GO YOUR HOME

Today was a very eye opening day for me. I feel like it could be summed up in one word…ignorance…more to this in a bit. To give our day in a very general nut shell…first we learned about South Africa history from Steve and Zwelethu, got lunch at the student center, and went down to district 6 near downtown Cape Town for the District 6 Museum and for a little exploring on our own. The idea of ignorance to me has always been the neglect of an opportunity to learn or to take advantage of something that you may take for granted. Today during our lecture on South Africa history I have never felt so ignorant in the presence of someone who is not trying to belittle me. After talking about South Africa we shifted more toward things that are happening now and US politics and such. Steve and Zwelethu knew more about US politics than most of us! I really felt disgusted with myself that I didn’t even know what seemed to be common knowledge to them about my own country, and at the same time I knew almost nothing about theirs. I think this is just something I am going to have to work on and get more used to during this trip but has become one of my must do’s for future visits. I was extremely ready to start our more standard class portion of this may session. This is really a 24/7 program in my eyes…I am always learning either about myself or someone else and I have already been able to see my point of view and perception change.
In the afternoon we went down to the District 6 museum.

In a nut shell…this was a place in Cape Town that was the residence to many colored people that came from all around the world to create a very diverse, culturally sensitive, and very accepting area. District 6 was comprised of some very valuable land so the government decided to kick all of the people off and move them many kilometers away. They then destroyed their houses to ensure they wouldn’t be able to come back. The District 6 museum focused on the history of the events and the changes through District 6. I thoroughly enjoyed learning within this museum because of the significance this had in Cape Town.

We then had some time to go off on our own and explore Cape Town! I was really excited to go do a little shopping and just do some people watching to see something that is different from what I am used to. Jesse and I started off looking for a few electronic necessities that we still didn’t have but then ended up just wondering through the markets and a mall in downtown Cape Town. I think we definitely stood out and were different but I really didn’t feel like we were targeted or treated any different…initially that is. One of my favorite parts of this was getting to work on my bartering skills! Since all of the guys in our group are pretty darn amazing we decided to add to that and get all the girls some flowers just because we can. I was pretty excited to buy some flowers at the market and I think we found our perfect seller as well! The lady we went to was a short, stocky lady with a huge smile and a very warm personality. She was quite sassy and I totally ate it up! We ended up agreeing on 50 rand for 17 flowers…3 bucks USD…can’t really complain. I definitely got a few looks carrying all these orange roses around the mall and market but it really didn’t seem that out of the ordinary. After looking at a few more shops we started to head back to get picked up to go back to Mowbray. While Jesse and I were walking back a police truck carrying a bunch of prisoners in the back drove by. As they were driving one of them yelled, “Go Your Home.” This took me back….was that aimed at us? What have we done? I was more offended than afraid but it still made me a little more nervous and aware of my surroundings. As we neared the corner of our pick up I noticed a bunch of police cars, ambulances, and these large police trucks. We were near the court building which was also connected to a building that provides shelter for people without any. When we pulled up to the museum a few hours earlier I noticed all of these people waiting outside of this building but had no idea why until later. As we approached our corner we were told we could not go down the block and had to take a slight detour. As we were standing a block away from what was happening another large police truck with people in the back drove by and the prisoners began banging on the truck and yelling at us and everybody around. At this point I think we all got a little nervous. We soon found out these were people who are too afraid to go to their homes because of all the xenophobia in South Africa right now. As of what happened I still have no idea…but this was hands down my biggest eye opening moment in Cape Town.

First day: Words dont do this place justice

After taking a few steps out our front door and looking to your right you see devils peak...part of table mountain...as of now I really cant complain about anything! Today we had our little orientation with UCT campus and interstudy. I was really excited to see what UCT campus was all about and all it had to offer. All I can say is people who complain about the U campus being too big or too much walking....stay away from UCT! It was quite a bit of walking...there was a lower campus, a middle campus, and of course and upper campus! It is all at the base of table mountain so you have to go up, up, up! Diane and Agith met us at our houses and started our little walk up to campus. I guess I really had no expectations for campus...but it was absolutly amazing..and very beautiful. Another thing that UCT and UMN have in common is campus connector=Jammie...we'll see how tomorrow goes because we have to get to upper campus by our selves to our lecture room by 9am. I think I will be taking the Jammies quite a bit because seriously...walking these hills everyday cant be good for your health :) When we were on our way up campus there were tennis courts with these basketball looking hoops with no nets...weird huh? We soon found out this was for net ball....no dribbling, lots of passing...and something about girls in skirts...I think a few of us might check it out! Once we got up to our interstudy orientation it was already official...im in love with UCT campus and cape town in general and will be making a return visit in the near future! Throughout our orientation I really began to appreciate what interstudy has done to help us get where we are with this program. I have always known there has been a lot of work put into the program and its development but they are amazing people with a true passion. After orientation I was ready to just go...do something..anything...we kept going up campus to upper campus and once we finally got there I felt a sense of accomplishment...it was a LONG way up! We saw a little bit of the classroom setting and saw the interstudy office before we headed off for our tour of the area around UCT campus. On our way down it was very beautiful...lots of flowers...lots of different trees and such...quite jealous. Today was very nice and sunny but I really dont want to picture all of these hills when its even a little wet our let alone pouring rain! Once we got off campus Agith and Diane showed us a few places to eat and drink and just a few local tips. I can really appreciate all the little words of advice and always find myself giving them when friends/family come to UMN campus and are looking for help. After that we went down to V&A waterfront for an absolutly amazing lunch at Primi Wharf! We were told previously that this was more of a tourist portion of cape town and I couldnt have explained it better myself. The mall was stocked full of upper class stores with price tags higher than what this experience is costing...but back to lunch! From our table we looked out onto the ocean and it was beautiful...like everything else in cape town. This place had amazing food and just as good of drinks! To even speak of this place doesnt do any of it justice so please ask...ie jam jar! After lunch we all decided to stay at the waterfront for a few extra hours to do some shopping and just walk around and see whats going on. I decided to walk the boardwalk and take a few pictures and really just take in my surroundings and really...again...amazing! Sorry if I say everything is amazing but it really is! Jesse, Brian, and I decided to head up toward the new soccer stadium for the world cup..which is going to be pretty sweet and take some pictures of the sunset and then walk down the beach. All in all it was an amazing day and this was a very short summary and cant do it all justice. I am running out of battery life so it will most likely be continued later but as always,

Cheers

Flying...many miles from anything familiar

First and most important...we are all here...and safe...and all of our luggage came...well except for Kate but she came from Vietnam...so for the most part..it all went well! Really..the flight wasnt nearly as bad as it sounded. Oour flight to JFK was quite quick...I think most if not all of us slept for atleast part of it. Once we got into JFK we had roughly 7 hours to burn and again...it really wasnt so bad...15 other amazing people...its pretty easy to burn some time! This was really the point where it all started to set it...well kind of...mabye one of many time that the experience has become more real...also while sitting at JFK we met Chad..oh Chad..he was a college student from Michigan that was going to Cape Town to do mission work with a church for a little over 2 months...he knew no body there and was flying alone so we kind of adopted him into our group since we should have about 20 hours of flight time with him! I was was really impressed with his ability to go to a place where he knows nobody or really what he was doing and be fine with it! The flight from JFK to Dakar and then Dakar to Johannesburg was a very long flight but we did have our own touch screen TV's in the seats and I think we were fed 3 times or something rediculous so it went pretty well...or as well as a flight that long could possibly go! I slept almost the entire way to Dakar so my plan was to try and stay awake for the second half of the flight to try and get on SA time....but of COURSE the lights went off and there was no way I was going to be able to stay up for 8 hours in the dark. Next...our Jberg-Cape Town connect...to quote Aaron..we need to "HAUL ASS" to get our luggage, through customs, check our bags and then back through security in order to make our Cape Town fligh an hour and a half after we arrived into Johannesburg. I think we were all quite nervous about getting through everything and making sure we made our flight but as usual...it was all okay and we made our flight! However, in Johannesburg airport there is alot of construction going on....thus its very confusing to find where to go! So these 2 men aka the porters helped us find our way and with our luggage...in the end I think they made quite a taking off the "dumb americans"....roughly $50 american for each of them! Atleast we got that done right away! Finally...Jberg to cape town...quick and easy...and of course we got another meal :) Once we all got off in cape town, collected our luggage, we were all soooo ready to get home...shower and clean up! Kate, Aaron, Nikki, Sephimo, Ouma, Diane, and Agith all met us for intros and to take us to our houses we'll be staying in...by the time I finally got off the plane I was just ready to get home..un pack and finally crash...but first we had to get there. Of course we all had a crazy amount of luggage so we packed it all into a trailer and into one of our vans and then tried to pack people where ever we could...most people went in another van...a few went with Aaron and a few went with Sephimo but I ended up riding with one of the drivers in the van with our luggage...he was quite a funny guy and a great first person to have a convo with in cape town.....first impression of housing...amazing...our houses were right across the street from each other so that was/is really nice since we are all right near each other! The first night interstudy got us all pizza and pop and we really just showerd (first and most important), ate, unpacked and hung out. Jesse and I went out and played a little frisbee in the street because it was soooo nice out...its "winter" here but its still 60-70degrees out...nice huh? Then a few more people came out and we all just sat on the ground and realized how surreal this all was still...we were in Africa...thousands of miles away from home...unreal

And so it begins...

In my last hours left in Minneapolis for a few weeks I constantly find myself thinking about what I must have forgotten or some small detail that has obviously slipped my mind..but in reality I think I have run through everything about 38 times...really. I am done packing, I know how I am getting to the airport...FINALLY..and it has all really came together quite nicely. After waiting for this more and more I am getting to the point where I am just ready to leave now...no more hype...no more worrying...lets just go. To top it off all of the things that have been happening in SA...mostly Johannesburg....have really just made me want to suck it up and get going. I know everything will be fine and if you have followed the stories at all you know that our trip will be fine but its just another thing to add to the already full plate of emotions I'm dealing with. As I sit here now(12:50am)...it is all kind of surreal...in 2 hours I'm going to go get breakfast with Cole at Perkins...then off to the airport with Brian and Cole..a SLIGHT stay at JFK aka 7 hour layover...then to Dakar, Senegal...Johannesburg, South Africa...and finally Cape Town! All in all I am finally ready to do this...wish me luck :)

It still hasn't set in..or wait..IM GOING TO SOUTH AFRICA

Its official...in 5 days I will be in Cape Town, South Africa for a trip that will open my eyes, my heart, and my life. Through all of our pre-departure meetings and small group get together's the realization that I will actually be going hadn't really hit me. For me I feel like I have seen this May session trip evolve from an idea, to a dream, to finally a reality. I can still recall the day back in my first leadership class at the U of M with Aaron and Nikki when they pitched their idea for this trip to see if people would be interested. I am still as excited today as I was when I first heard of this opportunity...maybe a little bit more nervous now though? For me there have really been a plethora of people that have made this amazing opportunity a legitimate reality. I simply can not thank my friends and family enough for all of the love and support I have received to embark on this trip. I also have to thank everybody that will be going on this trip with me because without them it really wouldn't happen and I don't think it would be the same if I didn't have people to share this experience with. Finally, this would all not be possible without Aaron and Nikki and all the hard work they have put in developing the program, making connections, and doing EVERYTHING they do.

As of now I am simply ready to go! I am NOT packed, I don't know how I am getting to the airport yet, and frankly I am fine with it because I know it will all work out...it always does right? I remember when we had our first pre-departure meeting and at that time I really didn't know what I was nervous about. I was excited for everything..new country, new culture, new people..and now I finally realized this is exactly what I am nervous for as well. I like to think I step out of my box on a regular basis, however, this LEAP really has the opportunity to make a huge impact on me...and I really think it will!

So this will be my blog, my connection, my thoughts, my emotions, my frustrations, and my realization of a place so different than mine....