The Best Days of My Life

Another two weeks have passed on this journey and it's hard to accept the fact that I only have a little over two more until my time here in Africa draws to a close. With the multitude of activities and adventures I have undertaken in the past couple of weeks, I have continued to grow as a human being in delightful and unimaginable ways. Through the good times and the bad, the rather relaxing and the totally terrifying, lessons have presented themselves that would have otherwise gone unnoticed, perhaps for lifetimes to come. One of those unexpected lessons came on the Friday evening (early Saturday morning actually) after my last post. We were at a lovely bar on the beach in the lavish area of Kalk Bay, enjoying dinner and a few drinks, and meeting new friends around the fire pit. Time passed quickly with our feet in the warm sand and a cool cocktail in hand, and soon we realized it was time to go. Since we were a ways from home, and there was a surprising lack of taxis in the area, we (the three that were left) decided to get a hostel for the evening, and planned on catching the train home in the morning. After asking multiple employees of the bar were the nearest hostel was, we found we had to walk about a mile to the next town of Muizenberg, a short and manageable walk through a seemingly safe area. For fifteen minutes we strolled along the road under the street lights, laughing and carrying on as always. As we rounded the final corner into town, two men approached us from a dark driveway, and demanded that we give them our cell phones. While I certaintly should've handed over the cheap and meaningless phone that I had in my pocket, I thought I could manage the situation. One of the men attacked my friends, one of which is a female, while they too tried to defend themselves. The other came at me, and began to swing at me with his fists. Seeing this, the girl thought that he had a knife and was trying to stab me, and as a result threw her bag at them in an attempt to get them to flee. While this was not the case, a car quickly pulled around the corner and they got in and sped away. Still in shock, we made it to the police station which turned out to be only a couple blocks away. After filing a police report with a rather arrogant officer, we had the pleasure of getting a free ride home in a police car, an experience I would not have gotten unless under much worse circumstances.

The next morning we slept in and relaxed, joking about what had happened the night before. After awhile, we decided to head south once again to explore a new area, the community of Simon's Town. We rode the train there and walked around the beautiful harbor full of big, expensive yachts before having a delicious dinner and booking a hostel for the evening. The man at the desk of the hostel pointed us towards the one pub in town which was coincidentally just a few doors down. Upon arrival, we found a mostly local crowd, and were pleased to find out that it was karaoke night. We spent the night and the early hours of the morning singing classics such as "Ring of Fire" and "Bohemian Rhapsody", and while our voices were not quite to par, the rest of the bar didn't mind joining in to help us out. We returned safely to the hostel for a good nights rest, and the night was a great success compared to the prior one. The next morning we went for a splendid walk around the town, where the flowers of spring showered their colors over the mountain side. After our walk, we signed up for a sea kayaking tour, where we paddled through the waves to a beach filled with penguins, passing multitudes of seals and vibrant blue jellyfish along the way. Once we returned to the land, we enjoyed some fresh sushi before heading home for rest.

Monday morning brought another day of work at the office. I made it about halfway through the week before deciding that I couldn't make it much longer sitting inside all day when such a beautiful country was beckoning me right outside the door. Consequently, I requested to switch back to the building project, where I felt my energy would be applied more effectively. It took a couple days to get finalized, so I had some free days to explore the city. I took one of those days to ride the topless bus, which provided an extensive educational tour of the whole of Cape Town. The next day my friend and I did the tour to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela was held captive for 22 years before being released at the end of apartheid. On Friday, I was able to return to work as a builder, and it was refreshing to be back in the South African sunshine working with my hands and hanging out with Deen.

Saturday turned out to be one of the greatest days of the trip so far. We went to town for the "Cape Town World Music Festival", which far exceeded my expectations. Located in the heart of town in a hip and artsy district, the festival featured bands from all over Africa (all of which I had never heard of) playing on three different stages. It was an absolute delight to indulge in music of all sorts in such a lovely environment with so many lovely people. I danced to my hearts content before once again booking a hostel for the evening. The next morning we headed home and had the first down day of the trip, which involved lying in bed and watching multiple movies.

And now nearly another week of work has passed. Time has flown by as we have been laying floor at a daycare in the Vrygrond area of the Cape Flats. I find so much pleasure in being able to physically see what we have done each day, and the project is already finished because of all our hard work. (There are some great photos from the daycare on my facebook page). Last night, we hiked up one of the local peaks called Lion's Head and watched the sunset while enjoying some cool beverages and hot dogs that our lovely host mother, Faye, packed for us. While I sat there in the cool evening breeze and watched the sun sink below the ocean under a blanket of colors, I could not help but feel euphoric. Life is truly wonderful at the moment, and I will not soon forget these days, as they may very well be the best of my life. So long and until next time....

(Due to limited internet access and other limitations, I was not able to add photos to this post. If you would like to see photos of all the above activities, please check my facebook page, where you will find an abundance.)

Cars, Caves, and Cats: A Review on my Cape Town Experience

 

It is so hard to believe that it has already been a month since I said goodbye to my friends and family and boarded a plane abroad. While I most certainly miss them all, my busy schedule here in Cape Town has hardly induced the slightest hint of homesickness. It's hard to miss the long, lethargic days spent sitting on my couch at home when I am busy riding elephants and jumping off of bridges. So, in honor of all you folks who are still sitting on your couch at home, here is a recap of the last ten days of my life.

The weekend after my last post (which was on Friday, October 19th) was a relaxing medley of laid-back activities. That Saturday we were supposed to go on a vineyard tour, but due to an uninspiring weather forecast, we had to change our plans. Instead, we rented a couple cars that morning, and crammed five people into each of the small sedans. Because only two of us know how to drive manual transmissions, we were automatically designated as the drivers. Driving on the opposite side of the road certainly took some getting used to. I had to change gears with my left hand, yield on right turns, and monitor my speed according to kilometers per hour, all while trying to appreciate the stunning views along the way. From our humble abode in Grassy Park, we headed south through the beautiful beachfront towns of Kalk Bay, Simon's Town, and Fishoek, where cobblestone streets and Victorian-style houses complimented the bustling sea-side harbors. Our destination was the infamous Cape Point, where the Indian and Pacific oceans meet. A short drive through the national park led us to a small hike up to a lighthouse, which offered spectacular views of the mountains that reached into the sea. On the way home, we stopped at Boulder's Beach, home to a colony of penguins, after seeing wild baboons occupy the road along the way. Even though I come from a land of untamed and unmatched beauty, I have to say that this drive was one of the most scenic and unforgettable trips that I have ever experienced. The next day was very windy and overcast, with the occasional rain shower to top it all off, so we spent most of the day hanging out at the house and relaxing.

Kalk Bay

On Monday it was back to work. While we worked hard to try to complete a room for the center, the process was quite slow and tedious. In the afternoons, we usually returned to the house to rest after a hard day's work, but on Wednesday we opted to try out surfing. The short train ride from the house brought us to Muzenberg Beach, home of the Projects Abroad surf program. For the equivalent of about $10, we were given wetsuits, a board, and a full surfing lesson for the afternoon. While I had never surfed before, I found it quite easy to get the hang of, probably because of all my experience on skis. I wore myself out after a couple hours, and we got to unwind and watch the sunset over the waves while enjoying a nice cool Black Label (a local brew). Thursday was our last day at work, and we had a barbeque and said farewell to Dean. He had very nice things to say about all of us, and I couldn't have asked for a better friend and mentor for my first two weeks here in South Africa. That afternoon, we hopped on the train again and headed to the small town of Kalk Bay. We walked down the street past coffee shops and bookstores, while taking in the view of the deep blue ocean across the way, before stopping at a restaurant right off the harbor to enjoy fresh oysters. It is wonderful to live so close to such a place, which was only about a fifteen minute train ride from our home.

Cango Caves

Vineyards along the way

The real adventure began on Friday, when our trip to the Garden Route got underway. The ten hour drive wound through absolutely gorgeous mountains that cradled countless vineyard in their valley floors. The huge, rocky peaks reminded me very much of my home in Colorado, but the vines and grapes provided a fresh twist of scenery. We stopped along the way at the Cango Caves, where I slid through tiny spaces with names like "The Chimney" and "The Letterbox" in my bare feet. Afterwards, we made our way to the hostel, a small building right next to the beach, located directly on top of a local bar. Lots of other Projects Abroad volunteers were there, and we got to socialize over a few games of pong with the sound of crashing waves in the background.

Sunset from the beach hostel

 The next day, we woke up early and headed to a local zip-line and obstacle course. We climbed through the tree tops for about two hours, which was far more effective than a morning cup of coffee. From there, we headed to the town of Knysna, which has been rated as South Africa's most beautiful town. The Knysna Elephant sanctuary was our next stop, where five orphaned elephants live and are trained. Not only did we get to walk the elephants by holding their trunks, but we actually got to hop on their backs for a ride. I must say, an elephants back is not the most comfortable seat, as their tough skin and bony spine don't make for a great cushion. After dismounting, a short drive brought us to Monkeyland, where we ate lunch surrounded by multiple species of monkeys. Then came the main attraction, the world's highest bungee jump. As we drove over the bridge where it was located, I could already feel my heart racing and my adrenaline pumping, as we looked over the 216 meter (700+ ft.) drop that lie below. For under $100 they took us to the platform in the center of the bridge, tied a rope to my ankles, and told me to jump. The 7 second free fall seemed like an eternity before the cable caught about 100 feet above the valley floor. Then, I was left to hang upside down, suspended like a spider on a web, until they were able to pull me back to the top. To finish off what was probably the best day of my life, we headed back to Knysna and watched the sun set behind seaside cliffs and clashing waves. Then, we went back to the hostel to play more pong and have a bonfire on the beach (which I think was completely illegal but nevertheless a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity). On the way home on Sunday we were all pretty worn out, but had a nice morning safari where we saw lions, springbok, zebra, ostrich, eland, giraffes, rhinos, and multiple species of birds.

Monday morning came once again, and I donned my Jerry Garcia tie and some nice slacks for my first day as an "office person." We headed to the Projects Abroad Human Rights Office, which is located in a very nice area of town near the University of Cape Town. Our new boss, Maria, is pretty much the opposite of Dean, and runs her office in a strict and demanding way. After a very short introduction, I was handed a folder containing my first case. Having no background in anything involving law (especially South African law), I was a little intimidated at first. However, I figured that if I could jump off that bridge, I could tackle whatever it was that lie within that folder. Come to find out, the case involves succession laws and the distribution of an estate. I got to do all kinds of fun research on things like testate and intestate laws, liquidation and distribution accounts, and nominated executors. Surprisingly, I felt like I made great progress for my first day, and my confidence in the upcoming 6 weeks here was boosted greatly. Tomorrow I get to go meet my client and further investigate the case. I never thought I would enjoy dressing up and sitting in an office, but so far it hasn't been that bad. This work is a nice taste of the real world, and the stuff that really goes on here in South Africa.

Another Day in Paradise

Table Mountain Cable Way

City of Cape Town

After only a week of living under the awe inspiring mountains of Cape Town, it already saddens me to think of leaving this place. The great variety of cultures here blend together much like the many different types of clouds that dance across the mountain tops, which we were able to see in full spectacle on our trip up the infamous Table Mountain last Saturday. A short and scenic cable car ride took us to the top of the 1000 meter mountain in a matter of about 7 minutes. At the top, we enjoyed spectacular views of the city and the ocean alike while indulging in my first ever ostrich sandwich (quite delicious!). After lunch, we headed out for an adventure down the mountain, as we had only bought a one-way ticket to the top of the cable way. After about an hour and a half of wandering through a somewhat eerie cloud, we determined that we had missed our path down, and had to turn around and head back to the cable. Luckily, it was still running and we were able to catch a ride back to the bottom. From there, we headed to the V&A Waterfront, an absolutely gorgeously developed marina, that offers a plethora of nice restaurants, live entertainment, and street performers. We enjoyed a bottle of some local South African wine over a breath-taking sunset before heading to a pub to enjoy a few brews and some live rock and roll. The next day, we returned to the waterfront so that the rest of the group could experience the vibrancy of the area. We ate some sushi before sampling more wine and some oysters, while engaging in some excellent discussion with friends. Overall, an excellent first weekend in the city.

V&A Waterfront with Table Mountain in the background

Sandbag building

Monday morning brought our first day of work in the township of Lavender Hill. It was shocking to see the poverty of the area as we drove to work, an unbelievable contrast from the posh Waterfront were we had spent most of the weekend. Trash littered the streets that wound through the run-down tin-metal shacks, which were separated by no more than the length of a broom. The smells of burning trash and sewage brought back memories of Ghana, and it felt as though we had entered a different world than that which we were in before. We arrived at the community center to be welcomed by our project manager, Dean, a loving and caring human being who is more than happy to be a father figure to the many volunteers that he oversees. His leadership has built the entire center out of sandbags and concrete, using a method that he invented himself. His dream for the center, which was previously a waste dump site, is absolutely inspiring, as he has teamed up with the neighboring nature reserve to  make the center a South African exhibit in the 2014 World Exhibition. It feels so good to be a part of something so socially and environmentally friendly, and know that the sweat I shed each day goes back into something that is truly larger than myself. While the work is somewhat tedious, Dean's lovely personality and the other volunteers from all over the world have made the week fly by, each day seeming much shorter than it actually is. At this pace, our time here will be gone before we know it...

Cape Town.. The City of Gold

Saying goodbye to Ghana was tough, but the pain was quickly numbed upon our arrival to the beautiful city of Cape Town. The 7 hour overnight flight was almost like a time capsule, traveling from the underdeveloped, poverty-stricken streets of Accra to the modern metropolis that is Cape Town. It was an absolute pleasure to trade the humid and sticky heat of Accra for the cool, breezy air that greeted us as we left the airport; not to mention the open sewers for functioning toilets, cold buckets for warm, running showers, and fire pits for trash cans. The modern age has never felt so good.

We arrived at our host family to an extremely warm and welcoming reception. Our host mom, Faye, is an absolute sweetheart who makes the most excellent food. A few years ago, she quit her job at the bank repossessing houses because she wanted to do good in the world instead of ruining peoples lives. Since then she has seen thousands of volunteers come through her home, as she has commited her life to providing people with the opportunity to experience this wonderful country. Her husband, Aslam, is a very kind and wise man. His stories of living through apartheid are absolutely fascinating, and he is more than willing to share his wealth of knowledge and his love of life. There are also three foreign exchange students in her house, one from Thailand, one from Germany, and one from Brazil. She has taken them under her wing to provide them an education and an opportunity to learn English. I must say that they are two of the most genuinely awesome people I have ever met.

Coincidentally, one of the girls in her group was celebrating her 18th birthday when we arrived yesterday. Faye had a cake waiting, and after a singing and blowing out the candles, we unpacked and headed downtown. A minibus took us to Long Street, a local backpackers hub and popular party spot. While withdrawing some cash from the ATM, the some sneaky assailants managed to steal the birthday girl's credit card, and took of running into the night. Local police showed up and we had our first taste of the big city crime (quite a shock after the friendly, safe atmosphere of Accra). After calling her bank and cancelling the card, it was off to the bars. Just about every door on the street led into a different bar or club, each with unique decor and ambiance. After a long night of fun and dancing, we hopped back in the minibus and headed home, where Faye had left plenty of food for us to eat, even at 3 a.m. This morning came quite early and we had a lengthy induction ceremony, where we learned how to catch the train to work, activate cell phones, and prevent further ATM robberies. While we only saw a small bit, the city, with it's view of the stunning Table Mountain and the hurling ocean, is absolutely beautiful. I could not be happier with where I am at in life.

And so I will leave you all with this... Ask yourself each day what you have to offer to the world as the individual that you are. Sometimes it will be a lot, and sometimes it will be very little, but know that even the smallest difference made each day can add up to a great sum. "Death becomes meaningful when impact has been made on Earth" (from a billboard in Accra honoring their president who recently passed)

Time to move on...

With our time in Ghana coming to a close, I wish we had more time to experience and explore this fantastic country. Since my last update, we have had a very productive orientation, and an excellent introduction to the world travels that await. After our stop at the internet cafe on Wednesday, we went to a local kitchen to sample authentic Ghanian food. The menu included strange sounding things like fufu, red red, waakye, and banku: spicy dishes made from maize, plantain, and beans. The main course was fried fish, which still had its head, tail, and eyeballs attached (we were told that the eyeballs were the best part, but were not brave enough to indulge). After slowly and painfully digesting all of the cuisine, we decided to spend the evening at a local bar called "Hillyz", an upstairs, open air restaurant at the top of the hill near our home. The atmosphere was relaxed, and we enjoyed some of the local brew "Club" while shooting pool and watching a game of fútbol.

The next day came awfully early, and we made a trip to the largest slum in Africa, called Old Fadama. While it is technically illegal by all government standards, some forty thousands Ghanians reside there in small shacks. For years, the area has been the site of electrical waste dumping, where millions of tons of old computers, cell phones, and other electronics and taken each year to be disposed of. Many of the residents make their living by burning the waste, earning about a dollar or two per day. As we made our way through the overcrowded alleyways, we had to step over the rivers of sewage and trash that ran under our feet. The smells were almost unbearable, and immediately I could see how the slum earned the biblical nickname "Sodom and Gomorrah" or "worst of the worst." Finally, we came to a small school, where we were to perform our medical outreach. Upon entering, we were greeted by hoards of young children, all chanting the word they know for white person, "Obruni." The excitement was almost unbelievable, as the children had never seen so many Obrunis in one place. Once the children had settled down, we set up a small table in the court yard with basic first aid (bandages, disinfectant, and malaria tests) and treated those in the school who needed attention. Two children quite casually failed malaria tests, as if it were a common cold, and many more had small cuts or wounds that needed treatment. In such an atmosphere, it was hard to comprehend the happiness and vibrancy of the people there. It was amazing to me to see human energy in its most raw form conquering such a depressing situation. That afternoon we made a trip to a local historical park, where national hero Dr. Kwame Nkrumah is buried and honored. It was fascinating to learn about the role he had played in gaining Ghana's independence before he was eventually overthrown by a military coup staged by the American CIA in the heat of the cold war.

Friday brought a trip to another local orphanage, where the other projects abroad volunteers at our residence have been working the past two and a half months. I was moved to see all that the volunteers had done for the school there, making donations in both finance and labor in order to fully repaint the school, install windows, and do numerous other tasks to make learning easier for the children. After playing with the children, and noticing their excitement towards education (which was not at all supported by the teachers), I made a small donation to the orphanage myself, in hopes that I too could improve the lives of the kids there in some way or another.

Over the weekend we took a trip to the neighboring community of Cape Coast, where we visited the infamous Cape Coast Castle, the epicenter of slave trade just a few centuries ago. The tour was chilling and somewhat depressing as we experienced what has come to be one of the worst crimes against humanity know to man. The many dungeons and punishment rooms were a grave reminder of the hate and ignorance that can infest itself in a society, and I hope that never again will such an institution be established. In the evening, we went to an extremely impressive African cultural display at a local community center. The performance consisted of various types of African drum and dance, and we were able to join in at the end and get a little tribal with the locals. It was an excellent way to truly bond with the people through creative expression. On the way home the following day, our van broke down and we were able to improve our hackey sack skills during a couple hour wait for a replacement to get us back to Accra.

We took a trip to an underprivileged children's school on Monday, where we got the opportunity to paint educational murals on the walls there. The best in my opinion was a "solar system"  mural by some of the girls in our group. While the work was exhausting and very messy, it was wonderful to see the smiles on the kids faces upon seeing their new classroom. Nothing is better than having a lasting impact at a place were they need in most. Last night we took a trip to the local cinema, which was very similar to our own movie theaters, and was even located in a mall very similar to our own malls. The movie (Taken 2) was not all that great, but it was still a nice way to spend an evening.

Today we must pack, and prepare for the next leg of our journey. We are going to return to the orphanage this afternoon and say our final goodbyes before we head to the airport this evening. Ghana has been such a warm and welcoming country, and I wish we could stay longer, but I'm afraid it's time to move on...

Hope everyone back home is doing well. Much love to all my friends and family, and anyone else who has taken the time to read this. Your support means more than you would ever know!




Until next time...

Our first couple days in Africa have been excellent. After a fairly long day of travel, we finally arrived at the Accra airport and were greeted by high temperatures and humidity. All nine of us packed into a van, along with all of our luggage, and headed into the bussling metropolis that is Accra. The many new sights, sounds, and smells were almost a sensory overload, but a stop along the way for some local ice cream soothed the nerves. After weaving through masses of traffic, we made it to the Projects Abroad office. There, we met the other volunteers before we headed to our house. The house belongs to the lovely Mrs. Afrifa, whose family and numerous other folks stay with her (pictures on the way). We enjoyed a badly needed nap and ate our first Ghanian meal, which consisted of fried plantains, a bean dish, rice and some scrumtious pinneapple. From there, it was back to the office for their "quiz night", a social event where the volunteers can congregrate. I thnk the main attraction was the pizza that was served, which tasted exactly like the pizza we have in the States.

Today, we have explored downtown Accra with another volunteer that works at the office, Kirsty. We drove to the main gig in town, Oxford Street, a crowded and colorful marketplace and main drive in the city. Immediately, we were surrounded by friendly Ghanians who wanted to sell us everythng from belts to artwork. After escaping the bombardment of vendors, we ate at a local kitchen, where I had fresh fried fish and a sample of much of the local quisine.

The rest of our time in Ghana we are pretty busy. Tommorrow, we go to the slum to participate in the "Medical Outreach", which will be very interesting. Also on the agenda for the week are a day trip to the Cape Coast, as well as to a nearby national park, where we will get a lesson on African history, as well as the issues facing modern Africa.

I cannot express how excited I am to be out on this adventure! Hope all of you back home are enjoying yourselves and living everyday to the fullest. I'll try to post some pictures next time I have internet (should be about a week). Keep it real.

Where I Will Be

With only 6 days to go, I have finally received the details about where exactly I will be staying in Cape Town. I will be housed with at least one other volunteer and a family in the home above, which is really quite reminiscent of a American house in the suburbs. I cannot wait to meet my host family and become fully immersed in the South African culture!

 (If anyone is interested in checking out the area on Google maps, here is the address.
 71 Rooikrans Avenue, Grassy Park, Cape Town, South Africa)

In the midst of all the nervousness, excitement, and anticipation that have been bombarding my mind recently, I have at times questioned my decision to make this journey. However, I am well aware of the deceit of emotion, and I find great comfort and reassurance in the realization that I am staying true to my heart, and following my dream. I am often reminded of the final verse of my favorite Dead song, "Cassidy":

Flight of the seabirds,
Scattered like lost words,
Wheel to the storm and fly.
Fare thee well now, let your life proceed by it's own design.
Nothing to tell now, let the words be yours, I'm done with mine.

Information on the Trip

Here's the overview page of the trip
Global Gap Overview

Welcome

Only two weeks to go! I have decided to set up this blog page so that all of you folks back home can see what I'm up to during my time in Africa. I'll be leaving the first of October for Accra, Ghana, where I will partake in a week long care project and orientation for the program. Then, it's off to Cape Town, South Africa, where I am working in the Projects Abroad human rights office, and dressing in snazzy clothes. I'll be posting pictures and updates on this blog, as well as on Facebook. (Cameron Ehrlich) I hope you all enjoy!