Dana burning and learning

Orientation is finally coming to an end and although part of me wants to get into a routine again, I know I’m going to miss having time to just spend hanging out with my amazing housemates at some amazing places! On Friday we went to Clifton beach, which had some of the softest, whitest, cleanest sand I’ve ever seen! Although most of us came back with a sunburn despite using SPF 55 sunscreen, it was worth it to walk down the beach and see the clear (and freezing!) water smashing against the rock groups on the shore.

On Saturday night we attended an annual minstrel event that is held in Cape Town. I had never heard of this before, but it’s a holiday with a lot of history. At the time of slavery in Cape Town, the slaves worked all day long on New Years Day serving their masters but were given January 2^nd off to rest. This is the day they would celebrate the New Year with music and dancing and bright colors, which is now commemorated by a public holiday in the Western Cape. The annual show I’m writing about is a celebration where several different minstrel groups perform for a crowd while competing against each other for the title that year; friendly competition though. There were so many people watching the amazing instrumental music and dancing, whether part of a minstrel group or just for the experience. It was especially exciting for us because our bus driver, Faiek, is part of a minstrel group and personally invited us to come watch them perform!

While there, I decided to get something to eat. It must have been clear that I didn’t know what I was eating because a boy who was part of one of the minstrel groups came over to me to explain that it was traditional Cape Malay food and told me exactly what was in it. He continued to explain the tradition of the minstrel and the reasoning behind the costumes and face paint as well as asking me about our stay here so far. It felt great to be welcomed into such a cultural event despite the fact none of us knew of the holiday beforehand. This type of friendliness is something that is very unique to Cape Town. People are very open and just want to talk to you no matter what you end up talking about. It’s a comforting feeling to be welcomed in when at times it can be awkward and uncomfortable being so obviously American.

Tomorrow is the start of our internships and I’m more nervous now than I was getting on the plane here! I’m not sure what to expect or what I’m going to see, but I know no matter what it is I’ll be doing, I’m going to love doing it. 

Brenna moved to tears

If you are reading this blog, you’re choosing to share in the experience each of us is having here. That being so, there’s something you need to know about me – I cry… a lot. Not necessarily because I think everything in the world is sad, it’s quite the opposite, actually – most of my tears come after seeing or experiencing something beautiful that makes me feel such a deep sense of happiness and appreciation that the only way I can express myself is to cry. I have come to terms with this quirk, which is why I am not surprised that I’ve cried at least eight times since being in Cape Town- that’s just how powerful the spirit of this city is.  

Although so new to me, Cape Town comforts me. First, through its landscape. Even with the hectic schedule we’ve been on in the past two weeks, it is impossible to avoid taking time to stop and appreciate the surroundings. Any description I could offer would not do justice to what I see everyday, all I know is that when I stop to take it all in, the combination of mountains, ocean breeze and sunshine moves me.

The true beauty of this area, however, manifests in its people. Each Capetonian exposes me to a new perspective and understanding of this city, all of which share a similar passion for the their home. I am constantly being warmed and inspired by the compassion Capetonians have for not just their fellow community members, but their fellow humans. I first felt the connectednes at Esme and Vernon’s Braai; the whole crew held hands around the meal as Vernon welcomed us into his family and the Cape Town community. I was overwhelmed with how much love and security I felt in a circle of strangers and by the time they sang “Happy Birthday” to me, that was  the breaking point… the tears inevitably came. Since then, I’ve seen how freely children run around the streets and how willing people are to help us with directions or advice about the city; I’ve seen people unjustly sequestered into townships smile and give a thumbs up at us as we drive by them in huge, expensive bus. The most emotional experience so far, however, was the service at the Baptist Church in Guguletu. The empowerment of these people and their willingness to share their passion with us strangers immediately melted my heart - by the time they sang Happy Birthday to Susie, Teddy and me, my eyes were already slightly swollen from the sobfest I didn’t even try to stop. The power of extensive community in this city is unlike any I’ve felt before.

I know Cape Town isn’t perfect, that is why we’re all here. However, I can’t help but be overwhelmed by the loving and inspiring community of individuals I have met thus far from coming on this trip.  The students, staff and Capetonians I have encountered have become such a part of who I am already, I can’t believe it’s only been two weeks! But then again, I should know not to expect any less in the land of Ubuntu ☺

Tom's experiences are beyond what words can express

The toughest part of writing this blog entry is to somehow try to express what exactly has been going on in words.  With my own personal blog I have found that this is an impossibility.  So much has happened the past several days that it’s tough for me to put it together.

One of the highlights for me was the trip to Robben Island.  Nelson Mandela is a personal hero of mine (as I’m sure he is to many people) and to see where he was in lock down for so long was harrowing and inspiring.  I wish I could explain my reaction more concretely but suffice it say that it hit me…hard, harder than I expected.  Another highlight was the church service we attended this last Sunday.  Going into the day I was pretty legitimately concerned about how I would react.  Many of my personal beliefs are in direct conflict with the very idea of religion (this is an entire conversation for another day that I’m sure none of you would really want to hear about it anyways, sorry for the side tangent, back to the service).  Regardless of context the church service was the most real, raw thing I have been a part of, simply unbelievable.

As orientation winds down I’m finding that it’s ending at the right time.  I could not function here without the orientation that we had.  I learned so much over the past (almost) two weeks and I firmly believe I have already changed at the most base of levels.  That said, I believe I am ready to go explore, expand, and experience exactly what this wonderful place has to offer.

Terri reflects on one of the most educational weeks

Terri overlooking the beautiful city

My first impression of Cape Town was very different than what I had expected.  I had no idea the city was as beautiful as it is and am not surprised that it is on the top cities one must see in a lifetime list.  The weather, Table Mountain, and the city in general are absolutely gorgeous.  On the other hand, after seeing the townships I realized that although I have always known there was a lot of poverty in the world I never knew the extent of it. It breaks my heart every time we drive by the townships and I have to see how some people must live their lives on a day to day basis.

Orientation week has been one of the most educational weeks of my life.  Not only have I learned a lot about South Africa as a country but I have also learned about the people of Cape Town, the history of the country, the world, and myself.  I thing the part of orientation that has affected me the most was the township tour and the Baptist Church experience.  The tour put the truth about poverty and the affects of Apartheid right in front of our faces.  Nothing was hidden and we were able to see with our own eyes how people who were classified black and coloured live differently from one another and from whites of South Africa.  As a medical student I could not stop thinking about sanitation and how the life styles of these people must impact their health and well-being.  It was heart breaking to see children walking around barefoot, people hanging clothes that they had just washed in large buckets, and the size and conditions of their homes.  All of these things made me realize how lucky I am and that at times I take the privileges I have for granted. 

The visit to the Baptist Church was an unforgettable experience.  Although I could not understand most of what was said I was able to feel the spirit of the church and because of that was able to understand what the people where saying.  I have never been so touched in such a short period of time.  Before this experience I never could imagine being brought to tears because of songs and emotions of a language I do not understand.  Its blows my mind that these people who live in the conditions they do and have to face the challenges of poverty, HIV/AIDS, other diseases, and racism can have so much faith and spirit. 

The internship visits was also very educational.  I learned more about the country and people at all the internship I attended and look forward to hearing everyone’s stories about their days at work.   I am especially excited for my internship which will be working at Maitland Cottage Hospital for physically impaired children.  We are all extremely lucky to have been selected for a program that is run by people like Vernon and Marita who care so much about each and every one of our individual needs. I love orthopedics and am so happy that Vernon was able to get me an internship working in that field. I cannot wait for Monday to start my internship and learn more about everyone else’s! 

Teddy's revising goals for the semester

I arrived in Cape Town less than four days after returning to NYC from Chennai, India, where I had been for nearly two weeks. So, needless to say, the past three weeks have been culturally rich and diverse, leaving me very eager for just a single day to wake up late and calmly soak in my current surroundings.

I haven’t had this opportunity yet, which I’m really looking forward to whenever it does arrive, but in the meantime I’ve been able to dive into South African culture with the help of Marita and Vernon’s fast-paced orientation program. The past several days have been a whirlwind of meetings with passionate educators of South African society, eating unbelievable food, visiting unique museums, visiting my classmates’ internship sites, and training rides through some of the most beautiful countryside I have ever seen on my bike.

I brought my bike in order to race with the University of Cape Town cycling team. And while my training rides are primarily for training, they have offered me some of the best opportunities to reflect on what I’m seeing and learning in South Africa. While riding I often find myself comparing the problems South Africa deals with (which my group has been learning about) with the experiences of the people living in the safe, wealthy neighborhoods I ride through (where the quietest roads are).

For example, while riding on a beautiful mountain road adjacent to vineyards and cute Dutch cottages (with leafy branches reaching out over me from private gardens), a vintage German sports car will pass by and I find myself thinking about how it had probably been brought into the country in a time when thousands of people were being forced from the lively city center to the distant Cape Flats, separated based on ethnic groups. Or, when passing by a vineyard it is impossible to not think about how its first vines were probably planted by foreign slaves (who now receive little to no recognition for the back breaking work they did).

At first I wondered if I was just one of a few others who were also repeatedly stressing over the diversity of lifestyles and how they relate to the country's history and problems. After speaking to many of my other classmates, though, it’s definitely a trend. In fact, many of us are also trying to reconcile the socioeconomic struggles of South Africa with the variety of lifestyles that we witness here. So, that said, I’ve revised my goals for myself here; I don’t want to just learn about the different subcultures here and their histories and important facts - I also hope to understand better over the next semester where and how the subcultures, from all social backgrounds, work together and how they're still trying to improve relations.   

Susie realizes how much she has taken for granted

Hello everyone! We are almost finished with our two weeks of orientation and I already feel like I have seen and learned so many new things. These past two weeks I feel like I have been in two different worlds on opposite ends of the spectrum. On one side, there is a beautiful ocean surrounded by creative shops and exotic animals, where the sun is constantly shining and the mountaintop is clear. At the other end, there are mile-long townships with inadequate clean water and children fighting over trash on huge piles of waste. It is hard to imagine that these two worlds are occupying the same area, but filled with such different lives.

For the most part, the first week of orientation was filled with tourist attractions. We attended our first South African barbeque, hosted our first braai, toured the waterfront and shopping markets, went to amazing jazz clubs such as Swingers, and overall settled nicely into our new homes. Although we drove past the townships and saw a lot of unemployed and homeless people begging for a rand, living in an amazing house and listening to various security briefings still made me feel like a tourist separated from that other world. Even after the shocking tour on Robben Island and learning about the immense mistreatment and torture towards political activists, it still did not hit me how little time has passed since apartheid ended and its devastating consequences of poverty and other current issues.

Last Sunday was the ultimate awakening of truly understanding South Africa with all its beauty and heartbreak. We attended a packed church in a hot little room that was filled with more spirit than I have ever experienced in my life. I am not a religious person; I never attended church and I was raised in a household that never mentioned a God. My past did not seem to matter and I was brought to tears when I saw how secure and grateful everybody in the church felt towards their beliefs. These people had more faith and spirit, despite of their pasts filled with discrimination and loss, and it made me feel guilty for ever complaining or being upset by anything. When we toured the townships shortly after and learned about the unemployment, poverty, poor health and education, and HIV crisis that these same people were facing, it was an extreme newsflash about how much I take for granted. Now that orientation week is coming to an end and I have experienced the beauty and witnessed the hardships of many South Africans, I am so eager to see what happens when we start our internships and classes.

Taylor understanding his brother's obsession with Cape Town

Taylor, Logan, Julian, Joe, Tom, Vernon

I have been hearing about South Africa for the past five or six years now from a Capetonian named Cuan and my Brother Jon. I heard so much of this city that every time my brother brought up the subject I rolled my eyes and tuned him out. Now, however, I am beginning to understand his obsession.

I spent the week before leaving for Cape Town in Colorado attempting to make my way back across the U.S. during a supposedly massive snowstorm on the East coast, shutting down many major airports. After rerouting my flight multiple times through multiple cities and spending the majority of my time on the phone with United Airlines trying to understand when they thought 12 AM was, I finally made it to Boston.  I then got on a plane for Cape Town and the morning after I arrived, glanced at the mountain in my back yard, and then jumped in a pool after waking up to 90-degree weather.

The first week was filled with a variety of fun and exciting things, much like a vacation, however we soon got to see the side of Cape Town that most tourists probably try to ignore. I have seen the pictures of the townships full of tin houses that appear to be all holding each other up despite the winds best effort to blow them over; however, seeing them in person and seeing the people living in these places is an experience like none other.

We are still getting used to our surroundings, but we will be getting into the swing of things soon, which for me includes teaching and going to work on a small bus with a man shouting out the window: “CAPE TOWN! You want to die, you come!” Needless to say, this is a very exciting experience. 

Anna striving to balance the juxtapositions of beauty and hardship

It's hard to believe we've only been in Cape Town for ten days.  Orientation has flown by, but I feel like I've been here for months.  The city is absolutely amazing - Table Mountain provides the background to a hectic mix of people and minibus taxis that somehow still leave me with a sense of calm.

           

Not far from the beautiful sights of Cape Town, however, are constant reminders of the poverty and hardship so many of South Africa's people face.  There are red ribbons everywhere, reminding passersby of the high rates of HIV and AIDS that seem to impact almost everyone.  In the townships there are rows of informal housing, constructed from cheaply bought or discovered materials, lacking plumbing or electricity.  The formal housing still leaves much to be desired.  Sometimes it all seems to be too much to fix - even as we visit the sites of our internships, I can't help but think of the thousands who won't be known by any of them.  Meanwhile, I'm concerned with the inconvenience of not being able to walk around freely after dark, or our lack of internet connection.  Even being here and witnessing it all, I still feel somewhat sheltered within the bubble of our gated home in a relatively safe community.  At the end of the day, I get to come home to a house with food, clean water, and a toilet I can safely use throughout the night.

Internships start Monday, and I'm sure my perspective will change even more when we leave the tour bus behind.  Until then, I'll just have to figure out how to balance my experiences with the juxtapositions of beauty and hardship in Cape Town.

Lianna on the amazing orientation week

After arriving in Cape Town it’s easy to see that the tales were not exaggerated, and trying to describe how beautiful and cool it is here is going to be hard, but I’ll give it a shot.  Orientation week has been really amazing.  The first couple of days here I spent staring with my mouth open at Table Mountain, partly because it is so beautiful and partly because I couldn’t really talk the first couple of days – I tend to loose my voice out of excitement.

There were so many amazing things that we got to experience this first week, the most moving for me was going to church in the townships.  All week we have been exhausted, trying to catch up on sleep from the flight, having busy, packed days, and staying up late just getting to know each other is a dangerous combination.  But during the Church service I didn’t think about how tired I was. All I could do was smile and tear up, watching the pure spirit and joy of the people as they danced and sang their hearts out.  I hope I never forget sitting in that church, and being able to see the joy on everyone’s faces. 

Another one of my favorite experiences so far has been going to the taxi rank for the first time.  We went in groups of two up to the platform and weren’t allowed to tell each other what it was like, which just helped build excitement.  Going up there was the first time it really hit me that I was in Africa, it was just such a unique experience that I really enjoyed.

Katherine's focus on the positive

Cape Town Study AbroadCoordinator & Capetonian Extraordinaire,Vernon Rose with Katherine on Signal Hill

These past few days we were given the opportunity to visit each others’ internship sites. On our way to the last internship site, we stopped off for lunch. While we were waiting for our food, the woman working at the counter started asking us questions about where we were from. As we got to talking, she told us that she would love to come back to American with us. One of the girls in our group replied by saying she would gladly switch places with her and live in South Africa. As this conversation was going on, I couldn’t help but think about how amazing it would be to live in this city, as well as why on earth anyone would want to leave this place. But then I thought to myself “Am I saying this because I’m a white middle class American here for a short period of time?” I mean while three months may seem like a long time to stay in a country, it’s no measure to actually living there. The sad reality is that as beautiful as this country is, there is still so many issues facing this country- this city. After hearing about the issues of social, economical, political, as well as sexual injustice mentioned at the internship sites, you begin to realize just how much depth there is to this city beyond mountain ranges. However, I did observe another aspect of Cape Town through the various internship sites; as much as the people of this country are facing poverty and crime and injustice, they all still seem to focus on the lighter aspects of life. There wasn’t a single internship that we visited where people didn’t mention the beneficial impacts that have occurred in Cape Town. And I hope that that is something that I can take out of this experience- having such a positive attitude on life, focusing on the good rather than dwelling on the bad. And I hope that as I work at my internship, I, too can be a part of that difference that keeps people of this town focused on the positive.

For Ashley it just keeps getting better

Katherine & Ashley

I cannot get over the fact that every single time I walk out of my house I have the view of such a beautiful mountain.  I also cannot believe that I’m actually in South Africa right now.  I’ve been waiting for this moment for months now.  It’s been such an amazing week filled with activities, first impressions, and reactions.   The first few days were the most difficult for me because of the incredibly long trip.  While driving to the house I simply kept thinking about the fact that I had been on a plane for about 17 hours! Ahhhhhh.  Thankfully I can surely say that it was most definitely worth it.☺

This has been the longest and most exciting three days of my life! It was amazing taking a tour around the area I will be living in for the next three months.  I was placed in Malleson which is the smaller house and I absolutely love it!  At first I thought I would have preferred being around more people but it turns out that the living arrangements couldn’t have turned out any better.  On our second day we went shopping for necessities and used the ATM’s.  To be honest after all of the security briefings I was extremely nervous to use the ATM’s. After a week here I am glad to say that I feel completely comfortable using an ATM and walking outside of my house on my own; with caution of course.  One of the things I love most about Cape Town is how much it reminds me of the country my parents were born in.  I would look forward to visiting the Dominican Republic every year and now I get to live in a place that reminds me so much of it for an entire semester.  I honestly couldn’t ask for more at this point.  It has been rather difficult adjusting to the exchange rate and learning to distinguish what’s expensive or not right away.   I’m sure I’ll get used to it soon.  Another thing I have learned to love are the mini-bus taxi’s that drive past you every three minutes already filled with people, yelling for you to come in☺ It makes me laugh every time I see it.  It wasn’t as big as a surprise for me to see these vans packed with people sitting on each other laps because I had seen it in the Dominican Republic but I love the fact that I am in a completely different part of the world and the same means of transportation are being used.  I can’t wait to use these on a daily basis.  I’m sure I’ll come back home with plenty of interesting stories.   The next day was the visit to Cape Town University.  I could have never imagined this place to look any more beautiful than it already did in the pictures.  I couldn’t believe that this is going to be my school! The views, people, and sites just keep getting better and better as the days go by. 

I had expected to be a little more homesick by now, but that has definitely not been the case.  Surprisingly! Missing my family and friends was one of the things that had me worried most about taking this step.  I’m not sure if it’s the fact that I’ve been really busy or that Cape Town is just so amazing that there is no way I can feel any type of sadness while here.  Literally everywhere I look is an amazing view.  I also feared that communication with my family would be an issue.  I’ve actually spoken to them every day since I arrived.  It’s definitely not as difficult as I thought it would be. I’m looking forward to the rest of the orientation week and getting to know a little more about Cape Town and how my internship will turn out. This is just the beginning of my experience and I already love it here.  

Logan on witnessing hope and happiness

(front) Logan, Anna, (back) Taylor, Julian, Susie

It has been a very busy first 10 days since we have arrived in the beautiful city of Cape Town. We have explored the city, learned how to use public transportation (well… still learning), been educated on some of the history of South Africa including what happened in District 6 and the history of slavery, and eaten at many delicious and diverse restaurants. All of this was obviously really fun and has made it feel like a great vacation. The past couple days however the trip has started to shift from the tourist side of Cape Town to what many of us really came here for; understanding, working with, and growing from the problems within South Africa and the wonderful Capetonians who deal with it every day. On Sunday we visited a church that was in one of the townships. The hope and happiness that spread through that church was amazing. For a community that is dealing with extreme poverty and HIV to come together on Sunday morning to worship, dance, sing, and give offering with the little money they have, was a very emotional site for many of us.

After Church we were given a tour of some of the townships. Again it was a very emotional time to see how so many people live. I have never been exposed to such extreme wide spread poverty. So many of the homes are lined up in a row right next to each other, with four small walls made of metal sheets, dirt floors, and a deteriorating roof covered with black trash bags. I guess I should not feel bad for the residence of the townships because it seems that there is still hope and people do take pride in what they have. Also there seems to be a lot of people working to help out the situations as we saw when visiting the places where we would be interning.

We have now visited many of the organizations people will be interning. It has been really cool to see all the places that all my friends will be working at for the next few months. While it is sad to hear and see some of the issues dealt with in Cape Town, it was awesome to see how many people have dedicated their lives to working for a cause that is important to them. All of the organization leaders we have talked to recognize the problems they face, but take so much pride in their country and working toward a better South Africa. 

Sharielle gaining a sense of optimism

Sharielle and friends

Cape Town has easily become one of my favorite cities. Many times the images of Africa that come across American media are one of helplessness and despair. However, on first glance when someone walks around Cape Town, the images of Africa once seen on the evening news disappear and are replaced with images of European architecture and “sophistication”.

In spite of that, the beauty of South Africa does not lie in its European architecture, but in the soul and spirit of its people. The embodiment of this sprit was fully captured for me on Sunday, 23 January 2011, when we went to Sivuyile Baptist Church in Guguletu, a predominately Black township. It was in this church that people who came from the poorest communities could have an arena to just be. It was a moment of escape where their burdens could be placed at the altar and the walls of the church served as a form of solace. The pastor's words were robust with hope and promise of God's faithfulness and at any moment the expression of one could ignite song from another. Hearing the melodious harmony that escaped the mouths of the congregation, there rang out much more than musical notes. Behind their harmonies, was pain and hope all mixed into one. I could only wonder how the beauty of music and community fellowship helped South Africa overcome apartheid.

This form of call and response gave me a sense of optimism for South Africa. If this same spirit of community could transcend the walls of the church and permeate through townships, real social change could occur. This experience reinforced to me that the progression and development of a country should not be determined by the amount of Western buildings they erect, but by the communal ties that exist. For it is these community ties that further emphasize the value of ubuntu- I am because we are.

Dana beginning to feel at home

Today was the first day in South Africa I did something I consider normal, everyday, or common; I went for a run. I came out of the Loch Rd. house through the gates, walked down our street to the Rondebosch Commons, and circled the commons one and a half times before realizing that I wasn’t standing out for being in a group of 23 Americans, whistled at by a passing minibus taxi for a ride, experiencing an amazing cultural aspect or landmark, or even hearing “Welcome to Cape Town!”  After being here for about a week, Cape Town finally felt normal and real. It felt like I was blending into the scenery with the other native South Africans on their daily runs. Although it feels odd to say, it felt like Cape Town was my home too.  The feeling was absolutely incredible.

So far in my semester here in Cape Town, I’ve done things I’ve never done before in my life. I can now say I have: been on a plane for 15 hours, lived in a house with 16 other people, taken a ride in a minibus taxi with true Capetonians, seen poverty that is so shocking it doesn’t seem real or even possible, experienced summer in the middle of January, been in the minority (as far as race) almost everywhere I go, seen a World Cup stadium, been to an island where hundreds of political activists were held under horrifying conditions solely due to their politics, eaten antelope meat, been a student at a University other than UConn (University of Cape Town!!), and seen first hand the work of several amazing people working to ease the problems of South Africa despite facing intense opposition. The positive aspect of that last point is that myself, as well as the 22 other students here will be joining those amazing people to change what little part of South Africa we can while South Africa changes us. I can’t wait!

Kate's most fun week ever

Dana & Kate jumping with joy

Actually touching down in Cape Town was one of the most surreal experiences I have ever had. Not only was I exhausted after spending 20 plus hours on a plane, but it was also very dreamlike to finally be in the place I had been looking forward to for so long. A definite highlight of that first day was meeting Ben, who, despite the fact that none of us had ever met him nor knew anything about him, knew all of our names and greeted us with hugs as if we were old friends. Upon exiting the building and climbing on to our luxurious bus, I was immediately struck with awe as I gazed up at Table Mountain for the first time. The beauty of the mountain, and the fact that you can almost always see it and use it as a landmark has continue to amaze me even after being here 10 days. Looking back on my experience so far, it is already hard to put into words all the beautiful things I have seen and experienced.

One of my favorite things we’ve done so far was attending a church service at Sivuyile Baptist Church in Guguletu, a nearby township. The spirit and vibrancy of the congregation was unbelievable. Even though I was raised Catholic and still attend church regularly, I have never witnessed such a strong sense of community and strength in worship. In the Catholic Church the congregation plays almost no part in the service, something I can’t imagine seeing at this church. Everyone was engaged in the near constant singing, and you could tell everyone truly wanted to be there. My favorite part of the service happened when all the members of the congregation suddenly spoke simultaneously. Although they were speaking in Xhosa, it was very apparent they were all voicing individual prayers. The experience was very inspiring and influential.

I can honestly say this week has been on of the most fun weeks I have ever had. It’s incredible to look back and reflect on all the beautiful places and people I’ve already come in contact with. I can only imagine what’s to come in the next 15 weeks! I included my favorite picture from the trip so far- a jumping picture on top of Signal hill, which overlooks the entire city and ocean.

Siobhan may never go home!

Terri, Kate, Siobhan, Dana, Leanne

 My first impression of South Africa was that it is actually AFRICA. I know that sounds weird but the air honestly even smells different, almost spicy. The buildings are all made of stone and painted pastel colors, with deep-set widows and decorative molding. It actually reminds me so much of Ireland (again, sound so weird) and if it weren't for the sunshine I could have sworn I was in a Dublin suburb. The way the houses look, the beautiful scenery, and the fact that the cars drive on the left side of the road make it feel just like a summer in Ireland. I think this has kinda given me an advantage here because I don't have as much to adapt to. Having a pay as you so cell phone, needing to go to internet cafes to go on Facebook; none of this is new to me. I think this is a good thing. But obviously there are also a million things I need to get used to, the most difficult being the need to always be aware of what's going on. So different from UConn, where I feel so safe and  never even think about safety. Here, you have to lock every door and window, walk in groups, etc.

I think one of the funniest and most different experiences I've had thus far was riding the minibus taxis. Minibus taxis are white vans with a driver and a designated screamer who hangs out the window yelling "WHERE ARE YOU GOING??? GET IN THE VAN!!!" and you pay like 5 rand (which is less than a dollar in the U.S.) and the van makes all these stops and you get off whenever you need to. I mean one of the first things we learn as children is NEVER GET IN A WHITE VAN WITH A STRANGE MAN. And yet, in Cape Town, if a man tells you to get in the van, you get in the van. So on our practice run we learned:

1.  In a van that seats 7 comfortably and 9 uncomfortably, at least 15 will be squeezed in the van.
2.  You will then drive at least 70 miles an hour down a small road full of pedestrians (no joke) swerving like a maniac.
3.  There seems to be some sort of competition between drivers to pick up the most people so they legitimately swerve in front of each other and cut each other up and practically run over the people they are trying to pick up before the other van can. It is beyond terrifying
4.   I don’t know if this is only true for the van I was in, but either the guy has NO IDEA how to drive a stick shift or his transmission is wrecked because the entire time I thought the van was going to blow up 
5. Also, house music is a huge deal here and the van was absolutely blasting techno and it was hilarious and I feel like my commute to work is going to be one of my favorite parts of the day.

Overall, this past week has been the most fun I've ever had. Not only that, but it's made me think about so much, most importantly how unfair it is that I get to stay in a beautiful house with a pool while millions of people are forced to live in tin shacks in the townships. As sad as it makes me to see that, I know I am going to learn so much here and hopefully be able to be sympathetic and maybe even empathetic on a whole new level. I guess what I'm trying to say is I LOVE SOUTH AFRICA AND I'M NEVER COMING HOME.

Meaghan marvels at the power of the people

Lianna, Dana, Kate, Siobhan, Susie, Meaghan

There has been so much to do and see since the minute we landed in Cape Town that is seems strange to sit down for once and try to put everything into words. It’s hard to believe we’ve only been here for about 10 days because I feel as though I have already learned and experienced so much. Our time here has already been amazing. Cape Town has to be the most beautiful place I have ever been to, and it’s finally starting to not feel like a dream every time I look up and see Table Mountain so close. I’m beginning to feel much more comfortable with the area and the general way of life here, giving much credit to Marita, Vernon, Ben, and Jessica who have all helped to make adapting a breeze. Sad to say, crossing the street with cars on the opposite side of the road is one of the most difficult transitions we seemed to learn the hard way. I’m so happy with the mix of people who make up our group; 23 people who are all genuinely excited to be here and it’s exhilarating to feed off of everyone’s energy.


So far I would say our visit to Robben Island and the service at Sivuyile Baptist Church have been the most moving or influential. This is not to say that I haven’t loved everything we have been doing, I really can’t even explain how happy and thankful I am to have this experience. I think what sets Robben Island and the church service aside is the reflection they initiated in my head, and how long it takes to process the meaning behind them and how influential they are. To be honest, it has not always been easy to handle the emotions that surface throughout the past ten days. The poverty and struggle we have witnessed is disheartening, but when you see the vibrancy of the country and the power of the people it is incredibly inspiring. It is hard to accept being so fortunate without feeling guilty when you see so many people suffering, but it sparks motivation to begin our internships, and really work hard to make a difference. I know I have a lot more to learn in Cape Town, and I am so excited to continue with this remarkable experience.

Julian: already one of best life experiences

Tom, Emily, Teddy, Kayla, Terri, Julian

Right now I am sitting next to the pool in my swim suit and oversized sunglasses. And it’s January. I don’t have to really think hard to realize that my time here in Cape Town has already been one of my best life experiences. It would be easy for me to go on about how much fun this group of people is but for the sake of the blog I will just say that I came here with great people. As a history major one would expect me to talk about how great the apartheid museums are. While they were fascinating and touching my best experiences so far were getting a feel for how South Africa is today. You may get the occasional person who comes up to you to tell you how much they hate America, but the people here are generally more than willing to help. The culture here is certainly different from our culture but I haven’t had the chance to engage with a lot of South Africans because it is still orientation week. But I like what I see so far. We’ve gone to a couple jazz clubs already and I had the chance to find out how the Capetonians break it down. I danced the night away and went to bed with sore knees from all of that moving around. And then there’s the view of Table Mountain wherever you go. I won’t even try to explain how awesome that is because it is truly something that you have to see for yourself. 

“Analyzing Apartheid over Coffee” by Marie

During my lovely and sunny Cape Town breakfasts I often find myself thinking about apartheid. Why? Because I have been indulging in segregated breakfast foods. The South African brand, “Pot O’Gold,” has a yummy spread that features equal amounts of chocolate and hazelnut cream separated in a jar. However, to create the sumptuously delicious combination which is the chocolate-hazelnut spread, the two parts must be integrated on a piece of finely-toasted bread to create the full effect. All of the items are good by themselves, but together they make my breakfast much richer and exponentially more indulgent. Perhaps this might be the corniest analogy ever, but my breakfast is akin to South African history.

The chocolate (Africans) the hazelnut (whites) and the toast (coloreds) which were separated at first, all come together in the end to make a breakfast (country) that is rich and diverse. Over the past week, I have been carefully considering all of the contributions that each race makes to South Africa and realized that, should the influence of any one group be missing, the country would lack the enormous cultural affluence that it possesses. Not a day goes by when I don’t think about “The Struggle” and my morning meal is only a small reminder that post-apartheid South Africa is truly a “delicious mixed spread.”

Joe finds Capetonians amazing

Tom, Julian, Taylor, Joe, Brenna, Logan, Emily

So far South Africa has been everything that I expected and more. Although the house and landscape is extremely beautiful, the most amazing aspect of the trip so far is the people of the city of Cape Town have been unbelievable. They express a passion for their city that I have never seen before. For example, yesterday morning we were fortunate enough to attend a service at a church in the township of Guguletu. The service was filled with loud singing and enthusiastic dancing, though most of the service was in Xhosa, we were still able to understand the message that they were trying to convey. It was amazing how so many people were able to come together and celebrate though they lived in a very impoverished area stricken by high unemployment rates and diseases such as HIV/AIDS. The people of the church were very welcoming to us and we felt this same sort of hospitality at Vernon’s house as well. We visited Vernon’s mother’s house in another township that developed in the 1950’s after the Group Areas Act was passed. This was the government legislation that forced Africans and classified colored people out of their homes in the city and into the Cape Flats. The area that we visit was a township for “classified colored” people. I was overwhelmed by the sense of community that the people of the townships shared, and I also found it quite surprising that even after Apartheid was officially ended in 1994, many of the people who were subject to forced removal remained in their homes in the townships. I am excited to explore more of Cape Town’s beauty through my internship where I will be working more directly with people from the townships and other parts of Cape Town as well.

Leanne on shifting her perceptions

Leanne, Ashley, Marie

Before leaving the states, in the midst of procrastinating packing, I took a look at the personal blogs started by a few of the other students going on the trip  -- partly to see if they had any packing suggestions and partly to help me decide if I wanted to keep a blog of my own.  In his blog, Tom jokingly expressed a deep curiosity regarding the direction of the water flow in South African toilets.  Would the water spin counter-clockwise, as in the states, or clockwise because of South Africa’s relatively southern position on the globe?  For some reason, I remembered that post the first time I flushed the toilet here and was amused to observe that, instead, the water floods in from the top of the bowl and is sucked straight down into the pipes.  It doesn’t particularly swirl at all.  This was something completely unexpected – a third option that I had never considered.  I decided then and there that perhaps South Africa is full of these unexpected options - ways of doing things and ways of life that extend beyond my previous conceptions of what life would be like in this country.  I’m planning to keep this realization in mind and live life here without expectations -- to take everything as it comes and get the most out of this opportunity to live amongst some of the most beautiful people and places in the world!

We have been to so many places and met so many people during this first week that it’s nearly been a sensory overload!  The orientation schedule was fast paced and filled with activities, all of them valuable learning experiences.   For me, one of the most strikingly different experiences was learning to ride the mini-bus taxis.  The taxis are unlike anything that I have seen in the USA – granted I’m not particularly well traveled.  They are big vans with lots of windows, mainly white with a yellow stripe, but some are elaborately painted.  The “official” capacity is 16 people but that’s more like a suggestion…people essentially cram in until there is no more space.  The mini-bus taxi team consists of a driver who honks the horn and a caller / lookout who hangs out the side window, yelling the name of the last destination on that particular taxi’s route.  The caller whistles and yells to people on the sidewalks and sometimes gets out of the taxi and runs down the side streets yelling to people potentially looking for a ride and beckoning them towards the minibus.  On my first ride, the driver was blasting techno music and the caller was singing and dancing in between looking for customers.  A couple of times, the driver started to drive away without the caller, who then had to run up and leap into the moving vehicle so that he didn’t get left on the side of the road!  The extent to which he leaned out the side window made me nervous for his safety, especially when passing parked cars with open doors!  I had to keep reminding myself that he knew what he was doing – the rules of the road are quite different here! 

From my American perspective, the minibus taxi is an incredibly unconventional form of transportation.  This is for two reasons – the chaotic nature of the ride, and the fact that getting in a van full of strange men yelling, whistling and beeping a horn at me is quite contrary to everything that I have been taught about staying safe!  Since the minibus taxis are indeed considered a safe form of transportation, and one that I will probably come to rely on, I found that I had to shift my American perceptions of safety and danger to fit with South African standards.  I was admittedly apprehensive about my first ride, but now that I have been on a minibus taxi a couple of times, I am comfortable with the experience.  There is order to the madness!  I can’t wait to try other new things that encourage me to contextualize my American values and to think about my place in this exciting new city! 

Kayla's settling in

Susie, Kayla, Terri, Emily

Upon arriving to Cape Town, I was blown away by the amazing scenery and mountains that could be seen from all parts of the city. I had seen it all before in pictures, but it was nothing compared to the real thing. When we got to our house, I immediately became so excited and couldn’t wait to unpack and settle in. The orientation week has been going great. Every day, we do something new and exciting with our group. It was interesting the day that we had to go off with our groups to complete a transportation task because we were on our own and had to figure out what to do without much help. My group was the only one that had to take the Jamie Shuttle which is the shuttle that transports around the University of Cape Town. We walked to lower campus and then took the shuttle into town. It was challenging the 1^st time but everyone was really nice and glad to help us so we finally got into the swing of things. I can’t wait to start classes at the University and be able to utilize some of the great things that it has to offer. I am also really excited to start our internships! Only a week left. I'm sure they’ll be amazing. I am glad that we see everyone else’s internships as well because every internship is unique and special in its own way.

So far, Cape Town has turned out to be everything I imagined it to be and more. Although it has only been a week, I feel like I am getting settled in and becoming more comfortable with everything around us. Our two RA’s Ben and Jessica have been so helpful throughout this process and have definitely made a huge impact on our safety, learning, and enjoyment of Cape Town. I look forward to spending the next 14 weeks here with everyone!  

Emily "Cape Town even more amazing than imagined"

Emily at Signal Hill

It is too ironic to be writing my first blog entry poolside, in the blazing African sun when I just left a 3 foot snowstorm back home only a few days ago. Not only am I experiencing a bit of culture shock but also a lot of weather shock. Going from 0 to 85 was an amazing feeling I think I could get used to. Knowing I won't see snow for nearly a year is one of the best feelings possible. When we were flying over Cape Town looking down on the mountains I knew I was going to love this place, it looked amazing. The access to cheap, fresh foods is unimaginable and the wine is the most authentic tasting I've ever had. The city is a bustle of noise whether its a minibus taxi driver shouting to give us a ride or a car honking at some poor pedestrian who mistakenly thought the traffic would stop for him. In Cape Town the rules are all different and its cars before people here. Although the city is big and crazy its relaxing too, with the beautiful mountains always looming in the background and the blue ocean water crashing on the shore, its impossible to be stressed out about where you need to be. The Capetonians call it being on Cape Town Time. 

We have such a great group of people here which is possibly one of the biggest pluses for this trip. Everyone gets along with each other and we all LOVE to talk, thats for sure. Going to Robben Island and Signal Hill have been my most favorite activities of the week. Being able to see Nelson Mandela's jail cell is one of the coolest thing I can now say that I've done. The view from Signal Hill just really shoves it in your face that you are in a beautiful country on a beautiful continent and remembering that your here not just for a two week vacation, but a four month stay, is amazing. I can't wait to begin my internship and my classes at our gorgeous campus, find favorite local places to grab lunch, go to the beach and become familiar with all the locals. Cape Town is even more amazing than I imagined it would be and I know I will be getting SO much out of this trip. 

UConn's Cape Town Study Abroad Program Has Officially Begun:

Twenty-three enthusiastic student-interns arrived in Cape Town Today.  

The orientation schedule that will fill their first two weeks in the shadow of Table Mountain:

Saturday                   15 January

• ·      1:00pm            Pick-up at Cape Town International Airport 
• ·      1:45pm            Depart for Loch Rd. Rondebosch and  Malleson Rd. Mowbray
• ·      2:15pm            Arrival and room assignment
• ·      3:30pm             Meeting to go over House Protocols
• ·      4:00pm             Malleson Rd. Pick-up
• ·      4:15pm             Depart Loch Rd. to explore the Rondebosch area (Transport)
•        5:15pm             Stop at Marita's flat
• ·      5:30pm             Return to Loch Rd for Pizza Dinner
• ·      7:00pm             Malleson Rd. Students Return (Transport)

Sunday                      16 January

• ·      9:15am          Pick up Malleson Rd Students
• ·      9:30am          Official Welcome to Cape Town at Loch Rd.                
• ·      10:30am        Depart for Rondebosch – Shopping for necessities  ,ATM’s, etc
• ·      12:00pm        Group Lunch at Nando’s
• ·      2:00pm          Return to Loch Rd.
• ·      3:15pm          Depart for Bellville
• ·      4:00pm          Welcome Braai at Vernon and Esme’s
• ·      8:00pm           Depart for Loch Rd

Monday                     17 January

• ·      9:15am          Pick up Malleson Students
• ·      9:30am          Depart Loch Rd. for University of Cape Town
• ·      10:00am        Orientation, Safety, Security Briefing: International Academic Programs
• ·      12:30pm        Depart for Rondebosch Main Rd
• ·      12:45pm        Individual lunch
• ·      2:00pm          Depart for downtown
• ·      2:30am          Signal Hill drive
• ·      3:45pm          Return to Malleson and Loch Rd.
• ·      7:00pm          Pick up Malleson Rd Students
• ·      7:30pm          Leave for Wetton
• ·      8:00pm          Dinner at Swingers Jazz club

Tuesday                    18 January

• ·      9:00am           Pick up Malleson Students
• ·      9:30am           Depart for down town
• ·      10:00am         Tour of District Six Museum: Tour Guide Mr. Joe Schaffers
• ·      12:00pm         Lunch at Charly’s
• ·      1:30pm           Cape Town Walk About: City Hall/Library, St George Cathedral, Company’s Garden, etc.
• ·      3:45pm           Return to Loch Rd
• ·      5:00pm           Security Briefing (Warrant Officer Marilyn Jones)
•        6:00PM           Community Meeting with RAs Ben & Jessica
• ·      7:00pm           Return Malleson  Rd Students
• ·      Evening          FREE

Wednesday              19 January  

• ·      7:00am          Pick up Malleson Rd Students
• ·      7:15am          Depart for the Waterfront
• ·      9:00am          Leave for tour of Robben Island
• ·      12:30pm        Individual lunch and afternoon at Waterfront
• ·      3:30pm          Return to Loch Rd.and Malleson
• ·      7:00pm          Pick up Malleson Rd students
• ·      7:15pm          Leave for down town Cape Town
• ·      7:30pm          Dinner at Addis Ethiopian Restaurant
• ·      10:00pm        Return to Loch and Malleson Rds

Thursday                  20 January

• ·      9:00am           Pick up Malleson students
• ·      9:30am           Depart Loch Rd. for down town
• ·      10:00am         Tour of the  Slave Lodge Tour and Transcending History Tour with Lucy Campbell
• ·     12:30pm          Individual lunch on St. Georges Mall
• ·      2:00pm           Depart for West Lake
• ·      3:00pm           Briefing by the American Consulate
• ·      4:30pm           Return to Loch Rd.
• ·      7:00pm           Pick up Malleson Rd students
• ·      7:15pm           Depart for Wetton
• ·      7:30pm           Dinner at Blue Chip
• ·      10:30pm         Return to Loch Rd

Friday                         21 January

• ·      9:00am          Public Transport exercise 
• ·      7:00pm         Communal Dinner @ Loch Rd

Saturday                   22 January

• ·      9:45am            Pick up Malleson Rd students
• ·      10:00am          Leave for Durbanville
• ·      11:00am          Visit family owned AltydGedacht Wine Estate
• ·      12:30pm          Leave for Stellenbosch
• ·      1:00pm            Lunch at Moyo’s  African Cuisine at Spier Wine Estate
• ·      3:30pm            Depart for Loch Rd
• ·      Evening           FREE (Optional activity)

Sunday                      23 January

• ·      9:30am           Pick up Malleson  Rd students
• ·      9:45am           Depart Loch Rd. for Gugulethu
• ·      10:10am         Township Faith Experience (Sivuyile Baptist Church) ( Rev. Mtini)
•        12:30              Lunch @ Vernon’s mom’s in Bridgetown
•         2:00               Township Tour with Vernon Rose and Mandla Majola
• ·      4:00pm           Return to Loch and Malleson Rds.

Monday                     24 January

• ·      8:00am          Malleson Rd Pick-up
• ·      8:30am          Depart Loch Rd. on visit to internship sites

Tuesday                    25 January

• ·      8:00am           Malleson Rd Pick-up
• ·      8:30am           Depart Loch Rd. on visit to internship sites

Wed.                          26 January

• ·      8:00am             Malleson Rd Pick-up
• ·      8:30am             Depart Loch Rd on internship visits
• ·      5:00 pm            Marita's Class--Loch Rd

Thurs                     27 January 

• 8:00               Walk (about 45 minutes) or take Jammie to University of Cape Town campus 
• 9:30               History, Culture & Politics of South Africa, Lecturer: Mr. Vincent Williams
• 12:00              Lunch on UCT campus
• 1:00                Interdisciplinary Honors Seminar: Internship: Research Seminar: Rev Vernon Rose
• 3:30                Return Home—free time until Saturday morning

Sat.                            29 January

• ·      9:00am           Malleson Rd. Pick up         
• ·      9:15am           Depart for Loch Rd. for trip around the Peninsula
• ·      10:00am         Stop at Camps Bay
• ·      10:30am         Depart for Hout Bay
• ·      11:00am         Hout Bay Walkabout (Craft Market)
• ·      11:45am         Depart for Cape Point
• ·      12:45pm         Lunch at Two Oceans Restaurant
• ·      2:00pm           Exploring Cape Point
• ·      3:15pm           Leave Cape Point for Boulders Beach
• ·      4:00pm           Visit the Penguin Colony
• ·      5:15pm           Return to Loch Rd. 

Sunday                       30 January

• ·         4:40            National Botanical Garden     for  Summer Concert Series with Lira

Mon                         31 January

•                  Start Internships