Not alot has been happening, I guess. But in actuality alot has happened. I'm just gonna list things that have been going on:

    -Mekhi's baptism...one reason i'm SAD not to be in the US right now.
    -classes started Monday...can we say, MADNESS. Each of my classes meet 4x per week PLUS a tutorial which = 19 class meetings a week!!! AH!
    -I have readings/hw, EVERY NIGHT. Due the next day.
    -been meeting ALOT of pple (not Americans) and it has been really nice.
    -learned so much about African politics. SA and other southern nations
    -I'm in love with the topics/themes of my classes. I couldnt get this array of understanding/perspective anywhere else.
     -learning that white = $$ around here. and that is evident through recent happenings in Zimbabwe (as of 10-15 yrs ago)
    - history/apartheid is so recent around here. its kinda scary. This week will only mark the 20th anniversary    of Mandela's release. (and I'm just 21)
               +I went to Robbin Island. This place is real...and intimidating definitely. History in the present, forreal.
       -I've been to District Six Museum - commemorating the destruction of black (coloured, African, Indian, etc) neighborhoods.
       -visited the Castle of Good Hope - initial "fort" in Cape Town
       -visited Table Mountain - most AMAZING view ever
       -saw some African penguins as well as seals
       -went Ice Skating with my residence (dorm) - funniest things ever! Never would I thought that so many pple would be horrible at ice skating (I even looked like a pro). Put Africans on an ice skating ring and the first 30 mins will be comedy hour.
      -been to plenty of Braai's
      -had a get-together at my suite - met alot of pple.
      -attended the Big Bash - concert (mainly freshman) but pure craziness/fun. Its like a WashU W.I.L.D. but better.
      -found the cheapest/most amazing Ethiopian food place. Its a a woman's house across the street, yes its sketchy but who cares, lol.
      -bought some FRESH/cheap seafood. (calamari for $10 American) that can feed a ton of pple!

So SA is good. Eventually I want to give some thought provoking posts on:
    -what is apartheid?
    -what does the southern african struggle say about white/black relations world-wide?
    -what do the above topics shine light on African-American struggle and context?

Plain and simple. That's who I am in SA.

Today, I learned to have respect for blacks from rural areas who attend UCT. These students often come from some of the worst education systems in the area, and jump tenfold to the best university on the African continent. Some have never even seen computers... this tells you about their perserverence to not only attend this school but also graduate..but also the marginalized quality of education in SA.

Today I was also reminded of the value of listening. While these students were telling me about the real SA (not the one UCT puts before us) I dearly wanted to compare US tactics of discrimination, expecially when it comes to education. However, this was not the time. I needed to listen and not compare, because how can you compare the poverty of SA where they let thousands of pple live in tin houses of the townships, RIGHT NEXT TO beautiful gated homes. You can't compare, one shouldnt even try. I just had to listen.


Today, I knew I was coloured. Which I already knew before I came on the trip, but it was affirmed today. My skin makes me apart of a class that is in between. I am not among the most marginilized individuals (the blacks) and would be thought of as near white by them. However, I am still not white at would be treated similar to blacks from a white perspective. All of this is true, until I open my mouth...then I am American again.


----------------------

Pics coming soon!