ISP

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!