Nomming on My Third Apple

During UCT orientation the director of my program gave a talk about culture shock, referencing three apples.

1. Apple Number One: Euphoria: Total excitement about being in Cape Town, loving every part of it, thinking the accents and African Time are great.

My first week or so I was so excited to be in South Africa.  Everything was beautiful and perfect.

2. Apple Number Two: Frustration: Annoyance with the cultural differences, homesickness

Bit this one hard when I headed over to LBG, where I experienced African disorganization at its finest on move-in day.  When I could finally move-in I found a squatter in my filthy flat and couldn’t lock my door.  Glimmer of hope: squatter moved out the next day, figured out how to lock my door.  That glimmer quickly dissipated with my real flatmates moved in.  I was able to take a break from all apple eating when I went on the Garden Route (perhaps returned to apple number one for a bit), but the couple days after I returned were very much apple number two. 

A few questions crossed my mind: Why do I have to padlock my bedroom door? Why are these boys from Lesotho in my flat yelling all the time? Why can’t I understand them? Why do they pound on the door constantly? Why is this campus so big? Why are there so many societies I can join? Why do I have to live in Mowbray? Why aren’t in in Sylvania and/or DC right now?

3. Apple Number Three: Adjustment: Feeling settled. 

I’m happy to say that I think I’m eating my third apple. That’s not to say that I don’t think I’ll feel little bits of homesick in the future or still have a lot of things I want to figure out about Cape Town (like how I can be surrounded by only white people in a certain area then quickly be the only white person in another), but I’m pretty comfortable here now.  Yes, I still have to padlock my bedroom door, listen to the boys from Lesotho yell, and attend 100 person lectures, but I don’t mind any of it anymore. It’s all part of the experience, right?

Overall, I’m beyond happy that I chose to be in South Africa for the semester.  I chose it for a reason, and right now, I’m thinkin’ that my reasoning was pretty darn good. It’s such an interesting country and I feel like I’ve picked the right place to learn and grow.

Cheers!