Katherine thankful for the connections made on her homestay weekend

Homestay weekend at Freddy and Annie's in Ocean View 

Thursday, our group paired off to stay in different homes in Ocean View, a colored-identifying community that speaks Afrikaans and English. I shared a room with Sara W. and our RA, Ethan, also stayed with us. Freddy and Annie, our host parents, were very sweet and accommodating. We talked about previous students that had stayed as guests in their home, their children, and they encouraged us to enjoy being young and travel as much as possible while we can.

My friends and I talked about the community in Ocean View and agreed that everyone welcomed us with open arms and looked after one another above all else. Compared to the community at my internship site in Kuyasa, these families seem to live comfortably and have reliable kitchen and bathroom facilities. Half joking, my friends and I agreed that it was the kind of community we want to move to if we were to settle down in the Cape Town area. The homes are a modest size and usually include a few small bedrooms, a living room, bathroom, and a kitchen along with some concrete yard space, and the inside is well-furnished and looked after. Before going, I wasn’t sure what the accommodations would be like or how much space there would be, but I was more than comfortable. Being in Annie and Freddy’s home felt like spending time with family on a lazy weekend – we ate together, watched television and chatted, and ran some errands at a local mall. It did not seem too different from being at home in Connecticut. Even though we only spend a few days there, a deep connection was made and we are making plans to go out to dinner with them in Cape Town sometime soon.

One thing I learned to be respectful of during my time in Ocean View is religion – Freddy is a pastor and always said grace before eating, something I was not used to and I did my best to follow the norms of the household as much as possible. The first night, I began eating before saying grace and felt really embarrassed. Freddy gave an uplifting sermon at Church on Sunday, but I’m not the religious type so it was a pretty unique experience for me. I admire how religion brings the community together and allows people to vent their stress and emotions through songs, and support each other.

I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone visiting Cape Town because it gives you an idea of the daily lives of the people of Ocean View, their values, and their openness is heartwarming.