Cape Town

Oh My Goodness!! Cape Town was absolutely amazing!  No penguins or shark diving yet, but that will definitely be happening in November!! We stayed in a hostel right in view of Table Mountain, which was a crazy view when you woke up in the morning!  We took a city sightseeing tour around Cape Town and the surrounding beaches and towns.  We went on a wine tasting tour at Groot Constantia and we went to the beach.  There will definitely be pictures put up soon taken on our trip!  But as amazing as Cape Town was, I found myself starting to miss my little Grahamstown.  The fact that a place can actually feel like home after 3 weeks was pretty amazing!  Even though Grahamstown is very very small everyone here is friendly and you recognize most people walking down the street.  Cape Town was not at all like that.  And I like both places for their differences.  I decided that, when comparing the two, Cape Town is a place that you have to visit whereas Grahamstown is a place you can live.  So I find myself feeling completely at home here in Grahamstown and find myself dreading the thought of having to leave it in a little over 3 months.  I have already begun transforming into someone new and I really hope I can find my new groove when I get back “home” to the States, I just hope it still feels like home back there. 

Classes are going well and I, clearly, am starting to settle in and find my niche.  I am making plenty of new friends, even though I cannot remember most of their names because I have just met too many people!  It is also becoming more and more evident that my defining characteristic here is that I am American.  All the quirks I had back home that made me who I was don’t seem to matter here.  (Except when I don’t wear shoes, I still get weird looks for that here too!)  But overall my one defining characteristic is that I am American, that is what makes me different from everyone else in South Africa, not that I climb trees, walk around barefoot, smile a lot, or am just plain goofy.  It’s that fact that I am from America, that is the “coolest” thing about me.  Sometimes the fact that America defines me really bums me out.  The reputation that Americans have around here is either really good or really bad.  Amongst the college students here, being American is one of the coolest things ever, and that’s what they all strive for.  But for some of the towns people Americans are rude, stubborn, and just plain obnoxious.  For example, a group of American Marines were here last week to do some training program with the South African army.  They were so belligerent and rude.  The minute they found out we were American too, they freaked.  They started telling us (quite loudly) how awful it was here and how we needed to get back to the US with them where we all belonged and how the accent here was completely dumb.  I found myself in awe.  Then I realized it’s no wonder Americans aren’t really welcome in some places around here.  I couldn’t believe their behavior and I was embarrassed to be American.  I’m not saying you shouldn’t be proud of your heritage, but you do not go around bashing whatever country you’re visiting, especially when everyone happens to be nothing but friendly.    So I guess that’s my crazy rant for today!