The most memorable experience I had in the past week
was the homestay in Ocean View over the weekend. The family I had the pleasure
of staying with were some of the most kind-hearted and welcoming people I have
ever met. I lived with a married couple whose names were Freddy and Anne. Last
Thursday, Freddy and Anne welcomed Kat, Ethan, and me with open arms to join
their family for the next few days. When we arrived I was looking forward to
experiencing what their typical weekend would be like. Not only that, but I was
excited to spend the next day with local children at both the Daisy daycare and
the beach. This weekend, I learned so much in such a short period of time and I
feel so fortunate for this experience.
On Thursday we got settled in the house and then went
to a ballroom dancing class. Friday was my favorite day of the weekend! In the
morning, we woke up and went across the street to Daisy Daycare. This was the
highlight of my trip. Next, we went to the beach with other local children. It
was a lot of fun and filled with sandcastle building, singing, dancing, and
swimming. On Saturday we went to the mall with Freddy and Anne and then watched
the sunset at night followed by an amazing braii. Lastly, Sunday we went to
church where Freddy was the pastor. Before we left we had an amazing lunch and
then packed to head back to Rondebosch.
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| Strange but true Kat & Sara got to meet a camel while in Ocean View. |
I discovered a lot throughout the weekend about the
community I was living in. I realized how hard working all of the people I met
are. Freddy and Anne were proud to show me their home and all of the different
things in it. I also noticed that no matter how much or how little the people
in Ocean View have, they are extremely grateful for it. Not only that, but I
learned that with Freddy and Anne and a lot of the community, every Sunday is a
Holy day and they treat it like a holiday. I love this because it helps start
the week off in a positive way.
I tried not to have many expectations going into the
experience, however it was impossible to go into the weekend with a completely
clear mind. A few assumptions I had going into the weekend were challenged. For
example, I thought it would be dangerous at night, however it felt just like any
neighborhood where everyone is a friend with one another. I never once felt
threatened or like someone wanted to hurt me. Another assumption I had was that
Freddy and Anne’s life would not be similar to the life I live at home.
However, I was wrong about this. They went on outings to the mall and stores
just like I would do at home. Also, they had a braii with family and friends
over that closely resembled what a family party at my house would be like. I
was also surprised how kind the family was to strangers; they welcomed anyone
and everyone as if they were part of the family. Lastly, I was nervous about
what food we would be eating. This was wrong because the food was amazing! The
lunch we had on Sunday before leaving was just as great as the meal I have on
Thanksgiving!
My favorite part from this weekend was the sense of
belonging in the community. Everyone was so accepting and the weekend made my
heart so full. Overall, the homestay in Ocean View has been one of my absolute
favorite weekends here in Cape Town. It
was an amazing experience and I want to meet up with Freddy and Anne again
soon! We actually made plans to go to Eastern Bizarre on an upcoming Saturday
night! J
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