cranky penguins

This past weekend, we went to Simonstown. It's a town about an hours drive away from Cape Town. The purpose of the weekend was to give our group a chance to just relax, because ever since we arrived we have had scheduled activities every day. Simonstown is known for its African Jackass Penguins, as well as baboons.
On saturday afternoon, most of us went to Boulder Beach. You had to pay to enter, but we were willing to pay a small price to see penguins. The beach was so beautiful. The water's edge was located in a quiet bay surrounded by enormous boulders. The water was such a clear blue that you could see straight down 20 feet. Nevertheless, we kept getting freaked out by our own shadows thinking that they were the shape of a great white. Who knew giant sea weed could be so intimidating. Since shark attacks are common in South AFrica, my main objective was/is to avoid donating my arm to a shark that wants an afternoon snack. In terms of the penguins, they were everywhere. Unfortunately my dream of snuggling a penguin could not be fulfilled since they bit anyone who came too close. Thus, I tried to compensate by taking an inappropriate amount of pictures. I also discovered the joy of chasing penguins, because watching a penguin "run" is hilarious.
After the beach, we were taken to the Cape of Good Hope. This is where the Indian and Atlantic oceans theoretically meet. Once we climbed to the top of the cliff, the temperature changed as we stood in the clouds. But when the clouds moved on, we could see the vastness of the horizon. When looking out at the blue water, I thought I could see the curving of the earth. I also took many pictures here, but they cannot fully depict what I saw.
On sunday, we slept late due to a saturday night out. The day was relaxed, and we planned to "braai" later that night. "Braii" is the word used here for barbeques, a common occurrence. We had previously be-friended the hostel owner named Andrew, who offered to take a few of us get get all the right meet and supplies for a proper braii. When they returned, they brought a ridiculous amount of lamb, chicken, and pork, along with wine. Oh how I love the exchange rate here. By the time the meat was ready, we were all hovering around the grill. With no utensils, plates, or napkins, we smashed the meat in about ten minutes. I really think that the dripping meet juices on our hands and faces really solidified our group bonding that made way for a great night. Among many events, the evening included a few memorable ocurences: cutting an un-ripe lime with a butter knife, a pseudo rugby game, disney movie soundtracks, and seeing shooting stars while laying in the cement driveway. Unfortunately, we all had to wake up at 5:30 this morning to get back to school in time. I have never had a more extreme case of the mondays. I can't wait to get back home today to Langa to see my family/sleep/watch Generation. It's growing on me.

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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.

CT

So this is the first day I have had internet in quite some time. While it has made it difficult to communicate with everyone at home, it has been kind of nice to escape from the world of facebook, email, and technology in general.
We are now in Cape Town. Surrounded by Table Mountain on one side and the ocean on the other, Cape Town has definitely lived up to what I expected. Walking through the streets, you often cant see the top of the mountain because they are covered by white wispy clouds. Eventually, some friend and I will climb it, but we need to learn more about the trekk before doing so. Apparently, people die on the mountain every month due to thick fog and a higher chance of falling off the cliffs. ouch. But dont worry mom, Ill take necessary precautions for this. Cape Town is amazing though. There are all different type of people, and the architecture and entertainment reflect that. Now, I am staying in a Township of CT called Langa. The township was created during Apartheid, as a designated black area. Unfortunately, the segregationist era has left Langa the way it was created; relatively poor. However, the layout of the township is cut into four sectors, including an upper class area that transforms into the most impoverished living zones. I am living with a xhosa family, and I arrived on saturday. In my home is two grandparents, Mama and Da Da, their daughter Pam, and Pam's three kids: Ayanda (19), Olo (11), and Simni (6 weeks..ADORABLE). I am really excited to get to know them all. They have given me a xhosa name, which is Noluthando (No-Loo-Tan-Doh). Olo gave me the name, and apparently it means "lovely."
I would love to write more, but once again my internet time has been cut off. Hopefully I can write tomorrow or the next day.

chau!

The last few days have been busy, with a mixture of Xhosa, museums, groups discussions, and lectures. I feel as though I am already learning a lot. The only free time I have had is after 8:30 or so, when we finish dinner. The religious hostel in which we are staying is in a more secluded area in the outskirts of Johannesburg. Nothing to do is in walking distance, so at night we have resorted to UNO, ukre (?), and notoriously making the priests angry with our noise. These walls are paper.
Johannesburg is a city that used to be the economic hub of South Africa. After gold was discovered in 1867, the mining industry brought many people into the area. Whites the British and Dutch came to claim the riches, and the non-whites were forced into labor. However, J-burg today is not what it used to be. Buildings previously well kept are now shrunken and brown. The city seems to have a gray blanket covering the beauty of not long ago. Before coming here, I did not understand why Johannesburg was so significant. It turns out that some very important events within the years of Apartheid occurred in this city, and one of these was in the township of Soweto.
During Apartheid, Soweto (South West Township), was a black only residential area. It was poor, and lacking in the realm of education. When the nationalist group who enforced Apartheid (the Africaaners, descendants of Dutch colonizers), created a law that forced oppressed Africans to teach 50% of their educational courses in Africaan (Dutch language), there was a revolt in Soweto. The 1976 resistance was led by youths from the area, and is one of the most well known events of Apartheid. The influence of their uprising was so great that it spread throughout South Africa and increased blacks’ collective consciousness. Many students were killed and injured. The riots greatly influenced the course of Apartheid’s later years, and I feel fortunate to have visited Soweto to see where the protest took place. We also had the opportunity to visit the Hector Peterson museum, which was named after the first child who was gunned down by the white police during the revolt. A 10 x 10 black and white photo hangs in the museum, capturing a man carrying the limp body of Peter in his arms. Next to them is a woman screaming, and smoke/bodies/running people can be seen in the background. The image was really powerful.

Yesterday’s activities were quite intense, so we were all inclined to go swimming after returning from a long day. It was five thirty, and the sun was just starting to go down. Its dimming light through the wooden fence placed warm yellow lines on the pool deck that we strategically laid on. The water was freezing, but I jumped in anyway. I swear, living in Michigan and swimming in Michigan lakes has made my skin thicker. I admit, though, that I mostly jumped in to wake myself up because my jet lag has seemed to last for four days. I think I have been dubbed as “the sleeper” on the bus. There is just something about long rides that knocks me out every time.

Today we were able to attend a local university to see a lecture given by a professor there. It was really interesting, but lasted for four hours. By the end, all of my limbs were asleep and my pencil started to sway in front of my eyes. Needless to say, we were all happy to leave and come back to the hostel.

Tomorrow we are going to the Apartheid museum. Should be another great learning experience, although intense like the other places we have visited.

one last thing. Yesterday I saw Danny Glover. Three Times.

So I arrived in Johannesburg last night at around 6 pm local time. I had met about 5 other people on my flight from Washington D.C.--> Dakar, Senegal---> here. We quickly found the rest of our group (22 students in total) waiting for us at the ground floor. Everyone was really welcoming right from the beginning, but I nevertheless felt the same way I did on the first day of college. Nervous, excited, and extremely awkward.
We all piled into a shuttle, looking up at pouring rain and an incredible thunder storm. After arriving at the hotel, we ate dinner, discussed the upcoming week of orientation in J-burg,and met our three SIT program directors. There is Vennessa, Mama (this is not her first name, but out of respect we call her mama), and Japissa (sp). Exhausted from the day, we attempted to play UNO, which failed. We were too tired.
Today was busy. AFter having an early breakfast, we had our first Xhosa language lesson. Xhosa is the language of the Xhosa tribe, which is a predominant group in SA. Because 3 out of the 4 of our host families speak Xhosa, it is helpful to have some background. I have heard that Xhosa is a language that is hardest for native english speakers to learn...the clicking sounds are unfamiliar, and I anticipate it to be difficult.
After Xhosa, we climbed into the van and went to constitutional square. This square was where jails were used during the apartheid movement. We were able to view isolation cells, group rooms, and the place where Nelson Mandela was held. But today, only part of the jail structures are intact because they have since been replaced with the constitutional court of South AFrica. The placement of the new court was strategic, built there to remind everyone of the past (the recent past). The inside of the building had beautiful pillars with organic tiling and enormous iron leaves hang from the ceiling. The two together are meant to represent SA's judicial history, in which justice was carried out under the shade of trees.
Our group later ate lunch, explored the city a bit, and finally came back to the religious lodge in which we are staying. We ate dinner, saw a movie, and are now thinking of bed.

I know I will have internet access sporadically throughout my stay here, so I am sure that many of my later posts will not be as detailed. In case I cannot write for awhile, our group will be in Johannesburg until wednesday, when we fly to Langa, a neighborhood close to cape town. There, I will stay with a xhosa family for three weeks while attending classes. I am nervous, but know that I will learn a lot.

oh, and my skype address is macurtis89.

packing?

So I leave tomorrow at 7:30 AM. crazy. At 5(ish) pm local time on the 29th, I will arrive in Johannesburg.

I love getting mail (who doesn't), so if you want to send me something, my address is:

Margaret Curtis
c/o SIT Study Abroad
P.O. Box 203
Newlands, 7725
SOUTH AFRICA




cheers!

I caved in and made on of these things.

I am leaving for a semester abroad to South Africa, and I figured that creating a blog would be the best way to keep family and friends updated on my whereabouts and travels. My experience has not yet begun, along with the packing of my suitcase. Surreal is how I can describe my thoughts thus far, and this surrealism of the next few months has not yet given way to the reality that I leave the US in 4 short days. Maybe this will not all become believable until I step off of the airplane in Johannesburg. I suppose time will tell. More info to come!