Surrounded by Beauty

I still cannot believe that I am living in such an amazingly beautiful place.

View of Table Mountain with its "Table Cloth" - Cape Town rolls down from the mountain all the way to the sea.

Beach in Knysna, where I went on the garden route.

The entrance to the UCT campus as seen from the rugby field! The actual campus is carved into the mountain and has tons of steps and different levels. From the top of upper campus you can see the entire city...all the way down to the Water Front.

The Cape of Good Hope (the most southerly point in Africa).

I know it looks like a fake background but it's not...just a fabulous pre-sunset scene out on the dock.

Last week was an important week for me here because I began my volunteer work at Baphumalele. I met my group of seven and eight year olds, and we had our first After School sessions. Many of the kids at Baph are orphans, but others have been placed there by social services because their parents are sick or abusive. But despite the unimaginable circumstances these children come from, they are basically energetic and happy kids. Getting to interact with UCT students will give them a chance to improve their English skills and get a glimpse at the possibilities that life has to offer. There are several bright high school teenagers at Baph who are studying on scholarship at prestigious schools in Cape Town, so there really is hope that some of these children will receive the education necessary to continue on to university. 

The township where Baph is located is called Khayelitsha. There are between 500,000 and 2 million people living in this colorful conglomeration of shacks, shops, brick houses, parks, garbage heaps, and shanties. Right now I don't think I could adequately paint a picture of township life in modern South Africa, but here are a few pictures:

What amazes me most is the colorful vibrancy and joy that is present amidst all the poverty. Raucous impromptu soccer matches and constant music and dancing are part of life in the townships, and my initial impression suggests there is not a pervading sense of hopelessness or  despondency. 

In other news, I went on my first wine tasting tour yesterday. It was the most beautiful day, and I learned a lot about the wine making industry in South Africa as well as the proper meals to pair with a gewurztraminer vs. a pinotage. And with such an abundance of delicious, high quality wine for around 30 to 40 rand ($3 to $4), I'm not sure how I will survive returning to box wine in the states.

Upcoming: a look at university life and attitudes in South Africa and how they differ from the states...