Things have been pretty relaxed here since I last wrote. I have spent most of my time enjoying the summer weather. I was spent 4 days soaking up the rays of the sun, taking beautiful pictures, and even braving the waters. Cape Town has it up and downs but it’s definitely a place I have come to enjoy.
Things to get used to/ things I have learned:
- Being on the other side of the road (Not the wrong side) - crossing the street, picking up taxis and waking to the left side takes some getting used to.
- Using rands – 1 rand ≠ 1 dollar things cost more rand then dollars but that doesn’t mean they are more expensive. A sandwich at Nando’s is like 34 rand but is only like $4.70.
- Cape Town is “Americanized” in the way that many things about our societies are similar. The culture of Cape Town is very different however but things as far as stores go are very similar.
- Food fast is also a bit different. Its take away if you want it to go. And if you eat it there you eat with real plates and silverware. I dropped my knife and one of the people working there came over and handed me a clean one without me even asking. A very different feel to our fast food.
- Languages, accents and slang. There are 11 official languages of South Africa. Every day you hear quite a few. Local friends sometime drop in and out of English which has been fun to experience and observe but makes it hard to participate in conversation. Obviously there are regional accents everywhere but I find myself doing more active listening to understand people. Also there are a lot of different slang words for things. More recently I have learned the slang word for hobo.
-Crime is talked about a lot here during orientation because our programs want us to be safe. I think that a lot of their information though was common sense stuff- things that know I would even do if I was at home in Baltimore. I think as long as you act smartly you will be ok, so ill will adventure with my wits about me.
- I learned the train system of Cape Town the other day. It’s really cheap and you can get one it close to my flat and take it right to the beach. No was really checks tickets on the stops we got on and off so we have actually ridden the train for free both times.
Great things/ fun facts:
-Locals that I have made friends with are all really nice. One of the guys I was talking to the other day has a similar major to me. I love that I can have conversations about race, religion, sexuality, and other contemporary issues with people from a place complete different from myself and be able to hold my own and have a great educated deep discussion.
-The beaches and the weather here are the best. I hate the cold and I am so glad it’s summer here. The days are hot and sunny and the nights are cool. I might need to invest in another sweater because it’s a bit chilly sometimes when the wind blows. But over all I’m glad it will stay nice for a bit.
-The interstudy Leader or “Mamma” as we call her name is Ouma which is pronounced like Oma. It reminds me a lot of mom. Ouma is here for us all the time. She is married with 3 kids so she is definitely taking more of a motherly roll for us.
-The main building in the center of upper campus is called Jameson Hall. It’s a big building with mammoth pillars. It made it really easy for me to remember its names. lol
Orientation started today. They covered a lot of what interstudy cover when we first got here but there was a welcome reception and a drum lesson. They got all the international students together. Many parts of the globe are covered with more than 700 international semester abroad students this semester- which does not include the non- SA full time students. American is the largest represented country but there is also students from Germany, Sweden, Czech Republic, other European countries and Australia, as well as other African countries.
The rest of this week is orientation Friday we sign up for classes. Sunday is a Peninsular Tour which should be a fun excursion. And Monday I am climbing Table Mountain up to Devil’s Peak. The semester doesn’t start till Feb 5th so there is almost another 2 weeks to explore here. I might take a surf lesson or go shark cage diving. We will have to see.
Hope all is well in the States. Keep me updated.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Freedom Tour
My first week here has been so great. I have had so time to relax on the beach and work on my tan. As I read my book I wondered how cold everyone was back home.
Yesterday we went on an orientation excursion which was an amazing learning experience and help me learn much more about the more recent political past of South Africa. We started the day at the District Six museum where we learned about the apartheid. The Sixth District was a vibrant, multicultural section of the city. Our tour guide told us about how during the apartheid they classified people by race and South African towns and cities were divided into whites, blacks, and coloureds. He told of how they demolished the sixth district and forced all the non-whites out.
Everyone who was non-white was forced to leave and but in townships outside the city. The township were further divided by black and coloured. Many families were ripped apart because being defined as coloured or black was very subjective. They used the pencil test by which they stuck a pencil in a person hair if it stayed in they were black and if they it feel they were coloured.
After we had time to explore and read in the museum, we were taking to the first and oldest township in South Africa, Langa, where people from district six were moved. We got to tour the township. The whole experience in the township is really hard to describe. It was like leaving the 1st world live of the city of Cape Town and going to the impoverished 3rd world. Parts of Langa in the “Beverly Hills area” were one story houses that looked much like houses in the US. However they are owned by the lawyers, doctors, and teachers that choose to stay apart of the community. However most of Langa looks like any other poorer town but everyone lived with more families in houses and flats. There was also a whole part of the town that just one room shacks made from whatever the people had, which reminded me of how much of Africa is still consider 3rd world. The rain day we had added to the gloom of the township but the people were relatively happy and the children were sooo cute.
We finish our freedom tour by taking a ferry to Robben Island museum, which is where many political activists who fought against the apartheid were held. We got a bus tour of the island and got to see the cells where the prisoners lived. Our tour guide was an ex- political prisoner and told us much of his time there. We were also allowed to see the cell which Nelson Mandela was held.
The whole day was such a great learning experience for me. I got to learn so much about such recent political events. I thought a lot about how if I live in South Africa when I was younger I would have been alive for some of what I was reading and hearing about. It also made me think about how many of the local people I meet and talk to were directly effect by the apartheid.
Yesterday we went on an orientation excursion which was an amazing learning experience and help me learn much more about the more recent political past of South Africa. We started the day at the District Six museum where we learned about the apartheid. The Sixth District was a vibrant, multicultural section of the city. Our tour guide told us about how during the apartheid they classified people by race and South African towns and cities were divided into whites, blacks, and coloureds. He told of how they demolished the sixth district and forced all the non-whites out.
Everyone who was non-white was forced to leave and but in townships outside the city. The township were further divided by black and coloured. Many families were ripped apart because being defined as coloured or black was very subjective. They used the pencil test by which they stuck a pencil in a person hair if it stayed in they were black and if they it feel they were coloured.
After we had time to explore and read in the museum, we were taking to the first and oldest township in South Africa, Langa, where people from district six were moved. We got to tour the township. The whole experience in the township is really hard to describe. It was like leaving the 1st world live of the city of Cape Town and going to the impoverished 3rd world. Parts of Langa in the “Beverly Hills area” were one story houses that looked much like houses in the US. However they are owned by the lawyers, doctors, and teachers that choose to stay apart of the community. However most of Langa looks like any other poorer town but everyone lived with more families in houses and flats. There was also a whole part of the town that just one room shacks made from whatever the people had, which reminded me of how much of Africa is still consider 3rd world. The rain day we had added to the gloom of the township but the people were relatively happy and the children were sooo cute.
We finish our freedom tour by taking a ferry to Robben Island museum, which is where many political activists who fought against the apartheid were held. We got a bus tour of the island and got to see the cells where the prisoners lived. Our tour guide was an ex- political prisoner and told us much of his time there. We were also allowed to see the cell which Nelson Mandela was held.
The whole day was such a great learning experience for me. I got to learn so much about such recent political events. I thought a lot about how if I live in South Africa when I was younger I would have been alive for some of what I was reading and hearing about. It also made me think about how many of the local people I meet and talk to were directly effect by the apartheid.
Hey all!
I just wanted to send you a little update on my time in Africa. After 21 hours of long traveling I have made it to Cape Town. The flight was long but I was surrounded by other students so we got to know each other. The interstudy staff was there to meet us at the airport and bused us to our new homes in Mowbray. Our apartments (flats as they call them here) are quite nice. There are three bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen and common area. My flatmates are both really nice. Alex and Tahira both go to Sara Lawrence in NY. Alex was born in England, grew up in France, went to high school in the States, and spent last semester in Jordan. Tahira is from the US but her family has recently moved to Zimbabwe. So her family has both a house in NY and Zimbabwe and she spend the fall in Spain. They are a bit more worldly then I but they both are really nice and have been able to help me a bit. As for the rest of the interstudy students, everyone seems to be really nice. There are 55 of us so it is taking a little time to meet everyone but everyone seems to be great.
Our first days here were kinda crazy. They dropped us off got us into our flats, made sure we all had keys, and they left us to the next morning. It was like 2 in the morning here but none of us were used to the time change so we were all quite awake. I had a hard time falling asleep but I was able to some sleep. We all meet up at 9 the next day and Frank, my mentor, took us on a tour of the university and the local area. The School is huge and the campus is beautiful! There is a bus that runs from lower campus to upper campus cause its like a 30 minute walk to the top campus (which is all uphill because campus built into the mountain. My flat is only a 15/20 minute walk from lower campus so getting to class won’t be hard. There is a laundry mate (which has people to wash you laundry for you- there are no quarter machines to do it yourself.), grocery store and 7/11 are at the top of my street and its only a short walk to food places and a small mall where our bank is. And only a short taxi away is a huge mall. The next day we spend inside being told about a bunch of stuff, then went to the staff had a late lunch ready for us.
Today was our first day off so it was every nice to have a day to relax. We all slept in and went to the beach today. The beach is only like a 20 min taxi ride away. The water is colder that I would normal swim in but it sun is warm and the sights are beautiful.
Overall my trip so far has been a lot of fun. It’s definitely takes some getting used to, but I am enjoying it as much as I can. I definitely miss home but I know it will get better the more I get to know everyone.
As far as communication goes it will be a little harder than I imagined. The internet cost per mega byte which is definite not something I am used to. Skype because of the video connection is quite expense so I won’t be able to use it as frequently as I would like. Posting pictures is also hard because the internet is slow but im taking lots of pictures so don’t worry will show them when I get back. Receiving and sending emails does cost much so feel free to email me( kdrake2@students.towson.edu).
I just wanted to send you a little update on my time in Africa. After 21 hours of long traveling I have made it to Cape Town. The flight was long but I was surrounded by other students so we got to know each other. The interstudy staff was there to meet us at the airport and bused us to our new homes in Mowbray. Our apartments (flats as they call them here) are quite nice. There are three bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchen and common area. My flatmates are both really nice. Alex and Tahira both go to Sara Lawrence in NY. Alex was born in England, grew up in France, went to high school in the States, and spent last semester in Jordan. Tahira is from the US but her family has recently moved to Zimbabwe. So her family has both a house in NY and Zimbabwe and she spend the fall in Spain. They are a bit more worldly then I but they both are really nice and have been able to help me a bit. As for the rest of the interstudy students, everyone seems to be really nice. There are 55 of us so it is taking a little time to meet everyone but everyone seems to be great.
Our first days here were kinda crazy. They dropped us off got us into our flats, made sure we all had keys, and they left us to the next morning. It was like 2 in the morning here but none of us were used to the time change so we were all quite awake. I had a hard time falling asleep but I was able to some sleep. We all meet up at 9 the next day and Frank, my mentor, took us on a tour of the university and the local area. The School is huge and the campus is beautiful! There is a bus that runs from lower campus to upper campus cause its like a 30 minute walk to the top campus (which is all uphill because campus built into the mountain. My flat is only a 15/20 minute walk from lower campus so getting to class won’t be hard. There is a laundry mate (which has people to wash you laundry for you- there are no quarter machines to do it yourself.), grocery store and 7/11 are at the top of my street and its only a short walk to food places and a small mall where our bank is. And only a short taxi away is a huge mall. The next day we spend inside being told about a bunch of stuff, then went to the staff had a late lunch ready for us.
Today was our first day off so it was every nice to have a day to relax. We all slept in and went to the beach today. The beach is only like a 20 min taxi ride away. The water is colder that I would normal swim in but it sun is warm and the sights are beautiful.
Overall my trip so far has been a lot of fun. It’s definitely takes some getting used to, but I am enjoying it as much as I can. I definitely miss home but I know it will get better the more I get to know everyone.
As far as communication goes it will be a little harder than I imagined. The internet cost per mega byte which is definite not something I am used to. Skype because of the video connection is quite expense so I won’t be able to use it as frequently as I would like. Posting pictures is also hard because the internet is slow but im taking lots of pictures so don’t worry will show them when I get back. Receiving and sending emails does cost much so feel free to email me( kdrake2@students.towson.edu).
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