Week One: Arrival and Exploration

         My first week in Cape Town was jam packed with exciting new things to try and people to meet. I spent a lot of time doing VAC planned activities to get me acquainted with Cape Town’s geography and transportation systems. I took it upon myself to try and do as much as I could everyday. Day one I took the train to downtown Cape Town and walked around until sunset. I saw the main streets for the first time, explored the gardens and squares, browsed the markets, and began to get a feel for the type of city Cape Town currently is. I was surprised how welcoming everyone was, strangers would walk by, smile, say hello, or pass compliments. Not to say there weren’t a few unwelcoming eyes on me, but overall I found the people lovely.

         I took the red bus tour around the city and the main stopping points: Kirstenbosch gardens, wine tasting, an animal jungle, the beach, the waterfront. I got to meet some new people on the tour and as the week moved along I continued to meet more and more international people ready to explore the city. I tried a slew of new foods, went to the first cricket game of my life, browsed First Thursday art, hiked along the base of Table Mountain and went thrift shopping for some essentials.

         I’m ecstatic to finally be here after over a year of planning. I’m here through a complicated combination of majors, minors, and international programs. I’ll attempt to summarize for anyone curious.

         As a freshman I signed up for UM’s Global Leadership Initiative. It’s a program designed to award funding to students hoping to go abroad. Through a few classes and seminars – about a minor’s worth of work – I created my own plan to come to Cape Town and proposed a budget for a scholarship. GLI awarded me a scholarship that helps me cover many extra costs of living beyond what I’d expect at UM.

         I found my internship through IE3 Global Internships. A University of Oregon initiative, it connects internship organizations from around the world into a cohesive network that UM is a part of. After applying and getting accepted into IE3, I found my local internship company.

        Volunteer Adventure Corps is the internship organization based in Cape Town that places students into internships around Cape Town. As the feet on the ground in Cape Town, they are the core group helping me adapt, meet people, and explore the area. After passing through their application I was placed into my current internship.

         I am interning at a company called Kalahari Film and Media, under Michael Murphey and crew. They are an extremely reputable company in South Africa, have worked on blockbusters like District 9, Dredd, Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure, The Triangle, The Librarian, and many more.

         Additional to these programs, I am also being awarded school credit through three UM programs. The Davidson Honors College’s Kevin Hood is overseeing my internship experience and providing six credits. After my internship officially finishes I will be creating my own short documentary about renewable energy in South Africa, which will earn me an additional three credits from the Davidson Honors College by working with climate change expert Nicky Phear. Further, I will be writing an economic research paper about the current state of energy in South Africa for the UM Economics Department, overseen by environmental economist Derek Kellenberg.

January 3

Highlights

  • Meeting roommates Chad, Zander, Thomas, Juliana
  • St. George’s Mall
  • Company Gardens
  • Long street
  • Castle of Good Hope
  • Tip: A good way to politely get a begger to stop following you is to require them to tell joke before they get money

January 4

Highlights

  • Meeting Aidan, Cara, Marcella
  • Red bus sightseeing tour
  • Kirstenbosch gardens
  • Wine tasting
  • World of birds
  • Camps bay
  • Ostrich burger

January 5

Highlights

  • SA vs Sri Lanka cricket game
  • Lost leatherman
  • Victoria Wharf
  • Gibson’s burgers
  • Mixa’s Greek with Craig and Chris
  • Beer House
  • First Thursday

January 6

Highlights

  • VAC Orientation
  • Obz Cafe
  • Clifton Beach 3
  • Company Gardens
  • New bedroom
  • Mr. Lin’s Sushi
  • Hollander house party

January 7

Highlights

  • Biscuit Mill market
  • Voom voom vintage
  • Honeybun
  • Table mountain
  • Drinking in Deer Park forest
  • Ostrich steak at Arnold’s on Kloof