So, here I am again. I told myself I would write again semi-early in the week so that my next post can be strictly about the homestay this weekend. We’re leaving on Friday at around 6 pm and staying with a family in Ocean view where is a nearby township. We’ll be with one other person from CIEE and I’ve heard such good things about this homestay so I’m really excited, and it doesn’t hurt to have a weekend off from going out either.
I guess I’ll start with Friday. We did end up going to the Yacht Club Party, which started with us standing in a huge crowd pushing to get on the buses that would take us to the party, that we were told was on a “lake”. I didn’t get on the first bus because there were just way too many people, even though the second bus we got on was still packed and I had to stand smashed between people. We honestly didn’t really know where we were going, and we only started questioning this when we got close and the area looked a little shady. Later I met someone from the Yacht Club that told me that this was the most dangerous part of the Cape Flatts and the area where the most murders occur in Cape Town…. But that I shouldn’t be scared because they had tons of hired security guards… but still not to leave the area, unless I was getting back on the bus to leave. Anyway, the party was fun/funny. It was like a frat party outside by a swamp (definitely not a lake by any means). People were shot-gunning, funneling, and there was a bar where you could get a drink, beer, or cider for 10 R which is like $1.25 so super cheap drinks. I met so many UCT students from South Africa so that was awesome to talk to them. Overall, a good night minus the murder-city we were partying in. Hurray Yacht Club.
Saturday we went back to Old Biscuit Mill (the flea market I’m obsessed with) and wandered around all morning. There was this one stall where this man makes these shoes that are literally so awesome and unique, obsession is an understatement and this week he had boots, too! I had to try them on… and so consequently fell in love with them. I didn’t have enough cash so he told me I could go to the ATM and he’d save them for me but then the only debit card I had with me was not working (Thanks, Dad for sending me another useless card. At least it didn’t get eaten this time). So, I went back to the stall cash-less, and sad. This guys goes, “You can just take them”. My response... “Excuse me… what???” He let me take them without paying! He told me that he trusted me to give him the money later and just gave me his phone number, without any of my information I just walked away with the boots. People here seriously shock you everyday. They are so open and trustworthy and this guy just blew my mind. They were expensive (comparatively, for how cheap everything is) and he made them by hand! I’m going to transfer the money to him this week but it boggles my mind that I could have just taken them. Afterwards, we took a trip to Clifton Beach, my first time there. Again, shocked, beach after beach is more beautiful than the previous. It was so nice outside and we stayed for about 3 hours. This day we also met a great taxi drive, Evie, who we called all day for every ride. We liked him because he blasted American Pop music and let us put the windows down. Made it feel like summer at home, but he was really awesome. I won’t go into details about my night because I know that I will get yelled at by everyone for what we did that night. All you need to know is that we were parkouring (The Office style, aka jumping off random things and screaming parkour) down Long Street, which is like the main road in downtown Cape Town, and then we joined a bachelor party. We might have climbed over a barbed wire fence at some point, but it was all in good fun, promise.
Sunday was a lazy day. I wanted to hike Table Mountain that day, but it just wasn’t going to happen. I sat in the coffee shop most of the day just doing homework and reading. I have 2 essay responses due on Thursday! Real work… not okay at all. All night I watched THON on the live stream and cried through all of the final four hours. Totally worth it. So proud of what was accomplished this weekend and year at Penn State after all that happened this year. Truly amazing. Monday was just typical school. Last night we went to see the movie Safehouse at 10:50 and there was absolutely no one in the theater. In South Africa, you’re also allowed to bring candy and drinks into the theater! The movie was really good and it took place in Cape Town so it was cool to see a lot of places that we recognized. Definitely recommend it. Today was a long school day as well, I spent a lot of time in the library reading and doing my essays. Tonight Isabel and me went on a run to Claremont, which is a couple towns down, took about an hour. My plan of getting in shape here is actually on its way and working! Tomorrow night someone here is turning 21 so there’s going to be a big party, but I’ll see if I’m up for it after classes. These 8 am’s are killing me. Nothing too big for the week planned, besides that and the home stay. Classes are going really well and I actually like them, besides the homework. So the next time I’ll be writing I’ll fill you in on the homestay!
Lesson of the week: If asked to join a bachelor party, always say yes.
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