Throughout this trip there have been countless times when I have desired someone from home to be able to experience what I was experiencing. Pictures may be helpful aids, but they can never do something like Table Mountain, shark diving, the townships of Khayelitsha, or ‘smiley’s’ proper justice. I was lucky enough to have my Dad, Mitch come visit for a week. During this time I was able to take him beyond the majority of the touristy areas and get him somewhat acclimated with the true culture that makes up Cape Town. When I walked into the hotel to take him on the first outing into the townships, I realized how easy it was for people to come to South Africa and go through the strict vacation regimen. There’s nothing wrong with that idea except it seems odd that those travelers can enjoy the fruits of Cape Town while ignoring the townships that provide much of the workforce. In most cases these townships have an unemployment rate of at least 40% while having the most condensed populations in the country. It is for this reason I have grown to disagree with the ignorance of the typical tourist. However, I do understand that every country has its problems and when I go somewhere to relax I do appreciate the blissful delight of lying on a beach without a care in the world. Yet, in pursuit of being a knowledgeable tour guide I did my best to make sure my Dad was up on his feet encountering an array of things no first time tourist would encounter. Although this meant less time to sleep, he was ecstatic that he is now able to understand what I have been doing and who has become inspirational to me in my endeavors.
Although I may have seemed well-informed on the area of Cape Town, there was still loads of things I was able to learn while having my Dad around. He was the impetus to convince me to get a 1.50$ haircut at a shack outside of the Cape Town bus station. I was the only white person in sight besides my Dad who stood at the ready taking pictures. I originally wanted to do this merely for the experience. It was cheap and was the epitome of a South African haircut. However, after receiving one of the best haircuts I have ever received, I plan on going back in a few weeks to get another shape up before venturing back to the U.S. Right off the bat I became aware that it is impossible to judge something based on the price and appearance because you will usually be pleasantly surprised with what you receive.
However, this doesn’t always work this way. For example, when you buy street meat you know exactly what you’re getting whether or not you know exactly what it is. This brings me to a nice transition of one of the more daring things I dragged my Dad into. While in Khayelitsha, we were led around the township and brought to the home of a woman who serves ‘smiley’s’, otherwise known as sheep head. This is known to be one of the daily snacks that people living within the township enjoy. For about 25 Rand (35 Rand when my Dad and I paid), you’ll be given a lambs head that has been thrown onto a grill until the hair is singed off. Following this the head is boiled and then cut right down the middle. This makes it easier to grip because the teeth are prevalent enough to grab on to.
When we arrived to the place the woman who served us spoke no English. Apparently, we had missed out on a chance to dine on a fresh smiley so she pulled two halves of the head out of the fridge and tossed them in her microwave. As we waited I joked with my Dad and hid a bit of the anxiety I was experiencing. After several minutes, she pulled the sheep from the microwave and brought it to us on a plate. This began a race between our appetites and the surrounding flies. We were given some salt to garnish the sheep if so desired.
I had heard that the cheek and the eye’s were the best parts. Despite these tips I began with a bit of the crisply cooked face. I cut and tore a hunk of it off and began to chow down. Not too shabby. Our tour guide, who was one of my coworkers from the TAC, flipped the face over to show me where the cheek was located. We sliced a few hefty hunks of and I was nice enough to share this delicacy with my padre. Although he didn’t eat much he enjoyed what he had. The final task of eating the sheep was partaking in the eye. This was not only the most gruesome part but also the most fun. I used the knife to hastily cut around the socket and yanked out the eye with a nice ‘SQULECH.’ I quickly examined it before tossing the whole chewy ball in my mouth. It was so interesting I decided to dissect the other eye too. I attempted to share with my dad but to my glee he respectfully declined. After taking a nice chunk out of the eye I was able to stare at the pupil and whatever else was in there. It was fascinating stuff. This was a wild experience that I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to try something different from the realm of pizza or Chinese food.
Having my Dad here was much more than walking around and showing off the sites. I was finally able to relate to one of the closest people in my life and have a perspective of to how I have changed throughout my time here. It gave me a reason to take a step back and be happy with who I have become. Overall, I don’t think I’ve changed too much personality wise. However, as a person I feel I am more capable of handling stressful situations while remaining composed. From my range of opportunities I would also like to believe that I’ve become a more patient and better person. I was also extremely impressed but not surprised at the willingness of my Dad to try new things. A few of the more intense activities involved a bit of prodding but we were generally triumphant regardless. I am quite a lucky guy to have my padre come up and be put through the same things I have done. It was a great time.
Having my Dad here was much more than walking around and showing off the sites. I was finally able to relate to one of the closest people in my life and have a perspective of to how I have changed throughout my time here. It gave me a reason to take a step back and be happy with who I have become. Overall, I don’t think I’ve changed too much personality wise. However, as a person I feel I am more capable of handling stressful situations while remaining composed. From my range of opportunities I would also like to believe that I’ve become a more patient and better person. I was also extremely impressed but not surprised at the willingness of my Dad to try new things. A few of the more intense activities involved a bit of prodding but we were generally triumphant regardless. I am quite a lucky guy to have my padre come up and be put through the same things I have done. It was a great time.
Dan & Mitch Ratner
