Adventure Home

 

This is where things get a little complicated. Since we booked my ticket for South Africa as a package deal, I planned on flying out of Port Elizabeth on my way home.  My last two weeks took me to Cape Town where I stayed at Atlantic Point for 2 weeks, so unfortunately, Port Elizabeth & Cape Town are about 9 hours a part from each other.

The way my flight works is that I go from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town, Cape Town to Amsterdam & Amsterdam to Detroit. As you can see, I thought my dilemma would be an easy fix. Cancel the arm from Port Elizabeth to Cape Town and flight directly out of Cape Town since I was already there. No sire! My mom was on the phone for over an hour trying to figure things out and in the end the airlines refused to do this and told her if I did not show up for my arm in Port Elizabeth, my entire flight would be cancelled.

So, I decided to improvise. I ended up booking a ticket on the Intercape bus ($70 US dollars) to Port Elizabeth & was graciously offered to be fetched by Marvine and Kelly from Intercape station. Sounds like a good plan, right?

Well…when I got to the Intercape station last night, I was sure surprised. Chaotic is the best word to describe this bus system. Nichole, Leah & I all had tickets that departed at 6pm. Nichole & Leah were heading to Grahamstown, and I was off to Port Elizabeth. Logically speaking, we all thought we’d share a bus since Grahamstown is sort of inland after Port Elizabeth.

Come to find out, I was on my own bus. In the muffle of things and the lack of direction and communication from the staff at the Intercape, we hectically said our goodbyes and I was off to wait in line with many people who didn’t speak English very well. I waited in line outside in the center of Cape Town for over an hour and a half with my luggage. My bus finally departed at 7:30pm. The bus seats were extremely full & the bathroom was less then appealing. No toilet paper or anything and no way to flush or wash your hands.

To make the travel even better….the last two weeks of my trip my stomach has been pretty finicky. I thought it was due to eating habits and travel, but it has only gotten worse so I am starting on antibiotic for bacteria that I may have gotten here in the water. So without saying too much, the lack of an appropriate toilet was not exactly ideal in my situation....haha

The entire 12 hour ride to Port Elizabeth, people were listening to loud phones playing music, talking on cell phones and the television in the bus was full of static and only outlines of people’s bodies could be recognized. I couldn’t sleep. 

Once I got off the bus and Marvine and Kelly were there, I broke down! I was so happy to see them. I actually started CRYING from how uncomfortable I felt on this bus. It’s actually pretty depressing. People from the township take these busses all the time, and I do once, and I can’t even handle it. It was just so out of the ordinary for me. It definitely made me appreciate the modes of transport in Grand Rapids where I live. I can’t even imagine taking a bus like that everyday.

Once I was at Kelly’s host family’s house, I was able to shower & relax. However, I ended up getting very sick from my stomach. This is when Kelly’s mom gave me some antibiotic her travel doctor had given her for severe stomach problems while traveling. I am on my second pill and I’m hoping this wipes out my stomach cramping!!

Right now I’m sitting in Cape Town airport, I made my way from Cape Town to Port Elizabeth, Port Elizabeth to Cape Town and after 6 more hours of waiting at the airport, I will be off to Amsterdam. I’m feeling better and hopefully things will stay this way for the rest of the trip. I’m going to plan on getting a lot of sleep on the next two flights! Everything I’ve learned on this travel home has made me stronger….you must live and learn and experience things that make you feel uncomfortable once in awhile to appreciate what you have.

3 more days in Cape Town

View from the top of Table Mountain

 I've been in Cape Town now for almost two weeks and I have been able to see much of it because of the amazing friends who have taken me around in cars as well as Kelly and her mother Cheryl who took me with them on a bus tour all around the Cape including to Table Mountain, Camps Bay, Clifton, District 6, Long Street and the Aquarium. 

My time in Cape Town has been spent going to the beach, specifically Clifton (gorgeous), going out to dinner at some beautiful restaurants, traveling around town via mini bus (only R6 per trip, equivalent to less then $1 US dollars), hanging out with friends at the hostel, and trying to see as many sites as possible. As my money dwindles, my mind is increasingly thinking about home and seeing my wonderful friends (Feather, Erin, Kim & Lacie to name a few), my amazing boyfriend, Dave, his wonderful family & OF COURSE.....my fantastic parents, grandparents and brother.  


I hope to go to the District 6 Museum before I leave, which tells the stories of the black people who were removed from their homes and placed in separate living areas. This is one of the areas most impacted by the apartheid and as we drove through District 6, you could see many deserted areas of grass and weeds which have never been rebuilt. 

I felt intense desolation and sadness as we drove through this area. It's amazing the great lengths people will go to, to separate themselves from people who they feel are different from what they know in culture, language and skin tone. Different means to many the "unknown", territory not stepped upon. But how can someone say, "If you are different then me, you do not deserve to even have a home. Let me destroy your home and put you in another area so I don't have to even look at you." 


My adventures are coming to an end, and I can't help but think about my students from the township who have NEVER seen the ocean, or lions, elephants and monkeys. South Africa is a beautiful place, but like the United States, we isolate the poor into corners and then we don't give them access to the resources and means to get back out. 

I remember waving to my students from the township the last day we volunteered...they walked their separate ways to the township where we were told not to go, and we unlocked the gate to Kingswood which had barbed wire around it, and we had the key. Who knows if these students will ever have "the key"...to feel as if they are valued members in society. To feel that they are "somebody" who will contribute to the good of the nation.

The poor in the United States happens to be the minorities, and their standard of living is considered almost RICH to the poverty seen in South Africa. In South Africa, over 80% of black and coloured people make up the population, yet they account for the entire "poor" population. What it comes down to, is that race & socioeconomic status should not be so closely related. What must we do in the United States to change this? We all have an ethical obligation to try. 


This is my last blog entry before I return home to the states! Only 3 more days left....I will see you all when I return. Cheers!

Two benches which represent when segregation was in full effect. 

I thought this was an interesting quote and picture

Cable car we took up to Table Mountain

Another beautiful view

So cool!!!

Traveling the Western Cape

I'm officially done with my first week of traveling...or "holiday" as they call it in South Africa. The girls I was living with in Grahamstown, who are also doing the COST program, wanted to travel to Cape Town so luckily, we found an amazing friend here who offered to drive us there and show us places along the way (Maryke). We booked two hostels, Dijembe (Storms River) and Oasis Shanti (Oudtshoorn) along the route which is often referred to as the "Garden Route." The last night of our travels we stayed with Maryke's family in Paarl. 

During the 4 days we traveled the "Garden Route" we stopped in Port Elizabeth for breakfast at a place called Tiffanys (get it?), Jeffreys Bay, Tsitsikamma National Park, Fairview & L'Avenir & Waterford Wineries, Cango Caves, Ladismith and we were able to climb the Paarl Rock! Once we were on top, there was an amazing view! We came to Atlantic Point Hostel on Monday Dec 6 and since then I have gone to the beach most everyday, different beaches of course. My favorite is Clifton. It is an amazing beach with a gorgeous view. I have also gone out a few nights with friends from the hostel, and I went to a Braai with friends we met in Grahamstown! I have been having such an amazing time.

Kelly and her mother get here today and stay at Atlantic Point through the 15th! We are going to climb table mountain, hopefully go to some markets, and experience Cape Town. I am very lucky that the people that have been staying at the hostel have been so easy to bond with. I've known most for less then 3 days, but we have all had such great fun drinking wine & eating snacks while talking about our lives! So many people have been traveling for over a year or more. It definitely starts my mind thinking about where my next adventure will be....maybe Europe? France? Spain? Greece? Who knows but I do know one thing for sure. Traveling opens your eyes to so many things you haven't thought about before....and once you realize it, I can see how it is easy to become addicted. 


Well all for now, we leave Thursday at 5pm to head home....See you all soon!