This past weekend, my housemates and I drove about two hours downs the coast to a secluded retreat center a few minutes from the small harbor town called Hermanus.  The retreat center had several guest houses, a meeting room, and several permanent residences but mostly it was grass trees and waterfalls.  We were surrounded by creeks, trails, and little well kept gardens.  The night sky was teeming with stars.  It was a beautiful place to spend a weekend.  

As it was a retreat, I was ready for the “crossing over” but I was disappointed (if you have never been on a visi retreat, don’t worry about this last sentence).  The retreat was based on the book Reconciliation: Restoring Justice.  John de Gruchy, the author, was a professor at University of Cape Town and now lives at the retreat center.  He was involved with the post apartheid Truth and Reconciliation Commission.  We learned that after legalized racism was repealed (in the 90′s) and the first open election was held the new leaders of South Africa wanted to create a process where the past could be left behind.  They created the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, lead by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.  The TRC gave an opportunity for political criminals to confess their crimes and show remorse for what they had done.  The TRC would then grant amnesty to some of the criminals.  We learned about this historical event and spent time trying to understand reconciliation in general.  

We had the opportunity to go into Hermanus on Saturday afternoon.  I made a short little video of the afternoon, enjoy:

To borrow from Garrison Keillor,

Be well, do good work, and keep in touch

The last week has been quite a journey.  I booked a seven-day bus ticket that drove down the South African coast dropping me off and picking me up at any backpacker (hostel or dorm) along the way.  I had left with a couple pair of underwear, apples, Bible, A Pilgrim’s Progress, and a hopeful spirit (okay that is not all I literally had with me).  I was ready to meet people, see South Africa, and spend a lot of time with God.  I was off…

Day 1

            I waited outside the Green Elephant backpacker waiting for the bus.  It didn’t come at 8 when I was expecting it so I was getting a little nervous.  But the owner of the backpacker saw me outside, invited me in for coffee, and told the bus is usually a bit late and that they would come inside to get me.  It was a different style of bus than what I am used to.  It was there in a few minutes and it was really more of a large van than a bus.  I was off to Knysna, my first stop. 

            Knysna is a coast town with a large bay guarded by two cliffs called the Knysna heads.  I got in around 5, dropped my stuff off and walked into town.  The sun was setting over the waterfront and it was beautiful.  I ate at a local seafood place.  The fish was all fresh and well prepared.  I had line fish, sole, prawns, mussels, and calamari  mmmm it was good.  I spent the rest of the night reading at the backpacker. 

Day 2

            The next morning I walked back to the waterfront and rented a kayak.  I had it for two hours and paddled out to the Knysna heads.  It was a long paddle such that soon after I reached the heads I needed to turn around and paddle back.  It was sunny and made me feel small to be between the high cliff faces of the heads.  I got picked up by the bus and rode to Port Elizabeth.  I got into the backpacker and went to bed.  

Day 3

I picked up the bus early in the morning, only stopping in Port Elizabeth to sleep.  I rode the bus until I arrived in East London.  Up until this point I was staying near the coast but there I caught another bus and then a shuttle to a very small town called Hogsback.  Hogsback is a town of one backpacker, a small grocery, 1 gas pump and two restaurant, but thick, mysterious woods surround the area.  J.R.R. Tolkien was born in South Africa and the story is that he based Hobbiton on the village of Hogsback.  

The 800 year old tree

So I got there, took of my shoes, and explored the woods.  Regardless of whether Tolkien based areas in his books on the town, the woods had an enchanted feel.I took  a walk and one of the local dogs joined me.  I was glad that he came along because he knew the trail and led me to a tree.  The tree was 124 ft high and over 800 years old (there was a sign with some info).  It was a big tree.

 

            As the woods darkened, the path became harder to distinguish from the rest of the woods.  The woods were getting more mysterious, almost sinister, especially as the baboons got louder over my head.  But the dog knew the way home so I followed him.  I escaped the mythic woods and found a fire in the fireplace.  I loved it. 

Day 4

            I had made friends with some Germans and Brits and was able to get a ride from Hogsback to Coffee Bay.  The drive took most of the day but I saw rolling hills of dry grass, mud houses with little plots of plowed land, and free roaming cattle.  The round houses are either teal or salmon.  I later was told that the locals collect a white dust that grows on rocks near the sea and then mix one of the pigments and then color their houses.  The cattle were also curious to me.  The locals have some ways of knowing which cows, sheep, and goat belong to which family but that method is a hidden from me.  Along the roads I saw uniformed school children walking home and the schools they were coming from were miles past us.  It is a different rhythm of life in these parts of South Africa. 

            Coffee is a small town, much less affected by western culture.  There were several backpackers or campgrounds, a very small shop, and a few craftsmen.  Otherwise, it was a community of Xhosa families who farm, raise cattle, and fish for themselves.  The backpacker we were staying at was in view of the ocean.  The landscape of the Coffee Bay was magnificent.  Green hills were cut off into sheer gray cliffs that the sea crashed against.  I went swimming before dinner.  The beach was rocky and the water was rough.  It was my first feel of the Indian Ocean.

            Dinner was served at the backpacker but not before a performance from a local school choir.  It was a good act and the students were fundraising for a trip to Durban.  I don’t think I ever practiced that much for any fundraiser (although I must say, I was a heck of an wrapping paper salesman- just ask Mary Palmer). 

 

Day 5

            The next day a local guide took us hiking through the cliffs and caves near the coast.  I took this picture on the hike.

            Part of the day was a chance to cliff jump.  I jumped off a 10 meter (32 ft) cliff into the ocean.  The most dangerous part was actually getting out because the barnacles growing on some of the rocks can be pretty sharp.  I took some video that I would be happy to show you when I get home or can post the blog sometime. 

Day 6

            The next day I got up early to take a walk through the village along the coast.  Before I walked though I had a little bit of breakfast made by the backpacker’s cooks.  This goes out to Uncle Dan especially: they served the most fantastic toast I have ever tasted.  So there it is, its been found out, the best toast in the world is in Coffee Bay

During the walk I was still marveling at the wild beauty of the place.  I took another swim in the ocean and I was the only person on the beach.  I was curious about the 3 men I saw down by the rocks and water with snorkeling gear and rubber gloves.  Later a man told me that they catch fish with their certain types of fish with their hands.  I might go hungry for a while in their world. 

I had to catch the shuttle back to Mthatha around 11 (pronounced mmm-ta-ta).  I spent the rest of that day and the next riding back to Cape Town.  I read, watched the charming country and ocean roll by, and thanked God for such a week. 

Keep growing closer to your maker and savior

Imagine this.  You have been planning an event for weeks.  There will be wine, food, and poetry.  You have arranged for a luxury bus to take students from school out into the wine lands for the party.  The event is free other than paying for transportation.  You invited a couple international students to the event.  Now its the day of the event and the international students are an hour late and holding the bus up.  Thats pretty darn frustrating.  

Well my friends and I were those international students but we felt like honored guests.  To our defense, we could not do anything about when our class ended or the speed of public transportation, but we expected people to at least be miffed when we were an hour late.  Instead, my friend Andile was a perfect host.  He even took us home himself while making it feel like it was his privilege.  Andile can teach me a thing or two about honoring guests.  

The event itself was great.  Sweet shiraz, merlot, rockwood red, and chardonnay.  A balcony over looking the wine fields.  South African poetry, some in english, some in  afrikaans, some with a drum.  It was a special night.  

So, yeah, besides pro soccer games and surfing that is all I have been up to.

Here is the thing with a blog.  The busier I am, the more I have to write about.  But unfortunately, the less time I have to write.  Basically I am trying to justify the lack of new material up here for a while.  There has been a lot going on the past week in Cape Town, here are some of the highlights:

School is now in full swing.  My first assignment was due this Tuesday for my literature class.  I haven’t written on literature since high school, this was the longest paper I have ever written, and our teacher is the Poet Laureate of South Africa.  I was a little intimidated.  Its finished though and I’ll see what she thought next week.

All of my housemates and I are working at various nonprofits around Cape Town in addition to the days of classes.  I had my first day at the Desmond Tutu HIV center this week.  I will be working with a mobile HIV testing van humorously called the “Tutu Tester.”  The van travels to busy public places in the poor areas of Cape Town.  They set up tents and patients start walking in off the streets for free testing.  On Monday I observed how the tester operates.  In late September I will begin testing the human powered nebulizer through the tutu tester.  Nebulizers are medical machines that vaporize liquids for patients to inhale.  The tutu tester uses a nebulizer to vaporize salt solution in order to diagnose for TB.  I will be introducing a nebulizer that runs on foot power rather than electricity.  I am excited for that to start. 

In the mean time I am getting experience working on the tutu tester.  On Thursday the nurse taught me how to take blood pressure, run blood sugar, HIV, and syphilis tests.  I was learned how to diagnose inflamed lymph nodes and skin diseases that indicate the severity of the HIV.  I was very excited to get the hands on experience but there was another side the story.  As I sat there thrilled to be learning how to do a finger prick the person across from me was discovering life changing news.  Depending on if there was one line or two lines on the small plastic device told someone if they had HIV or not.  Some of the men trembled as they waited.  Once I had performed the test I had nothing to do.  The nurse who was teaching me was speaking to them in Xhosa.  I simply listened.  Another man who spoke English was learning how HIV was spread.  He asked the nurse, “My wife was diagnosed positive only a year ago, how could she be positive when I am negative?”  The weight of what was happening in the hearts of the men in the booth overshadowed the experience I was gaining. 

But, speaking of Desmond Tutu, we went a mass that he was saying last Friday.  While Desmond Tutu has done some monumental things to further reconciliation and equality in South Africa, I did that meet the ‘Rabble Rouser for Peace.’  I met a funny old priest who still finds pleasure in saying a simple mass early on a Friday morning.  After mass he joined us for breakfast but I did not get the chance to speak to him.  

Last night my housemates and I climbed one of the peaks in Cape Town called Lion’s Head.  The sun was coming down as we neared the top.  The view was breathtaking.  Here is a picture from near the top, sorry that stranger got in on the left.

 

 

 

 

It was the kind of place that I could have spent a lot more time at.  I am learning quite a bit here in South Africa.  While I love being here, I miss you all at home.  I rest in the fact that the same God is at work here as at home.

This weekend I got to enjoy the countryside just outside of Cape Town.  On Saturday I went with the student group of a local church to Cape Point.  Cape Town (where I live) is at the northern end of Cape Peninsula and Cape Point is in the southern end.  You can check it out on this map:

This is a closer look at the Southwest corner of the African continent. Cape Town is on the coast in the northwest of the map. Cape Point is the Southwestern point and Kolberg Nature Reserve is on the Southeast side of the map.

On Saturday I went with the student group of a local church to Cape Point.  We stopped at a town on the False Bay coast called Simon’s Town.  Simon’s town has a large population of African penguins.  We got to walk around with wild penguins!  I wanted to take pictures but my camera batteries were dead (its a good excuse to go back).  We then headed on to Cape Point.  They have wild baboons on that nature reserve and it seems that the locals do not like the monkeys.  I’m told that these baboons can get really aggressive if anyone has food.  A guy in the group told me a story about a friend who was sitting in his unlocked car eating ice cream when a baboon opened up the car door, got in, and took the ice cream from the man’s hand.  Saturday was sunny and warm and the view was breathtaking.  At the Point you have False Bay on your left and the Atlantic on your right.  Here is an aerial view of the point:

As you could guess. I did not take this photo. But I was there!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On Sunday a big group of us went to the other side of False Bay to the Kolberg Nature Reserve.  We spent the day rafting a river in the reserve.  We were in rafts of two people and we went through some substantial rapids.  It was great and the weather was again beautiful.  

I hope all of you are doing well.  I appreciate all of your prayers and comments.  As always, keep getting closer to your Maker and Savior!

 

Grocery shopping has been something to get used to.  Groceries have different packaging, funny names, odd locations in the store, and different prices relative to other items.  Here is a picture of some of the goods of my last trip to the store:

My friend Brian and I holding the bounty of our trip to Pick n Pay

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thats right, the milk is sold in bags and that bag of Oranges, 9 rand (about 1 dollar).  I’ll be eating oranges for a while.  

Keep growing closer to your Maker and Savior!  

Terry

We spent the day climbing and hiking up Table Mountain today.  The mountain is long and surrounds about half of Cape Town (the other border is the ocean).  The trail we steep but very well built so that it was exhausting but not dangerous.  We had lunch on top of the mountain (3,800 feet above see level), rested, and relaxed.  You could see the ocean in both directions.  It was extremely beautiful.  Here is a view from the top:

We hiked back down and got dinner at the beach.  Mountain and beach in one day, this place is great.

First day of class was Monday.  I was afraid I wouldn’t fit in, I would get really confused, and the other kids would be mean to me.  Well two of those predictions came true.  

I did not see any white students other than my Marquette friends and with our American accidents we really stuck out.  It would be easy to say I did not ‘fit in’.  

I got turned around as I walked around campus trying to find my classes but the class system itself was more confusing.  A certain class might be on the schedule a number of times and, the first week, one simply goes to each one until the professor comes to one of them and he or she tells you when you will meet the rest of the semester.  But, somehow, all of the South African students know which classes on the schedule will be the one where the teacher shows up.  I was definitely confused.  

But the other students are anything but mean.  They are quick to strike up a conversation, show me around, and invite to events on campus.  The handful of students that I have met feel at ease with discussing some heavier topics.  They talk about political views, South African custom, and their own faith and doubts.  Much like the US, their are many varieties of faiths represented.  Some vary only in emphasis while some are very different from each other.  I have been blessed to listen to students explain their faith and also explain my beliefs.  

At this point in reading my blog my parents are thinking, “We are paying for this young whippersnapper’s education and he hasn’t said a word about class other than he can’t find them.”  Well, Ma and Pa, don’t worry.  I have managed to find my classes.  One that seems interesting is a 4th year literature class called: Manifestations of social change in literature.  It is taught by the Poet Laureate of South Africa and am excited about getting into African literature.  More on my classes as I get into them.

I appreciate all the comments you have all been leaving.  Keep growing closer to your Maker and Savior!

Many student groups in the past have established the tradition of Sunday family-style dinners and this Sunday afternoon, my roommate Sam and I kicked off the tradition. The day was cold and rainy so we made some lamb stew (lamb is cheep in SA) and some fresh bread.  We were in the kitchen for most of the afternoon experimenting with spices, listening to music, and wondering at the mysteries of yeast.  We served the bread warm and, in the Georgian tradition, some plates of cheese.  We all ate, warmed up, and got sleep for our first day of school.  

Thanks for your interest and prayers.  Keep growing closer to your maker and savior!

All week we are traveling around Cape Town and getting a feel for the town, university, and service organizations that we will be at for the next 5 months.  Yesterday we drove up Signal hill.  The new picture in the header of the blog is from signal hill now.  Later we went to a more affluent area and got lunch.  We saw these street performers.

As you can see, this man is jumping through a flaming hoop. They had some crazy moves.

 

 

In addition to three days of classes all of us will be working at various non profits around Cape Town.  We visited more service organizations that afternoon.  The different organizations that we visited are working in different areas: education, housing for mothers and children, job skills, or HIV epidemic.  But despite their different concentrations almost all of the non profits focus on aid that is sustainable.  Enabling people to care for themselves rather than merely caring for them.

This morning we visited the Parliament in South Africa.  They have a complex, unique, (and confusing to me) system of electing and legislating.  In a couple minutes we are throwing a block party for the neighbors.  I did my best to make skyline chili.  Its not exactly the same but its not bad.  

Tomorrow we go to Robben Island.  Hopefully it will be great and Ill send something about it soon.  

Keep growing closer to your maker and Savior!

Terry