I don't think that I can even give justice to how brilliant the New Year in Cape Town is. Once midnight came, everyone headed out to the streets and went wild. It's crazy because in Minnesota, you know that at night in January no one is about to be outside, but here-it's just wild. I think this may have been the best New Year I have ever had. It is great to finally have all of us together and to have the opportunity for all of us to hit the town as one big group. I feel like bringing in the New Year together brought us all closer as a little Cape Town family. It was a time for all of us to let loose, let our hair down, and be our self without any inhibitions. It was great to experience the people of Cape Town coming together as one and dancing in the streets. There was such a large and terrific sense of community and togetherness that you wouldn't feel in cold, cold Minnesota.
I am pretty sure that all of us are greatfull for our day off tomorrow. I think that it is safe to say that we are all in need of some much needed sleeping in. After getting a glimpse of downtown Cape Town today on top of a big red tour bus, I'm pretty sure that all of us are nice and sun-burned and ready to rest. It was great to see downtown Cape Town, however. It reminds me so much of what San Diego looks like, or what I imagine New Orleans to look like. The western feel of Cape Town isn't exactly disappointing, just unexpected. To quote Nate, the world is a familiar place and sometimes the similarities are more surprising than the differences. This is one of the reasons that I want to get into our service learning project and seeing more of the townships. I think that when that happens, it will really hit me that I am in Africa. Right now I feel more like I'm just in another part of the US. I'm excited to feel more out of my comfort zone and to experience things that are unlike what I experience on my own.
The last sort of New Year thought that I have is gratefulness. I am so so so thankful and appreciative of my Cape Town family. I know that they have always got my back. I know that without any one of them, this trip would have been so so different. Everyone adds their own piece to the puzzle, making us one big happy family. This New Year also makes me feel grateful for everything that I take for granted. Even the little things like a hair dryer are things that I am realizing should not be taken granted for. I am discovering this new found appreciation for the things that I have. I hope that in this New Year, I can continue to appreciate the little things in my life.
December 2010 Archives
yay yay yay so excited that finally the rest of the crew made it. so happy also that I get to celebrate New Years with this group of people and it doesn't hurt to experience it in some nice weather also :)):) Today was super sunny and clearly the heat was more intense than I anticipated...I burned quite a bit but hey some sun is better than none! I was fortunate enough to experience my first train ride and get to dip my feet in the Indian Ocean for the first time also.
I am so thankful that the people I am with have grown so close in such a short period of time...it is amazing how much we have bonded in merely two days together. Through them I have realized that I wasn't the only person experiencing and witnessing the initial discomfort and they helped me represent myself in a more outgoing manner. Rather than being timid, softspoken and extremely self conscious, I evolved slowly into a more comfortable sociable person. It made me realize that you can't always seek to escape when uncomfortable situations arise. Often you learn that within time and allowing yourself to push through the initial stress, you find a fufilling experience that you would have missed if you stopped at the first sign of fear. So far I've learned that beyond the tough stuff lies something even more personal and obtainable...something that truely will connect you with the environment you are in. Doing this created the reassurance that stepping outside what I thought was my threshold actually opened up a new level of engagement and opportunity with people who in actuality I didn't think I connected with. When you allow yourself to find a connection with others, more than never you will notice that you can relate to them in more ways than you anticipated. People in South Africa are different to Americans in many ways, yet they are similar in many as well.
One differentiation that continues to amuse me and more than ever astonish me is how they feel about themselves. Growing up in a culture with such emphasis on weight, appearance and health, I came to South Africa to observe their habits around this area. What I can conclude from these past two days is that they are who they are and from what I have seen their appearance is literally one of the least of their worries. I'll admit when I first got to my house, I had somewhat of a freak out when I realized I had packed the wrong adaptor and had to wait until the next day to get one....for now how was I going to do my hair if we went out! My thought process is still initially emphasizing on how I look. I took a walk outside and thought everyone was staring at me because I had no makeup on and didn't get the chance to do my hair since I didn't have a plug in......in actuality people have their own stuff to worry about and odds are I'm not being judged for how I look. Throughout the rest of this trip, I want to hold on to that realization and think about what really matters in life. For some of these people don't think about blow drying and straightening their hair in the morning and don't treat someone differently or give them less attention if they don't focus solely on their appearance.
I hope to continue to keep this insight with me throughout the rest of the trip and can't wait to grow closer to my other group members and the culture of South Africa. sending love from the south african sunshine!
Seven of us were just on top of the table fearing the lovely cockroach that ran across the room. We're still in search for that little bugger...kind of worried it might appear in my bed with me tonight. Anyway, today I tip-toed into the Indian Ocean for the first time and the water was freezing. I never actually thought I'd have the chance to step foot in that ocean, but I am so lucky to get the opportunity through this program. The day was great, and we had the time to just relax and see a bit more of Cape Town. We took the train into Muizenberg, and we were greeted on the train by a street band consisting of four men playing a saxophone, banjo, and 2 guitars. It was nice to hear something other than American music and something so real that these men were passionate about. I really enjoyed that small piece of South Africa. When we got to the beach, I was amazed by the vibrant, different colored small changing houses that ran the shores of the ocean. They're so darn cute! And not to mention it was close to 80 degrees today which always puts a HUGE smile on my face, especially in December. Don't get me wrong though, it got awfully chilly in shorts and a tank top when waiting for the train back to our houses at 7pm, but it definitely beats the 20+ inches of snow and negative degree weather back home. One thing I've learned is that the drivers in mini cabs are not actually whistling at us, they just want our business. For how many cars are on the road, they sure know how to make a lot of noise. Recently, our group is "trying to look less American" as Charles from InterStudy puts it. We tend to stick together, which is a good thing, but you can imagine how touristy we look walking down the street or into the store 24 strong. We are all trying to find our way around this place, and it's hard to just venture off in a city, let alone a completely different continent. I'm confident that in the next 3 weeks this place will become somewhat of a second home. I'm excited for the upcoming days and to get more involved in our course topics through the classes, and to also see the part of South Africa we haven't seen yet-- the poverty stricken neighborhoods and the children who have dealt with so much already. I know I can learn a ton from the people in this group too, and I can't wait to take it all in.
I am cold
fearful
alone
fearful
cold, alone
alone
cold
fearful
confused...
words bouncing around my head, leaping at the chance to change.
changing at the thought of indifference.
place your feet in my print.
trace my steps.
use your hands to close the wounds.
cradle my feelings.
If silence is sanity and noise isn't noble...
why are you speaking
we are one voice, with two mouths.
I am one body, with many bruises.
You are 100 doctors, with limited cures.
limitless cures.
Cures of lemons
I am numb
smiling at your expense
buying souvenir 's at your expense
walking on your soul with expense shoes.
This world is my world!
This is my world!
And i co-exist by myself
I co-exist with lies, stereotypes.
Stereotypes, lies
baby lies on a stereo with type two-diabetes.
your diet consist of consuming and throwing out the rest.
My diet consist of consuming and throwing out the rest.
ARE diet consist of consuming and throwing out the rest.
when our neighbor doesn't have a bed to sleep in or 4 walls to call home.
Pointing out the imperfections of our bodies, and injecting more ugliness inside.
Inside this frame holds a picture with no bodies.
No body cares.
So we buy some..
we buy someone...
we buy someones soul, someones mother, someones heart, someones last dime, someones hope, dreams, fascinations, personalities, ambitiousness, joys, sorrows, pains, history...
And we leave the story on an empty shelf.
Wow...I don't even know how to start about my journey to and thus far in Cape Town. So much has happened in the past few days that it seems like such a blur.
Group 3 began our journey in Minneapolis on December 27th, our flight left at 7:35 and all 7 of us girls knew that we had long travel time before we would arrive at our destination in Cape Town. I have personally never flown before so I knew that this experience would be a little different for me than others. However, we all stuck together and ended up at our destination in the end. Some issues we encountered were that we had a connecting flight from Minneapolis to Chicago. We land in Chicago on time, but we could not land because there were no open locations. With a short layover we were forced to run to our next flight to London, and ended up getting there right in time. Impressed with our running ability, we were ready for the 8 hour flight to from Chicago to London. Needless to say that 8 hour flight turned into a 12 hour flight due to us having to turn around after leaving Chicago because of a medical emergency on board. Exhausted from that when landing in London we had to maneuver our way through Heathrow, which was quite the hassle as most of us were already exhausted and the airport is very larger. Our 7.5 layover in London turned into 40 min. that we had to look forward to another 12 hour flight to Cape Town. Regardless, it was all worth it!
As interstudy picked us up from the airport and we were transported to our home for the next 3 weeks. The scenery here is something that can't be described. It is extremely beautiful and is certain to take anyone's breathe away. Our house is located right next to Devil's Peak, so that is a view to look forward to seeing every morning. Interstudy provided us with a bbq the day of our arrival, and they treated us right. After eating airplane food for two straight days I would have eaten anything, but we had delicious foods that filled me up. We then went out and got a brief tour of the University of Cape Town, after that we went grocery shopping. That was an experience; I don't like grocery shopping in the states. I'm very much an eat and go kind of girl so grocery shopping in Cape Town was not my forte. Needless to say eating out is looking good to me.
Today we went down and explored the city we live in a little more. I got my American dollars converted into rands, and made my first purchase by buying a strawberry smoothie. The infrastructure here in Cape Town is very similar to that in the States, it was something I was very unaware of and surprised. We then had our first train experience as we went to Muizenberg to see the Indian Ocean and explore the city. On our ride there we experienced a real life jazz band that would play on throughout the train for money. Let me say they played some really good music. The Indian Ocean was beautiful and very cold. I wore a tank top and shorts and froze my butt off. We tried to go into stores, but most were closed due to the New Year, and just the fact that most stores close after 5. I think we should covert this way of working into the United States right?
This experience thus far has been absolutely amazing. I couldn't have asked for a better group of people to go through this with. I am looking forward to the beginning of our coursework, and volunteering my time at the orphanage.
Today I woke to a bright, beautiful African sun! The temp was around 77 degrees and there was hardly a cloud in the sky. And the view from the street in front of our house of Devil's Peak?.... amazing.
Everyone got a good night's sleep last night and are starting to feel caught up. Our potential plans to go up Table Mtn fell through due to the high winds. Sounds like we'll just have to make another go later in the trip. So the alternative was a little excursion to the market and then the beach. Nate has been encouraging us to just go out and experience things on our own. We all had a bit of intrepidation to walk down to the grocery store and bank, but with Nate's encouragement, we went for it. As a large group of Americans, mostly women, we get stared at a lot. And as a white woman, I'm very much in the minority. In fact, it's hard to tell exactly where everyone fits in. Rest assured, I don't feel intimidated or in harm's way. Instead we all just keep on walking, aware of our surroundings, but with the acknowledgement that we are in a foreign place.
Nate took us all by train to Muizenburg (a community south of where we are staying that is on the Indian Ocean). I would compare this train to the Mpls LRT's dirty cousin. An interesting choice of transit, but honestly, a preferred one. During our trip south, a 5-piece jazz band hopped on played for change. They were incredible. Nate told us that their music was just like "township jazz." A little banjo, a little sax and an up-tempo. fabulous.
In Muizenburg, we dipped our toes in the water, window shopped and had some lunch. Most everyone arrived back to the houses with that good ol' Minnesotan sun glow. I put on SPF 30, but come on, you all know me...
Now we look forward to our remaining 4 group members arriving any minute. I sincerely hope their flight went off without a hitch and that they can mesh right into the group. We have lots more to experience and we need them to partake in it.
Tomorrow, NYE.. should be interesting. And with that, I wish you all a good night (or a good afternoon in most people's case) and I cheers you with my glass of Western Cape Pinotage ;)
Kaitlyn Grabinski
Liz Ongeri
12/30/2010
Our first experience in South Africa was major jet lag! We all had long flights and had been traveling through many different countries. It was nice to finally set foot in the country where we were all so excited to spend the next 3 weeks.
We started our time together in South Africa with a welcome braai. For all those back home this is similar to a BBQ. We all very much enjoyed this meal, especially because it was our first meal that wasn't plane food. The meal consisted of Chicken kabobs, pasta salad, greek salad, lamb, samosas, and much more! This was the first time that all of us were able to sit down and tell stories of our flights and of our first experiences thus far. It was a great first welcome into a new country.
After the braai we had an in depth orientation of how we will be living our life for the next 3 weeks. We learned all the ins and outs of South Africa. Following this we went on a brief tour of the University of Cape Town. We all were able to take many pictures and start experiencing this new country.
We then had our first trip to the grocery store. This was quite a culture shock. It was our first time using Rands (the type of currency used in South Africa). Entering into the Pick and Pay everyone became quite overwhelmed due to the fact that nothing looking familiar. We all had to work together and figure out what types of food to buy and how much it would cost. Although it was overwhelming, it was a great first experience together.
Day 2
On Thursdays December 30th, some of us took a walk around the area where we are living. We were all intrigued by the culture and the scenery that surrounded the area. While walking, we were honked at numerous times by van drivers; which is a norm in South Africa. There is a specified person in the van called a cabi. The cabi's role is to lure potential customers in order to get them to ride in the van.
Later, we all got on a train to go to the beach. At the train station, there was a security person who blew a whistle to let the train driver know when to go. While on the train, we were all fascinated by some guys who randomly started playing some jazz music. When we arrived at the beach, we all split up to explore the surroundings along the Indian Ocean. We all went to different restaurants to eat and walked around the shore. To end the day, we all took the train back to our housing.
Running through the airport
Running downstairs in KFC
Running at the train station (BTW maybe a little dangerous)
Not going to lie, this sign has kind of confused me, seriously why is he running?
Hello friends, family, and loved ones of all the students on this global seminar!
Two things come to mind tonight: (1) I'm ecstatic to be back in my second home of Cape Town and (2) even more thrilled (and thankful) to be sharing my second home with such a great group of students. I've had a covenant to my own South African family for years - to bring a group of students to Cape Town. That promise has come to fruition after an extraordinary amount of work - for me, the Learning Abroad Center, my best of friends here, and the AMAZING InterStudy staff who greeted us with open arms, drove us all over today, treated us to a South African braai (BBQ), and quickly befriended all of the students.
The journey here was not without a hitch. Our second flight group was - thanks to Delta Airlines - spilt up at check in and four students regrettably missed their flight to Amsterdam. Delta had shifted these four students back-and-forth between personal check in lanes and "group" check-in (floors apart). With storms ranging across the country, the airport was beyond hectic and the ping-pong game with our four students helped them to miss their flight. This was Delta's wrongdoing but I'm happy to report that these four students are on their way! Beyond that, our third flight group landed in Chicago, was on their way to London and forced to turn around and return to Chicago due to a medical emergency on board with another passenger. With saving grace, they made it to London and were able to make it to Cape Town this morning as planned.
There have been other slight issues with baggage, Internet connection, phones, and money, but nothing we couldn't handle and the overall sentiment for all students is one of joy and laughter.
Finally, I sense that the overall lesson of today was that of South Africa's remarkable contradictions. In one car ride from the airport, students witnessed families who make no more than $5 a week to those who make hundreds and hour. They have become witness to Apartheid's legacy. They have also learned that this is a place not so "unlike" home. South Africa in many ways is very much like home - familiar stores, infrastructure, food, roads, schools, etc. It is just beyond these beautiful neighborhoods, though, were the continued lessons on contradictions dwell. Once they travel to these places and see the "other side" of Cape Town, our deepest learning will begin!
We made it!! SOUTH AFRICA!!
This is amazing..there is no word to describe South Africa!!!..i'm still not believing we are finally here..the view here is beautiful..the housing is pretty comfortable and the folks here are pretty amazing. Everything is different, and it's not even close to what i imagine it would be like..they have everything here, but cheaper! We got a chance today to look around, just came back from grocery shopping, and that went well. I thought we wouldn't find any familiar food but there was..HUMMUS!! Can u believe that! hummus all the way down here..that was amazing and so I felt like right at home. We haven't seen any wild animals yet, but i bet that is gonna change soon. We'll have more free time tomorrow and the next couple days..so we will be seeing more of Capetown, can't wait!!..this is it for now, but I'll promise I'll have more stories and pictures by the end of this week..
So it may have taken 2 days of travel and a day to get connected to the internet, but I have arrived and can finally communicate! The trip over went without a major hitch, aside from waaay cramped seats and the inability to sleep pretty much at all. Unfortunately for 4 members of the group, things weren't so smooth and they're arriving tomorrow. Total travel time for me was over 24 hours. Once the second group arrived at the airport, we headed to our housing. We're all situated amongst 3 houses with some single and some double rooms. I ended up stealing our TA, Greg's, bedroom, because the one I was assigned can't be entered through the house only from the outside. It freaked me out at night, hence the thievery. Hopefully Greg doesn't mind... he hasn't arrived yet. The housing is pretty nice. Our host group, InterStudy, is amazing. Absolutely on top of their game. They did a South African Braai today (aka. an American BBQ). Curried chicken kabobs.... hello! We visited the University of Cape Town, where we'll be having some class time. UCT is on their summer vacation right now, so the campus was pretty desolate. Since the weather has been overcast and very windy, it's not hot at all. We're looking forward to the sun peeking out and the mountain fog to dissipate, so we can get a good look at Table Mountain. What I can see of it has already blown my mind.
The city is absolutely huge and your eyes can't take it all in. But I look forward to seeing as much as I am able. Because all of our group hasn't arrived, we won't be adhering to tomorrow's schedule... which makes it a day off. What to do..what to do.. Not sure yet, but I'll let you know ;)
I'm missing everyone back home already, but I think I'll be all right. There's a lot coming up and I'm ridiculously excited to do it all. But before all that.. I'm getting some more sleep! Holy Jet Lag, Batman!
Waking up today was definitely not the easiest. We got into Cape Town last night at around midnight and my body doesn't exactly know how to deal with the time change and the lack of sleep I got the last 24 hours. I have never been this happy to have two feet on the ground! After a 8 hour flight to Amsterdam, 4 hour wait for our connecting flight, and 12 hour flight to Cape Town, we have finally arrived. The longest flight I've ever been on before this was hmm...5 hours to San Diego and I thought that was bad!?!? Let's just say I'm extremely happy to be here and so happy to be able to sleep in a bed! We were greeted at the airport by Chris, Sebe, and Charles from InterStudy and some familiar faces from back at the U. The InterStudy staff has already been so helpful and they are such nice, friendly people. We all loaded into vans and it was funny to see the steering wheel on the right side of the car. The first song played on the radio was Phil Collins' "True Colors" (I thought that was kind of funny...South Africans listen to Phil Collins??). I guess it's true to say we are probably a lot more similar than I thought...or they've just been a bit Americanized. Although we did arrive here at dark and haven't been able to see much, I was able to see barbed wire and thick, steel fences that are padlocked around many of the houses and that includes the houses we're staying at. It is a different world here, and especially different when coming from a small town where you wouldn't necessarily have to lock your doors at night if you didn't want to. All I know is that there is a lot to learn and a whole lot more to see here, and I am extremely excited to experience it all. I never imagined that the winter of my freshman year would be spent in South Africa, and I can't even begin to say how incredibly thankful I am for this trip and everyone who spent a great deal of time putting it together.
You'll be hearing a lot more from me in the next three weeks :)
After a six hour flight to Amsterdam and a 12 hour flight to Cape Town...we made it! We are still waiting for some members of our group and hopefully they can join us soon.
Things I have learned in the past 24 hours
1. Weekend after Christmas travel is insane. It took about an hour and some change just to check in without the security portion.
2. If you arrive at Schiphol (Amsterdam Airport) at 6 am you will see grown people passed out on mushroom shaped furniture all over the airport.
3. There is a limit to how many times you can watch the movies; Charlie St.Cloud, Going the Distance, and Eat, Pray,Love on a 12 hour flight.
Happy Holidays to everyone! Quite odd that I am up this early in the morning...I must either be extremely excited for Christmas or cannot wait to explore the rich history and culture of South Africa. Over break I have been able to reflect a lot about what this opportunity will be like for me. After spending most of my life engulfed in American culture and restricted by my own limits and expectations, I realize now this pattern of thinking was devloping me into a person who didn't dare step outside her comfort zone into an area of unknown.
The past year of my life was an opportunity for me to learn more about myself and what developed me into an indivual with extremely high standards and thought processes that lacked a grey area. I want to use this experience to my advantage and continue to explore who I am as an individual.
South Africa has their own interpretation and definition of a community, beleiving that what one does affects not solely themselves but also everyone else. In the past I was harming myself with my words and in return harming others around me. I want to learn what life is like in a community with such an emphasis on how ones actions can effect an entire community. I view this as an opportunity for me to reflect what they believe into my own life and my own past experiences.
Throughout our prior orientations, I have come to the realization that our group is going to be discussing certain topics that are extremely sensitive and uncomfortable. However, it is these moments that help us grow not only individually but also as a community. That is what I believe makes the country of South Africa so unique and appreciative of what they have. They listen to each others stories and by learning about one another, a strong, personal relationship is formed. I felt that way when our group shared our stories during an orientaion meeting. Sure you may feel vulnerable and exposed in the beginning yet the support and appreciation you receive after by far surpass the small moment of embarassment.
I cannot wait to spend three weeks with such a wonderful group of people. I anticipate challenges, growth and such unique experiences for all of us. I am blessed to have been given this opportunity to meet these people who I am venturing across the country with ready to take on all that South Africa has to offer! Only 2 days left. I am ready to step outside my comfort zone for I beleive this is an appropriate time, location and support group to do so with. whoooo hoo! :)
Emily
Tracing the footsteps of social change in South Africa is not an easy task. The aim is not merely to "follow" the footsteps of South Africans, yet seek out the wisdom they gained during their long-walk in overcoming Apartheid. One way to do this is by first looking at their history and stories, followed by a close examination at how South Africans view community, their lessons on living together, forgiving one-another, and moving forward.
Cape Town, South Africa is a medley of sheer natural splendor, beautiful weather, and astounding bio-diversity. From "Table Mountain" dwarfing the city center and the sunny blue beaches of "False Bay" -- to Great White Sharks, Baboons, and a plethora of treasures produced by nature -- visitors have a reason to dig deep within and connect to a larger world. Though the magnificence of the Cape is vast, it is often said that visitors "ignore the view" by overlooking the juxtaposition between poverty-stricken (though vibrant) shantytowns and immensely affluent gated neighborhoods. Mindful visitors will often put into question the "free market" and recognize that Apartheid's anguish and racism still exists in all fabrics of life.
Nonetheless, Cape Town has a wealth of human diversity that enriches all aspects of the "Rainbow Nation." The people of South Africa, through struggle and wisdom, have helped many to live from the inside out - to achieve a deep sense of happiness and a zeal for life. Their story of overcoming Apartheid is unfinished yet their spirit to survive is essential to our understanding of human possibility. Right now, there are few other places in the world with such promise. This seminar will focus on the stories of both the people and the places of South Africa. Through lectures, site visits, and Service-Learning, students - via a direct exchange with South Africans - will start to transform their understanding of "community" and the essence of what it means to be human.
