Shark Alley

I've been in South Africa for over a week. It's amazing how time flies except when you are trapped in a cage surrounded by GREAT white sharks. That feels like days.

Our shark diving adventure began with an early morning departure at 4:30. Not easy when you ate and drank at the best steakhouse in South Africa mere hours earlier. I wish that I could describe the journey to Gansbaai...I slept the entire way! We arrived to breakfast and a scary waiver. I couldn't eat anything out of a mixture of nerves and fear of becoming motion sickness. During the safety lecture, I could influence of focus on the thought of sharks! 

The boat ride was rather quick. After about ten minutes of large waves, we anchored. The ride was The crew mentioned that it could take awhile before we saw sharks. (Un)fortunately for us, we saw sharks right away. It's hard to get into those wetsuits! They gave me a child's suit and it fit quite nicely. Lauren and I decided to go in the second group. We were at the top of the boat when we saw the first shark. It was truly incredible. Seeing these magnificent creatures was in action felt like an out of body experience. From that teeth to their creepy blue pupils, these seven creatures are immense. The largest shark that we saw was about ten feet long. They really don't want anything to do with the cage. I find that strange because don't we look like seals in those wetsuits?

The cage. The water was frigid. I made Lauren go on the end. We waited awhile for sharks to swim by. I really did feel secure in the cage. It's comforting knowing how the crew is right behind you and all shark diving is regulated by the South African government. The crew made it a ton of fun. They tell which direction to look for sharks. It was challenging to see the sharks when they were under the water. The pressure of the water makes you come right back up. The crew also enjoyed messing with the girls in the cage from grabbing my shoulders and screaming "SHARK!" to dangling the bait between us. One shark went for the bait and was thrashing into the cage. It's tail splashed us before the beast swam away. Once in the cage sufficed, I preferred the view from the top of the boat. I would definitely do it again! Australia, anyone?

Lauren, the ultimate tourist, bought the DVD! Proof!

Cape Weekend

This weekend was filled with some many things, I don't even know where to begin. Friday night was a night at the waterfront for dinner and wine. An amazing steak dinner at the best steakhouse in South Africa - Baltazaar. I had a huge steak that would easily cost $80 in NYC, yet dinner for three with appetizers, prime cut steaks, two bottles of wine, and dessert cost us $60 a piece, including tip. 

Wine, steaks, and good company.

On Saturday Dana and I went shark diving. They picked us up at the convenient time of 4:30am. The wine really hadn't worn off yet and the 3 hour drive to Gansbaai was not helping. Once we got there we were given a safety talk, breakfast, and then we were off. Diving with the great whites is something I have always wanted to do and I talked Dana into it. Anyway on the boat we geared up in our wetsuits, head to toe, and headed to the top deck to wait. Within ten minutes of casting the bait a great white came up to check it out. It was such an amazing site just to see this giant creature emerge from the ocean. When I got in the cage the water temperature immediately hit me, 52 degrees, and even in a wetsuit, you feel it. Then they came. One by one. A 10 foot female who was hunting took the bait while the rest just checked it out and swam away. This girl was a beast. She came out of the water, grabbed the bait, thrashed all around, banging into the cage, all while I was frozen with temporary fear. Although not interested in the cage at all, these prehistoric predators have no problem thrashing their bodies into the cage while trying to get a tuna head off a line. Dana and I only got in the cage once, for about 15 mins. Frigid water makes your legs cramp and your body tremble. When we got out we just watched from the top deck as the sharks continued to slam into the boat and cage, roll their eyes back into their heads as they went for food, and bared their teeth. Such an amazing experience, and for the record, I really wasn't scared. The crew on the boat made us feel safe, except when they grabbed my shoulders and yelled "SHARK!" when we were in the cage, or put the gross tuna head between Dana and I unknowingly. 

Teenage sharky only about 6-8 feet.

Today, Dana and I took a tour of Robben's Island, which is about a 30 min ferry ride from the waterfront. We toured the prison with a guide, who was a former inmate there in the 1980's. He was part of the ANC (African National Congress) and held as a political prisoner. The tour was very inspiring. However at some points, me being the animal enthusiast, was more interested in a tortoise on the side of the road rather than listening, or trying to see an endangered African Black Oyster Catcher (type of bird, and I saw them).

This is where I saw the African Black Oyster Catcher, unfortunately I couldn't get them in the photo, I was too far away. This is what they look like:

Back to history, this is a lime quarry where Nelson Mandela would work while he was imprisoned on Robben Island. The pile of rocks in the middle was created by all the prisoners, including Mandela, when they were freed.

Nelson Mandela's cell. You are not allowed inside, however Barack Obama was during his visit here four weeks ago. 

More prison photos:

This week will be a busy one as well. Volunteering, activities, wine tasting, and safari. Can't believe a week has gone by already. I do miss home, but each day I am here I am having a new experience that will last forever. 

-Lauren 

Write the Right Things - A Homonym Story

For the last two days I have been working at Injongo Primary School which is located in the township of Khayelitsha. 

This is what a township looks like, I did not take this photo, as I have previously mentioned I did not  feel it was appropriate to photograph townships.

When I first arrived at the school, I was given a warm welcome by the staff. I sat in on a 7th grade class, the learners ( as they are called) asked me so many questions, even if people like them live in America. I learned they all want to go to America and were fascinated when I showed them a $10 bill and a penny. In the 7th grade classroom there were 65 students and one teacher, all crammed in desks with barely enough room to move. Their teacher kept telling these learners " Do not let your family situation affect what you do" and " Do you want to live in these matchbox homes forever? What is your ticket out?" And they would all say in unison "Education!". He was telling them they can be whatever they want, and get out of the township.

Today I worked with 6th graders, and their classroom even had a Smart Board, although it did not work and the projector dubbed as a gathering place for flies. We worked on writing skills. I was fascinated. The learners grammar and spelling was impeccable, they knew correct verb tense, pronouns, and their handwriting was perfect. They write better than most students in the US. They read perfectly in English, and when I asked what their favorite subject is, they all said "English". It's not wonder, they're so amazing at it.

I taught them a lesson on homonyms. Not easy homonyms like bear and bare, but words such as horde and hoard, and currant and current. I gave them definitions, and put the words into context, and then had them use each word in a sentence. They did such a great job. Tomorrow, one of the homonyms I will teach them is chase and chaste. It's in the curriculum. Chaste. Going to have a hard time putting that into context.

After work we headed as a group to Green Market Square, an open market where you can buy all things African. Painted ostrich eggs, masks, jewelry, etc. After shopping, we stopped for some wine and pizza. 

Although I miss my family, friends, and my boyfriend (who finally skyped with me) I am having such an amazing experience. 

-Lauren 

 

Inside the Cape

It is mindblowing that we are in South Africa. Cape Town is such an unusual, but familiar place. As we toured the town, many of our fellow volunteers mentioned how certain sections reminded them of cities from New Orleans to Malibu. Last night, we ate at a Caribbean restaurant that reminded me of my students back home. I've enjoyed most of the South African food that I've tasted. Subtle hints of spice and lots of fresh fruits and vegetables. We tried South Africa's answer to McDonalds called Steers. Burgers and fries. Can I be anymore American? I haven't tried smiley yet. I will if presented with the opportunity! Our tour guide mentioned that worms is another dish. Yeah....

While the views might be breathtaking, the poverty is eye opening. As a tourist, you will see the beautiful Table Mountain, pristine beaches, the luxurious shopping and dining, and engage in various other activities. You'll probably visit the District Six museum. You most likely wont see the poverty that resulted for blacks and colored (Mixed races, Muslim, etc.) were forcibly removed for whites to move in. (The whites never moved in.) We took a tour of the townships and saw the lingering effects of apartheid. All these years later and these poor people are still living in squalor. They are finally starting to build better homes. Countless young children were on the street during school hours. 25 percent of the population is unemployed. Gangsterism is reality in Cape Town. We stopped by a memorial for three young boys killed in 1985 known as the Trojan Horse Massacre. During this time, it was not uncommon to see security police using tear gas and other punishments against blacks. On a fateful night in October, a security vehicle with security force men hidden in wooden crates inside, waited for the van to be stoned. A group of protestors fell into the trap and stoned the vehicle. Three boys lost their lives. It reminded me of the Mississippi Civil Rights workers that were lynched by the KKK. It reminded me Trayvon Martin. Such an unfortunate parallel. It made me reflect on how the United States has ways to go in term of race relations. Think about how much more it will take or South Africa to catch up.

Can you guess what the largest gang in South Africa is called? The Americans. Why? They want to have the know power or be the most dominant gang. 

 

A Day in the Townships

Apparently traveling gives me insomnia. One would assume that after only a few hours of sleep and a full day of emotional exhaustion you'd be able to fall asleep relatively quickly. Not the case.

My day today began quite early. We first learned from our guide today, Mama Ivy, about traditional African culture. She told us of rituals performed among clans, such as when a baby is born an animal is slaughtered and given the skin until they outgrow it. Divorce is not an option and if you and your hubby can't get along, his mother sits him down to talk to him, if that doesn't work, then his father sits him down, still no relenting, the in laws get involved, and if no resolution can be had, they separate.

She also told us about traditional African foods, for example, a smiley ( head of a sheep boiled and scrubbed), I actually saw these in the flesh during the township tour, chicken feet, chicken intestines, and some type of worm. In other news, I ate a burger for dinner.

After our brief cultural immersion, we went on a tour of the townships. Townships were created during apartheid, with the promise by the government to eventually provide housing for those living there. Today, over a million people still reside there, most with no running water, plumbing, heat, electricity, and jobs. I do not have any photos of townships, as I did not feel it was appropriate to photograph extreme poverty as if it were a tourist attraction.

South Africa is still a heavily divided country. There are three groups that live here, as referred to by South Africans 1. Blacks 2. Colored 3. White. Blacks are those of African descent, they speak mostly Xhosa. Colored are those of mixed race, or those originating from other countries, whom speak mainly Afrikaans, a language heavily influenced by the Dutch. Whites are the wealth, they speak either Afrikaans or English.

The townships are not integrated. Blacks and colored people ( I feel so inappropriate saying "colored") still live separately. My volunteer placement is in a black township primary school, where they speak Xhosa but also English. My fellow volunteer is placed in a colored township primary school, where they speak Afrikaans and also English as well.

We took a moment to stop at a few memorials in the townships. One being the Trojan Horse Massacre. In 1984, South African authorities dressed as transportation workers and drove through the township. During this time of political unrest, many people would throw stones at these trucks coming through, but this truck was ready to ambush. With 13 South African police officers, equipped with semi automatic weapons, they were hiding in the truck. They opened fire on the people, killing three children. All of them were acquitted of criminal charges in 1989.

We also visited a day care in the township. It made me realize that we take so much for granted. These children were so happy to see us, they sang for us, and were so excited when playtime came, just to play with a plastic cup and some old wooden blocks. 

As this day comes to an end, I am met with nervousness and excitement for tomorrow. I start my work assignment at Injongo Primary School. 

I'll leave you with this photo, of this amazing mountain that I can see from my backyard.

-Lauren 

A Day in the Cape

Today I got a taste of Cape Town in just under 4 hours. 

The city is absolutely amazing, from beautiful mountains to pristine beaches ( equipped with abnormally large seaweed). My group and I took a driving tour through District 6, which, if some of you do not know, was an area that was very diverse and over 60,000 inhabitants were forcibly removed during the apartheid regime in the 70's. We passed a church that had refused to sell to the government during the regime, so they just built around it, and built 24/7, interrupting services with loud construction, in hopes that the church would relent, but they did not.  

Inspiring to say the least.

Driving up signal hill offered breathtaking views of the city, and I even got emotional. 

We also saw Cape Town's city hall, and the very steps where Nelson Mandela gave his first ever speech, also emotional. 

I have not traveled to many cities around the world, but Cape Town has to be one of the most beautiful, and so rich and diverse in its people and cultures. 

You can walk down the street and sample African cuisine, and go a few more steps and eat Italian. You can drive through an area infested with drug dealers and broken down buildings, and then go a couple more miles and be along the coast with multi million dollar homes and Range Rovers. It's either extreme poverty, or extreme wealth. There is no middle. 

Tomorrow we take a tour of the townships, but for now enjoy some photos I snapped on my iPhone.

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Signal Hill aka "Lion's Butt"

Waterfront Ferris wheel 

Just a Little Jet Lagged

Well, I finally arrived in Cape Town. After almost a full day of flying, jet lag is finally setting in. It was 15 hours from JFK to Johannesburg and then another 2 from Johannesburg to Cape Town. 

I arrived at my home base, which is located in the southern suburb of Cape Town. The weather here is   freezing and rainy but with the prospect of warmer, sunnier days on the horizon. I met my housemates and suddenly I feel like I am on The Real World, except I'm way over the age limit. 

I took this photo at some point over the Atlantic. The sun was just coming up on the horizon. It was quite amazing. 

I also saw a pig on the side of the road eating garbage, which oddly was the highlight of my day.

The table mountain range is amazing (pics to come). But for now I need get some rest.

-Lauren