Onna's homestay created some of her most memorable experiences

I arrived in Ocean View with nerves, questions and excitement and left with over 10 new members of my South African family. My incredible and memorable homestay has taught me a lot about the concept of community and finding hope in all places. I was welcomed with open arms to the Bowman residence on Thursday evening and quickly hit it off with conversation about our lives and views on politics. My first impressions of Ocean View were that it is extremely diverse—economically, age & gender wise. While we were walking around on the community tour, there were many different types of people outside conversing with one another- both young and old. Some people shouted out to us, probably because the majority of us were 17 white people carrying large duffle bags, some rolling suitcases. But so many people were extremely welcoming. I never felt in danger for a second, in fact Chantel couldn’t walk 10 minutes without stopping to hug and say hello to a person walking along the street, which made me feel extremely comfortable. From the start of the trip I was absolutely charmed with how people would call older figures “auntie”. I think its so comforting and endearing- I’ve always adored the concept of turning friends into family.

Thursday night we took ballroom dancing lessons- which was so much fun. I was so impressed with the children-they were all incredible dancers never missing a beat. You could tell how much they loved it when they would try to teach us the right steps- we weren’t the fastest learners. I was surprised to hear one of the girls in the dance class tell me, “We love this because it keeps us away from all of the other bad stuff that’s around.” It was so honest. A part of me was sad because I know they will never experience the life of never locking doors or walking home from the neighbors house alone at night like I grew up with. However that feeling of sadness quickly turned into hope when I realized that although growing up with that lifestyle would be nice for them, they didn’t need it. These children were exploding with the most contagious spirit.

On Saturday we spent the day going to our new siblings (Caitlin- 11 and Darren-13) sporting events- track & cricket. We all laid in the grass and my host mother talked to us a lot about what Ocean View means to her. I assumed that growing up in a township there would be painful and unforgettable memories that might cause someone to leave and never return. But our host mom decided to come back when she was 19 after leaving for 10 years. She told us that the community here was too good to pass up. She told me, “We could leave this place if we wanted to; to be closer to work and schools, but it is just so comforting that we can have most of our family in one place, looking after one another, helping our kids to grow and become the people they want to be.”

That Saturday night our host family hosted a big braii (South African barbecue with the BEST food- they even made us special vegetarian options!) with their family, Chantel (the homestay director) and her family. Over 30 people- adults and kids included came together for a night of laughter, dancing, dominoes and rich conversation. I introduced the girls on how to make string bracelets- something my friends and I were enthralled with at barbecues at home when we were younger. They were immediately drawn to the idea and before I knew it bracelets were everywhere. We had so much fun- even the boys and adults were eager to learn how to make their own. We turned such a simple activity into a nightlong extravaganza. It doesn’t take much to have fun.

Sunday came too fast, John & I didn’t want to leave. It was so refreshing to have a weekend away with a family with so much love to give. I have never felt so welcomed by total strangers before. My host family created some of the most memorable experiences that I’ve had so far in Cape Town and I’m already planning my visit back.  

Jillian had a awesome homestay experience

This past weekend was the home stay at Ocean View which was an awesome experience. I was very nervous beforehand because I didn’t know what to expect or the circumstances I’d be living in. Right when I walked into their house I was greeted with open arms and my nerves fell away. On the first night we went ballroom dancing with some of the kids of the community which was a great way to start the weekend. It was really fun to interact with the kids and do something completely new to me. The second day was spent at a daycare doing activities with the children. They were all so adorable and excited to be with us, but it made me think about what they go home to at the end of the day. It was hard to spend a day with the kids just to leave them to their lives after. I also thought about the fact that my host family was considered well off because they have a toilet and shower. The community is filled with poverty but at the same time, there are kids constantly running around and playing together and you can see how close the community is. I loved talking to my host family and learning about their lives and how much Ocean View has grown as a community. It was really eye-opening to see a different part of Cape Town and I definitely have a broader perspective.

Taylor L's postive attitude won't let a broken bone and pending surgery dampen her spirits

It is hard to believe that we have been here for over a month! I still catch myself saying I will be here for three and a half more months. It is sad to think that we only have a little over two months here. There is so much I want to see and do, it is difficult to grasp that I won’t be able to do it all!

Last weekend we did our homestay. Ashlyn and I were lucky enough to stay with Heidi. She was one of the kindest ladies I have ever met and I learned so much about Ocean View from her. Through her actions and her stories, we realized that Ocean View is a strong community. While she made it seem like Ocean View was a small community, it seemed quite large to me. It is saddening to think that this community, which is close to three times as large as my hometown, is more cohesive than my own.

When we got home from our homestay we all started planning out some activities we want to do. I was so excited to scuba dive, sky dive, bungee jump among other things. Unfortunately I’ll have to sit those activities out because I broke my collarbone on Thursday.  While I was looking forward to doing these activities, I realized that there is so much more to do in Cape Town. Despite the broken bone, I went to the beach and to Old Biscuit Mill this weekend.  I’ll have to make some adjustments, but I know I will still enjoy my time here. It is quite fascinating that wherever I go I am asked what happened to arm. At home strangers would probably just stare but here they are generally concerned. I guess that is just how Capetonians are! I am also lucky to be surrounded by caring and wonderful peers who help me carry things and get dressed. I could not imagine going through this without them!

While we may only have two months and I can’t participate in some of the activities I was looking forward to, I cannot wait to see what adventures I will embark on here in Cape Town!

Ashlyn's three day homestay had a great impact

This past weekend the group went to a township called Ocean View and stayed with families for three days. When I signed up to go to South Africa I never imagined those three days would impact me the way they did. An insight I had was how poverty really can’t be ignored in South Africa, like it is back home in America. One of my first perceptions of Cape Town is how many sides there are. When I reach the end of a street I never know what to expect when I turn the corner. Realizing how much of the world lives in poverty is pretty difficult. Extreme poverty is tough to combat in an effective way and there are so many aspects that need correcting before one is out of poverty. It’s a bit disheartening to think about how challenging it is to challenge poverty. A part of me is mad that history has allowed the world to become this way.

Frustration was the most vibrant emotion I felt while in Ocean View. There were so many needs of the community and I felt bad leaving when I hadn’t given anything back. Hopefully I’ll get to go back and work with students for my activist project. However I don’t know if I’ll ever feel un-frustrated about the situation in Ocean View. Even if I spent every second I had here in Cape Town in Ocean View assisting the community there would still be tasks I wished I could have done. I want to clean the trash off the streets, help tutor children, and so much more for Ocean View. My frustration is because there are so many needs that aren’t easy to correct.

           

The woman hosting Taylor and I was named Heidi. She seemed to greatly enjoy having company and loved talking about her animals. The three of us went on a late night drive Saturday and Heidi gave us a tour of the local scenic oceans. As we were passing the local high school Heidi said that back when she went to Ocean View High School it was a great school. Our host mother then went on to say how lucky she was to be placed in Ocean View. That comment really hit me because I would never imagine someone believing they were lucky to be placed in a township. I wonder if Heidi felt she was lucky to be placed in Ocean View for the sense of community or because there were worse townships that her family could have been placed.

           

Heidi also took us to meet an American family living on her street. The family had been living in Ocean View for the past six years with their two small children. Currently the family was living in a house provided by their church but they were looking into buying property in 2015 (until the State of the Nation address where it was proposed foreign nationals would no longer be allowed to buy land). I thought that the family was a good representation of how much joy and love the community of Ocean View has. This family thought that Ocean View is the place to raise their children and I think that’s a pretty powerful decision. As much as I have fallen in love with Cape Town I still couldn’t imagine raising a family here, especially in a township. I have seen so much beauty in Cape Town and have experienced the amazing sense of community but I still can’t overlook the poverty and crime that takes place here.

During the three days of our homestay I got to meet so many amazing individuals and families. Every person in Ocean View has a story and as the group drove away from Ocean View Sunday I was filled with a sense of sadness that I couldn’t meet more people of the community. There is so much to do in Cape Town (and life in general) and I hate knowing I’ll never get to experience everything the city and community has to offer. For most people in the group this home stay was the only three days they will ever spend in Ocean View. I find it mind-blowing to think that my time in Ocean View despite brief can have a great impact on me.

            

Maria's homestay and the realization that time is flying by

It’s a really interesting feeling coming back home after our homestay weekend. Leading up to the homestay weekend I was filled with mixed emotions; I couldn’t really put into words how I was feeling. I was feeling anxious the most because I was so eager to meet the family I was staying with. The generosity of the family I stayed with blew me away and truly made me feel like their home was my home. Molly and I slept on a bunk bed and every student that this family housed wrote their names on the bunk bed or the wall which I thought was really sweet and heart-warming. I would recommend this experience to anyone, the picture is Molly and I with the family we stayed with.

Time is flying by here in Cape Town and it’s definitely starting to get a little stressful. I want to experience this place to its full potential; planning activities, hikes, time for my activists project or whatever it may be is becoming very real. I plan on getting scuba-certified while here and I also plan to sky-dive which I am extremely excited for. Sometimes I find myself getting upset when I realize how fast the time is going by but I have to encourage myself to live in the moment and not worry about the future. My internship is getting better and better each day. We are learning so much from Zara the physical therapist; she takes time out of her day where she could be doing other things but she decides to teach us instead. The next big event on our list in the Human Rights weekend which I am very excited about because once again I have no idea what to expect. I am not experienced in a field such as this but I am eager to learn because it does play such a large role in our society today.