SPRINGBOKS WIN!
Last night South Africa's rugby team beat England 15 to 6 in an outstanding game in St.Denis. I was at the Springbok pub for the game, and I must say I got pretty into it. I think I will have to buy a jersey now.
Reasons we won:
Better than England
More attractive than England
Smarter than England
Better teeth than England
Let me put it this way...
South African Flag: R50 ($7)
4 Ciders: R46 ($6.50)
Knowing that Africa is making a comeback and throwing history in England's face: Priceless.
Love, Katy
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Friday, October 19, 2007
spurned by the jammie
The title of my blog is, after all, "Ode to a Jammie". Well Jammie, now I loathe thee more than ever. Today I schlepped my lovely bag of health food up the equivalent of 6 flights of stairs in 27 degrees (mid-80s) to get to the upper Jammie stop. As I get to the top I see a shuttle that says "Liesbeek Gardens". I think "hallelujah". I'm hot and I'm tired and I have a headache; life couldn't be better. I get on and take a seat..... the bus goes to FORREST HILL. I hate Forrest Hill. Every damn shuttle goes to Forrest Hill and none of them go to my res. EVERYONE gets off at Forrest Hill. Everyone except for me. Apparently the sign on the front of the bus said Liesbeek, but the sign on the side said Forrest Hill. It gets worse. The guy takes me back to lower campus and we pass a Liesbeek shuttle that is leaving. The nice driver asks the other one to stop and let me on, and as I go to hop on he drives away becasue the COPS are behind him trying to get them to move. The Jammie drives away. Then I wait another 15 minutes for a Liesbeek shuttle amongst all the drunk people getting ready for the Springbock rugby finals tomorrow. I know...my life is so hard. It's a love-hate struggle for me and the Jammie. I depend on it, but it's not always good to me...
Speaking of rugby... TOMORROW = EPIC HISTORY. The Rugby FINALS. England vs. South Africa. Colonizer vs. Former Colony. This is important. I don't know anything about rugby except that it's violent, but I am going to the pub tomorrow and rooting for South Africa to cut England. We need this. This is UBUNTU (unity-- i am you and you are me--it's a complicated concept)! I've been told that last time when they won in 1995, people stormed Main Road and they had to shut it down for the night. I'm going to be there! I'm going to storm Main Road if we win! Oh I cannot wait.
On a more practical note, I had an epiphany this week. There is this wonderful gift shop in the National Gallery. This woman who sells baskets, jewelry, cards, etc all made by community projects all over Southern Africa. Here's my plan: buy from community art projects which directly benefit the artists (often women) who really deserve and need the money and sell them at home and at the 5Cs, and give the proceeds to charities in Africa!!! Bomb plan, right?! I've found my calling. I'll sell at the Scripps craft fair and at the WU maybe? Get ready people!
That's about it. I have a lot of work over the next two weeks. UCT is not joke man. It's hectic, as they would say. I just want to be done and rent a car! I can taste the freedom!
Also, everyone wish my mom a Happy 50th Birthday on Saturday. Her email is dianneloeb@hotmail.com Thanks!
Love, Katy
Speaking of rugby... TOMORROW = EPIC HISTORY. The Rugby FINALS. England vs. South Africa. Colonizer vs. Former Colony. This is important. I don't know anything about rugby except that it's violent, but I am going to the pub tomorrow and rooting for South Africa to cut England. We need this. This is UBUNTU (unity-- i am you and you are me--it's a complicated concept)! I've been told that last time when they won in 1995, people stormed Main Road and they had to shut it down for the night. I'm going to be there! I'm going to storm Main Road if we win! Oh I cannot wait.
On a more practical note, I had an epiphany this week. There is this wonderful gift shop in the National Gallery. This woman who sells baskets, jewelry, cards, etc all made by community projects all over Southern Africa. Here's my plan: buy from community art projects which directly benefit the artists (often women) who really deserve and need the money and sell them at home and at the 5Cs, and give the proceeds to charities in Africa!!! Bomb plan, right?! I've found my calling. I'll sell at the Scripps craft fair and at the WU maybe? Get ready people!
That's about it. I have a lot of work over the next two weeks. UCT is not joke man. It's hectic, as they would say. I just want to be done and rent a car! I can taste the freedom!
Also, everyone wish my mom a Happy 50th Birthday on Saturday. Her email is dianneloeb@hotmail.com Thanks!
Love, Katy
Sunday, October 14, 2007
sharks!
I have had another successfully fun-filled weekend. Never a dull moment in CT. On Friday I went to the Jewish Museum with my friend Leah. We have been trying for the last month to get there but inevitably there has been a holiday/holyday every single Friday. The museum was a bit kitchy. There was a reconstructed schtetel, along with strange videos of men with Lithuanian accents. It wasn’t as sophisticated as I would have wanted, but they got their point across.
Friday night Leah and I were back at Hiddingh for a play called Women Beware Women. One of the actors—the guy who plays the uncle who is having an affair with his niece—is sitting outside the window from me at Cocoa Wah Wah right now! CT is kind of small sometimes. The acting was great. I encourage you to google the play because it was quite confusing. It definitely has some feminist commentary to it, but I’m not quite sure how to explain.
Saturday I went SHARK CAGE DIVING! It was on my list of things that I didn’t need to do while here in CT, but I then I won two tickets…so I obviously had to. Some sort of gift from the gods I suppose, though it wasn’t as ethereal as I expected. 4 of us went. It was a seriously long journey. We got picked up at 9:30, drove two hours to Hermanus, and didn’t get back until 8pm. It was a beautiful drive. We got to had lunch and a snack served to us, though I could only eat the fruit due to this damn cleanse (more on that later). We saw a lot of sharks, and luckily the water was calm so NO ONE barfed. I did not get in the cage because they were throwing so much chum (fish guts) in the water that I was too grossed out. Plus we had a better view from the boat. It was cool. I don’t really know how to describe it. There was a lot of waiting, but the few moments when the sharks came out for the bait was cool. Check out the pictures on facebook!
This morning I went to NIA. I had almost enough energy to do it all. This cleanse is making me feel great now that I got over the two days of sugar and caffeine withdrawals. I didn’t realize how dependent on those things I was until I stated getting headaches and couldn’t focus without them. The amount of crap we eat sometimes is scary. I’m not saying I’m going to stop drinking coffee, but there are certain things I think I will really try not to eat, like processed sugar. No more candy bars. Goodbye Kit Kats.
I have 2 weeks left of classes. I have 3 papers and a project due within those weeks, and then I have finals. It’s going to be rough! In 5 weeks I leave for Scotland, and I will be home a month from Wednesday. Unbelievable, non?
I hope everyone is well.
Love, Katy
Friday night Leah and I were back at Hiddingh for a play called Women Beware Women. One of the actors—the guy who plays the uncle who is having an affair with his niece—is sitting outside the window from me at Cocoa Wah Wah right now! CT is kind of small sometimes. The acting was great. I encourage you to google the play because it was quite confusing. It definitely has some feminist commentary to it, but I’m not quite sure how to explain.
Saturday I went SHARK CAGE DIVING! It was on my list of things that I didn’t need to do while here in CT, but I then I won two tickets…so I obviously had to. Some sort of gift from the gods I suppose, though it wasn’t as ethereal as I expected. 4 of us went. It was a seriously long journey. We got picked up at 9:30, drove two hours to Hermanus, and didn’t get back until 8pm. It was a beautiful drive. We got to had lunch and a snack served to us, though I could only eat the fruit due to this damn cleanse (more on that later). We saw a lot of sharks, and luckily the water was calm so NO ONE barfed. I did not get in the cage because they were throwing so much chum (fish guts) in the water that I was too grossed out. Plus we had a better view from the boat. It was cool. I don’t really know how to describe it. There was a lot of waiting, but the few moments when the sharks came out for the bait was cool. Check out the pictures on facebook!
This morning I went to NIA. I had almost enough energy to do it all. This cleanse is making me feel great now that I got over the two days of sugar and caffeine withdrawals. I didn’t realize how dependent on those things I was until I stated getting headaches and couldn’t focus without them. The amount of crap we eat sometimes is scary. I’m not saying I’m going to stop drinking coffee, but there are certain things I think I will really try not to eat, like processed sugar. No more candy bars. Goodbye Kit Kats.
I have 2 weeks left of classes. I have 3 papers and a project due within those weeks, and then I have finals. It’s going to be rough! In 5 weeks I leave for Scotland, and I will be home a month from Wednesday. Unbelievable, non?
I hope everyone is well.
Love, Katy
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Yesterday was, as my friend Elena would say, BOMB. I got a stupendous grade on my Diversity Studies paper and the tutor told me that I really got at the issues. AND I bonded with my favorite professor here over Bruce Springsteen. Basically I got a ride home because 1.) it was on his way and 2.) we love Bruce. During the 12 minute ride we discussed Bruce, UCT, teaching (which he doesn't like, bummer) and how NJ is the armpit of America.
Today I am starting the 10 day cleanse I am doing with Leah and Elena. I'm eating only raw fruits, vegetable, nuts and seeds. I already feel out of it. It's going to be good though I think. Cleaning shop so to speak.
Today I am starting the 10 day cleanse I am doing with Leah and Elena. I'm eating only raw fruits, vegetable, nuts and seeds. I already feel out of it. It's going to be good though I think. Cleaning shop so to speak.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Mzoli's Part II
New life plan:
Go home to the U.S., open a braai place. Not barbeque...braai. Employ people from Guguletu (one of the major black townships). Cook the best meat with the best spice mix. Sell cider! Have a DJ! Play bomb South African House music. Make people bring their own meat or buy it there (I'm pretty sure that in itself would get us a B in LA County). When I say buy it there I mean walk into a place that looks like a butcher shop. Then send them to another station to buy alcohol, and have that station be in a converted train car with a decaying couch.
Yes. Mzoli's II.
Love, Katy
Go home to the U.S., open a braai place. Not barbeque...braai. Employ people from Guguletu (one of the major black townships). Cook the best meat with the best spice mix. Sell cider! Have a DJ! Play bomb South African House music. Make people bring their own meat or buy it there (I'm pretty sure that in itself would get us a B in LA County). When I say buy it there I mean walk into a place that looks like a butcher shop. Then send them to another station to buy alcohol, and have that station be in a converted train car with a decaying couch.
Yes. Mzoli's II.
Love, Katy
Saturday, October 6, 2007
First of all, check out that link! It's about time I'd say...
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7031142.stm
Last night I went to Queen at the Ballet, which is essentially a ballet to Queen songs. Makes sense right? Here's what I learned, ballet dancers are incredibly disciplined. They can do anything, and i'm glad I'm not one of them. Some of the things they do look painful. At any rate it was fun to put on a dress and hit the town with Sam, Leah, Laura and Taylor, even though we had to wait for L'Archie for a very long time.
Yesterday Leah and took the Hiddingh Campus shuttle again. It's a friday ritual now. It's fantastic. We went to a place called the Afro Cafe. The entire motif is very ecclectic with a lot of bright colors and a cartoon face of a guy with sunglasses and an afro. T.I.A.
I started a new volunteering project (even though it's only for a month) at the Lawrence House, which is a childrens home for refugees. Basically I just help with homework for a couple of hours.
I will be flying to Scotland 6 weeks from today. I was going to say that I cannot really believe it, but that's a lie. I can. I feel like I've been here a long time. I think there will be a lot of things that I miss about south Africa, and I know this going to be the most exciting my life gets for awhile, but I think I will be ready to leave, especially after all the work I have to do in the next 3 weeks before classes end and BEFORE final exams. oy vey.
One thing that struck me this week was that I was on the Jammie driving through Mowbray bus station, I noticed a woman with a baby strapped to her back, holding onto the hand of a 3 year old on one side, and a holding grocery bags on the other arm. I cannot believe I complain about my bag being too heavy.
I was really happy to be able to talk to a lot of friends on Skype this weeks. thanks kids i love you!
Love, Katy
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7031142.stm
Last night I went to Queen at the Ballet, which is essentially a ballet to Queen songs. Makes sense right? Here's what I learned, ballet dancers are incredibly disciplined. They can do anything, and i'm glad I'm not one of them. Some of the things they do look painful. At any rate it was fun to put on a dress and hit the town with Sam, Leah, Laura and Taylor, even though we had to wait for L'Archie for a very long time.
Yesterday Leah and took the Hiddingh Campus shuttle again. It's a friday ritual now. It's fantastic. We went to a place called the Afro Cafe. The entire motif is very ecclectic with a lot of bright colors and a cartoon face of a guy with sunglasses and an afro. T.I.A.
I started a new volunteering project (even though it's only for a month) at the Lawrence House, which is a childrens home for refugees. Basically I just help with homework for a couple of hours.
I will be flying to Scotland 6 weeks from today. I was going to say that I cannot really believe it, but that's a lie. I can. I feel like I've been here a long time. I think there will be a lot of things that I miss about south Africa, and I know this going to be the most exciting my life gets for awhile, but I think I will be ready to leave, especially after all the work I have to do in the next 3 weeks before classes end and BEFORE final exams. oy vey.
One thing that struck me this week was that I was on the Jammie driving through Mowbray bus station, I noticed a woman with a baby strapped to her back, holding onto the hand of a 3 year old on one side, and a holding grocery bags on the other arm. I cannot believe I complain about my bag being too heavy.
I was really happy to be able to talk to a lot of friends on Skype this weeks. thanks kids i love you!
Love, Katy
Monday, October 1, 2007
WYYYYNBEEERGGG!
Unfortunately this post is going to have to be relatively short because I actually already wrote it until my internet crapped out again and I lost it all.
Today I had SHAWCO where I volunteer at St.Georges home for girls in Wynberg. Every week the bus driver takes our group on a different route. This week we went down Main Road through Claremont and into Wynberg. Suddenly I found myself in an unfamiliar and “dodge” neighborhood according to one of the girls in the van. Little did I know that it was the WYNBERG MINIBUS STATION! You may not fully appreciate this unless you are here in Cape Town with me, but it was like having a revelation. Wynnberg is the end of the line! My world does not exist past Wynberg. When we take mini bus taxis it’s for 5 or ten minutes to Obz or to Claremont, that’s IT! The place was definitely unkempt (which is why it earned the dodge comment), but something about it was very European. Small sidewalks, old deteriorating buildings. It was 6:20pm and the place was bumping. There was a lot of yelling, which is a taxi driver’s best asset obviously, hence what I’ve been trying to tell you all about “Claremont. Claremont. Wyyennnbbeeeeerg!” I wish I could have a sound clip of it to keep forever. I might even miss the mini bus taxi drivers yelling….
Also, I saw this girl on campus today for probably the fourth time. She strikes me because she must have some sort of skin condition, possibly albinism, but she’s definitely of African descent and hangs out with Black Students. So I’ll leave you with this question: Does she benefit from white privilege? Hmmmm
Love, Katy
Today I had SHAWCO where I volunteer at St.Georges home for girls in Wynberg. Every week the bus driver takes our group on a different route. This week we went down Main Road through Claremont and into Wynberg. Suddenly I found myself in an unfamiliar and “dodge” neighborhood according to one of the girls in the van. Little did I know that it was the WYNBERG MINIBUS STATION! You may not fully appreciate this unless you are here in Cape Town with me, but it was like having a revelation. Wynnberg is the end of the line! My world does not exist past Wynberg. When we take mini bus taxis it’s for 5 or ten minutes to Obz or to Claremont, that’s IT! The place was definitely unkempt (which is why it earned the dodge comment), but something about it was very European. Small sidewalks, old deteriorating buildings. It was 6:20pm and the place was bumping. There was a lot of yelling, which is a taxi driver’s best asset obviously, hence what I’ve been trying to tell you all about “Claremont. Claremont. Wyyennnbbeeeeerg!” I wish I could have a sound clip of it to keep forever. I might even miss the mini bus taxi drivers yelling….
Also, I saw this girl on campus today for probably the fourth time. She strikes me because she must have some sort of skin condition, possibly albinism, but she’s definitely of African descent and hangs out with Black Students. So I’ll leave you with this question: Does she benefit from white privilege? Hmmmm
Love, Katy
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