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