Awesome Weekend

This weekend was probably one of the best ones yet, and was nice and long- seemed like a week off. Friday I only had 1 class, but didn't go and that day was a beach day Muizenberg Beach, our favorite place to go. We spent all day there and then came back to grill for dinner. After we went bowling and after to this bar with live African music which was cool. It was awesome music and people were dancing everywhere. Saturday in the morning a few of my roomates and 2 others from our program, started hiking. We went to climb Devil's Peak again to show the other two people the way, and after went down the ravine on the other side, after peaking at another point much higher than the first. After that we began hiking towards the famous Table Mountain. By the time we got to that point it was probably 100 degrees, so we were scrounging for shade. The final path straight up the front of table mountain was soooooo hard, our legs were barely working by the end, but everyone made it safely. We spent a little while on the top looking around and took the cable car down. When we reached the bottom we cabbed back and showered quick before going to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens for a concert. We got to see the Soweto Gospel Choir, they were soooo awesome. They sang a bunch of songs in different languages, but also some awesome ones like the Lion King, and Oh Happy Day from Sister Act. When they played Lion King, the whole place was crazy. Listening to a choir singing that in the middle of mountains in Africa was incredible. Then after the concert we walked through the gardens to this natural spring that came up into a pool. It was the freshest water you can get coming up through the ground so we were all drinking it. Then we were walking out and these South Africans asked us to come play a game with them where you put your finger pointing upward on your nose then look at it and spin for 15 seconds. After that you are supposed to tackle the person closest to you. What ended up happening to me was that I got so dizzy that I flew sideways and straight into a flower garden on my back. It was hilarious and everyone saw the whole thing. Finaly getting home we all just hung out before going to a burger joint. It was such an awesome day. Sunday I was too exhausted to do anything for the whole afternoon. But for sunset a few of us went to Long Beach for the sunset then to hang out for a while looking at the full moon. All in all, it was one of the best weekends here.

SHAWCO- Feb 22

SHAWCO is a volunteer organization that goes into the townships and teaches kids academics as well as sports. I am signed up to help teach cricket, and although I knew very little about cricket coming into the situation, it is really more than teaching a sport. We are trying to help give them structure and discipline. Their living situations are pretty terrible, as well as their education system- which is lacking for the most part, and their facilities. But the kids are like any other kids who fool around and have fun, just a little less innocent. I volunteer at Menanberg Primary School in the Menanberg township. This was my second time volunteering since we got every Monday. I volunteer with another kid Sean, who is South African and has played cricket his whole life, so he knows what he is talking about. The first time we had 8 kids, and this last time we had 22! They were out of control and crazy, I think to test how far they could push us and to see what they could get away with. We had to raise our voices and make some kids do laps around the field, which I felt bad about at first, but it really isn't that big of a deal, just as if it were at home. They were hitting each other in line, cutting in line, making others cry, yelling, and not listening, but they are a lot of fun. The kids are good kids, but the situations they are brought up in is a tough lifestyle. They were amazed at my shoe size and were all coming over to look at my shoes- that was really funny. One kid, Kaashif, who couldn't be more than 11, had pen written on his arm like a fake tattoo. He had his name written, a gun, and money underneath that. Their image of America is so skewed that this is what they thought was cool, which I think funnels down from the rap image in America. When I told them I was American they thought it was cool, but one kid made a shooting motion towards his head, and said that that is what happens in America, I told him otherwise, but that is what they think. They are a good bunch of kids though and I look forward to working with them each week- makes my Mondays way better and gives me something more to look forward to. At the end of the semester teams from all different townships will be coming to UCT campus to play sports against each other at Game Day. So hopefully we can whip a team into shape and win the whole thing. Here is a wikipedia page on the township, so it can give a little insight into what it is like there.

Skeleton Gorge

Today we hiked Skeleton Gorge which took about 5 hours. We met two couples who are from Cape Town and in their 20's and we tagged along with them. It was really tough, pretty much climbed straight up the mountain, using steps and ladders. On the top there was a dam with beach sand and we hung out up there for a while. We came back down another ravine and had the most beautiful view, which was an "African Moment." It was unreal. Then we made our way back down to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens where a lot of people and couples were picnicking for the afternoon (Valentine's Day) and walked through while listening to the live music playing at the concert area. Now I am exhausted and relaxing before our house hosts a braii (bbq) with our neighbors who we hung out with last night and met all their friends at their house warming party, which was a lot of fun. A lot of people from our program are coming over too, should be fun. Tomorrow classes begin and I need to actually start applying myself and get motivated to begin doing work, it's been almost 2 months haha. Braii time.

Feb 9

I had my first African music and dance classes today. The music class was really boring and I think I am going to drop that one, but the African dance class was so awesome. There were people who were good, okay, and terrible so no one really cared what they looked like and it was so much fun.

Everyone i live with has been great, we hang out together a lot and have a good time. They are from all over the US and we all get along really well. We've been going to Muizenberg beach a lot this past week, and I can now surf a little better. It's a lot of fun and the only bad thing is thinking of sharks near me when we are out in the water.

We went to our first rugby game yesterday, totally different level. All of the guys are huge and wicked good. That was a lot of fun and the rest of the games should be fun to go to.

But now I have to go read about 90 pages or so for my core class tomorrow.

First Day of Classes

Today was the first day of classes, I had one at 9am and now I am finished for the day...rough day. There is a rugby game today at 430 which should be fun and everyone is going to. A few days ago we were at Muizenberg beach, the one we always go to, and I surfed for the first time and got up my first try too! Last week we also went on a tour and were at the most southwestern point of the African continent, it was pretty cool. On the tour we also saw the penguins on the beaches here, along with stopping in one of the townships for lunch. Everything is going well here so far.

Feb 3

I'm trying to figure out how to work this thing, but Im not sure if im doing it right. Can you see the second post I made before this? Let me know...Classes start Friday for me, I am registered for African Music 1, African Dance (exchange program only), and a history class...plus a core seminar which sucks. miss everyone

The Adventures of Highstead

This is the first of my blogs, it is much easier to do this than emailing each person who writes to me back similar emails. So I'll try to post as much as I can and post pictures too. South Africa is fun so far, way different from Mechanicville, NY and Smithfield, RI. I'm still settling in, but the people in my program are cool. Highstead is the name of our road, which is why it's called that. I'll try to post again soon, hope everyone is doing well.