Blowing in the Wind/ Rock You Like a Hurricane

First and formost- I am currently in class freaking out, reading articles, looking at pics and COMMANDING ALL OF YOU IN NYC AND AROUND TO STAY THE FUCK INSIDE. Just don't go outside, and you'll be fine.....right? Ok good! So thats settled, you're staying inside until the skies are blue and trees are firmly in the ground.

As for little ol' me- yesterday night I had my own version of a light Hurricane/ Tornado when some friends and I decided to hike Lion's Head Mountain for the full moon rising and Meredith's birthday. Of course I was dredding it, but there is no length I won't go to for a birthday. Packed my champagne and headed on up. Although most of our parents advised us not to go because of the high winds, and even at the base of the mountain we were nearly falling over- FULL SPEED AHEAD! LETS DO IT!

quick photo break
(oh yea I wore a headlamp...oh so hiking girl of me)

So off we went up the never ending dirt incline, to the rocks, to the ladders, to the chains that I grasped for dear life. With stops every 5 minutes to fight the sand flying into our eye sockets and wind blowing us into rocks, it took us a little while, but we eventually made it up some distance- we had no intention of reaching the top. Once reaching the metal bars where you rock climb up a straight incline, which is right before the final steep rock slimbing to reach the peak, everyone told us to turn around. It was nearly sunset and they said you could barely move up there and to find a nice spot to watch this sun down, moon up situation that had brought me to this location.

Sun setting
now turn around....

and Moon Rising! Crazy shit.

I don't know if you know this about me, but I can be a bit of a drama queen and tend to over exaggerate  but let me assure you that everyone I encountered on the mountain did. Those 5 minute stops due to high winds, were each met with high pitched screams and cries. Then shit started getting real, I literally almost fell of the mountain twice and decided I could easily see myself dying on this mountain. So i decided to make a video....a goodbye video...to everyone I have ever known, my family and friends advising them never to hike and that I have enjoyed my life and was peacing out on a mountain. Never a way I intended to go out, but hey shit happens. So thankfully that didn't happen as I am writing this blog and made it down, just a sprained ankle and ears full of sand. I am attaching the video because I need you to understand the gravity of these winds and get that I am really only partly exaggerating and really it was quite terrifying, but also thrilling. Ignore my screams and enjoy.

IN CASE I DIDNT SAY IT ENOUGH, STAY INSIDE EVERYONE IN NYC AND IN THE STORM! YOU CAN LOOK AT PICTURES ONLINE AND SAY YOU TOOK THEM, NO NEED TO HAVE AN IPHONE SHOT OF YOUR DEATH! STAY INSIDE!

some classic shots:

so you're thining "woah cool lighting"...my new obsession,
I call it headlamp photography. 

if you're not taking selfies at sunset
what are you doing?

Weekend Update

Shockingly enough I do not have a crazy omg story with a billion exclamation points and over-exaggeration to share with you fools today. I had quite an average, albeit epic, weekend. Felt very similar to college life.
Started off Friday with dinner with Grace and Vicky, my skidgirls, took a break from my "real world" trip and went to a Halloween party at a American study abroad house, really mansion/ frat. Have myself a grand ol time- Gaby and I dressed up as Lucille 2 and Buster from Arrested Development. Why do you even ask! Of course I played Liza Minnelli! After that explored Long St til the early hours of Saturday morning and treated myself to the Biscuit Mill Saturday with Vicky. Ran into ol' Uncle Matt and Aunt Marie all the way from Philadelphia there, my moms family who is visiting South Africa and I was planning on seeing that night for din, but got an early hello! Ate my way through the world's most incredible market one more time and spent the rest of the day pretending to do homework with friends downtown. Went to din with Matt and Marie and their friends Saturday night at RoundHouse, one of Cape Town's most fabulous dining establishments, really a wedding venue, and enjoyed at 4 courses and accompanying wine.
So you're probably thinking at this point, when are you at this new homestay you've just moved into.....yea so about that. I literally just cannot eat Indian/ Malay food, so I do avoid all meal times. I come home for dessert and enjoy the corn flakes for breakfast. But I feel like vomiting at the table is probably more offensive than just skipping the meal altogether. I really wish I could eat and enjoy it, cause I find food an incredible way to bond with a new family, but I just cannot consume it. Sunday afternoon I popped in for a few hours after eating lunch downtown and enjoyed some fruit salad with whipped cream. I also ate one donut that she made me 8 of- it was like brown and covered in syrup and coconut so I thought ooh yea! Something I may be able to eat! wrong. tasted like straight up curry (or whatever all those rust colored spices are, I just call them all curry).
Also! The hair straightening event that I ran into Friday afternoon is a huge deal! They are obsessed with straightening their hair. Like half the girls on my program have their hair done by their moms and sisters everyday! In my one hour at home yesterday, 45 minutes of it was spent doing my hair as if I was headed to prom! Crazy- but honestly I don't hate it.
At school today- apartment hunting this afternoon. Options are 2 bedroom in Obz (hippie, student, west-village esque neighborhood) or 8 bedroom house with Tori and all 6 boys (a.k.a The Real World: Cape Town). I'll let you know!

Stay dry NYC! Freaking out for you/ jealous cause I never got school cancelled Halloween week for a Hurricane. HOUSE PARTY TONIGHT AT THE GOLDSTEINS!

a perfect moment i just had to share

my mom just straightened my hair and got me ready for my Halloween party....she is 80...she is entertaining her entire family tonight and has cooked a feast...she is invincible and perfect. oh. my. god.




just had to let y'all know that. happy halloween weekend party people

Bo Kaap- 4 hours in....

Here I am using my last megabites of my internet stick on you readers. I guess I feel bad I have been so out of touch lately. The amount of things to be accomplished in the next week is unfathomable.
1. find an apartment and housemates- drama central! its times like these I wish I had friends
2. pick classes that are not just homestays and field trips and random miscellaneous lectures at Skid next semester
3. write a proposal for my ISP- I still have to update you on that, maybe I'll kill two birds with one stone (I turn in these blog posts for assignments all the time anyway)
4. Survive one last home stay....speaking of:
So I arrived after being humiliated once again on the absurd amount of luggage I brought on this trip at my home for the next 12 nights.
Wait I need to back up- I have been FREAKING out about this homestay more than all of the others because Bo Kaap is the muslim community of Cape Town, they are called "Cape Malay" and eat indian-like food. Don't know if I have made this clear over my past 20 years but I HATE INDIAN FOOD! Cannot. Will not. Won't even attempt to consume it. keep that in mind...
So at our family meet and greet at the local elementry school, which we do before each homestay, I attempted to try some of the foods I knew I would have to taste at the table, before I downed the apples, peanut butter and cookies I have packed in my suitcase. Somosas aren't my thing and do not make me jump and squeel as they do to others of this program, but they are swallowable. As we a few other items I tried. As soon as we got home dinner was served- the moment of truth- and it was a success! Meat and potatoes with rice. I went heavy on the rice and low on the sauce, but I cleaned my plate, politely refused seconds and felt no nausea! WOOOO!!!! Conflict avoided! Now as for the two, size of my arm, Ox tounges on the stove for the party tomorrow......eeeekkk.
Oh so tomorrow is their Christmas and my mom told me we are having the entire family over and eating all day and then going to see the 40 sheep across the street be slaughtered and then eat them for dinner. Just your average Friday here in Bo Kaap. I unfortunately have school, even though she said she would tell him I was "sick" if I wanted to stay- does this woman know me or what?!?- but I will be back in time for the sheep slaughter ceremony. I'm like weirdly excited about it. Dont know why- never really seen an animal slaughtering and after I missed my opportunity to kill a chicken in the rural village, I feel that I cannot miss this! Its not like you have the options everyday!
I'm sorry I promised myself this post would be shorter!
So fam is great- just me and the mom and dad in the house. Small, but not too small- I have my own room with a tv above my bed (currently watching Meet the Fockers). Balcony with a view of the entire city bowl, downtown Cape Town, water on one side, full view of Table Mountain on the other. Honestly the best view I have seen yet of that monstrous mountain. I live on the street we meet on for the bus and Bo Kaap is hillier than San Francisco so I could not be happier with my location. During dinner the grandkids came over- twin 12 year old girls. Just hilarious, so typical pre-teen, they want everything they can't/ don't have including my nail polish, curly hair and beer (they do not drink alcohol and nail polish is banned). She also already gave me the key and was like pushing me to go to Long St cause it is so close- something I was very nervous about because we heard some parents can be very strict and anti-partying. Also! Another cool thing is that this family always gets the Skidmore kids! How cool is that! There are just random pics of graduated seniors and vaguely familiar faces around the house! Go Skid! This is just a perfect situation- she is so open to cultures, loves learning about other people, knows more about Judaism that I do and is famous for baking all the time. She also always takes her students to the waterfront and to the movies and feels that the 12 days go too fast.
Let the good times roll! (and the sheeps slaughter silently)

Oh also- my mom just brought me a mug of the best hot chocolate I have ever had and is making me a nutella sandwich for lunch tomrorow. never. leaving. bo kaap.

view from my Balcony at night. (look close and you can see table mountain)

Glamping. SA style

Although distraught about leaving my new home away from home, Stellenbosch, Tuesday morning I packed my backpack and hit the bush (South African term for woods, forest, place you would become one with earth). I enjoyed and ignored the overflowing amount of jokes that surface whenever we do something remotely unremote, such as the rural village, hiking, camping, enjoying nature, about me- Tristen gets shit too, but its just not on the same level that they save for me. We began our 2 night excursion with a sunset tractor ride for sundowners (happy hour if you will). One delicious savanna cider and a the most beautiful sunset I have ever seen and camping didn’t seem too bad. After a bagillion pictures and reaching the point of starvation, we ate some din and loaded up the van to see the camp site.

As we started on what seemed like a dirt path leading to absolutely, I began to wonder if there even were tents, or if this was a test of our survival skills. I could not have been more. This was straight up glamping. Tents equipped with thatched coverings, twin mattresses, a lamp, a delicious comforter and pillows. Life aint too bad at Khwattu (Khwattu by the way is the same of the lodge/ camp site/ educational center- it is a beauitful place where they teach visitors about the San cultural tribe, sort of like our version of a Native American place). After a night of camp fire songs and scary stories, I headed back to the tent for a good nights rest. No such thing lay ahead for me. We all tucked in to watch Almost Famous (I know- unreal. A magical moment, but I could not be friends with Tristen and Patrick until they had seen it) and somehow everyone fell asleep. So here we are 5, yes that’s 5 approaching or just under 6 feet tall human beings, packed into a two person, two twin bed filled tent with one comforter. I layed awake shivering watching Gaby snore, Tristen curl up in a ball, Tori not move a muscle and Patrick and I fight for the blanket. I don’t know if I have ever made it clear how I feel about sleep, and how important it is for my happiness, your ears, and survival- needless to say I was not thrilled about seeing the sunrise inch by inch. After a brief “beating” from Simba about how we missed “class” at 8 am around the camp fire- like sorry I didn’t sleep and thought a scorpion was gonna give me a fatal illness. We exchanged a few fighting words and began the school day. My problem with yesterday was that we were in a beautiful, remote place and they just jam packed our day with walks, talks, movies and presentations. Free time doesn’t kill people! We could have done half the amount of activities and had a great day, but no, we had to discuss every plant, and be talked at until we were all miserable on yet another beautiful tractor ride. After dinner, we finished class up on the swing set- classic SIT and went back to the camp site for another night of fireside bonding. Had an incredible moment with the group singing come together while roasting marshmellows and just loving each other- an image I will never forget.

Shot the shit with the friends and tucked in for a night of actual sleep. Still a bit cold, but incomparably better to the previous night. Now it is off to our last home stay in Bo Kaap. We have just gotten the map and pre-move in speech. Apparently tomorrow is Christmas so our mothers will be up baking all night, they love jews and we live on the top of Long St (where all the bars are). So I’m pissed and don’t even wanna go to the Santa cookie factory, saying shalom and steps from parties. Fuck my life.

see....glamping.

7 nights in Stellen (....get it like 7 minutes in heaven- ok bad joke, fine!)

I honestly don't know where to begin with the greatness that has occured in the past week. 

Stellenbosch was a dream. A reality I have been so far from, for so long. A comfortable, home-like family and home, in an ideal city. Basically my three days was spent with the perfect ratio of family time to freedom. 

Friday, after having "class" at a winery and thoroughly tasting every option- shipping a case home, they trick you into buying shit i tell you!- we were picked up by Louis, our host dad, and napped, were fed leftovers and chatted with the fam until we sobered up enough to go back out. Friday night is when we discovered Bohemia. To understand Bohemia and the greatness it represents, jump inside my brain, picture my ideal bar- favorite crowd pleasing songs, best dressed effortless hipsters, cheap drinks, standing and sitting room, fooseball, great people- and your there. Add a dash of South African accents, Hunters Dry (my go to cider) and perfection has presented itself. So that was a great find- and we proceeded to spend Saturday and Sunday there until last call all 3 nights. Basically a regular its no big deal. Saturday during the day we hit up the market at the bottom of our neighborhood. As we walked there through the park, an older women approached us, dressed all in blue free (shoes included), with a plastic bag. While I am all for meeting locals, food was the only thing on my mind this fateful Saturday morning. She approached us and proceeded to talk to us for the following 45 minutes about her travels to the US, and really everything and anything on her mind. About half way through her rant, the plastic bag in her hand began to move...yep! you guessed it! A LIVE SNAKE! fucking insane. legit certifiably crazy woman. Anyway finally escaped her, hit the phenomenal market and chilled with Michael at home watching Chasing Liberty in the afternoon- really you should rewatch this classic early 00's hit and see how awful Mandy's haircut is. Just dreadful. 

Ahhh! there rushing me off the internet. Ok Sunday night was basically the best night of my entire life. Tori and I decided (after braaing with our fam all day and looking a pictures from home) to have one last hoorah at Bohemia. We just wanted one last time to people watch, shoot the shit, ya know GIRLS NIGHT OUT!!! Little did we know...

Here is my journal entry (yes I also have a hand written journal) Sunday night when I returned home:

"If tonight wasn’t- yet another- perfect example of why music is the greatest thing on earth I don’t know what is. Tori and I ventured out to Bohemia around 8, after hanging with the fam all day, I was still hungover and noticeably less chatty and peppy than usual and Tori was ready to rock. We arrived at Bohemia in time for 2 for 1 drinks and noticed a stage with a band when we walked in. not thinking too much of it we sat down for a drink and chatted it up. Soon enough rock stars joined the stage and we moved up to second row seats. I admitted that I hoped it was a cover band, just more fun when you can sing along, and analyzed each artist on stage with Tori. Next thing I know we become dead silent as the intro to Piano Man by Billy Joel begins to play. Right then I knew something was up and my life had somehow become flawless, perfect and a dream since arriving in Stellenbosch. As Tori and I, along with all the bar residents, from rugby players to sorority girls, passionately sang each and every lyric to the crowd pleasing ballad, I floated onto a new level of happiness I never imagined possible. I could not have picked a better construction of lyrics to accurately represent what I believe music can achieve and what I intend to learn over the next month. A song that brings people of all walks of life together is a successful song. Music is a bridge and a bond, and watching the lyrics fall out 50 mouths to Piano Man, at 9 o’ clock on a Sunday (oops) in Bohemia bar in Stellenbosch, South Africa, proved that. I thought that was the peak. I truly believed that that was as good as it was gonna get and I was ecstatic about it. I was satisfied beyond words and prepared to listen to more great, but not better, songs. Well man was I wrong. Top songs of the night- the throwbacks of Girls and Boys by Good Charlotte, some classic Police hits, a little REM never hurt anyone, the always appropriate Wonderwall and Tenacious D were fun. Singing Sweet Caroline is always a nice reminder of home, Adele’s Someone Like You is always beautiful. But its when they play you’re favorite, most essential songs your night goes from good to great to unspeakable and not real. Its when you decide to go pee and hear, as the flushing stops, the beginning to your #1 favorite song and slogan for life. Its when you walk down the old staircase, in an awesome outfit, in a bar with one friend for a chill, casual, no big deal night and walk to your seat singing “mother Mary comes to me” by the best men on earth. Its when you are convulsing to the lyrics of Let it Be in your seat in Stellenbosch, South Africa, on a random Sunday night with musicians, students and some of the hottest people I have ever been in the presence of in my life. Those are the moments when you know life just cannot get any better.

I met people tonight who solidified by belief in music. It is something you can talk to with anyone in the world, from any background, because music knows no class, race, religion or age. Music is in some way, shape or form, a part of every human beings life. I learned about music in South Africa and the limited opportunities for talented artists. I learned about the opinions on drug use by musicians, and the positive/ negative aspects. I learned about religion and how Christianity is a rule book, and although illegal in the US, has the power to control a government system and that Judaism is a set of beliefs and a culture with some rules, but more just a storyline to believe in. I learned which random ass songs South African’s die for and apparently know every word to. I learned that if you speak up about what you love, people who share that love with you will speak up too and bond with you.

Why don’t I take it more seriously that I FUCKING LOVE MUSIC MORE THAN ANYTHING. It is not just a hobby, it is a major part of my happiness. It is a subject I happen to know a lot about, and that is because I am so genuinely interested in gathering more information and having all the answers. I may not play an instrument, know anything about how to sing on key or be able to read a row of music- but I know that my ears hold the gateway to my mood maker. Music controls me in a sense. It has the power to bring me out of a dark place, as well as put me in one."

So obviously that was a ramble. But it was just my dream evening. Classic rock cover band. Great musicians. Nice people. All around my ideal night and that will not be the last I have here considering I could move to Stellenbosch tomorrow.
Rock on world.

Some Stelly Shots:

Classic classroom

Oh what? You don't have an avocado tree in your backyard

BRAAI TIME!!!! (that sausage thing is this liver situation that brought up severe flashbacks from Langa- as well as straight up vomit in the back of my mouth.

"enjoying" a morning walk in the park

Liezel and I enjoying some braai. Such a trophy wife/ soccer mom

free houseee!!!!!

Last night Tori and I had the house to ourselves with the kids- Liezel and Louis were at a parenting class at their church which they were asked to teach because they literally are the Joneses (that David Duchovny/ Demi Moore movie that was so bad you didn’t even admit you saw, but I know you loved it just as much as I secretly did). So we decided to do cooking/ movie/ nail painting/ blasting Christian rap KIDS NIGHT! Although I 

Michael in his onion cutting outfit

was nervous about sharing with another friend on this trip what a controlling bitch I can be in the kitchen, Tori was so the same way so we meshed well together. I made my risotto with fresh peas and Tori roasted some chicken in the oven with baby zucchini (or marrow as their called here). Of course we made a craisin, goat cheese salad with my dressing and all was a total success. Michael was more hilarious, and kind of annoying, as ever and both him and Jana wanted to help with everyone which was great. 

The Fab Four enjoying the feast...thanks self-timer

We had a delicious meal and talked about Jana’s boyfriend- that she is not allowed to have until next year says the parents- and just how perfect she is in general. I know I praised her last time, but justice has not been done to how phenomenal she is. Not only can she play the acoustic guitar and piano brilliantly, she can sing (of course) as well and knows a few Nickleback songs (their Christian rock so totally approved in the house-which I have no problemo with). She is also a incredible artist, and although I thought I would blow her away with my nail art skills (attempted to do some designs with a toothpick), she took my idea and ran with it until she had a Van Gogh spread across her 10 fingers. Of course my seam foam green and silver look beautiful when blended together with a slight ombre effect. Why the fuck didn’t I think of that?!?!?! After finishing watching Letters To Juliet, thank you Amanda Seyfried for making a stupider movie than I thought possible and making it so predictable I didn’t even need to watch, we baked cookies. Although we were gonna do the whole from scratch thing for our ice cream sandwiches, yesterday afternoon we went to Melissa’s and……!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh sweet Melissa. Imagine if Dean and Deluca and Le Pain Quotidien had a baby and began serving Lady M cakes. Every imported item I could have dreamed of picking up at Fairway for my risotto was there. Their signature food item is carrot cake, which they were sold out of but I am going back today and stuck with red velvet yesterday which was divine.  The packaging is better than Traders Joes- wow haven’t thought about TJ’s in a while, kind of miss that place. And they have an entire 4 tier shelf for olive oil. It was heaven and although it is raining today I will make the 15 minute walk (lets be real taxi ride) there just to sit at the communal table read Bon Appetit and enjoy another treat.

Got a bit off track there, what a surprise- back to the cookies! While at Melissa’s we found “cut and bake” cookies made by a local company, with no preservatives in the cutest packaging and decided to go that route instead of Smitten Kitchen’s perfect choco chip. They were delicious, and just as they came out, slightly undercooked- because we all agree cookie dough is far superior to actually cookies- we hit em with some homemade vanilla gelato. Bam! bAm! BAM! Fan-freaking-tastic dessert. Hit the sack, Tori and I listening to another Music from the OC cd, our nightly routine, and attempted to write something for the assignment due today- I will probably turn in this blog post.

It is a cold, rainy, day here in Stelly but on the agenda remains:

Class til 1

Lunch and “class” at a Winery this afternoon- is this real life?

Downtown for dinner tonight on our own- choosing between the famed “Dimi’s”, greek restaurant or the culinary institutes dining room called “Apprentice”

Following which Tristen is performing his slam poetry at the open mic night on campus. After which I will rush to get to the Dorp Theatre by 8 where I am beginning my ISP (oooh I have to tell you all about that- stay tuned!) by attending a Louise Carver concert, #1 female folk singer in SA.

Then hit the college bars, finalllyyyyyy! And take a trip back to high school trying to be home by curfew and get into the house without waking mom and dad.

Oh and also tomorrow morning, luck would have it that there is a Saturday critically acclaimed market in our neighborhood, that we can walk to.

Goat cheese, cranberry and candied cashew salad. Very predictable Brenna I know

Chatting and cooking. Tori and Michael

Our feast: Fresh pea risotto, broiled baby zucchini and roasted chicken. All divine

slap some ice cream in between two of these babies and you've got a mighty fine dessert.

Don’t mind me- I’ll just keep living the dream. Peace, Love and Wine!

Being posh in Stellenbosch

I’m so happy here. Really could spend a month, semester or college experience in this town. I’ve been trying to analyze this place as best I can, but it is so close to my defintion of normal I feel too close to it to find a plethora of things I hate, want to change or complain about. Can you believe it? Me! not complaining! Stellenbosch is a very easy place to live and an easy environment to feel comfortable in for me. the cultural gap is just so much smaller than Langa and Tshabo that is more like we are just sharing and comparing lives, than leanring one anothers cultures.

So my family is definitely part of this reason. They are very similar to my fam, love to travel, eat dinner together every night (we don’t say grace, but whatevs) and are always laughing and joking. They treat Tori and I just like I know my parents would host a student. They wanna show us their favorites things in Stellenbosch- this weekend we are going to the Saturday market, this adventure, tree house, magical sounding restaurant and Sunday night half price sushi. Liezel, our mom, drove us around downtown to give us the lay of the land last night and the town is perfect. Basically is Saratoga/ Scarsdale main st. with a few thousand more people. There is a mix of students, tourists and residents occupying the shops and amazing looking restaraunts. I wanna go into every store and just shop it out (but I wont parents).

We do have class all day on campus and being back on a college campus, even though it is incomparably preppier than Skid and 10 times the size, it just so comforting and awesome. Just seeing the way kids dress here has been fascinating me since we arrived. Having time to sit and talk to students has been amazing. And the amenities of this school have been a gift in itself (amazing food court and shops in the student center where our class is). Also no shoe kid, if you’re out there reading my blog, even though I don’t know your name, you would fit in great here- they have been having a shoe fundraiser everyday so kids are just barefoot all day.

In class we have been learning about Afrikaans culture, language and history which has been really cool. I knew nothing besides the awful stuff about this group, which is the largest in South Africa language wise, and gaining new perspectives and information has been great. Afrikaans people did not create or all enforce apartheid, however they did comply with it and are therefore given a lot of shit for it. Mostly what I am hearing is that they are anti-apartheid and anti-segregation and are completely fine with black and colored people living and being treated equally, they just don’t need or want to integrate with them.  They want to keep Afrikaans language around, even though it adds a barrier to mixing with foreigners or other South Africans. Many feel that the fact that University of Stellenbosch is bilingual adds something UCT and UWC cant offer.

            South Africa, due to its history of apartheid, has racial issues up the wazoo. Race is discussed everyday, more blatenly than anyone in the US would ever dream of. Words like black, colored and white are not whispered or put in quotations, they are said equally to other words in the middle of sentences in every conversation with anyone. Of course what they are saying depends on the participants, but the emphasis on discussing reality is prevalent. In Stellenbosch, the racial seperation is so apparent, it is impossible to not recognize. Over the past 3 days the situation between black, whites and coloreds has sky rocketed and is a constant theme in every hour we spend here. It feels like I am living through the civil rights movement in the US, before anyone started listening to Martin Luther King.  Maybe it is just because we watched The Help yesterday and if you change a few accents, characters names and outfits it could be South Africa. In every lecture we have the classic SA quote of “What really has changed?” comes up. Laws have changed. Nelson Mandela is free. But socially, what has changed? Colored kids sit with colored kids in the food court, the school is majority white and Afrikaans, and although white people are working in many shops in restaurants- apparently an accomplishment for Stellenbosch- all labor jobs, such as parking attendants, sanitation and taxi drivers, are occupied by black or colored people.

            The thing is, especially as a white person- who is often mistaken for an Afrikaner, they always speak it to me at shops before I get em with the ol’ American accent- it is so incredibly easy to keep living in this dream world and float on without addressing reality. I am trying to do a balance of noticing the controversial moments, and enjoying the privilege as a white person in Stellenbosch.

Some pics of the casa:

Typical Pottery Barn of SA photo collage or their international trips (there are also two for travel within SA)

the Kitchen. Directly off our room/ wing. I am taking the pic from our room

Welcome to the christian home! Do they know were jews? Debatable.

Our marvelous room/ wing. It is no longer this neat- yes full bathroom in the back
and a door to the right of the right (Tori's) bed that leads to the parking area - aka easy sneaking out ;)

Stellenbosch (a.k.a Greenwich, CT with vineyards)

4 hours deep into Stellenbosch homestay and here are my thoughts:
1. I have wifi- if you are reading this blog and we are actually friends, like who would skype and haven't gotten to yet, now is the time!
2. My family is hilarious- although we are prepared to semi hate this, being that these are white Afrikaaner families who are apparently responsible for keeping apartheid still around, they are here for us to learn from and we have to keep an open mind. My family is mom (homeschools her kids by day, plays tennis for leisure {hey bess}), dad (joke cracker of the year- has already mentioned leaving us with the kids for a holiday, something I would not kill him for), Jana (15 and cooler than me- amazing painter, long boards and plays guitar and is gorgeous) and Michael (11 and cooler than me also- rocks skinny jeans, also long boards and is taking me to half price sushi on Sunday). Good thing there are no similarities to home here to make me miss it- not the funny dad, tennis playing mom and brother and sister almost exactly the same age difference as Brett and I. Phewf! Avoided that one!
3. Beautiful, expansive home. 3 cars. Endless rooms. An entire wing with private bathroom for Tori and I. An awesome kitchen, well decorated and practical and with tons of appliances- yeah!
4. There is a pool

Good Night! love you already Stellytown

Buccaneers

I feel like all I have to write in this post is GO THERE!

Just go. It's amazing and perfect and the best combination I have ever seen of a vacation with activites, relaxation, recognizing the fact you're someplace tropical but also 20 minutes from a township in the Eastern Cape of South Africa and always with a fully stocked bar.

Here is the link: read and book you're next vacation: http://www.cintsa.com/

List of things done in Buccaneers:

Began with volleyball and wine with Richard. After showing off my beautiful serve, I showed how I can stand in the middle of the court and completely not pay attention to the game. Next the race for the first showers in a week for everyone except me- remember I got the glam hotel the night before so I was good to go for a little.
After a delicious (looking-still couldnt eat) Mexican feast, it was off to Night 1. Had some great chats, learned more about the group and how they handle, and cannot handle, binge drinking. Was honestly a frat party and I was the sober girl witnessing the shit show, which is always super fun.
Next day included a tour of the local village and a talk with Denver, the coolest guy, yet another one of my inspirations on this trip, who has an NGO helping with computer literacy, health clinic access, education, small business ownership, sports, etc. in the village and is awesome. As he explained, how could he not do this? He made it so simple, if you wanna make a change, just talk to people and do it and if it fails, it fails. But it so easily could not and succeed and make a difference.
After that exhausting morning it was off the beach. Well never say I haven't swam, and almost got my foot eaten by a crab, in the Indian Ocean before! Check! Then it was on to Night #2: highlights include jello shots (as a fundraiser for children in need), midnight beach rugby and memorable slumber parties.
Next morning was a bright and early game drive at the local reserve. It was very cool to see male lions, but not a safari, more like a zoo with lots and lots of grass. The whole thing was very staged and they keep the cats seperates from the prey to preserve them for longer, which is just not the point of seeing animals in the wild. Anyway off my high horse. After another bananagram, rugby, and more crab attacking feet in the warmest ocean in the world, beach filled afternoon, it was our last dinner and night and was awesome. More chill, as we were worn out from the first two, but still memorable and I managed to tp a house for the first time in my life. Before the flight the next morning we did the classic stop by with the elephants. So casually on our way out of town, stopped in for a elephant interaction and touched the gentle giants for a bit and took upwards of 4,000 photos as a group.
All in all, Good Timezzz in Bucc.
Loved the vaca, free time, tanning and memories.
On to Cape Town then Stellenbosch.

Craziest semester of my life continues on.
Best of the best pics:

4 pm Volleyball and Wine- daily

beach

what a model

petting a lion....on a budget

elephant time!

our new friend

Reality Check

As we drove into town and the students in my car exclaimed, “Does this remind you of South Carolina?”, “Aww! I miss my cows”, “Wow this looks just like home”- it hit me. I have never been in a place so far from home. Physically yes, South Africa is the farthest georgraphic location I have ever been to. But in terms of what I was seeing, it was unlike anything I had seen before. No rural Vermont, upstate NY or even vineyards of Italy could compare to the amount of grass, rolling hills and space in front of my eyes. So that was where I was going in. After a slight panic attack and encouragement from my friends- I loaded up my backpacks (yes one on front, one on back cause its cool!) and walked up the dirt road to our house. Or should I say Rondevills- a traditional one room, xhosa home, which is- you guessed it!- round and one room! Sidney and I were partnered together for this homestay which was great- we both share a love for cereal, 18 year old annoying and amazing brothers and a common understanding that showering is not necessary. We met our amazing family, mom Nozuko (I know weird that that is the same name as my Langa mom, but entirely different women- much more loving and traditional xhosa), sisi Imange- 3 and an adorable pest- and Pabama, our incredible 11 year old brother who is awesome and going to be the worlds greatest entertainer one day if he isn’t already. After our first massive meal, it was time to all tuck in for bed at 7pm. But wait gotta pee first, ok no toilet, no problem. We were introduced to the green bucket- which I waited to see others use before going for it. Quite simple really, except the American in me, immediately asked if I should go outside, to which I was laughed at. So I went for it and sat on the green, medium sized, beach bucket. As I began to pee, Imange ran over to continue our patty cake game from earlier. It was that moment, as Sidney cracked up in bed watching, that I let go of all expectations of the next week. I was in a new world. A world with no toilets, outhouses though, no running water in the house, no roads, minimal waste, no hair washing, yet TVs, cell phones and lots of Beyonce. You’ll have to read my journal for the daily activities- the synopsis being lots of movie watching, great soccer games with the boys from the village and me as a cheerleader- with the most cliché “study abroad in Africa” pictures possible-, 12 hours of sleep a night, a 3 am excursion to the outhouse with 4 cows, a chicken slaughtering, lots of cooking and an eye opening high school visit. Then there was today. I woke up yesterday morning, on our last full day a bit earlier than usual with stomach pains pushing me towards to outhouse at 7am. That was the beginning. The beginning to 7 hours of outhouse visits- got to see em all pretty much- and a good old welcome to sickness in the village! So I stayed in a hotel last night in the town, 30 minutes away, with my program directors, in a bed, steps from a toilet and happy as a clam. Showered finally and got re-intouch with the outside world.

So in a sentence- if possible for me- as much as I loved my family, seeing first hand how the majority of the world lives and experiencing things I never thought possible, I do not think I am cut out or would be happy in a rural home. I am grateful for the experience and learned a ton, but the beautiful scenery was not enough reason to rough it for any longer.

I am very happy to be back in civilization. We are off to Buccaneers- a beach resort, 3-night vaca- until Sunday. Just arrived here and it is awesome. Beach volleyball and free wine at 4. Mexican Feast at 7. Drumming night tonight and the cliché Club Med esque events just keep on going. Tomorrow I am deciding between yoga and massages at the Beautification Boutique or attempting surfing.

Peace out Tshabo. Its been all too real. 

me and my mama makin some bread dough.

cliche study abroad in africa pics 

trampled by love

soccer star of Tshabo

my home for 6 nights. fav color!!!!

FAM SHOT!!!
From left: me, Pabama (11 and cooler than me), mama (Nozuko) with Imange (smelly, adorable, devil in her arms), Asa (9 year old cousin) and her sister Inati (19 year old cousin)

soul matezz

fat cakes. donuts of xhosa culture.
delicious, but could use nutella in my opinion

last pic (12 hours into my disease, but freshly showered from the hotel so lookin freshhhh)

Playing catch up

I realize in my last post I made promises of filling you in on the crazy events of our last few days in Langa. So here goes! Last Friday Janey's family invited us all over for a braai to celebrate her 21st birthday. Much like our braai at Ellen's a few weeks earlier, I was overwhelmed and shocked by the amount of people, food and similarity to home this party had to offer. It was literally a suburban rager, sort of like our Cape parties- full of parents, college kids, deep freezer full of beer, barbecued chicken, baby running around, potluck style side dishes, BABY RUNNING AROUND BY HERSELF WITH A BEER BEING PICKED UP BY EVERY DRUNK KID ON MY PROGRAM! So yeah, you're average house party. It was a great night, our program assistant Thabisa showed up and was downing shots and loving life with us all. That was interesting. I decided to climb a tree in the backyard- don't think I've actually climbed a tree before, woke up Saturday with a giant cut on my butt/leg from falling out...oops. Is this blog not the place to share that? All in all a great night. With every drunken evening, I learn more and more about these 24 classmates I am bound to for the next 3 months. 3 months....not 4....cause the first month is over! whaaaaaattt! How can that be?!?!?!?

Saturday morning we awoke nice and early to hit the Old Biscuit Mill, again, for the last time for the next 3 weeks :(. It was perfect as usual, and we just ate and ate and ate. The pics of those treats are in the last post. After a unsettling mini-bus, or so they said, ride back to Langa we enjoyed our last Saturday night in Langa. Gaby and I hung with the sisi's and got our goodbye gifts together. The boys came over for an Entourage marathon and we tested the limits of how much weight a double bed can hold. Man I forgot how insane season 7 is! Vince is really off the deep end- but still perfection.

Sunday was our last day and the day of our goodbye dinner with our families and program directors. Gaby popped over mid-morning, during the third round of watching the Lion King with Linathi and Gaby's sisis and not doing any of the homework I "completed" for yesterday, in a traditional outfit. After gathering myself, she told me I had to come over for mine. No topshop dress I was planning on wearing awaited me, it was my own traditional outfit from Gaby's wonderful mama (Sidenote: Gaby's mom was unbelievable and basically took care of me also all weekend as my family was out a lot and not nearly as loving and welcoming as Neo. Truly an inspirational women who is so mature and caring, despite all of the shit she has witnessed in her life). She set out all of her traditional jewlery for us to choose from and gave me my head wrap and matching dress. Although semi-embarassing, because although I may look like my dad, I cannot pull of the bald look as well as him, it was kind of like playing dress up and I figured what the hell everyone is gonna look rediculous. Wrong! 5 of us showed up in these outfits, many were wearing their stupid, American clothes. So we were the laughing stock of the party, as par usual, and had a blast. Performances were made by the mamas, Tristan did his spoken word (incredible, unbelievable and perfect), speeches given and then it came time for us to sing. We sang out xhosa song for our families, which was pretty good if I do say so and then came time for our American song. A few days earlier we had decided on Wagon Wheel as the song to perform- what? my idea? nope! I didn't fight it though. And honestly, although the group was insanely embarassed, I loved it. It may not be the perfect representation of American music, but it was fun, sing-alongy and an awesome fucking song. 

Afterwards we enjoyed our last night in Langa, attempting to write our papers, getting the work out of the century attempting to fit all the shit I've accumulated into my already breaking suitcase and getting no sleep. Now this is where things got sad- as I brought my bags out to the bus at 7 am the next morning, trying not to wake anyone, Linathi came running out after me in her pajamas with a big hug. I DIED! She insisted on helping with my bags, equal to the size of her entire self, and then of course asked me about the bag she had seen the day before from a kids store she loves. Inside was her birthday gift, which was yesterday, that I had given to Nozuko to give to her then. Classic kids, always wanting you for something. She waved to me as I got on the bus, and that was the end of my time in Langa. The perfect, adorable and sad, goodbye. 

We had class that day and I finalized my ISP plan, for now, and will be exploring music in Cape Town and the racial, social and gendered demographics of the venues and genres in and around the city. Should be awesome.

Off to Simons Town 3 night beach getaway before the eastern Cape.

here we go again....!

Hello again! Only so much internet, sothese posts are back to back. After a quick train ride we headed to Simons Town for 3 nights of fun in the sun

Quick recap- cause you're sick of reading and I'm sick of writing and lunch awaits me:

First day, beautiful chilled with penguins in a lagoon type oasis heaven-like location I only have seen in movies involving out of this world vacations. Swam in the freezing water, hung on the rocks. It was great.

group shots on group shotssss

this was following the 3000 plus photos the
Japanese tour group took before us.
Literally took almost 30 minutes before we could go. 

Next day bright and early hit up the ol' Cape of Good Hope, ya know that thing you've seen on a map your whole life and never really knew what it was. Well I have now been there twice- first time with the parentals back in August. Hiked a bit- still not my thing. 

Took the classic group shot by the sign, claaaasssic study abroad in Cape Town and saw the most south western point in the Southern Hemisphere...nbd.

Next and last day was rainy, but Grace and Sophie and there friend Lizaby took the train down to kick it with me and Gab. So we had a mini-skid/nyc reunion on the coast of South Africa. Ate some fish and chips, shopped around, the usual. 

housemates- you will be seeing this baby next year.

IT SAYS GRACE'S NAME ON A PILLOW AND SOUTH AFRICA.
AND ITS GRACE IN SOUTH AFRICA!
AHHHH!!!

And that's all folks! 

Sorry for the inconsistancy on this thing. I'm still figuring this blogging business out.

avettinreallife.avettinreallife.avettinreallife.
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Feature Film: Saturday Night in Langa!

Staring:

Brenna Goldstein

Gaby Gignoux-Wolfsohn

Luthando

Co-Directed by:

Simphiwe and Ooletu Peter

enjoyyy (cause it took forever to upload with this slow ass internet)

Priority Crisis

Ahhhh!! So I know I have been slacking. I know! Busiest days happening currently and I have SO much to fill you all in on, I just don't know when I'll get to. Left Langa this morning, off to vaca in Simon's Town   (beach, penguins, party) for 3 nights then Thrusday fly to the Eastern Cape for our rurual homestay in Tshabo village (no running water, one bed for everyone, no internet, no showers (secret yeah!) and all that jazz), then vaca part 2 at Buccaneers a week from Thursday (party, beach, Club Med of SA, party, beach, PI take 2, beach, party).
Ok so I have to write an essay... I know who am I? I just gotta throw some cliche Brenna phrases down on a page hand it in and then back to you lovely folks.
Look forward to these upcoming posts:

1. House party in Langa friday night for Janey's birthday...

Girls crew with Thabisa...our assistant teacher/ director.

 Saturday morning Biscuit Mill: (indescribable as par usual)

     

some food we ate/ saw. Grilled mushrooms, pesto on pesto, attempt at bagels, paella for all and the best dumplings and turnip cake in the world.

GROUP SHOTTTT!!!!
In order from top to Gaby: Olivia, your genious blogger, Meredith cracking up, Tristan (Cristina more commonly), Crystal falling down and Gab-ster not paying attention.

Greenmarket Square choir...incredible beyond words. Videos to come

And just a peak at what I wore to our goodbye to Langa party yesterday....more to come...lifetime embarrassment for looking bald.

The three best friends anyone could have...Langa style.
Just one big happy family.
me! Tristan! Gaby! then Linathi of course and Ooletto our beautiful girls

Talk soon!