A
large group of us are coming off a long weekend at our homestay in
Oceanview. The small community is about
forty minutes outside of Rondebosch. The
night we arrived, we were all taken away to the community’s ballroom dancing
class. The class of about two-dozen
students put us all to shame that night.
After some time and failed efforts to grasp dances such as the Jive and
Cha Cha, we all took a breather on the sidelines as the rest of the talent kept
performing. One of the youngest students
stood back for much of our practice and I figured she was just there to
watch. Little did we know her dance
partner was the instructor of our class.
He took her hand and they started dancing like they hadn’t missed a
beat. She was about one eighth of his
height and stature, but you could just tell she adored him and he gave her all
his attention for the rest of the performance.
It was one of my favorite highlights of the weekend.

The
next morning, Libby and I woke up early to head across the street to Auntie Alice’s
home where Eric and Bryan were staying.
Auntie Alice created a daycare center out of her house for kids in Grade
R. Needless to say, Libby and I spent a
large part of the morning getting our hair braided and tugged on by little
five-year-old hands before we made the journey to the Muzienburg Pools. We spent the day down in Muzienburg with a
group of the kids from Auntie Alice’s center.
The kids we so elated to be there, but none of us anticipated their
energy and by the end of the afternoon we were all exhausted and very, very
sunburnt. The third degree burns on my
forehead were well worth it, though.
The
rest of the weekend was spent with our host family. Libby and I stayed with Pastor Abrahams and
Auntie Ann who have both spent a long period of their lives in Oceanview. The whole weekend was spent based around
conversation and story telling. Even
through hardships and struggles of their own, they have still managed to give
to any person who knocks on their door throughout the years. Pastor Abrahams made many points to Libby and
I about the uncontrollable issues of greed and wealth in this world. He gave us so many valuable insights and I
will take those with me for the rest of my journey in Cape Town and even upon
my return to the states.
Saturday
we braaied (a South African style BBQ) and Libby and I contributed to the feast
with some American-style brownies. Our
family fed us both well during the entire weekend, almost too well. We experienced the best doughnuts Cape Town
has to offer, along with many of Auntie Ann’s recipes that she was happy to
share with us. Seeing as Libby and I are
both struggling beginner chefs, her advice was much appreciated. It was very sad to say goodbye to Saturn Road,
Oceanview on Sunday afternoon, but it was nice to get back to our home away
from home in Rondebosch. I always love
coming home to all my housemates. They
always find a way to put me into the best of spirits. Here’s to a new week in Cape Town and to an
anticipated guest from home in just a few more days!!
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