Felt so good seeing Wola Nani bowls at Anthropologie.
From Cape Town all the way to the states.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Here I Am
It's been a week and a day since I've been back home in the states. It's still a little difficult for me to pin-point what kind of perspective changes I have gone through and a little more time needs to pass before I draw my conclusions. But for the time being, I will give a little synopsis of what I did for the past 4 months and what I have learned from them.
Working for a non-profit organization that specializes in providing aid to those affected by HIV/AIDS in one of the highest victim counts in the world has been utterly challenging and eye-opening. From the first day I walked into the office to greet my supervisor, I sensed a connected and warm feeling from the organization and its staff members. I went into the job knowing that I needed to be patient, open-minded, and flexible. But what I did not realize was that I would need to be more than that. On top of being a typical proactive and punctual employee, I needed to be personable and receptive. It was just that kind of environment. I started off with a few projects on my plate - the main one being to re-design the website. A few others were to research potential donors, brainstorm new products for the income generation project, and to work on the catalog. As soon as I got my hands onto the income generation project, my supervisor and I both kind of knew that this was where I was needed most. The income generation project is something that helps families impacted by the AIDS epidemic. It provides income to many women who are HIV+, and also provides a sense of accomplishment, hope, and even distraction. When customers and buyers from all over the world order some paper mache bowls or beaded items, our clients (the women) will make them and receive money in return. I had the opportunity to expand this project. I started off with getting a feel for what colors, designs, and trends were popular this season. But then I realized I needed to just design pieces that were timeless, fun, and practical. So I started cutting and pasting all sorts of color swatches. And then I sat down with my supervisor and we chose a group of color combinations that would be made into prototypes. The turnover took awhile - maybe a week or two. But as soon as all the samples came back, I set up a little panel in the boardroom for my co-workers to choose their favorites and their dislikes. After drawing conclusions from the survey, I decided on 12 new designs. Just as a side note, Wola Nani has been carrying the same 10 or so designs for the past 10 years. So I helped them expand their product range to double the size. After deciding on which ones would make it to the catalog, I needed all the women to create every single color in every single shape and size. This was the hardest part because there are many sizes available - all the samples that needed to be made numbered well over 100. But in the meanwhile, I started to retake photos of all the original products. I created a new product catalog layout and started to edit and reformat the pictures. This was a verrrrrrry tedious task. It required a lot of patience and dedication. I actually worked up until the 2nd to last day I left, and even on my weekends. But I finished... well, for the most part. Although all of the products aren't on the catalog, it is easy to insert as soon as the samples are returned. It would've been nice to completely finish the catalog, and even the website design, but with the time I had in South Africa and the other opportunities to travel and spend time exploring a new country, it was honestly difficult to solely dedicate my time to the job. And on the first day, my supervisor advised me to take time off to go out and explore. So it's been a huge mix of work and play. I still committed to keep working on the projects while I am here, so my relationship with them isn't over just yet.
Apart from my job, there was still 50% of my time that was spent with friends, exploring, and experiencing. After work, most of the interns hung out - in same circles, groups, or overlapping cliques. But the point was, someone was always doing something. Whether it was hiking Lion's Head or Table Mountain, grabbing dinner at one of the hot spot eateries, watching a movie at home or at the theatre, going for a run at the boardwalk, playing soccer by the ocean, or just straight chilling. That is probably one of the things I miss most about Cape Town. How easy and accessible my friends were. I was never bored or anxious to do something. If anything, I was burnt out from doing too much. I was once again forced to break out of my comfortable and familiar bubble to expand my group of friends and to learn about different cultures. I met great friends along the way. Friends I can see myself hanging out with regularly once I get back to Boston, and even meeting up with in different cities. I can see that I have changed a lot over the past year with all the traveling and new experiences, but that is exactly what I wanted and needed. Different = good. Change = good. Now it is my job to assimilate my old life into my new life. Taking my old values and goals and placing them into my new lifestyle, with new ambitions and perspectives. All in all, it has been an incredible (geez, I need to find better adjectives..I seem to play them out too much) experience. Definitely unforgettable, eye-opening, and nearly impossible to leave.
Working for a non-profit organization that specializes in providing aid to those affected by HIV/AIDS in one of the highest victim counts in the world has been utterly challenging and eye-opening. From the first day I walked into the office to greet my supervisor, I sensed a connected and warm feeling from the organization and its staff members. I went into the job knowing that I needed to be patient, open-minded, and flexible. But what I did not realize was that I would need to be more than that. On top of being a typical proactive and punctual employee, I needed to be personable and receptive. It was just that kind of environment. I started off with a few projects on my plate - the main one being to re-design the website. A few others were to research potential donors, brainstorm new products for the income generation project, and to work on the catalog. As soon as I got my hands onto the income generation project, my supervisor and I both kind of knew that this was where I was needed most. The income generation project is something that helps families impacted by the AIDS epidemic. It provides income to many women who are HIV+, and also provides a sense of accomplishment, hope, and even distraction. When customers and buyers from all over the world order some paper mache bowls or beaded items, our clients (the women) will make them and receive money in return. I had the opportunity to expand this project. I started off with getting a feel for what colors, designs, and trends were popular this season. But then I realized I needed to just design pieces that were timeless, fun, and practical. So I started cutting and pasting all sorts of color swatches. And then I sat down with my supervisor and we chose a group of color combinations that would be made into prototypes. The turnover took awhile - maybe a week or two. But as soon as all the samples came back, I set up a little panel in the boardroom for my co-workers to choose their favorites and their dislikes. After drawing conclusions from the survey, I decided on 12 new designs. Just as a side note, Wola Nani has been carrying the same 10 or so designs for the past 10 years. So I helped them expand their product range to double the size. After deciding on which ones would make it to the catalog, I needed all the women to create every single color in every single shape and size. This was the hardest part because there are many sizes available - all the samples that needed to be made numbered well over 100. But in the meanwhile, I started to retake photos of all the original products. I created a new product catalog layout and started to edit and reformat the pictures. This was a verrrrrrry tedious task. It required a lot of patience and dedication. I actually worked up until the 2nd to last day I left, and even on my weekends. But I finished... well, for the most part. Although all of the products aren't on the catalog, it is easy to insert as soon as the samples are returned. It would've been nice to completely finish the catalog, and even the website design, but with the time I had in South Africa and the other opportunities to travel and spend time exploring a new country, it was honestly difficult to solely dedicate my time to the job. And on the first day, my supervisor advised me to take time off to go out and explore. So it's been a huge mix of work and play. I still committed to keep working on the projects while I am here, so my relationship with them isn't over just yet.
Apart from my job, there was still 50% of my time that was spent with friends, exploring, and experiencing. After work, most of the interns hung out - in same circles, groups, or overlapping cliques. But the point was, someone was always doing something. Whether it was hiking Lion's Head or Table Mountain, grabbing dinner at one of the hot spot eateries, watching a movie at home or at the theatre, going for a run at the boardwalk, playing soccer by the ocean, or just straight chilling. That is probably one of the things I miss most about Cape Town. How easy and accessible my friends were. I was never bored or anxious to do something. If anything, I was burnt out from doing too much. I was once again forced to break out of my comfortable and familiar bubble to expand my group of friends and to learn about different cultures. I met great friends along the way. Friends I can see myself hanging out with regularly once I get back to Boston, and even meeting up with in different cities. I can see that I have changed a lot over the past year with all the traveling and new experiences, but that is exactly what I wanted and needed. Different = good. Change = good. Now it is my job to assimilate my old life into my new life. Taking my old values and goals and placing them into my new lifestyle, with new ambitions and perspectives. All in all, it has been an incredible (geez, I need to find better adjectives..I seem to play them out too much) experience. Definitely unforgettable, eye-opening, and nearly impossible to leave.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Time Flies When You're Having Fun
I can't believe another 4 months have passed and I have to say "see you later" to another place I have grown to love and cherish. I admit...I am not very good at letting go and saying good-byes. I suck at it very bad, actually. I almost get unemotional so I can avoid bawling like a baby. And then it hits me minutes, hours, or days later when I am alone and then it is too late to do anything about it. This time around, I want to tell people how I feel upfront and in the moment rather than waiting until later.
I can point out who I will miss most.
And that, to me, is a success. It means that I have grown close to people who were completely new strangers months ago, but now have become some of my closest friends. I am relieved that those who belong in that pile also live where I have homes: the south and the northeast.
------ (warning: sap level will be on high) -------
It's unbelievable.
It hurts.
Really, REALLY hurts.
I've been repressing it pretty well.
But....
It's starting to hit me all of a sudden that in a matter of a few days, I will be taken away from here.
And there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.
I even tried to check if I could extend my flight for a few days.
But I know my parents would flip out and it would also probably cost me more than my entire ticket.
As much as a few days in Cape Town are golden and irreplaceable, it won't be worth it. I'll just be teasing myself and allowing myself to get even more attached.
It's sad to be parting from friends and my co-workers. But it is even sadder that I don't know the next time I will be back.
I was completely certain I would return for the 2010 World Cup, but now I have changed my mind. I fast forwarded in my mind to how it will be, and I pictured a changed Cape Town. One with ginormous waves of tourists, commercialized everything, a facade. And I know how I will react. It will taint my image of the Cape Town I love. So instead of having two years to wait, I will wait a few more than that. And it will be okay because I would rather have the Cape Town without all the tourists, although I technically fall into that category.
Crazy.
Crazy crazy crazy.
I am not going to sleep for the next 72 hours. I planned ahead and saw everything I wanted to see from Cape Town and around, but I still need as much time as possible these last few days.
I'm not ready to go back to the real world. Not just yet....
hey cape town.
hey friends.
a piece of my heart belongs to you.
I can point out who I will miss most.
And that, to me, is a success. It means that I have grown close to people who were completely new strangers months ago, but now have become some of my closest friends. I am relieved that those who belong in that pile also live where I have homes: the south and the northeast.
------ (warning: sap level will be on high) -------
It's unbelievable.
It hurts.
Really, REALLY hurts.
I've been repressing it pretty well.
But....
It's starting to hit me all of a sudden that in a matter of a few days, I will be taken away from here.
And there is absolutely nothing I can do about it.
I even tried to check if I could extend my flight for a few days.
But I know my parents would flip out and it would also probably cost me more than my entire ticket.
As much as a few days in Cape Town are golden and irreplaceable, it won't be worth it. I'll just be teasing myself and allowing myself to get even more attached.
It's sad to be parting from friends and my co-workers. But it is even sadder that I don't know the next time I will be back.
I was completely certain I would return for the 2010 World Cup, but now I have changed my mind. I fast forwarded in my mind to how it will be, and I pictured a changed Cape Town. One with ginormous waves of tourists, commercialized everything, a facade. And I know how I will react. It will taint my image of the Cape Town I love. So instead of having two years to wait, I will wait a few more than that. And it will be okay because I would rather have the Cape Town without all the tourists, although I technically fall into that category.
Crazy.
Crazy crazy crazy.
I am not going to sleep for the next 72 hours. I planned ahead and saw everything I wanted to see from Cape Town and around, but I still need as much time as possible these last few days.
I'm not ready to go back to the real world. Not just yet....
hey cape town.
hey friends.
a piece of my heart belongs to you.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Love Today
Everything about today has been splendid.
I woke up and expected to see the white fog that has been covering the mountains for the past week. Instead, I woke up to a patch of sunlight (yay!) and a glimpse of Table Mountain. It has never looked so good. The only good part about having glass doors as windows is to look out and see something. anything. Throughout the day, the fog has dissipated into thin air and now I see the Cape Town that I grew to love. The mountains towering over the city is so very comforting.
Work went really well too. Knowing the fact that these are the last few days I'll be working, I have been extra motivated and focused. I also had a chance to talk to some of my co-workers on a more intimate and beyond-business level. One co-worker, Nomonde, has been one of my strongest inspirations here. She has a heart of gold. She invited me to her house for dinner with her husband tomorrow. I'm really excited to see where she lives since I've never been to that part of town before. I am truly going to miss our long conversations in the kitchen/lunch room... Another co-worker, Leigh-Ann, is about ready to pop! She is expecting a baby boy next month but I don't think she'll make it... She always comes over to me because she knows I want to feel it kick. We're throwing her a surprise baby shower this Friday. Which reminds me, I need to go buy her + her baby presents!
Tomorrow is going to be a bit jam packed. Starting with a busy day at work, driving home with Nomonde for dinner, and then going straight to the airport to pick up Agnes. (!!!)
But that is tomorrow and I shouldn't be worrying about that.
So back to today. And my love for today.
I had a conviction to make a video collage of my experience here. I've been documenting a few events, such as concerts and sporting events, but I need more footage of EVERYDAY LIFE and my friends. I love pictures and all, but there is nothing more real and true-to-life than live..action. I started to take some videos on the way home, and I learned the hard way, but I shouldn't be driving a manual in traffic at the same time.
Yep, so I'm back to driving a manual. A white Chico to be exact. It's fun (well, not the part with no power steering. But at least I'm getting some exercise in my non-existent work out plan). I drive barefoot, always on low gas, with my iPod in both ears, and a crack of my window down. I hardly miss the automatic Hyundai that Courtney took along her road trip. Driving manual is so much fun - the pick up is good and it saves gas. I doubt I can return back to automatic driving.
We're planning on going to Pancho's for dinner tonight. Mainly for Doug's going away occasion. Sigh, another friend to say see you later to. But he's supposed to move to Georgia, so I'm sure I'll see him around again.
Anywho, I am such a workaholic..but I need to finish the catalog so that is calling my name now.
lataah
I woke up and expected to see the white fog that has been covering the mountains for the past week. Instead, I woke up to a patch of sunlight (yay!) and a glimpse of Table Mountain. It has never looked so good. The only good part about having glass doors as windows is to look out and see something. anything. Throughout the day, the fog has dissipated into thin air and now I see the Cape Town that I grew to love. The mountains towering over the city is so very comforting.
Work went really well too. Knowing the fact that these are the last few days I'll be working, I have been extra motivated and focused. I also had a chance to talk to some of my co-workers on a more intimate and beyond-business level. One co-worker, Nomonde, has been one of my strongest inspirations here. She has a heart of gold. She invited me to her house for dinner with her husband tomorrow. I'm really excited to see where she lives since I've never been to that part of town before. I am truly going to miss our long conversations in the kitchen/lunch room... Another co-worker, Leigh-Ann, is about ready to pop! She is expecting a baby boy next month but I don't think she'll make it... She always comes over to me because she knows I want to feel it kick. We're throwing her a surprise baby shower this Friday. Which reminds me, I need to go buy her + her baby presents!
Tomorrow is going to be a bit jam packed. Starting with a busy day at work, driving home with Nomonde for dinner, and then going straight to the airport to pick up Agnes. (!!!)
But that is tomorrow and I shouldn't be worrying about that.
So back to today. And my love for today.
I had a conviction to make a video collage of my experience here. I've been documenting a few events, such as concerts and sporting events, but I need more footage of EVERYDAY LIFE and my friends. I love pictures and all, but there is nothing more real and true-to-life than live..action. I started to take some videos on the way home, and I learned the hard way, but I shouldn't be driving a manual in traffic at the same time.
Yep, so I'm back to driving a manual. A white Chico to be exact. It's fun (well, not the part with no power steering. But at least I'm getting some exercise in my non-existent work out plan). I drive barefoot, always on low gas, with my iPod in both ears, and a crack of my window down. I hardly miss the automatic Hyundai that Courtney took along her road trip. Driving manual is so much fun - the pick up is good and it saves gas. I doubt I can return back to automatic driving.
We're planning on going to Pancho's for dinner tonight. Mainly for Doug's going away occasion. Sigh, another friend to say see you later to. But he's supposed to move to Georgia, so I'm sure I'll see him around again.
Anywho, I am such a workaholic..but I need to finish the catalog so that is calling my name now.
lataah
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Oh, the Irony
Remember that dream I wrote about in my last post?
Well, I was talking to my brother the other day and being the forgetful guy he is, he always asks me the date I am coming back home. To be 100% sure that it was May 31st, I dug through my Gmail inbox and found the e-ticket, expecting it to say: Departure - May 30th, Arrival - May 31st. To my disbelief, my departure is at 1:40 pm on May 29th. To describe how I felt, it felt like someone punched me really hard in the stomach (even though I have no idea how that would feel like).
I have been hanging out with Lauren a lot more, recently. We go out to drink and dance, throw after-parties aka eating our hearts out and talking about everyone's silliness, then attempt to be productive in the day time. Well, in the midst of all these activities we have been bonding over our love of S. Africa and the dark despair of having to leave. But her and I are both the type to try to stay optimistic. The last time we spoke about it was at Lola's Cafe on Long Street, talking over her 4-cheese macaroni and my two-choice Indian curries. She reminds me a lot of my Lyon roommate, Claire, because I usually bring up how much I will miss something. Their response is usually to forget about it and to just focus on the now and make the most of it. It's good to have people like that in your life. They kind of just bring everything to light and slap some sense into you. I haven't brought it up since. Not out loud, anyways. But after looking at my calendar, and going forward a few pages in my weekly planner, realizing that 3 pages later I will be at home, well. I can't help but think about it again. It's like an annoying tick that won't go away.
Well, on the brighter side of things, my friend that I met in Lyon is coming to visit for a week!! I am super excited about it because it will give me more reason to go out and explore the city.
Plan is to go out tonight, so time to wrap up some unfinished work. Cheers.
Well, I was talking to my brother the other day and being the forgetful guy he is, he always asks me the date I am coming back home. To be 100% sure that it was May 31st, I dug through my Gmail inbox and found the e-ticket, expecting it to say: Departure - May 30th, Arrival - May 31st. To my disbelief, my departure is at 1:40 pm on May 29th. To describe how I felt, it felt like someone punched me really hard in the stomach (even though I have no idea how that would feel like).
I have been hanging out with Lauren a lot more, recently. We go out to drink and dance, throw after-parties aka eating our hearts out and talking about everyone's silliness, then attempt to be productive in the day time. Well, in the midst of all these activities we have been bonding over our love of S. Africa and the dark despair of having to leave. But her and I are both the type to try to stay optimistic. The last time we spoke about it was at Lola's Cafe on Long Street, talking over her 4-cheese macaroni and my two-choice Indian curries. She reminds me a lot of my Lyon roommate, Claire, because I usually bring up how much I will miss something. Their response is usually to forget about it and to just focus on the now and make the most of it. It's good to have people like that in your life. They kind of just bring everything to light and slap some sense into you. I haven't brought it up since. Not out loud, anyways. But after looking at my calendar, and going forward a few pages in my weekly planner, realizing that 3 pages later I will be at home, well. I can't help but think about it again. It's like an annoying tick that won't go away.
Well, on the brighter side of things, my friend that I met in Lyon is coming to visit for a week!! I am super excited about it because it will give me more reason to go out and explore the city.
Plan is to go out tonight, so time to wrap up some unfinished work. Cheers.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Sea of Sadness
Interns are dropping like flies.
Saying "see you later" to 8 friends is exhausting. Especially if you don't know the next time you will see them. Optimistically, I will cross paths with everyone I have made special ties with but realistically, I won't see most of them ever again. In addition to sending people off to their worlds back home, it struck me that it is finally May. Scratch finally. What I meant to say was ...already May. I had a dream a few days ago while sleeping at a backpackers in Noordhoek. The date in my dream was April 30. One of my friends, Doug, approached me saying that I had to leave for the airport right away. I had to pack my bags on the spot, say my goodbyes, and bawl like a baby on the way to the airport. In my head (in the dream) I thought my ticket was actually April 30, when in real life it is May 30. So it was definitely plausible in the dream that I had misread the ticket by a month. When I woke up, I had a deep heavy feeling in my chest because I thought I had to go home that day. That's when it hit me. My conviction. I need to keep making the most of what is here. If anything, I need to make more of it. Time is too short. Days go by slow, but months go by fast. I sit here, my third month into my internship, and it breaks my heart to think that I will have to leave in 3 weeks. If I had it my way, I would stay until fall semester. But Boston and summer school is calling my name, so I gotta run with that. I guess the brighter side of all this sadness is that most of the closest friends that I made here are from school or from the south. Reunions will definitely be possible.
.....
Yet, I am still swimming in my sea of sadness.
Saying "see you later" to 8 friends is exhausting. Especially if you don't know the next time you will see them. Optimistically, I will cross paths with everyone I have made special ties with but realistically, I won't see most of them ever again. In addition to sending people off to their worlds back home, it struck me that it is finally May. Scratch finally. What I meant to say was ...already May. I had a dream a few days ago while sleeping at a backpackers in Noordhoek. The date in my dream was April 30. One of my friends, Doug, approached me saying that I had to leave for the airport right away. I had to pack my bags on the spot, say my goodbyes, and bawl like a baby on the way to the airport. In my head (in the dream) I thought my ticket was actually April 30, when in real life it is May 30. So it was definitely plausible in the dream that I had misread the ticket by a month. When I woke up, I had a deep heavy feeling in my chest because I thought I had to go home that day. That's when it hit me. My conviction. I need to keep making the most of what is here. If anything, I need to make more of it. Time is too short. Days go by slow, but months go by fast. I sit here, my third month into my internship, and it breaks my heart to think that I will have to leave in 3 weeks. If I had it my way, I would stay until fall semester. But Boston and summer school is calling my name, so I gotta run with that. I guess the brighter side of all this sadness is that most of the closest friends that I made here are from school or from the south. Reunions will definitely be possible.
.....
Yet, I am still swimming in my sea of sadness.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Thought Bubbles
- April is coming to an end and it scares me that May will go by just as fast
- Only 10% of me misses home. Does that make me insensitive and immune to homesick feelings?
- I had one of the best weekends ever. (Such a redundant comment on this blog...)
- What did I do? dance at TigerTiger, S. Africa Cheese Festival on a farm, rugby game, Goldfish concert at The Assembly, dance at Zula for 4 hours straight, good food in good company, church, and then attempted to catch up on sleep.
- This week consists of 3 "holiday" days...aka I only need to go in to work tomorrow and Wednesday!
- Catalog deadline is coming up!
- I love the bookstore. I can spend hours alone just browsing through cookbooks, travel guides, photography books, & etc.
- Music is my soul. Love it.
- Autumn in Cape Town. In April! Who would've thought.
- SO many friends are leaving this week.... It breaks my heart :(
- I really, really hope Agnes can come visit me from Lyon. That would be....amazing.
- Raspberry soda is so yummy.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Cold in Cape Town
Weird. I don't like it being cold in Cape Town. It's really throwing me off and making me start to believe I am back in Boston. And by that time actually comes around, Boston will be hot and summery. So yeah, it's weird how seasons work oppositely here. The rainy season is supposed to hit pretty soon, but I can count on one hand how many experiences with rain I have had.
Coincidentally or not, a lot of my friends have been asking me lately how I can compare my experience in France with the one I have here. It's a question I get baffled with every time. I feel as if my words to describe Lyon and the amazing experience I had will not do it justice. It was sincerely the greatest time of my life. I owe a lot of it to the people I was with - living with 20 Americans from different schools and getting to attend an American-based French university together were opportunities for me to broaden my horizons and tolerate all sorts of people. Somehow without my knowing, my mind was opened. I just let it break free out of the bubble I have been stuck in for the past however many years and I just let it see the world. I learned a lot. A lot about the culture, the people, myself. Probably the most growth I have experienced in such a short span of time. And maybe that is why I have had the same high expectations for myself here. Not to say that I have not been growing and learning. I definitely have. But my experience in Cape Town is set up a lot differently from the one in Lyon. Although I live with many interns my age from the states and other countries around the world, we all have different schedules, different jobs, different goals, different personalities. I love getting to meet everyone and hear about what brought them to Cape Town and what they are doing here, but I still sense the lack of community/family-ness that I had in Lyon. That is the one big thing I miss about it. But I mean, apart from my living and social situation, I love Cape Town. It's a city I can see myself in later on in life. I admit though, it is straining to be immersed in some of the worst epidemics and challenges of the world. Life isn't made to be easy here. You really have to work hard for what you want.
I am planning on doing a personal township tour this weekend. I feel myself getting too caught up in the westernized life. I would really like to start breaking out more into the true South African ways and culture. I still have a month and a half left, and I really hope to see more of it before I leave.
Coincidentally or not, a lot of my friends have been asking me lately how I can compare my experience in France with the one I have here. It's a question I get baffled with every time. I feel as if my words to describe Lyon and the amazing experience I had will not do it justice. It was sincerely the greatest time of my life. I owe a lot of it to the people I was with - living with 20 Americans from different schools and getting to attend an American-based French university together were opportunities for me to broaden my horizons and tolerate all sorts of people. Somehow without my knowing, my mind was opened. I just let it break free out of the bubble I have been stuck in for the past however many years and I just let it see the world. I learned a lot. A lot about the culture, the people, myself. Probably the most growth I have experienced in such a short span of time. And maybe that is why I have had the same high expectations for myself here. Not to say that I have not been growing and learning. I definitely have. But my experience in Cape Town is set up a lot differently from the one in Lyon. Although I live with many interns my age from the states and other countries around the world, we all have different schedules, different jobs, different goals, different personalities. I love getting to meet everyone and hear about what brought them to Cape Town and what they are doing here, but I still sense the lack of community/family-ness that I had in Lyon. That is the one big thing I miss about it. But I mean, apart from my living and social situation, I love Cape Town. It's a city I can see myself in later on in life. I admit though, it is straining to be immersed in some of the worst epidemics and challenges of the world. Life isn't made to be easy here. You really have to work hard for what you want.
I am planning on doing a personal township tour this weekend. I feel myself getting too caught up in the westernized life. I would really like to start breaking out more into the true South African ways and culture. I still have a month and a half left, and I really hope to see more of it before I leave.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Back on my feet again .. (literally)
The freak accident that was aforementioned in the last entry led to a series of battles for me - both physically and mentally. The situation started off being really funny to me, but then it just started to get uncomfortable not being able to walk normally, run outside, hike, dance, or do any other normal thing that I would do. And two days after, I got a throat infection and had to go into hermit/gimp status for a week. During that week, I battled with myself because I felt like I was finally going through my breaking point homesick period. It was necessary though. I thought a lot of my family and friends back at home, thought a lot about my time here and what I would still like to do and accomplish, and other thoughts about life. So now that I am pretty much all better, things have been starting to turn around. Maybe it's the fact that I moved upstairs into a single, or maybe it's the fact that we turned our manual car in and got an automatic, but all these little things have been starting to have a happy influence on me. And ultimately in the end, I just have to say that life is good. Always. Despite all the bumps in the road, there are signs that show how beautiful life can be.
So I know this post is long overdue since my last one, but like I said...I was in hermit mode and abandoned all my usual duties, including blogging. To recap, here a few of the things I've done since the Garden Route.
-Robben Island tour (very interesting & powerful to see Nelson Mandela's cell in person)
-Skydiving (one of the most incredible things I've ever done in my life)
-Taste of Cape Town (amazing venue with Cape Town's most highly acclaimed restaurants. loved it)
-Llandundo Beach (to chill - beautiful beach)
-Velvet Thursdays (dance dance dance the night away)
-Franschhoek (quaint, French vineyard city - did the Huguenot Chocolate Experience & bought lots of chocolate)
-Fattened up a bit more with sushi and such (mmm-mm good)
-Quality time with friends (sleepover, movies, guitar hero, cooking, eating, chatting, etc.)
-Caught up on some reading (re-read The Alchemist and part of A Long Walk to Freedom)
I am really happy with the way my friendships are developing here. Although there are apparent cliques and circles, I try not to fall into just one. All of the interns here are so interesting. They are all here for different reasons and for different time frames, and from all over the world. From Canada to the states to Sweden. It's amazing being able to connect with these people from all over. And especially being able to develop relationships with my work family. I call them family now because that's what they feel like. We share problems and advice, we concern and care for each other, we share food, we help each other. I am going to miss them most. They are teaching me something from South African culture that I have not obtained from anyone else. Their love for life is so strong that you can't help but get caught up in it. And not to mention that work is going well too. I missed my last deadline for the product catalog, but it was honestly an unreasonable amount of time admitted by both my supervisor and I. To take individual photos of 300+ products, editing them, pricing them, and putting them into a brand new catalog format... it was overwhelming for me. But after a meeting last week, we extended to two more weeks. I just want to get the website design and the catalog done before I leave. That is essentially my deadline. And in between, I still visit our program sites in the townships. Driving through the townships never gets old for me. It puts life into perspective for me.
Life in Cape Town.
It's still surreal sometimes.
Something surprises me everyday about this place.
Something beautiful. Something shocking. Something real.
So I know this post is long overdue since my last one, but like I said...I was in hermit mode and abandoned all my usual duties, including blogging. To recap, here a few of the things I've done since the Garden Route.
-Robben Island tour (very interesting & powerful to see Nelson Mandela's cell in person)
-Skydiving (one of the most incredible things I've ever done in my life)
-Taste of Cape Town (amazing venue with Cape Town's most highly acclaimed restaurants. loved it)
-Llandundo Beach (to chill - beautiful beach)
-Velvet Thursdays (dance dance dance the night away)
-Franschhoek (quaint, French vineyard city - did the Huguenot Chocolate Experience & bought lots of chocolate)
-Fattened up a bit more with sushi and such (mmm-mm good)
-Quality time with friends (sleepover, movies, guitar hero, cooking, eating, chatting, etc.)
-Caught up on some reading (re-read The Alchemist and part of A Long Walk to Freedom)
I am really happy with the way my friendships are developing here. Although there are apparent cliques and circles, I try not to fall into just one. All of the interns here are so interesting. They are all here for different reasons and for different time frames, and from all over the world. From Canada to the states to Sweden. It's amazing being able to connect with these people from all over. And especially being able to develop relationships with my work family. I call them family now because that's what they feel like. We share problems and advice, we concern and care for each other, we share food, we help each other. I am going to miss them most. They are teaching me something from South African culture that I have not obtained from anyone else. Their love for life is so strong that you can't help but get caught up in it. And not to mention that work is going well too. I missed my last deadline for the product catalog, but it was honestly an unreasonable amount of time admitted by both my supervisor and I. To take individual photos of 300+ products, editing them, pricing them, and putting them into a brand new catalog format... it was overwhelming for me. But after a meeting last week, we extended to two more weeks. I just want to get the website design and the catalog done before I leave. That is essentially my deadline. And in between, I still visit our program sites in the townships. Driving through the townships never gets old for me. It puts life into perspective for me.
Life in Cape Town.
It's still surreal sometimes.
Something surprises me everyday about this place.
Something beautiful. Something shocking. Something real.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
N2 Adventures
This past weekend was a good one.
It was a 4-day weekend so a group of 8 Americans decided to go on a little road trip called the Garden Route. You basically drive from Cape Town along one highway called the N2 until your heart desires. Considering we didn't have the average amount of 2 weeks time, we only made it as far as Plettenburg Bay. But still. It was beautiful. To give you a little breakdown of what the trip looked like....
On the first day, we drove out of Cape Town for 4 hours and checked into the backpackers at Mossel Bay. We had a sweet room. 4 bunk beds so all the guys and gals slept in the same room (yah, I think we're old enough and past the cootie stage). We had an outdoor porch with the sweetest hammock I've ever seen. The place looked nice, but we had to check out early and get the show on the road. We decided to eat breakfast at Mugg & Bean. My new favorite breakfast place!! I ordered the Belgian Waffles with ice cream (hey, it's never too early for ice cream) and a cheese omelet with toast. I was hungry. To everyone's surprise, I finished every last morsel. We played a few fun games while we were waiting forever for our food. I can't wait to share them with friends back home. So after breakfast, we drove to our first activity of the trip: the Cango Caves Adventure Tour. We were led by the most serious tour guide I've ever met - he would tell us these scary things and not even flinch his emotions. It was crazy..one of our girls almost backed out but she toughed it out. He led us through a few beautiful chambers but our main fear was the end of the tour when we would have to squeeze tightly in the caves. By the end, we were pretty much on our stomachs and hands just wiggling to get through the holes and crevices. The last thing was the hardest part for me (curse my short legs!) but I managed to lift up to the platform thingamajigger. After everyone squeezed through, we walked back outside and we were never so happy to have fresh oxygen. Definitely not for a claustrophobic person! Afterwards, we drove to our next destination but stopped at various points to take photos. We stopped by the camels, the ostrich farm, and scenic mountains and valleys. We got into Kynsna in the evening time and had dinner at 34 South that Nikki & Donielle recommended to us. I ordered the Kassler Chops with sweet potato on the side - it was deelish. mmm. Some of the group went out to partyparty but most of us came back early and had some birthday cookies & cake.
The next day, we checked out pretty early. Something about the day was off from the start. The weather was gloomy and grey and our group was separated doing their own things. And the car I was in got a ticket for parking in the No Loading Zone. How were we supposed to know all the street signs and their meanings?? Two of us were sitting in the car waiting for a friend to get flu medicine from the pharmacy when an officer came up to us and handed us a ticket. He didn't even give us a warning... But ehhhh, what can we do. So anyways, we just grabbed breakfast quickly and met up with the others near the beautiful lagoons. Took some photos and then we took off for the next activity: BUNGY JUMPING. I had absolutely no desire to jump. Like...I never did. I have always wanted to go skydiving but not jump off a bridge. 4 friends were committed jumpers and 3 of us were bungy buddies who could escort them to the platform. 1 stayed behind just because. 1 out of 3 bungy buddies turned into a jumper....and it wasn't me. I had a percentage going on if I was to change my mind. It went from 5% to 98%. Yes, I was THAT sure I was going to jump. I spoke to the guy in charge and told him I wanted to sign up, but he said I could....without my friends being there. Not even a few friends! The reason behind this craziness was because a new group was coming in so something about the capacity. Sooo I said never mind and said maybe I'll come back. But now I definitely want to go back after hearing about everyone's jump and watching their videos. Besides, it's the world's HIGHEST jump. 216 meters. Eek. Just even doing the bridge walk made me a little woozy. It was awesome though because we met up with a couple of our other intern friends who were also doing the Garden Route. Sweet little reunion. After everyone jumped their fears away, we went to our next destination: Plettenburg Bay.
Easter Sunday. I went with two friends to a church across the street for service. It turned out to be a Catholic church so it worked out for my Catholic friends, and it worked out for me too cause I just wanted to go to a service. It was nice. We met up with the others and got breakfast at Europa. I ordered a layered bagel sandwich with rocket, tomatoes, and balsamic vinaigrette. Then we took off for our last adventure of the trip: ziplining! We drove about an hour away to the Tsitsikamma National Park. We got strapped up with harnesses and cables, along with dorky helmets and huge gloves, and got started right away. We did 8 ziplines - the coolest ones being the ones over waterfalls. It was a lot of fun and the day was just gorgeous. We were supposed to paintball and quad bike, but those things didn't really work out so we just drove around to some scenic areas instead. We also planned a braai (BBQ) at the backpackers' camp fire so we prepared the burgers, hot dogs, and chicken kebabs. But before dinner started, a few of us went to Flashbacks (a local pub) to watch a soccer game and to grab a few beers/pizza. It was interesting and fun because my friend, Doug, is such a passionate fanatic so we all learned a little bit more about the sport. The girls went back early to cook. It was really nice to have everyone in a circle by the fire...especially since it was our last night. We had some good laughs and stories.
The last day was pretty much spent driving back to Cape Town. I took over about 3 hours of the way back and it made me verrrrry sleepy...especially because we were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic for an hour.
All in all, I had a fantastic time. My group was young, reckless, and easygoing. I couldn't have asked for a better group.
I am PSYCHED about the few upcoming trips. I might do a Nomad trip with the boys up to Namibia, Botswana, Vic Falls, and Chobe. Possibly a 20-day camping trip.
I have another story to tell, but it is a bit of an embarrassing one.
I fell through the toilet on Tuesday.
Let me explain.
I usually stand on top of the toilet seat cover because our mirrors are a little high for me and we don't have full body length mirrors. Well, I do this pretty often...but for some reason, the seat cover decided to crack on me. I fell through and my legs/feet were cut and bruised along the way. It wasn't a very pretty sight. But I cleaned up quickly and still decided to go into work. My carpool buddy offered to take me to the hospital but I said no. When I got to work, my boss told me to go to the hospital just in case. So my co-worker drove me to the ER and I got it checked out. Turns out on my left foot, I have a deep cut with a little bit of tissue that was removed. And then on my right foot, I have a sprained toe. So yeah....I can't walk well at all because both feet are injured. Eck. I wish I had a better reason for why I'm walking this funny and why I have cuts all over my legs. Something heroic like I got in a fight with a mugger who stole someone's purse. Or even something like falling on a hike. But nope...I have to be the one who fell through the toilet. Oh well, it could've been a lot worse.
So anyways, back to the Cape Town daily grind. Yeaaah, it was hard coming back after such an amazing trip, but I can never get sick of this city and lifestyle. Lots of work to catch up on. And I am moving up to the penthouse for April and May. I am stoked beyond belief. But it's also bittersweet because about 10 interns are leaving at the end of this month. My roommate, Kelly, being one of them. :(
I've been telling a few friends that even though this year of traveling has been the most incredible experience of my life, I am almost excited to be back in Boston and just return to my student lifestyle. I miss having events to go to, having a class schedule, learning things, meeting and connecting with new people, etc. But wherever I am, I am just thankful for everything, as cheesy as that may sound. I am thankful for Cape Town, the things I am being exposed to and forced to think about, the people I am meeting, the things I am learning. And I know when I return to the states, I will be thankful for the convenience of everything, being near family and friends, and etc. But anywho, for now I am thankful for being here.
It was a 4-day weekend so a group of 8 Americans decided to go on a little road trip called the Garden Route. You basically drive from Cape Town along one highway called the N2 until your heart desires. Considering we didn't have the average amount of 2 weeks time, we only made it as far as Plettenburg Bay. But still. It was beautiful. To give you a little breakdown of what the trip looked like....
On the first day, we drove out of Cape Town for 4 hours and checked into the backpackers at Mossel Bay. We had a sweet room. 4 bunk beds so all the guys and gals slept in the same room (yah, I think we're old enough and past the cootie stage). We had an outdoor porch with the sweetest hammock I've ever seen. The place looked nice, but we had to check out early and get the show on the road. We decided to eat breakfast at Mugg & Bean. My new favorite breakfast place!! I ordered the Belgian Waffles with ice cream (hey, it's never too early for ice cream) and a cheese omelet with toast. I was hungry. To everyone's surprise, I finished every last morsel. We played a few fun games while we were waiting forever for our food. I can't wait to share them with friends back home. So after breakfast, we drove to our first activity of the trip: the Cango Caves Adventure Tour. We were led by the most serious tour guide I've ever met - he would tell us these scary things and not even flinch his emotions. It was crazy..one of our girls almost backed out but she toughed it out. He led us through a few beautiful chambers but our main fear was the end of the tour when we would have to squeeze tightly in the caves. By the end, we were pretty much on our stomachs and hands just wiggling to get through the holes and crevices. The last thing was the hardest part for me (curse my short legs!) but I managed to lift up to the platform thingamajigger. After everyone squeezed through, we walked back outside and we were never so happy to have fresh oxygen. Definitely not for a claustrophobic person! Afterwards, we drove to our next destination but stopped at various points to take photos. We stopped by the camels, the ostrich farm, and scenic mountains and valleys. We got into Kynsna in the evening time and had dinner at 34 South that Nikki & Donielle recommended to us. I ordered the Kassler Chops with sweet potato on the side - it was deelish. mmm. Some of the group went out to partyparty but most of us came back early and had some birthday cookies & cake.
The next day, we checked out pretty early. Something about the day was off from the start. The weather was gloomy and grey and our group was separated doing their own things. And the car I was in got a ticket for parking in the No Loading Zone. How were we supposed to know all the street signs and their meanings?? Two of us were sitting in the car waiting for a friend to get flu medicine from the pharmacy when an officer came up to us and handed us a ticket. He didn't even give us a warning... But ehhhh, what can we do. So anyways, we just grabbed breakfast quickly and met up with the others near the beautiful lagoons. Took some photos and then we took off for the next activity: BUNGY JUMPING. I had absolutely no desire to jump. Like...I never did. I have always wanted to go skydiving but not jump off a bridge. 4 friends were committed jumpers and 3 of us were bungy buddies who could escort them to the platform. 1 stayed behind just because. 1 out of 3 bungy buddies turned into a jumper....and it wasn't me. I had a percentage going on if I was to change my mind. It went from 5% to 98%. Yes, I was THAT sure I was going to jump. I spoke to the guy in charge and told him I wanted to sign up, but he said I could....without my friends being there. Not even a few friends! The reason behind this craziness was because a new group was coming in so something about the capacity. Sooo I said never mind and said maybe I'll come back. But now I definitely want to go back after hearing about everyone's jump and watching their videos. Besides, it's the world's HIGHEST jump. 216 meters. Eek. Just even doing the bridge walk made me a little woozy. It was awesome though because we met up with a couple of our other intern friends who were also doing the Garden Route. Sweet little reunion. After everyone jumped their fears away, we went to our next destination: Plettenburg Bay.
Easter Sunday. I went with two friends to a church across the street for service. It turned out to be a Catholic church so it worked out for my Catholic friends, and it worked out for me too cause I just wanted to go to a service. It was nice. We met up with the others and got breakfast at Europa. I ordered a layered bagel sandwich with rocket, tomatoes, and balsamic vinaigrette. Then we took off for our last adventure of the trip: ziplining! We drove about an hour away to the Tsitsikamma National Park. We got strapped up with harnesses and cables, along with dorky helmets and huge gloves, and got started right away. We did 8 ziplines - the coolest ones being the ones over waterfalls. It was a lot of fun and the day was just gorgeous. We were supposed to paintball and quad bike, but those things didn't really work out so we just drove around to some scenic areas instead. We also planned a braai (BBQ) at the backpackers' camp fire so we prepared the burgers, hot dogs, and chicken kebabs. But before dinner started, a few of us went to Flashbacks (a local pub) to watch a soccer game and to grab a few beers/pizza. It was interesting and fun because my friend, Doug, is such a passionate fanatic so we all learned a little bit more about the sport. The girls went back early to cook. It was really nice to have everyone in a circle by the fire...especially since it was our last night. We had some good laughs and stories.
The last day was pretty much spent driving back to Cape Town. I took over about 3 hours of the way back and it made me verrrrry sleepy...especially because we were stuck in bumper to bumper traffic for an hour.
All in all, I had a fantastic time. My group was young, reckless, and easygoing. I couldn't have asked for a better group.
I am PSYCHED about the few upcoming trips. I might do a Nomad trip with the boys up to Namibia, Botswana, Vic Falls, and Chobe. Possibly a 20-day camping trip.
I have another story to tell, but it is a bit of an embarrassing one.
I fell through the toilet on Tuesday.
Let me explain.
I usually stand on top of the toilet seat cover because our mirrors are a little high for me and we don't have full body length mirrors. Well, I do this pretty often...but for some reason, the seat cover decided to crack on me. I fell through and my legs/feet were cut and bruised along the way. It wasn't a very pretty sight. But I cleaned up quickly and still decided to go into work. My carpool buddy offered to take me to the hospital but I said no. When I got to work, my boss told me to go to the hospital just in case. So my co-worker drove me to the ER and I got it checked out. Turns out on my left foot, I have a deep cut with a little bit of tissue that was removed. And then on my right foot, I have a sprained toe. So yeah....I can't walk well at all because both feet are injured. Eck. I wish I had a better reason for why I'm walking this funny and why I have cuts all over my legs. Something heroic like I got in a fight with a mugger who stole someone's purse. Or even something like falling on a hike. But nope...I have to be the one who fell through the toilet. Oh well, it could've been a lot worse.
So anyways, back to the Cape Town daily grind. Yeaaah, it was hard coming back after such an amazing trip, but I can never get sick of this city and lifestyle. Lots of work to catch up on. And I am moving up to the penthouse for April and May. I am stoked beyond belief. But it's also bittersweet because about 10 interns are leaving at the end of this month. My roommate, Kelly, being one of them. :(
I've been telling a few friends that even though this year of traveling has been the most incredible experience of my life, I am almost excited to be back in Boston and just return to my student lifestyle. I miss having events to go to, having a class schedule, learning things, meeting and connecting with new people, etc. But wherever I am, I am just thankful for everything, as cheesy as that may sound. I am thankful for Cape Town, the things I am being exposed to and forced to think about, the people I am meeting, the things I am learning. And I know when I return to the states, I will be thankful for the convenience of everything, being near family and friends, and etc. But anywho, for now I am thankful for being here.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
CHECKING OUT
I'm leaving for a 5-day road trip. (!!!! EXCITED !!!!) A group of 8 of us will be doing the Garden Route trip stopping at various points: Mossel Bay, Knysna, Oudtshoorn, Jeffrey's Bay, Pletteburg Bay, Tsitsikamma. Pictures & stories will be posted once I return. :)
Cheers.
Cheers.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Y'ello.
Hey loves,
Thanks for checking into my falling behind blog.
Want some updates?
1) I am happily overwhelmed at work. The product manager handed me over a month-long project while he is away for vacay, and also his AC-ed office (woohoo, no more sweating like a dog at work). 10 of the bowl samples came back, I set up a mini exhibition in the boardroom for the staff to choose their top 3 favorites, their top 3 dislikes, and other random questions. I narrowed it down to 5 bowls for this batch. Another batch is coming in tomorrow... and that means I need to get working on more designs for the last batch! The last will be the hardest because I need to graphically design it from our popular sardine label, while trying to stay on top of the trendy colors for the upcoming seasons. I also need to create a format for the new product catalog that we will launch on April 1. The website is lacking as much priority nowadays since it is really just a makeover for our "brand recognition" while the new product catalogs will bring in more income, which we desperately need. No complaints from me though - I like doing more creative things anyhow.
2) I ended up going to the Strandloper lunch on Saturday with Doug & Donielle. It was about an hour and a half drive outside of the city.
It was located on Langebaan beach - the eating area was very rustic and quaint. Large ropes on the sandy terrain, chipped paint on random boats set up around the tables, benches set up on cement blocks filled with oyster and sea shells, and bugs everywhere ready to attack our yummy food. We arrived one or two courses late, but we still got to enjoy the mussels, seafood paella, endless bread with homemade butter/jams, braaied snoek with potatoes & sweet potatoes, and bokkoms. Oh, and also a cup of made-over-the-fire coffee to wash it all down. 
In between the courses, we ventured out to the beach. The water was unbelievably beautiful and clear, and the huge boulders were situated in just the right areas with seagulls perched on each of them. Sailboats could be seen from afar and the most gorgeous shells could be picked up along the shore. It was an amazing day.
3) I went to the one of South Africa's largest townships, called Khayelitsha. I went to one of Wola Nani's program sites hoping to
observe another counseling session, but it was even better this time. I had to wait outside while my co-workers had a meeting, but I was surprised with a wave of school children. They were dripping beads of sweat from walking in the scorching sun, still dressed in their starchy school uniforms, and each of them had an indescribable glow. The girls danced for us, followed by the boys. They were so cute and funny. These kids are so strong. 
Despite all of the hardships they experience in life, they continue on with the most optimistic and hopeful mindsets. One of the girls, appearing to be the leader of the pack, was an orphan until her relatives took her in because both her parents passed away from AIDS. She was the best at English, and she wrote down all of her friends' names along with their meanings. Her name is Unathi, which means "God is with us." They inspired me.
4) I watched Blood Diamond last week and I felt like I was watching it with a new pair of eyes. After being here for a month, my sentiments about this country and culture have been changing uncontrollably. My exposure to how REAL and BEAUTIFUL this country is increases day by day.
5) I am stuck in a westernized world. Majority of my friends are American, I go along with the touristy activities, and I am comfortable... too comfortable. I would really like to branch out more with the locals and into where they live/how they live. And I would really like to start learning more about the history and framework of South Africa. Northeasterners will be going on a trip to Robben Island at the end of this month, so that gives me a lot of motivation to finish Nelson Mandela's, A Long Walk to Freedom.
6) Plans for upcoming trips are tentative, but they include the Garden Route roadtrip, a few days in Namibia/Botswana/Vic Falls, a trip up north to see baobabs!, and *hopefully* a trip to La Réunion. If all goes as planned, I will see my good friend in her home country (with active volcanoes!).
7) I am thankful for the weather lately. It is finally starting to cool down which automatically puts me in a better mood from when I used to be energy drained by the heat.
8) I miss home, inevitably. I miss the taste of my mom's cooking and the close presence of my family and friends.
I wish I could've reached 10, but I couldn't think of 2 more.
Sorry to leave y'all hanging there.
Until next time...
sending lots of love your way.
Thanks for checking into my falling behind blog.
Want some updates?
1) I am happily overwhelmed at work. The product manager handed me over a month-long project while he is away for vacay, and also his AC-ed office (woohoo, no more sweating like a dog at work). 10 of the bowl samples came back, I set up a mini exhibition in the boardroom for the staff to choose their top 3 favorites, their top 3 dislikes, and other random questions. I narrowed it down to 5 bowls for this batch. Another batch is coming in tomorrow... and that means I need to get working on more designs for the last batch! The last will be the hardest because I need to graphically design it from our popular sardine label, while trying to stay on top of the trendy colors for the upcoming seasons. I also need to create a format for the new product catalog that we will launch on April 1. The website is lacking as much priority nowadays since it is really just a makeover for our "brand recognition" while the new product catalogs will bring in more income, which we desperately need. No complaints from me though - I like doing more creative things anyhow.
2) I ended up going to the Strandloper lunch on Saturday with Doug & Donielle. It was about an hour and a half drive outside of the city.
It was located on Langebaan beach - the eating area was very rustic and quaint. Large ropes on the sandy terrain, chipped paint on random boats set up around the tables, benches set up on cement blocks filled with oyster and sea shells, and bugs everywhere ready to attack our yummy food. We arrived one or two courses late, but we still got to enjoy the mussels, seafood paella, endless bread with homemade butter/jams, braaied snoek with potatoes & sweet potatoes, and bokkoms. Oh, and also a cup of made-over-the-fire coffee to wash it all down. 
In between the courses, we ventured out to the beach. The water was unbelievably beautiful and clear, and the huge boulders were situated in just the right areas with seagulls perched on each of them. Sailboats could be seen from afar and the most gorgeous shells could be picked up along the shore. It was an amazing day.3) I went to the one of South Africa's largest townships, called Khayelitsha. I went to one of Wola Nani's program sites hoping to
observe another counseling session, but it was even better this time. I had to wait outside while my co-workers had a meeting, but I was surprised with a wave of school children. They were dripping beads of sweat from walking in the scorching sun, still dressed in their starchy school uniforms, and each of them had an indescribable glow. The girls danced for us, followed by the boys. They were so cute and funny. These kids are so strong. 
Despite all of the hardships they experience in life, they continue on with the most optimistic and hopeful mindsets. One of the girls, appearing to be the leader of the pack, was an orphan until her relatives took her in because both her parents passed away from AIDS. She was the best at English, and she wrote down all of her friends' names along with their meanings. Her name is Unathi, which means "God is with us." They inspired me.4) I watched Blood Diamond last week and I felt like I was watching it with a new pair of eyes. After being here for a month, my sentiments about this country and culture have been changing uncontrollably. My exposure to how REAL and BEAUTIFUL this country is increases day by day.
5) I am stuck in a westernized world. Majority of my friends are American, I go along with the touristy activities, and I am comfortable... too comfortable. I would really like to branch out more with the locals and into where they live/how they live. And I would really like to start learning more about the history and framework of South Africa. Northeasterners will be going on a trip to Robben Island at the end of this month, so that gives me a lot of motivation to finish Nelson Mandela's, A Long Walk to Freedom.
6) Plans for upcoming trips are tentative, but they include the Garden Route roadtrip, a few days in Namibia/Botswana/Vic Falls, a trip up north to see baobabs!, and *hopefully* a trip to La Réunion. If all goes as planned, I will see my good friend in her home country (with active volcanoes!).
7) I am thankful for the weather lately. It is finally starting to cool down which automatically puts me in a better mood from when I used to be energy drained by the heat.
8) I miss home, inevitably. I miss the taste of my mom's cooking and the close presence of my family and friends.
I wish I could've reached 10, but I couldn't think of 2 more.
Sorry to leave y'all hanging there.
Until next time...
sending lots of love your way.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Under the Weather Bug
Something has been going around.
Something weeeeeird.
Not a flu or a cold or anything like that.
Just a grey cloud that has been sprinkling a little bit of its gloominess on people and things.
I can't quite put my finger on it, but the past few days have been a little off.
It's weird cause I thought it was just me going through my homesick/thinking about life phase, but others seem to be going through something similar at the same time.
Weird weird weird.. !
But for some comic relief, a bunch of us went to On Broadway (Short Market St.) to watch David Newton and his "Politically Incorrect" show. It was hil-ar-ious. He had me in tears at more than I can count on one hand. He dived into areas that left a lot of us "politically correct" Americans uncomfortable, but I personally thought he was just making a good joke out of a bad situation. Laughing never hurt anyone, right? He was also one of our South African friend's (Siv) good friend, so he came by our table before and after to say hello. Funny guy.
And yesterday was what...Tuesday?
Ahhh that's right.
Another karaoke night at Catu Irish Bar.
If it wasn't for all us Connect interns, the place would've been dead.
My new roommate came in yesterday from Zambia. Well, she's actually from Wisconsin but she was volunteering for a month in Zambia. She seems like a cool girl so far and I'm excited to get to know her.
I had two driving lessons with my carpool buddy, Keith, last week.
It was pretty successful in the aspect that I got the concept down... but when I took it out on the streets, the pedestrians seemed deathly afraid of me. When I reached a crosswalk, I had to stop cause so many cars were moving back and forth, and people were trying to cross. So everytime I put my foot on the brake, I would forget to keep it on the clutch also. And not to mention they have London-style streets! Too much multi-tasking for me. So literally, I stalled out about 5 times at the crosswalk. I had to turn the engine back on, put it into the first gear, make a fool out of myself, etc. etc. etc. But it was fun. I think I will try to drive home from work today....
Things are reaaaally picking up at work.
I have lots to do hence the lack of blogging this past week! (Sorry to my loyal reader, Ria).
:)
I'm excited about the new project I got because it's like...my own!
After the April 1 deadline, I'll be smooth sailing. But for now, it's just crunch time everyday.
Tea time.
Love y'all.
Something weeeeeird.
Not a flu or a cold or anything like that.
Just a grey cloud that has been sprinkling a little bit of its gloominess on people and things.
I can't quite put my finger on it, but the past few days have been a little off.
It's weird cause I thought it was just me going through my homesick/thinking about life phase, but others seem to be going through something similar at the same time.
Weird weird weird.. !
But for some comic relief, a bunch of us went to On Broadway (Short Market St.) to watch David Newton and his "Politically Incorrect" show. It was hil-ar-ious. He had me in tears at more than I can count on one hand. He dived into areas that left a lot of us "politically correct" Americans uncomfortable, but I personally thought he was just making a good joke out of a bad situation. Laughing never hurt anyone, right? He was also one of our South African friend's (Siv) good friend, so he came by our table before and after to say hello. Funny guy.
And yesterday was what...Tuesday?
Ahhh that's right.
Another karaoke night at Catu Irish Bar.
If it wasn't for all us Connect interns, the place would've been dead.
My new roommate came in yesterday from Zambia. Well, she's actually from Wisconsin but she was volunteering for a month in Zambia. She seems like a cool girl so far and I'm excited to get to know her.
I had two driving lessons with my carpool buddy, Keith, last week.
It was pretty successful in the aspect that I got the concept down... but when I took it out on the streets, the pedestrians seemed deathly afraid of me. When I reached a crosswalk, I had to stop cause so many cars were moving back and forth, and people were trying to cross. So everytime I put my foot on the brake, I would forget to keep it on the clutch also. And not to mention they have London-style streets! Too much multi-tasking for me. So literally, I stalled out about 5 times at the crosswalk. I had to turn the engine back on, put it into the first gear, make a fool out of myself, etc. etc. etc. But it was fun. I think I will try to drive home from work today....
Things are reaaaally picking up at work.
I have lots to do hence the lack of blogging this past week! (Sorry to my loyal reader, Ria).
:)
I'm excited about the new project I got because it's like...my own!
After the April 1 deadline, I'll be smooth sailing. But for now, it's just crunch time everyday.
Tea time.
Love y'all.
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
And I say hey, hey, hey, hey
I still have "What's Going On" stuck in my head after last night's karaoke session at Catu Irish Bar. I was too full and food coma-ed out to do anything so I enjoyed people scream their hearts out instead. My favorite was when the same lady went out for 5 songs in a row. And my least favorite part was when the karaoke DJ tried to pull me out on the stage when he saw me singing along to "Fly Me to the Moon." I persistently denied because I didn't feel like making a fool out of myself.
The reason for me being so food coma-ed out was because a group of us went to Africa Café for dinner beforehand. Located on the corner of Hout Street, it looks pretty standard from the outside. But when we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by
two beautiful South African women dressed in traditional wear and makeup. As they escorted us to our table, I caught a few glimpses of the restaurant; there were so many colors and crafty decors that I couldn't help but squeal. And the best part about it was my friend recognized a few of the Wola Nani bowls at their giftshop! I'm glad they're really getting out there and I am going to do my best to make them known. But back to the dinner table. We were told that we were going to be sharing a "communal feast" which is common in South Africa, where meals in bowls come out continually. I can't remember the count of how many different dishes we tried, but it was definitely over 10. From cheesy Cassava bread, to Zanzibar bean stew, to Morrocan chick pea and phyllo parcels, 
to Ethiopian Sik Sik Wat, just to name a few. But before we feasted our hearts out, we began with a hand washing ceremony where the ladies came around with a pitcher of fresh lemon water and a bowl to catch the falling water from our hands. They said South Africans tend to use their hands a lot during meals so it was only appropriate. Lauren, Katie, Natasha, and I shared two bottles of 2006 Riesling from the local vineyard, Stellenbosch. Nothing but delicious and refreshing. The ladies came out again and brought with them bowls and bowls of food, along with explanations of what each food was and where it originated from. I've never seen so many colors and flavors on one table before. My favorites were the Spicy Chicken Salad, Mozambican Peri Peri Prawns, the Cassava bread, and the Ethiopian lamb cooked in paprika sauce. Mmm'mmm'good! After all the courses came out, we could decide if we wanted to order anything else. The price is fixed because it is a set menu, so we could eat away to our heart and stomach's content without being charged for it. I'm glad I had a light lunch yesterday because it is definitely a meal that you want to be prepared for - pretty much like Thanksgiving. 
Oh, and to end it all off, we were brought out teacups poured with an option of Rooibos tea or Kenyan coffee, and a Lemon & Almond Tart to nibble on. It was definitely one of the best dining out experiences of my life, and my favorite one so far in Cape Town. Altogether the price came out to R220, which is a little over $30. WELL worth it, though. I took photos of each dish that came out and warned my dining mates beforehand how obnoxious it will seem, but c'mon....someone's gotta do it.
I'm pretty much spending my month's food money on this week alone because I still have two or three big eating experiences. One in just a few hours with Donielle - we will be going to Sushi Zone right around where we both work, and the best part....it has a Korean menu! I am so ecstatic about it. Another is this Saturday for a Connect-123 organized trip to eat a Strandloper lunch. It's going to be located at a stunning beach on a lagoon where we basically just eat and eat and eat with the accompaniment of live guitar music. Meals will be served in individual courses extending over a three to four hour period (10 couses. oh my god!). There's going to be an open braai area with mussels soaked in wine and traditional treats like paella, angel fish, sweet potatoes, and bread.
So much for losing my France baguette weight.
Just a random goal I have: I want to open a huge restaurant (size of a factory) where I will have 4 compartmental restaurants once you get inside - flavors from all over the world, but personal to where I've been and am attached to. France, South Africa, South Korea, and probably Atlanta or Boston. I'm shooting for by the time I'm 30. My brother already said he'll manage one of them. Haha. But seriously, food is my life. It's everyone's life if you really think about it. There are snooty connoisseurs who eat nothing but the best, and there are ordinary eaters who are content with items from the McDonald's dollar menu. But the point is, everyone needs food to survive. And I'm sure it's not just my favorite thing, but isn't good food in good company one of the best things in life? Food is like glue - it brings everyone to the table, young and old, black and white, he and she.
But enough of my shpeal on food, I have an important announcement to make.
I will be skydiving next weekend with a few friends from my internship program and I am scared out of my wits. Some e-moral support will be nice over the next week, please. :)
Work is picking up again. I got a new project I'm working on and it's a lot of fun and just around the corner of what I love to do - working hands on with colors, combinations, and developing new products.
I wonder if it's possible to extend my stay here for the rest of my life...?
The reason for me being so food coma-ed out was because a group of us went to Africa Café for dinner beforehand. Located on the corner of Hout Street, it looks pretty standard from the outside. But when we entered the restaurant, we were greeted by
two beautiful South African women dressed in traditional wear and makeup. As they escorted us to our table, I caught a few glimpses of the restaurant; there were so many colors and crafty decors that I couldn't help but squeal. And the best part about it was my friend recognized a few of the Wola Nani bowls at their giftshop! I'm glad they're really getting out there and I am going to do my best to make them known. But back to the dinner table. We were told that we were going to be sharing a "communal feast" which is common in South Africa, where meals in bowls come out continually. I can't remember the count of how many different dishes we tried, but it was definitely over 10. From cheesy Cassava bread, to Zanzibar bean stew, to Morrocan chick pea and phyllo parcels, 
to Ethiopian Sik Sik Wat, just to name a few. But before we feasted our hearts out, we began with a hand washing ceremony where the ladies came around with a pitcher of fresh lemon water and a bowl to catch the falling water from our hands. They said South Africans tend to use their hands a lot during meals so it was only appropriate. Lauren, Katie, Natasha, and I shared two bottles of 2006 Riesling from the local vineyard, Stellenbosch. Nothing but delicious and refreshing. The ladies came out again and brought with them bowls and bowls of food, along with explanations of what each food was and where it originated from. I've never seen so many colors and flavors on one table before. My favorites were the Spicy Chicken Salad, Mozambican Peri Peri Prawns, the Cassava bread, and the Ethiopian lamb cooked in paprika sauce. Mmm'mmm'good! After all the courses came out, we could decide if we wanted to order anything else. The price is fixed because it is a set menu, so we could eat away to our heart and stomach's content without being charged for it. I'm glad I had a light lunch yesterday because it is definitely a meal that you want to be prepared for - pretty much like Thanksgiving. 
Oh, and to end it all off, we were brought out teacups poured with an option of Rooibos tea or Kenyan coffee, and a Lemon & Almond Tart to nibble on. It was definitely one of the best dining out experiences of my life, and my favorite one so far in Cape Town. Altogether the price came out to R220, which is a little over $30. WELL worth it, though. I took photos of each dish that came out and warned my dining mates beforehand how obnoxious it will seem, but c'mon....someone's gotta do it.I'm pretty much spending my month's food money on this week alone because I still have two or three big eating experiences. One in just a few hours with Donielle - we will be going to Sushi Zone right around where we both work, and the best part....it has a Korean menu! I am so ecstatic about it. Another is this Saturday for a Connect-123 organized trip to eat a Strandloper lunch. It's going to be located at a stunning beach on a lagoon where we basically just eat and eat and eat with the accompaniment of live guitar music. Meals will be served in individual courses extending over a three to four hour period (10 couses. oh my god!). There's going to be an open braai area with mussels soaked in wine and traditional treats like paella, angel fish, sweet potatoes, and bread.
So much for losing my France baguette weight.
Just a random goal I have: I want to open a huge restaurant (size of a factory) where I will have 4 compartmental restaurants once you get inside - flavors from all over the world, but personal to where I've been and am attached to. France, South Africa, South Korea, and probably Atlanta or Boston. I'm shooting for by the time I'm 30. My brother already said he'll manage one of them. Haha. But seriously, food is my life. It's everyone's life if you really think about it. There are snooty connoisseurs who eat nothing but the best, and there are ordinary eaters who are content with items from the McDonald's dollar menu. But the point is, everyone needs food to survive. And I'm sure it's not just my favorite thing, but isn't good food in good company one of the best things in life? Food is like glue - it brings everyone to the table, young and old, black and white, he and she.
But enough of my shpeal on food, I have an important announcement to make.
I will be skydiving next weekend with a few friends from my internship program and I am scared out of my wits. Some e-moral support will be nice over the next week, please. :)
Work is picking up again. I got a new project I'm working on and it's a lot of fun and just around the corner of what I love to do - working hands on with colors, combinations, and developing new products.
I wonder if it's possible to extend my stay here for the rest of my life...?
Monday, February 25, 2008
Another (for-my-own-sake) Recap
It's supposed to rain today.
I hope it does...it's been too hot lately. We need a cool down.
A recap of another great few days cause my memory is awful.
Friday - No work. I did some chores, went out to Crush for lunch with some of the girls, haggled prices for souvenirs at Green Market, chilled on the rooftop with Foster's & good company, went to The Assembly for the Dirty Skirts & Johnny Neon concert, and then hung out at the Neighborhood on Long St.
Saturday - Woke up early, surprisingly. Went to Clifton Beach, but left after an hour because the wind was too harsh so it felt like it was whipping us. Went to V & A Waterfront and had a yummy fish & chips meal with live music in the background, took a really long nap, and then woke up again to go out to Long St. for Natasha's birthday bash. From Baghdad to Neighborhood to Dubliner to The Waiting Room.
Sunday - Woke up early again, surprisingly. But this time with a reason. Went to church with Doug - it was really nice and.....refreshing. Came back home and cooked banana pancakes & scrambled eggs/omelets for Natasha & April's birthday brunch. Made pages for Natasha's birthday/going-away scrapbook present. Ate birthday cake & pizza with good conversations. Finished the night with watching A Very Long Engagement.
I hope it does...it's been too hot lately. We need a cool down.
A recap of another great few days cause my memory is awful.
Friday - No work. I did some chores, went out to Crush for lunch with some of the girls, haggled prices for souvenirs at Green Market, chilled on the rooftop with Foster's & good company, went to The Assembly for the Dirty Skirts & Johnny Neon concert, and then hung out at the Neighborhood on Long St.
Saturday - Woke up early, surprisingly. Went to Clifton Beach, but left after an hour because the wind was too harsh so it felt like it was whipping us. Went to V & A Waterfront and had a yummy fish & chips meal with live music in the background, took a really long nap, and then woke up again to go out to Long St. for Natasha's birthday bash. From Baghdad to Neighborhood to Dubliner to The Waiting Room.
Sunday - Woke up early again, surprisingly. But this time with a reason. Went to church with Doug - it was really nice and.....refreshing. Came back home and cooked banana pancakes & scrambled eggs/omelets for Natasha & April's birthday brunch. Made pages for Natasha's birthday/going-away scrapbook present. Ate birthday cake & pizza with good conversations. Finished the night with watching A Very Long Engagement.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
First Township Visit
Destination: Gugulethu (or Guguletu) aka Gugs
I visited one of the largest townships in Cape Town this morning. I tagged along with my fellow American intern who serves as a counselor for the 5 program sites of Wola Nani. She's more like an employee because she graduated years ago and has a great job, but she's here volunteering her time to follow her passion. We got into her manual white Chico (it's not a rarity here - everyone drives one) and drove about 15 minutes outside the city. Wow, what a difference a 15 minute drive can make. No high rise buildings, no westernized looking buildings, livestock walking around (I witnessed three goats waiting at a bus stop), no clear indications of modernization and technology; just a very desolate-looking community. After making a few detours, we finally found our way to the program site. The site we have in Guguletu serves as a center for people to come in to get tested for HIV. They also offer pre- and post-result counseling services. When we drove into the little plaza, it looked more like the back of a shipping warehouse. There were garage looking entrances and no signs. Courtney (the counselor-intern) told me the reason for this was because we don't want people to be scared to come in because of the stigma attached to getting tested for, or having HIV/AIDS. So basically, our clients find us through word-of-mouth or being recommended from a local doctor. Our center is very small. Very....under-resourced. But it serves as a safe haven for many, so it is abundantly rich in less obvious ways. My plan was to take photos and short interviews of some of the staff and clients, but I felt like it would be too intrusive and insensitive of me if I did that right away, so I sat in and observed a counselor's support group instead. They meet once a week with Courtney to discuss high/low points of the week, express their challenges and struggles, ask questions, etc. There were 5 women and one cute little girl who was there with her grandmother. I sat on the side and just listened to these women talk about their daily struggles. One woman in particular really moved me because of her situation. She was tested as HIV+ in 2000 and was pregnant but fortunately, her child was born negative. She has disclosed the results to her parents, her brother, and her husband, but not to her 12-year old son and younger brother. She says it is really difficult to tell them because of their negative reactions; she "hypothetically" asked them what they would do if they found out she was HIV+ and they reacted with very negative comments. So that is what keeps her from telling them. And many of her friends don't believe she is HIV+ because she is healthy, strong, going about her daily life, and not taking ARV treatments. She has the mentality that she is not HIV+ ; she says she tends to forget she even has it. It was very motivating and inspiring to hear these women talk about their challenges (all the counselors are HIV+) with their health, as well as their struggles with handling all kinds of situations. One woman said she had no low points from her week, and her good point was that she is still alive. It's difficult to be here, emotionally, only because of the constant reminder of this widespread epidemic and consequences. But at the same time, there is a lot of hope and positive energy through the HIV+ victims who accept their fate and live strongly regardless. It is definitely encouraging to see.
I ended up taking some pictures, but mainly because it was one of the counselor's last week at that location. So I'm going to print the picture out for them sometime this weekend. Just a random thought....people here are so fascinated with pictures. I love it!
I have two new center visits next week - one in a children's program site, which I am really excited about, and one in the biggest township of Cape Town.
Sala kakuhle (take care in Xhosa)
I visited one of the largest townships in Cape Town this morning. I tagged along with my fellow American intern who serves as a counselor for the 5 program sites of Wola Nani. She's more like an employee because she graduated years ago and has a great job, but she's here volunteering her time to follow her passion. We got into her manual white Chico (it's not a rarity here - everyone drives one) and drove about 15 minutes outside the city. Wow, what a difference a 15 minute drive can make. No high rise buildings, no westernized looking buildings, livestock walking around (I witnessed three goats waiting at a bus stop), no clear indications of modernization and technology; just a very desolate-looking community. After making a few detours, we finally found our way to the program site. The site we have in Guguletu serves as a center for people to come in to get tested for HIV. They also offer pre- and post-result counseling services. When we drove into the little plaza, it looked more like the back of a shipping warehouse. There were garage looking entrances and no signs. Courtney (the counselor-intern) told me the reason for this was because we don't want people to be scared to come in because of the stigma attached to getting tested for, or having HIV/AIDS. So basically, our clients find us through word-of-mouth or being recommended from a local doctor. Our center is very small. Very....under-resourced. But it serves as a safe haven for many, so it is abundantly rich in less obvious ways. My plan was to take photos and short interviews of some of the staff and clients, but I felt like it would be too intrusive and insensitive of me if I did that right away, so I sat in and observed a counselor's support group instead. They meet once a week with Courtney to discuss high/low points of the week, express their challenges and struggles, ask questions, etc. There were 5 women and one cute little girl who was there with her grandmother. I sat on the side and just listened to these women talk about their daily struggles. One woman in particular really moved me because of her situation. She was tested as HIV+ in 2000 and was pregnant but fortunately, her child was born negative. She has disclosed the results to her parents, her brother, and her husband, but not to her 12-year old son and younger brother. She says it is really difficult to tell them because of their negative reactions; she "hypothetically" asked them what they would do if they found out she was HIV+ and they reacted with very negative comments. So that is what keeps her from telling them. And many of her friends don't believe she is HIV+ because she is healthy, strong, going about her daily life, and not taking ARV treatments. She has the mentality that she is not HIV+ ; she says she tends to forget she even has it. It was very motivating and inspiring to hear these women talk about their challenges (all the counselors are HIV+) with their health, as well as their struggles with handling all kinds of situations. One woman said she had no low points from her week, and her good point was that she is still alive. It's difficult to be here, emotionally, only because of the constant reminder of this widespread epidemic and consequences. But at the same time, there is a lot of hope and positive energy through the HIV+ victims who accept their fate and live strongly regardless. It is definitely encouraging to see.
I ended up taking some pictures, but mainly because it was one of the counselor's last week at that location. So I'm going to print the picture out for them sometime this weekend. Just a random thought....people here are so fascinated with pictures. I love it!
Counselor's support group in Guguletu
I have two new center visits next week - one in a children's program site, which I am really excited about, and one in the biggest township of Cape Town.
Sala kakuhle (take care in Xhosa)
Thursday.....Already?
For every Thursday that I've been here, it feels like a Tuesday. I announce it every time. Again, today feels like a Tuesday. This week just flew past me. For my own personal sake, I will write down a recap of the week so far:
Sunday: Aquila Safari
Monday: Work (meeting). OHSOSORE. The Office.
Tuesday: Work. Noon Gun Tea Room for dinner - Bo Kaap neighborhood.
Wednesday: Work (picture day - staff & new products, another meeting). Italian dinner night. Bourne Identity. Lunar Eclipse & hot chocolate.
Thursday: Work (scheduled to go into a township today: Gugulethu). Connect intern drinks at Asoka.
weekend plans: Dirty Skirts & Johnny Neon concert (indie electronica) at The Assembly. Beach. Sunday potluck brunch. Church. Cape Town scavenger hunt. Haagen Dazs. Celebrate Natasha's birthday. SLEEP.
------
Sunday: Aquila Safari
Monday: Work (meeting). OHSOSORE. The Office.
Tuesday: Work. Noon Gun Tea Room for dinner - Bo Kaap neighborhood.
Wednesday: Work (picture day - staff & new products, another meeting). Italian dinner night. Bourne Identity. Lunar Eclipse & hot chocolate.
Thursday: Work (scheduled to go into a township today: Gugulethu). Connect intern drinks at Asoka.
weekend plans: Dirty Skirts & Johnny Neon concert (indie electronica) at The Assembly. Beach. Sunday potluck brunch. Church. Cape Town scavenger hunt. Haagen Dazs. Celebrate Natasha's birthday. SLEEP.
------
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Picture Update One.
Dinner at Saigon (Kloof Street).
Valentine's Day / Neha's surprise birthday braai on the rooftop.
On the peak of Lion's Head!
Playing the djembe & hiking back down Lion's Head.
Wola Nani handcrafted bowls.
(Click to enlarge)
thanks : )
thanks : )
Monday, February 18, 2008
My Weekend Scoop
I had one of the best weekends of my entire life.
Not even exaggerating.
Friday: I hiked up Lion's Head for the second time...but I actually hiked my way to the top for the first time. It was more challenging
because we took the tougher route where you have to propel yourself up with a hanging chain. Scary, to say the least. And not to mention that once you get past the chain part, you have to free climb big rocks to get to the peak. But despite all of the moments of doubt where I thought I would fall over, collapse, and roll down the mountain...I felt like I was on top of the world when I reached the peak. It was breathtakingly beautiful - the panoramic view was something I've never seen before: mountains, the ocean, the city, and hillsides of residents. A couple of us decided to stay and soak in the scenery, while taking advantage of the situation to do a photo shoot. My heart raced like it never did before as I took pictures for the girls because they were sitting, standing, and waving 
on the edge of a cliff. But when I saw how they turned out, I wanted some as well... so I built my courage and went out there. I was pretty much shaking the whole time, but the feeling was (fill in the blank with some adjective better than amazing/awesome/incredible). After the photo-opp. we decided to head back down but then we bumped into a group of South African guys. They were carrying instruments & lanterns with them, and I was so intrigued by the guys with the djembes so I went up to one of them and asked if I could play. He handed me the smaller one and told me to follow his beat. I caught on for a little while, but then he sped up and then I lost the rhythm. 
It was a blast though. And I was ecstatic about the opportunity because playing the djembe was one of the things I wanted to do! I am definitely going to bring one home as my carry-on. Well, after our little jam session, we headed back down the mountain and caught the amazing sunset.
After the hike & dinner, we decided to go out to another fun place besides Long Street, so we decided to head to the Obz area (aka the SoHo area of Cape Town; also where I work). We jumped from Stones (definitely a college hangout - pool tables, games, and punk rock music) to Roots (a beachy-tiki themed place, but with a cool & fun atmosphere inside). My roommates and I danced away to the techno/house music although no one else would join us. I guess techno is hard to get into, but it made me nostalgic for all the French clubs from last semester. It was a fun night, overall. Oh, and we finished this gigantic vanilla cake w/ hot pink glittery frosting from Neha's surprise birthday party. Deelish.
Saturday: I slept in. Like woah. Like until 3 pm. It was glorious. But as soon as I woke up, I had to get ready quickly to catch the cab for the rugby game. It was the Cape Town Stormers versus the Pretoria Bulls. I love sports games for the sole reason of excitement. There is a certain energy buzz at games that I can't get anywhere else - men shouting their heads off, the smell of greasy fried foods, everyone dressed up in their team colors, and wild crowds. I love it. And this game was no exception - if anything, it was one of the best games I've been to. And it was also my first rugby game. I've never even seen it on tv, so I was confused with the rules and tactics...but it was loads of fun. It's such a direct contact sport, very brute and fierce. We were doing well the first half, but we ended up losing the game in the second half. Good game, though. We grabbed dinner at a local casual hotspot called Rafiki's (mmmm, falafel pita) and then headed home. After watching Thank You For Smoking, we called it a night.
Sunday: Greatest day in Africa yet. Woke up at 6 am because a group of 10 of us decided to go on a mini-safari.
So we had to meet early to drive two hours away from Cape Town to a resort-like place called Aquila. After a close-call of not getting there on time, we were relieved when we finally arrived and were welcomed with a yummy breakfast buffet. I filled up on eggs, fruit, toast, sausages, and apple juice. I was pulled out of a hat to be in the morning group (thank God!) so as soon as we finished breakfast, we jumped onto our horses to start the tour. I was placed with a beautiful, black 12-year old female horse named Raven. She was a very jealous and dominating horse though because our tour guide said she never let any horse pass her (apart from the leader horse). 
I felt bad for my friend behind me because Raven would keep trying to kick her horse, Shadow. But I secretly enjoyed being in the front because the pictures I took were a little clearer. Anywho. The tour was great. We started off riding by a lake where there were Egyptian geese and a family of hippops napping away on an island. I LOVE HIPPOS! They're so lazy & cute (but I hear also very dangerous). Then we started riding onto a more rough and rocky terrain with lots of bushes and things like that - very desert like. We spotted a lot of Springbok (their national animal) and saw a herd of Black Wilderbeasts. Ooooh, they were scary. The leader of the pack 
was obviously very territorial and started to motion for us to leave. So we continued along our way, spotted more Springbok, and then made our way to...the ELEPHANTS! There were two of them - two baby boys (human raised) - and they were oh so cute. We didn't have much time to watch them because some of the horses in our group kept trying to go into the pond near the elephants so we had to move along. We saw the rhinos next. They were hiding really well in the grass because there were big rocks behind them, but we actually got pretty close to them. They're a lazy bunch as well, it seemed. We spotted the zebras next. They were beautiful! It was so surreal seeing them in real life. They were horses - just with stripes and a mohawk. Up next were the giraffes. There were two of them, gracefully walking 
underneath the shade of tall trees. They were pretty young, still, compared to the ones I saw in France, but they were still very tall. Giraffes were the last ones we saw, to my sad disbelief. But it was an awesome game viewing all in all. I am hoping to see the Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, and rhino) sometime before I leave. Our horses didn't gallop like I wanted them to, but it was nice traveling around horse-back. I wish I could have lived in those days without automobiles. Just to see what it would've been like. But anywho, once we returned we were welcomed again with a lunch buffet. This time, I stuffed myself with lots of different kinds of salad, bbq chicken, sauteed veggies, cheese, and desserts. While the afternoon group set off on their game viewing, the rest of 
us stayed behind at the outdoor pool/lounge and napped/tanned. But man, as I was laying out...I was thinking about how lucky I am to be here...and sometimes it just feels like a big dream. I actually had to close my eyes for a minute during the safari and open them again to see if it was real. I just feel so lucky. The safari was definitely my favorite activity yet. It was like taking a glimpse of Lion King...in real life form.
So that's that.
Another memorable weekend.
(Click to enlarge)
Work is finally starting to pick up.
I am taking on a few more projects, apart from revamping the website. And I will be going into a couple of townships this week!
Oh, and after work yesterday, a group of us went to Sea Point during sunset to play soccer. It was pretty much my first time, but I got a good workout out of it. And the boardwalk was absolutely gorgeous with the huge waves crashing and the sunset in the background.
Once I find the time, pictures will be added to all this jibber jabber.
lots of love.
Not even exaggerating.
Friday: I hiked up Lion's Head for the second time...but I actually hiked my way to the top for the first time. It was more challenging
because we took the tougher route where you have to propel yourself up with a hanging chain. Scary, to say the least. And not to mention that once you get past the chain part, you have to free climb big rocks to get to the peak. But despite all of the moments of doubt where I thought I would fall over, collapse, and roll down the mountain...I felt like I was on top of the world when I reached the peak. It was breathtakingly beautiful - the panoramic view was something I've never seen before: mountains, the ocean, the city, and hillsides of residents. A couple of us decided to stay and soak in the scenery, while taking advantage of the situation to do a photo shoot. My heart raced like it never did before as I took pictures for the girls because they were sitting, standing, and waving 
on the edge of a cliff. But when I saw how they turned out, I wanted some as well... so I built my courage and went out there. I was pretty much shaking the whole time, but the feeling was (fill in the blank with some adjective better than amazing/awesome/incredible). After the photo-opp. we decided to head back down but then we bumped into a group of South African guys. They were carrying instruments & lanterns with them, and I was so intrigued by the guys with the djembes so I went up to one of them and asked if I could play. He handed me the smaller one and told me to follow his beat. I caught on for a little while, but then he sped up and then I lost the rhythm. 
It was a blast though. And I was ecstatic about the opportunity because playing the djembe was one of the things I wanted to do! I am definitely going to bring one home as my carry-on. Well, after our little jam session, we headed back down the mountain and caught the amazing sunset.After the hike & dinner, we decided to go out to another fun place besides Long Street, so we decided to head to the Obz area (aka the SoHo area of Cape Town; also where I work). We jumped from Stones (definitely a college hangout - pool tables, games, and punk rock music) to Roots (a beachy-tiki themed place, but with a cool & fun atmosphere inside). My roommates and I danced away to the techno/house music although no one else would join us. I guess techno is hard to get into, but it made me nostalgic for all the French clubs from last semester. It was a fun night, overall. Oh, and we finished this gigantic vanilla cake w/ hot pink glittery frosting from Neha's surprise birthday party. Deelish.
Saturday: I slept in. Like woah. Like until 3 pm. It was glorious. But as soon as I woke up, I had to get ready quickly to catch the cab for the rugby game. It was the Cape Town Stormers versus the Pretoria Bulls. I love sports games for the sole reason of excitement. There is a certain energy buzz at games that I can't get anywhere else - men shouting their heads off, the smell of greasy fried foods, everyone dressed up in their team colors, and wild crowds. I love it. And this game was no exception - if anything, it was one of the best games I've been to. And it was also my first rugby game. I've never even seen it on tv, so I was confused with the rules and tactics...but it was loads of fun. It's such a direct contact sport, very brute and fierce. We were doing well the first half, but we ended up losing the game in the second half. Good game, though. We grabbed dinner at a local casual hotspot called Rafiki's (mmmm, falafel pita) and then headed home. After watching Thank You For Smoking, we called it a night.
Sunday: Greatest day in Africa yet. Woke up at 6 am because a group of 10 of us decided to go on a mini-safari.
So we had to meet early to drive two hours away from Cape Town to a resort-like place called Aquila. After a close-call of not getting there on time, we were relieved when we finally arrived and were welcomed with a yummy breakfast buffet. I filled up on eggs, fruit, toast, sausages, and apple juice. I was pulled out of a hat to be in the morning group (thank God!) so as soon as we finished breakfast, we jumped onto our horses to start the tour. I was placed with a beautiful, black 12-year old female horse named Raven. She was a very jealous and dominating horse though because our tour guide said she never let any horse pass her (apart from the leader horse). 
I felt bad for my friend behind me because Raven would keep trying to kick her horse, Shadow. But I secretly enjoyed being in the front because the pictures I took were a little clearer. Anywho. The tour was great. We started off riding by a lake where there were Egyptian geese and a family of hippops napping away on an island. I LOVE HIPPOS! They're so lazy & cute (but I hear also very dangerous). Then we started riding onto a more rough and rocky terrain with lots of bushes and things like that - very desert like. We spotted a lot of Springbok (their national animal) and saw a herd of Black Wilderbeasts. Ooooh, they were scary. The leader of the pack 
was obviously very territorial and started to motion for us to leave. So we continued along our way, spotted more Springbok, and then made our way to...the ELEPHANTS! There were two of them - two baby boys (human raised) - and they were oh so cute. We didn't have much time to watch them because some of the horses in our group kept trying to go into the pond near the elephants so we had to move along. We saw the rhinos next. They were hiding really well in the grass because there were big rocks behind them, but we actually got pretty close to them. They're a lazy bunch as well, it seemed. We spotted the zebras next. They were beautiful! It was so surreal seeing them in real life. They were horses - just with stripes and a mohawk. Up next were the giraffes. There were two of them, gracefully walking 
underneath the shade of tall trees. They were pretty young, still, compared to the ones I saw in France, but they were still very tall. Giraffes were the last ones we saw, to my sad disbelief. But it was an awesome game viewing all in all. I am hoping to see the Big Five (elephant, lion, leopard, buffalo, and rhino) sometime before I leave. Our horses didn't gallop like I wanted them to, but it was nice traveling around horse-back. I wish I could have lived in those days without automobiles. Just to see what it would've been like. But anywho, once we returned we were welcomed again with a lunch buffet. This time, I stuffed myself with lots of different kinds of salad, bbq chicken, sauteed veggies, cheese, and desserts. While the afternoon group set off on their game viewing, the rest of 
us stayed behind at the outdoor pool/lounge and napped/tanned. But man, as I was laying out...I was thinking about how lucky I am to be here...and sometimes it just feels like a big dream. I actually had to close my eyes for a minute during the safari and open them again to see if it was real. I just feel so lucky. The safari was definitely my favorite activity yet. It was like taking a glimpse of Lion King...in real life form.So that's that.
Another memorable weekend.
(Click to enlarge)
Work is finally starting to pick up.
I am taking on a few more projects, apart from revamping the website. And I will be going into a couple of townships this week!
Oh, and after work yesterday, a group of us went to Sea Point during sunset to play soccer. It was pretty much my first time, but I got a good workout out of it. And the boardwalk was absolutely gorgeous with the huge waves crashing and the sunset in the background.
Once I find the time, pictures will be added to all this jibber jabber.
lots of love.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Tough Stuff
"One day your life will flash before you eyes. Make sure it is worth watching."
A co-worker was telling us about the news last night, and she told us a 12-year old girl was shot in Jo'Burg and eventually died on the way to the hospital. The crime rate here is so high. So is the death rate. After she told us, she then went on with all the losses she experienced in her life. Her mother had 14 children, and 2 miscarriages. Now, there are only 9 children left. That is just her immediate family; she has lost many more in her extended family. An abnormally large amount of losses.
It's the harsh reality that gets to me and reminds me that life is way too short. Living at my age, there is a mentality of immortality - a feeling of being able to live forever. But it's so not true. I take it day by day, but the long-run and the future is sometimes lost in the back of my mind. I think I need to make a better effort at appreciating everything I am blessed with; the people that love and support me, the little things that make me smile, my basic needs, good health, and especially time.
The experience I have here is already life-changing. And it's only been a week. Everyday, a new door of opportunity opens to learn more about South African culture, their problems and issues that need to be reformed, and the chance to dive deep into this lifestyle.
My carpool buddy, Keith, and I always mention how tough the people have it here. They don't face the daily "struggles" that we deal with: studies, plans for the weekend, and time management. They deal with intense struggles: unemployment, crime, money shortage, and even death.
I don't mean for this to be such a morbid entry. But it's something that is always on my mind now from the stories I hear from co-workers and my fellow intern friends who who work at hospitals. It's just so apparent here and in your face, that you cannot help but think about it...
Well, to end on a happier note...here are some nice quotes about LIFE:
"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams." -Ashley Smith
"Only a life lived for others is a life worth while." -Albert Einstein
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." -Howard Thurman
"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." -Anne Frank
"Carpe Diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think." -Horace
A co-worker was telling us about the news last night, and she told us a 12-year old girl was shot in Jo'Burg and eventually died on the way to the hospital. The crime rate here is so high. So is the death rate. After she told us, she then went on with all the losses she experienced in her life. Her mother had 14 children, and 2 miscarriages. Now, there are only 9 children left. That is just her immediate family; she has lost many more in her extended family. An abnormally large amount of losses.
It's the harsh reality that gets to me and reminds me that life is way too short. Living at my age, there is a mentality of immortality - a feeling of being able to live forever. But it's so not true. I take it day by day, but the long-run and the future is sometimes lost in the back of my mind. I think I need to make a better effort at appreciating everything I am blessed with; the people that love and support me, the little things that make me smile, my basic needs, good health, and especially time.
The experience I have here is already life-changing. And it's only been a week. Everyday, a new door of opportunity opens to learn more about South African culture, their problems and issues that need to be reformed, and the chance to dive deep into this lifestyle.
My carpool buddy, Keith, and I always mention how tough the people have it here. They don't face the daily "struggles" that we deal with: studies, plans for the weekend, and time management. They deal with intense struggles: unemployment, crime, money shortage, and even death.
I don't mean for this to be such a morbid entry. But it's something that is always on my mind now from the stories I hear from co-workers and my fellow intern friends who who work at hospitals. It's just so apparent here and in your face, that you cannot help but think about it...
Well, to end on a happier note...here are some nice quotes about LIFE:
"Life is full of beauty. Notice it. Notice the bumble bee, the small child, and the smiling faces. Smell the rain, and feel the wind. Live your life to the fullest potential, and fight for your dreams." -Ashley Smith
"Only a life lived for others is a life worth while." -Albert Einstein
"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." -Howard Thurman
"To laugh often and much; to win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children...to leave the world a better place...to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." -Ralph Waldo Emerson
"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world." -Anne Frank
"Carpe Diem! Rejoice while you are alive; enjoy the day; live life to the fullest; make the most of what you have. It is later than you think." -Horace
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
HOWZIT?
Howzit is South Africans' colloquialism of greeting one another.
How cute is it?
11:35 am - Another day in the intern life at Wola Nani.
Not much has been done.
I'm sitting, waiting, wishing to be of some productive help.
Few more minutes and I can finally sit down with my supervisor to chat about my "goals & objectives."
Took some pictures of the workshop and the craft items. Excited to edit them.
Going to a township this week with a co-worker or two. More picture taking there. Possible interviewing. Very anxious to see what their living conditions are like.
Random thoughts:
Almost lunch time! : )
How cute is it?
11:35 am - Another day in the intern life at Wola Nani.
Not much has been done.
I'm sitting, waiting, wishing to be of some productive help.
Few more minutes and I can finally sit down with my supervisor to chat about my "goals & objectives."
Took some pictures of the workshop and the craft items. Excited to edit them.
Going to a township this week with a co-worker or two. More picture taking there. Possible interviewing. Very anxious to see what their living conditions are like.
Random thoughts:
- I wish I had my brita filter here. I miss drinking gallons of water a day.
- English is a rather boring language compared to others. No interesting intonations or accents. Just a bunch of petty grammar.
- There are not enough hours in a day when you start to work. I wish there were 30 hours in a day. Just 6 more to sleep and hang out.
- I had the most vivid and most awful nightmare. I somehow lost all of my teeth from a fight, and it was so graphic and ... REAL. I actually could taste the blood and could feel the looseness of my teeth. I slept through both of my alarm clocks, and probably would've kept sleeping throughout work if it wasn't for my roommate. Bless her heart. She's going to have to put up with more of my bear hibernation-ness.
- If there was a Waffle House, Dunkin' Donuts, Chik-fil-A, a southern diner, and a good Korean restaurant here...my life would be complete.
- I wish I knew more about sports. It's such a great conversation piece.
- My cell phones keep getting crappier and crapper wherever I go. Oh well, as long as they dial and receive.
- The Office has become a daily routine. One episode is like medicine for a day's mundane-ness.
- My roommate is trying to convince me to eat an ostrich burger. Apparently, ostrich is a popular type of game here. Hmmmm. I think I will, but we'll see when the time actually comes around.
- Mangoes are delicious (& cheap) here.
- I want to learn how to play a djembe.
Almost lunch time! : )
Monday, February 11, 2008
Recap of Week One
Monday: Arrival.
Tuesday: Settling in. Dinner at Tank.
Wednesday: First day of work at Wola Nani.
Thursday: Work. Drinks with Connect-123 interns at La Med. dancedancedance at Hemisphere.
Friday: Work. Hike up Lion's Head. First time on Long Street: Dubliner, Jo'Burg, The Waiting Room.
Saturday: Lay out at Clifton Beach number three. Lunch at La Med. Hookah at Bagdad. Chat with Masha at The Waiting Room.
Sunday: Church. Green Point Market. Rainy nap. V & A Waterfront. Atonement.
I'm pooped & happy.
In between all these activities, I am gaining a better grasp at what this country is like. Their
culture is much different than ours, not only in terms of language and food. They possess so much passion & skill, but don't have as many opportunities to utilize them. I went to the Green Point Market yesterday, and was blissfully overwhelmed with what the vendors were carrying. Traditional African art pieces, paintings, CDs, jewelry, hand-carved animals (I already bought myself three elephants!), hand-crocheted pieces, etc. And let me tell you, all of these pieces were legit handmade (with the exception of the rare few touristy/commercialized vendors. like "Someone in Cape Town loves me!" t-shirts ... ugh) But to get to the point, these vendors were not just vendors, trying to sell products that were already factory manufactured and bought at a cheap wholesale price. These people WERE the manufacturers, trying to make a living out of what they make. 
These pieces should be selling for much more than they were actually selling for. But since standards are so low here, they can't help but price them at (more than) affordable prices. It's scary to see first-hand how big of an economic inequality gap there is - there seems to be no middle class. And while it is important to keep in mind that their standards of living are relative to their upbringings, it is a pretty big culture shock when I see how much is lacking. Air conditioning, for one. I live in a high-rise apartment building right in the city, and we do not have AC ciruculation. It tends to get really muggy and hot, especially when it rains. We took a trip to the V & A Waterfront mall, and Kelly (my suite mate) and I were saying how significantly happier we were in an AC environment. I tough
it out without AC, but man...I love it when it's available. Apart from the economic difficulties, there are many great things about the society here. Locals take advantage of the beautiful activities, such as hiking up Lion's Head or Table Mountain. While you bump into a lot of tourists on the hike, you also bump into a lot of locals who seem to go right after work as a daily routine. (I love people who appreciate what they have in front of them.) And time doesn't seem to be much of an important issue here. It is fairly relaxed and easy-going (just like in France). On my first day of work, I spent most of my day just chatting with my co-workers and supervisor. They work, yes. But not like we, Americ
ans, work. There is no "work your way to the top" mentality. It's more like just be successful with what your position entails. So there is more time to get to know the people you work with instead of mindlessly clicking and typing away all day. People will treat you like family once they meet you. Two of my co-workers already gave me an African name! One in Xhosa. And one in Zulu. I should really get them to write it down because it's hard to rememeber. But it's amazing to see how strongly Ubuntu is at work here. This country is a kaleidoscope of people - people from all different walks of life. It is a beautiful city full of beautiful people.
I'm really excited about getting a traditional African dress made for me. After I complimented my co-worker on her beautiful skirt, she took down my measurements and said she will tell her neighbor to make me one as well. yayayy.
Plans for the week ahead: Bo Kaap exploring, salsa dancing, Valentine's Day/surprise birthday party, seal beach, rugby game (Stormers vs. Bulls), game ride (animal viewing on horse back !!), learning how to drive manual, more hiking, and lots of yummy eating out.
Sometimes ... I feel too lucky to be experiencing the world like this.
Tuesday: Settling in. Dinner at Tank.
Wednesday: First day of work at Wola Nani.
Thursday: Work. Drinks with Connect-123 interns at La Med. dancedancedance at Hemisphere.
Friday: Work. Hike up Lion's Head. First time on Long Street: Dubliner, Jo'Burg, The Waiting Room.
Saturday: Lay out at Clifton Beach number three. Lunch at La Med. Hookah at Bagdad. Chat with Masha at The Waiting Room.
Sunday: Church. Green Point Market. Rainy nap. V & A Waterfront. Atonement.
I'm pooped & happy.
In between all these activities, I am gaining a better grasp at what this country is like. Their
culture is much different than ours, not only in terms of language and food. They possess so much passion & skill, but don't have as many opportunities to utilize them. I went to the Green Point Market yesterday, and was blissfully overwhelmed with what the vendors were carrying. Traditional African art pieces, paintings, CDs, jewelry, hand-carved animals (I already bought myself three elephants!), hand-crocheted pieces, etc. And let me tell you, all of these pieces were legit handmade (with the exception of the rare few touristy/commercialized vendors. like "Someone in Cape Town loves me!" t-shirts ... ugh) But to get to the point, these vendors were not just vendors, trying to sell products that were already factory manufactured and bought at a cheap wholesale price. These people WERE the manufacturers, trying to make a living out of what they make. 
These pieces should be selling for much more than they were actually selling for. But since standards are so low here, they can't help but price them at (more than) affordable prices. It's scary to see first-hand how big of an economic inequality gap there is - there seems to be no middle class. And while it is important to keep in mind that their standards of living are relative to their upbringings, it is a pretty big culture shock when I see how much is lacking. Air conditioning, for one. I live in a high-rise apartment building right in the city, and we do not have AC ciruculation. It tends to get really muggy and hot, especially when it rains. We took a trip to the V & A Waterfront mall, and Kelly (my suite mate) and I were saying how significantly happier we were in an AC environment. I tough
it out without AC, but man...I love it when it's available. Apart from the economic difficulties, there are many great things about the society here. Locals take advantage of the beautiful activities, such as hiking up Lion's Head or Table Mountain. While you bump into a lot of tourists on the hike, you also bump into a lot of locals who seem to go right after work as a daily routine. (I love people who appreciate what they have in front of them.) And time doesn't seem to be much of an important issue here. It is fairly relaxed and easy-going (just like in France). On my first day of work, I spent most of my day just chatting with my co-workers and supervisor. They work, yes. But not like we, Americ
ans, work. There is no "work your way to the top" mentality. It's more like just be successful with what your position entails. So there is more time to get to know the people you work with instead of mindlessly clicking and typing away all day. People will treat you like family once they meet you. Two of my co-workers already gave me an African name! One in Xhosa. And one in Zulu. I should really get them to write it down because it's hard to rememeber. But it's amazing to see how strongly Ubuntu is at work here. This country is a kaleidoscope of people - people from all different walks of life. It is a beautiful city full of beautiful people.I'm really excited about getting a traditional African dress made for me. After I complimented my co-worker on her beautiful skirt, she took down my measurements and said she will tell her neighbor to make me one as well. yayayy.
Plans for the week ahead: Bo Kaap exploring, salsa dancing, Valentine's Day/surprise birthday party, seal beach, rugby game (Stormers vs. Bulls), game ride (animal viewing on horse back !!), learning how to drive manual, more hiking, and lots of yummy eating out.
Sometimes ... I feel too lucky to be experiencing the world like this.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
i love you, positive or negative
Wola Nani: Xhosa for "we embrace and develop one another."
A non-profit organization committed to providing a caring and developmental service that enables people living with HIV to respond positively to their status. Through counseling, home care, income generation opportunities, support groups and HIV/AIDS awareness and education, people with HIV are empowered to take control of their lives with confidence, dignity, and hope.
aka: My home for the next 4 months.
I accepted my internship with Wola Nani because I knew I wanted to get a more hands-on look at the non-profit sector, especially of one that specializes in an epidemic that impacts so much of the human race. South Africa has the fastest growing infection rate in the world. I am blessed with this opportunity to do my share and contribute as much of my skills as I can to further promote awareness for this cause.
Today is my first day of work.
It started off with an introductory meeting with the executive director. We sat and talked for a little bit about ourselves and the organization. She then gave me a tour of the office. It was definitely a lot more modest than my last co-op with CSN, but I like it. It's nice, small, and cozy. The employees here are very friendly and open. I was a bit nervous with how they would react to my Asian complexion (seems to be the case that everyone loves to stare at whoever looks different. oh well, at least I intrigue them), but they are all great. I have no clear job description, which is AWESOME. I love the fact that I can have all the flexibility I want to do whatever I want. My main goals are to: give the website a complete makeover, create an online catalog, work on product development ideas, help with design & sales of the craft shop, use photojournalism at the program/counseling sites to make brochures/newsletters, and whatever other help they need. It seems a bit ambitious, but hey...this is my first day of work and I tend to be too ambitious for my own good anyway. It's good to set goals, no? "Shoot for the moon: even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." [ha. ha. ha. gotta love the cheese]
Anyway, take a look at their website.
And look: they have a few products available at Anthropologie
--------
Yesterday's dinner was at this trendy sushi place called Tank. (Cape Quarter)
-Pink mojito (traditional mojito with added raspberry for flavor)
-Eel crunch roll (mmmmm, soaked in oily tempura batter)
Prices were great - for the ambience and awesome food, it only came out to R100. aka $13. I bet anything if it were the same exact restaurant in the states, it would've come out to well over $20. Gotta love the favorable exchange rates.
---------
Tomorrow's plans include: work & then drinks with Connect-123 interns @ La Med (Clifton) & clubbing at Hemisphere. (ABSA Centre)
A non-profit organization committed to providing a caring and developmental service that enables people living with HIV to respond positively to their status. Through counseling, home care, income generation opportunities, support groups and HIV/AIDS awareness and education, people with HIV are empowered to take control of their lives with confidence, dignity, and hope.
aka: My home for the next 4 months.
I accepted my internship with Wola Nani because I knew I wanted to get a more hands-on look at the non-profit sector, especially of one that specializes in an epidemic that impacts so much of the human race. South Africa has the fastest growing infection rate in the world. I am blessed with this opportunity to do my share and contribute as much of my skills as I can to further promote awareness for this cause.
Today is my first day of work.
It started off with an introductory meeting with the executive director. We sat and talked for a little bit about ourselves and the organization. She then gave me a tour of the office. It was definitely a lot more modest than my last co-op with CSN, but I like it. It's nice, small, and cozy. The employees here are very friendly and open. I was a bit nervous with how they would react to my Asian complexion (seems to be the case that everyone loves to stare at whoever looks different. oh well, at least I intrigue them), but they are all great. I have no clear job description, which is AWESOME. I love the fact that I can have all the flexibility I want to do whatever I want. My main goals are to: give the website a complete makeover, create an online catalog, work on product development ideas, help with design & sales of the craft shop, use photojournalism at the program/counseling sites to make brochures/newsletters, and whatever other help they need. It seems a bit ambitious, but hey...this is my first day of work and I tend to be too ambitious for my own good anyway. It's good to set goals, no? "Shoot for the moon: even if you miss, you'll land among the stars." [ha. ha. ha. gotta love the cheese]
Anyway, take a look at their website.
And look: they have a few products available at Anthropologie
--------
Yesterday's dinner was at this trendy sushi place called Tank. (Cape Quarter)
-Pink mojito (traditional mojito with added raspberry for flavor)
-Eel crunch roll (mmmmm, soaked in oily tempura batter)
Prices were great - for the ambience and awesome food, it only came out to R100. aka $13. I bet anything if it were the same exact restaurant in the states, it would've come out to well over $20. Gotta love the favorable exchange rates.
---------Tomorrow's plans include: work & then drinks with Connect-123 interns @ La Med (Clifton) & clubbing at Hemisphere. (ABSA Centre)
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