What exactly is "Africa?"

First of all, I just uploaded some of my pictures onto a Flikr account, so if you want to check them out, click on this link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/28725728@N07/

It’s been over a week now since I’ve gotten to South Africa, and it is already feeling like home. I have honestly been having the time of my life, and I can’t believe all of the things I have been so fortunate to experience already! I’ll just recap some of the major highlights of this past week.

The first five days of our trip were dedicated towards CIEE program orientation. During this, we stayed in a hotel on what is called the Waterfront, which was a pretty crazy experience in itself. Modeled after Fisherman’s Warf in San Francisco, you really could imagine this huge manifestation of western capitalism placed almost anywhere in the US. The architecture itself, as well as the choice of stores (Gucci, Crocs, Guess, Billabong, Subway…you name it, they probably have it) really screams what your intuition may want to consider the “anti-Africa”⎯everything the media and your sense tell you Africa is not. For the first couple days, we were all exclaiming how much it didn’t feel like we were in Africa at all. But I’d like to comment on those sentiments briefly. I was in a bar the other day, talking to a South African UCT student originally from Johannesburg. We were having some great conversation, and he asks me what I think of Cape Town so far. I told him I loved it, and so on, and he continues to ask me if I find it very westernized. Having just talked about this topic with many of my peers, I gave him my opinion, that it really bothered me to see something like the Waterfront Mall in all of its fancy glory, only to go a few more miles in any given direction and see the endless rows of unfathomable shacks making up the township communities. The injustices are just so blunt and crude, and it becomes very hard to stomach when you sit down to really think about it. It almost even validates the high crime rates and frequent muggings, because I know if I were living in one of those sickeningly impoverished squatter camps due to the government forcing all people into these secluded areas only because of skin color (as what happened under apartheid) and had to stare at these mansions with their private security guards and electric wires all along the perimeter, I would be vengeful and bitter as well. Anyway, he explained something very interesting to me. People, especially from the west, have a certain, very distinct perception about Africa. The media likes to portray it in a certain light, mostly of war-ravaged tribally divided countries, starving children with flies on their eyes, or warriors running around in loincloths with spears. But that is not necessarily what “Africa” is all about. It is impossible to even begin to sum up succinctly “Africa”, because it is an entire continent, of 47 distinct countries, each with its own unique culture, people, architecture, customs, etc. If you come to South Africa especially, to have that typical, western conceived “Africa” experience, then you will be sorely disappointed. Because one of the most intriguing aspects about South Africa, at least for me, is that it is, in fact, a first world and third world country simultaneously. There are elements of both sides clashing and converging and diverging every day, every hour you spend in this city. So yes, I can go to the Waterfront Mall and buy a Gucci dress, and go out to swanky bars every night, and then head over to the townships and help out in the one-room schools and visit the TB clinic where kids ranging from one day old to probably mid to late teens and watch them receive their treatment in the midst of a coughing fit⎯but this does not mean I should feel like I am not in the “real” Africa. The beauty of South Africa arises out of its intense complexity and paradoxical nature.

That’s my little first week insight for now. But as far as the touristy things we’ve done so far, some of the events you’ll see in the photos (which I will put descriptions on later) include: climbing Table Mountain!! Oh my gosh, I have never been so under-prepared for something in my entire LIFE! I wasn’t expecting to be climbing nearly vertical rock structures for two hours, and I brought NO WATER! Therefore, I almost passed out several times on the way up, it all the dehydration and soreness was SO worth the view and the experience! It was a huge rush to be at the top and the feeling of accomplishment was intense. We also took a tour around the Peninsula, which took us to several different destinations of extreme beauty. On that trip, we saw the penguins, which was a highlight of my life because I LOVE penguins so much! We also went to the Cape Nature Reserve, where we saw a baboon right in the middle of our path with a baby, and also to Cape Point and Cape of Good Hope, aka the most South-Western point of the African continent. That was also another amazing view…Cape Town is full of them! We also went to the township of Oceanview, where the community spirit rivals anything I’ve ever experienced, and they feed us, put on a talent show, and invited us into their communities with open arms. We will be returning back there to do a homestay for three days in August, and I am so excited.

School starts Monday, and we are all registered for classes and trying to figure out how to navigate our ways through our breathtaking campus. My housemates are all incredible, and we get along scarily well. There are 11 of us in total, and then 2 South African students who live with us as well. There is so much more to tell, but I will cut this off here. We are off to a Kaiser Chiefs vs. Manchester United soccer game in about an hour, and can't wait!!!! Love and miss you all, thanks for reading.