Group on Signal Hill

Group on Signal Hill
Back row: Avery, Kelsey, Ainsley, Patrick, Wylie, Erin, Ethan, Janiel, Larissa: Third Row: Tekowa, Anna, Audrey, Jerard, Andrew, Carl, Allie; Second Row: Elise, Aimee, Vara, Carolyn, Melissa, Morgan, Liz, Erica, JR; Front Row: Savitri, Brianna, Sharon, Lindsay, Andrea

Welcome to Our Blog

WELCOME TO OUR BLOG

As anyone who has participated in this program will attest, there are no words or pictures that can begin to adequately capture the beauty of the scenery or hospitality of the people in Cape Town. Therefore, this blog is merely intended to provide an overview of the program and a glimpse at some amazing adventures and life-changing experiences had by the students and staff of this program who have traveled together as co-educators and companions on the journey. As Resident Director and Faculty Advisor since 2008 it has been a privilege and honor to accompany an incredible variety of wonderful UConn students to a place we have all come to know and love.

In peace, with hope, Marita McComiskey, PhD


18 March 2013

Liz's recipe for a true Capetonian weekend


Recipe to a true Capetonian weekend: A smidge of markets, friends and braai, with a touch of Carnival and celebrations, and a dash of adventure and new experiences!

Now that I seem to have the hang of this whole transport thing down and have learned to juggle the trains, cabs, minibus taxis, and mini mini taxis I have been able to pack more adventure into my weekends.

This weekend was a true testimony to that.

Friday: The Books For Nyanga crew made our way to Nyanga to start throwing some color on the walls. We took a minibus to the Nyanga and got to work for another long hard day of fulfilling work. We were able to finish priming the walls that needed the edges done and start putting some color on the walls. We took down some of the old boards that were still on the wall and put some elbow grease into removing some glue that was behind some of them. After a mini mini taxi ride to get to the minibus taxi rank we were out our way home. It was a long day but it was not over yet;  upon returning home to Loch Road Allie, Patrick, and Anna were contacted by NBC CT to do a Skype interview for the 6 o’clock news! Not only did they air a segment on our project and give us some more support but they also wrote an article to expand the reach. http://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/UConn-Students-Donate-Books-to-African-High-School-198503371.html Electrifying!

After this news I was in a mood to celebrate which worked out because it was Carl’s Birthday. We all went to Mama Africa, a restaurant on Long Street in town. We were lucky enough to be sitting next to the live band and the party started. Everyone was up on their feet dancing and clapping to the music. You couldn’t resist! The atmosphere was absolutely amazing; I definitely recommend it for anyone visiting Cape Town. The food wasn’t too shabby either! I had a delicious vegetable curry and was able to bring some home for later.

Saturday: Was another exciting day as I made my way back to one of my favorite places in Cape Town, Old Biscuit Mill Market. This time I was here on a mission, determined to take as many pictures as possible, spend as little money as possible and eat as much as possible! I think I was able to achieve this. I was doing pretty well, I only bought a few beads and some postcards and then I went downhill as soon as I stepped into the food tent, I should’ve known. There was food everywhere and not just food but delicious food attacking your senses from every which direction. I walked around several times trying to take as many pictures as I could until I finally decided I was going to go for an ostrich burger with a side of sangria to satisfy the cravings I was encountering. The burger was amazing! It was topped off with tzatziki sauce, my favorite. The best part was that I was able to sit outside and make a mess out of my burger and enjoy it to the fullest.

After the market we went to a good ‘ole South African Braai, which made me regret eating anything for the past week. The amount of food the family had prepared for us was absolutely insane! It could have fed a small country! Don’t worry; we made a good dent in it though. It continues to amaze me how welcoming people in South Africa are. The man of the house told us that we were all more than welcome to come and stay over for the weekend if we wanted to. It’s truly inspiring and something I will aspire to embody when I return home. After we rolled ourselves out of their house and back onto the bus we made our way downtown to Carnival. We kind of missed it but were still able to see the amazing floats that had been made for the parade. Then food coma hit hard and some of us headed home, attacking every cab we saw until we got a ride; another successful day.

Sunday: Another day, another market, off to Hout Bay we went. Someone asked me which market I liked more, OBM or Hout Bay and I couldn’t answer, they are both so different. If I want to buy clothes and shop close to home for some fresh bread and groceries I’ll go to OBM, but if I want to sit and enjoy some live music while I enjoy my delicious food and shop for different things from books to clothes and jewelry I’ll go to Hout Bay. They are vastly different, but both outstanding ways to spend your weekend.

After the great race home by mini mini taxi, minibus, and train from Hout Bay I made it just in time to catch the cab to the Grand Hotel where a group of five of us would see Dralion by Cirque Du Soleil. It was a last minute thing and absolutely amazing. For those who have never seen Cirque Du Soleil you should. This is a trailer for the show we saw: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bp7x5vhEJg The show had me in stitches it was a fabulous combination of comic relief that you expect from a circus and amazing talents and costumes that you could only expect from a Cirque Du Soleil show. It got me thinking… you’re never too old to run off and join the cirque!

‘til next time, peace out broskies!

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