"Building a Boat to Sail the Capetonian Wave” by Marie

In our first class with the incomparable Vernon Rose, the man himself told us that there was a “Cape Townian wave” which we were encouraged to ride. Seeing as Cape Town is a city that is inordinately connected to the sea, I was quite keen on the idea. However, for 23 American youths (most of whom had never travelled outside of the States before), letting go to ride the wave might pose quite a great challenge. Fortunately for us, we were all equipped with the proper tools for, what I like to call, BYOB (Building Your Own Boat). Through the series of lessons, lectures, field trips, interviews, presentations, meals, stories, sights, sounds, and smells we have experienced over the past three weeks our student tool kits are filled to the brim with the proper equipment for building a boat to ride that Cape Townian wave in both calm and stormy seas.

Despite the shortness of the sojourn so far, I (as well as the other students, without exception) have already experienced some of the most memorable moments of my entire young life. In Cape Town, every day is not simply a rising and setting of the sun but an entire journey within itself. From Joe’s moving presentation at the District Six museum to the sun and sand of Clifton Beach, Cape Town is bursting at the seams with extraordinary people and places. Both the best and the worst things in life exist in this enigmatic and vibrant city and I can only imagine each night wha the next day will bring…sufficed to say, I am always surprised at each new discovery. For those diligent readers who peruse our humble blog in order to gather even some semblance of our well-being to you I say: “Have no fear!” Your children, friends, and siblings are all excellent carpenters and well on their way to building masterful ships of strength, tolerance, and heart to ride that notorious wave…and ride it we will!