Travelling in Mini-Taxis in Cape town

I love taking min-taxis in Cape town, also called matatus in Uganda, because you're always guaranteed a memorable, laughable dinner story afterwards.

Unlike most of the other exchange students, I've decided not to rent a car while in Cape town & just figure out other ways to get around. Part of that decision is based on the fact that my wonderful friend Priscilla has graciously offered to take me around when she's not busy or working & the other reason is that I don't know how to drive a shift (99% of cars are shifts) & not motivated to try to but also because people drive on the right side of the road vs. the left & combined wiht a shift, mentally, that can be a challenge. Even when I'm in the car with other people, I keep wanting to turn into oncoming traffic before realizing...oh no, I should go the other way.

So I have ventured out by taking the mini-taxis to get around

My adventures have included two taxi conductors aggressively fighting to get me as their passenger, being stuffed in a 16 passenger van with 18 people & a wheelcahir, climbing over people to get out of the taxi b/c I suddenly realized they had passed my stop & I was in the back of the taxi; getting lost looking for a fabric store; talking to the people in the taxi who travel miles to get around, getting dropped off in the middle of the highway because technically I was across from the Traffic Dept & that was my stop, so the driver told me to get out; walking through the train station where people are selling vegetables, fruits & have set up 3-walled restaurants & hair salons etc made of pieces of alumnium & tin. I have seen people carrying heavy bags of their personal belongings & livelihood in big, torn plastic bags and felt so grateful for what I have. As interesting as my travels have been, they have been so much fun & insightful experience.

It has made me realize that there are so many South Africans who travel hours by bus to come into town to work; that they have to engage in my life & other fortunate people who live in the more affluent area of Cape town as our maids, waiters, retail store managers but we don't have to engage & understand their lives. It further shows the divide that SA still has to battle to further integrate even after apartheid has been technically been abolished.

Travel to Cape Town for Study Abroad

So I have arrived in Cape town... I was a zombie yesterday... 8 hrs to London, 5hr layover in London Heathrow, then 11hrs to Cape town sitting, sleeping & not knowing what time it was in an upright plane seat position did crazy things to me. I am recuperating & doing better. I arrived at 6am in Cape town & the sun was shining so brightly my brain thought it was in the middle of the afternoon. Priscilla picked me up from the airport & took me to the Waterfront mall & I was supposed to meet her at 5:30pm but got lost looking for an apt & once again because the sun was shining sooooo brightly, I couldn't tell it was 6pm, so I missed her but found her shortly after. My brain can only distinguish 2 times: 1pm in the afternoon & 9-12pm at night.... no other times because all the times of the day look the same, bright & sunny even at 6pm!!

the place is beautiful, secure, safe & 8min walk from the school & CLOSE to ther waterfront.

Most places on the Waterfront are $1500/month because Cape town is like LA. Trendy, chic and everyone is beautiful, just like in LA.

Still looking for cell phone service. Cilla doesn't have Internet or phone so it is hard for me to call. Night time in SA is your day time & calling from a payphone at 8pm isn't safe, so I will try to get a phone. I wish I had gotten your Nokia phone before I came here. I would be okay right now. Phones are not cheap. even phone rental!

Lastly, May's movie Stomp the Yard comes out today.....arggghhhh I'm going to miss it. Well Dream Girls comes to SA Feb 2, so I will see it then ... Pls no comments on it until I see it. I want to have a fresh perspective when I see it.

Okay, off to go exploring Rondebosch where Cilla lives....

In Johannesburg, SA

We arrived in jo-burg yesterday after a 18hr flight from ATL. We had meetings all of yesterday and most of us were sleepy. One of our leaders decided it would be best to have meetings immediately after getting off the plane.... most of us were unhappy about his choice.

Our hotel is beautiful... now I know why we are paying soooo much for this trip. We are connected to a small, posh mall where all the rich people shop, so the prices are like American prices, which is disappointing. I always have lunch at this place which makes gyros only with fresh vegetables including eggplant, spinach, tomato & real lamb chunks (not the processed lamb strips I always have in the US). They love me at the restaurant and the guys constantly smile and joke around with me... not sure if it's me or that I look American or my big cornrows. We are in a relatively safe area but it made me wonder what it would be like to study in Capetown. I've never gotten so much attention.

I'm also missing my family & friends & wishing they could be here. It's beautiful and so relaxing. My 2nd quarter of the year ended and I so needed a break somewhere so this is perfect.

Leaving for South Africa

It's been awhile since I posted... gotta make it a New Year's Resolution to be on task more. SO much has happened since Jan and I've loving my life.

I'm now heading to South Africa for 2 weeks. Keep you posted on the adventures.

On Crutches...

The glamorous story is that I was swiftly running past 4 defenders to take the winning shot at the soccer goalpost when I was tripped and ... but the true story is much simpler. Basically, I badly sprained my ankle and thinking I was okay, I walked around on it for 1 class before the pain became unbearable and then I hopped, skipped and finally got a ride to Student Health, where I sat in the office with another guy who had crushed his now swollen toes in jujitsu. Good news is that it looks like no bones were broken, the bad news is that I'm on crutches for... who knows how long. Hopefully just a couple of days. I've sprained my ankle before but forgotten what it was like to be on crutches.

Whew, walking on crutches is hard work!!! Talk about a great way to build your arm muscles. Add a bulky down winter jacket & you have a very hot, uncomfortable me hobbling from place to place. I'm actually thinking of getting a taxi to class tomorrow if I can't get a ride. I really miss my mobility. Getting around my apt takes time & I really have to plan what I'm doing before I do it because having to turn around to get a left-behind book or coat is frustating.

So now I'm just taking it easy, catching up on work and reading that my former fast-paced self had procrastinated on doing & again missing my swift mobility.

1st Day of Winter Classes

I'm back in school. I arrived in Evanston last night. Time to learn after a nice 3 week break. I just had my first class Leading and Managing Teams. It seems like it will be very insightful even though managing teams is a soft skill. I think it's a very valuable one because teams are everywhere (families, classes, workplace, athletics etc.)

Can't wait to see my classmates!

Skiing in Steamboat

Finals are over & this past week, 600 Kellogg classmates are in Steamboat, Colorado skiing & enjoying each other's company for a week! Yes, it's been great so far. There was a white party where everyone dressed in white, one guy came as the pope, another as a mummy, another as a baker. It was fun times.







The town is beautiful with pristine white snow everywhere. It's gorgeous and this year, the town has had 54in of snow, the most of any year!

I went up into the gondola (ski lift) up to the top of the mountain 10,200ft but did not ski down the hill. My skiing took place on the bunny slopes where I learned how to ski for the first time! I love it. It's exhilirating but also somewhat scary (going down the steep hills, sometimes feels like you're going 200mph). I'm having fun. It sometimes feels like I'm skiing in white confection sugar, that's how soft & smooth & white the snow feels.

It's great to spend time with my classmates away from class & academic groupwork. Everyone is just chill.