Homestay weekend was an enriching
weekend where we were able to engage directly in a local community and take
part in daily life there. On Thursday evening when we arrived we were taken
around the community by Chantel, our very sweet and enthusiastic guide, who
gave us insight into the history and geography of the community. Ocean View is
a community formed during the apartheid era after the Group Areas Act deemed
certain places “whites only” and then forcibly removed the current inhabitant
moving them to far away and far less desirable locations. When removed from
their home, often with very little, notice people were grouped according to
race in different communities where the apartheid government decided it would
be acceptable for them to live. They were taken out of their own communities
and forces to start anew in a new place with new people. My host mother for the
weekend, Auntie Netta, for example was given a week’s notice to leave the
beautiful beach town of Noordhoek for Ocean View and she and her ten brothers
and sisters were forced to live in accommodations much smaller than their
original home and completely inadequate for a family of their size.
After learning a bit about the
background of the community we headed to Auntie Bernie’s where all 26 of us
were treated to a delicious meal traditional to the Coloured people of South
Africa. This cuisine draws influence from Cape Malay and Indian culture as well
as traditional African cuisine. The highlight of the meal was definitely a
delicious custard dessert with fresh watermelon. After dinner we were brought
to meet our new families for the weekend. Jen and I met Auntie Netta, perhaps
the kindest woman you could ever meet. She welcomed us wholeheartedly into her
home and we exchanged stories over tea about her life and ours.
The next day was Valentine’s Day and
we headed to the crèche, a care center for young children, bright and early
where we were paired with a partner child for the day whom we would watch as we
distributed valentines to the community. My partner child and I both colored in
big purple hearts adorned with puffy stickers and took lots of pictures
together before heading out to pass out our valentines. We walked along the
sidewalks and handed out our cards before convening together at the park for a
sing along. Next we headed to Imhoff farm where we visited the petting zoo.
There was a whole assortment of animals up for petting and others who quickly
scurried away from the forty some people impinging on their habitat. The kids
got a chance to hold bunnies, pet goats, and run swiftly from overly friendly
chickens. After lunch it was a sad goodbye to all of our partner children and
other new friends as we headed back to our host families homes.
That night we attended a talent show
at Ocean View High School in honor of Valentine’s Day after a delicious
home-cooked meal from Auntie Netta. The talent show consisted of different
singing and dancing acts as well as an entire pageant where students modeled.
After our long day playing with the kids and watching the talent show we slept
well in our new room in Ocean View.
The next day we were able to sleep
in and then piled in the cab of a truck with Aunti Netta’s daughter’s family,
also hosting some of our UConn friends, to a birthday part in Blackheath. The
drive was long but along a very scenic route along the water from Fish Hoek to
Muizenberg eventually passing Khayelitsha. At the party we were treated to more
food than we could account for and after continually being offered sweets our
stomachs were quite full. We met a really nice couple who we ended up talking
with for most of the night about cultural difference, similarities, and our
experiences so far in Cape Town.
The following day it was a very sad
goodbye to Auntie Netta as we boarded the bus to take us back home. She
welcomed us into her home, gave up her bedroom, and cooked delicious food for
perfect strangers and we already have plans to go back. These were connections
just made in one weekend so I cannot imagine what it would have been like if we
stayed longer!
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