Easter Holiday: Durban

We just got back from 11 days of traveling across South Africa. Our first stop was Durban, a harbor city on the Indian Ocean.

While in Durban we had plenty of time to relax and enjoy the ocean. The Indian Ocean is warm enough to actually go swimming compared to the Atlantic in Cape Town. I think we spend about an hour playing in the waves!

Also we were introduced to the large Indian population in Durban, as well as their Hindu religion. The Indian population in South Africa originates from white colonists bringing Indians over as forced labor. They were treated as second class citizens through out the apartheid regime as well. During our time in Durban, we experienced great hospitality from an Indian Hindu family. Our driver is an Indian Hindu and invited us all to his home for a great fest of Indian food! The picture above is of great Indian spices at the market.

Kirstenbosch Gardens

This past Sunday we went to Kirstenbosch Gardens to go to their summer concert series. It was a beautiful day at an incredible place. The concert was held in a grassy amphitheater where we listened to a variety of South African artist. The picture of the four is Katya, me, Julia, and Hailey in the gardens with the mountains behind us and the “tablecloth” of clouds sitting on top. The close up of the flower is a shout out for my dad (Mr. Botanical photographer).

the weekly hike

Once again I went hiking this Sunday with the same group of people, but we joined a larger group this time. I wouldn’t say we were exactly hiking it was more like rock climbing up a mountain. The one picture above shows the group preparing breakfast at the top, and they were not messing around when it came to food. Their backpacks were like Mary Poppins bags, with a never ending supply of food. For example when they took out an avocado, they also took out whole salt and pepper shakers and a lemon to dress the avocado. I was quite impressed with the feast we had.

a month in

The first picture is taken from my hike this morning. Another Gordon member and I joined a group of five on their regular Sunday hikes. We were introduced to them by our landlord, Anwar. On top of being our landlord, Anwar has been a true host for us this past month. For me he’s been a saving grace for my physical activity. Since running in our neighborhood is dangerous, he picks us up to go running on the waterfront and now has introduced us to this hiking group. It’s great to have such hospitality from Anwar.

The second picture is from the Biscuit Mill Market, which we go to almost every Saturday. It’s in Woodstock (my neighborhood) only a few blocks away. The environment inside is festive with great foods and goods. Though, it shows us a vivid picture of the multiple worlds within South Africa. On our walk to the Mill, we see the run down housing and the segregation that still exist. Once we are inside the Mill, we enter a world of white upper class that is ever so chic. We can afford to participate in the neighborhood market, but not our neighbors. It’s an example of how we have a foot in two worlds right now.

week 2

This past week has been filled with finalizing my class schedule and learning Cape Town’s public transportation.

I’m excited about the combination of my classes, which are a theology, a history, and a human ecology course.
My theology course is titled The Doctrine of the Church in Ecumenical Perspectives. The class size is small with only 7 people (most of them seem to be in their 30s). Our professor is Swedish and has been more than welcoming.
My history course is called Africa in Transition 1900-1960. Interestingly this course is not taught by an African professor, but an American. I have to admit it’s easier to listen to lectures when they are spoken in my accent! Plus this professor even has heard of Gordon College (crazy).
My human ecology course is Design of Residential Spaces. This course is right up my ally when it comes to what I’m passionate about, and the class size is only 4. So it should be good.

Public transportation hasn’t been too bad, but it is an adjustment. Mostly we get around in taxi buses. They are white vans with a flat nose, and they are jammed packed with people. Our record so far is 23 people in an 11 passenger van! In these conditions our one hour commute to and from school wears me out. To add to it I completely stick out as a white American. No blending in there.

The picture added is my view from my bedroom windows. I can’t complain when I come home to a view like that. Our flats really are great.

I arrived in Cape Town, South Africa on Monday the 28th of January. I spent the first three days in a haze trying to get over jet lag. The last couple of days my group from Gordon College has been at the University of Western Cape trying to figure out how to regristrar for classes.

The process of signing up for classes has not been easy to say the least. We can't figure out and no one has been able to explain to us which classes are offered this semester. So we came back on campus today to once again try to figure out the system. We have found our patience in our moto so far, "Except nothing, revel in everything."

Our leader, Claire, has been great. We all follow her around like 9 little ducklings (since she stands over 6 feet tall she really is our mother duck). She has taught us how to get around and how to be safe in the great unknown of South Africa.