Going home-Alyssa

We are heading home today. I miss my friends and family but I'm not ready to leave yet. I wish we had more time in Cape Town, it was so pretty there.

Today we went on a tour of a township in Soweto, walked through the Hector Peterson museum, went to Bruma market, and now we are waiting to go home. This trip was amazing and I would definitely do it again. I am dreading the plane ride home but the long ride is worth it.

Alyssa
Undergraduate
Finance major

Last day in South Africa

  Today, Sunday the 22nd of March, is our last day in South Africa. We have a full day planned with a visit to Soweto, the Hector Pietersen Museum, Nelson Mandela Museum, and the Bruma World Market. Details on these visits later in the day.
    Yesterday was Human Rights Day in South Africa. On the 21st of March in 1960 69 blacks were killed for protesting the pass laws. The day is celebrated with some gatherings and remembrances.
   Soweto (the southwestern township) is populated by some 4 million people.   It was designated a place where natives would live who worked in the mines. During apartheid it was designated a black township. There is a very diverse level of living in Soweto today. The have the shanty houses that are simply walls with a place of sheet metal on the roof and then there are upscale homes. As with most of the area, people from Zimbabwe are coming across the border, setting up camps and taking jobs from the South African poor.
    We also saw the Hector Pieterson museum. He was a 13 year old boy killed during the student march in Soweto (they were protesting the use of government required use of Afrikkan in the school curriculum). Lastly we visited the street in Soweto which houses two Nobel Peace Prize winners - Reverend Desmond Tutu and Nelson Mandela. Desmond Tutu still lives in his residence but Nelson Mandela's is now a museum.
     Last but not least was the Bruma market. A flea market of sorts with some everyday items to more tourist related stuff.
     Onto the plane we go. Goodbye South Africa....for now.

Kruger Park

We arrived in Kruger at 13:30 (1:30 pm) on Friday.  We took a break at the Numbi gate (the western side of the park) and then planned for a 4 hour search for animals (by car).
  I will say up front that it was hard to accept the fact that I was in a place where all the animals were wild and free. As we drove the white vans down the paved roads searching for elephants,  giraffes, or the sacred lion  pack it seemed as though we were in a safari created by Disneyland. That is until I saw the first animal.
   Our first encounter was with a herd of Bushbuck. Somewhat like deer but they have white stripes along their sides and larger ears. We also saw a similar animal- the Impala. The Impala is incredibly sleek and has an incredible jumping ability. Like the deer in New Jersey, there are vast amounts of Bushbuck and Impala and thus we saw them often.
   As the eyes of the six people in the van were locked scanning out their windows our driver would always seem to be the one spotting the brilliantly camouflaged animals. Even an elephant was hidden as his trunk rose up out of the bush. A tremendous and beautiful animal. Then we saw a giraffe, just off the side of the road eating out of the nearby trees.
   In addition to the some 147 species of mammals, the park has some 114 types of reptiles (we saw a beautiful baby tortoise cross the road), 49 types of fish, 34 amphibians plus 507 types of birds.  The birds were absolutely incredible in color and size. I saw an African Fish Eagle, a grey Heron, a flock of Helmeted Guinea fowl (which I was told can be delicious to eat), some Warbles, an Egyptian Goose and so many more.
   The "big five" animals in the bush as designated by the South African government (they are pictured on the various denominations of the paper currency) are the rhinoceros, the buffalo (a slimmer, less hairy animal versus the American buffalo-this one has long curved horns and is said to be powerful enough to run through trees when stampeding), the lion, the elephant and the leopard.
  I saw 4 of the 5 (I saw the rump of a rhino, a lion who was barely visible atop a rock formation, a good herd of buffalo and several elephant including a whole family walking down the road). The leopard escaped me as it does most people though one Rutgers van group did spot one (I verified the pictures as proof).
   Friday night we all had dinner in the restaurant at one of the camp sites. The planned boma dinner was to be outside but rain spoiled our plans.  Walking back to my thatched roof hut (with all the modern conveniences) in the pitch black night I glanced up to the clearing sky and could not help standing there for some thirty minutes gazing at all the stars in the sky. I have seen a brilliant starry sky in Colorado but this was amazing. The brightness and volume of speckled light was hypnotic. It took the clouds rolling over them to get me looking away and onward to bed.
   Early to rise on Saturday as the gates to the camp site opened at 5:30 am. Noted as a great time to see the animals and a beautiful sunrise. Unfortunately the cloud cover kept the sunrise hidden and it also seemed to hide the animals. We toured the park for 4 hours and did not see as much as expected. Going back to the Disneyland comparison, it is quite a disappointment when you don't see the animals you expect or as many as your friends may have seen. Realizing the size of Kruger Park and the nature of wild animals seems to escape us as we are accustom to the convenience of a zoo or fulfilling our expectations by paying for them. 
   Two Spotted Hyenas walking along the road, a few giraffe, a herd of zebra, several Blue Wildebeest (or Gnus), Dwarf Mongoose and some playful Velvet Monkeys in a tree were seen in our morning tour.  As we looked over a vista that provided an appreciative view of the size and landscape of the park I can honestly say that by the time I left I was appreciative and in awe of the natural environment and wildness of these amazing animals.  

Road to Kruger

The trip to Kruger from Jo-berg is 450 Kilometers or about 300 miles. South Africa is a large country and thus has many natural resources and a variety of landscapes but I was amazed to see so many I saw in just the 4 hour drive to Kruger. From the gold mines near Jo-berg to the mountains at Kruger, the country side had large swaths of coal mining, corn (miille) fields, tangerines (najes) trees, as well as many other vegetables and fruits and mining operations (platinum. and other metals). It was like driving through West Virginia, Florida, Kansas and Colorado in one 4 hour trip.
    According to our van driver, Hussein, the towns near the park have grown as people move out of Johannesburg and towards the various natural resource industry as they have developed. Also transplants come from Mozambique which is on the north border of the park (according to Hussein some Mozambique people looking to come across the border chose to try and walk through Kruger park. They were eaten by lions. Unfortunately some of them had aids and thus there is now concern that the lions have contracted a form of the disease.)
   Kruger park is a huge wildlife reserve about the size of Rhode Island. The animals are monitored for disease but are not fed or interacted with in any other way.  There are various paved roads, dirt roads and watering holes that you can drive to. You cannot leave your vehicle and if lions are nearby you must roll up the windows.  June/July (winter months -no snow but cooler temperatures)) are supposed to be the best time to see the animals.
 

The public

I have tried to talk to as many of the local people of South Africa as possible. I have found that they are genuine and very open in their remarks. whether it be about the past or the present.
  I spoke to a  cab driver who took us from the hotel to the Apartheid Museum in Johannesburg. The elderly man, wearing a dress shirt, tie and light jacket, told me of his experiences and opinions.
  He told me that he remembers well the terrible times during apartheid. He still feels that although apartheid ended some time ago there is still a segregation of people based on income level which mostly affects blacks.  He lives in a township north of Johannesburg where he does not have paved roads,  electricity or running water (he uses tablets to sterilize the water), diseases are common and education for the children is not readily available. He takes a four hour train ride to get to work and even then he makes barely enough money to feed his family.- his wife, a 14 year old boy, a 22 year old girl and a 4 month old grandchild.
  He says that he plans on voting for   the splinter group of the ANC- the Congress of the People (COPE). He stated that the ANC has been making promises that have not been kept such: as better housing in the suburbs, increased jobs, increased wages and more education assistance and he hopes for a change  He commented that most of the government attention is given to the population closer to the center of Johannesburg and not in the outlying areas where it is needed.
  The cab driver went on to speak about the growing number of refugees in Johannesburg. They mainly come from Zimbabwe (whose government is in turmoil) and Nigeria. This has led to camps of refugees and increased crime as the government has no plans to assist this influx of people. 
   He asked of how "our President Obama" was doing. He noted that he hopes to have such hope in his country soon. I reminded him that we have had democracy for over 200 years and in comparison South Africa is a baby (a democratic government was formed around 1994). He hopes for a better future not just for himself but especially for his children.

On the road

We are on the road once again. This time by van - 11 to be exact each marked with a magnetic "R" on its tail - filled with seven Rutgers folks and a driver. We have started our caravan journey to Krugar National Park. We will get into the park by 2:30 (a six hour drive from Jo-berg), tour about for animals (staying in the vans for those concerned parents out there) and then into Pretoriaskop Camp by sundown (as they close the gates to keep the animals out - if you are late you must pay a fine to have them open the gates).   A boma dinner (lots of meats and starches) tonight around the fire and then up at dawn to go on safari for the day. 
   It is not guaranteed that we will see any animals but I am told seeing a lion or hippo or elephant in its natural habitat is an incredible experience.  I look forward to the "hunt" to see one of these great animals. 

SAB Miller

The tour of SAB Miller was a fun experience.  The walk through the world of beer was enjoyable and the tasting of native South African beer was not to be missed.  Like normal beer but with a real bitter taste from the lack of a controlled process.  The free sample of Castle beer at the end of the tour was fine my only problem was that the beer was warm and did not really go down well.  The free world of beer glasses were a nice touch and a nice memento from my trip to the world of beer. The two free samples at the end of the tour were enjoyed and welcomed after a long day.

Harpreet Singh
Rutgers MBA

Community service

There is a contingent of Student Affair students and staff led by Tom DiValerio who are performing some exciting community service projects here in South Africa.  The most significant project has been with the Zakhelee school in Mamelodi East Township (about 60 kilometers outside Johannesburg).
  The group spent two full days at the school painting and cleaning their library and other rooms (nooks were donated on a previous trip). They also painted a mural in their reading room
(and donated a few bean bag chairs for the kids). On Wednesday the students had a parade for the Rutgers volunteers and fed them a township hamburger (a burger with fish and meat and all the fixings). On Thursday after the mural was completed the school had a barbecue for all the Rutgers volunteers. the outpouring of appreciation from the students at the school was overwhelming. To emphasize their gratitude the school administrators  gave each of the Rutgers volunteers a Zulu name so as to "adopt" them into their family.
  A wonderful opportunity to give to the Johannesburg community through a generous and rewarding outreach by Rutgers-Camden.

Constitutional Hill

One of our first visits in Johannesburg was to Constitutional Hill. This hill in the middle of the city was the site of a fort to defend the city from the British. This soon became a prison for criminals and then a prison of humiliation for Blacks, Coloreds, Indians, non-whites and white activists. The blacks were kept in area four which was packed with those that were arrested for not having a domas (pass) were caught with a white person, were active against the government or were in violation of one of the many laws passed to "contain" the non-white population.   

The prison, as mentioned above, was built to hold hardened criminals and also humiliate those that violated the rules of the white South African government. Prisoners included Nelson Mandela (who was held at one time in the white section so as not to incite the black prisoners), Mahatma Gandhi, and Robert Sobukwe.   Section 4 which was the non-white area (a small section no bigger than a football field) at one time held 300,000 prisoners.
     The prisoners at Constitution Hill were subject to hard labor and terrible conditions - unsanitary, overcrowded, the prisoners were forced to do the Tauza dance - a naked dance to show the guards they were not hiding anything.  In a form of solidarity the prisoners, while working hard labor,  would sing a song named Shosholoza- pushed like a train-to tell their story.
    The prison was closed in 1983. A Constitutional court was built on the area where the prison stood using the bricks from the prison. The architecture of the building is very symbolic-the doors are tall and made of dark wood and engraved with various symbols and sayings, the roof has special glass to allow light to come in streams like through leaves, and the court itself has a very open setting.  All of this is to allow for a transparent, inclusive, open, peaceful setting "like sitting under a tree  in a setting of peace, reflection and tranquility".
   This tour along with the Robbed Island prison opened my eyes on so much of the suffering experienced by those who were segregated and the heroes of change like Nelson Mandela who spent close to 35 years of his life in jail for trying to uphold the rights of his people. The torture and violations of human dignity and rights is overwhelming and to think apartheid just ended some 15 years ago.

Saturday, March 14th - Alyssa

This blog got lost in transmission thus it is being sent again.

ITS MY BIRTHDAY!!

Saturday we went to visit Langa township. There are three classes of people in the township: Upper, Middle, and Lower classes. We got the chance to see where people live in each of these areas. We started out the tour with seeing a performance by some of the kids who live there. As we walked through the township the kids were coming up to us, holding our hands, and taking pictures with us. This experience was really hard and emotional because it was a different kind of poverty than most of us are used to seeing in America.

After the township, we went to M'Hudi winery which is the only black owned winery in South Africa. It was bitter sweet going to the winery after the township because we just saw so much poverty and now we are heading to two wineries. However, I think it made some people appreciate it more. We got to taste some wine, but I was sick so I just watched. We went to another winery after lunch called Spier. Here we were able to pet baby cheetas and relaxed by the lake sampling their wine. We ate dinner at the restaurant there, Moya. There were a couple people doing a tribal dance and singing which was really neat to watch. The food was good, but the entertainment made the dinner so much better.

Adopted school

Some six years ago Dr. Julie Ruth with the help of others at Rutgers and in South Africa adopted the Kalksteen Primary School as an inspiration for the School of Business-Camden.  Every year school supplies including instruments and books are carried to South Africa to be given to the children of Kalksteen.

 This school sits in a colored district of Cape Town that is so poor many of the children get their only meal at school. There are drugs and crime in the district and many children don't make it past high school.

The assistance that has been given to Kalksteen by Rutgers and businesses assisting Rutgers, have made a huge difference in the children's lives. Certainly the school supplies and toys have helped as has the financial support to give the students a proper meal while at school.

The visit by the Rutgers students is tremendous.  The students at the school (learners) are thrilled to see us (especially the pictures we take of them).  In Ms. Bell's class I made friends with Juliete, Kuwine, Augustine, Deandre, Edward and Wayneen. They are between 7 and 8 years old and made me fell the same. The outpouring of affection and interest by the children is at times overwhelming in that you don't want to leave them. 
   The learners, the teachers and the administrators really appreciate all that Dr. Ruth and Rutgers have done and embrace our continued involvement. I won't forget the smiles on their faces and look forward to coming back to see them again.

Tuesday March 17th - Nathan

St Patrick's Day in South Africa. I can say for certain that there is no St Patrick's Day parade in CapeTown or Johannesburg (and probably not anywhere in South Africa). Of course our Irish contingent (and those who become Irish on St Paddy's day)  celebrated the day when possible.
  Even the non-irish enjoyed the day as we toured the southern cape of Africa-the southern most tip of the continent where the Atlantic meets the Indian ocean.  The views from the peaks were tremendous as you stand atop the cape near the lighthouse - identifying an important historical point. .
  

Kalksteen Primary School-Alyssa

Before we left for South Africa some Rutgers students collected school supplies for the students at Kalksteen Primary School (located in poor district of Cape Town). Two of the business school students went above and beyond with what they collected for the school.

     We got to present these items to the school on Tuesday when we visited the learners. We separated into groups and went into different classrooms. I was in a second grade class and the kids were so excited to see us. It was such a good opportunity to get to spend time with them. The group of kids I was with each read me a part of the book they had. It was really amazing being a part of this experience and I have to say it was my favorite part of the trip. I let the kids take pictures with my camera and they were trying on my sunglasses. The littlest things made them so happy and they were so carefree. After we met with them in the classroom, the whole school gathered for an assembly and they sang some songs, danced, and played instruments that were donated by Rutgers. The instruments keep them interested in going to school which is really hard for them to do, about 80 percent drop out before 7th grade.  It was such a great experience and really touched a lot of people seeing how important this was to them and how valuable education is in their lives.

Alyssa McCarthy
Undergraduate
Finance major

Cape Town-Alyssa

Cape Town was a beautiful city and I did not want to leave. It is surrounded by mountains and the beaches are phenomenal. There is so much to see and we definitely attempted to see it all. Our hotel was near Long Street which is kind of like Old City in Philadelphia - there are a lot of bars and restaurants. We hung out in the hotel bar a couple of nights and had a good time.

The people here in Cape Town are very nice. We are heading to "Jo-burg" (Johannesburg) next so I am interested to see how it compares to Cape Town.

Alyssa McCarthy
Undergraduate
Finance major

Sunday, March 15th-Alyssa

We had the option to hike up Table Mountain at 5:30am or wait until 8:00am and take the cable car to the top. A bunch of us chose to hike up the mountain so we started before sunrise. It was definitely a much harder workout then we anticipated but it was worth it. The view as we climbed up the mountain was breathtaking and we got to see the sunrise as we hiked. We ended up taking the cable car down the mountain with everyone and we were glad we chose to hike on the way up because the experience was much more rewarding. The view we got to see of the city of Cape Town was incredible and I got to appreciate it more after the hike.

When we left Table Mountain we headed to the District 6 museum. The tour guide informed us that Africans (Blacks) and Colored people were forcibly removed from their homes by the Whites. The entire neighborhood was changed. We got to see pictures of people being relocated from the township we were in the day before. I think this museum was very informative and made me more aware of the terrible situations people were forced into. After seeing this museum, we went to the Bo Kapp neighborhood where people were told they could only have white houses. To rebel against the government, they painted their houses in every color but white. It was more then just a color of a house, it was standing up for their rights as citizens of South Africa.

We also went on a boat to Robbin Island.  On the island is the jail where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned.  We took a bus tour of the island and got to see the quarries where the prisoners were forced to do manual labor and a cemetery where prisoners were buried. This was an intriguing experience because we were taken through the prison by an ex political prisoner and got to hear about the jail from his perspective.

For dinner, we had an amazing dinner at the Lelapala restaurant in Langa township. The restaurant is located in a woman's house, but she has renovated over the years so it was big enough to fit all 75 of us. There was a band playing and the music was great, we all got up and danced. This was one of my favorite meals because everyone was together and had such a good time.

Alyssa McCarthy
Undergraduate Finance major

Monday. March 16th - Nathan

A day of meetings and then free time. The business meetings we have gone on are carefully selected to provide the students with real life examples of international commerce, minority owned businesses (through the Black Economic Enterprise funding vehicle offered by the government), and entrepreneurship.
    After the business meetings we had a free day which for some included shopping at the Waterfront, to Clifton Beach (on the Atlantic Ocean side) to get some sun and sand, or just relaxing at the hotel and going for dinner nearby. I went to listen to some jazz with Jonathan Muse at the Blue Dolphin.
   As with most evenings there were those who stayed out very late enjoying the Cape Town nightlife and each others company. No crazy stories....at least the I know of.
  Tomorrow is the busy day with the visit to Kalksteen Primary school and the Cape of Good Hope. A day I have been looking forward to since before we left.
 

Lelapa Restaurant-Harpreet Singh

Dinner at the Lelapa Restaurant in Langa Township was one of the best experiences of the trip so far.  The food was a cornucopia of native dishes and a true flavor of the South African palate.  The nights entertainment was a native band playing traditional South African music along with happy birthday for several members of the group whose birthdays fell within the trip. That was not the end as a conga line broke out as several business students finally got the other groups to let loose and enjoy the full South African experience.

Harpreet Singh
Rutgers MBA

Getting used to things

Coming to a foreign country always creates some issues with daily life. This includes the time change (South Africa is 6 hours later than New York) but more difficult has been just walking and crossing the street. In South Africa they drive on the opposite side of the road and thus when you walk on the sidewalk you have to do the same.  I tend to always get caught on the wrong side of the sidewalk thus having to duck and dive the oncoming walkers. In addition crossing the street can be an experience as you look one way and traffic is coming at you from the other direction just as you step off the curb. It was recommended to me to listen to your mom and look both ways before crossing the street.
     Another challenge is getting used to the currency. The Rand (R) has a very favorable exchange rate
($1 equals approximately R10) and most things are cheaper than in the states. Seeing something cost R2500 can blow your mind until you realize its only $25.
  Food is my favorite (never a challenge) and Cape Town has a full variety of all foods. The city has a very diverse population plus it is very European. Indian, Argentina, Thai, various types of meat like venison and ostrich as well as chicken and alligator.  Some traditional South African dishes like Bobotie (pronounced "bobootee") which is minced meat (could be a mix of venison, beef, ostrich, etc).  It is served in a crepe or just with a starch. The starches and vegetables include mashed pumpkin, mashed squash, rice, and varieties of fresh vegetables and fruits. Also fish of all varieties or available as well as oxtail soup and potages.
   Language is of course a challenge in any country but in South Africa it is even more challenging as there are 11 official languages. The most used in Cape Town are English, Afrikaan and Xhosa.  In Johanessburg its English, Afrikaan and Zulu. Most all of the population speaks two if not three or four languages interchanging between them quite easily.

Sunday, 15 March - Nathan

     Another busy day in CapeTown. Up at 5am for a hike (more like a climb) up Table Mountain. Once to the peak a beautiful view of the beaches and the city of Capetown.
     Next we went to the museum for District Six - a district where the blacks and coloreds were isolated and then moved (for the whites to take the property). Also a walking tour of Bo-Kaap which was another are in which the blacks refused to move.
     We then went Robben Island. This was originally a prison camp for criminals but then became a prison for dissidents against the white government (this included blacks, whites and colored). They were subject to hard labor, beatings and harsh living conditions. Also on the island were lepers.
     Some very powerful (and feared) activists were imprisoned at Robben Island. This includes Robert Sobukwe and Nelson Mandela. Sobukwe was jailed on numerous occasions for varied periods of time. Nelson Mandela spent two terms at Robben Island - one for five years and then a life term. In 1988 all but the hard criminals were released with the prison closing for good in 1996.  The plans for the African National Congress were started in the cells and limestone quarries of Robben Island. These writings were buried in gardens and elsewhere to be kept safe until freedom could be realized.  
    The tour of Robben Island was done by ex-political prisoners jailed for acts of demonstration. There stories included internal acts of solidarity including "each one must teach one" whereby the educated prisoners taught the uneducated and as mentioned before work towards an agenda to make political change against apartheid (which means "separation" in Afrikkan). 
     Last stop at the Waterfront (outdoor eating and shopping) to send home some cases of wonderful South African wines.

Saturday afternoon -Nathan

NOTE: First let me notify readers of this blog that there is intermittent email access here in South Africa thus I could be delayed a day from posting.

On Saturday March 14th after the visit to the township, we took a bus trip out to the wine country. Wine is one of the largest exports of South Africa. Many various kinds of grapes are grown in South Africa. A special grape unique to South Africa was developed called Pinotage. The grape is a hybrid of the Pinot and Hermitage grape. It is full bodied red with a very slight smoky taste but no lingering aftertaste. A very nice wine.
The first winery we went to was M'ehudi. This winery is the only black fully owned and operated winery in South Africa (out of some 200 total wineries). The wines we tasted were very nice which included a Chardonnay, a Merlot and a Pinotage.
The next stop was to a monument to the Afrikkan language. The monument, on top of an overlook is made up of two very tall cylindrical concrete pieces and a tower that uses light to represent steps (the development of the language). There are several other sculptures made to represent the development and maturation of the language. Afrikkans is one of the 10 or so official languages in South Africa. Afrikkans is a mix of languages created by slave owners so they could talk to their slaves who came from various parts of Africa and Europe. The language includes Dutch, German and mostly resembles Flemish.
After the side trip we went to another winery and then on to a last winery were we met up with the other groups on the trip for entertainment and a food fest buffet (oxtail soup, venison, curried chicken, mashed pumpkin and squash, bootie -a mix of various meets ground up, delicious fresh fruit, etc).
A strong contingent of students and guests went out on the town upon returning from the hotel. I could nothing but go right to sleep for I agreed to get up at 5am to hike Table Mountain.

Langa Township - Nathan

The first trip of the day was to Langa Township. This is the oldest black township in South Africa. It has a population of around 80,000 people.
The township has a so-called "high-class, middle-class and lower-class" population. The high class housing is mediocre at best with some privacy and electricity but very close together. The middle class housing is much worse but they are brick with electricity in most. Families live 8-10 per small living space. The lower class are shanties that often blow down in the wind, leak in the rain and burn down due to the use of paraffin to cook and light the single room shacks.
     As was mentioned by our guide Chipa, the township is much better than it used to be. There is education for most, police presence in places and as mentioned electricity is available. There are few jobs available for the unskilled and tribal traditions due continue throughout the township. As we left we saw many other shanty towns some with populations as large as 300,000 people.
   It was disturbing walking through the township and for most it was as though these poor people were on display as we walked through with our cameras clicking, our sunglasses covering our squinting eyes and wearing our designer clothes showcasing our relative wealth and position.  It is understood that awareness by the public especially from such wealthy and powerful countries like the US is important to continue the effort towards equality.  As our guide Chipa told us, "the past is the past, we. [the blacks,whites, and coloreds] are now all working towards our future.....together." Seeing the tragedy of these people is important, and although hard to view it will certainly effect all of us throughout the trip and into our (and their) futures.

Yesterday was so much fun. We had meetings with Portnet, Parliament, and Johnson n Johnson. We had free time after and went to Clifton Beach which is probably the nicest beach I have ever been to and Laura and Harpreet agree.  We went to dinner at an amazing restaurant and I even tried oysters. Gus was the only person who ever ate the entire Flavors of South Africa meal so he claims to be a native South African.  Afterwards we drank our wine that was a gift from Portnet and sat outside, the weather was so nice!

Today is my birthday and we are heading to a township and then two wineries.  I'll definitely let you know how South African wine is!
 

First day in Cape town

After the long bus and plane rides sleep overtook me. Unfortunately I forgot to turn on my alarm and was luckily saved by a phone call from Bridget. I was ready in 15 minutes just in time to catch the bus. If you don't make the bus the Cal Maradonna rule of "no one left behind" kicks which means he waits for you and you pay the cab fare to catch up to the group. That would have been embarrassing.
     The first stop was the Port Authority. Unlike in New Jersey, NY and Philadelphia, the port authority here is strictly overseeing shipping-commercial and cargo.  Although it is not a massive port they do ship quite a bit of fruits and wine. They import much more - mainly from China and Brazil. They are growing the port as they expect the Cape town traffic to increase by deeping the port and getting advanced machinery. The port is a difficult one for ships due to heavy rain and high seas on the cape.
     The port sits just a few miles from where they are building the main stadium for the 2010 World Cup. The city plans on docking two to three cruise liners in the port area to serve as floating hotels during the influx of tourists and spectators.

    Parliament was next. In just 1994 (only 15 years ago) everything changed in South Africa as apartheid ended and the first free elections were held - Nelson Mandela was elected President. South Africa has five provinces (like states in the U..S. - Western Cape being one). Each province takes most of its direction (but not all) from the National Parliament. The National govt assesses and collects taxes (and redistributes them to the provinces) passes laws, etc. The provinces deal with local issues including the poor and also implementing what is passed at the National level. The government is a multi-party system with the ANC currently holding the most seats (and thus the Presidency).
     After this meeting the visitors (not students) on the trip took a walk to the Company Gardens. A beautiful park with trees and flowers from across the world. I saw the largest rubber tree plant I have ever seen (no ant could move that rubber tree plant). Just beautiful plants under a sunny sky with Table Top Mountain in the background.
   A beer and some crisps (flavored potato chips) in a quite picnic area restaurant near the University of Cape Town gave us the energy for our trek back to the hotel. Dinner came later at the waterfront outdoor shopping area (n,ear the port authority) Overall a very good first day.

Senegal-Nathan

     It is about 4:30am in Dakar, Senegal. It is dark outside thus it would be a futile effort to try and describe the airport to you from the plane-yes from the plane as we are just refueling here in Senegal and we cannot leave the plane.
     We will spend another hour here and then the continuation of our flight to Johannesburg (another 8:our flight across Africa). We then catch a flight to Cape Town after a short lay over. In Johannesburg. .
  Although the fun hasn't started yet we have been introduced to the culture through some delicious wine, great food and wonderful music.
  Next stop Johannesburg.

In the airport-Alyssa

The journey begins...met a lot of new people already and we are relaxing at the bar in the airport before we takeoff to Africa.  Next stop Johannesburg!!

travel day

Today is the day!  A day full of travel but finally we are on our way.  We leave the School of Business-Camden at 11:15 and get to JFK at around 2:30.  Our 17 hour flight leaves at 5:20.  Once we get to Johannesburg we then fly on to Cape Town.  A long day (almost 2!) of travel.  I have a couple of good books (I have to finish Kaffir Boy and I also got the book Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton)  as well as some music and I am sure I can fall asleep for a few hours.  Of course the buzz around me and my anticipation on getting there might just keep me up and unable to concentrate.

 

All have wished us a bon voyage and good wishes for an excellent and safe journey.  Let’s go!

The night before we leave

Tis the night before we leave for South Africa and I am surprised I can sleep. I am really looking forward to going to another country to experience the culture and the surroundings. I have heard so many great things about this trip and I am excited to be a part of it.

Next blog will be in Kennedy Airport awaiting our departure to Johannesburg.

details

The excitement of the trip is reaching a crescendo.  It is hard to concentrate on much else than what I might forget or what I might experience.  I had lunch with Cal Maradonna, the trip coordinator and long time administrator and faculty member at Rutgers.  He has taken this trip over 20 times and he says that each time he is amazed at the warmth and of the people, the amazing country and the reactions of people traveling with him.  He did mention that there is always a few in the group that require some special attention, but that he has never left anyone behind and never lost anyone.  He has planned and organized a majority of the trip and we rely on him for guidance and fun.

 

One more day to take care of last minute details and pack. 

Packing up

Just to make sure I don't forget anything I started packing last night. I also want to bring what I need on board to survive the 17 hour flight there (we stop in Senegal for a one hour refueling but can't leave the plane). Reading, writing, enough juice in the I-pod and hopefully some sleep.  I'm pretty comfortable on planes but 17 hours is a long time to be confined especially when your so excited to get to your destination. The flight back of course will be even longer just because the trip will be over.

Yesterday Dr Julie Ruth and friends packed duffle bags with supplies and gifts for the children at Kalksteen
Primary school.  Besides crayons, games and calculators they also packed an oboe and a trombone (a special request). I understand that seeing where the children study, seeing them receive the gifts and their smiles and friendliness at meeting the group from Rutgers is a memorable experience.

Four days to go

First a correction-there are four days to go before we leave for South Africa (I lost track of time). A lot of preparation has gone to putting this trip together. There are 75 people going-the largest group to date. There are four different disciplines going-Law, Business, Literature, and a Community Service contingent. All four have a piece of the itinerary though we will be together most of the time. Making sure we all have a good time and a great experience will not be hard.

Getting ready

Making checklist after checklist to make sure nothing is forgotten-
Credit cards
Mosquito repellent
Candy for the kids
Snacks
Etc
Of course if something is forgotten I'll just have to improvise or do without. That's the excitement of traveling especially outside your "comfort" zone, you get to meet the challenges head on. If I can go on this trip with no expectations I know it will lead to a better experience - good times are new and exciting and bad times are challenging and educational. Four days to go!

5 days to go

It will be five days until we depart the United States via Kennedy Airport. The excitement is growing and the rush to get all that needs to be done is overwhelming but well worth it.

South Africa Blog 2009

Follow the Rutgers-Camden 2009 trip to South Africa through a blog by Associate Dean Nathan Levinson. Hear about the preparation, travel, and visits to Cape Town, the top of Table Mountain, Robben Island, the Cape of Good Hope off the coast of Africa, the wineries of South Africa, the Apartheid Museum, Kalksteen Primary school, the townships within Johannesburg, our safari trip to Kruger National Park, and our visit to Soweto and the Nelson Mandela House Museum.