For this blog I would like to focus solely on the Ocean View
Homestay which in my opinion has been the best thing that I have done so far
while in SA. Let me begin by saying that this trip just like any other trip in
SA was wrapped up in secrecy, until pretty much the day before. This
made me think that the trip would most likely be uninteresting, but I was quite
wrong. I think that the moment, when I realized that I would like Ocean View,
was when I first saw the housing, and it made me feel like I was reliving my
childhood days back in Virginia. This sight caused an eerie sense of
“peace/relaxation” to come over me, which is a feeling that I haven’t felt in a
long time especially in SA. On the first day we got the rundown from Chantel in
her home and relaxed there for about an hour, before departing to our host family’s
homes. I was lucky enough to be given the Opportunity to stay at the home of a
lovely women named Alice who shared the home with her husband David and their
two daughters. From the moment I met Alice I could tell that I would love being
around her, she too as with Ocean View offered an aura that to me that
resembled the same one given off, by the older women in my family from down
south. It’s a commanding/no BS type of aura, which means that she is in charge
of her home and family and is experienced with keeping both protected, but also
with a hint of what could only be described as genuine. After introductions I
was given a house tour and then take to my room. The room was almost like a
shed that had been remodeled to accommodate people. There were two windows one
in the front of the room and one in the back. The overall aesthetics of the
room were a sharp contrast from the luxury of the loch rd. bedrooms, but this
small room again offered a feeling of comfort. The entire night that I spent in
the room I just remember debating with myself over whether or not I should
allow this feeling to stay or suppress it. The next morning I had the pleasure
of being woken up to by little children who attended the daycare that was part
of my host family’s home. I remember being served a giant bowl of scrambled
eggs and toast by Alice and eating until I felt that I could sleep afterwards.
Before going to the pool with the children we had the opportunity to hang out
with the children for a few minutes and I remember the class of little kids
making two groups if you will. The first group was content to play with the
hair of some of my classmates, while the second group which I nicknamed the
“Rebels” were content to play by themselves. One little girl in particular
stood out to me, because she was the one student there who wanted to be herself
and, not play by the rules. Although this got her into trouble twice she
continued to do what she wanted and seeing this made me think that she reminded
me of my younger self and if I ever have a kid I hope they stand out for the
right reasons like her. When we arrived at the pool I remember all of the kids
having the time of their life excluding the casualty we almost had in the first
10 minutes. The children were content to jump around in the water while I sat
there and forced myself to chalk their experience of the pool to a lack of
opportunities and experience with pools. Overall I enjoyed myself and even played
with the children for a little while, at one point I gave a kid a piggy back
ride and he proceeded to tell me that he wanted to give me one in return which
I thought was the weirdest/funniest thing. After the pool we proceed to go on a
walk with Chantel on the board walk which led to an interesting conversation,
because Chantel wanted to know how life was for African Americans in the U.S.
and I could only give her my viewpoint, which I believe is completely different
than others on the trip and I was surprised by how the only viewpoint that she
received was the B.S version that America loves to show. The last day in Ocean
view was actually pretty weird, because I could feel the memories start to fade
and the feeling beginning to disappear. I remember returning to Rondebosch and
sleeping on my bed and the feeling just not being the same and wanting to
return back to Ocean View.
Relaxing with kids in Ocean View (Bryan front center)
No comments:
Post a Comment