Mark is een informatica student voor de HAN die naar Zuid-Afrika is afgereisd om deel te nemen aan het Theewaterskloof project. Hij is zo attent geweest om zijn persoonlijke blog ook beschikbaar te maken voor ons! Ik zal hier af en toe leuke blogs uit pikken en plaatsen. Om te beginnen impressie van zijn eerste week:

So many impressions

Day 2

On the second day we met some other students who arrived as well. We went to the car rental to pick up some cars first. Then we made plans to go to cape town and so we did. It was really exciting because I did not drive a lot yet at the other side of the road. We went to the cape town backpackers and settled there. Exactly at the moment we wanted to go to the center, we got a call from Paddy, the alarm went off and he needed the keys as fast as possible at the airport (where he was picking up other students). Anyway we went there and back, went to the beer house, had a lot of fun, went to another club called ‘the Dubliner’. It was really nice and everyone was so friendly. Afterwards we took a cab and went back to the hostel. It was really great first experience in Cape Town.

Day 3

Of course we slept a little longer then normal. Then Mieke told us we should go
to the ‘Old Biscuit Mill’. So we went there. It was a market filled with food all over the world, freshly prepared for you. From Japan to India, from Germany to Brazil. They had everything! As you see on the picture, that bread was 50 Rands, that’s around 3 euro’s and a bit. (1 Euro = 15 Rands). We had a nice time there chilling in the sun, the weather was perfect.

In the evening we went to Paddy’s place, he invited everyone from Grabouw for a braai (barbecue). We met Paddy’s friends and family and they were all so nice, everyone was dancing and talking to each others and the kids were so nice as well, they wanted to do the girls hair and to take photo shoots and the guys challenged me to climb a wall. The best thing about the braai was the meat. We had chicken, so delicious, I have never had that before.. Astonishing. All the meat was so tasty because it is more ‘fresh’. Not like the processed meat we have in Europe.

Day 4

This day the other students from Genadendal would come to Grabouw. We met the first group in the afternoon and we went for a walk to the supermarket. Our idea was to organize a braai ourselves now because it was so nice. So we went to the supermarket but it happened to be a Sunday so it was closed.. We want to the gas station and bought some meat there. When Rob and I came back we decided to light up the braai with the wood we bought the day before. It was a struggle.. so bad and we as westerns have no patience at all so we wanted the braai to warm up faster and things.. Eventually we put the meat on and after 30 minutes it still was not finished.. We tried our bests, ate the little pieces that was good and baked the rest in a pan. First time, can happen and we had a wonderful evening trying to make the best of it.

Day 5

The Genadendallers came back to Grabouw today to go to Cape Town. We wanted to show them the center as well so we decided to go again. Now we choose to go to Long Street Backpackers. Also a really nice place to stay. We did some beer pong there and just chilled. Afterwards we went to club 169. That was nice and funny at the same time because we saw a guy dancing on the streets, he was making sure the people who wanted to park there were parking right. He loved his job (and maybe did some drugs). We went to the beer house again, drank some beers. Then went to the mcDonalds. This was the worst possible choice I made that evening. Maybe not the mac itself but I ordered a spicy chicken burger and it was so Spicy my mouth was burning and all the others were laughing at me. Very funny after I finished it but damn I had a hard time. Time to go back to the hostel.

Day 6

I was ill.. I think it was the alcohol but I felt pretty bad at the start of the day. We gathered, made some plans and went back to the cars. When we arrived at the cars one of the doors of one car was not closed well. So we discussed and looked at the rest of the car. It happened to be that the radio was stolen. We called the rental company what to do and he came over to spectate the car. He found out the battery was empty as well. We took out a battery from another car and started this car with it, then switched batteries again and made sure this one would be charged fully so they could start the car again. After all the damage was not that bad but was not cool for their first time in Cape Town. The Germans and I went home (because I was still ill), the others went for a little road trip. We waited in Grabouw for the rest to arrive and then went to Genadendal. We were invited for a diner there so we went to a really nice restaurant. During the time we had to wait, the power went down twice but it was all good. It was a nice example of: take it easy, everything is gonna be alright. So eventually our food came and it was really really nice. We drove back with an almost empty fuel tank but also that worked out just fine.

Day 7

This day started of a little bit early. We had to go to some kind of school and we had a lot of information about what to do and what to do during our stay in South Africa. It was useful but early. We had a nice lunch over there and after that we went home. We went shopping a little and then had the idea to go to a nice viewing point to watch the sunset and climb a hill. We chilled around for about 2 hours and then the sun went down, it was such a nice view! We went back home, I did some laundry. Then went back to the Germans home and we watched ‘Komt een man bij de Dokter’. They do understand Dutch pretty well so it was very funny to see this together.

So, this was my pretty intensive week. Little bit tired now but ready for the next one. I love it over here!