Last Week in Cape Town

I am so sorry for not staying up to date with my blog! I have been so busy living up my adventure in Cape Town!

The last month or so have been jam packed with adventures! I took a weekend trip to Aquila safari and was able to see the big five and go on horseback through the safari game park. It was an incredible experience! I went to a soccer game that was INTENSE! Took surf lessons and pretty much became pro. I went on a wine country tour that was amazing in every way, had a nice evening listening to great music at Cape Town’s summer concert series, had endless amounts of amazing food and fish, and took in so much information while working for the DA.

The DA has been just as intense as ever. I have been given opportunity after opportunity. There have been many press conferences, the internal elections ended, the ANC unfortunately passed the “secrecy bill,” and so much more.  I have enjoyed every minute working and am sad to have to leave.

I am sad to leave Cape Town and the DA but my adventures here will stay with me forever and the knowledge I will bring back with me will benefit me through the rest of my school/working career.

My next adventures include a backpacking adventure back to Jo’burg with the following stops.

·         Elephant back safari

·         Multiple safaris

·         Quad 4X4 tours

·         Durban heat and surfing

·         Backpacker lodges

·         Jo’burg

·         Snuggling with tigers

·         Kruger National Park

·         Plane ride back into the States

Cape Town = The Bomb

Sorry I haven’t kept my blog up to date; you know how life gets.  The last few weeks have flown by faster than ever! The weather hasn’t been the best but I have still managed to make the most of it. One Monday after work Brandon, Jan (my German friend that is interning at the DA), and I decided to go to the beach. We ended up climbing down tons of steps to find this amazing and secluded beach. It is in Camps Bay and is surrounded by trees and rocks, it really is awesome!! We ended up just hanging out for a while and loved it so much we went back Friday night just to play around. The water is usually FREEZING but Friday night it was perfect. We were all running around and having a great time!  Saturday the weather was rainy and cold but it was our friends last day so we decided to take a drive to Hout Bay. It was soooo cool looking, boats and mountains surrounded the beach. There was even a castle up on the hill.

Over the last few weeks everyone has been hearing about occupy Wall Street and how it is spreading around the globe and sure enough it hit Cape Town. It was lead by a 16 year old that is still in high school and appeared in the Gardens near parliament. Brandon and I wanted to see what Cape Town had to protest about and wanted to see the differences between Wall Street and Cape Town. All I have to say is they are both crazy but Cape Town was all over the place. There was a 30 minute debate about what a sign should read… it was pretty entertaining to watch.

With the weekends always being fun I would think I would have to pay the price with work being a little boring… BUT nope! Interning with the DA never gets boring! Sitting in the research office has been an experience. I am kept up to date on the world events and more importantly all South Africa’s events. I haven’t been assigned any more research projects on my own but hope to acquire some in the near future. I will keep you posted!

Also, since South Africa does not celebrate Halloween Brandon and I decided to take a little weekend holiday and go on a safari!! It is this weekend and I couldn’t be more excited! It starts with a horseback safari!!! I will be sure to take picture after picture and blog all about it when I return.

Hope all is well!! Cheers!

Right side of Camps Beach

Left side of Camps Beach

Hout Bay



Hout Bay



We tried to get to the castle but I guess someone really lives there

 





Living the Dream

The last month and a half has been like a dream; everyday I wake up to the beach right out my window and go to work with an amazing party. I have been able to see and do things that I could never have imagined. I recommend an international internship to EVERYONE! Going to the University of Utah and having a program like the HIP is one of the best opportunities I have been given.

This last week was one of the best; I went to Coldplay! That’s right! Coldplay! I saw them at the Cape Town stadium. The stadium is a block away from mine and Brandon’s apartment and it is HUGE! I have never seen so many people in one place, it was great! Brandon and I even met some American’s that were sitting right behind us and we ended up exchanging contact information and going out to Long Street after (its like New Orleans in Africa). The night was seriously an experience I will never forget!

The weekend was also something I will never forget. I finally got into the ocean and used my body board; so much fun!! Saturday was insane; Brandon and I climbed Table Mountain. It was the hardest thing I have ever done!! The hike was intense! I felt like I was back in SLC rock climbing but this time I had no gear. It was crazy but once we got to the top it was breath taking! One of the most fulfilling experiences I have had.

As for interning with the DA; I am still meeting new people daily, helping with administration tasks, and continuing helping the DA Youth Director with the Youth Unemployment research.

Cape Town has been too good to me! Hope you all enjoy the pictures and are having fun in the cold!

Cheers!

Last Couple of Weeks

Time is flying by here is Cape Town! I have been going on adventure after adventure and learning more and more about South Africa and the Democratic Alliance. My time in the office has been relatively the same since I started; meeting new people, working on admin tasks, and attending press conferences. The DA Youth Director did ask for my help in the research of entrepreneurship and ways the government can help to encourage participation. The main goal is to create jobs and get the youth moving in the right direction. It is insane to think that 72% of the youth in South Africa is unemployed. The research project with the DA Youth is quite the task but obviously something needs to be done and I am happy to help. Inside of work I always enjoy the press conferences. The most recent I attended was to announce Lindiwe Mazibuko, DA Spokespersons, campaign against current DA Parliamentary Leader, Athol Trollip. Every two and a half years there are internal elections and October 27^th I will be able to see the elections. I will let you know how it goes. Interning with the DA really is never a disappointment, they keep me busy learning all about South African politics; its GREAT!

Once I am home from work in parliament I start in on the fun stuff; exploring! About two weeks ago the weather was not too great so Brandon and I stayed inside and went to a comedy show called Monkey Nuts. It was very funny!!! I had a hard time understanding all the accents but what I could understand was great. We also were shown by a local one of the only places to get Mexican food, Fat Cactus. It was pretty good for South Africa but nothing compares to the States Mexican food. For example I was served chips (French fries) with my burrito. After our funny night of comedy and Mexican food we went to Clifton beach the next afternoon. The weather was beautiful and the beach was full of excitement. The water was still very cold but the sun and sand were awesome. On the beach it is fun to just hang out because you get people coming around selling souvenirs, drinks, and ice cream.

After our lazy weekend on the beach the last weekend was awesome! Brandon and I went with our new friends to Muizenberg beach to swim and play American football. We got to the beach and it was FREAZING, pretty disappointing but we still played football and had lunch on the beach. There was also a shark sighting so even if it was nice there was no way I was going to get into the water!! Over the weekend we also went to MONKEY TOWN!!! Monkey Town is a zoo full of crazy monkeys. My favorite part of the day was when this little baby monkey stuck his arm out of the fence and held onto my finger. It was so cute; just like a little baby haha

Hope I caught everyone up with my adventures and internship! This week is going to be a good one; we have nice weather and COLDPLAY!!!!!!

Hope all is well! Cheers!



At the Beach by my Home



Now I am really part of the team!!!

Love these little guys

Baby Monkey that held my hand

Mmmmmm

Pizza ?

Robben Island

This last Friday the weather made for a perfect day and even more, a perfect day to visit Robben Island. For those who are unaware of Robben Island, it is kind of like the Alcatraz prison in San Francisco. It has been in existence since the Dutch settled into the Cape and has been used for everything from a prison to a hospital for leprosy. It is most well known for the time during the Apartheid Republic of South Africa, 1961-1994. During this time it was used as maximum security of political prisoners and criminal prisoners, including President Nelson Mandela. My adventure at the island was incredible and I walked away having tremendous respect for those who were held at Robben Island during the Apartheid time. For a period of time I was given the opportunity to talk with an actual prisoner during that time. It gave me goose-bumps when he spoke of his time and what he went through and gained from the island.   

After the tour of Robben Island I stuck around the waterfront and was able to explore and eat some awesome fish and chips. The waterfront may be my new favorite hang out place due to the fact that they have REAL American ice cream, they have pirates ships, and aboard the ships they have people dressed as pirates. Awesome right? Right!

Just a side note… Good job Utes, what a game!!

Cheers!!!!

Another Exciting and Adventurous Week

Work is never a disappointment; once again I was meeting important people and being involved in important conversations. The most thrilling part of the week for me was when I was able to meet with the youth director for the DA. She was so passionate about her work with the DA and with the youth of South Africa. Here in South Africa there is a big problem with unemployment and unemployment with the youth (ages 16-25). They are the future of the country and with this being such a barrier the director of the DA youth is putting a main focus on ways to help and improve the unemployment and barrier’s they are facing. When I was listening to her explain what she does and wants to do I kept thinking to myself, “I have to find a way to work with the DA youth program” and to my luck when we were wrapping up our conversation she mentioned that she was going to ask my supervisor if she could use my help for a research topic. I will keep everyone posted on the DA youth and continue to cross my fingers that I will be able to help out.

In the two weeks I have been studying in South Africa I have loved every minute of it. However, I sure do miss home. It is hard to hear the voices of my loved ones and know that I won’t be able to hug them for 3ish months… Bahhhh makes me sad. BUT what does not make me sad are penguins!  I had no idea that South Africa had so many penguins!!!!! Saturday I traveled about 40 minutes to Simons Town. Once there I was welcomed by HUNDREDS of cute penguins! The best part is I was able to sneak and pet one of them. You are not supposed to pet the penguins because they bite, but I was lucky enough to catch one off guard; don’t worry I still have all my fingers.

Up the road from Simmons Town there was this exquisite sea food restaurant. I decided to give it a try and wow, it was good! The food in South Africa is very different than back home and sometimes a little frightening to try but once I give in I do not regret it.  From the restaurant I made the 15 minute trek to the Cape of Good Hope (the southernmost part of Africa). This place was unexplainable… I really have no words other than, who else can say that they have seen and put their feet in two oceans at once? Beautiful and breathtaking.

To sum my last two weeks up, below is a list of some of the things I have done…

1.)    Johannesburg

2.)    Apartheid Museum

3.)    Got Lost on the freeways

4.)    Meet a few amazing south African families

5.)    Snuggled a lion cub

6.)    Ran on the beach

7.)    Started work with the DA

8.)    Explored the Sea Point area (Where my apartment is)

9.)    Got Lost

10.) Taught some of my new South African friends how to play American football

11.)  Ate at some bomber restaurants

12.)  Shopping J

13.)  PENGUINS

14.)  The Cape of Good Hope

15.)  Feel in love with South Africa

Hope you all enjoy the pictures and wish you were here with me!

Cheers!!

Hi-Ho-Hi-Ho it is Off to Work I Go…

Last Monday I started officially working as an intern for the Democratic Alliance in Cape Town, South Africa. My first week and a half has flown by and I cannot wait for the many more I have to come.

My first day at the DA has been the most memorable “first day” I have had in my working career. It began a little hectic but only because there was a press conference that was being held by the DA that day, in fact it was held an hour after I arrived. I was briefly showed around and then told that I was to attend the press conference. Attending a press conference my first day was something I had never thought about, so being invited with one on my first day was extremely exciting. In brief, the DA called for a debate with President Zuma on the growing list of state deals that have been beneficial to President Zuma, his family, and friends. I loved every minute of the unexpected press conference and am awaiting more.

 

After such a bomber first day I craved more and the DA has done a phenomenal job of educating and welcoming me and the other new interns. I have gone on tours of the parliament, met with many of the MP’s and Whips of the DA, and even had a briefing with Athol Trollip, Parliamentary Leader of the DA. My first week and an half has not been disappointing!

As for my time in Sea Point, Cape Town, where I am living, it has also been eventful and not a disappointment. I am starting to feel settled in; I know what my favorite grocery store is, where I like to take my run, understanding that driving on the left side of the road isn’t really the “wrong” side, and even where to go to get the dinner deals. My favorite dinners are Wednesday’s and Saturday’s. Every Wednesday I walk down the street to a pasta joint that has buy one get one free pasta, so so so good! I get the pasta and a glass of pineapple juice that beats any meal in the states (minus Mexican food, one thing that SA doesn’t have). To let my stomach rest from all the excitement I wait until Saturday to go to my all time favorite place so far, Camps Bay’s Tuscany Beach. However, due to the changes in weather they have raised their prices, forcing me to go every other week.

Since I have gotten caught up living in Cape Town I hope to explore the culture and surroundings to my fullest. Cannot wait to update again! Enjoy the pictures, hey!

Cheers!!

Lunch outside :-)

Joined the team...

Awesome dinner I made

Going to see coldplay here in a few months!

Flowers in Cape Town = AMAZING!

These are all over the place! They are HUGE!

Ohh how I love my front yard... :-)



My little friend