We're Doing Fine

Here's a link to a great article about South Africa.

A few of my favorite quotes from the article:

• "We are fine. We are cool. We know we live in the most beautiful country in the world inhabited by warm and vibrant people."

• "There are more people here with smiles on their faces than any country I have ever been to! Young people are returning in droves with skills and a positive attitude. Collectively we bumble along and stuff many things up while letting off a hell of a lot of steam."

• "The standard deviation of our emotions are set at MAX."

• "We also have passionate debates about the future of SA. Helped of course by red wine, which you must taste again because it is getting better every year."

• "These are the birth pangs of a new and unpredictable democracy. So buckle up and enjoy the ride and contribute. That is the message I convey to South Africans."

• "It is not for nothing that SA has the highest ratio of repeat visitors of all long-haul destinations. So, Jeff, how can I help you stop stressing out about us?"

A Week in the Life

Here’s my weekly routine here in Cape Town!

Monday:

8-11: Sociology, History, and Xhosa lectures

11-2: Lunch + homework

2-5: SHAWCO! This is a huge volunteering organization with many projects - I’m involved in one called Little Moon. We help 1st-3rd graders learn to read English.

we also play games with the kids :)

5:30-7: CIEE Seminar. About 20 of my fellow CIEE program members and I discuss our experiences with Quinton, our program director.

Tuesday:

8-11: Sociology, History, and Xhosa lectures

11-5: Do homework, run errands, and explore Cape Town!

5:30-7: African Dance class!

7-9: Indoor soccer with a group of locals!

Wednesday:

8-11: Sociology lecture, Sociology “tut” (tutorial, aka discussion section), and Xhosa lecture

11-12: Break – get coffee, due some reading, try (and fail) to find an open computer in the library (it’s quite a trek to campus, and I don’t really like to haul my laptop up the hill).

12-1: History tut

11: Do homework, run errands, and explore Cape Town!

Thursday:

8-11: Sociology, History, and Xhosa lectures

11-5: Do homework, run errands, and explore Cape Town!

5:30-7: African Dance class!

Friday:

8-11: Sociology, History, and Xhosa lectures

11: Explore Cape Town!

Weekends:

Explore Cape Town, do homework, go to church.

I realize the phrase “explore Cape Town” is very vague! I’ve done lots of touristy things so far, but that’s a post for another day.

For now, I’m busy getting ready to head to Kenya for spring break! Woohoo!

First Three Weeks!

Camps Bay - coldest water in Cape Town!

dinner at a wine estate

performance at Ocean View (community on the outskirts of Cape Town)

Cape Peninsula tour 

Cape Peninsula tour

Cape Peninsula tour

hiking Lion's Head at full moon

drum workshop!

wine + chocolate tasting at a wine estate

wine estate

South African sunrise

South African sunrise

Lion Park

Elephant Park 

touring a Rastafarian community - check out our tour guide's hair!

performance at the Rastafarian community - here's the lead singer, singing the aptly titled "Dreadlocks"

jumping off the world's highest bridge bungee jump! (look very closely - you can see me, wearing a teal shirt!)

hugging an ostrich

riding an ostrich

eating an ostrich (burger)