Cape Town Living

I'm loving life in Cape Town more and more.  Besides working at the clinic, I spend most of my time hiking, eating, and going to the beach.  Cape Town is living up to all that I dreamed, and I worry slightly that I'm falling into the "Cape coma".  Life is pretty good.

Lion's Head Full Moon Hike

View of Lion's Head from the trail

Lion's Head is one of the more relaxed hikes in Cape Town, so much so that the "Full Moon Hike" has become a favorite activity of locals and tourists alike.  We hiked up a few days before the full moon to avoid the heavy crowds.

Above the cloud line hiking Lion's Head

Unfortunately, the moon was fairly cloud-covered through the night and we couldn't rely on its light for the hike down as we'd expected.

Glimmer of the moon

Despite the clouds, the view of the city at night was stunning and our little picnic atop Lion's Head was pretty magical.  I'll definitely be hiking again the next full moon.

Holly and I atop Lion's Head

Boomslang Caves at Kalk Bay

Group inside Boomslang Cave

With VAC, a group of us trained to Kalk Bay to hike up to Boomslang Cave.  The cave itself was small but quaint, and I did enjoy the momentary thrill of complete darkness; however, the best part of the hike was emerging from the cave to the spectacular views of Kalk Bay.  

View from outside the cave

Llandudno Beach

Llandudno Beach

Llandudno Beach is a quiet little beach past the Clifton beaches to which most city dwellers escape.  I loved its size (must go at low tide though because high tide wipes the beach out almost completely) and its serenity. Although the waves cannot compare to those of Muisenburg (where I learned to surf), I certainly appreciated the quiet and lack of people.  And for those who need a little excitement in their lives, the boulders on the beach provide just enough adventure.  For a quiet beach get away, Llandudno is my new go-to.

Boulders at Llandudno Beach

Goodbye Braai for the Kiwis

Backyard Braai

Two good friends here, Jourden and Tom, packed up their bags this morning and are headed back to New Zealand.  In traditional South African style, we celebrated them with a braai.  Dough wrapped boerewers, chips, and cider highlighted the night.

Braaiing Boerewers and veggies

Delicious South African Chips

Changing a Culture

Excuse my ranting, but I've been in South Africa for four weeks and the one question that continually wracks my brain is: How do you change culture without changing it?  

I am a nostalgic person.  I dream of the Victorian era to the days of flappers and prohibition, and of course, I dream of the 60s from which epic music arose.  I dream of my childhood, of the days when we'd catch lightening bugs and roll down grassy knolls for hours, of days before the Internet and cell phones in which snail mail and punctuality existed.  Yet, as nostalgic of a person as I may be, I simultaneously believe that communities must continue to evolve, preserving the delicacies of culture while moving forward to a more prosperous future.

My question to you is, how do you change a culture without changing a culture?  How do you retain those qualities of a culture that produce the euphoric feeling when looking back whilst simultaneously propelling it forward for the greater good of the community?  I was raised a sensitive person, both to other people's feelings as well as to cultural differences.  "Treat everyone how you want to be treated" is a common phrase out of my mother's mouth, and although I do have my snarky moments and low points in which I find myself being critical of others or a tad bullish, I try to take a step back and think about the big picture, everyone is different, and it's OK for things not to go my way.  As a "citizen of the world", I've always tried to maintain my sensitivity and am very slow to process judgements when in a foreign country.  I've always had the mindset that criticizing a foreign culture is completely taboo and tried to avoid the "colonizer/Western/American" mindset that my way is the right way.  But at what point is this a hindrance to improving a society?  I'm much less afraid of criticizing myself, my peers, and my culture if I believe that the criticism is constructive and for the greater good.  If the cultural norm is a hindrance to society, why not change the norm?

This leads me to the topic of health and the health care system in South Africa.  For the last four weeks (a very small amount of time and not nearly enough to establish substantial opinions about anything) I've been interning in a clinic in the township of Crossroads.   This clinic is specifically for the poorest people in Africa who receive their health care for free, subsidized by the government.  Crossroads is a primary care facility in which the majority of patients come through with problems associated with hypertension and diabetes, stemming mostly from their poor diet and weight.  Red meat and pap (corn meal similar to grits) are the staple diet of most South Africans, and unfortunately, it's this staple that is so detrimental to their health and the health of the country.  Every day, I hear the doctor telling patients to stop eating salt, no more soda, no more candy, and try to exercise.  Yet time and time again, the same patients come in with high blood pressure or out of control sugar and have no understanding of cause and effect.   How do you get an entire culture to stop eating so much and get out and move (where is Michelle Obama right now?  South Africa could use her).

The system here is being abused.  Because patients do not understand that it is lifestyle that is causing health problems, they have not made the connection in changing those habits, but they have made the connection between pills and treatment.  And because of their poverty, these pills are free, subsidized by the government.  My question for the government is, wouldn't it be more advantageous to instead invest in lifestyle education and subsidies for healthy food so that pap and soda are not the "affordable" choice.  In the end, isn't the "affordable choice" unsustainable and unaffordable?

Back to the question, how do you change a culture without changing its culture.  I love the idea of large family meals of pap and a large braii of fresh red meats, dancing, music, and jolly conversing.  But it needs to be learned that this cannot be the norm, but the exception, and that healthy foods need to balance these feasts out.  Now there are plenty of patients in the clinic who do understand the doctors and follow their instructions religiously.  I admire these patients greatly for their ability to overcome the social norms and work hard to become healthy and enrich their lives.  And I worry about my attitude every day--am I too western, do I have the colonizer mentality?  Or is my desire to impress upon people the advantages of a healthy lifestyle justified?

Over the next four weeks in Cape Town, my goal is to understand better the public health in South Africa, and learn what campaigns are contributing to the goal of a healthy population.  From what I've witnessed so far, the public health system in South Africa is unsustainable as people are too reliant on the government's free health care and free medicine.  I want to see what South Africa is doing to increase the health of its people so that they can spend less time in the long ques of community health clinics, and more time working and enjoying their lives.  I'm excited about learning more at Crossroads and engaging in debate with the doctors and nurses over the best treatment options.  In this time, I hope to finally understand how to improve a society without extinguishing its cultural vibrancy.

Note: This is not a problem of just South Africa.  Look at the United States and our current obesity problem.  Similarly, the US as a whole cannot afford the growing health care costs associated with unhealthy lifestyles.  I hope to use this experience to better understand how I can contribute positively to society when I return home.

Up The Creek

This past weekend, I went to a music festival called Up the Creek.  Lounging on a creek listening to live music all weekend was a perfect way to spend my time.  Some of my favorite bands included Peachy Keen, the Kongos, and Hot Water.

Beautiful drive to the creek

Girls by the creek

The river stage overlooked the creek so we could see and hear the bands all day

(Untitled due to lack of theme)

Cape Town living is going well.  I'm adjusting to living in the city and interning every day at the clinic.  I was having a hard time at first because of how spread out and un-communter friendly I find the city, but I'm learning more and more everyday and feel much more comfortable than even a week ago.  I live in the suburb of Observatory, and it's an easy train ride into Cape Town proper and from there, an easy mini-bus ride to basically anywhere in the city.  Unfortunately, the crime rate in Cape Town is still pretty high and using these services past dusk is not an option, and so my dependency on cabs and friends with cars is greater than I'd prefer.  Many of you know that I love walking, and I've been spoiled by living in great cities like DC and Buenos Aires where you can walk for blocks through many neighborhoods.  That's not the case in Cape Town, but I know that I'll grow to love this city just as much as the others and find its strengths in other areas.  Each day I feel more independent and excited about the opportunities to explore.

Last week I had my first Xhosa class, celebrated Australia day with my Australian roommates, ate Springbok, and rebuilt a garden at the township clinic in Guguletu

An Australian-South African-American-style "Australia Day" Celebration

Our finished garden at Guguletu Hospital

The J&B Met

This past weekend, I went to the Met horse race in Cape Town, at Kenilworth Stadium.  Apparently, this race is a big deal and all of South Africa, including Johannesburg, comes to Cape Town for the weekend, not only for the races but for the after parties.  Every year, the Met has a theme, and this year it was "Made Different."  This means that your outfit should not be made of "traditional" fabric.  The costumes were incredibly inventive and you could tell many people labored over their creations.  Unfortunately (and slightly on purpose), my friends, most attendees, and I missed this memo and just showed up in our racing finest.  Unlike races that I've been to in the Southeastern US, here in Cape Town, your "racing finest" can range from the elaborate costumes to cocktail style and even to your finest "prom night" attire.  Also, the girls in South Africa are not afraid of tackling the grass with their highest high heels--a conquest I'd rather not attempt.  Between the races, fashion was the main event.  People walked away with grand prizes for winning the costume contests.  Fashion at the Met is not a laughing matter.

Besides the fashion, there was obviously the horse racing.  Although I placed no bets (boring I know, yada yada), my friends did and several of them walk away with a few hundred Rand.  So all in all, I think they walked away about $15 richer each.  I guess it's better than walking away poorer.

Also--highlighted below, a couple of friends and I bumped into Schalk Burger, one of the nation's top rugby players.  Obviously we had not idea who he was, but why not be obnoxious and still make him take a picture with us?  Overall, I'd forgotten how much I love horses and horse racing and the event was a success and a great South African cultural experience.

South African Rugby Player, Schalk Burger

Devil's Peak

On Sunday, a few friends and I went for a hike up Devil's Peak.  Being my first hike in Cape Town, I knew it'd be challenging, however, my expectations were greatly surpassed.  We're in the middle of summer here, and the sun is unlike any sun I've felt (and I grew up in the armpit of heat that is Columbia, SC).  It felt great to make it to the top, and the 360 degree view of the city and sprawling suburbs was breath-taking.  The Cape is such an amazing area, flat lands randomly interrupted by these massive mountains, dividing into hundreds of little communities.   The hike down was a little painful and exhausting, but definitely worth it now that I'm recovered.

Mid-way through the hike, in the "saddle" between Table Mountain and Devil's Peak

View of Table Mountain (left) and Lion's Head (right) from the top of Devil's Peak

View of Cape Town from the top of Devil's Peak 

So relieved we made it to the top

Sunday night, I also ventured to Camps Bay (a very posh area of Cape Town) to see local celebrity electronica band, Goldfish.  I have seen my fair amount of DJs and electronica music, and I have to say that I was very impressed, for they were nothing like I've seen before.  Besides the traditional mixing of beats, they each play instruments like the Saxophone, the keyboard, the double bass, and the D-beam (insert awe here).  They also invited in a singer and a rapper intermittently throughout the show and played with them.  So I'm officially a big fan and after the show I talked with them a bit.  Anyone in Miami in March should go see them.  Besides that, they unfortunately don't make it to the US often (not yet at least).  Luckily, they'll still be playing Sundays in Camps Bay for the remaining summer Sundays here so cheers to making it out there more!  Give the guys a listen!

courtesy Goldfish

Eating and Beaching

Last Thursday, two staff from VAC invited us to their house in Nyanga (a township not too far from where I work in Cross Roads).  We arrived with a greeting by a local music/dance group.  At first I was very unsure of my feelings towards this event.  I have spent little time in townships, but from what I understand, they are very poor areas that the blacks, coloureds, and Indians were forced to live in under the Apartheid, and although that is now ended, many still live in the townships and have been unable to rise from the poverty and suppression of previous decades.  However, many successful Africans will choose to remain in the townships even after they achieve "success" in our perhaps distorted mindset of wealth equals success and happiness.  Andrew, who works for VAC, is one of those that has remained in the township and lives in a modest, yet beautiful house in a vibrant area.  As I have witnessed the respect he has of both colleagues and of his community, I began to feel at ease at the idea of the Braai and local entertainment. The uneasy feeling of "White Tourist Comes to Poor Africa" lightened and in set a night of friends sharing cultural traditions and good food.  

True Cape Jazz -  this kid was exceptional

Traditional South African food is centered around a Braai, and this night, our plates were filled with ribs, chicken, and sausage along with a vegetable satay over "pap".  Pap is very similar to grits and a local staple.  Bland by itself, pap adds great depth and texture to the meal and attributed to my reaching food coma status by the end of the night.

Traditional South African Braai as prepared by VAC staff, Ivy

On Saturday morning, I awoke early to head to the Old Biscuit Mill which is  foodies dream come true.  Local artisans set up their organic food, crafts, and clothes for South Africans and tourists to file in throughout the day.  I am not an eloquent enough writer to describe the event (nor am I a great photographer, sorry), but simply put, it's Eastern Market on steroids.  Cheeses, meats, fruits, and veggies proudly serve as the base to the Mill but you can get burgers, pizza, falafel, flat breads, frozen yogurt and my favorite, Belgium Waffles.  Organic Heaven.  

This weekend I spent as much time at the beach as possible.  On Saturday, I went to Muizenberg and my friend Bryant taught me to surf.  I got up twice so I'm considering a life change and going pro.  But seriously, surfing is hard!  It looks so easy in the movies, you just swim out and catch a wave--in real life, the swimming out part took about 30 minutes and after each wave you had another 15 minute trek back out to where you started.  I still enjoyed the rush of adrenaline riding the wave and hope to surf more in the upcoming months here.

Muizenberg Beach, where I learned to surf

I also went down to Simons Town and Boulder Beach where penguins own the beaches.  It was very similar to my experience in Peninsula Valdez in Puerto Madryn, Argentina, penguins relaxing on the rocks and beach, just doing their own thing.  Overall, it's a beautiful experience to lie on the beach and share that experience with the penguins.  Who knew we were so alike?

Boulder Beach, Simons Town.  Can you spot the penguins?

In sum, the beaches here are beautiful so cheers to many more weekends at the beach.

First days in Cape Town

Molo, Unjani?

Last Saturday, after the 26 hour trip to get to Cape Town, I arrived safely in the hands of my friend Cydnee who was kind enough to be my chauffeur and guide for the weekend.  Refusing to allow myself to get jet lagged, we went to lunch with a group of her friends at a local chain cafe.  It was a nice ex-pat group travelling through Southern Africa and hearing their stories of work and travel only excited me more about the upcoming months of travelling and people-meeting.

Cydnee and I out my first night

The weekend included a braai (Afrikaaner's word for bbq) where I got to meet South Africans,  Zimbabweans, and other Americans, touring around Greenpoint (Cydnee's neighborhood), and an outdoor concert at Kirstenbosch Park to see Johnny Clegg perform.  Kirstenbosch might be one of the most scenic and lush places I've been--definitely the coolest outdoor concert venue I've been.

Johnny Clegg Concert

Kirstenbosch

It was great to see Johnny Clegg perform and watch the dancing woman and crowd.  Cydnee mentioned that South Africans are serious picnicers but it was nothing I imagined.  The food, drinks, and overall geniality of the experience was very inspiring.

Over the last few days, I've moved into my house in which I'm renting a room with mostly other volunteers and travellers from Oregon, Michigan, Germany, Australia, and then two local South Africans who have been a great source to turn to for the millions of questions I ask.  I've also gone through a Cape Town orientation and traveled around the city to get my bearings.  It's not a lie that this is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

View of Cape Town from Table Mountain Road

Camps Bay

Yesterday I started interning at Cross Roads Community Health Clinic, a primary/basic care health center that is overflowing with people, understaffed, and very hot, but the spirit of the sisters (nurses) and staff is exceptionally high and I've enjoyed meeting everyone.  In South Africa, most of the blacks speak Xhosa (the x is a click, so it kind of sounds like "Khosa" but with a click instead of a "K"), so the language barrier has proved to be a little frustrating but I do love listening to it and hearing all the clicks as it so strange to anything I've ever heard before.

Cross Roads Community Health Center

I spent the first day in the BANC (Basic AnteNatal Care) Center after I told them of my interest in obstetrics.  Basically, BANC is a WHO-initiative for women to receive antenatal care until they are 32-34 weeks pregnant (as long as they are healthy).  This relieves stress on the actual maternity clinics and labor wards as they only take charge of those with high risk pregnancies and those at the end of pregnancy.  Sister Siyo was the only nurse in the unit and her role was to listen to the heart beat (no Doppler, just a little wooden instrument that looks like a horn that she puts up to the stomach to hear), check vitals, and measure the women.  If something is abnormal, she refers the patient to the doctor, and I actually walked a patient and presented her case to the doctor yesterday.  She told me it was good practice for my future career, and overall, I am so thankful for all her guidance and encouragement throughout the day and hope to spend more time with her.

Today I spent the day in the pharmacy, where I never imagined going, but it was a very enlightening process.  The pharmacy was about what you might think, very similar to US pharmacies but slightly less efficient and about 100x more chaotic.  The great thing about being back there was talking to all the staff--it was a day spent learning and teaching about our respective cultures.  I learned that the inside of a cow is apparently the best meat, and they were SHOCKED that I've never had cow heart.  They were also shocked at how "plain and normal" (their words) I look as they assumed Americans all look like Beyonce--where was all my bling??  I'm glad I could set that straight for them.

Noluyolo and I in the pharmacy

Overall it's been a great time in Cape Town.  I'm going to another Braai tonight with my program out in the township of Nyunga where they'll be music, "street soccer" and tons of food.  This weekend, I will be hiking up Elephant's Eye and spending as much time on the beach as possible.  Next week, I'm looking forward to more work in the clinic, Xhosa classes, and as always, meeting new people!  Cheers :)

Headed to Cape Town!

Tomorrow I head to Cape Town.  As most of you know, I’m interested in public health and going to medical school in August.  Before I head to school, I have to get some traveling out of my system—I have a rather irrational fear that after med school I’m going to be so broke and indebted to banks and government and parents that I will never travel again.  So here’s to making the most of the next seven months!

For the first two months, I’ll be interning at Crossroads Community Health Center in the Crossroads township outside of Cape Town.  I am eager to gain exposure to South Africa’s health care system and its treatments for infectious disease and maternal health.  After the internship, I’ve got a blank slate.  I want to make the most out of my current freedom and be open and flexible, so if you have any suggestions, shoot them my way—I’m thinking Southeast Asia.

In the meantime, I’ll keep you up to date on what’s happening in Cape Town.  If you’ve made it this far and you’re not related to me, congrats, I’ll try not to bore you. 

Side note: I started (and stopped) this blog about a year and a half ago when I lived and worked in DC and thought I was interesting and novel.  I like to believe that I have greater self awareness and realize that I am not as witty and appreciated as I so naively assumed.   Feel free to read past entries—hope you get a good laugh.