Sunday Funday

My sincerest apologies for the lack of updates. We are in the midst of final exams, and UCT is a force to be reckoned with. I think it's only fair that I give a certain warning to anyone coming to study abroad here... University of Cape Town is not for the faint of heart! If you're someone who needs your advisor to hold your hand, and your professor to feed you exam answers - this is not the place for you! If you're looking for an easy semester of non-major art and wine tasting - this is not the place for you! But, if you want to truly immerse yourself in interesting classes that you would never be able to attend at USF or other American Universities, with prestigious professors, challenging discourses, and the opportunity to mature as a student and person...come on over. I can't honestly say that my two semesters at UCT have been easy. But, they've been interesting as hell, and I've learned a lot. There are certain attributes of a small university that I love, but that don't really prepare you for real life, like the personal care you receive from the administration and professors, or the strings that are pulled and deadlines overlooked by people that like you. But UCT is brutal in that sense. Most people don't forgive missed deadlines, and the administration is actually annoyed if you ask too many questions. And while it took some getting used to, I find myself feeling like a better student and more mature person for it. I used to tell everyone that I hated UCT, but in the final few weeks of my time here, I've come to regret ever saying that. It's just a real school that has forced me to be responsible and professional. In a way, UCT has given me a lot of tough love that I didn't want, but I would do it all over again. Anyway...

It's been a few months since this day took place, but I'd like to write about it anyway because for anyone looking to come study, live, work, retire or simple visit, this was the quintessential Cape Town Sunday.

We rounded up the gang in the Bus O' Fun and headed out to Gugulethu, the township that hosts the famous Mzoli's braai. I know I've posted about this before, but it was almost a year ago, so we had to go again. Mzoli's is a wonderland of dancing mixed with a shmorgishborg of meat and beer topped with extreme heat. It's the one place that people from any walk of life, socioeconomic background and color come to mesh. I don't know what they put on their meat, but it's the most deliciouso stuff around, so this place is absolutely a must for anyone in the area. And even those who aren't. Make a trip, it's worth it.

From there, we continued on to another Cape Townian favorite: Summer concerts in Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. It brought me back to summer days when I would ride my bike to the concerts in the park that Tustin put on... except it's 10 times as big. Hundreds of families brought full on picnics, bottles of wine and their dancin shoes because the band performing that night was none other than our Cape Town claim to fame: GOLDFISH! I've seen them a couple of times, but the show is always so groovy you can't help but dance the entire time. Amama (David's grandma that stayed with us for just over a month) was rockin out alongside Karina, Holly and some other good friends... so, to say that it was a successfully stellar night would be a complete understatement. It was the first, and sadly only, summer concert that we attended (Kirstenbosch hosts one every Sunday for a few months), but it was a perfect evening with friends and family and I wish we could have gone back for more (damn studying abroad).

Truly, the perfect Sunday.


Live bravely,
KG