown. On Friday, after class, we all boarded the train and zigzaged through the mountains and along the ocean-side. It was absolutely breathtaking. I took tons of pictures so you guys can see what I'm talking about. We stayed at Topsail, a hostel about a five minute walk from the main street of town and a five minute walk in the other direction to the beach. There were great restaurants and antique shops, but not too much of a young, nightlife feel. I definitely got the sense that it was mainly operated by Afrikaner/British/Europeans. I think I saw more White people there than I have this whole time in South Africa. On Friday night, I went to Café Pescado with about six other people, and enjoyed the catch of the day (some fish I obviously can’t remember the name of now) and some rose wine (Bridget, def thought of that blush we drank when you visited ha yummm). The owner of the hostel came by, and naturally, my friend Kayla asked about his sons that we had heard about. He called them and told us that they were coming to get us to take us out. When they got to the restaurant, we found out that they were actually in their 40’s, but because there are no taxis or public transportation in Simonstown, it was great having someone to drive us to some other bars/restaurants that are not in walking distance. We went to Cape to Cuba, a cool, tropical-y bar with sand and tiki torches and fires surrounding outdoor tables and couches. After a few round of drinks, they drove us to a cool bar with glass windows overlooking the ocean. It was gorgeous. The band played such American songs like Sweet Home Alabama and How to Save a life (but more upbeat?) It was pretty funny. On Saturday, I enjoyed a DELICOUS picnic with Kayla and Karen. We walked around town and bought a fresh loaf of bread, pesto, cheese, fruit and wine and sat down by the water at a picnic bench. It was so relaxing and amazing to just have some quiet time away from the whole group. Later that day, we all drove to Cape of Good Hope (saw baboons on our drive- in the middle of the road) and Cape Point, where the Indian and Atlantic oceans meet. Gorgeous scenery and great walk down to the ocean. On Sunday, I spent the day at the beach (and got the worst sunburn of my life…hurts to sit as I write this). That night, those same brothers took us on a tour of Simonstown, winding through the mountains and stopping at different spots to view the ocean and houses. At one point, we drove through an informal settlement, a community of shacks set away from the rest of the town. It was actually one of the most uncomfortable and disheartening experiences. We were a group of White people driving in a Mercedes SUV through a street lined with shacks. There was not one person who did not stop and stare at us. Leaving the informal settlement, we all noticed the HUGE disparity in that area. Just a minute outside of it, we passed beautiful homes looking over the ocean. After the drive, they took us to the Red Hearing, a restaurant with great pizzas and great service (for once). It was one of the best meals I’ve had yet.
Yesterday, on Monday, we took the train back to Cape Town (at about 6:30 AM :-/) and had an HIV/AIDS workshop run by an organization called Positive Living. It is run by a handful of individuals currently living with HIV. They do an array of things to education people about HIV and talk openly and positively about it, attempting to change the attitudes and stigmas attached to the virus. It was the best workshop/lecture we have had so far, in my opinion, and it actually allowed the rest of us open up to each other as well.
This morning, we went to the District Six museum which focuses on educating people about the forced removals that took place during apartheid. It was one of the biggest and first forced removals during that time. The government and organizations are now working to rebuild the area to give people their homes back. There are currently 24 families living in new housing on that same plot of land, and there are plans for thousands more to move in.
That’s it for now. I have a Xhosa test in a few hours that I should go study for. Ahh. Talk to you soon!
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Life
Hey!
I thought I would send a little update since I have been so bad about keeping this blog up to date. Yesterday, our group split up into groups and visited different schools in the Cape Town area. Mike, Elizabeth and I went to Cedar House, a very elite private alternative (no strict rules, kids have a lot of freedom) school. It was really interesting. The majority of students were White, and when talking to the Deputy Principal, she even admitted that it's hard to make the school diverse, but have started giving out scholarships to some students. Each student is involved in some kind of outreach as a way to step out of their elite bubble and get involved in the real South African society. There are great quality teachers and impressive resources, but we all definitely got the sense that they are living in a bubble and might have a tough time adjusting to real South African society after high school. We all reconvened in the classroom and presented our schools and discussed what we saw/experienced. Other group members had very different experiences. They mostly went to township schools where the resources and teacher quality is lacking. It was great to hear about everyone's experience, and now I'm eager to go visit a more typical South African school.
Last weekend, on Saturday, we visited Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his imprisonment. It was fascinating to walk through the same halls as he once did, and to see his jail cell, courtyard and gardens where he spent most of his time. Our tour guide was an ex-prisoner so we got a real sense of what life was like at that prison. After reading Long Walk To Freedom, Mandela's autobiography, I had a much deeper understanding and appreciation for visiting the island. After that (and a boat ride- for those of you who know about my weak stomach, you know that was not the most pleasant experience), we drove to Camps Bay, a beautiful beach town for the afternoon. Some girls and I ate lunch at a great restaurant overlooking the water and then spent the next few hours laying on the beach. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday :)
Today, after a regular day of school, we are taking a train (train station is across the street from the classrooms) to Simonstown, a small naval town on the tip of the cape. I'm very excited for a relaxing weekend and to see what Simonstown has to offer!
Hope you are all doing well and keep leaving comments- I love reading them!!
Love,
Alyssa
I thought I would send a little update since I have been so bad about keeping this blog up to date. Yesterday, our group split up into groups and visited different schools in the Cape Town area. Mike, Elizabeth and I went to Cedar House, a very elite private alternative (no strict rules, kids have a lot of freedom) school. It was really interesting. The majority of students were White, and when talking to the Deputy Principal, she even admitted that it's hard to make the school diverse, but have started giving out scholarships to some students. Each student is involved in some kind of outreach as a way to step out of their elite bubble and get involved in the real South African society. There are great quality teachers and impressive resources, but we all definitely got the sense that they are living in a bubble and might have a tough time adjusting to real South African society after high school. We all reconvened in the classroom and presented our schools and discussed what we saw/experienced. Other group members had very different experiences. They mostly went to township schools where the resources and teacher quality is lacking. It was great to hear about everyone's experience, and now I'm eager to go visit a more typical South African school.
Last weekend, on Saturday, we visited Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his imprisonment. It was fascinating to walk through the same halls as he once did, and to see his jail cell, courtyard and gardens where he spent most of his time. Our tour guide was an ex-prisoner so we got a real sense of what life was like at that prison. After reading Long Walk To Freedom, Mandela's autobiography, I had a much deeper understanding and appreciation for visiting the island. After that (and a boat ride- for those of you who know about my weak stomach, you know that was not the most pleasant experience), we drove to Camps Bay, a beautiful beach town for the afternoon. Some girls and I ate lunch at a great restaurant overlooking the water and then spent the next few hours laying on the beach. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday :)
Today, after a regular day of school, we are taking a train (train station is across the street from the classrooms) to Simonstown, a small naval town on the tip of the cape. I'm very excited for a relaxing weekend and to see what Simonstown has to offer!
Hope you are all doing well and keep leaving comments- I love reading them!!
Love,
Alyssa
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Langa and more...
Hi!
Life in
I’m living with my Mama, Tata (Dad- pronounced Dada) and buhti (brother), Ayunda (14 years old). He is their grandson and because his mom died (during child birth I think) he now lives with them. My Mama is so cute and welcoming. She made me feel at home immediately. The first night, she cooked chicken, bean salad, rice and salad for dinner. It was delic. South Africans eat EVERY part of the chicken, which I'm not used to, so on the second night when we were eating chicken again, she asked for my skin that I kept leaving over. Ew.. After dinner, I walked to Franny’s house where there were hundreds of people- family members and friends. In the Xhosa culture, when someone die, the family celebrates by drinking and dancing and hanging out. By time I got there at 6-ish, everyone was WASTED. There were some creepy old men trying to talk to you about god knows what, but there were also some really cool people around my age. Everyone was friendly and talkative- wanting to get to know us strange white people. Many came up to us to thank us for coming and taking the time to learn about their culture. Most couldn’t believe that we were staying in Langa. It is basically unheard of for Whites to go to Langa (or any other township), or to stay there, for that matter. Townships by the way are the communities where Blacks were relocated to during the apartheid era. Things are still SO segregated here, and people do not hesitate to be racist at any time of the day.
Langa is a great community- people are so friendly and willing to take the time to talk and get to know you if you say hi (or Molo, in Xhosa). Some parts of the town look run down and poor, but other parts are nice. After taking a tour of Langa, I realized (the whole group did, I think) that we are definitely living in the posh parts of town. We all live in comfortable homes with enough space for everyone (well, for the most part) and food on the table everyday. My house is very well decorated, and kept clean and neat, so you don’t feel cramped. The homestay has been great so far, and there is no doubt in my mind it has totally changed by experience so far. I was having a great time before, but this adds a whole new element and perspective. It’s hard to explain, but to be immersed in a new culture that I had never been exposed to and that is so looked down upon is amazing. We all got reactions from people after we told them that we are staying in Langa- surprised and confused that a group of White students would actually live in a township. Veryyy interesting.
On Sunday, I went to church with my Mama- a Baptist church. Besides the whole religious aspect, it was really cool and a great service. People are so passionate about God and the whole service was so lively and fun and emotional. It seems that many people are extremely influenced by God and his presence in their life. It was really interesting to witness.
Xhosa lessons have been going well. I’m trying really hard to “click” but my mouth is just not trained to make that noice. Not yet, anways. We’ve learned to introduce ourselves and ask how people are, etc. It’s coming along… When I came home on Tuesday, my Mama announced that I wasn’t allowed to speak English anymore so that was a bit of a shock, but I think I’ve improved already. Hopefully I’ll be able to hold up a conversation by time I leave Langa.
I’m starting to pick up on some cultural differences. For example, people gauge others’ happiness based on their weight and appetite. My Mama keeps offering me food and is surprised when I tell her I’m full. (Actually, she has started to serve me, instead of serving myself, and always gives me huge heapings of food. Another reason that I just joined a gym…). Apparently, the Mamas want to send you back to
I’m still loving the group. Besides some unnamed few, I really like them. We are all very different, (hate to be cliché) but all bring something to the table. I’ve already made some really good friends that I feel completely comfortable with and am enjoying getting to know others. Because we're all scattered throughout Langa, I've been spending more time with new people that I don't know as well. It’s been great.
Three days ago after school, Mike, Elizabeth, Raissa, Franny and I organized a little soccer game with some kids in town. After 5 minutes we had 40 kids playing with us (3-14 years old)…including my brother. It was so much fun!
Yesterday was our “Langa” day- we had a Xhosa lesson and then toured the town and saw parts that we would not have normally seen. We went behind the scenes at a bry (barbeque), bakery (and saw a man make “fat bread” or fried bread), visited a pre-school where kids jumped ALL over us, and toured different homes. We had not been exposed to such poverty yet. In some “hostels,” 8 person families were sharing a small room with two beds and extra mattresses to put on the floor at night. There is a huge housing shortage and not enough affordable housing in Langa. After the tour, we ate at a great restaurant inside someone’s home in Langa, and devoured amazing African food. There was an African band playing while we ate which added to the whole experience. They even played a song from The Lion King. Ha. Done with lunch, we had the afternoon to ourselves to explore Rondebosch (the area where we take classes) or do some homework. I walked up to the
Well, that’s it for now. I’ll post more later. I love and miss you and would love to hear from you. Hope all is well!
Love,
Nomhle (my new Xhosa name :-) )
Friday, February 6, 2009
First week or so...
Hi everyone!
So I finally have a few minutes to update you on my life in South Africa! I arrived in Johannesburg on Jan 30th after a 18 hour flight from JFK. I basically slept the whole way (obviously) which made the flight pass by. When we landed, we immediately met our academic advisor, Shane, and our other two advisors, Namawethu and Tabisa. We arrived at our hostel where we spent the first five days getting acclimated to the area. We toured downtown Jo'burg, had our first few lessons in Xhosa, a native click language, tasted authentic African food (spicy but delicious), visited the constitutional court, drove by Nelson Mandela's house, went to the Apartheid Museum, and visited several famous monuments and churches.
We arrived in Cape Town on Wednesday. All I can say is BEAUTIFUL. The city wraps around the cape with gorgeous beaches and ports, and with Table Mountain in the backdrop. We've had a few more Xhosa classes, learning how to say "Hi, How are you?," "My name is.." etc. We're trying to learn as much conversational phrases as possible before we move in with our homestay families tomorrow. Today, we had a "drop-off"- our leaders dropped all of us off individually with a destination and assignment in mind. I went to The Castle, the oldest building in Cape Town, built by the Dutch when they colonized South Africa and walked through an exhibit of photographs of people suffering from industrial pollution in Durban. After that, I met up with my friend Karen for lunch, and enjoyed delicious salads and smoothies, which tasted amazing in the 80-ish degree weather (no complaints there). We found our way to The Gardens near the Parliament building to reconvene with the group and discuss our day. Tonight we are having a group dinner at Mama Africa on Long Street (the VERY lively street with a thousand restaurants and bars).
Basically, South Africa has been amazing, but SIT has been keeping us so busy it's been hard to sit down to take everything in. But, I've loved bonding with the group, but I'm excited to get settled in with my homestay family and immerse myself in the Xhosa culture. I'll keep you updated!
I will write more (and in more detail) later when I have more time to sit and process and regurgitate everything. Hope you are all doing well and talk to you soon!
Alyssa
So I finally have a few minutes to update you on my life in South Africa! I arrived in Johannesburg on Jan 30th after a 18 hour flight from JFK. I basically slept the whole way (obviously) which made the flight pass by. When we landed, we immediately met our academic advisor, Shane, and our other two advisors, Namawethu and Tabisa. We arrived at our hostel where we spent the first five days getting acclimated to the area. We toured downtown Jo'burg, had our first few lessons in Xhosa, a native click language, tasted authentic African food (spicy but delicious), visited the constitutional court, drove by Nelson Mandela's house, went to the Apartheid Museum, and visited several famous monuments and churches.
We arrived in Cape Town on Wednesday. All I can say is BEAUTIFUL. The city wraps around the cape with gorgeous beaches and ports, and with Table Mountain in the backdrop. We've had a few more Xhosa classes, learning how to say "Hi, How are you?," "My name is.." etc. We're trying to learn as much conversational phrases as possible before we move in with our homestay families tomorrow. Today, we had a "drop-off"- our leaders dropped all of us off individually with a destination and assignment in mind. I went to The Castle, the oldest building in Cape Town, built by the Dutch when they colonized South Africa and walked through an exhibit of photographs of people suffering from industrial pollution in Durban. After that, I met up with my friend Karen for lunch, and enjoyed delicious salads and smoothies, which tasted amazing in the 80-ish degree weather (no complaints there). We found our way to The Gardens near the Parliament building to reconvene with the group and discuss our day. Tonight we are having a group dinner at Mama Africa on Long Street (the VERY lively street with a thousand restaurants and bars).
Basically, South Africa has been amazing, but SIT has been keeping us so busy it's been hard to sit down to take everything in. But, I've loved bonding with the group, but I'm excited to get settled in with my homestay family and immerse myself in the Xhosa culture. I'll keep you updated!
I will write more (and in more detail) later when I have more time to sit and process and regurgitate everything. Hope you are all doing well and talk to you soon!
Alyssa
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