The past couple of weeks have been filled with paper writing, tutorial reading and test taking. All my work is getting done and I am still enjoying all my classes but my UCT experience hasnt always been perfect. Last week I made an appointment at the schools writing center to get my art history paper looked at. I thought it was going to be the same as at Merrimack where they read your paper and make corrections and suggestions. Turns out its against their policy to make any corrections on my paper, even a misspelled word, go figure right? So it was a complete waste of my time but now i know that i dont need to go there again. Then my other UCT dilema was with my first lecturer for my Race, Class and Gender course. So the material taught during the race part was very interesting and i really enjoyed it but the lecturer was ridiculous. I dont think there was one day where he didnt stow up at least 10 mins late for a lecture. Most of the time it was at least 10-15. Then last thursday we had our test for the class and everyone got there at least 10 mins early figuring he was going to be on time and we would be out of there soon. But no. He then proceeds to show up 20 mins late for his own test!! Luckly I had studied a lot with my friend Poetry so i knew all the material and was able to sail through the test but starting 20-25 mins later made it longer and i was 40 mins late for my Coca Wah Wah (an internet cafe with great food downtown) with Dianna. So we are starting the Gender section tomorrow so hopefully this lecturer will be better.
Now on to the fun stuff. I have been taking African Dance class every tuesday and thursday nights from 5.30-7. The teacher is intense but it is a ton of fun!!! I brought my friend christina to it last week and we are going to continue to go as much as we can for the rest of the semester. Some of the stuff is hard to follow but im really glad i have a strong dance background to help me catch on quickly.
Yesterday we went to Robben Island as a group where Nelson Mendela was kept for 18 years, not 8 like i said in a previous post. It was a really beautiful day so the ferry ride over was great. Once we got to the island we were put on a bus and was taken on a guided tour of the island. Our tour guide was really good and knew a lot of history about the island and its purpose. Even though the island is mainly known as a prison, there was a gorgeous view of table mountain and even penguins that lived on the island!! We were told that there were three different prisons on the island and that criminals and political prisoners were kept separately. Also the guards and workers lived on the island with their family so there was a school for their children to attend which is still functioning today. Then after driving around on the bus we got out and met up with an ex-prisonner who gave us a walking tour of the prison grounds and we got to see the cell where Nelson Mendela was kept. Political prisoners didnt have to wear prison uniforms but were kept in smaller cells than the prison dogs!!
Now on to the fun stuff. I have been taking African Dance class every tuesday and thursday nights from 5.30-7. The teacher is intense but it is a ton of fun!!! I brought my friend christina to it last week and we are going to continue to go as much as we can for the rest of the semester. Some of the stuff is hard to follow but im really glad i have a strong dance background to help me catch on quickly.
Yesterday we went to Robben Island as a group where Nelson Mendela was kept for 18 years, not 8 like i said in a previous post. It was a really beautiful day so the ferry ride over was great. Once we got to the island we were put on a bus and was taken on a guided tour of the island. Our tour guide was really good and knew a lot of history about the island and its purpose. Even though the island is mainly known as a prison, there was a gorgeous view of table mountain and even penguins that lived on the island!! We were told that there were three different prisons on the island and that criminals and political prisoners were kept separately. Also the guards and workers lived on the island with their family so there was a school for their children to attend which is still functioning today. Then after driving around on the bus we got out and met up with an ex-prisonner who gave us a walking tour of the prison grounds and we got to see the cell where Nelson Mendela was kept. Political prisoners didnt have to wear prison uniforms but were kept in smaller cells than the prison dogs!!
Nelson Mendela's cellOverall the day was very educational but emotional at the same time. It was hard for me and my friend Christina to comprehend where we were and why people came there. Most of the prisoners were there for political reasons meaning that they resisted the governments apartheid which segregated people based on race. To think that people were arrested just for standing up for who they are really baffled me. Also the prisons were racially segregated which was even more shocking.
South African Fact: During their stay at Robben Island, prisoners were forced to do manual labor at Lime sites in the blazing sun and heat with no protection. Therefore people like Nelson Mendela's tear ducks were perminatly damaged because of this, when he cries now, he doesnt shed tears...
South African Fact: During their stay at Robben Island, prisoners were forced to do manual labor at Lime sites in the blazing sun and heat with no protection. Therefore people like Nelson Mendela's tear ducks were perminatly damaged because of this, when he cries now, he doesnt shed tears...
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