Midsemester Part 2

Back for Part 2 of the wonerful adventure that was my midsemester roadtrip. Last time I left off with driving into Coffee Bay. Here's the map again for reference:

Day 3 and 4: Coffee Bay

   As I was explaining before, Coffee Bay is one of the most remote locations we visited during the trip. Our path to the hostel took us through some hilly, bumpy, and cow-grazed terrain. Upon arriving, we dropped our things and immediatly ran to the beach (seeing how the hostel was located on the beach, we didn't have far to run). 

Coffee Bay Beach

Powerful waves, green hills, and a joyous afternoon met us full force as we headed into the water. That night happened to be a full moon, so we had a Full Moon Celebration at sundown. It was fun meeting all the other interesting travelers who found themselves in Coffee Bay. Interesting people like Sam and Emily from Canada traveling after graduating college, a group of Germans traveling before starting college, and a couple from London who have a long list of places already visited during their short marriage. 

I tried oysters for the first time! (not too bad with some lemon)

Sarah, me, and Duke enjoying the sundown

The people living, working, and visiting Coffee Bay all adapt an attitude of relaxation, graditude, and acceptance that stems from the beauty and peacefulness of the place more than anything else. No one was in a particular hurry to do or be anywhere, and everyone was respectful of eachother and the place we were. In one word....it was pretty hippy. Like a lot hippy. But it was great. After our sundown celebration, we were treated to traditional Xhosa dancing from some of the women in the village, and then enjoyed a traditional Xhosa meal.

Dancers from the village

One of the best parts of being in Coffee Bay was the fact that we spent two nights there. This gave us a chance to explore Coffee Bay for a whole day, uninterrupted. A group of us decided to attempt the "Hole-in-the-Wall" hike along the coast and through the hills of the village. We started on our trek in the late morning with only the trampled down grass of frequented footpaths for our trail. Cows, sheep, and goats roamed the hillside as we made the three hour hike to the "Hole-in-the-Wall."

Off we go!

Friends we made along the way.

While the hike was not really like any of the other hikes we have done since being in South Africa, the change of terrain was nice. However, do not be fooled by the pictures- a lot of the hike was still very challenging. One hill in particular was a beast to go down, and eventually back up.

Too bad you can't tell how steep this part is...

Most of the time, visitors hike to "Hole-in-the-Wall" and then get a ride back to the hostel. However, none of the people were available to drive us back, so we hiked back. It was not a problem except that we only had a jar of peanut butter, some granola bars, and a couple of apples to share between all of us for provisions. The whole thing took 6 hours in total and we covered about 12 miles. Neither the rain, nor the difficulty of the hike could crush our spirits.

We made it to Hole-in-the-Wall!

Our goat friend led the way home.

Is this real? Too beautiful for words

Needless to say, we were all beyond tired when we arrived back at the hostel. It was a day well spent, and one I will cherish in particular of all my days spent in South Africa. That night  we relaxed around a fire and listened to some of a drum circle happening across the street. We planned on leaving around 7 or 8 the next morning to get on the road for Durban. I ended waking up at 6am to go to the bathroom and ran into a small number of girls getting ready to go for sunrise yoga on the hill. I decided to join them, and experienced one of the most peaceful and beautiful sunrises I have seen thus far. I do not have any pictures from this because we were too busy experiencing, appreciating, and seeing the sunrise to capture it. And I think that is ok. Sometimes I think that my camera gets inbetween me and my experiences here. It was nice not to have it for once. Yoga in itself is restorative, but practicing yoga on that hill in such a beautiful place while the sun was rising was almost too much. There was no other way I could have wanted to start the morning. I had never been more happy my small bladder had forced me out of bed early.

Day 5: Durban
   Everyone was sad to leave Coffee Bay, but driving through more of this beautiful country made it a little better. We headed for our last coastal city, Durban. Because the drive from Coffee Bay to Durban was pretty long, we did not have too much time in Durban. We went out to dinner and then Ushaka Seaworld the next day. There was a seal show with more show than seals, but it was fun to walk around and look at all the different fish, sharks, and other sea animals. From Durban we turned inland toward Johannesburg. It is hard to explain the feelings I had after leaving Coffee Bay in exchange for cities like Durban and Johannesburg. I was surprised by my anxiety and animosity toward the cities because of their lack of green spaces. However, there were still treasures along the way like this field of sunflowers. For me, the sunflower is the flower that brings the most happiness and joy to its beholder. I cannot help but smile for sunflowers.

Part 3 (the final installement) of midsemester is Johannesburg and safari in Kruger! Stay tuned for more about the apartheid museum, giraffes, elephants, and much much more! 

Midsemester Part 1

Oh hello! I am back safe and sound from my 10-day roadtrip through South Africa. Let me tell you- it was one hell of an adventure! Because so much happened over the trip and there so many pictures/stories to share I have decided to break the trip into a couple of posts. So, here is the first installment:

This is a loose outline of the route we took on our midsemester roadtrip. We ended up back in Johannesburg and then flew back to Cape Town. (for some reason B-Knysna did not show up)

Day 1: Off to Knysna
   Friday March 14th we awoke at 5am to embark on the roadtrip of a lifetime. 16 of my housemates and I loaded our luggage onto a massive truck/bus/van thing and piled inside. Our driver and guide for our trip was Jimmy from Johannesburg. He does tours throughout Africa with the travel company that planned our trip and had the pleasure of corralling all of us crazy college kids throughout break. Most of us fell back asleep immediatly after climbing onto the large vehicle, but it was not long before we caught up with the sunrise as we drove out of Cape Town. I am sure I will be repeating this statement a lot throughout my retelling of midsemester, but the drive was incredible. I was so fortunate to be able to see so much of the country and the beauty it has to share. Throughout most of our trip we would drive for a good portion of each day and stay in hostels at night. However, some places we were able to spend two nights. Our first stop was Knysna, a city along the Garden Route. Knysna had some fun shops and restaurants, but the activity we all were most excited for was BUNGEE JUMPING!
   Originally, bungee jumping had been planned for the second day of our trip, but due to various circumstances we were informed on our drive there that we would be jumping that first day of the trip. This had both positives and negatives to it, but ended up being the best outcome because everyone was so anxious for it. We drove about an hour outside of Knysna to the bridge pictured below. Let's just get this clear- I have NEVER had the urge to go bungee jumping before. Ever. I had always said I would go skydiving before bungee jumping, and I would never think of doing that either. But there I was, studying abroad in South Africa, with 16 of some of the greatest people I know, suddenly full of excitement instead of fear. I think I was able to do it because I had decided the moment I was accepted to the program that I would do it. I knew I would get this once chance to do this wild and crazy thing and wanted to take full advantage of it. So, 14 of the 17 of us suited up, walked across a terrifying catwalk underneath the bridge off of which we would jump, danced like crazy, and then it was 5-4-3-2-1-BUNGEE!  

Bridge I bungee jumped off. We jumped from the top of the curved part. Tallest commercial bungee off of a bridge in the world!

Getting strapped in and ready to go.

Right about now I am realizing that I will be jumping into open space only attached by my ankles...

Yahoo! Kowabunga!

Yes, it was terrifying. Yes, it was totally worth it. However, I'm not sure I would ever need to do it again...maybe if the time was right. As you can see from the picture, the surroundings were absolutely beautiful. The scenery gave me something to look at as I hung, spinning around waiting to be pulled back up. Bungee jumping was an interesting experience- freefalling felt like nothing I've ever experienced, and I was surprised that I was unable to inhale the first couple of seconds of the fall. Therefore, I couldn't scream until I was already bouncing and spinning at the end of the jump. Why would we ever do something like this? Well as we say, T.I.A- This Is Africa. And when in Africa...we go bungee jumping.
   After that adrenaline packed afternoon, we returned to Knsyna for dinner and drinks by the fire. It was a great start to midsemester and started us off in the most perfect way. The next morning, and the rest of the mornings during break were early starts. We usually were on the road by 6 or 7am to make some headway and arrive at our next destination as early as possible. 

Day 2: On to East London
   Most of Saturday was spend driving to East London. Halfway through the day we stopped in Port Elizabeth for lunch on the beach.

Duke and me on the beach in Port Elizabeth

 After lunch on the beach we cruised toward East London, but a breakdown delayed our arrival at Bucaneers (our next hostel). When we finally did arrive, we knew it was a beautiful place so close to the beach set into the side of a hill. We were sad that we weren't able to see it in the light, but we still had a great time. We ate a traditional Xhosa meal including samp&beans, ox tail, vegetable stew, bread, and pudding for dessert. Then, we all dressed up a bit and headed to the bar at the hostel for some dancing and drinks. It was a fun time had by all full of laughs, crazy moves, and new friends. The next morning two of my friends and I woke up early for a walk along the beach. It was so peaceful and untouched. We were the only ones on the beach that morning. Sharing the quiet and stillness with them was refreshing. Even though we woke up relatively early each morning during break, I made it a habit to get up a little bit before most people. I reveled in the extra time to sit, think, take in my surroundings, and just enjoy the quiet.

Early morning on the beach in East London

We enjoyed a light breakfast of fruit, bread, and jam before loading back onto the bus. This time we were rolling toward the remote area of Coffee Bay. Coffee Bay was an exceptional part of break, espeically since we were able to stay there for two nights. However, I am going to cover our time there in my next post. I'll end with some reflections on the drive to Coffee Bay.
   Driving to Coffee Bay was amazing. There was so much green (my favorite color) and interesting landscape. Coffee Bay is pretty remote, and to get there we drove through village after village and hill after hill full of rondevals (round homes with thatched roofs). I could not help but smile and wave at the local children watching us drive by. Throughout break I realized that I would feel such a great sense of release as we drove away from a larger city toward a more rural or remote area. I became intensely aware of my preference for open fields, mountains, small communities, green everything, and less traveled roads over the crowded, loud, and busy cities. It is something I intend to pay attention to in the future because of the relaxation and joy I gain from these places and landscapes.

On the way to Coffee Bay

 Coffee Bay delivered in so many ways, and I cannot wait to recount the tales of our days there. But for now, I will leave you with a short excerpt from my notebook I wrote while riding in the car:

         Once we got out of the city I couldn't keep from staring out the window at the faded outline of the mountains and the sprawling expanse of open space. And that's when I realized the honesty and truth in the statement, 'I am not made for the city.' My heart and soul yearn for open fields, winding roads, and greens of every shade. Give me trees full of thousands of leaves. And acres of grass- each sqaure inch full of more life than I can comprehend. Let me view and commit to memory the the beauty humankind had no part in creating. Because then, and only then, can my eyes bear witness to the constant life, death, and rebirth of nature. 

Another landscape on the way to Coffee Bay

Next time: Coffee Bay and Durban then Joburg and Kruger!

A Random Assortment

This is just a random assortment of some of the things/activities I have been doing in the past couple of weeks. Cape Town has been busy as ever, and we are trying to take advantage of all that it has to offer.

One of my favorite outings in Cape Town involves wandering through all the different markets. From food to clothes and some other strange things inbetween, these markets have it all. The one in particular some of my housemates and I enjoy frequenting is the Old Biscuit Mill Market. This market is only open on Saturdays, and offers a range of the most delectable food I have seen (and tasted) as well as different items from local artists and designers. We have decided that we need to keep returning so that we can taste food from all the different booths. This past time Duke and I decided to chow down on some scrumptous homemade waffles.

Topped with chocolate, syrup, caramel, and homemade whipped cream-yum

Duke and me with our waffles!

Dear all foodies out there- this market is the market of your dreams. Not only are there endless food options, but also an assortment of drinks, bakery items, and condiments to take home too.

This past weekend a group of us traveled down to Camps Bay Beach to watch the sunset, scope out some ice cream, and then talk while the stars came out. It happened to be quite cloudy  that night, but the sunset was still beautiful. 

Chatting on the beach with ice cream in hand reminded me just how lucky I am to be here experiencing this country with such a great group of people. There are many more sunsets (or sundowns as they're referred to here) to be seen, but this was a pretty great one. The next morning six of us girls from the house decided to take on Table Mountain (the last of the three main hikes-Devil's Peak, Table Mountain, and Lion's Head). What started out to be an enjoyable hike turned into a scramble to the top trying to beat the rain. As we reached the midpoint of our hike, a large cloud rolled over the mountain enveloping us in fog, rain, and cold (relatively, of course, I know it's still snowing back home). Because I had not brought a jacket and none of us wanted to risk slipping on the way down, we decided to ride the Cable Car down. Our two hour hike up the mountainside was reduced to a three minute ride. 

Wet, cold, and still smiling mountaineers!

Cable Car ride back down

Although our hike was a success, we have resolved to come back and hike the trail again when there will be better visability from the top. The view would have been amazing, but the fog and clouds prevented us from seeing much of anything.

Other than that, service and school have been in full swing with tiring days at iThemba Labantu, tests, and papers. However, that all comes to a pause at the end of this week. Early Friday morning I leave for my midsemester trip- a roadtrip along the coast and ending with a Safari near Johannesburg. The trip promises to be full of adventure and beautiful scenery. I will be without a computer for about a week and a half to two weeks. Therefore, this will be my last blog post until I return from the midsemester trip. Stay tuned for a recounting of the tales from my trip!

it's messy

Most of my blog posts thus far have been a smattering of butterflies, rainbows, pixie dust, and sunshine. I do not say this to devalue any of those earlier posts, but to draw attention to the other, very real, part of my experience here. I want to be able to share that with you too. It's going to be messy. It's going to be confusing. It's going to be something I must do in order to stay true to myself and my experiences here.


But where to begin...?


I think, with my favorite photograph I have taken since being in South Africa.

This photograph was taken from the moving vehicle I was in on my way back from service earlier this week. It is right off the side of the highway near Philippi (the township I am in Mondays and Tuesdays). For me, there is something so complete and authentic about this picture that sums up a lot of my feelings about South Africa...

    blue skies prevail most days
      green grass intermingles with brown, sandy ground
          are the ever-present fences, barbed wire, gates, and bars on windows keeping something out or               something in?

                the brightest colors can found in some of the darkest places

        home is much more than just a place

           humans are incredibly adaptive

      but should they have to adapt to this?

                     there is an expanse between my bus and that fence

and i must cross it
           i know some of the people who live in places like this
    they have names and faces and families and hopes and dreams

                                              and they want to be happy, just like me

              

I spend a good portion of my time riding in a minibus. A lot of that time we drive through different areas dropping off and picking up my housemates from service sites. Many times I pick a spot next to the window and stare out of it thinking for the whole ride. Wondering how so many people can live in such a small space. How that many people get by with communal water taps and concrete bathrooms. Wondering how the politics and economics of it all works. Wondering how it all happened, how it all came to be. Because most of the time I cannot wrap my mind about the intercomplexities of the whole thing. I ask questions. I see more. I ask more questions. I still do not understand. 

            

          

These densely packed structures made of aluminum, tarps, and sometimes concrete are known as shantytowns or townships. Without going into too much of South Africa's history (that will have to be a whole post in itself), I will briefly try to explain how these groupings of shack dwellers came to be. In short, during apartheid there were specified areas where only certain races were allowed to be. For example, Cape Town was deemed a "white" area, and thus only white South Africans were allowed to live in Cape Town. During this time many black Africans lost their land and were evicted from their homes so that they could be relocated to "suitable" areas with people "of their own kind." However, once apartheid ended in 1994 and people were again able to move freely throughout the country, many traveled to the Western Cape (where I reside now). This area was thought to be rich in resources, economic opportunities, and quality education. However, the people moving to Cape Town did not own land or homes in the area and did not have the financial resources to buy pre-existing homes here. Apartheid had left so many impoverished and disadvantaged. So, groups starting occupying land, building their own shacks, and creating communities. Almost everyone in these communities share communal water taps and communal bathrooms. Electricity is rare and mostly illegaly wired from those fortunate enough to have it. People continue to flock to the Western Cape, but find that the resources cannot accomodate the vast amount of people trying to use them. They find that there really are not that many economic opportunities for unskilled or uneducated workers. They also find that the education system is still disadvantaged, schools are overcrowded, and children are moved through the system without ever reaching standards. There are many wonderful things about Cape Town, but there is also immense, visible, and undeniable poverty. This does not even begin to scratch the surface of the history, context, and explanation for these areas, but it is a start. 

 Because the mornings are the only quiet time in the house, I tend to wake up early, make coffee, and sit with my thoughts for a bit. We also have the paper delivered to our front door every morning, and every couple of days I will read the paper during these early mornings. But I can only handle reading it every couple of days. The pages are riddled with violence, abuse, inadequacy and injustices. Most of the time I have to wait until I have finished my breakfast. I loose my appetite pretty quickly when I read of a 9 year old girl being raped. And then it was an 11 year old girl when she was using a communal bathroom. And then it was a 3 year old girl


      

and i just didn't understand

These things happen, and happen often. Almost always, the people of the townships take justice matters into their own hands. They will kill rapists, criminals, and other perpetrators because the police are not present or effective in the area. Mobs burn shacks, stone individuals, and decide how to deal with the atrocities they face every day together. And while I read about it in the morning paper, it is happening again somewhere else.

No place is perfect. Cape Town is no exception. South Africa is no exception. This is part of the other part of South Africa with which I have been confronted since being here. And it is a vital part of my experience. It's messy, but I want to be in that beautiful mess.