Saturday, July 24, 2010

Thursday, July 22, 2010 11:31 PM Cape Town Time- My Dorm (LBG)

Today I knocked out my number one thing to do in South Africa. I went to Robben Island Prison. It was very cool to finally be there after learning so much about it since high school. The island was very eerie and more of a testament to South Africa's curious but admirable confrontation of history. The prison guides from my understanding are all pretty much former political prisoners housed at Robben Island. The idea that someone would be able to go back to such a place not just for a visit but to live and work and is almost unthinkable to me.

I think that the way that South Africa seems to deal in a very direct manner about its apartheid history is great. I do know that there are some parts of that history that are not fully expressed or dealt with but I think they're willingness to engage with the past far surpasses the American tendency to want to erase the atrocities of yesteryear.


Truthfully the only atrocities America is comfortable with remembering are the ones that didn't happen here. Consider that there is a Holocaust Museum but no Slave Museum in the nation's capital (a city built by slaves but an ocean away from Germany). With the understanding that part of the reason is political (and financial) will, I think that it is also because we as Americans don't like dealing with our dirt. We don't want to be faced with the ugly parts of our history even though those are probably the parts we learn most from.


Anyway Robben Island took most of the day. Sidenote: I only had to pay half price to get in because the guy thought I was under 18. Actually he thought I was 13! I don't know on what planet I look 13 (I have a beard yo) but whatever since it saved me money.

Tonight went to a spot called Gold of Africa for dinner. It was kind of expensive but really nice. Had food from all over the continent and it was great. Had ostrich.  They had people playing drums and dancing for us as we ate which was a little strange but cool. The weirdest piece might've been that they seemed to really over serve us. Not that it hasn't happened at places before but it's always a little strange to me when a waiter is too attentive, I'm just not convinced I'm that important of a person.


Also talked to my flatmate today about music. He said that there's a group of students who get together to cipher on Wednesdays I believe. I'm definitely trying to check that out and see how the MCs are here.


Everybody here seems to have a hustle too. Whether they're offering a service, trying to take you, or whatever. Everybody is either trying to give you a deal or swindle you out of something. It's interesting. Not that it doesn't happen in America but it keeps me on my toes here because I'm not as familiar with the landscape, culture, or people.


"h-u-s-t-l-e, hustler. never find a dime that ain't mine motherfucker…"

-murs


peace,

nate


ps. there are a ton of KFCs here. More than McDonalds. By far the most abundant American franchise I've seen in Cape Town. Hold all jokes. lmao.

2 comments:

Stitch said...

get up with those african emcees
sell some beats to some african

Lilo said...

When I went to China, all I saw were KFC's. Weird.