Firsts

Hello again!  As of today at 2:00 I have been in Cape Town for two days!  Yesterday I went to orientation with the students who will be studying at the University of Cape Town.  There are about 15 of them from colleges all over the United States. They seemed very nice. We heard a few presentations about how to maintain your health and a budget while being abroad and talked about our goals for the semester.  I will be doing this all again when the rest of the UWC students get here, but it was fun to meet the other students.  After our orientation, we took the train to Fishhook and had a late lunch at a western themed restaurant named Spurs.  I had a burger with pineapple on it! It was good!  The restaurant was decorated with all different types of Native American art and served familiar foods like ribs, steak, fish and chips and stuff like that.   Then we took the train to the UCT student's apartments.  They are living on a nice street right behind a train station and near a bunch or restaurants including KFC.  I have seen a lot of KFCs here!  On the ride home I was amazed by the beautiful sunset!  I was so excited about it we decided to drive and try to catch it over the ocean.  We were a little late, but it was still beautiful.  Before coming to Cape Town one of the things I heard again and again about the city was that it was very very pretty.  I can now confirm that rumor.  It was amazing to see the sunset light on the mist in the mountains.

On the hunt for the sunset! On the right is part of the hospital where the first ever heart transplant was done. 

Just missed it!  Still very pretty.  This is over the ocean.

After missing the true sunset, we drove back to the UWC campus through the fancy and expensive beach front property, past Waterfront, and Longstreet where many of the clubs and bars are.  I also got a tip about the restaurant with the best prawns.  Gonna check that out!  As a grad finale to my tour we drove past the World Cup stadium.  It was very large and impressive looking, although it was hard to get a good picture of it out the window of the car.  This is the best proof I have:

The stadium from the World Cup.  Still working on my photography skills.  Sorry,  no where to go but up I guess!

Anna and I made veggies, rice and eggs for dinner.  It was all a bit bland because we had no seasoning, but it was edible and we decided, much like my photo taking skills, we could only improve upon our effort.  It is really nice to have someone to cook with. I am looking forward to practicing.  Hopefully soon we will up grade to salt and pepper!

Today we had the day off from programs and Anna and I, the other girl at UWC took the train into Cape Town with Zola our RA.  It was really cool to see the city.  We went to the mall and went grocery shopping at the Woolworth's.   Every where was very busy, and I know I stuck out like a sore thumb.  Pretty much there is no hope that I will ever blend in here!  I always look like a lost American.
 We got lunch at a place called Nando's, which is a chain that serves chicken in peri-peri sause.  It was really yummy and filling.  I was pleased that I could eat it comfortably even though it was a bit spicy! Not sure why that made me happy but I was proud, and it tasted great.  

Tomorrow we are leaving at the crack of dawn (5:30 am) for our tour of the garden route.  I am not quite sure what to expect, but I hear there will be ostriches and cheetahs caving and many other adventures.  All of the students in the program are going, so it should be a great way to get to know everyone. Many pictures to come of that trip!