They always say that the people make the place. During my time in Cape Town, that could not have been more true. As I enjoyed views of mountains alongside beautiful
There was no hate category, so I decided to create my own. Category: Hate As this program comes to an end, I have found out there are so many things
I still remember the fear I felt getting on that first flight alone, crossing an ocean into a city I’d only seen in photos. I didn’t know yet that six
Today’s event was The Onesies, our class talent show. Everyone either performed individually or in a group, and there was a little bit of everything– singing, dancing, magic tricks, juggling,
When the Onesies was announced near the beginning of the program, Lidya and I panicked. We love singing while walking down the hallways (much to Allam’s dismay), but we both
I imagined this moment (the last few days of my study abroad in South Africa) a few months ago, when I lost track of time while scrolling through blog posts
As my six weeks in Cape Town come to an end, I could not help but feel a strong connection to Bo-Kaap. For all this time, I could not explain
It’s my final blog post (sigh). Cape Town has been unlike anywhere I have ever been. I am so grateful for all of the incredible sights I was able to
As our study abroad program comes to a close, I can’t help but reflect on all of my experiences in Cape Town these past 6 weeks. While we’ve had so
Five weeks ago I arrived, a little unsure,new to this city, its mountain, its shore,but Cape Town welcomed me right from the start ocean on one side, mountain to guard.
In one week, we’ll be packing our bags to fly back home. As I write this, I’m in disbelief at how quickly this program has gone by. At first, it
Navigating the ethics of film always sounds much easier than it is done. Numerous meetings, interview-question drafts, and weeks of email correspondence went into preparing for our first interview with
These past couple of weeks I’ve had the opportunity to participate in what I would argue is one of the most human experiences: storytelling. Right after making that claim, I
Yesterday, July 13, I witnessed a Truth-Telling Ceremony that six of my classmates and I helped organize alongside South African human rights activist Shirley Gunn and fire survivor Sindiswa “Sindi”
Filming our first official interview today (yay!!) reminded of the several people whose stories ultimately were not included in the final story. Even though we were not able to film
My past two blog posts have centered on personal reflections of mine, but this third time around, I wanted to write about something a little more lighthearted. As I spent
I chase this feeling from cafĂ© to cafĂ©,cup after cup, searching for the onethat stops me mid-sip and says: stay here.Most days it doesn’t come. Then KanĂ©la. The chai arrives
As I sat in my room looking for pictures to send to my mom, I was struck by the memories they evoked. I decided that I wanted to sum up
I feel like I don’t really know someone until I play a game with them. Typically, my litmus test is a game of UNO. The differences in everyone’s “house rules”
In honor of all of the food I’ve eaten and drinks I’ve drank and time I’ve spent with my classmates in Cape Town, this is what I think each student
I have always been obsessed with quotes. When I was younger, I had a quote jar; I would print out any quote that caught my attention, roll it up and
It was 2020. The COVID pandemic was at its height, and in-person classes turned into online Zoom meetings. During one of my first Zoom classes, I vividly remember my 8th
After eating at the Atlantic Express for a third time in as many weeks, I have decided that it is my favorite restaurant here in Cape Town. From the rich
This blog post was inspired by a conversation we had in the lounge at Aquila Private Game Reserve after our buffet dinner. We gathered around the fire, intending to pass
When I first came to Cape Town, I was only familiar with one mountain — Table Mountain. My familiarity with only one mountain also led me to the assumption that
I experienced my first-ever safari this week, and I already can’t wait to do it again—hopefully with better weather. Before this trip, I’d only seen animals at the zoo —in
I have decided to make a compilation of wandering, unfinished thoughts. For the past blog posts, I have thought deeply about each idea that I have come across. Days of
Just above the Central Business District (CBD) and beneath the echoes of the noon gun fired from Signal Hill lies one of the oldest residential areas in Cape Town: Bo-Kaap.
I Met My Real Family Today, This is the text I sent to my family group chat on WhatsApp as I proceeded to send a photo of myself and a
While we were watching the South Africa vs. Canada soccer match at Time Out Market this past Sunday, Sam mentioned something I had never heard of before: a World Cup
One of the first things that comes up when you look up South Africa in the news tab of google is the June 30 deadline set forth by South African
As a STEM-focused student, I feel that I was implicitly taught that there is a structured, almost formulaic way of solving problems. The scientific method, hypothesis testing, even something as
I have left my Safari Youtube days behind. I am now a Spotify user. Starting from scratch. The songs from my many years on this Earth that have captured my
As I travel along the streets of the Seapoint suburb of Cape Town, I’m overcome with a sense of déjà vu. No, I have never been here before, but something
Why was one of our first collective decisions in Cape Town have seemingly nothing to do with public health or filmmaking, but instead was to create an Instagram account called
What does it mean to assimilate? The first time I heard the word “assimilate” was when I was twelve, during a cultural orientation class. The instructor, who was white, defined
In my life thus far, I have only stepped off American soil three times. The first time was at 14 years old, when I went to Nigeria for 2 months,
I’m surprised by how accustomed I’m becoming to the chaos of the filmmaking process and the uncertainty that comes with it. I used to see that uncertainty as proof that
I wasn’t expecting to learn much during the Uber ride back from Pipe Track. Like most rides, it started with casual conversation. Our driver began telling us about the transportation
Although studying abroad in Cape Town this summer was my top choice, one of my regrets was that I would miss out on learning a foreign language while abroad. (While
A collection of the most special moments from my Cape Town experience thus far (in semi-chronological order): I think my most-said phrase of the trip has been “I’ve never seen
Ignorance: the lack of knowledge, education, or awareness. Is: to be. Bliss: a state of complete, supreme happiness, joy, or contentment. A feeling of perfect peace and harmony, entirely free
The portion sizes. The salt. The “SUGA SUGA SUGA”. America is pretty infamous for a majority of things, but one thing that sticks out across regions is the food, even
I hope to experience South Africa as a traveler, not a tourist — someone who finds amusement in the not-so-picturesque scenes, the ones that hold real stories of South African
“Why?”… “You should have chosen London”…” Why would you choose South Africa?” Rather than being faced with congratulations and excitement about our acceptance into this program, this is the response
When I first landed in South Africa, I was overwhelmed by the privilege I have to be able to travel across the world and experience this new land, cultures, and
When I told my Nigerian parents that this summer I wanted to go to South Africa, I did not receive an elated response. Instead, I was met with a confused
Thandeka Chauke orates the words of a stateless person“I have observed being dead while alive” Immediately I jolt in my seat by my easy acceptanceOf this phrase that carries unfathomable inequalities The
(9 times out of 10, I’m always listening to introspective instrumentals when alone with my thoughts. I really love to write journal entries while listening to this kind of music.
I have never felt unsafe in Cape Town. Before coming here, every time I had mentioned that I would be spending six weeks in Cape Town, I was met with
A few photos as we are out and about! Click on them to see more photos of the excursion from which they were taken. Keep checking for more as the class goes along!
This course blends the classroom with excursions to make the most of what Cape Town has to teach. Try to keep up with us as we go on our next adventure!
