So, despite how we’ve only been here such a short time I already feel like I’ve settled in really well. What also surprises me is that in such a short amount of time I have already done so many things I would want to mention here! That said, Im just going to let this blog ramble from one experience to the next as they come to me...
First of all, I’ve been working on learning Afrikaans. Given how similar it is to German (which I already know) I’m already able to make simple conversation with strangers about directions, getting taxis, ordering food, etc. I’ve already been to my first bike race which was held at a race car track. It was pretty much a training ride because the wind was ridiculous and broke up all the riders into 4-person echelons. My internship has been pretty much incredible... too much to describe here, but will next week. I went to the “opening of parliament” which is when the South African armed forces and the president parade up to the parliament building on the day it opens (I got to see Zuma sitting in a bullet-proof van with big glass windows!) Moving on, I’ve eaten tons of incredible food at so many different types of restaurants, reflecting the huge diversity here in Cape Town. There’s probably only one other city like it in this regard, being NY. I’ve been guided through the center of Cape Town on a tour of its slave history and have been to the District 6 museum. I have also visited all my classmates’ internship sites.
One thing that connects all of these different experiences together, though, is the fact that I’ve been having some really great conversations with all the people I meet. When I was in a bike shop recently the owner and I talked for almost an hour about many things, all related to social norms and race relations, etc. He told me all about the differences in running a small business before apartheid and after, what it was like for customers of all skin colors to adapt to a different in-store environment, and the flaws of many of the political parties and why people will still vote for them. Guys on the cycling team have shared with me their differing opinions on the two main political parties, the Democratic Alliance and the ANC. I’ve learned that many people will continue to vote for the ANC because of its critical role in ending apartheid regardless of the current corruption and its failure to meet promises. This is a matter of loyalty, but I’ve heard that as time passes many people are beginning to consider other parties, mainly the DA. Criticisms against the DA are numerous, but generally revolve around saying it doesn”t work to fight the status-quo in the business world which is largely a white-dominated sector. Changing topic, after talking to taxi-drivers for a few minutes in Afrikaans they’re usually interested in learning what an American college student is doing trying to learn the language. This conversation happens almost every time I hop in a cab and often leads to the drivers sharing their stories from during apartheid. This is because, though Afrikaans is generally accepted as a normal means to communicate, it has a very controversial history: many people were forced to study in it during apartheid. This of course sparked a lot of social outrage, especially in 1976 when the Soweto uprising occurred. One of my taxi drivers had a very close friend who took part in these protests and was able to talk about them from a personal perspective. Today there are still many who actively dislike speaking Afrikaans because of its close connection to the apartheid government which oppressed them in so many ways. Hearing the above taxi-driver’s story has increased my level of understanding and I have a lot of respect for what he and his friends went through. That said, I’m really looking forward to our trip to Johannesburg where I will continue learning more.
So, I’ll end my rambling here and will prepare a much more structured blog for next week describing my internship at Christel House - a school in Ottery, near the center of Cape Town.
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