So it seems like a lot is happening all around me.
Last Friday night, I went to my first official rugby game. It puts American football to shame. Sorry, I know this might upset all you guys who value manliness and express that through a keen interest in and love of football, but when compared next to rugby, our shoulderpadded athletes looks like a bunch of school kids on a cold day trying to do ballet after being wrapped up in much-too-large winter coats.
Dance Bearathon was a huge success, raising over $20,000 this year! Congratulations to Blake and all my other friends who took over in the wake of Josh's and my absence.
On Tuesdays, I usually volunteer at the AIDS clinic from 8:30 to 1:00, but on the way there, the driver asked if he could pick my partner and I up early because he had to be somewhere at 1:00. "Of course! No problem. Where are you going?" He responds casually with something about attending a lecture by Desmond Tutu. The Most Reverend Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu! As it turns out, I ended up getting to go, too. When was the last time you heard a Nobel Peace Prize winning apartheid fighter who has since served as the nation's moral conscience?
In other news, South Africa's president, Thabo Mbeki, resigned earlier this week after serving for 10 years as Nelson Mandela's successor. The African National Congress appointed their party's deputy leader as the interim head of state until next year's elections. Maybe this guy should just stay in power, though... After all, he just fired Dr. Beetroot and South Africa can now attempt to make progress on its HIV/AIDS epidemic. Now we just need a bit more funding at the HIV clinic...
I wish I could watch the first presidential debate. Of all the things I thought I wouldn't miss, my first presidential election ranks pretty high on the list. As long as I get an absentee ballot in the mail, though, at least I'll be upholding my civic duty.
Wednesday was a public holiday in South Africa. After slacking for the past few weeks, we determined that Wednesday would be spent in the computer lab working on soon-to-be-due papers. And other than a brief break to a late lunch and go to the gym, we did just that. On our return trip to our residence at about 9:00PM, Josh and I were discussing something as a strange-looking man walked by. It was in a dimly lit area, and upon hearing our accents he immediately turned around and started following us. Pretty closely, too. We upped our pace to a near jog, but still he seemed to be following a few meters behind. At this point, we detoured toward McDonald's, the nearest public place we could find. This man actually followed us in, and suspiciously stood in line to order food. When it got his turn, he indeed ordered something and Josh and I made good use of this window of opportunity and left without him noticing. We're both convinced that we narrowly avoided getting mugged. Oh, and the guy was white, just FYI.
Josh and I rode the train in to Cape Town today, much against the recommendations of pretty much everyone we know. Apparently, white people who ride the train get mugged. To this, I say, "If you ride 1st class where the only other person in the car is your attacker, then DUH!" We rode economy class for R7, or less than $1, each way, and spent 75 minutes riding each way with South Africa's working class. Were we apprehensive because of all the negative things we've heard about the train? Yes. Were we scared? No. It's justifiable to watch your back in a potentially dangerous situation, but I think it's racist for Stellenbosch's white community to avoid the train out of their trumped up fear of the Coloured and Black communities.
Friday, September 26, 2008
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Drew: South African Spring Break - The Garden Route complete with Safari and Bungee Jumping!
So, after a week of getting oriented in South Africa, and 7 consecutive weeks of classes, we began our Spring Break on Friday, September 5. The following 10 days were crammed full of excitement, and that week was probably the most adventurous, most hardcore, and craziest one of my life!!! We relaxed all Saturday in preparation of the upcoming adventure tour, leaving the room only to watch Mamma Mia in the local theater (everyone should watch/rent it because it is a fantastic musical-turned-movie) and eat a picnic supper in the middle of town. The next morning, Josh and I embarked upon a guided trip that lasted a full week, from Sunday morning to Saturday evening, and each day would consist of a bit of driving, several activities, and then overnight at backpacker's lodges.
Sunday – After a gorgeous scenic drive along the coast, the group stopped in Hermanus for whale-watching during lunch (we saw huge whales breach several times). Continuing in the day, we had 5 rounds at Birkenhead, a South African brewery, and then drove to the southernmost tip of Africa on Cape Agulhas where we played in two oceans simultaneously...because it's where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet! That evening, we were served ostrich meatloaf for supper. Stick with beef, just trust me on this one!
Monday - More scenic driving (actually, all driving would be considered “scenic” because the Garden Route is basically one large tourist attraction that stretches for hundreds of kilometers) before stopping at a funny roadside bar called Ronnie’s Sex Shop. In Afrikaans, the original name was Ronnie Se Shop, which means Ronnie’s Shop, but one night after several drinks, he and his friends added the additional “x” to the name and thus the present day, random tourist attraction… We all had a drink on the house (haha, the trip was definitely catered to college students, and as I have definitely acquired a taste for white wines, and sweet ones in particular, I still have no liking for most other alcoholic beverages) and then left underwear hanging from the rafters, a funny tradition growing out of the name. Next, we drove a bit further down the road to eat lunch while basking and relaxing in natural warm water springs. They were kind of dirty, though… Oh well, they felt good! In the afternoon, we went to the Cango wildlife ranch where we saw several bats, birds, fish, warthogs, hippos, mierkats, crocodiles, storks, lemurs, lions, tigers, cheetahs, and all kinds of snakes (puff adders, black mambas, king cobras, Burmese python, boa constrictor, etc.). Supper was Ostrich steak, which was much better than the meatloaf, and some ostrich sausage, which is another one of those things that no type of meat should ever be made into.
Tuesday – For breakfast, of course the meal had some part of an ostrich, but this time it was ostrich egg before going to tour the massive Cango Caves. We didn’t have time to take the adventurous section of the tour, which would have involved us basically wiggling through 18-inch cracks in rocks for about a kilometer. The reason for leaving early, though, was that we next went to an ostrich farm where we each RODE an ostrich, as well as other cool ostrich-related activities. After eating lunch at a jazzy little restaurant, we drove into the Eastern Cape (Think of South Africa as having 9 states, or provinces as they are called here, and the Eastern Cape is next to the Western Cape, which houses Cape Town and Stellenbosch) to the world's highest bungee jump! It was 216 meters tall (2 and a half football fields) and certified by Guiness Records, and I totally volunteered to jump first! And for those of you who might doubt that I actually jumped, that I don't seem like the "risk-taking type," I have several pictures and the DVD they made of it to prove my awesomeness!
Wednesday – We did a 1hr zip-line adventure through Tsitsikama Forest, then spent lunch and afternoon in a touristy town on the beach while several people went shopping. There were several cheap factory outlet stores for surf related stores like Quicksilver, Billabong, Jeep, and Element. That evening, we drove inland toward Addo National Elephant park and stayed overnight on an orange plantation in little African huts. It was so cool!
Thursday - 6 AM safari where we saw WILD elephants, cape buffalo, warthogs, ostriches, kudu, duiker, hartebeast (these last three are deerlike animals), monkeys, jackals, and lions. In fact, the three lions we saw actually walked mere feet from our frozen vehicle and laid in the grass about 8 meters from us (even the tour guide who works in the park was taking pictures)! So out of the big 5, which includes elephants, buffalo, rhinos, lions, and leopards, we saw 3. Not too shabby, I’d say, considering we haven’t yet been to Kruger National Park (we are going there mid-December). We stayed in the park finding animals until 12:30 and then spent the afternoon relaxing at the beach. There always seems to be a beach nearby here in South Africa… Yep, I knew I loved this place!
Friday – We began our drive back toward Cape Town, taking a few different routes so as to hit different attractions. The day’s first stop was at an elephant sanctuary where most of the group went in and walked, fed, and rode elephants. Afterward, we were scheduled to go sea kayaking but due to the windy weather, our afternoon activity was canceled so we just got extra chill time at the beach! Not that any of us were complaining :)
Saturday - We spent most of the day driving back, stopping occasionally at cool places like a scenic mountain pass, an Aloe Factory, and some others before arriving back in Stellenbosch. All in all, I’d say it was a pretty worthwhile trip. You know, I could get used to this whole idea of taking a vacation while on vacation. South Africa = Good choice to spend 6 months!
Oh, and since I’m on the topic of vacations, I would like to take this opportunity to announce the next big undertaking in my life. I have always wanted to learn a foreign language to the point of at least being conversationally competent, but have been unable to do so up to this point. Sure, I can understand a little Spanish (2 years in high school, and Josh speaks it fluently) and some Afrikaans (everyone here speaks it), and I can speak/read/write even more Spanish, Afrikaans, and some isiXhosa, but I would definitely not say that I have anything more than a rudimentary knowledge of each. Because of this, coupled with the amazing experience of studying abroad, Josh and I have decided to spend Spring of 2010 in Qingdao, China, taking a language intensive Mandarin Chinese course for 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, for about 16 weeks. The Chinese school calendar for the spring begins around March 1 and ends about July 1, meaning that we would have to forego walking at our college graduation. Compared to spending a semester in China, though, that seems like a trade I’d be willing to make!
Sunday – After a gorgeous scenic drive along the coast, the group stopped in Hermanus for whale-watching during lunch (we saw huge whales breach several times). Continuing in the day, we had 5 rounds at Birkenhead, a South African brewery, and then drove to the southernmost tip of Africa on Cape Agulhas where we played in two oceans simultaneously...because it's where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet! That evening, we were served ostrich meatloaf for supper. Stick with beef, just trust me on this one!
Monday - More scenic driving (actually, all driving would be considered “scenic” because the Garden Route is basically one large tourist attraction that stretches for hundreds of kilometers) before stopping at a funny roadside bar called Ronnie’s Sex Shop. In Afrikaans, the original name was Ronnie Se Shop, which means Ronnie’s Shop, but one night after several drinks, he and his friends added the additional “x” to the name and thus the present day, random tourist attraction… We all had a drink on the house (haha, the trip was definitely catered to college students, and as I have definitely acquired a taste for white wines, and sweet ones in particular, I still have no liking for most other alcoholic beverages) and then left underwear hanging from the rafters, a funny tradition growing out of the name. Next, we drove a bit further down the road to eat lunch while basking and relaxing in natural warm water springs. They were kind of dirty, though… Oh well, they felt good! In the afternoon, we went to the Cango wildlife ranch where we saw several bats, birds, fish, warthogs, hippos, mierkats, crocodiles, storks, lemurs, lions, tigers, cheetahs, and all kinds of snakes (puff adders, black mambas, king cobras, Burmese python, boa constrictor, etc.). Supper was Ostrich steak, which was much better than the meatloaf, and some ostrich sausage, which is another one of those things that no type of meat should ever be made into.
Tuesday – For breakfast, of course the meal had some part of an ostrich, but this time it was ostrich egg before going to tour the massive Cango Caves. We didn’t have time to take the adventurous section of the tour, which would have involved us basically wiggling through 18-inch cracks in rocks for about a kilometer. The reason for leaving early, though, was that we next went to an ostrich farm where we each RODE an ostrich, as well as other cool ostrich-related activities. After eating lunch at a jazzy little restaurant, we drove into the Eastern Cape (Think of South Africa as having 9 states, or provinces as they are called here, and the Eastern Cape is next to the Western Cape, which houses Cape Town and Stellenbosch) to the world's highest bungee jump! It was 216 meters tall (2 and a half football fields) and certified by Guiness Records, and I totally volunteered to jump first! And for those of you who might doubt that I actually jumped, that I don't seem like the "risk-taking type," I have several pictures and the DVD they made of it to prove my awesomeness!
Wednesday – We did a 1hr zip-line adventure through Tsitsikama Forest, then spent lunch and afternoon in a touristy town on the beach while several people went shopping. There were several cheap factory outlet stores for surf related stores like Quicksilver, Billabong, Jeep, and Element. That evening, we drove inland toward Addo National Elephant park and stayed overnight on an orange plantation in little African huts. It was so cool!
Thursday - 6 AM safari where we saw WILD elephants, cape buffalo, warthogs, ostriches, kudu, duiker, hartebeast (these last three are deerlike animals), monkeys, jackals, and lions. In fact, the three lions we saw actually walked mere feet from our frozen vehicle and laid in the grass about 8 meters from us (even the tour guide who works in the park was taking pictures)! So out of the big 5, which includes elephants, buffalo, rhinos, lions, and leopards, we saw 3. Not too shabby, I’d say, considering we haven’t yet been to Kruger National Park (we are going there mid-December). We stayed in the park finding animals until 12:30 and then spent the afternoon relaxing at the beach. There always seems to be a beach nearby here in South Africa… Yep, I knew I loved this place!
Friday – We began our drive back toward Cape Town, taking a few different routes so as to hit different attractions. The day’s first stop was at an elephant sanctuary where most of the group went in and walked, fed, and rode elephants. Afterward, we were scheduled to go sea kayaking but due to the windy weather, our afternoon activity was canceled so we just got extra chill time at the beach! Not that any of us were complaining :)
Saturday - We spent most of the day driving back, stopping occasionally at cool places like a scenic mountain pass, an Aloe Factory, and some others before arriving back in Stellenbosch. All in all, I’d say it was a pretty worthwhile trip. You know, I could get used to this whole idea of taking a vacation while on vacation. South Africa = Good choice to spend 6 months!
Oh, and since I’m on the topic of vacations, I would like to take this opportunity to announce the next big undertaking in my life. I have always wanted to learn a foreign language to the point of at least being conversationally competent, but have been unable to do so up to this point. Sure, I can understand a little Spanish (2 years in high school, and Josh speaks it fluently) and some Afrikaans (everyone here speaks it), and I can speak/read/write even more Spanish, Afrikaans, and some isiXhosa, but I would definitely not say that I have anything more than a rudimentary knowledge of each. Because of this, coupled with the amazing experience of studying abroad, Josh and I have decided to spend Spring of 2010 in Qingdao, China, taking a language intensive Mandarin Chinese course for 4 hours a day, 5 days a week, for about 16 weeks. The Chinese school calendar for the spring begins around March 1 and ends about July 1, meaning that we would have to forego walking at our college graduation. Compared to spending a semester in China, though, that seems like a trade I’d be willing to make!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Josh: Dance Bear-A-Thon
I promise to upload pictures from Drew and my amazing Spring Break adventures! From performing the world's highest bungee jump to going on a safari at Addo National Elephant Park, from riding ostriches to touring Cango Caves, from staying in huts to swimming in the Indian Ocean, this past week was incredible! I'll show you why in a little bit...
But for the time being, I can't stop thinking about Dance Bear-A-Thon, which starts tonight in Missouri State's McDonald Arena at 7:00PM. Please keep those orchestrating the night's activities in your thoughts. Drew and I are hoping that tonight's event surpasses all expectations.
Also, if you've yet to donate to Children's Miracle Network, please do so! Go to www.kidsmiracles.org/missouristateuniversity, click "Find a Dancer" on the right-hand side, search for either "Andrew Keaster" or "Joshua Snowden" and then donate by clicking "Support My Efforts Now!" on our individual pages. Thank you SO much!
Totsiens. Geniet julle dag.
But for the time being, I can't stop thinking about Dance Bear-A-Thon, which starts tonight in Missouri State's McDonald Arena at 7:00PM. Please keep those orchestrating the night's activities in your thoughts. Drew and I are hoping that tonight's event surpasses all expectations.
Also, if you've yet to donate to Children's Miracle Network, please do so! Go to www.kidsmiracles.org/missouristateuniversity, click "Find a Dancer" on the right-hand side, search for either "Andrew Keaster" or "Joshua Snowden" and then donate by clicking "Support My Efforts Now!" on our individual pages. Thank you SO much!
Totsiens. Geniet julle dag.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Melissa: Spring Break in Stellenbosch
Wow! I am so glad that it is Spring Break here! Last week was hectic--I had tests and a major paper due in History so I slept very little! But it was all over by Wednesday, so I got to enjoy Thursday and Friday.
On Thursday, I headed out to Kayamandi with Theatre in Action, a group of about four Stellenbosch students (though it's dwindled since) that are scripting and performing a play with about 15 students from Kayamandi High. All of the kids of wonderful, truly interested in theatre and willing to participate in the creative process. We asked them to come up with issues that they wanted to address in the play and then guided them through scripting. The resulting story revolves around Tandi, whose father is abusive to her mother. The mother is submissive, convinced that such treatment is only natural, while the community is reluctant to involve itself in "family matters." When a neighbor goes to the police, they do little as the system is corrupt. There's a tragic ending, with a spark of hope battling despair. It's a good foundation but the script needs to be fleshed out. The performance date isn't set in stone yet, but it's coming quickly so we'll work fast!
On Thursday night, Drew and I went out with our friend Harrie, while Josh went out with Jacques, Stacy, and other International Relations students to celebrate completing a test. It was a fun (and late) evening. Harrie and Drew started to teach me how to dance! hahaha. I'm sure it was amusing if anyone was watching! Friday was another socializing day. The three of us headed to Jacques's flat for tea with him, Stacy and Daniel. We talked about politics and generally had a good time. Then we headed off to meet Harrie and Ivan for a quick bite, before leaving with Marian and Julia for a braai at Auntie Vivian's house!! What a day!
Saturday was gorgeous--after a week of rain we really enjoyed the hot weather. After watching Mamma Mia we settled down for a picnic in a field. Our sprawling was interrupted by a beggar who came and just stood about a meter from us. After about 15 minutes of ignoring her, we decided to just leave. After a late meal at the newly reopened Java (Drew was so happy!), the boys spent the evening packing for their Cape to Addo trip. I was supposed to go on the same trip, but chose to stay in Stellenbosch to continue my work with Theatre in Action. Only one other girl was available to help with rehearsals and she couldn't even make on all the days, so I decided to stay behind. It was a bit disappointing, but I can always take a few days later and visit the Garden Route. I won't have this opportunity to workshop a production later.
I've been out to Kayamandi every day so far this week, so my time here has been productive. It's been rainy every day (as I write, ominous black clouds hang in the sky), so I haven't spent much time outside, but I've explored town, poking my head into every tiny shop and spending hours in the museums. It's actually probably better that I'm alone, because otherwise the boys would be rushing me along!! Yesterday I went to the Stellenbosch Toy Museum and spent a long time looking at dollhouses and miniature rooms. The museum has two buildings and therefore two curators, both elderly and full of knowledge about their exhibits. Johan and Phillip gave me personal tours, throwing in advice about things to do in Stellenbosch, as well as in life. Phillip regaled me with his recent braaing adventure; he lives above the museum and invited friends over to braai in the backyard, setting off the smoke alarm in the museum in the process! When the firemen arrived, he just offered them a steak! And did I mention that the museum had Kewpie dolls?!
I've really enjoyed the week so far. It's the first time I've really been completely on my own. At college I had roommates and Madison nearby, so I didn't go off exploring by myself. And since I've been here, I've had Josh and Drew with me every day. It's kind of liberating to be alone! To decide what I want to do, when I want to do it, what I want to eat, where I want to walk, without having to clear it with anyone or make compromises. When I wanted to stop into a random restaurant and order a scone, I did. When I felt like seeing a movie, I did. When I wanted to spend an hour chatting with the owner of the art gallery, I did. Everyone is so friendly; I enjoy having the time and freedom to converse.
At the same time, I've been very safe. Stellenbosch is safe during the days, especially downtown and in the more expensive shopping section. There are lots of tourists around, but it is empty enough that you can always be aware of who exactly is around you. I haven't felt in any danger being alone, but I am careful to be back in my room before it gets dark. While it's unlikely anything would happen, I'd much rather be safer than sorry.
Yesterday evening I went to the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town. The driver, a personal friend of our housemother, is wonderful and enjoys talking about her life and the town. I learned Deirdre was in the army, loves to scrapbook, has a grown daughter in London, spends time with a gang of 10 friends (there should be a book or movie about them--so fun!), and feels like a mother to everyone she drives around. If she takes a group somewhere, she doesn't leave them. If Deirdre drives a group of girls to the beach, she parks and then sits somewhere where she can see to make sure they are okay until they are ready to go back. In the same vein, Deirdre dropped me at the theatre and then stayed, playing cards with her young son (who came along for the ride) until I was ready to go.
I saw "Gumbo," South Africa's first full-length Deaf and hearing clowning show. "In a rumble-down seaside inn, a young Deaf boy works the kitchen for his father. One dark and stormy night, a travelling salesman and his daughter seek refuge and a hot meal at the inn. The inn-keeper welcomes them in, and proceeds to hustle the traveller in a game of cards. As the wine flows and the stakes are raised, the salesman bets his daughter on the final hand..." Needless to say, the inn-keeper wins and then tries to woo the daughter, while she instead falls in love with the deaf son. At times the clowning was a little annoying, but the love story was so well done I forgave the rest. The scene where the girl discovered the boy was deaf and he began to communicate through sign was exceptional, done in such a way that you always understood what was being said. Extremely interesting to watch.
After the play, I came back and met up with Christian and Jerome, two German friends that stayed over Spring Break as well. We headed to Brazen Head, the Irish pub in town that I hadn't been to yet. While not quite the same as the real thing, it was a fun time. The bartenders knew Christian, so we sat at the bar and talked with them for most of the night. I got laughed at for nursing a glass of wine for about 4 hours, but that was fine with me!!
And now it's officially raining again. Great. I considered going to another show tonight (a high school theatre competition) but I'm going to wait to see shows until my friends who own cars get back and I can recruit someone to go with me. I spent R65 on a ticket, but R500 on safe transport, which I find ridiculous. Although, on Saturday I am going to see two shows at the ArtsCape--My Fair Lady and Gatherings (a dance performance)--with Estelle and her family.
I'm not sure what I'm doing today and tomorrow. The Theatre in Action rehearsal tomorrow might be cancelled and if it is, I might join Christian and Jerome on the trip to Hermanus (whales!!!!) and Cape Agulhas they are thinking about. Although, Stacy is in town and we're supposed to do something. And Harrie and Ivan are coming back soon. And Estelle invited me out to her house in Strand. hahaha. Don't worry about me being alone--I have plenty of things to keep me occupied.
By the way, check out pictures from Tuesday at http://picasaweb.google.com/MelissaMFagan
On Thursday, I headed out to Kayamandi with Theatre in Action, a group of about four Stellenbosch students (though it's dwindled since) that are scripting and performing a play with about 15 students from Kayamandi High. All of the kids of wonderful, truly interested in theatre and willing to participate in the creative process. We asked them to come up with issues that they wanted to address in the play and then guided them through scripting. The resulting story revolves around Tandi, whose father is abusive to her mother. The mother is submissive, convinced that such treatment is only natural, while the community is reluctant to involve itself in "family matters." When a neighbor goes to the police, they do little as the system is corrupt. There's a tragic ending, with a spark of hope battling despair. It's a good foundation but the script needs to be fleshed out. The performance date isn't set in stone yet, but it's coming quickly so we'll work fast!
On Thursday night, Drew and I went out with our friend Harrie, while Josh went out with Jacques, Stacy, and other International Relations students to celebrate completing a test. It was a fun (and late) evening. Harrie and Drew started to teach me how to dance! hahaha. I'm sure it was amusing if anyone was watching! Friday was another socializing day. The three of us headed to Jacques's flat for tea with him, Stacy and Daniel. We talked about politics and generally had a good time. Then we headed off to meet Harrie and Ivan for a quick bite, before leaving with Marian and Julia for a braai at Auntie Vivian's house!! What a day!
Saturday was gorgeous--after a week of rain we really enjoyed the hot weather. After watching Mamma Mia we settled down for a picnic in a field. Our sprawling was interrupted by a beggar who came and just stood about a meter from us. After about 15 minutes of ignoring her, we decided to just leave. After a late meal at the newly reopened Java (Drew was so happy!), the boys spent the evening packing for their Cape to Addo trip. I was supposed to go on the same trip, but chose to stay in Stellenbosch to continue my work with Theatre in Action. Only one other girl was available to help with rehearsals and she couldn't even make on all the days, so I decided to stay behind. It was a bit disappointing, but I can always take a few days later and visit the Garden Route. I won't have this opportunity to workshop a production later.
I've been out to Kayamandi every day so far this week, so my time here has been productive. It's been rainy every day (as I write, ominous black clouds hang in the sky), so I haven't spent much time outside, but I've explored town, poking my head into every tiny shop and spending hours in the museums. It's actually probably better that I'm alone, because otherwise the boys would be rushing me along!! Yesterday I went to the Stellenbosch Toy Museum and spent a long time looking at dollhouses and miniature rooms. The museum has two buildings and therefore two curators, both elderly and full of knowledge about their exhibits. Johan and Phillip gave me personal tours, throwing in advice about things to do in Stellenbosch, as well as in life. Phillip regaled me with his recent braaing adventure; he lives above the museum and invited friends over to braai in the backyard, setting off the smoke alarm in the museum in the process! When the firemen arrived, he just offered them a steak! And did I mention that the museum had Kewpie dolls?!
I've really enjoyed the week so far. It's the first time I've really been completely on my own. At college I had roommates and Madison nearby, so I didn't go off exploring by myself. And since I've been here, I've had Josh and Drew with me every day. It's kind of liberating to be alone! To decide what I want to do, when I want to do it, what I want to eat, where I want to walk, without having to clear it with anyone or make compromises. When I wanted to stop into a random restaurant and order a scone, I did. When I felt like seeing a movie, I did. When I wanted to spend an hour chatting with the owner of the art gallery, I did. Everyone is so friendly; I enjoy having the time and freedom to converse.
At the same time, I've been very safe. Stellenbosch is safe during the days, especially downtown and in the more expensive shopping section. There are lots of tourists around, but it is empty enough that you can always be aware of who exactly is around you. I haven't felt in any danger being alone, but I am careful to be back in my room before it gets dark. While it's unlikely anything would happen, I'd much rather be safer than sorry.
Yesterday evening I went to the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town. The driver, a personal friend of our housemother, is wonderful and enjoys talking about her life and the town. I learned Deirdre was in the army, loves to scrapbook, has a grown daughter in London, spends time with a gang of 10 friends (there should be a book or movie about them--so fun!), and feels like a mother to everyone she drives around. If she takes a group somewhere, she doesn't leave them. If Deirdre drives a group of girls to the beach, she parks and then sits somewhere where she can see to make sure they are okay until they are ready to go back. In the same vein, Deirdre dropped me at the theatre and then stayed, playing cards with her young son (who came along for the ride) until I was ready to go.
I saw "Gumbo," South Africa's first full-length Deaf and hearing clowning show. "In a rumble-down seaside inn, a young Deaf boy works the kitchen for his father. One dark and stormy night, a travelling salesman and his daughter seek refuge and a hot meal at the inn. The inn-keeper welcomes them in, and proceeds to hustle the traveller in a game of cards. As the wine flows and the stakes are raised, the salesman bets his daughter on the final hand..." Needless to say, the inn-keeper wins and then tries to woo the daughter, while she instead falls in love with the deaf son. At times the clowning was a little annoying, but the love story was so well done I forgave the rest. The scene where the girl discovered the boy was deaf and he began to communicate through sign was exceptional, done in such a way that you always understood what was being said. Extremely interesting to watch.
After the play, I came back and met up with Christian and Jerome, two German friends that stayed over Spring Break as well. We headed to Brazen Head, the Irish pub in town that I hadn't been to yet. While not quite the same as the real thing, it was a fun time. The bartenders knew Christian, so we sat at the bar and talked with them for most of the night. I got laughed at for nursing a glass of wine for about 4 hours, but that was fine with me!!
And now it's officially raining again. Great. I considered going to another show tonight (a high school theatre competition) but I'm going to wait to see shows until my friends who own cars get back and I can recruit someone to go with me. I spent R65 on a ticket, but R500 on safe transport, which I find ridiculous. Although, on Saturday I am going to see two shows at the ArtsCape--My Fair Lady and Gatherings (a dance performance)--with Estelle and her family.
I'm not sure what I'm doing today and tomorrow. The Theatre in Action rehearsal tomorrow might be cancelled and if it is, I might join Christian and Jerome on the trip to Hermanus (whales!!!!) and Cape Agulhas they are thinking about. Although, Stacy is in town and we're supposed to do something. And Harrie and Ivan are coming back soon. And Estelle invited me out to her house in Strand. hahaha. Don't worry about me being alone--I have plenty of things to keep me occupied.
By the way, check out pictures from Tuesday at http://picasaweb.google.com/MelissaMFagan
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Joshua: Sportin' Fauxhawks
The past few weeks have proven very busy at Universiteit van Stellenbosch. As we approach Spring Break next week, Melissa and I have been extremely busy preparing for third term tests while Drew has been working on three papers, each around 1,500-2,000 words. On a break-out-of-the-ordinary day yesterday, Drew and I decided to get haircuts. On a whim, we decided to sport the fauxhawk look.
When I met with my political science friends, Jacques, Stacey, and Daniel in the Neelsie Student Centre today, Jacques said that he could barely recognize me since I blended in so well with Matie crowd. How truthful his statement rings: Male Stellenbosch students wear some crazy hair cuts, and it's quite fun to fit in with the crowd.
So when in Rome...
PS: I wrote a 14 page paper, 1.5 spacing, on food security in the Horn of Africa for my global governance course. Here, the Harvard Referencing system is used, and it's quite intriguing and starkly different from Chicago, MLA, etc. If you want to look at it out of curiosity, write down your e-mail (or e-mail me your e-mail at 15636410@sun.ac.za), and I'll send you a copy!
PPS: By Wednesday of next week, Drew and I will have completed the tallest bungee jump of the world. Bloukras Bridge, be ready!
When I met with my political science friends, Jacques, Stacey, and Daniel in the Neelsie Student Centre today, Jacques said that he could barely recognize me since I blended in so well with Matie crowd. How truthful his statement rings: Male Stellenbosch students wear some crazy hair cuts, and it's quite fun to fit in with the crowd.
So when in Rome...
PS: I wrote a 14 page paper, 1.5 spacing, on food security in the Horn of Africa for my global governance course. Here, the Harvard Referencing system is used, and it's quite intriguing and starkly different from Chicago, MLA, etc. If you want to look at it out of curiosity, write down your e-mail (or e-mail me your e-mail at 15636410@sun.ac.za), and I'll send you a copy!
PPS: By Wednesday of next week, Drew and I will have completed the tallest bungee jump of the world. Bloukras Bridge, be ready!
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