Lotus Park

As part of my Leaders in Grassroots Organizations class, I had the opportunity to visit one of the townships and witness the conditions under which a large percentage of South Africa's  population are forced to live. On Friday I travelled to Lotus Park, which is located in the Gugulethu township, just 15 kilometers from Cape Town's city center. Lotus Park is an informal human settlement, meaning these shack communities are made from scrap materials and constructed on illegal land tenure. 

After stepping off the bus and into the community, I was first struck by the horrific smell, and then amazed at the amount of garbage lying throughout the community. Lotus Park lacks any type of drainage system, leading to extreme pollution and contamination. I couldn't help but compare this environment to that of my childhood dwellings. At that moment, I knew this was going to an even harder day than I had ever imagined. 

Lwazi, a 24 year old resident of Lotus Park offered to show me around his community. In addition to being involved in a community leadership committee, Lwazi is an aspiring rap artist. He has actually turned his small shack into a recording studio. Currently, he is working on a proposal to receive funding for his recording efforts. He was kind enough to show me where he stayed. Upon arriving at his house, I was amazed by his engineering skills. He managed to construct his shack on top of another; and being the only 2nd story shack in the community, his view of Lotus Park was indescribable. I was even lucky enough to hear some of his music, and I pray that some day, more people will have had that opportunity as well. 

As we wandered through the community, Lwazi informed me that about half the community is lacking electricity, causing them to rely on candle light during the evening hours. Consequently, seeing as many of the shacks are constructed form plywood and cardboard, raging fires are quite common. Lwazi then pointed out that there were no roads constructed through the community, making it impossible for emergency vehicles to respond to incidents within Lotus Park. This is the case for fire trucks, ambulances, and police respondents as well. As a result, Lotus Park has become one of the most dangerous areas in South Africa. 

The police response time for emergencies is around one hour. Hence, gender based violence and rape are prominent issues in the community. Other issues facing the community include the lack of resources and intervention programs for the youth. Many children become involved in drug abuse and gang activity at a very early age. Once a child has gained membership into a gang, it is impossible for them to escape.

Towards the end of the visit, I encountered an elderly woman, sitting outside her home. She only spoke Xhosa, but thanks to Lwazi's translations, I was able to speak with her. The emotion this woman conveyed was incredible, everything about her reeked of exhaustion, frustration and hopelessness. This made me question the revolutionary concept of a 'new South Africa.'  Of course, I agree that South Africa has come a long way since the demise of apartheid. But how can they boast of a "new" nation when so many communities are still living in such despair?

Lotus Park is located right off the N2 Freeway…less than 10 miles from downtown Cape Town. That is just minutes away from luxurious hotels, expensive boutiques and sky high office buildings. It is unbelievable to me that these two realities exist in the same world, let alone practically on each others door step. And even worse is the lack of acknowledgment. 

Toilet Facilities in Lotus Park

Communal water tap shared by 20-100 households

The pink shack is Lwazi's home/recording studio

Lwazi (far right) with 2 of his friends

Lotus Park community church (located in an old circus tent)

Shark Cage Diving

Today's adventure took us to Gansbaai, for the opportunity to swim face to face with Great White Sharks. Shark cage diving in Gansbaai has become a main tourist destination, attracting celebrity clients such as Matt Damon, Blake Lively and Leonardo Decaprio. It was exciting to see pictures of them on the same boat that we were soon to board.

Our guides were adamant about being the first ones on the ocean to ensure plenty of shark activity. Unfortunately, this meant a 3:45 am wake up call and a 4:15 am departure from the Kimberly House…thankfully they had coffee awaiting our arrival. 

Needless to say, we were indeed the first ones out on the ocean, just as the sun was beginning to rise. After 20 minutes of trying to get in a wetsuit (which was a workout in itself) six of us climbed into the shark cage. In an effort to attract the sharks, what can only be described as rotting-fish-mush was tossed into the ocean… The smell was horrific, and I was glad to get under the water. 

With only a 2 meter underwater visibility range, 12 foot Great White Sharks would pop up right in front of your face with absolutely no warning. Understandably so, I made sure to keep my arms and legs inside the cage AT ALL TIMES. 

Unlike their portrayal in the movies, the Great White Sharks were surprisingly gentle and graceful, reminding me more of a whale than the mindless killing machine they are thought to be. In all honesty, I think I am more scared of Bravo (our tasmanian-devil dog) than of the sharks. 

Unfortunately, Great White Sharks will soon be extinct. Due to their incredible value on the black market, there are less than 1,000 Great White Sharks alive today. It was a sad realization that future generations will not have an opportunity to experience what I have today.  

Cape Agulhas

Since arriving in Cape Town, hiking has become one of my favorite extracurricular activities. Fortunately, we are centered in the middle of a sandstone mountain range, offering plenty of opportunities to explore. Additionally, joining the hiking club at UWC has offered me the opportunity to travel outside of Cape Town and experience some of the most amazing hikes this country has to offer. This past weekend, the group embarked on a weekend beach hike to Cape Agulhas, which is located at the southern most tip of the African continent. We left UWC's campus on Friday and drove about 2 hours to a small village called Arniston. 

Arniston used to be a profitable fishing town, however larger fishing industries recently ran them out of business, forcing many into unemployment and poverty. In an effort to make a little cash, these former fishermen will rent out their extra rooms to traveling guests. A man by the name of Boeta John was kind enough (or crazy enough) to open his house to our group of 20 college students. He had only 9 empty beds, leaving most of us to double up in twin beds, sleep in tents, or curl up on the floor (thankfully we are not a picky group). Spending a weekend in such a simplistic and rural environment was quite refreshing. 

That next morning, we hiked 13 miles in search of our destination. However due to high winds, the normally placid South Africa beach was turned into a hectic sand storm, forcing us to turn back about 2km early. Regardless, the scenery along the way made the blustering sand winds worth the effort. 

Back at the house, Boeta John arranged a "braai" (AKA barbecue) and even grilled fish for us. According to him, its the best fish in the Western Cape, and I'd have to agree! After a long night filled with songs, dance, and stories; by the time the alarm sounded, no one was in proper shape for a strenuous hike. Needless to say, we cheated and drove the rest of the way to Cape Agulhas.  

Groot Constantia

Since I have acquired such a distinguished palette as a result of my participation in numerous Tour de Franzias throughout my college career, I decided to visit one of the most elegant estates in all of South Africa for an afternoon of wine tasting. Groot Constantia was founded in Cape Town in 1685 by Commander Simon van der Stel of the Dutch East India Trading Company. This is the oldest wine estate in all of South Africa and even possibly the entire southern hemisphere. 

Both Charles Dickens and Jane Austen praise Constantia wine in their literary works. Additionally, it was Constantia wine that Napoleon requested on his death bed (this was even more exciting once I had the chance to google who Napoleon was!).

In addition to the wine tasting, we were able to take a tour of the wine cellar and wander around the estate which is nearly the same as it was over 325 years ago. We ended the day with dessert and wine while overlooking the vineyards.  

International Racing

Earlier in the week, I had met with the track coach to discuss the possibility of joining the athletics team (after a bit of confusion, I learned 'athletics' actually means track and field). He took me to the track, had me run a 2000m time trial and then handed me a uniform. 

Today was my first meet as a UWC athlete. I was entered to race the 5k, and being the only female in the race, was thrown in with the guys. Nothing breaks your confidence like being passed by 16 guys….twice!

Regardless, I had the most amazing race of my life today. Given South Africa's history, the opportunity to compete in an interracial meet was an experience I will never forget. Additionally, being the only female brought its own unique dimension to the race as well. Originally, the referees had insisted on running 2 separate races; one for me and one for the guys. Eventually, however, they agreed to let me run in the same heat as the guys. 

In South Africa, women are often faced with violence, inequality, and disrespect. Being able to run in an 'all guys race' shows how far the country has come, as well as their desire for future progress. During my cool down after the race, I had a man come up to me and say "Your tight grip on the sail is what keeps our ship moving forward." 

Throughout the years, running has taught me so much and am so thankful for what it has brought me today.

Lion's Head

                          

Friday night, my housemates and I decided to hike up Lions Head, one of the three main mountains in our neighborhood. Seeing as lions head was about half elevation of Table Mountain, I went into the hike fairly confidently. That confidence quickly diminished as out hike turned into more of a rock climbing adventure. Practically hanging on the edge of a drop off with nothing below but ocean nearly gave me a panic attack. And as some of you know, I tend to talk a lot when it get nervous. By the time we reached the top, I'm pretty sure the whole group knew my entire life story.

Despite the minor panic attacks, it was worth it. We arrived at the top (equipped with plenty of wine) just in time to watch the sunset over the Atlantic Ocean. The hike back down was almost completely in the dark. The combination of the wine and not being to see the drop offs made it slightly less intimidating; allowing me to really appreciate the view. One side of the mountain was surrounded by the city lights of downtown Cape Town, and the other side looked out over a quite bay which was lit up only by the stars. 

I hope you enjoy the pictures. Sadly, they don't do justice to the real thing.