If there’s one thing I’ve learned living here thus far, it is the fact that at times, the wind can be quite ferocious! I’ve discovered that it can be rather risky wearing a skirt to work because although it might seem fine when I leave in the morning, a lot can change until I get out of work when it’s a struggle to make it to the train station without giving the locals a show ;) Other times it literally seems as though the house might actually blow over!

My internship is going well. I get along with my boss quite well and she’s even discussed the possibility of hiring me on as a full employee! But this is just talk and nothing is for certain. I haven’t done as much research and anthropological work as I would have liked, but this is all pending on the Joburg office since that is where the research department is. I’ve been told I will start that sometime soon…hopefully.

I fall more and more in love with Cape Town everyday. I feel so lucky to be able to live in such a beautiful city. Plus the cultural aspects are extremely fascinating. And, being an anthropologist, I’m thriving on my interactions with the locals! There really is a ton of history here, and although South Africa has come a long way since the apartheid, there is still a VERY long way to go. It’s also interesting to see how the country is reacting to the proceeding World Cup activities. There’s still lots of work to be done, and it will be interesting to see how they pull everything together in the end.

Life outside of work is great. All of the interns get along well and we love to explore the area and go on adventures together. We went to see the African penguins last weekend which was amazing! You can actually go onto the beach where they live and swim with them! I literally was sitting no more than 4 ft from them! (I have pictures to prove it) You do have to be careful though since they will bite you if you get too close. We’ve also been going to the beach a lot since it’s been quite hot lately. On Saturday a couple of us went to the Biscuit Mill which is a market with tons of good food and boutiques. It was absolutely delicious  Sunday, I began my PADI diving course so I can get certified to go scuba diving in our upcoming trip to Mozambique in March. We are going on a 10 day excursion to Swaiziland and Mozambique where we will be participating in 5 open water dives along with safaris, museums, and straw huts on deserted beaches!

Mom is coming to visit tomorrow! I’m very excited for her arrival as we have quite a fun filled couple of days including wine tours in the Stellenbosch and Paarl regions, a 2 day safari at Sanbona, a sunset hike up Lion’s Head to catch the full moon, and a trip to Robben Island. I’m sure its going to be quite a week!