Cape Town!!!

We arrived in down town Cape Town Tuesday night, went to bed, and woke up the next morning for a scavenger hunt of the city. It was a great way to get oriented to Cape Town. We split into groups of 6 and were told to find museums, statues, markets, etc. We were able to ask people about the upcoming elections, ride a taxi, and eat lunch on the waterfront. I loved it! I love looking at maps and figuring out my way around a big city.

View of Table Mountain from my hotel room!

My group in the Company GardensCity Hall

St. George's CathedralGreen Market SquarePolitical banter

The four Nobel Peace Prize winners: Tutu, Mandela, De Klerk, and LuthuliThe water front!

Wednesday night we met our host families! I am living with Paige! We have a very sweet “mom and dad” who are coloured. My host mom makes incredible food and is a wonderful person. My host dad is so cheerful and funny. I really enjoy living with them! Paige and I have our own rooms, and we live across the street from Laura Jane and Megan Goeman, whom we carpool with in the mornings. Paige and I believe that we got placed at the best house for our personalities!

Thursday morning we took a driving/walking tour of a few different townships in the outskirts of Cape Town. Here is a photo of our tour guide outside of one of the townships, Langa.

An art project to get community members involved and to raise money

This is a painting on the side of a primary school. Yep, that's right... an elementary school.

They let us visit the kindergarteners!

Another township... a government building project is in the distance. It has been postponed due to the World Cup. People were displaced from their homes for these new buildings, but they probably will not be allowed back in because they wont be able to afford the rent.

This is "smiley." Look closely... it is a lamb's head. People sell these and eat them. There are flies on them! AHHHH!

This is a traditional healer/witch doctor.

As a group, we definitely struggled to get adjusted to this new way of living the first week we were here. We had been so accustomed to living with everyone else from APU, and suddenly we were scattered throughout an unfamiliar town without cell phones, cars, or internet! We had to try to figure out how to get places at night, where we should go for fun, and what we are and are not allowed to do while we are here. Some people were telling us not to use public transportation, while others were saying it was okay. It was rather frustrating, actually. We requested a map of the town with all of our home-stays marked, each others’ phone numbers, and a list of public transportation that is safe for us to use. That information has helped a lot. School work has picked up its pace as well, so we have been stressed, busy, and confused!

I have more to come soon! I miss you all! Being in Cape Town and staying with a family has made me miss home a little. I know it's awful to admit this, but I have not missed America until coming to Cape Town! I think it's a great place to transition for me.

xoxox