Getting Acquainted

After finally getting settled in over the weekend, we started off the week with a tour of University of Cape Town and got kitted up with the university apparel.

On our free Tuesday morning we decided to explore the colorful neighborhood of Bokaap just off of Long Street where we found a place to eat brunch.

The afternoon was super inspiring after touring the Heart of Cape Town Museum – the place where the first heart transplant took place. 

The horrors of Apartheid became really apparent for us all the next morning at our visit to the District 6 museum. Our guide, who had lived during the era, told us about the thousands of families split up and forced out of their homes during the Apartheid era. District 6 was just one of many areas that was declared “white.” 

We then spent our afternoon at the Kayamandi after-school community center where kids can work on homework, practice music and acting together, and learn from health promoters about basic health care. 

The next day we conquered our fears and climbed Lion’s Head mountain at sunset. The view up top was well worth the climb. We sat and ate our packed PB&Js while taking in the beautiful landscape surrounding us. 

Our week ended with the Peninsula Tour where we drove from one attraction to another. First stop: Boulder's Beach where penguin lovers' dreams came true. Afterwards we made it to Cape Point and overlooked the place where (supposedly!) the Indian and Atlantic Oceans merge. 

As the weekend came to a close, we prepared for our next week of classes in which we will delve into intricacies of the South African health care system.