The End of Study Abroad

            Well it’s been almost two months since I got back to the states from South Africa, and I’m already heading back to school tomorrow!  Woops…this final post is a bit delayed…but what’s a girl to do?  I’ve been utterly distracted being in the same country as my family again, and exploring the state of Oregon, which the four of them now call home.

            Now I will finally talk about the whole reason for traveling halfway across the globe, school.  I studied for four months at the University of Cape Town.  Located at the base of Devil’s Peak, UCT is the most elite school in all of Africa, and listed in the top two hundred schools in the world.  Not to mention, it’s probably on the list for most beautiful.  In the spring the high brick walls bloomed with ivy, while the warm breezes drew everyone onto the Jammie steps between classes. (Jameson Hall is the main hall on campus; below it are the ‘Jammie’ steps).

(Rugby Fields-Upper Campus)

            UCT is made up of three campuses, much like my home school, Boston College.  Lower campus consists of the fitness centre, first year housing, sports fields, and a dining hall.  Middle campus contains the IAPO (International Academic Program Office) office, and the drama and music schools.  Upper campus thus holds the majority of classrooms, department offices, and libraries.  The minimum number of classes to take was three, or 72 credits, but I took four.  I took ‘South Africa in the Twentieth Century’, ‘Film and History’,  ‘Class, ‘Race’, and Gender’, and Differential Equations.  Most of the students in my 20^th Century, and ‘Race’ class were abroad students, as both touched deeply on the issues surrounding Cape Town, South Africa, and Africa. 

(Math Building)

My film class and math class, however, were required for students of certain degrees, and the majority of the students studied full time at UCT.

            My apartment was about half a mile away from school…but down hill from it.  I could see upper campus from the living room window and dreaded walking up to school every morning.  I showed up to my first class of the day always drenched in sweat and stripping off layers. 

(Tunnel to Upper Campus)

Walking up to school, however, you get a great view of Jameson Hall with Devil’s Peak in the background. 

(Typical UCT picture)

This is the view most people see when looking at pictures of the school.  What people don’t usually see is the view of Rondebosch and beyond when one turns 180 degrees from looking at Jameson Hall.

(View you don't see everyday-Rondebosch and beyond)

            Rondebosch was the actual town I lived in while in South Africa.  I guess you could call it a suburb of Cape Town.  Devonshire Hills, the name of the apartment complex I lived in, was just a short walk to Main Rd. 

(Devil's Peak from Main Road)

Along Main were bakeries, restaurants, Internet cafes, grocery stores, a video store, and other assorted shops.  I frequented Cocoa Wah Wah, Lyra’s, Checkers, and Rondebosch Video the most.  Cocoa Wah Wah was a small bakery and restaurant that served the most delicious chocolate cake I have ever tasted. 

(Cocoa Wah Wah)

My first week in SA I ate a piece every night. 

(Best chocolate cake of my life)

Lyra’s, another restaurant farther down Main, served up the best nachos and cocktails around.  When the nights got warmer, their outside patio was the perfect place for dinner and drinks.  Checkers was a chain grocery store where I shopped most of the time, and finally, I rented about a life’s worth of DVDs from the video store.

            To sum up my experience in South Africa…IT WAS FABULOUS.

However, while it was fabulous, there were a few downsides.  Cape Town and its neighboring towns are some of the most crime ridden and dangerous places in the world.  Theft, rape, and violence happen too frequently.  Even the landlord cautioned myself, SarahCatherine, and Colleen that the complex had had trouble in the past with burglars.  To ensure my things were safe, I hid absolutely anything of value to me.  My computer was hidden under a pile of sweat pants, my camera in a stack of shirts, my passport under my bras, my wallet in my underwear drawer, and my iPod in a box of tampons.  We never got robbed in the end, but I’d like to think none of my things would be taken anyways, as I have become an exceptional hider.  My hiding was in fact so impeccable there were times I had to ransack my room to find things.

My last day in Cape Town, November 20^th, it poured all day.  This was a sign, I felt, that I was ready to head back to the states.  Allie Denton, a friend from my spring break trip, happened to be on my same flight, so we took a cab to the airport.  I was extremely worried my luggage would be opened and things would be stolen from it, so at the airport Allie and I both got our bags wrapped in a thick plastic. 

(Wrapping bags)

Our flight, to Amsterdam, left at 12:20 am.  A few hours in the Amsterdam airport, then I made my way to the JFK airport in NYC.  After passing through customs, I bought myself my first Starbucks latte in 4.5 months.  A holiday flavor, it was delicious.  I bought myself some American magazines, used my American phone, and sipped my latte.  From JFK, I flew to PDX, Portland’s airport, touching down in Oregon for the first time.  Mom and dad greeted me at the gate with balloons, my favorite pumpkin cream cheese muffins, candy, and frosting.  Hugs and kisses were exchanged, pictures were taken, and my parents laughed about the plastic wrapping on my luggage.  By the time we arrived at the house, it was around 11 pm.  Jacob and Emily had made me a ‘Welcome Home Siri’ sign, and hung it from the banister, though they were both sleeping.  Emily had work the next day and Jacob had school.

(Welcome home sign)

It has been so great to be home, but these two months have flown by!  With adventures in South Africa and Oregon now over, it’s time to start them once more in Beantown!!

Thanks for reading my blog!!!