Cape Town

We left on Thursday night at midnight. The 7 of us hopped in Marshall’s van and we drove all thru the night to Cape Town, about a 9 hour drive. We slept the entire way and arrived as the sun was rising behind the mountains and over the ocean. I am thoroughly convinced that Cape Town is the most beautiful city on earth; between the towering mountains surrounding the ocean and vineyards, everything seems so big and never ending it’s hard to even believe. Unlike coasts in the U.S. where the coast line is polluted by buildings, sky scrapers, and land pollution there isn’t much of that at all, which makes everything look so much brighter and so much more natural. We dropped our things off at the Saasveld Lodge and then rushed off to our tour of Robben Island. We barely made the farry but as they literally held the ferry for the 7 of us to jump on at the last minute, we made it. The tour guide was an ex-political prisoner who showed us the prison and told us about life during the Apartheid and what it was like to live on Robben Island during such a dramatic time and what it meant to be a political prisoner during the Apartheid. We went all around the island and learned about the Dutch colonizers using it for prisoners and how it was used as a leper island for those with leprosy and other serious illnesses. Then it was converted into a prison for black and colored male political prisoners who were serving 5 year to life sentences. All the prison guards were white, so all the prisoners faced torture and cruelty. The prisoners spent a lot of their time educating one another and helping those who were illiterate learn to read and write. Other leaders like Nelson Mandela spent time talking about their dreams for hope and change within the country with one another. Robben Island is said to be the birth place of the ideas and foundations for the current democracy and where Nelson Mandela gave birth to so many of the changes in the Post-Apartheid government. It was a beautiful island but you could almost feel the pain and struggle that had been a part of that island for so many years. From Robben Island we went straight to Table Mountain, the highest point in South Africa. It’s this huge mountain that towers over the city and wraps around Cape Town like big arms encompassing all buildings and land. We rode the cable car up to the mountain and walked around looking at the most spectacular view! My hands were sweating the whole time thinking that there wasn't much to catch me if I was to fall straight down the cliff. That night we went out on Long Street, the main street that was right off our hotel. We ate at a well recommended restaurant, Mama Africa and I had the most wonderful Ostrige dinner! After, we went to a pub and night club with some local people that we met, it was such a fun night in Cape Town. We woke up early on Saturday and Marshall took us on a drive all around Cape Town and we drove all along the country side on a scenic tour to Cape Point. The Cape of Good Hope is the point at which the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet. The Cape is known as a menacing point for sailors because of the strong winds and quickly changing weather. We climbed forever till we reached the lighthouse at the top of the point. I took out my camera and asked Tasha to take a picture of me in front of a sign, as she was taking the picture one of the many wild baboons jumped up and grabbed the camera out of her hand and threw it to the ground. Thank goodness the camera's just a little scratched up and not Tasha. We hurried along and drove to Boulder Beach to see the wild penguins! All along our drive we drove thru small Dutch and English villages are scattered through the countryside. Along the road, people have their treasures out for sale so we stopped a few times to barter for souvenirs. That night we ate sushi and walked around Long Street. One of the many things I love about the places we’ve been is that in being coastal towns, I’ve had great seafood and sushi almost every meal. We were so excited to go bungee jumping on the drive back to PE, but as Marshall picked us up the next morning and we began driving we soon realized that bungee jumping would not be an option. Marshall had eaten a porcupine the night before and was not feeling well…at all…the entire way back. As I had a difficult time trying to figure out how to drive the car on the opposite side of the road, Boone from Washington State could also drive stick and drove 11 hours back to Port Elizabeth (it took so much longer due to the fact that we stopped every 10 minutes on the side of the road for Marshall). We arrived Sunday evening and had a delicious meal and stretched our legs after the excruciating car ride. Even though we were disappointed about having to re-schedule bungee jumping for the next week, we had an excellent time in Cape Town!

A struggle for freedom

Anytime we decide to do anything it always takes so long. The boys are worse than hoarding cats and are useless when it comes time to make decisions or do much productive. We all went out to one of the few clubs in PE, Belizzas. I think it's one of the most popular clubs in Port Elizabeth. It had American music blaring and was very Americanized. South African's are pretty conservative and that was seen with they way they danced. Boys and girls didn't really touch each other and danced very conservatively.
Saturday, Asa, Alyssa, and I took a walk along the beach looking at the waves and climbing on the rocks. Beautiful and unique coast.
Sunday we all woke up early in hopes of going to the famous flea markets. After walking for a couple of miles we were disappointed to find no flea market because of the earlier rains. Instead we did what we do best. Find good food and eat. Everyone seems to be on “SA time” and so going out to eat takes FOREVER because the service takes so long. We then went to a museum with an aquarium. and on our way back it started to pour so we stopped a an outdoor shopping area and saw a movie to wait the rain out.

Monday we had another Xhosa lecture from Rudy in the morning and then we were picked up by Radley our friend and tour guide who ushered us round all of Port Elizabeth. He showed us a famous hotel, where Mark Twain had been, the Bay from a beautiful view, the promise of a Nelson Mandela statue, and the current “largest” Mandela statue that’s only as tall as I am! There is so much artwork that expresses that pain and struggle of the indigenous culture and how far the people have come in just the past years from government oppression to freedom. There is such diverse wildlife in the area it’s really hard to believe. There are more animals per sq. kilometer than any other place on Earth because of the diverse Eco system.
Next, Radley took us on our journey into the townships. In the township, the story and struggle of Apartheid becomes evident. During the Apartheid, communities were blocked off from designated race areas. Blacks, Colored, and Whites. Even though there has been much effort to change and improve conditions, the evidence from the past different colored communities sticks out so clearly. Some areas just received hot water within the last 2 months. Some areas have no sort of hot water, plumbing, electricity, flooring, not even full roofs or walls, or even doors. These shacks are held together by rope and tarps. THOUSANDS of people live on top of each other in places that do not look suitable for even rats to live. Because it’s the rainy season, there’s water all over the place which becomes dangerous for the flooding, dampness inside the shacks and causes the conditions to be colder inside shacks. There also becomes a very high risk and increase in disease because of the still water. Especially since some people don’t have shoes and it’s so dirty and cold. The horrid conditions are inescapable. Seeing the townships was the most sobering and eye opening experience I could have been apart of. We were silent the entire time, struggling to take in and process what we were really seeing. To say that we are selfish, over privileged, unaware people is really an understatement. Going about our normal lives with no understanding or knowledge of what really is happening in our world is ignorant. Seeing and knowing, and not doing something about it is the real crime. The fact that these townships are 20 minutes from the main towns and many people in PZ are unaware about what is really happening just outside the city. Even with the devastating conditions so many people live in, people still see promise and hope since the new government, and think that thru time more change is possible. We went to the Red Location Museum named after the rust that forms on the tin roofs. It’s this incredible museum right in the middle of shacks. It was almost disturbing to see this million-dollar museum in the middle of such extreme poverty. It told stories about individual victims and leaders of the liberation movement and the massacres of the slaughtering of a whole community of people.
We’re leaning a lot about the Apartheid struggle and relocation of the Black people, and the abuse and torture they experienced. It’s really interesting because just 16 years ago this area was completely different, and to think that everything has changed and racism no longer exists in ignorant. Racism is now a crime here and if there’s any report of racism spoken or acted upon, then the crime can be punishable by jail. There’s still a lot of pain that people hold onto from the Apartheid. It’s not something widely talked about and a very sensitive subject but when we hear the stories by people who were directly involved and even sent to jail and persecuted for their involvement in the freedom and liberation movement, these stories become very real. Many actions of the Apartheid government relate to events in the holocaust and the violence and killings of the black people is unlike anything I had imagined. The fascist government of the National Parliament showed no mercy and would not have changed unless the people would have stood up. That's why Nelson Mandela is the biggest hero anyone knows here. People look to him as their Savior. In 1994 When Mandela became president, it was the FIRST democratic elections that took place in South Africa. EVER.
There are so many intricate elements that make up Apartheid and the struggle for freedom from the oppressive government. Hearing about these stories from individuals who lived thru it and experience this first hand is incredible.

just hangin' out

SO today Tasha, Alyssa, and I went for a run along the beach. While people are walking around in winter coats and gloves and all bundled up, we decided striped down to our gym shorts and sports bras and jumped into the Indian Ocean. It wasn't exactly warm but so much fun! We saw a bunch of surfers and a couple of dolphins! We leave for our Cape Town adventure at midnight and will get there around 9 am on Friday. We have a very full couple of days and sleep probably won't be very frequent! We're planning on climbing table mountain, going to Robben Island where Apartheid prisoners were held including Nelson Mandela, and bungee jumping from the highest location in the world! In the evenings we've been going out to different pubs and restaurants and meeting local people. It's nice since it's 7 Rand to the Dollar so everything is really inexpensive!

my backyard

When I walk out about 20 yards from my apartment, this is what I see.

things about SA

1. I see the Southern Cross every night
2. I played in the Indian Ocean! It's the prettiest and most unique coast i've ever seen!
3. I'm learning how to speak xhosa
4. There are monkeys walking around everywhere. They wake us up every morning when they're jumping on our roof.
5. We ride in taxi's everywhere
6. We have maids that come EVERY day and mop, do our dishes, make our beds, deep clean EVERY day!
7. the 7 of us get along way too well. It's so much fun
8. I haven't taken my sweatshirt off since i've been here. It's a bit cold!
9. We booked our big weekend trip to Cape Town next weekend. We have a driver set up to drive us the 8 hours and spend the 2 nights there. We're going to go bungy jumping from the highest location in the WORLD and go to table mountain and Robben Island where Nelson Mandala was held and to the Stellenbosch vineyard.
10. EVERYONE drinks wine here for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
11. There's a KFC on at least every corner.
12. Everyone is so friendly
13. It always smells so good everywhere

Molo!

Molo! (hello)

We have class together with different teachers all the time.  They’re more like presentations about all kinds of different topics and perspectives of African culture that last about 4 hours Monday thru Thursday.  A professor, who is also a minister, and comes from a traditional Isixhosa village, is teaching us how to speak Isixhosa, a click language, so when we go on a trip to a traditional village we can speak with them.  Xhosa is the 2^nd largest group of people in SA and it’s the group the Nelson Mandela comes from.  A professor we had today has written 3 books about growing up in war-torn Bosnia and his survival during the bloodshed. He is currently working with generals and head military leaders in South Sudan to help them become better leaders when their new country gains independence on July 9!  The leaders have no education and knowledge of how to run a country and the politics it requires only military education so they have sought out education from this professor so they can be more effective and democratic leaders of the new South Sudan.  His perspective on intervention into war-stricken countries and conflict resolution is fist hand and very sobering.  Another instructor was in jail when being an activist during the Apartheid. We have seen straight from the people affected by the Apartheid the effects that is had and still has on the community, however; I have never met nicer people than the blacks in South Africa.  The 3 main types of people are the Afrikaans (whites), Coloreds, and Blacks.  We’ve learned a lot about diversity and the different cultures of so many people.  There are 11 official languages and such a gap in social classes but the places we have been are very nice.  I can see the ocean from my window and everyone’s accent sounds British almost. 

While we sit outside and eat our lunch yesterday we were bombarded by a very large group of wild monkeys that found our food and us very interesting.  The monkeys just run wild here!  This place is so much fun and so beautiful.

Is this for real?

So after 2 full days of flying half way across the world I'm finally in South Africa!!!! 2 VERY long sleepless flights and a 12 hour layover in London, where I did manage to have a Guinness and stop by the Harrods and Duty Free stores, I arrived in the most beautiful country I have ever seen.  From the staggering cliffs and vinyards in Cape Town to extremely diverse coast of PZ it's really incredible how vast and changing the landscape is! I'm staying in this little quaint cottage-like flat full of international students, apparently.  I'm stuck with 6 of the coolest most awesome people I could have ever expected.  2 southern gentlemen from Ol Miss, Alyssa from Rhode Island who belongs on the Jersey Shore, another very nice girl, Tosh from NYC, Kendall from Nebraska, and Boone from Washinton.  We all have "class" together which consists of the most interesting and coolest guest lecturers for a few hours a day and a final scrapbook project at the end of the month. We live in this flat apartment place and have become so close in just the last 2 days. Today we went on a Safari and got way close to some beautiful animals! We payed around 5 dollars to play with and pet Cheetahs and i had giraffe poop in my mouth for some South African game they play.We're having so much fun and have so many exciting things planned for this month.   This is going to be so much fun.