Langa

So I don't have any computer access in Langa, but I happen to be in town doing my case study so I'm bloggin. What's up people of the world? So Langa is good, way better than I thought though it is kind of a dangerous place still. I don't feel that unsafe though and there's a bunch of other american kids here cuz SIT (IHP's home institute) is in Cape Town too. My homestay is great. The house is better than my one in the Bo Kaap. My roommate is Logan, a lovely little vegetarian girl straight out of the yay area who goes to Barnard. Things are a little hard cooking wise since she's veggie but eats fish, but she also is allergic to gluten. So the first night I got there I couldn't eat a single thing that our host mom had made. But luckily I brought lots of snacks with me! My home stay mother is named Siziwe, I think she's in her early thirties. Her sister lives there too and is sharing a room with her since they wanted to give me and Logan our own rooms. We each have queen size beds and there's a tv in Logan's room-no complaints! Siziwe's cute 15 year old niece Nono comes by often and she's so fun.

So on Monday we had our first class at this place called LoveLife. A guy came and talked to us about the Green Point Stadium (which was helpful since that's what my case study group is studying). We had class in which Meika yelled at us for throwing away readings from the other countries. At lunch time it became known that there is ABSOLUTELY nothing for a vegetarian, let alone a vegan, to eat in the area so I'll be brown baggin it. I skipped lunch and the rest of the day though to go to the doctor since I've been coughing so much that if I didn't know better I'd say I have T.B. (I don't.) I got a bunch of meds from the doctor and then me and Nikhit went across the street to my favorite vegan place, Portobello and got lunch from my favorite ladies who work there (they love me). Came back and had a walkaround Langa and learned about the area. Over 50% of the residents of Langa have HIV, sad. We visited an orphanage too and looked at all the little kids while they were napping. Me and Logan came home and luckily Siziwe had made some veggies and lentils. Yay! Siziwe has decided after our coming that she wants to diet for the next 6 months and is starting by only eating what we eat this week and only drinking water like we do. Okay Siziwe....

Today was the first day of our case study. We were all put into 4 different groups to do a case study which is where the send us of with no information, contacts, transport, nada for 3 days to put together a 40 minute presentation on our topic. Ours is the Green Point Statdium which they are building for the World Cup (which is happening here in 2010 and is the biggest thing since sliced bread in case you didn't know). Other groups are doing education, gentrification and the CBD (central business district). We ended the day at this internet cafe (well, first I went to Zucchini, my other favorite vegan place and grabbed these lovely chocolate oat bars I'm addicted do and then I grabbed an iced soy latte from Portobello-gotta see my girls). I'm gonna go home and write a paper that's due in 2 days-yikes! I hope yall are having a lovely time in the U.S. and that spring is fast approaching.

My parents are visiting in 1 week!

Oh yeah, about the haircut. I would post pictures but it doesn't really look that different unless it's straightened....basically it's a little choppier and they took about 4 inches off.

Love you all and I've been sending some postcards and such, so hope yall are gettin em!