June 26, Destination: Cape Town, and I did it!

I've been in Cape Town for 3 weeks already! Time is flying so fast!

I was so much excited to come here to Cape Town! At last I was going to realise the wish I had of doing community work abroad. At the same time I was feeling anxious for various reasons including the fact that I had to plan all the journey almost on my own and that I was going to travel all that long distance all alone. Besides, I knew that I was coming to a foreign place without actually knowing anyone in particular and so I was concerned about the whole journey and experience. However everything went well thanks god!

In order to come here, I had to fly from Malta to Munich, then to Frankfurt, then directly to Cape Town. At least I did not get lost in the airports hehe! Well, the weather was quite fine and all in all I had three amazing flights. I was looking all the time from the little window and saw amazing views from up there. However, the 12hr flight to Cape Town was so much long! I never imagined that it was going to take so long. Luckily I could watch some movies and listen to music on the plane and so it was not that boring. I also chatted with the guy sitting next to me. He was from Spain and was going to Cape Town to study for 2 weeks. I tried to take a nap from time to time but it was not so much comfortable to try to sleep on the plane.

It was still dark when we were approaching Cape Town and it was also raining. I could barely see anything from the window except the street lights. Just before landing, we flew over a township and so I saw the little shacks. It was here that I realised that we had actually arrived at Cape Town. I said to myself, "Here I am, let the adventure begin." We landed at Cape Town International Airport few minutes before 5am. I entered the airport, managed to get the Visa, went for the luggage and found Jerome, the taxi driver, waiting for me at the airport. He took me to the office where I had booked the accomodation but it was closed as it was still early. So I bought a coffee and a sim card in the meantime. Eventually I went to the office when it was opened and I took a nap on the sofa there while I waited to sign the contract :) Well I settled all the papers and they took me to the house in Bedford Rd where I was going to spend the 9 weeks.

I put my stuff, took a shower and went to the SAEP office. I met Jane and Norton, Isabel and all other volunteers. Afterwards I visited the townhip and the creche for the first time. I was somewhat shocking to see the township actually and the people living there. It was raining a lot and so water was dropping from the roofs of the little shacks and there were lots of pools in the streets. There's a big contrast between Observatory and Philippi Townhip, and guess a much bigger contrast from the Centre. I met Phelisa, the manager of the creche, the teacher, and saw some of the kids. They are so adorable! They shouted "abelungu" that is "white people" when we were coming in! Arriving back home, I took a long deserved nap and woke up in the evening and some of the other volunteers had come for dinner, to chat a bit, to play cards and have a laugh together.

Overall the house is suitable though it is simple, a bit dirty and with small cockroaches in the kitchen but I'm getting used to them. The swimming pool is just a couple of metres long and don't think we will use it as it is so cold. However the athmosphere in the house is fantastic! The house mates for the time being are Heloise and Pauline, two French girls who are also volunteers with SAEP - the same organisation I am working with. There is also Eva from Holland who is studying here. The three of them are great! They welcomed me and made everything much easier for me especially in the beginning. There is also Fritz who is studying music here but didn't chat for long with him.

Cape Town is an amazing city surrounded by enormous mountains and next to the ocean at the same time. We live close to Devil's Peak and it's like there is something mysterious about this mountain, really. The weather here is so much cold! I never imagined that it was going to be so cold. I should have packed more heavy clothes however I'll try to buy some. I also need to get used to all this rain and think twice before washing and hanging out my clothes as it's the second time already that my clothes are out in the rain!

Places I've visited so far:
Muzeinberg Bay and Kalk Bay - Sat 28 - with some of the volunteers, then went to a Olimpia Cafe and ate delicious mussles :) Then we went uphill and saw an incredible view of the coast with so many waves.
Boulders Beach - Tue 1 - with Jane, Celeste and Michael, and saw the cute little penguins!
I also went to a chinese restaurant with Eva and Pauline, and to a pub nearby with some of the volunteers.

Diet in SA mainly consisting of:
coffee - one tin in one week!
bread - there is such a big variety here!
pasta - almost in every dinner
exotic fruit - they are so much cheap here esp pinapples
chocolate - the other girls are chocoholic too!

I like dinner time especially when some other volunteers come to our house and we have dinner altogether.

On Mon, Tue and Wed I went to Sachigomso creche. The kids are great indeed! I play with them, dance and sing. I also help out while they have their food. I feel love with the creche, with the kids and with everyone and everywhere! In the coming weeks I'd like to do some activities of my own with the kids as for now I had just integrated in the daily plan. Refurbishment in the roofing of the creche is also planned. I am so much enthusiastic about working in this creche. Then on Thu and Fri I stayed at the office and did some filing, searched for some activities to do with the kids and did some other filing.

Sat 5 we did a farewell party for Eva here in the house. It was nice to meet new people. Anfd I will miss Eva and her joyful character.

This was my 1st week...more info of the 2nd and 3rd week here soon ;)