A week in the life...

It is hard to believe that I’ve been here a week now. It feels both much longer and much shorter than that. It sounds cheesy but time seems to go differently here. It must be the Cape air…

Living here hasn’t been too much of a culture shock since I’ve been here before and knew what to expect. I’m living in a house with 4 other students/interns in a neighborhood filled with people our age. There are lots of restaurants and bars within walking distance though it’s not really a good idea to be out very late on your own (though a pretty standard rule in any city, I’d say). As most of you know, I live alone back in DC so it’s been a little weird living with more bodies, but I fortunately only have to share a bathroom with one of my housemates – and he’s very neat. The house isn’t heated (most houses here aren’t) and now that it’s winter, it’s pretty chilly and damp (not to mention, the management company decided they wanted to clean our carpets in our room which are not much more than AstroTurf and now fill the house with a delightful moldy smell). Winter here means 50s-60s during the day and maybe into the 40s at night. I must say, it’s pretty weird to wear a coat and scarf in June. It’s also pretty windy but when the sun shines, it’s beautiful. Plus, it’s hard to be sad about slightly chilly weather when you can see Table Mountain from almost any point in the city. Food and drinks are cheap and plentiful here – there’s a great bar around the corner from my house with the best mojitos that are basically $2. The grocery store isn’t as different as I expected (last time I was here I lived in a dorm and ate in a dining hall and didn’t have to shop and cook for myself) but they do charge you for plastic bags which is a great way to get people to remember to use their own.

I’ve finished my first week as an intern in the Transitional Justice Programme at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) and am incredibly excited for the weeks ahead. The office is just a 10-minute walk from my house which is wonderful. I’m usually there a regular workday but in South Africa, that’s much more laid back than in the States. No crazy rushing, no to-the-second timing, and lots of leaving early. That doesn’t mean people don’t work hard but it seems much more tolerable. It’s a small office, as the headquarters is in Johannesburg so there are about 6 people working here. Another intern is supposed to arrive next week. After I leave, a new intern will hopefully pick up on my project, if it’s still going (as I’m sure it will be). Most organizations are very conscious of employee health – both mental and physical. They have a monthly budget devoted to “Self Care” which includes everything from pilates to massages. This lucky intern will get to reap the benefits of regular employees. A nice reward for working toward peace, right? I’ll be working on a few different projects while I’m here but mostly focusing on the new presidential pardoning process which is related to sentenced and imprisoned citizens for political crimes during apartheid through 1999. Details of the project can’t be released but as soon as I’m able, I’ll put more up about it. It’s extremely important and I’m so proud to be doing this work. I hope to write a journal article for the International Journal of Transitional Justice (published out of CSVR) as they are keen to have more practitioner articles. Any advice on publishing would be much appreciated!

Last night I went out to dinner with my housemates to a lovely restaurant here in Obs. The food was wonderful and cheap, of course. Meat is plentiful here, mostly lamb, beef, ostrich (pretty gamey but good), and a number of other kinds from local animals. Vegetables are fresh as well and I’m learning to like squash! And the best part is the delicious local wine (a major part of the SA economy). Grocery stores here are stocked very well and with a full kitchen, I can pretty much cook anything. We also have a little grill on our patio though lately it’s been used more for ambiance than function.

Today I went to see a regatta held at the Royal Cape Yacht Club at the waterfront. The program director of some of my friends’ programs is very into sailing (he sailed around the world on some rich European’s yacht for 2 years) so he got us into the club. It’s definitely too chilly for me to go out on the boat and who even wants to guess what the sea is like with this crazy cape wind so most of us stayed ashore and ate at the restaurant, chatted, and admired the boats. It’s a beautiful spot and a neat sight.

Throughout my time here, I’ll be filling all you readers in on as much of the cultural life here as I can. Cape Town is very metropolitan when you head downtown or to the waterfront. Many businesses are based here and it’s also a major port. However, most of the population lives in the surrounding areas, which are technically part of the city proper. The townships are the poorer areas of the city and are divided up mostly by race, ethnic group, etc. On my previous trip here, we visited one of the largest black townships called Langa. It was one of the most humbling experiences of my life. A number of people who are here are teaching in the townships for their internships. One of the groups that my office works with is made up of township residents who were victims of apartheid and is very active in engaging citizens. To get in and out of the city, you can take the trains (most people don’t do that though), take regular buses, or take minibus taxis. The minibus taxi is a true African experience. It’s basically a large van, usually pretty run down, that runs along different routes in and out of the city center and to the waterfront. While it’s made to hold about 12 people, usually there are many more squished in. They drive up and down the main road, with someone yelling the name of the destination at you. It’s incredibly strange at first to walk down the road and have someone scream from an open car window at you every few minutes. You can basically flag them down anywhere and they are INCREDIBLY cheap (it’s about R4 to get to city center from Obs – that’s less than $1). You can’t flag regular taxis here – you have to call one or find a taxi rank (taxi stand) which are in the main parts of the city. They’re pretty cheap and certainly more comfortable than the minibus but it’s always an adventure to take the minibus.

Tonight is a big South African rugby match (HUGELY popular here) so I may end up watching it in a bar, but this little peacemaker is totally wiped. After a full week of madness and not enough sleep, I may need a restful night. Tomorrow a bunch of us plan on going to one of the biggest craft markets in the city which sells absolutely everything. It was one of my favorite experiences from my previous trip, as you can usually watch the merchants working on crafts as they sell. Many a present will be bought there!

I think it may be time for a nap. For those of you who are on facebook, some pictures are already up. I will also be making albums through KodakGallery.com as well and will post the link once they’re up.

Take care all.