GOing to South Africa...

[kymber]

I am leaving for South Africa in 12 days and I will be staying there for 2 and 1/2months. Capetown. Can anyone give me any insider's tips? Specifically on getting involved in the community. Also, I will be traveling from Capetown to Johannesburg to Mozambique by car. Any suggestions/knowledge on the safety of driving this stretch (just me and another person)?

Thanks, K.

[AlyssaB23]

~ i visited Cape Town south africa in 2002 for a service project with my high school (i stayed with a host family for 3 weeks). In terms of getting involved: it may be helpful to contact the local Quaker association (aka: The Society of Friends) - I'm sure they should have programs in place already for volunteer opportunities (and i think thats who we went through).
Other tips: the Cape of Good Hope is beautiful, and i also suggest taking the lift up Table mountain.. there are Excellent Views ..but bring lunch -- i dont remember options for food up there...and for other touristy things there is Robin's Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned: its by boat and bus.. which can be exhausting so its a full day affair ~ but definitely worth it. Events at the University of Cape TOwn are also a nice option ..they usually have performances running that should not be too expensive. AND the Africa Cafe has a GREAT dinner option: i suggest going with a group. They bring out samples of EVERYTHING on their menu.. and at the end - you get to choose your entree (but beware - you might not be hungry by then).. (price$$ --> ?) The beaches are lovely as well..and taking trips up the coast you will come across a lot of street vendors. Haggling is a must.

I stayed with a family in Langa.. other townships students stayed with were in Kayelitsha (spelling?) and - eek - i forget the others. But I definitely suggest visting those townships. The van tours are a bit obnoxious --> riding around staring at people .. luckily we lived there and thus had more intimate access.. but the people are soo warm and firendly, its definitely something to consider.
_________________
Alyssa Blank
BU '06

[mochatum]

Hey Kymber,

I am an International student here in the US and I am from Zimbabwe. I would like to congratulate you on your impending trip, SA is a great place to go, (and Zimbabwe too!) About getting involved in the community, that's a big thing in African cultures and the people will practically bend over backwards to help you get into the swing of things. You could visit local churches, there's a great church called Rhema and its pastored by Ray McCauley, its an awesome place to hang out and they have a lot of outreach stuff you could volunteer to be a part of, for example they have prison outreaches and hospital visits too. Their website is [link] You can also send an email to them at church@rhema.co.za for any general queries you may have. By the way, Rhema is in Randburg, Johanesburg, I think.

About travelling to Mozambique from Joburg, I don't know. Will you pass through Zimbabwe or you'll just cut across from SA? I know for sure that the crime rate in SA is sky-rocketing and I hate to say this, but there are some Africans who scam tourists too, especially when selling curios and such to them. Be careful, make sure you get a good sense of where and how you are going. If possible, have a tour guide with you who will break you into the culture and way of life. I am not sure about the roads in Mozambique but SA has good roads, but be careful though, some thugs have been known to pose as cops on the highways.

I hope I haven't dampered your hopes, but I just want you to be in the heads up about it all. Just be careful and have a lot of fun.
Alyssa is right, theres a ton of things to do and see there. If you are interested, I could give you my friend's email, she goes to the University of Cape Town (UCT) which is next to Table Mountain. She could help you with any questions you may have.

Have a great journey.

[bekabocka]

Good choice on going to SA!! I just got back from there last week, and I really wish I was still there! You are going at a good time, weather wise, it is so nice and warm there right now! So, some advice, well....Cape Town was recently voted the most laid back city in the world. So, if you want to meet people and get to know the people, it is really easy to do that by just going to the bars, especially in Claremont (Billy the Bums-awesome, Tin Roof, or Town are all great places in Claremont to go). The people are so great and easy to talk to. I meat so many great people by doing that! I was actually visiting a bunch of friends while I was there, so I had a place to stay and people to hang out with, but it was really great meeting new, funny people at the clubs and bars!

As for some really practical advice, guard your purse/bag/wallet, etc. like it was your life!! SA is such a beautiful place and I love it to death, but it is also really poor and the crime is really bad. Just while we were there, we heard of so many cases of purses being stolen while someone was at a resturaunt and the purse was sitting right next to them on the bench, and other such stories! This may sound a little extreame, but you should never feel completely safe. Always be on your guard, cuz you never know what might happen. That is something that was stressed to me by everyone there, and I guarded my purse like a hock, and luckily nothing happend to me. But it is just really different than the states, so beware.

You should also do the "Topless Tour". It is one of those big red, open buses that takes you all over the city and lets you get off on the certain tourist sites, like at the waterfront, or the castle or Camps Bay (The most expensive real estate in Africa) and the tour just gives you a good idea of what the whole city looks like. Go on a safari! Even if its a little pricey, just do it! It is awesome!! And if you want to swim with penguins (yes, penguins), go to a beach called Boulders Beach. Ask a local, its on the way to Cape Point (the lowest part of Africa). Trust me, that was a definate highlight to be able to swim in really really warm water with penguins darting all around you!!

If you are driving up to Jo'burg, see if you can drive part of the way up the coast. Even if it takes a little longer, it is worth it! Try to at least go as far as Hermanes, Knysna, and Plettenburg Bay. All these spots are on the coast and are absolutely stunning!!

I could go on and on (can you tell how much I loved it?!!) Anyway, if you want more info, or have anyother questions, seriously, please feel free to email me!!! swim_instructor83@yahoo.com I just got back from there, and everything is really fresh in my memory, and I just love cape town! Ok, I hope that helps a bit, and have a wonderful, amazing trip!!!!!!!!!
~Rebekah

P.S.~ See if you can get a local to take you and go with you to a cricket game while you are there. I went, and even though I knew nothing about cricket before hand, it was awesome! They are playing against England right now and the stadium is called Newlands.....

[rdmstar]

wow this is a really old post but I will awnser anyway. . . I lived in SA for a year -- spent most of my time in Port Elizabeth but some time in Cape Town. I do know that the road to Jo-burg is pretty unsafe, and driving up the Wild Coast to Mozambique is unsafe as well for people who are not very familiar with the country. I flew to Jo-burg from PE for about R600 (100 USD at the time) and I am sure the rates to Mozambique would be comparable, unless you are really up for a road trip, and may be cheaper than driving.