Catching Up on Sleep

When one studies abroad, there is a pressing sense of not wanting to waste time. That is, to spend every day possible conquering another item on the bucket list. Whereas it is nice to report on a long list of accomplished experiences, this pressure overlooks the greater integration into society.

After the mid-semester trip and two conferences, I spent three full weeks as a visitor to South Africa. It was not until this weekend, that I realized how much Cape Town has started to feel like home. After that whole flurry of activity, I was in much need of sleep which I managed to catch up on and realized that I no longer had the same sense of urgency I had during the first two months in the country. This is not to say that I sat around all weekend, because I didn't, but my activities took a bit of a different form.

Friday night, a couple of my housemates and I went to dinner at another American students house. We did our best to make a South African dish--Babotie--which came out quite well (if I say so myself) as well as enjoyed some Malva Pudding which I have come to thoroughly enjoy! This was a much needed relaxed evening. On Saturday, I did the usual chores, laundry and tidying up the room before going to the beach in the afternoon.

Llandudno Beach is one of many beautiful beaches near Cape Town. I went with an American friend as well as a South African and a Zimbabwean. We had a little picnic, played frisbee, climbed some boulders and watched the sunset as surfers caught the final waves of the day. Again, it was very relaxing and fun.

Sunday, I woke up, went to church and then to the grocery store. Again, mundane tasks that make one feel at home. I then went to dinner with all my housemates to Judy Mayotte's home--she founded the program and is still involved. We all enjoyed getting to know her a little better and of course the delightful meal she had prepared!

There was nothing extraordinary this weekend, except that I realized how much this place feels like home. I still have many activities to do and places to visit, but I enjoy the everyday flow here; integrating as a community member as opposed to just being a tourist passing through.

Conferences

Please excuse the lapse in entries, I have spent the last two weeks enveloped in conferences. The first was a student conference: African Student Leader's Summit. While it was held in Cape Town, I was staying at a hotel downtown and without access to my usual tools; namely my computer. The following week, I was at a professional conference SAACDHE: South Africa Counselling and Development in Higher Education. This conference took place in Stellenbosch. Both experiences were absolutely amazing.

After the break, I did not think my time here in South Africa could get any better, but it did! Monday was a particularly good day. Starting with the letter from my grandma and ending with a package from my mom, the middle was filled with a myriad of unique opportunities, starting with having lunch with former Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane, meeting President Mbeki, who then gave a lecture and then having dinner at the Western Cape Premier's House--the location Mandela stayed the night before being inaugurated as President. It was quite a surreal day. The rest of the week, while not as star-studded was very engaging and full of lively discussions about the future of Africa as a continent and in the context of the greater world. The opportunity to network with students from 10 different African nations was not lost! And the week ended with a speech by Alice Walker for the Steve Biko Memorial Lecture. My mind is still trying to digest all the conversations and insights from that week.

As for last week, the SAACDHE Conference was completely a different vibe, but no less enlightening. It was nice to converse with a myriad of practitioners from around South Africa as well as to gain an understanding of the field in South Africa--both where it is, and where it is going. Most notably, they use models established in the United States. Names like Tinto, Pascarella, and Astin came up on countless occasions leading me to the conclusion that there is much room for research here in Africa! In any case, the week was full of sessions and networking as well as one night in the Harbor aboard the Sea Princess. Another good week.

All in all, the last two weeks have been chalked full of opportunities that are much appreciated; however, I am ready to get back to campus and see students again!

Mid-Semester Adventure

Over the last week, I took a break from UWC during the between term break. I was lucky to be able to take advantage of the trip planned for the undergraduate students and man am I glad that chance came my way. It was a fantastic adventure that words cannot really convey…at least not without writing a novel. So, I think it is best to report back by the numbers:

24 hours before our scheduled departure we left for a 10 day adventure. We drove in a 16 seat safari-esq truck for 3,571m or 2220 miles to 7 cities: Knysna, Cintsa, Port Elizabeth, Coffee Bay, Durban, Johannesburg and Kruger National Park. During the approximate 45 hours in the car, we saw countless cows, fields and mountains and in between gazes out at the vast countryside I read 748 pages between 3 different books including the conclusion of the Long Walk to Freedom. The best way to read such a historic work—driving through the same places Mandela did during the liberation struggle. Along the way we saw 4 World Cup Stadiums-5 if you count Cape Town that we have seen before: Durban, Johannesburg, Port Elizabeth and Nelspruit.

Guided by 2 different drivers, we stayed in 5 different hostels, 2 of which were updated huts and all of which had plenty of character and local flare, we encountered many international and local travelers taking advantage of the great variety of the South African landscape. We visited 2 Xhosa villages-one more modern than the other-and a Zulu village that was touristy but one could grasp the outlines of the culture. We went on 3 safari drives on which we saw three of the big five-Elephant, Buffalo and Rhino. Additionally, we saw several birds, bok, antelope, giraffes, monkeys, zebras, baboons, warthogs and 1 water-hole bathing Hippo. Finally, I spent 1 night sleeping under the stars and witnessed 4 shooting stars on which I had nothing to wish for. I woke up for 4 sunrises, 3 over the ocean and witnessed several sunsets over rolling mountains, oceans and national park terrain. Finally, I was in Johannesburg Oliver Tambo Airport for the 3^rd time exactly 8 weeks to the day of my arrival.

I took 1532 pictures of which I will post only a fraction~soon.

It was a great adventure with plenty of opportunities to balance local culture with tourist destinations; to drive and to hike, to see the urban versus rural landscapes and to enjoy everything South Africa has to offer!