FINAL CAPE TOWN BLOG ENTRY

Things have been going down since I last wrote on my blog. This will probably be my last entry for South Africa. I feel like I have been hanging by a thread during my last two weeks here. As my departure time comes closer and closer I feel more anxious to go home and escape South Africa without any serious incidents. But I guess I could not escape.

A group of friends and I went to our favorite bar in Observatory one last time last Friday. The night was going smoothly. We had an amazing meal at a restaurant called Five Flies and then we met up with some girlfriends to go dancing. We had only been in Observatory for 15 minutes before things started going down. It was a regular routine. We would fine a park, clear the car of any item so the car would not be broke into, and then tip our car guard. Car guards are “supposed” to protect your cars from theft or vandalism but sometimes that does not always happen. Jess is a generous tipper so she tipped our guard well as usually and we headed into the bar. My friends were dancing on the dance floor while I was sitting at the bar. Groove did not have its usually vibe. It was Friday and no one was really in there and the music was not typical so my place at the bar was my camp out until the music changed. But it did not change, so I left the club looking for other places that we could all go. But it seemed that all of Observatory was dead. Meanwhile, my friends got nervous and thought something had happened to me because I was no longer in Groove. In somewhat of a panic, they went into the street looking for me. Our car guard told Jessica that he knew where I went and pointed her in the direction. Jessica followed his direction and began yelling my name. As she headed down the street, our car guard grabbed her purse out of her hands and ran off. Our car keys were in the purse which was the only thing that really mattered. There was only about $5 in the purse and a cell phone. He really hit the jackpot. As I walked back, I saw Sarah in the street and the first thing she says to me is “Things have gone doen since you left.” Then I see Liese rushing around saying we need the police with that regular determined look on her face. Our next courses of action were very carefully planned out. We ended up being stranded in Observatory for brief period while 2 of us went back to Jessica’s house to get the spare keys while the other three of us stood outside guarding the car. The next day Jessica saw her mugger in the grocery store. She confronted him and he acted like he didn’t know what she was talking about. She then went and got a police to intimidate him, but he still never fessed up. We call her mugger the man with the uni-brow. The next day Jessica spotted him in the grocery store and she confronted him but still no keys. Cape Town is such a small place, what are the odds of her running into him again?

More stuff continued to do down the following week. I had not noticed how many strikes had been going on in South Africa until it directly affected my life here. The doctors were striking during my first couple weeks and later the workers building the FIFA World Cup stadium were striking. But this week the mini bus taxis decided to strike. The minibus taxi is basically what all the people from the townships use to get to work. We ended up not going out to the township to work this day because the drivers of the minibus taxis were attacking people with rocks and other objects so it was way too dangerous. After this strike the bus and train systems also followed suit. I have heard that the most strike occur in Cape Town because it is the only place in South Africa not ruled by the African National Congress (ANC).

Since I have been here, I have been told horror stories, from mugging to stabbing in broad day light. Never have I thought, it is not going to happen to me. I walk down the street always cautious of my surroundings, looking over my shoulders constantly and often intensely grasping the handle of my maze. I came so close to an incident during my final days. A homeless man was upset by something my cab driver was saying to him in Afrikaans so he picked up a brick a proceeded to throw a brick at the car but I was able t stop him as I screeched for him to not hit the car because it was my last day in Cape Town. Despite my increasing concern for my safety, I have fallen in love with South Africa. It is one of the most unique and beautiful places I have ever traveled. I have only been here for 2 months but over the course of my stay, I have developed my own little family and community. Some people I was not so close to but I was able to learn something from them but others I know I will be friends with life.