March 23,
Day One- Today, we started off our mornings with breakfast in our hotel. We met the nicest and most cheerful male waiter, “ Sunny.” After breakfast, we went in the bus with our driver, Lawrence, and started off our journey to Hout Bay where we experienced the lovely smell of fish and a sort of burning smell. While at the Bay we witnessed the livelihood of the sea lions on the harbor, specifically, a blind one used as what some could call a “tourist trap.” Additionally, on the drive over to the beach, we witnessed the daunting aura of the Lion’s Head. Furthermore, whilst overlooking the beautiful crystal clear waters, some may say whales were spotted and some may say otherwise (some ignored the fact that whale season is June to November:-)There were a multitude of what looked like water tornadoes, aka. “StormNadoes”. The drive was interrupted by a quick stop to a small peak on the mountain side. As we got out of the bus, we were immediately smacked with an intense gust of wind blowing our hair crazily. We then arrived at Boulder Beach, where we journeyed past vendors filled with South African antiques; after a short trek we reached Boulder Beach, which was filled with African Penguins in their natural habitat. We were lucky enough to see the circle of life being made right in front of us by two penguins named Jimmy and Jennifer(self -named). As we wandered through the wooden pathway, there were penguins, sitting on eggs, feeding their chicks, digging holes, waddling the sand dunes. We ended off the first portion of our day with a lunch from The Salty Dog by the harbor. We decided to try a new drink called the Cappy which turned out to just be “juice in a tin”. The fish and chips and the nuggets and chips were the two popular orders within the group. Experiencing these different animals and cuisines allowed us to expand our knowledge about South Africa culture.
After our wonderful lunch, we ventured off to the U.S South African Consulate. The consulate’s main goal is to help keep Americans safe within South Africa and to maintain a well-rounded relationship between the USA and South Africa, and working with the embassy in Pretoria along with two other consulates. Diplomat #1 helps investigate crime in South Africa and informed us how to stay safe while traveling. Diplomat #2 told us about how much he enjoys his job and interacting with other people and diplomats in the global foreign service delegations and highlighted the importance of human connection (“true diplomacy starts by being within 3 feet… of one another.”). Diplomat #3 informed us of his role in the state's media department as a generalist in public press. He told us about his experiences working in the Middle East at all different levels. Diplomat #4’s focus was on economics. As the presidents and their policies change in America, the consulates in South Africa have to adapt. Their presentations, our questions, the acquisition of advice, and having the opportunity to learn about their jobs, showed us the significance of giving back and utilizing our young talented minds to see a change in our world. Finally, after rendezvousing at the hotel for a short break, we wandered the streets of Cape Town and found ourselves at Hudson’s. Now for some it was a fulfilling meal that reminded us of home. After dinner, we wrapped up with a nice debrief, including two in-depth, 15 questions to be exact, student interviews, as well as an overview of the following day and the adventures and surprises that may come our way. To be continued……
Simone & AB
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| Mama penguin with her molting little ones |
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| A penguin colony |
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| At Boulders Beach- penguin colony |
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| Having |
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| Lunch time at the Salty Dog |
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| Sea Lion with fan club |
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| "post-card" from Hout Bay |
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| White Sands Beach |
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| The Titanic |
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