Settling in in South Africa

The pictures are a bit out of order, but as you’ll read the Internet is a bit rubbish here.

Settling in Quite Nice

It’s only been a few days and honestly I’m still not quite sure what time it is as my body has not adjusted to all the time changes, but as I sit here eating my post hike snack of Pot O’ Gold peanut butter and Tastee Treats Saltee crackers, I think I’m going to be ok here for the next month. The two worst things I can think of about my stay are that it’s bonkers cold in the house and the Internet is rubbish. So as I type I’m locked up tight in my Patagucci, scarf and blanket. I do believe it’s colder in here than outside. They told me it was because the house was built for summer not winter. And the Internet, well that will just force me to be social and pretend like it’s 1995 or something.

I’m staying in a little suburb of Cape Town. While I’d love to be staying right in Cape Town this is where the school is located. It’s kinda like when people say there are from Boston and they live in Everett;) Or when you think you are going to be staying in San Francisco because that’s where your hotel is and you realize oh wait that’s San Mateo or South City. All is well as they have an extremely efficient bus system that is really quite cheap. It’s only like 10 Rand a trip and that’s like 66 cents US. And not that it’s too shocking but they also have Uber here and it too is super or should I say uber cheap. The house I’m in feels somewhat like a sorority house. Or what I imagine one to be like. Lots of girls sleeping in large rooms, a kitchen with six refrigerators and a nice common room. I feel a scosh like the house mom as I am probably a decade older than most these girls, but as someone said I’m young at heart so I should get along just fine. Most of the girls are from the UK, Canada or France. I’ve been spending most of my time with the girls from the UK and I noticed in my writing that I keep saying quite and rubbish…just wait til’ I start saying “posh”.

Yesterday was my first full day and I spent the morning at the market trying to buy food that I would like. I stuck with the basics for now, but I sure do like all the names they give the food out here. The lead favorite is “Smackeroos” and if you had to guess wouldn’t you think it was some sort of cross between Smuckers jam and a Dunkaroo…nope fish nuggets! After my new friend Sarah and I cruised down to the Victoria & Alfred Waterfront. Here there were a lot of cool little shops and stands. This felt like an upscale version of Fisherman’s Wharf or something similar to Faneuil Hall Marketplace. I have to admit having some things that remind me of home make it less likely for me to get homesick.

Today we hiked Table Mountain. That was quite a feat. We picked one of the harder routes apparently and I was honestly feeling like a champ until this power couple comes storming past me running the darn thing. After I got over myself it made me smile to think of some of my favorite power running couples back home. I will let the pictures speak for themselves; I need to jump in the shower to warm up.