Lauren's First Impressions

The Rhode Island crew: Lauren, Emily K, & Allie at Chapman's Peak

Our first week in Cape Town has been such a whirlwind of activities, sights, cuisines, and mostly, emotions. Even in just the first hour upon arriving, my emotions progressed through:

1.   Relief at the fact that I was no longer stuck on a plane

2.   Comfort after being greeted warmly by Marita, Vernon, Ben, and Liz

3.   Amazement at the incredible beauty of Table Mountain and the city of Cape Town

4.   Compassion towards the sight of the makeshift homes in the township that we passed on our drive, and

5.   Excitement at the prospect of arriving at our home for the next three and a half months!

Also, Marita took a few pictures of us when we first arrived in the airport and I’m sure that if you looked at those, you would see a whole lot of other (not so positive) emotions from me.

Every experience that we have had in Cape Town so far has struck me in a different way. One of our very first experiences, was when we went to a soccer game, the day after we arrived. Everyone went to the Cape Town stadium to watch the Mali versus South Africa soccer game. Or football game, I should say! I am a huge soccer fan and have been to many games, but this game had probably the most captivating, amazing group of fans I have ever seen. I am used to watching soccer games in Ireland (which mostly consists of spectators swearing at the refs and yelling at the top of their lungs) and in the U.S.  But during this game, I found myself watching the fans, almost as much as the field. One particular group of fans stood behind the goal and instead of yelling or cheering individually, they all sang, chanted, and swayed in unison. Their rhythm, unity, and enthusiasm, was awe-inspiring to me. I believe that this experience really set the tone for what our semester in Cape Town will be like – we will have a crazy amount of fun; we will interact with and form connections with the local people; and we will fall in love with the spirit of this beautiful city. It is only the first week here, and I already feel as though I am at home. I cannot wait for all the amazing adventures to come!

Fans at the Bafana, Bafana vs Mali Game at Greenpoint Stadium