A New Life in a New World

Hello, readers!

In my last post I said that this blog would no longer be relevant. I decided that it is in fact still relevant. While I no longer have insights to share about living in Cape Town, I have a few words to say about my life now.

It has now been three and a half months since I returned from Africa. Now, I am living in Vancouver. The two cities could not be any more different, yet at the same time they're very similar. Mountains and ocean punctuate the scenery here just as they do in Cape Town. There is a very laid-back and relaxed vibe as well. Canadians are some of the most cordial people I've met so far. South Africans are as well, but in fairness a true South African will give you a piece of advice or directions with his or her two cents as well. I may be making a sweeping generalization. I view it was a cultural difference.

When I returned to North America I experienced my fair amount of reverse culture shock. Vancouver is an expensive city. When I say expensive, I mean it. Eating out, entertainment, and other living expenses are astronomical compared to those of Cape Town. However, I noticed that you get what you pay for in Canada. The quality of life here is very high. Crime rates are low and it is safe for someone to walk outside at night. It took me a bit of time to adjust to this way of life. In Cape Town, there was a huge emphasis on safety and security. In Canada, some people don't even lock their doors. Such a change, but certainly a welcomed one.

As the weather becomes progressively colder I begin to miss Africa. I miss sunsets that are unlike any I have ever seen in my life. I miss the frenetic activity of the city centre, where taxis come and go and people are selling trinkets on the side of the street. Vancouver is a bit tame in comparison. I miss the friendliness of the people as well. I've begun to make peace with the fact that Cape Town and Vancouver are different.

Instead of comparing the two places I need to appreciate who I have around me in my life. I am so fortunate to have my family support me through not only my exchange, but through all my other endeavors. I am thankful for my friends in both places as well. Thank you, Chicago friends, for waiting for me when I got home and understanding the purpose of the journey. Thank you to my South African friends for becoming as important as you all are in my life. Without you all I could not be the person I am today.

The exchange is over, but the intercultural learning continues--It always will. I will return to South Africa. Maybe not tomorrow, but I certainly will. It is home. Africa will always be within me.

Thanks again, everyone! Dankie vir die lees!

-Danny

P.S. Please feel free to email me at danny.schur@gmail.com if you have any comments or questions about the blog or South Africa in general.

A world apart, yet a world closer.

It is hard to believe that my exchange in South Africa ended only a mere 2 and a half weeks ago. On August 13 at 5:45 in the morning, I landed at New York's Kennedy airport. That is when my exchange ended.

Now, I am sitting in my dorm room at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada. My life here could not be any more different than what I had in South Africa. In many ways, it feels as if my life there was simply just a dream, and every now and then I relive it. In short, I miss South Africa dearly.

The journey home was a long, but pleasant one. Neshama, the other American, and I had a departure camp in Johannesburg. We were both sad about our imminent departure, yet excited to finally reunite with our natural families. We both enjoyed reflecting on our experiences and looking at them from a different perspective.

 At the end of my six month exchange, I missed my family more than I ever had in my life. In a lot of ways, those six months were an endurance challenge for me. I learned that I am capable of living independently and making conscious decisions for myself on a daily basis. This will only prepare me well for life in college.

I do miss the beauty of Cape Town, the friendly people that have become some of my closest friends and of course, my host family. Meilech family, you were amazing. It wasn't always easy living together, but I cannot thank you enough for all that you have done for me.

Life in Canada is very different than life in South Africa. I have more relative safety, public transport and social infrastructure. However, it is insanely expensive to live here. I miss how relatively cheap South Africa is. Canada is a bit less exotic. While it is a "foreign" country, it is very similar to the US. The people sound the same, the food is similar and the culture isn't distant at all. Canada has many subtle differences, while South Africa has few.

I feel that I have grown tremendously since February. If it weren't for South Africa, I wouldn't be the more open-minded individual who I am today. I have a more global view of the world and think beyond the borders of my country. I have become more tolerant of people who may not be like me, and learn to appreciate their differences. The list of ways that I have changed is endless. I would not trade those six months for anything, ever.

This is the end of my blog, but only the beginning of the rest of my life. I know many of you have emailed me with questions, but you'll have to bare with me. I take a long time to reply as I've been very busy in the last two weeks. Only now I have been able to sit down and write about the end of my experience and catch up on old experiences. It feels odd to say goodbye, but this is the end. This is it. The blog no longer has a relevant purpose, so I will end it now.

Thank you for reading this blog, as well as following my journey through South Africa. Dit was 'n groot plesier!

Totsiens, Tsamaya hantle, Sala kukuhle and Goodbye!

-Danny

Six

As I sit here in my host family's kitchen, I now realize that I have six days left in Cape Town. I'm sitting here, thinking about where the time has gone over the last five months. What have I done? Where have I been? Who have I met? Was it worth it? What mistakes did I make? How did I succeed?

There are many answers to those questions.

People frequently ask me "would you do it again?" and "would you come back?" The answers: yes and yes. This exchange has impacted me tremendously. While perhaps I am not too keen to repeat the roller coaster of an experience that was my first month, I would undoubtably do it again. I also recommend that anyone who is at all considering to go on an exchange during high school to do it if possible. In many ways, I can't imagine spending my second semester of my senior year any other way.

Yes, it is me. I'm different. Not too many high school seniors take the risk of leaving everything they have for six months to try something different in a foreign country. Living with people who are at first complete strangers in a place where you have never been can be daunting. It didn't deter me one bit. I've seemed to always craved being different and trying new things. In many ways, I feel as if I am writing the book for an American high school senior who risks it all by going to Cape Town for six months. My journey has come to an end, but the stories and experiences are countless.

Second semester of senior year is a predictable time. These five months have been anything but predictable. Was this time spent away from my life in America worth it? Absolutely. Why? I created a new existence where no one knew who I was. I tried new things. I met new people. I went to new places. My friend's dad once said, "what you're doing here is merely a microcosm of life." He couldn't be more accurate. The ups, the downs, the successes, the struggles, and everything in between have shaped not only my exchange but also who I am as a person.


Cape Town and my host family's home feel like home to me now. Chicago feels like a world away and I'm almost a bit nervous to go home. I can't exactly articulate why I'm nervous. It's almost the same feeling I had before I came here--a combination of excitement and nervousness.I'm so accustomed to the routine and way of life with my host family that I could not imagine doing anything other than it. In one month, I'll be living a vastly different life. I will be in college, living in a dorm, in yet another country. Needless to say, August is going to be a whirlwind of a month. In fact, it already has been. I'm shocked by how quickly this week has gone by. I feel as if August is the month of contrasts and extremes.

In the words of an ex-Rhodesian I met last month, "Africa will always be in my veins." While I did not live in colonial Africa, I do feel that South Africa will always be part of my identity. So much of what I've done here hasn't only shaped who I am, but has also prepared me for my future.

All rambling aside, I do feel that even though these five months haven't always been easy, this experience was absolutely worth it. Now, I'm going to savor the last six days here in Cape Town.

Cheers,
Danny

"Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it."

The quote in the title of this post comes from the late 80's move, Ferris Bueller's Day Off. I don't think there is a better sentence to describe how I feel at the moment than that quote. As of today, I have three weeks left in Cape Town. One may think, "hey, that's a long time!" while others may think, "you're practically leaving tomorrow! Bye!". Lately my mind has been playing with me. I'm very excited to go home. I can't wait to drive a car again, eat my favorite foods and of course, see my friends! Five months is a very long time to be away from home and it has begun to take its toll on me. However, I feel that the five months have just zoomed past and the time that remains is merely chump change. Bottom line, I'm confused about how to feel right now.

I just returned from an awesome week and a half week trip to northern South Africa. I went to (in sequential order) Johannesburg, Phalaborwa, Kruger National Park, Hoedspruit, Mpumlanga, and then back to Phalaborwa again. I got to spend time with other AFS students, which was great. Going abroad is a tremendously rewarding experience but there are certainly many lonely moments. The friends you have in your host community may be very close but the people who tend to understand the exchange student experience best are in fact other exchange students. Undoubtably, the highlight of the trip was the Kruger National Park. I didn't see the "Big 5" but I saw some of them--if you have a clue what I'm talking about.

I could write pages about the trip, so I'll just post some pictures to give you an idea of what I saw and did.

World's largest Baobab tree

Blyde River Canyon--The third largest in the world!

Petting a cheetah at Moholoholo animal rehab centre

Elephant at the Kruger National Park

AFSers in the bush!

Waterfall near the Blyde River Canyon

After climbing the Koppie

Impala--commonly found throughout the Kruger

Life in Africa is passing quickly. I'll probably post again once or twice before I go home. Living abroad isn't always easy but I am beginning to understand the rewards it can reap.

Cheers!

Danny

The Beginning of the End

Hello everyone!

I know it has been an eternity since I have written in this blog. Rather, it feels as such for me. I received communications from readers in both America and South Africa asking me to post. My reasons for not keeping to my formerly regimented schedule of blogging are the same as those of any other AFSer who blogs. Simply put, there just isn't enough time to sit down weekly and organize my thoughts into an informative yet readable blogpost. As my English teachers at North Shore taught me, it is important to write with the audience in mind. When I started my blog, I considered my audience to be family, friends and perhaps a few curious teachers of mine. I had no idea that the scope of the audience now would be so broad. However, so be it. I feel so rewarded that people from literally every corner of the world read this blog. I hope that I have inspired other students to make the leap to go abroad and to give those who cannot travel a window into my life abroad.

Since June 9th, which was the last time I posted, a lot has taken place. I feel like I say that frequently, but it's true!

Now I am not only officially a high school graduate, but I have finally finished my senior year of high school abroad! It felt so strange going to school in mid-June, but that's what you do in South Africa. School here runs from January to December. Currently we have a two and a half week vacation period. Therefore, I am officially on my second "winter break" of this academic year. Confusing? I sometimes think so. They days in Cape Town are much shorter than they are in Chicago now. The sun rises at about 7:45 a.m. and sets promptly at six. It is a far cry from seeing the sun bright at six and shine until eight. Perhaps that is what I miss the most about home--the seemingly endless days of summer.

Last week Thursday, my high school here had our Matric Dance. For those of you non-South Africans, a Matric Dance is the equivalent of senior prom. Just like at home, we met at someone's house for pictures before the affair, went to an event hall for the dance, and then had an after party. It was a really nice affair and all of my classmates ensured it was a special night for all. They even made a special mention of the fact that I won't be going back to school for third term, and that they will miss me. Thanks again, SRC for doing that!

Other than my end-of-school related matters, life here has been relatively monotonous. Since I'm on my school vacation now I have had the opportunity to relax for the last few days. The remainder of the holidays will be spent doing some community work, sightseeing with other AFSers, chilling with my school friends, and then going to Phalaborwa to visit my AFS friends from Switzerland. Once in Phalaborwa I will have the opportunity to go to the Kruger National Park. For those of you who do not know what the Kruger Park is, you must look it up. It is one of the most iconic places to visit in all of South Africa.

As June is coming to an end, I only have one full month left here in Africa. As much as I have moments during which I'd like to be at home, it will be hard to say goodbye. I will miss everyone here in South Africa and will never forget them. It's certainly not over yet, but I am well aware that the time is going to "fly" from now. 

Cheers!

Danny

Summer in South Africa

Long time no write, everyone! I apologize for not keeping to my weekly habit of posting to this blog but it has been yet another hectic week and a half here in Cape Town.

First of all, I would like to congratulate the North Shore Country Day School class of 2012. Our graduation ceremony was yesterday and although I wasn't in attendance I spend the whole day thinking about it. I thought to myself, "why am I missing this?"After a few hours of thinking and several emails, facebook messages and wallposts, I finally realized that I made the right choice for myself to come to South Africa on my AFS exchange. Sure, I would have liked to be in attendance at the ceremony but luckily with this day and age of technology I was able to hear my name called via a video my mom recorded. Thanks, mom!

Now, back to the southern hemisphere. Since I last posted I explained that I will be spending the balance of my time here doing community work. I spent the last week and a half volunteering for Equal Education in Cape Town organizing and preparing books to be put in school libraries in townships. Last Friday I had the opportunity to visit the township of Khayelitsha to deliver the books. Although my time in the township was limited to a few hours, the short time I spent reaffirmed why I came to South Africa. I had an experience within an experience to see how the "other half" lives and to make a tangible difference to the community. The principles of the schools we visited were very gracious to have us and were extremely welcoming. I found the teachers and the administration of Sosebenza, Manyano, and the other school of which I forgot the name to be some of the warmest and nicest people I have met in South Africa. To say the least it was a very worthwhile experience.

I remember starting this blog about two months before I left and I remember writing about how I had no idea what would be in store. When I wrote that blogpost I was sitting in the senior homeroom on a bleak monday morning in December during A block when I should have been doing my Pre-Calc homework. Now, about two months remain of my time in South Africa and I am more than aware of the fact that the time will fly. Therefore, I must enjoy it.

The timeline of events until August 10, my last day in Cape Town, is as follows:

This week: Continue to do community work here in Cape Town

Next week: Go back to school for Matric day (sort of like seniors' day) and a field trip with my tourism class, and then the Matric dance!

Following week: Holidays start until the 16 of July. During that time I'll be hanging around Cape Town with friends and various visiting exchange students. I'm going to Phalaborwa, Limpopo one of those weeks to visit a fellow exchange student.

The remaining three or so weeks before I leave have still yet to be determined. Most likely I will do a mix of sightseeing and community work until I leave. Even though two months seems like a long time from now it really isn't as I have a lot planned.

Here are some pictures of my trip to the township of Khayelitsha:

Cheers!

-Danny

Looking Ahead

Dumela!

Continuing my streak of greeting my readers in a different language, I just said "hello" in Sepedi. Sepedi is a language spoken by four million people in Mpumalanga, Limpopo, and even parts of Gauteng. It is also known as Sesotho sa Laboa. In Cape Town, one never hears Sepedi spoken. Normally I hear English, Afrikaans, and Xhosa.

Now that I'm well into the second half of my time in South Africa, my exchange is taking a different direction.  My classmates are currently feverishly studying for their exams, which I luckily don't have to take. Don't get me wrong, I'm academically committed here in SA, but I'm definitely not going to complain. That said, I've completed all of my graduation requirements for school in America so I don't feel a real urge to work my gaat off. As a result of my friends being busy with exams I have taken the opportunity to do some volunteering in Cape Town. For the next few weeks I will be working for an organization called Equal Education. Specifically, I will be working for "The Bookery" within the organization. Essentially, I get to sort and prepare books for new libraries in schools in the townships of Cape Town. These books mostly go to the township of Khayelitsha. I started this week and I have really enjoyed the work.

Come June 18, I'll go back to school. Yes, as a senior in high school I will still go to school in mid-June. When I first realized it I thought it was rather peculiar but it's part of the experience of studying abroad. It's very important to let go of your home country's perception or way of doing something. The matric dance, the South African equivalent of prom, is June 21. You'll hear more about it later in June as my classmates countdown the days. Unlike prom, which sort of just "happens" at North Shore, people plan this dance all year long. Needless to say, it's a huge deal. Let's hope it's all what everyone cracks it up to be!

The June/July vacation follows the Matric Dance. It's a three week break during which I'm going to Phalaborwa, Limpopo to visit another AFS student. Phalaborwa is located right on the edge of the Kruger National Park, one of South Africa's biggest attractions. What's also nice about Phalaborwa is that it's up north, which means it's warm. In Cape Town we are currently experiencing winter. Obviously it's not like our Chicago winters but it's cold and damp with clouds for much of the day. Chicago I know has had a great May so far, but I remember it being 50 degrees and rainy quite often. Oh well.

Not too much interesting to share this week. Please email me suggestions of anything you'd like to know more about. That way, you as the reader can benefit from this blog. I hope that other prospective AFS students have used this blog as a resource in making an informed decision to go to South Africa or any other country with AFS.

I've enclosed some pictures of home. Many of my friends think I live in a clay hut. Perhaps these pictures will change their perception of South Africa.

 Bedroom--Pardon the Mess

 My View Every Night

 My "Elephant Sized" Shower

 Living Room

Estate/Development

And so the second half begins...

Sanibonani!


...which means "hello" in isiZulu, one of the eleven co-official languages of South Africa. isiZulu is predominately spoken within the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Even though my host family is not Zulu, I sometimes watch Zulu programs on television to help me fall asleep. I'm not implying that listening to the Zulu would encourage one to sleep, but it just tends to be what's on tv around bedtime. 


As the title of the post implies, I'm officially on the second half of my exchange. In fact, three months from today I left Chicago! Weird, ey?


Oh well, I tend to ramble about such matters...


Now on to what you really wanted to read about, what I've been up to lately. This past week may appear to be less exciting than the other ones during the last month or so, but the last few weeks were filled with exciting and unusual experiences. 


The school week in South Africa barely differs from that of Chicago. I get up, go to school, come home, do work, eat supper, then go to bed. My routine is interluded with various sport matches of either of my host sisters, a trip to the shops, or a spontaneous detour to another part of Cape Town. I would elaborate further on the details of my daily routine, but I think that you get the picture.


This past weekend I had yet another few exciting experiences. On Saturday, I had the pleasure to meet up with the other exchange students in the Cape Town area. The majority of these students reside in Mitchell's Plain, which I have yet to visit. From what I know, Mitchell's Plain could not be anymore different than where I live, Plattekloof. Still, it was great to have the opportunity to share our mutual thoughts, reactions, and feelings about being on exchange. Regardless of socioeconomic status, South Africa is a culturally rich country. My fellow exchange students and I were all able to acknowledge that point. 


Now, what did we all do together besides make mutual cultural understanding? (Wow, that sounds like something out of an AFS pamphlet!) We went to one of South Africa's three ice rinks to do what else, but ice skate! I haven't ice skated in a long time but hey, I didn't fall once! The last thing I imagined myself doing in Cape Town was going ice skating. Yet another cultural misconception has been proven wrong. What really stood out to me was the diversity of people at the rink. In many public places in South Africa, racial segregation is somewhat evident. Obviously, there is no more official racial segregation in the country. Many places such as restaurants, bars, and shops tend to have a clientele that is made of one race. My existence in Cape Town so far has been quite "white". There are days that go by during which I may have less than one or two interactions with a person of a different skin color. Now, if you are reading this in America such a concept doesn't seem so weird. I attend a mostly white school, have solely white friends, and have a white host family. Therefore, my existence is primarily white. Keep in mind that less than ten percent of South Africa's population is white. Going back to the ice skating, I was in fact shocked by the seemingly equal distribution of whites, blacks and coloureds on the ice. It also appeared as if there was an equal distribution of people who could and really couldn't skate!


Saturday evening I went out in town with a friend. We went to Long Street, which I have been told is something of an experience in Cape Town. I will let you google Long Street. I can assure you that I really did in fact experience it!


Sunday morning, that same friend and I went for a walk to this area of Cape Town called "Devil's Peak." As the name implies, it is very high up! We went on something of a hike to what used to be a quarry. It was pretty strange coming upon a huge hole in the middle of a mountain in the middle of a city. However, that's Cape Town for you! One thing you must understand about this city is that it perpetually has the power to surprise.


Many people ask me what the weather in South Africa is like. As in America, the weather varies greatly based on geographical location. Cape Town at the moment is in "winter", which means that it's about 55-70, with intermittent clouds and rain. People come to school in scarves to ward off the cold. Odd, ey? When it's 55 degrees in Chicago we all put on shorts and flip flops. Today at school was a civvies day and I wore my Havaianas and my classmates honestly thought I was crazy. It's still summer for me!


Pictures will come up shortly. The internet is too slow for my patience tonight, so must wait a little bit. Your patience will be rewarded!

Another Week, Another Adventure

Molweni!

That's Xhosa for hello. If you didn't know, Xhosa is one of the eleven co-official languages in South Africa. I think that for the remaining twelve weeks, which means twelve remaining blogposts, I'll say hello in one of the different co-official languages in South Africa. Today in my tourism class I learned that even though South Africa recognizes eleven languages, there are even more spoken in this country. One language, of which I forgot the name, is only spoken by two elderly woman in a rural village in the Richtersveld, in the Northern Cape. 


As per usual, a lot has taken place since I've last written. It seems as if I never have a free moment to just "chill." I think it's better this way. When I think of home, and what it would have been like if I didn't come to South Africa, the first thing that comes to mind is boredom. Many of my contemporaries have tried to make me feel bad that I'm missing out on the bonding experience that is the end of the senior year and the summer before we all go off to college. In reality, I'm having a bonding experience of my own with new people, whether they are part of my [host] family or just new friends. As some of you may know I am horrible with names. Even so, I can say that I've seen and/or met a new person everyday during the last two and a half months. Nothing can parallel the experience I've had so far.


Many people ask about family life. I get questions such as "what time do you get up?", "what's the food like", and "how do you and your host family get along?". Since these questions are commonly asked, I'll answer them. I get up every morning at six. Even though this has become a ritual for several weeks, it still amazes me that I can do it. If any of you know me, regardless of where you are from, I cannot "do" mornings. My dad would always say that I'm "allergic to mornings." The food in South Africa greatly varies, just as it does in American. Certainly, there are uniquely South African dishes. Bobotie, the South African equivalent of meatloaf with a Malay twist is commonly found throughout the country. My host family enjoys cooking meat, potatoes, roasted vegetables, and pasta. In my opinion the food I eat in this home isn't noticeably different than that of my American home. My host family and I get along very well. We have disagreements, misunderstandings, and cultural clashes just as any host family and student would. My host mom and I spend many evenings after dinner having coffee and rusks discussing our days and learning about our different cultures. My host dad is also interesting to converse with, especially during our car-rides or at meals. 

Here is a picture with my and my host family, along with their friends with whom we have dinner every Monday night. We eat at our house bi-weekly and do the same at their home.

If you have made it this far through the post, you will be treated to some amazing pictures.


Saturday, I made my way to Robben Island. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned until 1982. Many other political prisoners, including Sobukwe, spent time on the island. I woke up to a gray and misty Cape Town morning, but that didn't stop me. On the ferry ride to the island from the waterfront I had the opportunity to speak with people from England, France, the United States, and Argentina who had come to Cape Town on vacation. It was interesting to hear their insights on South Africa from a tourist's perspective, and to share my perspective as someone who has spent a few months in South Africa. 


Here are the pictures of Robben Island:

 Nelson Mandela's Cell

Yours truly on the ferry back to Cape Town.

Saturday evening I went to a rugby game with my host dad. I had never been to a Rugby game, so it was a unique experience. I had a great time. Thanks Colin!

At the Stormers (rugby) game!

Sunday, my host family and I went to the top of Table Mountain. It was a spur of the moment decision, but we all had a great time. Afterwards, we had lunch in Hout Bay, a peaceful fishing village still within the city limits of Cape Town. 

 Yael and me on the cable car up to Table Mountain.

 View from the Top!

 On my Blackberry, of course! haha

 Hout Bay

With Yael in Hout Bay.

It has been a very busy but exciting week! I'm sure I'll be up to some equally exciting adventures during the next few weeks! Less than three months until I'll be back in Chicago. Hard to believe, really. It feels like yesterday I decided to fill out the application to go on the program!

Cheers,

Danny

Booms, Bays, and Biltong

Hallo hallo!

I apologize for not writing as much as I should lately. Things in Cape Town have been quite hectic. I'm enjoying my time here and have learned a great deal, but I do miss home. Perhaps I have a case of the two month blues. I have nothing to complain about here but I still yearn for familiarity. I miss being able to get in my own car and go out with my friends spontaneously, I miss being able to hop on public transit without worrying about my safety, and most of all I miss Starbucks. If you can find a way to ship me some Starbucks coffee to Plattekloof you'll get my praise for the rest of your life! It's not even Starbucks I miss, it's the way we drink coffee back home. Here, almost everyone drinks instant coffee, regardless of socioeconomic status or size of household. At home, I rarely ever see it. When I was younger I drank decaf instant coffee to get myself to like it. Ironically, I miss the Rwandan coffee my mom buys at Costco. Who would've thought it would be so hard to get AFRICAN coffee in AFRICA?! Shame, I'm digressing...

This past weekend my host family and I went to their "holiday home", or vacation house as we say in North America. Their vacation house is located in Plettenberg Bay. It's actually not too far from where I used to live, Mossel Bay.

The first day of my long weekend started bright and early at six-thirty in the morning with my alarm clock playing John Mayer. Kinda early, ey? The five of us proceeded into our surroundings for the next seven hours--the family Land Rover. Mum and Dad sat in front, Yael and I were in the back, and Abbi sat in what I like to call the "dog bed", which is a duvet to lay on in the back. We drove through some stunning scenery just outside of Cape Town. We drove through several mountain passes and even saw some baboons chilling outside of a tunnel! Our first stop was in the bustling metropolis of Worcester. There we ate breakfast at the traditional standby of South African roadtrippers--Wimpy. The five of us enjoyed a delicious artery-clogging breakfast of coffee, eggs, toast, sausages, and chips (fries). AFS doesn't mean "Another Fat Student" for nothing. After breakfast we continued through the landscape of the Klein Karoo, which is almost indescribable. The scenery changes from a green, lush landscape to a barren, desert-like one. Our second stop was Oudtshoorn, the ostrich capital of South Africa. Oudtshoorn has established it's mark on the map for one reason, the KKNK, which is the Klein Karoo Nasionale Kunstefees. It's a big Afrikaans cultural festival. We missed it by a few weeks, and arrived in an empty, boring town. It was kind of a let down. In defense of Oudtshoorn, it's a charming town. Unfortunately, it happens to be located in the absolute middle of nowhere. We arrived in Plettenbergbaai around three in the afternoon. The rest of the day was spent chilling in the house and at the river. That evening I went out with my host sister and some of her friends who also have a vacation house in the same complex.

Here are some pictures of the journey to Plett.

 Baboon on the side of the road.

 Somewhere in the Klein Karoo, near Oudtshoorn

 Host dad (Colin), host sister (Yael), and me.

 Indian Ocean, as seen from the N2.

Yael, our precious cargo.

Saturday, Sunday, and Monday were spent on the Kuerboom (spelling?) River where the house is located. We went boating, cliff diving, and just chilled. We went out a few times into town, which is about as exciting as your average small vacation town in a place like Michigan, but off season. That's perhaps the only thing I can equate it to. When there are people I'm sure it's a blast but April is far from high season in Plettenberg Bay. Remember, winter is coming upon us here in South Africa! It's 50 degrees now. That's cold! I'm sure all you readers back home think I'm nuts, but if you've lived in 70 and 80 degree weather for two months 50 feels freezing!

You can see what we were up to in Plett in these pics.

 KuerBOOMrivier, where the holiday house is located.

 My host mom, younger host sister, and their cousin's girlfriend, Justine, on the boat.

 Typical South African holiday: Braai-ing on a boat.

I'm so lucky to be in such an amazing country.

Tuesday we drove home with the same odd setup in the car. We stopped at Cape Aghulas and Hermanus. Cape Aghulas is significant because it is home to the southernmost tip of Africa. You can see where the Atlantic and Indian oceans meet. Hermanus is known as the whale capital of South Africa. Unfortunately, we didn't see a single whale. Shame.

Finally, here are the Cape Aghulas and Hermanus pics:

 Just chilling at the southernmost tip of Africa.

 Host siblings and me in Cape Aghulas.

 Hermanus, where we didn't see a single whale. At least there was ice cream!

The drive home along False Bay.

Other than our holiday, life isn't terribly interesting here. I've been going to school, coming home, doing homework, then going to bed. It's not too different than home during the week but every weekend I've had the pleasure to see and do something different. Either tomorrow or next weekend I'm going to go up Table Mountain and visit Robben Island. Those are the two major tourist attractions I have yet to visit. Oh well, you can't do it all in one day! I sometimes think to myself I haven't done much in the past two months, but in reality I've done far more than I would have done if I stayed in Chicago.



Cheers!
Danny

Two Months. Whaaaat?

I have officially been in South Africa for two months. I have no idea where the time has gone. Well, I do. I am still shocked by how time is flying past me. It feels like yesterday I nervously boarded through a glass jetbridge at JFK having no clue what would be in store for the next six months.

If you have been following my blog then you do know what I've been up to so far. Since I last wrote not a whole lot has taken place. I started my new school, Herzlia, which is located in Cape Town. I was a bit nervous to start at a new school group and meet yet another new group of people. After having been at Herzlia for a week I can say that I have adjusted well.

On Saturday, I had the great pleasure of waking up at 6:30. If you know me you should know how much I adore waking up early. Alas, I should stop digressing. My host mom, Astrid, along with my sisters, Yael and Abbi, and I got in the car to Stellenbosch. My host mother's nephew had a rugby match there, and so did my host sister's boyfriend. A South African high school rugby match may appear to be different than an American high school football game, but the two have quite a bit in common. There is a bunch of rahurrah at the beginning, with singing and chanting, followed by other traditional festivities. Really, it didn't seem much different. It was pretty interesting from an intercultural, as well as sports fan's perspective. It's probably something I wouldn't volunteer to attend again early on a Saturday but it was definitely something to see. A visit to Stellenbosch would not be complete without walking around the town. I took a stroll through the town for a few hours. There's a great deal of European architecture and influence in the university town. Pictures are to follow. Before I left, I made a point of indulging in what makes Stellenbosch world-famous–wine. Not that I am a wine expert, but I found the South African varietals very nice. The car ride home felt a bit more unusual than it did going there earlier that morning!

On Sunday we had a braai for my host dad's birthday. It was fun, and most importantly, delicious. People at home tend to grill using charcoal or gas. Here, people literally use fire. I'll let you go to wikipedia to figure out what I mean. A braai is central to any family related event. It brings people together, like American summer barbecue. Cultural differences are just as much cultural similarities. 

Pardon the length of this post. I've been sick today so I found more time to write.


Here are some pictures from the last month:

 V&A Waterfront. The lego-looking guy is actually made out of Coke crates!

 "Proof" that I'm in Africa. Taken on my game drive last month.

 An autumn day in Stellenbosch.

 Is this Africa? 

Me in Kalk Bay, a part of Cape Town 

08H00 rugby

View from Kalk Bay looking inland. 

In Cape Town you get four seasons in one day.