...week three :]

“We changed again, and yet again, and it was now too late and too far to go back, and I went on. And the mists had all solemnly risen now, and the world lay spread before me.”

-Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Lawco wasn’t exactly what I expected this Friday. I was working with a small group of about five sixteen year-olds and explaining xenophobia to them. They didn’t know what the word refugee meant so one of the South African volunteers came over and instantly knew the word for it in their native language. I couldn’t even pronounce the kids names because most of them have clicks in them. I think they were having a really difficult time understanding my accent because I was getting a lot of blank stares. When I was finally able to ask them “if a refugee is in South Africa do you think they should receive the same basic human rights that you receive?” they answered no! By the time we got that far group time was over. I have never felt so inefficient. I know that it’s going to take time and that I will get a lot out of this program, but it’s obvious the first few weeks are going to be a struggle. As a class our group leader asked the kids to close their eyes and think about a time that they were scared for their safety and one girl was so upset by it she ran out of the room. I can’t even imagine what she was remembering, but it broke my heart just to know that she and, most likely, all of those kids have been through multiple life-threatening situations. Despite all of that though when it came to putting a play on at the end, those kids lit up! You could definitely tell which ones loved attention and they were hilarious.

Saturday was much lighter. It’s a long weekend for National Women’s Day on Monday so half of my house is gone on trips to the Garden Route and Cedarburg, but the rest of us want to save those trips for the Spring time. We left for the train yesterday around noon and took it to Simon’s Town. It was once a naval harbor for the Dutch and is now a precious beach town. I bought some vintage post cards from an antique shop of what the area looked like in the 1800’s; I love old photography. The girls and I ate at a restaurant called Bertha’s, which was right on the water. It reminded me of a place I ate at with my mom and Julie in Washington or Oregon on the water. I had the best calamari I have ever had; it was so fresh! While we were eating the seals were doing flips in the water right in front of us, it was really cute. It was the perfect day trip. The train station in Simon’s Town was destroyed by a storm so we had to take a bus from Fish Hoek to the actual town. On the way there some guy stood up on the bus and preached for about ten minutes about being a born-again Christian, he then proceeded to come down every row of seats and try to “bring us to Jesus.” I tried to be friendly and explain to him that I am Catholic, but he told me I am going to Hell if I don’t change haha so that was the end of that discussion. On the way back these obnoxious drunk guys were really hassling us about being American, but they were harmless. The train ride was really great! This African woman was helping us and told me that I need to take her back to America with me because everyone is rich there. She made me promise that in 2015 I will come back and start a huge business to employ her, I told her she could run the business with me. It was a pretty entertaining conversation; it was refreshing to meet someone so friendly.

Today, Sunday, was wonderful. We were supposed to go to the District 6 museum (apartheid) downtown, but it ended up being closed on Sunday. We took a mini bus down to Green Point, which could not have been more of an adventure. These buses (large white vans) drive up and down Main Street with one man driving and another hanging half his body out the window screaming “Cape Town, Cape Town” while hassling pedestrians to get in. It’s really nice though because they only charge 5 Rand (50 cents) to go any where along Main. They fill these vans until people are totally sardined in that van, it is crazy! Luckily ours was full, but not over-crowded. It had a disco ball and was blasting Lady Gaga remixes haha! So once we got there we had breakfast at this little café and it was sooooo good! Best omelet I have ever had! I also had a tea latte with white chocolate and it was beyond words. Afterwards we walked along the coast for a while and the ocean was raging. The waves were huge and it looked straight out of a photograph. We ended up meeting up with one of our housemates, Sam, and her parents because they are here visiting. We went to the V&A waterfront mall and I finally got a new camera! It was a little more expensive than I was hoping, but it was so worth it. I have hated not being able to capture this trip. I also bought knee high leather boots so I am no longer the only white girl here without them. Walking around in flip flops was making me stick out like a sore thumb, the South Africans act like it’s 40 degrees here. My only other purchase was a cute ring; Kasey and I bought found some really cool ones for half out, such an exciting moment.

We all ended up going back to the house Sam’s parents are staying in and it was beautiful! It was just up on the mountain looking out on the waterfront, the artwork, architecture, view, and everything about it was incredible. So refreshing after living in this 100 year-old house haha. We had hamburgers and just a lovely little American meal:] It felt so homey to be with parents and it was really nice to hear their perspective on the area. I really liking it here more and more. I still miss home a lot, but I just feel so blessed to have this opportunity, it truly is a once in a lifetime experience. Anyway, I guess I’m rambling now. Just having a T.V. night with my housemates and doing lots of homework tomorrow! Exploring the world is becoming a lot less scary and a lot more exciting :]

P.S. Taylor Swift, Lil Wayne, and Drake are awesome deterrents of homesickness :]

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