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, 21 March, 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.
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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