The Daily Grind

Hey everyone!

I am going to try to start posting in this blog weekly, just to keep everyone updated on what’s been going on here in Cape Town. The last few weeks have seemed pretty dull when compared to our Garden Route road trip adventure. I mean, getting to campus for my 9am class just isn’t that glamorous when you’re riding the UCT Jammie Shuttle instead of an elephant. However, since I am “studying” abroad rather than just hanging out in Cape Town, I guess I’ll have to deal.

Classes here are much different than at AU. For one thing, the semesters here are very backloaded, meaning that most of our work is due at the end. For now, I have next to no homework. I am not complaining! (I’m sure I will be by the end of the semester when I have a bunch of papers, finals, and I am scrambling to do as much as I can before I have to leave, but for now I’m happy!) Classes are also a lot shorter here, only 45 minutes. Since the professors start late and sometimes end early, class ends up being a little more than half an hour long. Glorious! Same length as my attention span. Most of my lectures are not all useful. It’s sort of annoying when you climb a mountain to get to class only to find that the mountain climb was worthless, but I need the exercise!

I have started doing my volunteer work for SHAWCO, the UCT student-run non-profit. I am working at St. George’s Home for Girls, which is located in Wynberg not too far from UCT. Most of the girls are between 5 and 18 years old, but there are a few younger ones. Basically, when we go, we just play games or color with them. They are very sweet little girls, FULL of energy, so our time there is pretty chaotic. I have fun with it. My experience at St. Georges so far very much reminds me of the ones that I had with my Girl Scout troop last year. I will tell more about St. Georges in a later entry.

Between St. Georges, scuba diving meetings, hanging out with friends, and a little homework, my weeks are suprisingly busy. I have a lot more free time here than I do at home, obviously, and it is a very welcome change. I really needed a break from my usual stressful, overcommitted life in DC. Having so much more time to do the things that I want to do has made me realize how thinly my time was stretched last semester. I am definitely learning that taking time for myself is a wonderful thing!

On the weekends, we have been having a great time continuing to explore Cape Town. There is so much to see and do here that I don’t think anyone could ever be bored. Last weekend, we went to Long Street and went shopping in Greenmarket Square, which is a big craft and flea market. It reminds me very much of Eastern Market in DC, except the things that people sell are much much cooler! I bought some gifts for people and a few carved wooden bowls to keep my hair clips, jewelry, and loose change in. That night, we went back to Long Street to have dinner and hit a few bars there. The nightlife in Cape Town is so much fun. Everyone is always in summer party mode, since the weather is nice, so it makes for a great time.

Tomorrow we are going to Noordhoek to ride horses on the beach at sunset. Beforehand we plan on spending the day there, just exploring the area and soaking up some sun. I need to get some homework done today because I have a paper due on Friday. I will post more, hopefully with a fun story about our day, later in the week. Love and miss you all!