Carl's Homestay

Last weekend we spent our time in a township named Ocean View. We were there from Thursday until Sunday, and while we were there we all paired up and stayed with a family from the township. Overall it was a great experience; the majority of the people there were very welcoming and all the kids would follow you and want to get up on your shoulders.

On Friday a lot of us volunteered at different creches, which are like pre-k/kindergartens. It was fun, it started off with some basic math and spelling. Then we moved on to puzzles and art time. Then recess! It was so hectic; for what seemed like forever, forty children were going crazy wanting to go on your shoulders or help them across the monkey bars or lift them up to somewhere. It was such a relief when we finally went in for lunch and then nap time.

That night we went to a concert that was put on for us. It was really cool; there were several acts and all of them were great. It ranged from little kids dancing or singing to UConn students singing and older kids from the township breakdancing. It was fun to watch and all the proceeds went to an after school program in Ocean View.

On Saturday it rained for the first time since we arrived in Cape Town. So it was unfortunate that we were stuck inside all day, and my host family was all working, so JR and I spent the day reading and napping. Once the rain let up JR and I went and helped our host father collect wood for that nights braai. Our host father’s name is Roger, which is funny because my real father’s name is Roger as well. The braai went great; everyone in Ocean View knows each other, so three other groups joined us at our braai and had a grand time. We shared a pot of potjiekos and some braai meat while we had some deep conversation next to the fire. Its always good to have conversations like we did just to get everything out and tell others how your feeling.

After everyone left JR and I stayed up very late in the night talking to our host mom, Auntie Roseanne, about the deep conversation that the students shared and about problems in South Africa and the US. Auntie Roseanne is an amazing woman; she is currently working to help her family  and going to school to get a degree in community organizing. She was very knowledgeable about all the current issues in South Africa and it was great talking to her about Issues in the US and South Africa. She was also pure good, if she was to move from Ocean View it would only be to a poorer area so that she could help that community improve.

After the whole weekend I was just amazed by how hospitable our family was and how welcome they made us feel. People is Ocean View will consider you family while you are staying with them. One of the sons of our family even introduced us to his friends as his brothers while we were walking through town. And even though they did not have much the gave JR and me our own room while the parents and two sons shared one large room and they fed us some amazing south african meals including rooti and potjiekos.

Carl (far right) at community dinner in Ocean View