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In the last couple of days, we have had the opportunity to visit significant sites in Cape Town. We have seen the beautiful campus of UCT (University of Cape Town), taken tours around Langa/ other townships, and seen significant historical places where massacres occurred. For me, the most profound site was the view of district 6; a black community that was demolished in the early 1900’s. The space has been kept barren, with merely grass and the remains of its original stone roads. This is to show the stark difference between the distant community and its destruction that left so many people with nothing. Two sets of cement stairs are the only structural remains of district six, and standing there I could imagine the thousands of feet that must have climbed up and down them.
Besides these periodic excursions, I spend my days in class. Because we are either traveling or doing our individual research projects for the rest of the semester, we have to pack in our class time into three weeks. Thus, every day, I wake up at six. Rough. I don’t think I have ever done that on a regular basis. On the other hand, I have been going to bed at the ripe hour of 8:45 so I think I’m good on shuteye. Anyway, we have lecture/language from 8:30 to 12:30, a break for lunch, then more lecture/language from 1:30 to 5. By the time I get home, I am pooped and can hardly stay up to watch the must-see soap opera of South Africa called “Generation.” What an epic 30 minutes of my day. But I really enjoy just being at home with my family, whose warmness has made me feel so welcome here. I know that it will be hard to leave at the end of these three weeks.
I am really excited for tomorrow (sat) because our SIT student group will be going to Robben Island, where Mandela was held for many of the years he was detained. Afterward, we will go to the beach (which is a first), then for a night out in the area. I am looking forward to having some free time.