I have been thinking a lot about what I am going to say when I get home and people ask me how my trip was. I know there is no possible way to make them understand the experiences we have had, but I am brainstorming on ways to try to describe a tiny slice of Cape Town to them.
I could tell them how breathtaking it is to wake up to and look out at Table Mountain every morning, contrasting with the bright blue sky and wisps of cotton ball clouds.
I could tell them about going to Muizenberg beach and frolicking in the waves until having to get out because a great white shark was spotted nearby.
I could tell them about riding in the back of a pickup truck with our whole group through a vineyard with endless perfect rows of vines meeting the blue sky at the horizon.
I could tell them about hiking up Lion’s Head and watching the sun set in orange and pink hues over the ocean, while a full moon rose above the city.
I could tell them about the fear and adrenaline of jumping off the highest commercial bungee in the world.
I could tell them about a great white shark biting bait and smacking its tail against the little cage I was swimming in next to it.
I could tell them about walking around the townships for the first time and seeing the poverty collide with bright colors and the welcoming spirits of the people.
I could tell them about visiting a crèche (preschool) and having the kids be so excited that they literally tackle me to the ground.
I could tell them about listening to the stories of women at my work that have been through more than I could possibly imagine, and yet still carry themselves with strength, warmth and composure.
I could tell them about my experience trying pap and sour milk for the first time, trying to be polite while silently cringing on the inside.
I could tell them about strolling on the beach in Durban and watching the sunrise like a glowing red ball in the sky, making the ocean shimmer.
I could tell them about walking through the huge markets, being hassled constantly and having to barter every time I want to purchase something.
I could tell them about living in a house with 14 other people, and the chaos that it often entails, over things like dishwashers, bathrooms, and knives.
I could tell them about the friends I have made, and the strength of our relationships.
I could tell them about swaying to the music at Cape Town’s International Jazz Festival, learning about a genre of music that I had neglected to listen to before this trip.
I could tell them about watching zebras and giraffes walking next to me.
I could tell about jumping into freezing water in order to play under the waterfalls and in the pools in the Drakensberg Mountains.
I could tell them about my experience being a minority and the challenges that I face with the difference in language and culture.
I could tell them what it is like to work in township in the country that has the highest incidence rate of AIDS in the world, and a township in which almost 2 out of 3 women do not give consent during their first sexual experience.
I could them about what it is like to live in an area recently free of apartheid, but still very segregated in so many different ways.
I could tell them about my visit to Robben Island, and my experience seeing Nelson Mandela’s prison cell.
I could tell them about the food I ate, whether it be Ethiopian, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Cape Malay, Italian, Mexican, Cuban, or traditional African.
I could tell them what it is like to stand on top of Table Mountain and look out at the city, sea, suburbs, townships, and winelands around me.
Yes, I could try to describe a tiny slice of Cape Town to the people who ask how my trip went, but only a sliver. This is because our time here is indescribable, except when talking to my housemates of 10 Loch Road. It is something that has inspired me, challenged me and changed me, but that I cannot really share with most others. But this is okay – I will always have my memories to remind me of this amazing trip.
As I enter the final week in South Africa, I am becoming very sad and nostalgic, but I know it is okay because I will be back soon.
