Being that we are only here for a short amount of time, I think it’s
really important to embrace the many different activities and sights being
offered around us. This past weekend was
absolutely one of the best I’ve had since being here, and I’m really glad I got
to take part in things all over Cape Town.
Thursday was Human Rights Day so
I headed downtown for the Cape Town Festival where there were craft tables,
unique foods, and fantastic live music.
It was a beautiful day so I decided to enjoy the music for a little
while and then walk over to Saint George’s Marketplace. It was great to walk around and soak up the
South African sun while getting to explore the various craft stalls within the
marketplace. The best craft stops are
the ones where the artist takes the time to explain their work and gives you
the opportunity to learn more about the product, it’s really interesting to
hear what goes into these creative pieces.
After purchasing some things for people back home, I headed over to the
India Expo where there were hundreds of absolutely stunning traditional Indian
clothing pieces. I love seeing different
cultures and the things that are important to them, so it was great getting to
see not only the South African culture throughout Human Rights Day, but also
some of the Indian culture at the Expo.
We woke up Friday morning and
headed out to Nyanga for our activist project, and were surprised to find that
we had almost a completely different group of kids that week. The previous week had been spent learning
choreography for our final performance, and the kids loved it and had a great
time. But this week, with all new kids,
and a much wider age range (age 4-18), it was very overwhelming. We ended up not going on with the
choreography, and instead spent the day just making sure the kids had fun and
that they got to be on their feet. I was
lucky enough to have time to sit down and talk to the two 18 year olds in my
group, who told me firsthand experiences of how difficult it can be in South
Africa to be gay or lesbian. They
explained that their friends were sometimes scared to be seen with them because
they feared being attacked, and that they oftentimes felt unwelcome in their
own schools and neighborhoods. It was
also interesting to learn that they both seemed to feel like lesbians are more
accepted than gay men. I was honored the
two students trusted me enough to confide in me and share such personal aspects
of their lives with me, I look forward to seeing them next week and continuing
our conversations about their hopes and dreams in South Africa.
Friday night was spent as one
person put it, as “a celebration of friendship”. We spent the afternoon decorating and cooking
for everyone, and then spent the time laughing and enjoying good food before
continuing on to singing karaoke late into the night! It was a great time for all of us to work
together and bond over a night of fun.
Definitely one of the most memorable times here, and it was nice knowing
that we each put in our own special part to make the night a success.
The following morning a few of us
went to Kalks Bay to enjoy the restaurants and shops by the water, it’s a
beautiful area that I’d love to take the time to revisit before leaving. After a long day in Kalks bay we headed out
for event we had all been waiting for, the Bafana Bafana World Cup Qualifiers
game! It was such a lively crowd and it
was so easy to get into the game when everyone else was constantly cheering and
yelling- so much fun! Of course our
South African team (Bafana Bafana) won the game, so we all went home smiling.
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| Vara, Carl, Larissa, Anna & Patrick at the Bafana Bafana game |
To end our long weekend, we took
a trip to the famous Mzoli’s in Guguletu.
Guguletu is another township, and Mzoli’s is a well-known meat
place. It’s set up like a small restaurant
where you can only order platters of meat, and then there is a nice club like
area next to it where you bring your food to eat. You provide your own drinks, plates, and
glasses, and you get to enjoy the DJ while you wolf down the ridiculous amounts
of food you’re served. The food was
amazing, the environment was fun, and it’s just one more place to add to my
list of places to revisit before leaving!
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