Ethan's memorable experience

It has now been around two weeks in Cape Town, its amazing how quick the time has passed, but it seems like our arrival in this city was a lifetime ago. This past week was the last week of orientation and it was a true introduction to the people of Cape Town beyond the tourist sites. What started in a small church in Guguletu and ended in a traditional braai at Vernonʼs house. This was a week that lacked the excitement and thrills of the previous week but was driven by genuine human interaction and experience in this lively city. We traveled lacking the cameras and the backpacks of days past, with just a little more street smarts to guide us. Within the week we saw the internships of fellow co-educators, the interesting scene on Long Street, and the fun (but uncomfortable) method of transport known as the minibus taxi.

Sivuyile National Baptist Church in Gugulethu

However the most personal and memorable experience was in that small church in Guguletu. Though the entire service was in Xhosa, the amazing acapella hymns as well as the amount of passion the pastor had for the sermon was incredibly powerful. A Xhosa-speaking woman was kind enough to guide me through the ceremonial practices, and I attempted to sing along from her hymn book. At the start of the service I was nervous, uncomfortable and felt alienated from the rest of the people. However as the service continued, as the congregation sang, and as the Pastor preached with more intensity than could have imagined that feeling changed. This experience more than anything else thus far has helped me understand unity, togetherness, or “Ubuntu.”  It was powerful, to know that all these people crowded into the room came to worship, welcomed us with open arms into their family. It was warmth, to know that regardless of ethnicity, language, or culture we were all together in that church. All people. All humans, one singular race and in that moment we all held one purpose: to love and celebrate that incredible truth. So much of this trip has shown us the malicious realities of apartheid, and this made the time at Guguletu even more moving and heartfelt. It was an experience I will remember as long as I take breath.

Orientation Schedule

Group at Chapman's Peak

Fri. 11 Jan. 2013     

10:55pm        Arrival at Cape Town International Airport

12:30pm        Depart for Loch and Malleson Rds

 2:00pm:        Housing Logistics w/ Ben Brown & Erin Oleynek

 4:00pm         Exploring the Rondebosch & Mowbray by bus

Evening         Pizza Dinner at Loch Rd, /Settling in

Sat. 12 Jan. 2013

9:00am           Official Welcome to Cape Town

                         Vernon, Marita, Ben. & Erin

10;00am        Depart for Rondebosch

10:15am        Rondebosch Walk-about, ATM, shopping, etc.

12;00pm        Individual lunch 

3:00pm          Return to Loch Rd. & Malleson Rd

6:30pm          Depart for City

7:00pm          Dinner at AddisEthiopian Restaurant

10:00pm        Return to Loch Rd. & Malleson Rd.

Sun. 13 Jan 2013

9:30am           Depart for TripAround the Peninsula

10;00am        Stop at Maidens Cove

10:30am        Depart for CapePoint

1:00pm          Lunch at Two OceansRestaurant

2:00pm          Exploring Cape Point

3:15pm          Leave Cape Point for Boulders Beach

4:00pm          Visit the PenguinColony

5:15pm          Return to Loch and Malleson Rds.

Evening         Erin & Ben will provide info for dinner

Monday 14 Jan. 2013

9:30am          Depart for the University of Cape Town

10;00am        Briefing by the International Academic Programmes Office (IAPO) Ms Felicity Ludidi

12:30pm        Individual lunch in Rondebosch

2:00pm          Depart for SignalHill

3:30pm          Return to Loch and Malleson Rds.

7:30pm          Leave for Wetton

8:00pm          Dinner at SwingersJazz Restaurant

11;00pm        Return home

Tuesday 15 Jan. 2013

9:30am           Depart for the City

10:00am        Tour of District SixMuseum

12:00pm        Lunch at Charlie’s

2:00pm          Leave for the Parade

2:10pm          Cape Town walk about: City Hall/Library, St George Cathedral, Company’s Garden, etc.

4;00pm          Return to home;
5:00pm          Catered dinner Loch Rd
7:00pm          Pick up to go to town

8:00pm          Kat and The Kingsat Fugard Theatre

Wed. 16 Jan 2013

9:00am           Depart for the City

9:30am           Tour of the  Slave Lodge Tour and Transcending History Tour with Lucy Campbell

12:15pm        Individual Lunch

1:45pm          Meet at the Slave Lodge and depart for Tokai

3:00pm          Briefing by the American Consulate

4:30pm          Return home

6:45 pm         Pick up for diinner at Chai Yo in Mowbray

10:00pm        Return to Loch Rd & Malleson Rd

Thurs. 17 Jan. 2013

7:15am        Depart for Nelson Mandela Gateway

9:00am        Depart for Robben Island

12:30pm     Individual lunch—exploring the Waterfront

3:30pm        Return home.

7:30pm        Depart for Wetton

8:00pm        Dinner at Blue Chip Jazz Cafe

11;00pm     Return to Loch & Malleson Rds

Fri. 18 Jan. 2013

9:00am        Leave Loch Rd. on Township Tour

       Visiting  among others, Langa , Guguletu, Khayelitsha and Mitchell’s Plein.

1:00 pm       Individual Lunch

4:00pm        Return to Loch Rd

4:15pm        Community Meeting at Loch Rd. 
6:00pm        Return to Malleson Rd

Evening       FREE

Sat. 19 Jan. 2013

10:00am      Leave for Durbanville

11:00am      Visit Altydgedacht Vineyard

12:30pm      Depart for Stellenbosch

1:00pm        Lunch at Moyo’s at Spier

4:00pm        Return to Loch and Malleson Rds

Evening       FREE

Sun. 20 Jan. 2013

9:40am        Depart Loch Rd.

10:00am      Township Faith Experience Sivuyile Baptist Church—Guguletu

12:30pm     Group Lunch

2:00pm        Return home.

4:00pm        Depart for Kirstenbosch

4:30pm        Visit Kirstenbosch Gardens

5:30 pm       Summer Sunset Concert: Jimmy Dludlu

8:00pm        Return to Loch and Malleson Rd

Mon 21 – Wed. 23 Jan. 2013

Day trips visits to various internships (schedule to follow)

Wed. 23 Jan

7:30pm        Pick up to go to town

8:30pm        Mahogany Room in

11:00 pm    Return to Loch Rd and Malleson Rd

Thurs. 24 Jan.             

Morning      Transport Exercise

1:00 pm       South African History and Politics Class at UCT

Evening       Free

Fr. 25 Jan.      

Morning      Marita’s Class at Loch Rd

Sat. 26 Jan

4:00pm        Depart Loch Rd. for  Bellville

5:00pm        Welcome Braai –Esme and Vernon

Sun. 27 Jan.   

         Free Day

Mon 28 Jan.  

         Start of Internship