Taylor's expectations of Cape Town have been exceeded more than she could have imaged

Over the past two weeks, Cape Town has exceeded my expectations more than I could have imagined!  It feels like we’ve been here for so long already, but I know there are so many more experiences to come.  Our two weeks of orientation are coming to an end, but I think they were the perfect way to transition from life at UConn to our new home away from home in Cape Town. Vernon and Marita showed us so many beautiful beaches, fun restaurants, interesting communities, and even a sunrise on the top of Signal Hill that meant we all had to wake up at 4:30 (SO worth it). 

 

Sunrise on Signal Hill was so worth it:
Rachele, Laura G, Anna, Alex, Taylor, Sarah, Katherine, Claire, Maddy, Karen
Ashley, Kaitlyn, Rav, Shona, Erica, Laura T, Sara

Without a doubt, the most rewarding parts of orientation were those experiences that I know none of us would ever do on our own.  We spent several of the days visiting some of the townships, which are some of the poorest but most populated places in the city.  I knew that many people lived in poverty in these townships, but I definitely did not expect the volume of informal housing.  The houses are often single rooms formed out of sheets of corrugated iron, and they’re packed tightly together in communities that seem to go on for miles.  Seeing these settlements and the people who live in them is so humbling because it is a reality that we never experience in the United States.  The most surprising part of these townships to me was how welcoming each person was to us as simply strangers and as privileged Americans.  It would be so easy for them to resent us coming in to their community because of our similarity to those who oppressed them, but when we visited a church service in Gugulethu they welcomed us with open arms.  While the service was predominantly in Xhosa, I felt like we could understand them solely from their emotions and warmth towards us, and I felt accepted even though we clearly stuck out as Americans.  The people’s willingness to educate and share their culture with us has been a defining characteristic of Cape Town to me so far.

After orientation I am most looking forward to starting my internship at Eros School! I am lucky enough to be shadowing Esme, Vernon’s wife, and I cannot wait to interact with the students and faculty and learn more about the education system in Cape Town.  There is no doubt that my experience in Cape Town has been positive and exciting thus far, although daily there are many questions from locals about our politics back in the United States. All I can say is that I am proud that together we all participated in the Women’s March in Cape Town, showing our support of women and oppressed people all over the world.  Overall, I am so interested in and impressed with the abundance of cultures and languages and personalities that Cape Town has to offer, and I cannot wait to learn more about its history during our classes with Vincent, Vernon, and Marita.