An update at last. partly because it is a while since I last posted, but more because I have ground to a halt with my thesis proposal, which is really challenging my patience. Although I now know what I want to write about, formulating a plan and research questions/hypotheses is not coming easily. Luckily, we are now in the full swing of Easter break so I can try and avoid it for the next week or so. Autumn break (which is what this really is) just doesn’t have the same ring to it as Spring break at home. But from what I have been hearing, we are experiencing weather more akin to spring than the UK!
The majority of my days over the past few weeks have been taken up with research in the library and so I have really had to get to grips with the fierce air conditioning in there. It makes you believe that it is the depths of winter outside and why were you foolish enough to wear shorts, piling on pullover after pullover, only to go out for lunch and nearly expire with the heat that hits you. The weather is certainly beginning to turn though, with rain and wind beginning to feature more heavily. The wind was particularly strong last Monday when we all huddled together to watch the Varsity Cup semi-final between Stellenbosch and NMMU, with Maties just scraping a win of one point- if it wasn’t for the wind I don’t think we would have won. The only good thing about it being so windy was that it meant the last thing we wanted to do was to go out to celebrate, which wouldn’t have been particularly conducive to us studying for our end of term exams.
The majority of my days over the past few weeks have been taken up with research in the library and so I have really had to get to grips with the fierce air conditioning in there. It makes you believe that it is the depths of winter outside and why were you foolish enough to wear shorts, piling on pullover after pullover, only to go out for lunch and nearly expire with the heat that hits you. The weather is certainly beginning to turn though, with rain and wind beginning to feature more heavily. The wind was particularly strong last Monday when we all huddled together to watch the Varsity Cup semi-final between Stellenbosch and NMMU, with Maties just scraping a win of one point- if it wasn’t for the wind I don’t think we would have won. The only good thing about it being so windy was that it meant the last thing we wanted to do was to go out to celebrate, which wouldn’t have been particularly conducive to us studying for our end of term exams.
Kite surfers off Bikini Beach, Gordon's Bay
On Wednesday I had my first exam for Afrikaans, consisting of reading and listening exercises. This was perhaps the most fun an exam has ever been for me with plenty of giggling and it made me realise that I have actually learnt quite a lot (I think!) although I still don’t speak much for fear of being laughed at. We quickly left the exam (bar the slight hold-up resulting from one of the boys having his front wheel stolen while we were writing the test, bike theft seems to be the biggest crime in Stellenbosch at the moment) and indulged in the final Street Soiree of the season- basically a free wine tasting session on one of the streets here. It’s a really nice thing that we have begun to do, not only because of it being a way for us to sample as much wine as possible in a given time period, but also as a big group of us can go out and you will always bump into others that you know. t here was a distinct c elebratory air to the evening as most people had finished their exams, although unfortunately it meant stocks ran dry rather quickly.
Looking over the rooftops of Langa to Table Mountain in the distance
One of the best things that I have done over the last few weeks was a township tour in Langa and Guguletu , just outside of Cape Town. It was a very last minute decision for me to go, but I am so glad that I did! Not only was it nice to see life outside of the Stellenbosch bubble, but it was such an eye opener. Ironically, the day that we went was the Friday of Comic Relief at home (well done to Tom for all of his fundraising success!) and some of the scenes that we observed could easily have been transposed onto your television screen with only the addition of an emotive soundtrack and pained voice over. I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy the tour as I am n ot a huge fan of doing ‘touristy’ activities and wasn’t sure how much of a ‘true picture’ we would get- but you can't just wonder into the township on your own, so it was the best way to experience it. There were aspects that I wasn’t comfortable with. For instance, 15 of us were sent into a room that a similar number of people sleep in each night. This room was only half the size of my bedroom at home. Th e smell and heat were indescribable and overwhelming. But my discomfort came not from this, but from the fact that I felt the people who live there were being treated as some sort of freak show, to be gawped at whilst you place a pitiful amount of money on a plate on your way out. I understand the thinking behind sending us in there, it certainly made me really think. But I don’t think it was done with the thoughts and feelings of the people who live there in mind t he most. I think it is almost an exercise to give tourists the feeling that they have seen the ‘true Africa’. a number of people who I have met seem almost disappointed that what they are seeing and experiencing is not the Africa of the charity reports they see on TV. Perhaps that is why they jump at the chance to play Angelina Jolie whenever children surround us. We were also treated to a taste of sheep’s head. Probably not a delicacy that I will be indulging in too regularly, but if you try and forget what it is you are eating, it is surprisingly tasty! This culinary experience was thankfully beaten by the meal that we enjoyed at the end of the tour at Mzoli’s in Guguletu where I ate more Braaied meat than I knew possible! What struck me most about the tour was how optimistic it made me about how things can change with the resourcefulness of people. Numerous art, education and sport projects were underway in the townships, both from international aid projects but increasingly from local initiatives. People are not happy with their lot here, but they will do everything in their power to change this. When I spoke to Mike, our guide, he said that he w as unhappy that the transport links into Cape Town were so poor so he wrote to the government and now improved routes are being put into place—I couldn’t ever imagine taking such an initiative at home, for feeling like my voice wouldn’t be heard, or at least wouldn’t be noted. But he made me realise Mum isn’t so wrong when she always says : ‘if you don’t ask, you won’t get.’
The same day that we went to Langa and Gugs we had spent the morning doing our usual volunteering at the school in Kayamandi, our local township. It was not until the end of the session that we were told that a fire had taken place the previous night which had destroyed in the region of 1500 huts, affecting around 4000 people: rendering them homeless and sadly 3 lives had been lost. We were astounded that we had spent over an hour working in the township without knowing this, particularly given that many of the teachers had been up for most of the night trying to account for missing people. I have been impressed at how quickly the University and local community swung into action to organise relief supplies and working parties to begin the re-building process, a number of my friends have volunteered to go and assist with the distribution of food and clothing and others with helping to erect new huts. Initially the figures of those affected may seem huge, as they did to us when we first heard them, but the problem is that in the townships, the huts are constructed so closely together and from materials that are highly flammable. The days before the fire were some of the hottest we had experienced, so only a spark would have been needed for vegetation to catch and for it literally to spread ‘like wild fire’. I was very troubled in the days following the fire, people who have so little to begin with, who work so hard to achieve what they have and in one night it is taken away from them. Because of the informal nature of this part of the settlement, it would be naive to think that they would have the security network afforded by an insurance scheme. It all just seemed totally unfair, but the rallying together of the community of the township has been inspiring to witness.
Our class with the sun's they made
To mark the end of the first term (I have now been away for over 10 weeks!) I am going with four friends along the Garden Route from here to Port Elizabeth. As with any holiday at home, the weather is looking far from wonderful, but it will still be so nice to expand my horizons beyond Stellenbosch before I begin to climb the walls. We are staying most nights next to the Indian Ocean and I am really looking forward to indulging in some water-based activities as well as taking a trip to Addo National Park which is home to many of South Africa’s elephants, we will hopefully see some more penguins along the way and dolphins in Plettenburg Bay , before spending our last night in the “Ostrich capital of the world” — Ou dtshoorn, I’m not sure if I’m brave enough to ride one though!!
Geseende Paasfees!
Geseende Paasfees!
Saying goodbye in Langa
A beautiful end to the day at Cool Bay with Cape Point on the horizon
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