Cape Town Post #5

“Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your heart. Who looks outside, dreams. Who looks inside, awakens” – Carl Jung

I’m sitting here trying to figure out how I’m gonna start this post. How I’m gonna put into words what I want to say. What follows are just some of the experiences that have been burned in my memory recently. While they are recent events, many of the occurrences repeat themselves regularly living out here in Cape Town. It’s going to be really hard for me to organize these thoughts so if you do read on, just bear with me.

So I’m walking to the mini-bus station in downtown with my I-pod in my ears this morning and once again I’m struck by something that I literally see all the time out here. I see a kid, probably between the age of 16 to 18, tattered shirt, torn up shoes, stained pants, dirty as all hell, lying next to a tree face down in this concrete jungle with his head in his hat hiding from the sun. I see him, and have the realization, “Jesus, this is where this kid sleeps.” One of most troubling things for me to grapple with every day while I’m out here is my interactions with street kids. Undoubtedly, many if not most of these kids are orphans, don’t go to school, have no source of income. Somehow though they find a way to subsist day in and day out, mostly from begging I’m assuming.

When I first arrived I was told along with the other internationals in my program, “Do not give to panhandlers and beggars. It only encourages the behavior and does nothing to fix the problem.” Ok I understand why one might say that, but then I think to myself, what the fuck are these kids or anyone else who is homeless gonna do if they don’t beg and get money from tourists.  In a country that’s unemployment rate is hovering somewhere around 30-35%, some say even higher, what are these people going to do. Just go get a job? Yea, because we all know it’s that easy. I feel like this is simply all they know, how they’ve lived for years.

It saddens me deeply, to see just how bad some of these people have it, and furthermore, the cynical view that so many well off people have of the homeless and urban poor. What’s even more troubling is the feeling that if I gave 1 or 2 Rand to every person who asked me, both hands extended as if preparing to receive the Eucharist, with that prototypical look of desperation, “Please sir. Please. Help me. I’m trying to feed my child. I need food. Sir Please. Just one Rand. Please!”, I would in all honesty be giving out hundreds of Rand a day. Something no one would ever do. This is especially common being in town away from Rondebosch, that even itself is home to many mendicants. Many of whom I might add are solitary pairs of women with little children or babies at their side.

The other night, as I’m doing a bar crawl with some new friends I just met from Rhodes University here on holiday from the Eastern Cape, a young kid runs up to me. Then he does exactly what I just said asking for money. When I say, “No. I’m sorry. I can’t man. I’m sorry”, he just looks at me and starts balling his eyes out. Literally, tears streaming down his face. I stop, let my friends go ahead and talk with him for a second. And granted, what I’m about to say could have been completely fabricated, or completely true. I will never know but what I do know is that in a city like Cape Town it is completely possible. I sit there with him crying, for some reason feel the urge to throw my arm around him, and he starts saying “I don’t know why anyone won’t help me. I just need a little money for food. No one will help me. They all just keep saying no.” I’m like, “Oh buddy, don’t cry. Its ok. It’s ok man . . . Don’t cry.” (Is it? Who I am to tell him not to cry?) He continues crying. He tells me his name is Rialdo, he’s 16 years old, his parents are both dead. He’s got no one. Just wants some food. And I swear he truly looked as if he was telling the truth. And here I am pissing away money at bars for no other reason than to have fun. And he’s telling me he needs food. Words cannot describe what it is like to look into the eyes of a hungry child, devoid of any sense of hope in the world, and from what I can tell in our short interaction,  lacking so many of the things that most “civilized” people would agree are essential for developing into a well-rounded, mentally and physically healthy person. Yet this kid  is but one of the thousands of similar faces I see every week. Raggedy, dirty, often toothless individuals, roaming the streets, buses, trains looking for a little scratch. I gave him a little money and tell him “keep your head up buddy, it’s all gonna be ok.” He wipes his face, and just as quick as we met we begin to walk in opposite directions. I look back and see him walking backward away from me with one hand on his chest and his other fist pumped in to air. When our eyes meet he yells, “Thanks you brother”. This interaction will stick with me forever.  

I’m on the train to Muizenberg the other day on my way to go surfing. About half of way there two obviously homeless men enter the car that I’m in and walk to one end. One man behind the other. The man in front starts slowing walking forward, being led by the hands by the man behind him. Then I see that the man in front is missing both of his eyes. Both men start softly singing the words “When I see the blood” over and over again. I have no idea why they were singing those words but as they walked through the car multiple people, all of whom looked like local Africans gave the two men money, putting it in the little tin jar that the blind man was carrying. When he turned to me I hardly acknowledged the two men. I don’t know why.

The poverty in Cape Town is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. There is a lot of poverty in Berkeley, but nothing like what I see every day out here. At a hostel last night (or backpacker as they call them over here in SA) I met a United States Marine. He fought in Iraq for a few years and is now in Cape Town on vacation. The second night he was here he got really drunk on Long Street and was on his way back to his hostel, called The Backpack, when two men walked right up to him. He told us “I knew exactly what they were doing as soon as I saw them.” One man pulls a knife. A fight ensues. The marine is stabbed in the arm and as the one man stabs him the other pulls his wallet out of his back pocket. Now, after he told us this we all told him what at that point he already knew. And that is that you really should never walk around any unfamiliar streets late at night in Cape Town. This marine was attacked by two guys that were nowhere near as big as he was, yet they did it without hesitation. A post-Apartheid society with ostensibly more destitution now than ever before.

People do the strangest things I’ve ever seen just to make a little money out here. And now I’m talking about things other than begging or robbing people. Almost everywhere you go you will see people trying to sell the most random things ever. For instance, on Main Road, which runs right through my neighborhood, there is a guy who sells tiny little plants (succulents usually). He usually has like four or five in tiny little plastic pots. It’s not likes it’s a business at all and in fact I feel like he probably steels these plants from the yards or porches of nearby houses and then tries to sell them to make money. Then you have the guys at big intersections throughout town who have hundreds of random charger chords draped over their shoulders trying to sell them to people driving by. Like car chargers. I can’t help but assume they probably don’t sell many of them but whatever you gotta do, right? Then there’s the kid who came up to me today when I was sitting in the mini-bus at the station in town waiting to go home. He walks up, holds out his products, and says “Genuine Nike socks! 39 rand in the stores. I give you two pair for 20. ($2.50) No. Ok. Here! 32 GB flashdrive! 10 Rand! No. Ok . . . Bag a chips? 1 Rand.” These kids are a dime a dozen too. They are everywhere in town. From gum, to knock-off sunglasses, to tiny tubes of super glue, to airtime vouchers for your mobile phone. People sell it all. To be completely honest, I give these people a hell of a lot of credit for their work because somehow they make their living selling things that in no way would provide a substantial amount of money. Another thing I see a lot of is kids helping fill up the mini buses that we ride around out here.  At strategic points along Main Road going in and out of town the drivers will pull over, and there will be these kids on the side of the road running up and down the streets yelling at people. “Cape Town! Mowbray, Claremont, Wynberg!” getting people gathered up to stuff into the already overcrowded mini buses. The more people they can gather up to put in a driver’s mini bus the more they will get tipped. Which at least from what I’ve seen usually isn’t much more than five or six Rand max. Never before in my life have I seen so many people doing such trivial meaningless things just to get by. Yet another reason why I feel so blessed to have the opportunities that I do. To study and learn. To travel. To meet constantly meet unbelievably interesting people every day who cultivate my mind and outlook on the world in which I live. What opportunity do these kids have?    

Since most of my friends are off in other countries or other parts of Africa for fall break this week, I’ve been hanging out with these kids from Rhodes University that I met through one of my friends in the Lover’s Walk international house who goes to Boston College with a couple of the kids visiting from Rhodes. Anyway, its eight girls and one guy, who I might call a true gentlemen and a scholar, or maybe The Man, The Myth, The Legend, for having the courage to take a two week vacation with eight girls. Anyway, he’s a great dude. He’s also kak hilarious. (Another thing some South African’s say is Kak before an adjective, kak hilarious is the equivalent of saying “fucking hilarious”, not as profane, but when said definitely sounds like the word “cock” so I guess it’s still kinda vulgar sounding)  His name’s Steve Pope and the girls he’s with are pretty cool too.

A couple nights this week I stayed at backpackers in town because no one is really home at my house and if there’s any  place to meet awesome international people traveling the world, its at these backpackers, where for about 100 Rand a night you can have a bed to sleep in. BUT, if you’re like me and don’t mind passing out on a floor every now and then, you can usually sleep for free! Anyway, in the two nights that I spent at these hostels, one called Cape Town Backpackers and the other The Backpack, I met some of the most interesting people ever. But one man in particular struck me. His name is Charlie. He’s 49, from Boston, owns a bike shop in DC, and for the last two years has been traveling by himself overland all over West Africa, Europe, and Latin America on a dual sport motorcycle.  Never before have I seen a more unbelievable portfolio of pictures. His pictures of Central and South America were particularly inspiring. He heard my and Steve’s American accents and came right up to us and said, “Where you from?” We chopped it up for a good four hours over some nice Black Labels and some crappy pool play discussing his travels and much more.

 I’m reading a book right now called Dark Star Safari by an American travel writer named Paul Theroux.  Essentially Theroux documents his entire overland trip through Africa from Cairo to Cape Town. Needless to say I’ve quickly developed quite an affinity for his work. He travels by hitchhiking, hopping on buses or mini-buses, trains, and ferries, the hard way, through ten countries.  A true inspiration for me considering I’m planning a similar trip myself. Charlie and I both discussed Theroux’s work, as well as our feelings on current efforts of international development, and the work of NGO’s/aid agencies alike.

Charlie and Theroux have both become extremely cynical of the world in which we live. One thing Charlie said last night that stuck with me was this, “I’m done trying to save Africa. So condescending. Instead I will let Africa save me!” As a sustainable development major it has become quite clear what lies at the heart of so many of our world’s most pressing issues regarding poverty and conflict. At least from what I can ascertain, it is the neoliberal policies of the current global economy that all too often serve to benefit the needs of the global North while simultaneously looting the developing world of its various forms of capital. And yes, obviously it’s all much more complicated than this fact alone. But what is less obvious is the fact that western society seems to think they have so much to teach people in the developing world, when in fact it is the very people we think we’re saving that have much to teach us. Obviously, I still believe that there is great good that can come from social movements like Invisible Children/Kony 2012. I mean look at the dialogue it has fostered in the last few weeks. That is a definite start. However, there needs to be a greater level of understanding of the intricacies of our world. Far too many of us don’t realize the intimate connection and role we all play in creating conflict and maintaining poverty around the world. I would be hypocritical to act like I’m not a part of it myself. I too am a product of a consumerist society. However, we all have room for change. Civil society has and can continue to create positive change. At my age I feel like I’m in the peak of my idealism, and as such felt obligated to encourage hope for change when talking with Charlie. Two of the best lines I’ve read in Dark Star Safari are actually quotes from people Theroux met along the way through Africa. The first: “Traveling makes one modest- you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” The second (spoken by a man Theroux met in Sudan): “The criterion is how you treat the weak . . . the measure of civilized behavior is compassion.” Who knows. Maybe in the world we live in, as beautiful, amazing, and screwed up as it is, that’s the real answer. Not governments, international bodies, religious dogma, false promises, failed policies, or demigods. Just each other. Person to person. One interaction at a time. Kindness.

I’m seriously considering becoming a teacher. Maybe a writer too. Maybe even a travel writer.

To end this post, a happy story. A tale of triumph perhaps.

So Steve and I go to this place Mzoli’s in Guguletu last Sunday, a township like 20 minutes from Rondebosch. Mzoli’s is an extremely famous meat market and every Sunday they have a huge daytime braai. Tons of my friends at UCT have gone and have told me that I have to go. People swarm upon this place for one reason . . . THE MEAT!

We get there and our cab driver informs us that today is the busiest he has ever seen it. Thousands of people all over the streets. Somehow we find the line to order the meat, which isn’t as much a line as it is a massive blob of people standing in the streets slowly making their way to the one door-way leading into the butchery. After an hour and a half of slowly inching forward, inch by excruciating inch, I get to the steps leading to the single doorway into the shop. At this point I’m completely cramped and surrounded by babbling, unruly Afrikaans speaking Guguletuens, and a couple brave Columbians. Everyone starts pushing their way to the tiny doorway about to explode at the hinges and after a seemingly never-ending wait deep inside what has been the most ridiculous mob I’ve ever been a part of I make it inside and fill my order. A massive 200 Rand platter of meat. Beef, lamb, chicken, boerewors. I’m drooling at this point. All over the place. It’s embarrassing. I take the towering platter back to the grill where surely it will be swiftly prepared. I was very, very wrong. 

HUNDREDS of platters and buckets of meat sit in front of mine and Steve’s meal. The most devastating thing I could hear at that moment, “Come back in three hours. Then it should be ready.” Oh dear god no. My head drops, I turn and walk my ass right back out the way I came. When I finally find Steve, who’s anxiously been awaiting my return, I give him the news. He completely breaks down, disturbingly falling into a state of panic. I somehow calm him down. 

We begin roaming the streets, meeting locals, and having a couple a nice little sodas. Three hours later and one mind-blowing conversation with the self-proclaimed king of Guguletu (says his father is a political science professor at Harvard and tells me and Steve “As far as the eye can see, this is my playground!), finally I think our meal might be ready. So we march our way through the crowd back to the butchery, push our way deep inside, find the cook, and hand him our receipt. There it is. A steaming, juicy, elegant pile of animal flesh. Arguably the most exhilarating moment of my entire time out here in Cape Town!

Thanks for reading everyone!

Peace, Love, and Music!

Cape Town: Take 4!

It’s been quite a while since my last post. A lot of good times have passed since then and I’m sure I won’t remember everything but I will do my best!  Also, there is no way I will be able to put this post in chronological order because everything is so jumbled in my mind. Anyway here goes!

The first thing I would like to talk about is a nice little rugby game I attended at Stellenbosch University right outside of Cape Town. For those of you who don’t know about Varsity Cup Rugby, the UCT Ikeys and the Stellenbosch Maties are each other’s biggest rivals. So there was no way I was gonna miss this game. It happened a couple a weeks ago and I went with a bunch of the guys in my house who play on the under 20’s UCT rugby team. The first thing you need to know about Stellenbosch University is the fact that it is a primarily Dutch university. So nearly everyone there speaks Afrikaans. Another thing you need to know is that Dutch men are F@#&ing huge. Like huge cock diesel dudes meat-headed out of their minds and belligerent as all hell. So it was intimidating to be sitting in a stadium of easily twenty thousand drunken, Stellenbosch fans with a contingent of about two to three hundred UCT fans.  We lost the game pretty bad but the game isn’t really what I want to talk about. This is a warning to anyone who goes to a UCT Stellenbosch rivalry game in Stellenbosch. Unlike UCT where we are somewhat civilized and only serve beer in plastic cups in the stands, at Stellenbosch they sell 16oz cans to already hammered and unruly college students inside the stadium. And these Dutchmen throw these cans at UCT students more than they actually drink the beer inside of them. So even though we were getting our asses handed to us by probably the best Varsity Cup Team this year, we were nevertheless pummeled by half empty Black Labels after every single score. It definitely didn’t help that we were all chanting, “Fuck you Stellenbosch! I said fuck you Stellenbosch!” I probably spent more time looking to the sky dodging beer cans flying at our section than actually watching the game. I wish I would have taken a picture because at any given time there were probably fifty to sixty cans in the air. I couldn’t help but laugh the whole time (especially when I saw a bunch of guys around me start just catching the cans and drinking the beer inside of them and then throwing them back) until I got nailed right in the side of the head, then I went into fight or flight mode and became Mr. Swat The Can Man. Regardless it was an unforgettable experience and unlike any college sporting event I have ever been to!

That same weekend I also went with a bunch of friends to Stellenbosch to go wine-tasting for my very first time. Stellenbosch reminds me so much of the Napa Valley for its unbelievable beauty. It is chalk full of gorgeous wineries and surrounded by magnificent mountains. We went to two separate wineries and tried ten different wines. I can’t really talk about the wines we had because I don’t know anything about wines.  All I can say is that they were drinkable and I could tell there was a difference between all of them. That’s about it. Actually there was a red wine called a Malbec that tasted chocolaty. I liked it. But whatever. The best partabout Stellenbosch and the real reason I went was to go to a place called Cheetah Outreach. My neighbor Cindy from back in Auburn worked there for six months a few years ago and put me in contact with the woman who helps run Cheetah Outreach. Her name is Lesta. She gave me and my friends a private tour around the compound introducing us to a number of furry little creatures along the way. Among these animals were Anatolian Shepherds,  a Serval, a couple Jackals, a Caracal, weird looking goat sheeps, two of the cutest yet somewhat shit headed little Meerkats you’ll ever meet (because they continuously chomp at Lesta’s fingers), possibly the  greatest animals I’ve ever got to play with in my life called Bat-Eared Foxes, and of course Cheetahs! Obviously I loved all of the animals because anyone who knows me at all knows that I’m crazy about all of earth’s creatures (except for bugs, I hate bugs, they creep me out), but I have to say the Bat-Eared Foxes and the Cheetahs are definitely the best. Something about those little foxes made me happier than a dog with two tails! They were running all around us and smiling and letting us pet them. And the experience of sitting next to and petting the world’s fastest land mammal and one of Africa’s most endangered animals was out of this world. Cheetah Outreach is so effective because of the integrated approach they take to conservation. For instance, in addition to serving as a great ambassador for Cheetahs, they also breed Anatolian Shepherds to send to farms in Northern South Africa where Cheetahs predominantly reside. The Anatolian Shepherds are used to fend off Cheetahs from killing the livestock and as a result farmers no longer have to shoot cheetahs to protect their livestock, which has been one of the biggest reasons Cheetahs have become so endangered.  Huge thanks to Lesta and of course a huge thanks to Cindy Wheeler for putting me in contact with Cheetah Outreach and making the experience possible!

St. Paddy’s Day last weekend was an absolute success. I have a lot of friends out here who go to Boston College which is great for shit-talking being that I’m a diehard for the greatest university on Earth besides Cal, THE University of Notre Dame. But that’s beside the point. These kids truly know how to party on St. Patrick’s Day. First a few of us started the day at a place called the Old Biscuit Mill. OBM is in a little neighborhood down the way called Woodstock. It is essentially a massive indoor/outdoor food market that opens every Saturday. There are hundreds of different venders selling all kinds of delicious food. It reminds me of some kind of farmers market, but like a farmers market times ten, and not just healthy food. Let’s see, the first time I went I got what’s called a Man Dog and then on St. Paddy’s Day I bought a monstrous, multi-layer, drizzling, super-duper Springbock Breakfast Burger. It was a creation of epic proportions and I was really unsure about how to attack it but I found a way to put it away. Anyway, after Old Biscuit Mill, I taught my housemates a great drinking game called caps (taught to me by the one and only Evan Kotey) that kept us entertained for a good two hours. Then my buddy Kevin Toomey threw a great little braai at Charlton house down the way before we all went to Long Street. There is no better place to go on St. Paddy’s Day in Cape Town, in my professional St. Paddy’s Day opinion, than The Dubliner on Long Street. A massive, three story Irish pub. Needless to say I jigged and giggled all night long. It was “great craic” (pronounced crack) as the Irish would say and it wouldn’t have been a proper St. Paddy’s Day without a few (dozen) pints of Guinness and a little Jamey! Right Eanna O’Siadhail?!?!  

I recently went exploring around downtown Cape Town to a couple places I have yet to see.  Namely to the Castle of Good Hope and to a place called the Pan African Market on Long Street. The Pan African Market is this huge building on Long Street that I swear used to be a hotel or something. It’s three stories high and inside are literally hundreds of rooms full of different art, and wood crafts from all over Africa. This is definitely the place to get souvenirs to bring back. There were probably a good ten rooms inside of the market that were full up entirely with African masks. Hundreds and hundreds of masks from different tribes all over. Every room I walked by I was greeted by the typical, “Come in. Please come in. Look at my work. Not just for buying. Free to look and touch! But for California boy I’ll give best price!" It’s quite evident that these shop owners depend on tourists for their income and obviously want you to buy stuff, so it did get a little uncomfortable constantly having to remind them that I really was only just looking that day. And there are so many shops that competition between shop owners I’m sure is difficult on many of them, especially those located in more isolated parts of the building. However, I’m here for a long time and will most definitely be back.  After, I went to the Castle of Good Hope, the oldest building in Cape Town, built by the Dutch East India Company between 1666 and 1679. There I learned a little more about Cape Town’s history and checked out its numerous museums, armories, and dungeons/torture chambers!

It seems like every weekend for the last month the bigger international houses have had ridiculous house party (lots of birthday parties).  Last Monday, in celebration of the end of the UCT Ikeys rugby season, the rugby fellas found a way to pack about 100 people into our house and as a result found a way to get to know the local police very well too. They came at least 5 times. What’s funny is how easy it is to talk to the police here. Unlike in the states, they don’t feel entitled to come in your house. They seemed very cool about everything. Just talked to us for a little and asked us to be a little quieter. However, a recent email to Lover’s Walk, Charlton, and Lyle provided us all with our official warning about not having any more parties. We’ll see what happens. Ida Cooper seems to think we should be able to do what we want. Ida is one hip woman. Old as she is she is so young at heart. I love her!  

I can now say that I have climbed every mountain in Cape Town since I recently made my way up Table Mountain. And because the day I went was a really cloudy day on top of the mountain now I know what it feels like to be inside a cloud! Once you’ve made your way to the top (I took the Platteklip Gorge route on the front side) you enter an entirely new ecosystem, home to hundreds of its own unique flora and fauna. I was lucky enough to spot a sweet little lizard that was actually not so little. Don’t know what it exactly was but it was pretty cool. Although it was cloudy as hell on top of Table Mountain, periodically the wind would blow the clouds away for a short while and expose in my opinion the most beautiful view of Cape Town. But I had to be quick with my camera because as soon as the clouds were blown away they’d be back. And when they came back I could literally see nothing but the twenty or so feet in front of me. I definitely want to climb Table Mountain again but next time from the opposite side of the mountain starting in the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens (the Skeleton Gorge route :/ ), perhaps on a day where it isn’t cloudy and I can get a good view of everything. It feels good to have climbed the big three mountains here in Cape Town. And I’m realizing now that I’ve actually swam in three of the five oceans! Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic!

Shawco has been going on for a few weeks now. Shawco for those of you who haven’t read my previous posts is a program at UCT that takes UCT students to local townships and schools to help tutor kids. The ages range from 1^st graders to high school students. I’m working in a town called Kensington in a program called Kenstep. Every week I get to hang out with two awesome little guys named Bryton and Marcello. They are fifth graders. They love sports, Grand Theft Auto, and recently hacky-sack. I brought my hacky-sack a couple weeks ago and they can’t get enough of it. So once we get through the lesson or at least the important stuff, and a few games of hang-man of course, we hack it up for 20 minutes or so. No joke they go crazy for it. There’s also a ton of other kids in Kenstep all over the place that make for one wild environment. I taught a bunch of them a great song that goes a little something like this: Hey Idduly Didduly Fidduly! Ishkidduly Oat and Boat! And Bobo Skadeet and Dat! And Waddat and Chew! It’s a truly captivating and rich song. Quick and straight to the point. Learned it when I was just a wee little Williams. Works remarkably well as a repeat after me song.  If you ever wanna learn it I’ll show it to you because there’s a very distinct way you have to sing it for it to sound right. Anyway. Yea. It’s always a blast and I’ve noticed my stomach usually hurts a little when I leave from all the laughing. I can also tell that Marcello and Bryton love goofing on me when every once in a while they say something to each other in Afrikaans and then break out into hysterical laughter. I just recently signed up for another day of Shawco in a different township called Manenberg. My friend Anna said that where she volunteers she works with huge groups of youngsters, and that they are always looking for more volunteers and I really don’t have anything to do on Friday afternoons so I figured, why not. Plus I’m really just a big kid myself so what better place for me to volunteer than with a huge a group of like 25 crazy little kids. Shawco’s awesome. I love it.

I continue to go surfing probably once a week. Most of the time I go to Muizenburg Beach which is just a 45 minute train ride away but recently I went to a place called Big Bay with my German friend Felix Badass (there can be only one!). This was probably my best ever day of surfing. The waves were most definitely the largest I’ve ever surfed. Like ten feet or so at their peak. I was so juiced on how well I did that last weekend when I went I thought what the hell I’ll try out a short board. I can do it! But I forgot about St. Paddy’s Day the day before and was disappointed when all I did was flail around in the water for two hours attempting poorly to ride waves that continued in succession to annihilate me over and over again. I’ll get my shit together over spring break.  

At this point I want to tell you about all of my new favorite SA lingo/ slang words or phrases. First off, the most insulting thing one can say to someone in Afrikaans, which I picked up from all of the crazy Afrikaans speaking people at the most recent Cape Town Stormers rugby match I went to, is “Yo Ma Se Poes!” Which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like, just “poes” is pronounced puss and they mean a word much worse than puss. Ha. Let’s just say I shouldn’t ever say it in public, but I’ll most definitely hear it from time to time, especially at rugby games or from mini taxi drivers having a bad day. Another word, “Moi” (pronounced moy) means good. People also say “Shot” when they want to say thank you. Like if I bought my friend a brew he might say “Shot Shot”. People call traffic lights out here robots. Another great one is “oke”. In America an “oke” (pronounced oak) would be a dude or a guy or a fella. One phrase I hear a lot is “look at these okes!” Also, the term for party or good time is “Jol” (pronounced like bowl but with a j). The trunk of a car is called the “boot”. Also, when someone means they will be somewhere soon, they say “I will be there now now.” And people also use the word “now” to mean any amount of time up to and including one to two maybe even three to four weeks. For instance, you might not be seeing your discussion section teacher for a week but he or she might say, “I’ll see you now.” Very confusing. And lastly the one that has baffled me for a while now for its inherent grammatical weirdness, but oddly enough is growing on me quite a bit, is the phrase “Is it?”. When someone tells someone something out here that in the states we would respond with “really?” (e.g. “Oh no! Two great white sharks have just attacked and eaten that goofy looking Puerto Rican! . . . “Really!?”), in South Africa they respond with “Is it?” It makes no sense whatsoever but for some reason it sounds kinda nice. These are just a few slang words /phrases used out here. I’m sure there are a bunch I’m forgetting.

This past Saturday night was Carnival of Brazil in Cape Town, which is a huge festival that happens mainly in Brazil, but I guess also here in Cape Town. Basically it was a massive street parade in Green Point, a nicer area near downtown. The entirety of the main road running through Green Point was blocked off so it had a very Mardi Gras type feel. It was wild. I saw some boobies.  

Well that’s seems to be about all I can conjure up from memory right now. The night life is crazy as usual and I continue to find new spots to go to with all my friends. I’ve started playing the guitar a bunch again which is nice because it’s been a while. March Madness back in the states has been very exciting to follow as well because I’m tearin it up in my pool right now. My bracket is looking damn good except for the bs Notre Dame pulled in the first round. And SF Giants baseball is getting going here pretty soon too which excites me tremendously! The Warriors suck as usual and Spring break is coming up here at the end of the week. Many of us will be kicking it off this Saturday night by going to see Avicii and the group Goldfish, one of Cape Town’s most famous electronic duos! Should be a nice little jol! I won’t be traveling like many of my friends are over spring break, so I’ll just be living it up here in Cape Town. Gotta save my dough because I'm planning on taking a two month overland trip up to Kenya this summer. Should be the most insane adventure of my entire life!  

As always I love and miss you all!

Patrick “Carpal Tunnel” Williams 

Cape Town: Take 3

This past week I had the most important experience as of yet since my time in South Africa started about a month ago. It was a field trip I took with my Sustainability and the Environment class.We were told we were going to Hout Bay, a local coastal community about a half hour drive from campus. I had no clue however that we would be going on a tour of the township Imizamo Yethu, which our guide Kenny told us means Our Struggle in Xhosa. For those of you who have not read my first post, townships are essentially shanty towns of informal homes and shacks. Cape Town is home to several townships, most of which are home to tens of thousands of people.

Kenny, who has lived in Imizamo Yethu for 25 years, now working full time as a community development worker, told us many statistics and facts about the township. First off, roughly 25000 people live in IY. There are 4000 families. Essentially, IY was established by black residents of Hout Bay who, under the laws of Apartheid, and due to financial constraints, could not buy and own property in suburban Hout Bay. So this now 18 hectare, or roughly 45 acre township was constructed in 1989 when the local government had to intervene and do something about the rising tensions between scattered squatter families and local white residents. Kenny said the land that IY was built on was originally a landfill. He informed us that 80% of the residents share water sources for sanitation and sewage. He also told us that the Disa River runs right through the settlement and has one of the highest E-coli concentrations ever recorded in South Africa, making the need for clean water of the utmost importance. Thankfully, IY has in recent years started to be revitalized through the efforts of international development aid and more specifically the efforts of Irish business man Niall Mellon. In the last few years over 300 permanent brick houses have been built, yet only 20% of the families in IY live in these homes. 70% of IY has access to electricity; however, the 30% who struggle to gain access often do so by using a very dangerous system of what Kenny called spaghetti wires, that stretch for hundreds of yards over the shacks, and often start fires that regularly burn down people’s homes throughout the community. In fact, just one day before we arrived ten homes were burned down as a direct result of these poorly constructed electrical lines. Naturally, IY has not escaped the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Sadly, Kenny believes that the number of people with HIV/AIDS living in IY could be well over 35%, noting that only 900 people are actually in the system and receiving the Antiretroviral drug used to treat the disease. The national average for HIV/AIDS is somewhere around 30% making IY an extreme microcosm of the problem. Many of the buildings we went into had posters urging people to be brave enough to know their HIV status. It was striking to see just how big a role the HIV and AIDS epidemic plays in everyone’s life in IY. One is reminded of the situation around every corner. One of the other major struggles for the community of IY is the problem of overcrowding. Expanding the property for IY is a huge struggle because all of the surrounding land is privately owned, and much of it is protected national park. If IY continues to grow in population without expanding access to more land than IY will be invariably overcrowded. So many of the informal dwellings seem so unbelievably small, and they literally are back to back to back. Walking along the streets you can see little corridors running between all of these cramped shacks. It was truly shocking to see just how many people seem to be living right on top of one another. In addition to the problem of crime, disease, and drug and alcohol abuse (IY is home to 63 pubs), unemployment is high on the list of concerns for Kenny and the locals. According to Kenny, Cape Town only employs people who are in the employment database, but most residents of IY, who lack access to sufficient education and do not have an official employment history, are not in the database. Despite all of these struggles that me and my classmates learned about on this day, it was clear that there is a tremendous spirit of hope in the community. The community center Iziko Lobomi, Xhosa for Center of Life, was recently built and is used daily as a place where local officials can go to discuss and attempt to address the community’s problems. Imizamo Yethu also seems to be growing into a very proud community that has in so many ways embraced their struggles in a sense of oneness, determined to make the community a place that people can soon call home, in a permanent sense of the word. The streets are filled with smiling children running around, playing, and laughing with one another. Members of the community clearly care for one another and most everywhere we went we were greeted with a sense of hospitality and friendliness. Entrepreneurs abound, and almost every street has convenience stores or Spasas where people can find many things they might need for daily life. Many people, especially Kenny, were so eager to give us a snapshot into the lives of the Imizamo Yethu community. This sense of hope echoes throughout IY, and as Nelson Mandela once said, “If you don’t live with Hope, what are you living for?” As Kenny put it, it is a hope that the people of IY can reach their goals of being out of poverty, for the children of IY to one day be out of their current situation, “for the people of Hout Bay to be one, to work together, and equally enjoy god’s creation.” It was comforting to be given a tour of the community after school daycare facility, Ikaya Lethemba, or Home of Hope. Ikaya Lethemba was established to help especially vulnerable youth, and its volunteers help to raise many children. Many of the kids in the program have parents or families who struggle from HIV/AIDS or abuse problems. Most of the schools around the community (less than 5 schools) are overcrowded, and this center offers an opportunity for one on one support and a greater sense of structure. The schools surrounding IY are a great concern and have not really changed with the times if at all since Apartheid. In particular, the schools for the children of IY are black only and reflect no sense of integration. As Kenny put it, “South Africa belongs to all who live in it,” and South Africa will never truly be united until all children receive the same opportunities to learn and grow. Someone once said to me that the educational opportunities I’ve had in my life are something that only 1% of the people in the world have. This humbles me greatly.

While I walked through Imizamo Yethu it was really hard to pin down the feelings that I was experiencing. While I was so happy to be given this learning experience, it was hard to reconcile that I was receiving this snapshot into such extreme poverty with the knowledge that in just a couple hours I would be back on the air conditioned, luxury tour bus that brought me to IY. To know that I would be back in my million dollar home in Rondebosch in just a couple hours. To know that I would drink clean water and take a warm shower and never struggle to eat a full meal whenever I wanted. To know that my whole life I have been in a completely safe environment, surrounded by structure and opportunity. To know that so much of my time here will be spent experiencing things that many of these people will never have the opportunity to do, simply because I was born into a different reality. Little kids would run up to all of us yelling jubilantly “Mlungu! Mlungu!,”  which in Xhosa means “White people! White people!” Some would even run up and touch us just to touch a white person. But than some older people would look at us and with what I could only register as disdain in the tone of their voice and in the look in their eyes say “Mlungu.” From IY you can look to the hills across the valley and see mansions. You can drive two minutes down the road to five star restaurants, with BMW’s and Mercedes Benz’ filling the parking lots. The inequality is shoved right down your throat and so blatantly evident for the people of IY. I can’t help but ask myself, how can a heart be filled with anything but hatred and animosity when everything around you makes you feel like you are less of a human being than someone else? And for what reason? Skin color? As happy as I was to see the hope that the people of IY have I was simultaneously being eaten from the inside out walking through the streets of this township knowing that I will never face the struggles that they have and will continue to face. It was obvious that many of the people who have lived here for so long must hate that their home has become some sort of spectacle where privileged people from the developed world can come and see, and take pictures, as if the people of IY are some sort of tourist attraction. Kenny informed me that he gives tours everyday, and that most tours are given not to students or volunteers, but to people on vacation. I was at a loss for words most of the day so I tried to soak up as much as possible. Afterwards, when I had time to reflect on the day, I tried to imagine being the shoes of an IY resident, and as I did this all I could think about was how unbelievably lucky I am. The reason I have said that this experience is the most important I have had so far in South Africa is because it has enabled me to truly understand why people say the words “Smile. Life could be worse.” People say those words all the time but I don’t think people really get it most of the time. We will all face adversity throughout our lives, and sometimes that adversity will feel as if the world is crashing down around us. But at least for me now I truly understand why people have told me and my peers our whole lives that we can do anything we put our minds to. So many amazing people have come from IY, people just like Kenny who have faced the toughest adversity imaginable, and overcome it with gumption and a positive attitude. I guess what I am trying to say is this: I continue, everyday, to gain a greater appreciation for the cards I have been dealt, the friends and family I have, and the experiences I have had and will have in the future. I continue to understand why living each and every moment of my life to the fullest is more than just a catch phrase. To be happy. To constantly be thankful for what I have and show the love that I’m surrounded with to as many people as possible. Compared to most people in the world, we’ve all been blessed with the greatest set of circumstances anyone could ever ask for. It is thus imperative to wake up every day with a smile on your face and attack each day as Jim Harbaugh says “with an enthusiasm never before seen by the human race!” Being abroad has brought this enthusiasm back into my life in a way I never expected. I’ve decided to start working through the university for Habitat for Humanity. We will be going out to local townships out here in Cape Town and my first build will be taking place here in a couple weeks. I’m fired up.

On a lighter note, there was a huge event called 6 by 7’s on Friday on campus at the rugby field. Don’t know if I was entertained by it, or ashamed to call myself a homosapien. Essentially, it’s a relay race. There are a bunch of teams, all of which are made up of either the bravest or the dumbest guys ever conceived. Before the race starts, each person eats as much crappy food and drinks as much beer as physically possible. Then they also drink an entire bottle of food coloring between the team. Then, the race starts. At which point, the teams will run quarter mile laps around the track surrounding the cricket field. After each lap each member of the team has to drink a beer. This continues for seven laps. What I haven’t told you yet is the point of the race. Well it turns out it really ended up not being much of a race as much as it was a chunder-fest, or what us Americans would call a puke-fest, or vomit-fest, or up-chuck-fest. The food coloring is your team color and the goal is to cover as many men as possible on opposing teams with your color. So yea, a few thousand UCT students and I watched as about a hundred drunk idiots covered each other in puke. How this became an official event I will never know, but I did find myself laughing until my stomach hurt. And then I cried a little. It was really confusing.

Wednesday nights are now officially Stones Brewery night in Observatory. It just so happens that everyone and their brother goes to this place every Wednesday. Everyone I know is usually there. It’s one of the most fun bars I’ve ever been to and I’m finally getting pretty nice at pool. Met a really cool Zimbabwean guy named Comfort who works at the local internet café I’ve been going to. We talked for a while today, became friends and we’re meeting there this Wednesday for a beer and a game of pool. Went surfing at Muizenberg again yesterday and tried using a smaller board. Got my ass kicked most of the day. But got up twice. Almost drowned once. My buddy got stung by a jelly fish but the shark in the water flag didn’t go up at all! What a day! My hair color keeps getting lighter as my skin keeps getting darker. This sun does weird things to people but the beach is too irresistible. Then we went to the Cape Town Stormers v. Wellington, New Zealand Hurricanes professional rugby game just five minutes away from my house in Newlands. Cape Town of course won because we are the shit, or the sheisse as my German friends would say. The game was out of control. It was good to be back in a professional sports stadium surrounded by fifty thousand nutty rugby fans. And afterwards we all went to a sports bar called Springboks just down the road, which I swear everyone in the stadium must have went to. The place is massive and it was completely packed. Thursday night seems to have become the night for clubbing in Claremont. And I just recently bought some real nice little button up collared shirts. Not gonna lie I clean up pretty nicely. Look forward to some pics of me looking like a studly gentleman in my new shirts on FB here pretty soon. Oh yea, and on Thursday before going out I went to this thing called Jabooly (not sure about the spelling) where people basically get shitfaced and play water polo. I liked seeing water polo again. Brings me back to freshman year of high school. Once again I can’t tell you how much I enjoy doing little solo day trips by myself to have some exploring time. I went to this market in downtown called Green Market Square Friday afternoon before the 6 by 7’s debacle, and just walked around and talked to venders. Green Market Square is pretty close to Long Street and is basically a huge market for street venders that sell all sorts of African art, clothing, and trinkets of various kinds. I met this guy from Mozambique (his name escapes me at the moment) who was selling these incredibly cool pique material t-shirts and just talked with him at his little street shop for like a half hour about the environment and each other’s lives. I couldn’t believe him when he told me about his father’s six wives and his 15 or so siblings. He definitely comes from a very different world than me but he seemed to enjoy my company very much. He had a very enlightening perspective on the environmental problems I am studying, most notably the exploitation of African resources that have so often only benefitted economies of the developed world. He’s gonna make me a special shirt because he didn’t have the one I wanted in a crew neck so I will be seeing him again in about a week to go pick it up. I look forward to another great conversation. Tomorrow I’m having lunch with Ida Cooper. Just the two of us. Not that often I have lunch dates with little old ladies so it should be real nice!

Anyway, that’s all for now! To all my family and friends, I love and miss you with every fiber in my body!

Peace, Love, and Music!

Patty O’Malley Mason McWilliams 

Africa Patty: Blog Post #2

Ok! Here goes blog entry number 2!

So the last time I left off about two weekends ago. And since then so much has happened. So once again this is gonna be one long post. But whatever. Let’s do it.

Let me start by saying that school has finally started after what I can only describe as the greatest two month Xmas vacation I’ve ever had. So life is becoming somewhat normal again. But not really. Not really at all actually. Huh.

So the last time I left off on Friday the 3^rd of February. That night all of Ida Cooper’s internationals went to the VA Waterfront. Which is relatively close to downtown. This funky little area is yet another awesome place to go for a night out. Situated right on the water, it is littered with shops and restaurants of all types of cuisines and prices. Probably the best part about the waterfront is the way it looks at night. When you take into account the massive ferris wheel, all the bright neon lights, the local bands playing in the amphitheater, the thousands of people walking around, the moon glistening off the water surrounded the marina, and the backdrop of Table Mountain in the distance, it might just be one of the coolest sights you can see at night. Maybe a meteor shower could make it better. Who knows. Anyway, we all split up into smaller groups for our meals and I decided to go with some friends to a very up-scale Italian restaurant called Meloncino’s. Well up scale as far as I’m concerned. Next time I go the waterfront I’m going to definitely going to the Ferryman’s Tavern instead. Because supposedly they’ve got lots of nice beers.

After the waterfront we went as a group to Long Street in Downtown. Long Street as you  might have guessed is the longest street in downtown and is by far the best place to head for a night out if you are looking for options. I went to three different bars this night. Started at a place called The Neighborhood which was probably the homiest bar I’ve ever seen. I didn’t know they made bars where everywhere you sit is a couch or loveseat. After this we went to a place called Abantu. Which is essentially a whole in the wall that has extremely cheap drinks. It was recommended to us by Anne. Who like I said in my last post is one of Ida Cooper’s associates who helps out my house on Lyle road with any inquiries we might have about life in Cape Town. However, she’s pretty much one of the crew. Not at all a house mom like I stated in my last post. Anyway, Abantu was quite a funny bar. Mostly for its drink and shooter selection. My favorite shooter was called a Creamy Pussy. I had about ten of them at R5 each. Lol. After Abantu me and Anne went to get down at a night club called JoBerg. Which was my favorite place because all the music that was played was bumpin ass hip hop. Nuff said.

The next day was the day we had all been waiting for. Dinner at Ida Cooper’s pad!!! The lot of us went that Saturday to Ida’s house for an amazing dinner.  Ida has to be one of the hippest ladies I’ve ever met. We get there, she’s got live music playing, pita bread and hummus, and because she knows her babies (as she calls us) so well, she’s got tubs of Sangria for everyone and coolers full of beer for the guys. Needless to say this was a great night. And worth the wait. Best home cooked meal I’ve had in a long while.

In my last post I talked about how in SA they don’t have barbecues, they have braais. Braais are a very common thing over here. And I was very anxious to host one for all my new friends. So Super Bowl Sunday seemed like a hell of a day to have one.  After shaking off my hang over from the drum and bass night club Mercury a bunch of us went to after Ida’s dinner the night before, I headed into town with 800 Rand in my pocket and bought up as much meat and beer as I could while my house mates cooked up some tasty little side dishes. I had to get the beer at that same dodgy little liquor store I went to with a couple of the rugby guys a few days earlier because liquor stores are closed on Sundays.  I then texted a ton of my new friends and told them to get ready for a braai for the ages. Potluck style. Many of you do not know the Schuster family. But they are some of the greatest people you could ever meet and have been my loving neighbors for about 15 years. Anyway Johnny and Lisa Schuster, the parents of two of my best friends and brothers Justin and Jared, have over the years thrown some of the best bbq parties I have ever experienced. So they were my inspiration for hosting a kick ass braai. The Super Bowl Sunday braai at 9A Lyle Road was an absolute success and I can’t tell you how happy I was to tend the grill for hours and provide succulent meat for my new friends just like the one and only Johnny Schuster has done so many times for all my family and friends back in Auburn! After a nice two hour nap, I woke up and headed right down Main Road to the local friendly Pig and Swizzle bar to watch the Super Bowl. It started after midnight and didn’t end till after 5 in the morning. The American spirit reverberated throughout the bar and into the streets that night. The predominantly local guests of Pig and Swizzle must have got a kick out all of us belting the national anthem that night. Most definitely the most epic anthem I’ve ever been a part of. I could have fallen asleep standing up by the end of the game but it was well worth it to be see skeezy Bill Belichick, that punk rock bitch Tom Brady, and his cronies once again screw the pooch in this year’s Super Bowl.   

After recovering from our shit show Super Bowl party the night/morning before a bunch of us went to Clifton Beach. Camps Bay Beach and Clifton Beach are two of the most popular beaches in Cape Town and are situated on the exact opposite side of Table Mountain from my house. When I first got to Cape Town I was told that Clifton and Camps Bay are where people go to be seen and this is clearly evident when you arrive and see just how many beautiful people go to these beaches. Its real nice. Clifton is especially sweet because there is an amazing jump rock life 30 yards off the beach that is perfect for James Bond swan dives and front flips and all sorts of crazy stuff. And it’s not uncommon to see people playing little pick-up games of beach rugby up and down the beach. I had a blast playing one with the fellas on the rugby team and some very talented girls on this day, which was my first ever at Clifton. As far as I’m concerned, Clifton is exactly what one thinks of when picturing a perfect beach. Beautiful people, beautiful beach, and surrounded by the 12 Apostles mountain range that runs down the cost to Cape Point. The only bad thing I can say about these beaches is temperature of the water which can literally be chilling to the bone and definitely brings about some serious shrinkage. After spending the entire day at the beach me and a bunch of friends went to a kick ass foam party at Kopano residence hall where I stayed my first couple nights before I moved into my permanent house. I’d never been to a foam party until this night and let’s just say it’s one slippery, soap, crazy experience. The whole time I couldn’t stop thinking about how there was no way in hell something like that could go down in a residence hall back in Berkeley. I made sure to soak up the entire experience.

The rugby season has started up recently and all I can say is the games are a blast. There is a lot of Ikey Tiger Spirit around here and the sidelines surely the place to be whenever there is a home game. During the first home game a ball was kicked by one of the players in the game what seemed like a mile high, and as it flew through the air it just kept getting closer and closer to where I was sitting until I realized this thing was coming down right on top of me. So like a little kid at a baseball game I stuck out my arms and with one free hand and my other hand covered by a giant #1 Fan foam hand snagged this rugby ball out of the air. I was in disbelief. It was exhilarating and everyone around me was cheering for me. I felt like a star. It was hilarious. Most of you could probably care less about this but it was a big deal for me so BACK OFF! Anyway, yea. The rugby games are sweet.

Side Story: So we don’t have a dryer in my house and I don’t really like hanging up my cloths to dry so I go to this little laundry place down the street called Laundry Lady. And the ladies that work in there are total characters. So like the third time I go in to have them dry my stuff the older lady that works there gives me the same goofy smile she always gives me but then all of a sudden starts flirting with me. She’s like “you are so cute! But I’m old enough to be your mom. Guess how old I am?” I guessed, “25?” She laughed and whispered 50 in my ear than asks me for a hug. So I give her a hug. And then the younger girl working there who’s probably in her late twenties goes, “Well I think he’s cute too! I want one!” To the dismay of the older lady I gave her a hug too and the older lady goes “Damn you, you steal all my boyfriends!” I was in stitches to say the least. Side story over.   

So full moons are a pretty big deal out here in Cape Town because there are a number of amazing places to hike at night to really get the FULL full moon experience. So the first full moon night all of us internationals went to hike up Lions Head which is relatively close to Table Mountain and Devil’s Peak, two of the more well-known mountains around here. The majority of the hike is fairly easy until you get about two thirds of the way to the top, at which point the trail changes from a nice normal dirt trail to successions of jagged rocks and boulders you have to scramble up (as rock climbers would say) to get to the top. It’s not the most difficult hike but can definitely be pretty dodgy, especially once darkness falls and you have to navigate back down. But thankfully this night there was a full moon so the way was fairly lit up. Now this was highly debated during the course of the night but I swear that there had to be at least a thousand people climbing Lion’s Head that night. Not surprisingly either because the view of the sun setting over the ocean followed by the rising full moon, juxtaposed with the brilliant array of mountains surrounding the area is truly breathtaking. This was by far the greatest full moon night I’ve ever experienced and was truly blessed to have spent it with such an amazing group of new friends.

Another thing about full moons is that they bring some gargantuan waves to the beaches surrounding Cape Town. So the next day when a few of us went to Camps Bay Beach near Clifton, I was rudely introduced to the power of these waves when tried to go body surfing. Note to self: if waves are crashing directly onto the beach, do not try and body surf them because they will only turn your world completely upside down and leave you with your head buried in the sand. Thankfully I was able sit down and enjoy a plate of super bomb fish and chips and a Slow Comfortable Screw (which is a cocktail) at one of the local beach restaurants lining the streets of Camps Bay after the debacle that just took place. A great way to wind down before preparing for one of the greatest road trips I’ve ever been on.

The Garden Route is well known amongst South Africans. Running along the east coast of South Africa from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape Province, the Garden Route is chalk full of amazing sights, activities, and attractions for people wanting to experience more of the Rainbow Country culture. Some of these activities include sky diving, seeing all kinds of wild animals, zip lining tours, all kinds of beach sports like kite boarding, and surfing, and even shark cage diving. Since I have already been sky diving twice, been zip lining when I was younger, plan on doing other safaris in Northern South Africa at Kruger and/or up in Botswana/Zambia/Zimbabwe, plan on shark cage diving later in the semester when more sharks are out and about, and have recently joined the Yacht Club here on campus that teaches its interested members how to Kite surf, I opted for some other activities. Thankfully our rubber tramping crew, most of whom are in the Lovers Walk house, were a joy to try and plan the trip with, which we did all by ourselves without the help of local travel agencies. Honestly we winged most of it but everything worked out great over the course of those four days along the Garden Route. The first thing you have to know about traveling along the Garden Route is that if you aren’t staying at the Backpackers (i.e. hostels) along the way, you aren’t doing it right. For like 15 bucks a night you can stay in these sweet ass backpackers that are always full of internationals, and equipped with a fully stocked bar. Our first backpackers was Backpackers Paradise located in Outdshoorn, and that night about twenty of us internationals from a couple different houses back in CT all met up there. We of course had a nice little shindig. Outdshoorn is most famous for its plethora of Ostrich meat and the Cango Caves. Now I’ve been in some caves in my life but nothing like these prehistoric gems and seem to virtually go on forever. As a group we took an adventurous tour deep into the heart of these caves. I put some pictures up on FB for anyone reading this who wants to see. Seriously though, no picture can truly show how incredibly huge and intricate these caves were. The first people that used to live in the caves were said to have never ventured further than the first couple parts of the caves because they believed that the deepest dwellings were inhabited by the spirits of their ancestors. But we had no problem disturbing their ancestors because these caves were way too cool not to explore. After exploring the caves our crew headed out for a beach town called Wwilderness. On the way we saw numerous baboons walking around on the sides of the road which literally made me jump out of my seat in jubilant celebration. Seriously I went nuts. God I love animals. One troop of baboons had a bunch of baby baboons too. It was the cutest thing ever! But unfortunately we were driving past too fast and they scattered too quickly for me to snap a shot. However, baboons are everywhere in South Africa so I’m sure I’ll get some good pictures eventually. Once we got to Wilderness we all rented canoes and paddled down the local Touw River through a crazy little jungle to a path that we hiked to the Touw River Waterfall. The water surrounding the water fall is so tannin-rich (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tannin) that it has an almost blackish-orange look to it. I’ve never seen such oddly colored water in my life but there was no way I wasn’t gonna swim around in it. There were even some sweet little jump rocks/cliffs from which to kloof from. This little adventure was a blast and it was nice to finally be deep in a random jungle in Africa. It was no Congo jungle, but it was still pretty damn cool. After this we all met up again at another backpackers in Plettenberg Bay and then headed out for a night of clubbing. The next day was the day we had all been anticipating since we left Cape Town. The day that we would all bungee jump from the highest bridge bungee jump in the entire world. A 216 meter drop from Bloukraans Bridge just outside of Plettenberg Bay. Everyone in my crew made the jump. The feeling of free fall is one of the most ridiculous feelings ever. You can see it on everyone’s face the second they are back on the bridge. It is such an insane rush of adrenaline and I recommend that everyone at some point in their life face their fear and let this natural high consume yourself. It is the most epic thing ever. AAAAHHHH! So fun. And the bump of the electronic/dub steppy/ house music that was playing on the bridge was a big help too. Its one of those things that you do and it happens so fast, you’re in the car leaving the bridge, looking at baboons walking on the side of the road, and in your head your thinking “What in the F$#@ did I just do?! Did that really just happen?!” What an unbelievable experience. After the jump we went to another beach town called Knysna where we went to the waterfront, had some lunch and some beers. Knysna supposedly is home to the oldest Rastafarian village in Africa but we heard it was too hard to find so we just went to the waterfront. The waterfront was a great little place to go to wind down after our bungee jump. It actually reminded me of the VA Waterfront in Cape Town I talked about earlier. After lunch we went to the best backpackers on the entire trip for our last night, Afrovibe! Afrovibe is situated right on the beach in a town called Sedgefield and is run by one of the chilliest groups of SA locals I’ve met so far. Afrovibe is the epitome of hippy surfer culture. A very green backpackers. I had the best time by far at this backpackers. The party was top notch, and even had a Beer Pong South Africa table set up. I’m pretty sure I also fell in love that night with a fire balling twirling supermodel named Gabriella. Hopefully we hang out again when she’s in Cape Town in a couple months. This was the perfect place to end our road trip down the Garden Route.  

In other news. Like I said school has started. I am now signed up for three classes. The first is History of Genocide in Africa, the second is Sustainability and the Environment, and the third is Poverty, Development, and Globalization. I will also start my work in a local township called Kensington this week where I will work for a few hours each Tuesday teaching math, English, and life orientation to groups of kids. I am very excited to go hang out, teach, and learn from these little kids. I also signed up for the Yacht Club which is one of the bigger, more social clubs here on campus that I will learn how to sail, and kite surf with. Apparently they throw some pretty bitching shindigs throughout the semester too. So that should be a great way to meet new people and more local South Africans. The last club I signed up for is the golf club, which will take me to some great little courses in Cape Town. I wanna join a couple more societies as they are called here as well, perhaps Habitat for Humanity. We will see how things go but for now that’s what I’m signed up for.

I climbed Devils Peak with my friend from Berkeley Troy Hodges this past week as well. 1000 meters high and the second highest mountain here in Cape Town, second only to Table Mountain which I plan to do this week. It was a very strenuous hike but me and Troy busted it out without a guide and in only four and a half hours. About and hour and a half less than the six hours we were told it was gonna take to do the whole hike. On the way up we saw the Queens and Kings Blockhouses that were built when Cape Town was colonized hundreds of years ago in the 1600’s. They are two of the oldest building in Cape Town. The Devils Peak hike was definitely another great adrenaline rush, especially when you’re getting hit by the 50 mile an hour winds that howl at the top as you overlook all of Cape Town.

One thing I’ve enjoyed doing lately is enjoying some solo time to do a little exploring on my own. For instance the other day after class I went to Downtown to buy a book called Dark Star Safari, by Paul Theroux (described by my neighbor Al in Auburn as Into the Wild x 10 in Africa from Cairo to Cape Town). I went alone and spent the entire day just walking around in local markets, people watching, and soaking up the local culture without the distraction of being with other people who might want to do certain things that I wouldn’t. Just walking around wherever the wind blew me. This was one of my favorite experiences in Cape Town so far. Met a lot of cool people and saw a lot of interesting things including a guy making tips by entertaining people with animal noises. He was extremely talented actually. It was hysterical watching him scare the shit out of un-suspecting tourists walking down the street by grabbing their back leg as they walked past and making a screeching barking sound. He was getting so many people so good and even got me when I walked by. People everywhere were watching him and laughing their asses off. And so was he. Funny as hell. This day I discovered my new favorite beer out here. Its called Jack Black. And it’s a delicious lager brewed right here in South Africa. Apparently its very well known but I hadn’t heard of it until this day. I also went by myself to Muizenberg Beach this week one day after class and taught myself how to surf. I only got up a couple of times, but I had a blast (except for the couple times I was puking up salt water I swallowed) and am definitely gonna give it another go. I’ve learned a lot about my adventurous spirit since I’ve been out here, especially when I take some alone time for myself, which is hard for me to do often because I’m naturally a very social person. Thankfully I’ve had the motivation to go running regularly around my neighborhood which also offers some needed reflection on my time here as well as some solid cardio to burn off all this good food and drink I’m getting here.

Once again, thank you  so much mom and dad for all you have done for me. I promise I am being safe and am having the greatest time of my life out here. I don’t know if there’s ever been a period of time in my life where I have been so happy. Miss and love you all! Peace, Love and Music!

Cape Town: Week 1

Hey everybody! My first ever blog post! Thought this would be the best way to let you all know how everything's going over here in South Africa. Just know this is gonna be extremely long. So here goes!

First off. Huge thanks to the sweet little old Ida Cooper who has set us internationals up here in Africa. Bless her heart without her this experience would not be possible. She has done an absolutely marvelous job at orienting us to our surroundings and even more importantly each other. 

As soon as I landed in SA 14 other international students and I were picked up by a group of vibrant UCT students who work for her who took us to our temporary residence where we stayed for the first two days until we moved into our permanent residences. There I was able to meet easily over a hundred other internationals and finally start building my new network. As well as start working on my tan at the pool. My current house is a massive two unit complex that houses 24 students. 12 internationals and 12 UCT rugby players who I will get to later in the post. In my unit there are 8 Americans 2 Germans and 2 Norwegians. I am one of 3 guys. 

Now the other unit is the rugby crew and holy shit these guys are what I would call a hoot. First night I met them they promptly asked, "Hey Bru! You keen from a braai (or bbq) and some brews?!" To which I responded "hell yes!" but I was unsure of how were gonna get beers because in SA liquor stores have to stop selling at 8pm on weekdays and 5pm on weekends. Crazy I know. But one of the guys says in a sly little tone, "Oh don't you worry we're gonna  get some." There was no way I was gonna let these guys go get the drink alone seeing as I knew it should be quite an experience finding what the South African's would call a dodgy little liquor store. So I hopped in the car and went with. Needless to say we got the beers and I got my first little taste of what Cape Town looks like behind the shiny veneers of the posh neighborhoods surrounding UCT. But don't worry mom and pops, I was with some big ass dudes and we were perfectly fine. Lol. Trust me I won't go back without them. Anyway, after this awesome braai filled with scandalous drinking games and delicious meat I was given a proper welcome to the South African night club scene. I was the only one in my unit who was up for a night of clubbing but I figured what the hell its my first night with these guys. So we taxied to Claremont, a nearby neighborhood filled with nightclubs like Tantra, Tin Roof, and Tiger Tiger. I soon found out why people say the rugby team are a bunch of celebrities around here, because I swear everywhere we went it seemed like they knew everybody. One of the guys Hilton was even able to talk the bouncer at Tiger Tiger to let me in with only my T-shirt on which is as far as I have heard strictly forbidden. It was hilarious. One quick exchange and the next thing I knew the bouncer was smiling at me and ushering me in. It seems that this rugby team has inadvertently up my social standing like ten-fold. Its real nice. Didn't get back until like 5am that night. And when I did I gave some of the guys some Oh Boy Oberto beef jerky that they were blown away by! I thought this was hilarious because I'm pretty sure Oberto is some of the more sub par jerky I've had. But they couldn't get enough of it. So mom and pops if you ever send a care package make sure and fill it with tasty Oh Boy Oberto! 

The next day 15 massive buses took hundreds of us exchange students on the most beautiful drive I've ever been on down the coast to the Cape of Good Hope. It was at least a two hour drive. We stopped off in Simon's Town to see a beach that was taken over by cute little African Penguins. These little guys were very interesting. They hardly moved at all. Just stood there awkwardly, perfectly still, and stared at us jabbering kids. Now I'm not entirely sure but I think they like to stay on or close to the beach because the water surrounding this area contains over 50% of the entire great white shark population in the world. After this we were taken to what I believe was the highlight of the day. A local township called Ocean View. Townships came about in Cape Town at the onset of the Apartheid era. When the countries predominantly white government deemed many areas white only. What I found out was that the stunningly beautiful beach community called Simon's Town we had just seen was at one point inhabited by native South Africans, most of whom were black. At the end of the 19th century they were evicted from there homes that they had had for generations and forcibly placed in locals townships, or Cape Flats. Called flats because they area is literally just sprawling flat land. Nothing like the unbelievable terrain we saw by the ocean. These townships are a stunning reminder of just how wide the gap between the rich and the poor is in this wonderful country. In Ocean View we went to the town hall where we were treated by the talent show put on by local kids who wanted to show off their many talents. My favorite acts were a crew of bad ass break dancers unlike any I've ever seen and I young little guy who gave us a tribute to Michael Jackson. This kids could have easily been a better dancer than MJ himself. So amazing. I got videos of it all so I'll put a couple on FB when I get better internet. After Ocean View we went to the Cape of Good Hope which is almost at the southern most tip of Africa. It is commonly mistaken as the southern most point of Africa but it isn't, people just think it is because I swear to god its the most beautiful place I've ever seen. Saw multiple baboons just walking around on the drive through Table Mountain National Park going to the point. Pretty crazy red ass baboons. This day was one of the most incredibly days I've ever had. I did well to get as many phone numbers and meet as many new friends as I could along the way. Which in Africa seems astonishingly easy. Everyone is so kind. 

Now to change gears a little. There are not very many beer selections here in SA. But I have found my favorite cheap beer (15 Rand a quart, or the equivalent of less than 2 dollars). It is called Black Label. And its far better than the piss water Bud and Keystone Light we drink back in the states. I also like the Castle Milk Stout. Very good. Most bars usually only have about 5 different beers. But I have been with the crew to a local bar/restaurant called BananaJam in Kenilworth that thank the lord had an excellent IPA. Can't tell you how happy I was to find this place. As for the cuisine in the Rainbow Nation. I have never been to as many amazing restaurants in one week as I have this week. And the best part of it all is that for the equivalent of like 20 US dollars you can have a full meal and at least three or four drinks. Pretty insane. Some places are a little pricier but most are relatively cheap. To end my day yesterday for example I went to a bar called the Brass Bell right down the train tracks from Muzenberg Beach where we frolicked about yesterday. At this bar me and some new friends each had two shooters, one called Watermelon Kiss and the other called Surfer on Acid, I also had two Castle Milk Stouts, and I shared I bomb diggity pizza and after it all I only spent like 120R, or fifteen dollars. I'm tellin ya, It’s ridiculous here. There are at least 5 or 6 different neighborhoods/ districts surrounding my neighborhood in Rondebosh and each one has plenty of different spots to check out. So there seems to always be something new to see whenever we all go out. A little side note. The train rides here couldn't be more interesting. First time we went to the beach we rode on the "first class" metro rail plus and while sitting on the train a full band of guys jumped on the train with guitars, drums, and a banjo a proceeded to sing us all songs. My favorite was "Welcome to Cape Town!" Got a video of this too! Now on the train ride back we had to get on the regular metro rail, which was f@#%ing packed shoulder to shoulder with all kinds of people. So full that I was forced out at one stop and had to quickly jump back on before the train kept going. To my surprise, a younger looking dude taps me on the shoulder and says "What's your name?" I responded. Than in his thick accent he goes "Patrick. Meet So and So" and introduces me to this random girl standing across from me. He says "You talk now!" I laughed hysterically, humored him and proceeded to talk with a nice native Cape Townian girl. This guy was so funny. Playing metro rail match maker. Lol.

There are probably like ten other international houses within walking distance to my House at 9 Lyle Road which is so cool, because once you meet one person at one house you eventually pretty much meet everyone else. I have made especially good friends in two houses, one called Lovers Walk and the other Charlton House. I have spent a significant amount of time with people in these two houses and in my house. And thankfully I've met so many wonderful kids who have been our Orientation Leaders/ house moms and dads (just call them that because they are here to help us with anything we need). My favorites so far are cool young guy named Fabio from Mozambique, another guy Collin who's originally from Cape Town, and of course sweet little Anne (my house mom) who is from Kenya! After spending the day in downtown on Long Street, probably the most famous  and culturally rich street in Cape Town abounding with innumerable restaurants, bars, and street vendors, Fabio met me, some house mates, and a bunch of the Lovers Walk crew at the top of Signal Hill. Where we drank wine, puffed hookah tobacoo, played ukuleles, guitar, and drums while singing songs, and watching the sun set over the Atlantic Ocean. When I thought about my upcoming experiences in Cape Town back in Cali, this is exactly what I pictured. It was so perfect. 

I'm living like five minutes walk from campus which reminds me a lot of Berkeley, except way more hilly. Probably the best part of where I live is that everyday I walk out of my house I am greeted by one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen. Table Mountain. If you have never seen it or do not know what I'm talking about look up a picture of it. It's a sprawling table top looking mountain that is unlike anything I've ever seen. When the clouds and fog roll in at the end of each day they appear to rest right on top of the mountain and the locals say its Table Mountain's table cloth. Yea Table Mountain is amazing and I believe it was just voted the 8th natural wonder of the world. I will be climbing it soon. The other day I met an interesting kid named Gabriel from Namibia who is studying Financial Analysis at UCT right now. Had a beer and chatted with him for an hour or so and he said he's keen to take me and anyone else who wants to go up the mountain whenever we want. Apparently he's climbed it a number of times and says the view from the top is stunning.

There all a lot of things I have to get used to about Cape Town that are far different than California. For one everything is pay as you go as far as phone and internet is concerned. Which sucks because being the social butterfly that I am I find that I quickly burn through much of my airtime extremely quickly, so I have to do well to be quick and to the point while talking on the phone and in texts I have to put as much information as possible which is troublesome because the Vodacom phone that I have uses the ancient texting method with 3 and 4 letter on each number and I can’t change it to T9, which makes the words for you, because its such a cheap phone. However, it is a nice change to not constantly be fiddling around on my Iphone. I’m currently in the process of picking up some of the local lingo. There is a lot of it. But definitely the most common phrase you hear is “Howzit!” You need not reply to “Howzit” even though it sounds like people are asking “how is it?” It’s just a South African’s way of saying “Yo!” or “Whaddup!”  It’s quite endearing. I also have to get used to looking right first before I cross the street because in SA like many parts of the world cars drive on the left side of the road. Not gonna lie, my house mom Anne probably saved my life at least twice. But I’m getting better at it.Walking down Main Road, the main thoroughfare connected to my street, I constantly hear what are called mini taxis. Basically they are like VW buses that most everyone uses as a taxi during the day. They only cost like 6 or 7 Rand to use, so less than a dollar but it isn’t uncommon to find yourself crammed into to the bus with 15 other people. And probably the funniest thing about these taxis are the guys who drive them. Going up and down the road you continuously hear the horns and whistles, as well as the screams of the destination to which they are going from of the two man crews operating each taxi. These mini taxis are nothing like US taxis. You never have to halt them because half the time they’re screaming and hollering at you to hop in and catch a ride. Needless to say these Afrikaans speaking taxi operators are more often than not some major characters. They are so fired up to take pictures with us too!

I will soon have to figure out what other things I’m gonna do other than just going to the beach, going out what seems like every night, and going to school. There are so many amazing places to travel to around Cape Town like the Garden route to the East, or Kruger National Park, home to the Big Five. Elephants, Rhinos, Buffalo, Lions, and Leopards. But it also has a number of other animals to see like giraffes, zebras, monkeys, and crocs! I definitely wanna travel up into other countries in Southern Africa as well. My goal would be to travel up through Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Mozambique, and if I would be so blessed Tanzania to hike up Kilimanjaro. But that might be a stretch. Being an adrenaline junky I fully intend to bungee jump off of Victoria Falls and white water raft the daunting Zambezi River. And there’s no way I’m gonna live here for six months without learning how to surf. Most likely I will join the surfing club. I also gotta go to Stellenbosch, about 45 minutes away, to see the Cheetah Outreach center. My neighbor Cindy worked there for six months a few years ago and has put me in contact with some of her friends who run the place. I can’t wait to go play with the cheetahs!

One of the things I’m most excited to do is join a student group called SHAWCO. SHAWCO students take buses twice a week to local townships to help to help in the effort of strengthening the floundering educational system hear in South Africa. SHAWCO is an ongoing effort and in no way do I think that my presence will bring about some miraculous changes but I feel that it is extremely important to use my time here in SA for more than just partying. Jonathan Hoffenberg, the gentlemen responsible for starting the program has told us over time it all adds up and SHAWCO’s impact is vitally important. I can’t tell you how excited I am to go to these neighborhoods and try in some way to give back the love I have received throughout my life. I am sure it will be an excellent learning experience and I can’t wait to go learn and play with all the little kids!   

The women I’m currently surrounded by in Cape Town are the sexiest, most smoking hot, insanely beautiful women I have ever seen in my entire life. I’m meeting as many as I possibly can. That’s all I have to say about that.       

Last Wednesday we were all treated to a heart pounding African drum workshop on the steps of Middle Campus. 2 native Cape Townian men and Two Congolese men taught all of us internationals a little something about African drums. I tried my best to keep up with all the different beats but these guy s were too nice at playing the drums. It was ridiculously exhilarating to hear the sound of 300 drums pounding all around me. Couldn’t stop smiling the whole time. In fact I don’t think I’ve stopped smiling the entire time I’ve been here.  

I am so incredibly lucky I am to have such an amazing group of family and friends back at home who have played such an integral role in shaping me into the man I am becoming. But most importantly, I have the greatest two parents any kid could ever ask for. They have sacrificed so much, and loved me with all of their hearts since the day I was born and there is no way any of this would be possible without them. To Chuck and Debbie Williams, I love you with all of my heart and can’t wait to show the love you surrounded me with growing up to every person I meet while over here in Africa.

Anyway, that’s about all for now. I hope you enjoy hearing about my experiences and can’t wait to tell you more. I can’t wait to keep the good times rolling and keep meeting new people. I think this next week I’m heading to the Ocean to go swim around with some Great White Sharks. I hear they love posing for pictures.