Cape Town Series: Male Privilege

Lion's Head to the Right of Table Mountain

There was a full moon while we were in Cape Town, and a friend recommended doing a night hike up Lion’s Head. Lion’s Head is a relatively small mountain adjacent to Table Mountain. The hike up it is pretty cool. The trail is easy to follow most of the way up. (It’s actually big enough for a 4X4 to drive up part of the way. Paragliders have a launch on one side of the mountain.) There’s a fork about three-quarters of the way up the trail, giving hikers the option of continuing along a trail that’s more of the same or climbing up chain ladders to bypass that section. The best part of the hike is the route itself. The trail wraps its way around the mountain, lending a 360-degree view of Cape Town, the Atlantic Ocean, and surrounding area. The experience of hiking by the light of the full moon was really cool (mind you, Michelle and I had headlamps for the darker sections of the trail).

A View of Lion's Head from the Top of Table Mountain (midground, left), with Joe in the Foreground, Cape Town below, and Robben Island in the Background

In addition to the excitement Michelle and I felt while hiking up Lion’s Head, she and I were both scared that something would happen to us. Back in our village, we’ve grown accustomed to being indoors after sunset. This is because Peace Corps asks volunteers to stay in their homes for their safety. (Disclaimer: in all the time we’ve been at our site, nothing bad has happened to us. However, harm has come to other volunteers around the world, including South Africa, during the night.) We developed a plan in case we ran into trouble and we had phone numbers for taxis programmed in our phones. Our fears eased a little as we made our way up the trail because we saw other hikers. (We later learned that full moon hikes are one of the busiest times on the trail.) However, we remained vigilant just in case.

A Panorama of Table Mountain, Chapman's Peak Drive, and the Atlantic Coastline

After hiking for about 30 minutes, we turned a corner and I saw two middle-aged women sitting on a bench. It looked like they had been watching the sunset and were now enjoying some conversation. Seeing these women, I felt immediate relief about Michelle’s and my wellbeing. The thought that went through my mind was, “Well, if there are two middle-aged women still here and it’s getting dark, Michelle and I will be fine.”

Initially, I didn’t think anything more about having that thought. Well, as anyone who has spent time on the trail knows, there’s lots of time to spend in one’s head because there’s isn’t much to do while hiking other than to hike. Letting my mind wonder, I came back to that thought about the women and my own safety. Something wasn’t sitting well with me, and then it donned on me. My perceived safety was based on the assumption about the presence of other people who were more likely to be a greater target of harm. Phrasing it another way… there’s NO WAY any HARM will come to ME because it isn’t likely someone would try messing around with a MAN.

Cape Town Nestled beside Table Mountain

Same View, but after the sunset, and with the City Lights and Full Moon

In my experience working in higher education, and, more specifically, as someone who has been working to improve social equity in society, I have found that the idea of “social justice” is difficult for people to understand and accept. I admit that it has taken me a long time to understand the ill-effects of biased treatment of one individual or group over another based on their gender, skin color, socioeconomic standing, sexual orientation, and other identities, and I’m still learning. Even more, I’m still learning how to break down social inequities and increase opportunities for restoration, growth, healing, and understanding. (This may be heady, but it’s my personal philosophy that what I have just described is a practice that takes people their entire lives “perfecting”.)

A Bench with Table Mountain in the Background

The reason I’m telling the story about the thought I had about my own safety is that I’m still discovering the depths to which my own biases are buried. Since coming to South Africa, I have been challenging gender stereotypes; not only through my words, but also through my actions. For example, the teachers at my school were incredulous when they found out that I liked to bake. They’ve come to like it, though, because they like when I bring cookies to school.

Michelle and Joe Getting in a Photo as the Sun Sets over the Atlantic

I admit that I’m not constantly digging into my subconscious to see what prejudices come out, but what I find is that my biases and prejudices show themselves sometimes when I least expect them. For example, as I was hiking along a trail, thoughts like the one I described above come into my head.

But I don’t think I’m alone in this. Now, there are lots of people who are vocal about social justice and equity and can be seen on the “front lines”, if I may, in advancing causes associated with them. But there are also people who have thoughts like the one I described above but aren’t sure what to do with them. For me, when I have thoughts like that, I’ve made it part of my own self-discovery to find out what doesn’t sit right with me when I do. (Largely, it’s that my desire is to see people treated fairly.) 

Chapman's Peak Drive with Warm Lighting from the Setting Sun

I’m also writing this post because I want to encourage you to do the same. Sit with the thoughts you have, ask yourself, “What is it that seems 

off?”

If you need a little push to get started, think back to a time one of your family members or friends told a story about a time s/he was treated poorly because s/he was a woman, black, brown, gay, poor, or something similar. I guarantee that if you devote even a couple of minutes to thinking about it you’ll begin asking, “Why does stuff like that happen?”, and you may begin seeking an answer.

Cape Town Series: Driving on the Left-Hand Side of the Road

Countries Where People Drive on the Left-Hand Side of the Road (in yellow)
http://www.drivingdirectionsandmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/map-of-left-right-driving-countries.jpg

Thirty-five percent of the world drives on the left-hand side of the road, according to National Geographic. South Africa is one of those places.

Michelle and Joe at Cape Point

Michelle and I decided to rent a car for a couple of days while we were in Cape Town so that we could see some of the sites outside the city. Some of the sites included: Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, Chapman’s Peak Drive, Cape of Good Hope, and Boulder’s Beach. (I’d recommend going to all of them!)

Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden

It’s a bird bath – get it?! :P

Between the two of us, we decided I should be the driver and Michelle would handle navigation. Back in the US, Michelle and I learned that we fit best into these roles because driving stresses Michelle and I get distracted when I’m in the passenger seat, which means I don’t do well giving directions.

One of Many Gorgeous Views along Chapman Peak Drive

It had been nine months since I drove a car, which meant I was very excited to get behind the wheel. It reminded me of the time I first got my license. I started with my learner’s permit when I was 15 years old, and I went for my license when I turned 16. I also recalled my parents’ nervousness and trepidation about me getting into an accident. Before leaving the house, my mom would always tell me to be careful; especially when others were in the car because everyone, myself included, were “precious cargo”.

A Bench Overlooking the Beach

In addition to the excitement, I felt nervous. Not only had it been so long since I had driven, but I was in a different country with a different set of laws governing the roads; namely, driving on the left. I was mostly worried about turning into the wrong lane. It was very disorienting making a right turn and going into the opposite lane. Thankfully, I had Michelle with me, so we worked as a team to make sure I didn’t have any mishaps. We actually worked out a system so that she could tell me if I was hugging the left-hand side of the road too closely. (I found that I had a hard time judging the distance on the left-hand side of the car.) Anytime that I got too close, Michelle would say, “lane” and I would move closer to the center line.

Sea Mist Floating onto the Beach

I did have one incident while I was driving. Michelle and I went to pick up a couple of friends, and while I was parking the car I accidentally swiped the side of a planter. The planter, being made of brick, was unscathed, but the car didn’t fair so well. I put a nice set of scratches in the bumper. Later, when we returned the car, the attendant at the rental place was calm and told me not to worry about it. She said it happens quite a lot; especially with people from other countries. This eased my mind because I was upset with myself for having scratched the car.

All in all, I was happy that Michelle and I had the car because it enabled us to see some amazingly beautiful places. It was also very freeing to be able to hop into the car and drive wherever we wanted. Please note: I have gratefully appreciated the public transportation that’s available throughout South Africa. Further, Michelle and I have talked off and on about living somewhere with decent public transportation so we don’t have to rely on a car to get around. It was nice, though, to have a car to get around on our own terms; even if it was just for a little bit.

Matt, a fellow PCV, Joe, and Michelle at the Cape of Good Hope

When we returned the car, I was sad not to have it any longer. I was also relieved to be without the car because I didn’t have to worry about parking, watching out for other drivers, and, of course, turning into the wrong lane.

Gazing into False Bay

Cape Town Series: Shark Diving

[Cue Jaws theme song… "duuuuuuhn-nuh......... duuuhn-nuh......... duuhn-nuh, duuhn-nuh..."]

http://moviepostermagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/JAWS-ORIGINAL-SHARK-MOVIE-web.jpg

Leading up to, and after, our arrival in South Africa, there were several people who asked Michelle and me if we planned to go shark diving. South Africa is home to the world-famous Shark Alley, which has been regularly featured on The Discovery Channel during Shark Week. It’s an area where lots of Great White sharks can be seen as they’re migrating around the Southern tip of Africa. We hadn’t given much thought to the idea of diving into the water to see sharks, seeing as neither one of us felt strongly about the animal. But as we were gearing up to go to Cape Town, some friends of ours asked if we wanted to join them as they planned to go shark diving. Reconsidering the notion of shark diving, Michelle and I thought it would be a unique experience given the fact that our time in South Africa in finite and shark diving isn’t necessarily an easy activity to find in the US.

While it ended up that Michelle and I didn’t actually go shark diving with our friends (they chose to go on a date that worked better for their vacation plans), we did end up going shark diving.

When I think about Great White sharks, the first image that comes to mind is Jaws. Thanks to Steven Spielberg and John Williams the shark that plagued the New England resort town and, further, the music that accompanied the impending doom, I pictured seeing Jaws while I was in the shark cage. Needless to say, I felt scared.

"I Feel Safe..." (Famous Last Words)

What I did find when I entered the shark cage was not fear, but, oddly, comfort. Let me explain. Before boarding the boat that took us out to the middle of Shark Alley, the captain/guide led the other participants and I through a safety orientation. Included were step-by-step instructions about what was going to happen when we got out on the water, how to enter and exit the shark cage, and how to best view the sharks.

Safety Orientation

The Actual Shark Cage We Used

Based on anything I had seen about shark diving prior to this experience, people used scuba gear so they could totally submerge themselves under the water. I learned during the orientation, however, that many companies no longer use scuba gear with tourists, but, instead, follow the “hold your breath” method. The method is… exactly like it sounds. At the command of the guide, anyone in the shark cage would take in a huge gulp of air and duck their heads under the water to view a shark as it passed by the cage. Everything else was the same; we’re still totally submerged under water as that happened. 

View From Above

Seeing the lengths the guide went through to ensure his clients’ safety, I felt at ease about joining the sharks on their turf. The feelings I felt instead were excitement and anticipation. I wanted to hold my break for as long as I could so I could watch the sharks below the surface.

Time to Jump In
After a short 20-minute ride from the boat launch to Shark Alley, Michelle and I squeezed into wetsuits and waited our turn to jump into the shark cage. When it was time, we donned goggles and slid in the water. I was thankful we had the wetsuits because the water was freezing! (We learned from the guide that the water temperature was 13° Celsius, or 55° Fahrenheit). I had our waterproof camera in my hand to capture images of the shark as it passed. (This was the first time using the camera in saltwater, so I was nervous that it was going to break). We waited in anticipation for the command from the guide. Then it happened; we heard his voice scream, “Down, down, down!” In the exhilaration of the moment, I forgot to take a breath and found myself underwater looking everywhere for the shark. I didn’t have any luck. It wasn’t until the initial excitement faded, and the sting of the cold water registered, that I realized that I didn’t have any air. The moment to see the shark came and went, so I came back up to take in some oxygen. Cheers and excitement filled the tank from the other clients; some had seen the shark but others missed it too. I told myself I needed to remember to breathe next time and to look toward the bait in order to see the shark. As I waited for the next shout from the guide, with my camera in hand, I had my game plan set and was ready to take in the Great White shark for all of its glory.

“Down!” I dove under again. There it was – a Great White shark. Powerful and sleek, moving silently with what seemed like little effort through the water. I could see its dark eyes and rows of jagged teeth. It was majestic. (If I wasn’t already holding my breath, I would say breathtaking – haha!).

To Give an Idea of Proximity...

Say Hello!

"Oh My God!!!"

Michelle and I got to go into the shark cage twice. The second time felt much colder than the first, but it was worth it. Great White sharks are truly beautiful creatures. All in all, at least three sharks swam by our boat. The largest shark was about three meters long (9.8 feet). We learned from the guide that typically only juveniles will come up to the boat. The larger, older sharks don’t waste their energy when they know there’s better prey out in the water.

"Come here...."

Seeing the Shark From Inside the Cage

Reflection: More Than Jaws
Since coming back from Cape Town, Michelle and I have looked into shark diving, and we’ve learned that there is a debate about whether or not it should be allowed. On the one hand, shark diving increases (positive) exposure to Great White sharks; thus decreasing the stigma/fear of the species and increasing awareness about harmful practices committed toward them. Practices like using the fins from the sharks to make shark fin soup; thus putting their existence at risk. This in turn creates stronger stewardship to protect Great White sharks. On the other hand, the chum (a mixture of fish oil, blood and saltwater) used to attract the sharks to the boat could be linked to keeping the sharks in an area that they would otherwise pass through more quickly. This change in amount of time could have an effect on their migratory pattern. Some places around the world are no longer offering shark diving in an attempt to enable the sharks to go back to their natural state.

Although the bait isn't intended to feed the sharks, they do sometimes get ahold of it.

Great White sharks are wild animals.  What are our roles in protecting these majestic creatures?

Having learned this information after the fact, I’m not sure if I would go shark diving again, but then again, I’m not sure I wouldn’t go either because of the wonder I hold for nature. I do know that I’m for increasing the safety and wellbeing of creatures large and small, human and non-human. I also care about the earth, and its inhabitants, so I am reminded that I should be more-informed and to look into the impact my tourism has on the environment.
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To read more about shark diving and the issues surrounding it, Michelle and I have provided some helpful links below. Happy reading!

IOL Scitech article from about the connection between chumming and shark behavior:
http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/environment/shark-research-shocker-1.1282018#.VSk6U5TUlK8

Article from The Guardian about one journalist's account of her shark diving experience:
http://www.theguardian.com/travel/2006/oct/13/adventure.extremesportsholidays.watersportsholidays

World Wildlife Federation report on the status of Great White Sharks:
https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/great-white-shark

Cape Town Series: Spending Time with Our Friends, the Ashlee’s

When I first sat down to write this post, I was thinking about writing about the activities we did with our dear friends. But something didn’t sit quite right with me. Upon further reflection, it donned on me that it wasn’t what we did that mattered to me; it was simply the time spent together that mattered so much. Michelle and I are fortunate to have many people in our lives that we hold close to our hearts. While there are people here in South Africa who are quickly making space for themselves in our hearts, Michelle and I left family and friends back in the US who we miss dearly. Two of them are Kyle and Aeriel Ashlee.

Kyle, Aeriel, Michelle, and Joe on the Summit of Table Mountain

Quick Background
Fun fact: two out of the last three times I saw Kyle Ashlee have been in countries other than the US.

Kyle, Michelle, and I all met in graduate school. Kyle and Michelle overlapped in graduate school by a year, but I came to know Kyle better when I completed an internship in Switzerland a year later where he was working at the university. The next time Michelle and I saw Kyle was at his wedding where we met Aeriel, his partner.

Kyle and Aeriel

Back to the Story
It was about October last year when I got an email from Kyle saying he and Aeriel had gotten accepted to be resident directors aboard the MV Explorer with the Semester at Sea program. Even better, one of their ports was going to be Cape Town. Seeing this, I read the rest of his email rapidly to see when they were going to be in country. As it turned out, they were going to be in South Africa during Michelle’s and my April break from school. Perfect!

Michelle and I met up with Kyle and Aeriel after spending 24 hours riding a bus from Durban to Cape Town. It is perfectly reasonable to think that we were tired after such a journey, but Michelle and I were filled with too much excitement to feel the fatigue. We decided to meet at the harbor before heading off to dinner. From my vantage point in the car, I spotted Aeriel first. Exiting the car, I saw Kyle next. It felt really good to see their bright, smiling faces. After hugging hello, we piled into the car and drove to the restaurant.

Over the next couple of days, Michelle and I got to do many things with Kyle and Aeriel. We sampled beers at a beer hall, hiked Table Mountain, rode in a cable car, toured a winery, and got to see their living/working accommodations on their ship.

Kyle Mid-Hike on Table Mountain

Groot Constantia Vineyard

Wine and Chocolate Pairing

Aeriel, Michelle, Kyle, and Joe Aboard the MV Explorer

The Significance
Being able to spend such quality time with Kyle and Aeriel was a gift. There’s something about being able to see friends we’ve known for a long time. It’s a comfort that comes from having shared experiences and a language for talking with one another (all four of us work in higher education, connect on shared values, and enjoy deep conversations about life and meaning). We reminisced about various memories, dove into deep discussions about making a difference in the world, laughed about silly things, and speculated about what the future holds. From the moment we first met up to the last time we said goodbye, I don’t think there was a moment when we weren’t talking. We had lots of conversations and shared many laughs. After it was over, it was clear that we had been yearning for that level of connection and comfort for quite some time. It served as a powerful reminder of how much these relationships mean to us.

Enjoying Delightful Conversation

Lately, Michelle and I have been talking about where we want to live when we return to the US after we finish with our service. A large part of the conversation pertains to the people we want near us: family and friends. We are blessed with loving and supportive families. We have friends who will be by our side through thick and thin—the kind that lend a hand when you need help moving and lend their hearts when yours is hurting. The trouble we’re facing is that our families and friends are scattered throughout the country. Should we live in Ohio, Louisiana, Washington, or somewhere in between those places? How can we possibly choose between them all?

With about 18 more months until after service closes, we have time to think about what choices we will make. In the meantime, we just want to thank those who we hold dearest, like the Ashlee’s, for the intangible gifts they have given us over the years: encouragement to go further, asking us tough questions, providing connection, meaning, and complexity to our world, and—of course—their patience as we stumble through and figure out our lives. Siyanikhumbula (we miss and remember you).

"A Person is a Person Through Other People"

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To read more about Kyle and Aeriel’s experience, you can visit their blog here.

Cape Town Series: Animals!

As you’ve seen in earlier posts, hiking to the Indian Ocean and backpacking through the Drakensberg Mountains, Michelle and I love spending time in the outdoors. One of the many benefits includes seeing animals. While we were in Cape Town, we saw lots of them! The highlights include Great White sharks, African penguins, seals, ostriches, and baboons.

Leading up to our trip, we did research about things to do and places to see while in and around Cape Town. Two places in particular were Cape of Good Hope (near Cape Point) and Boulders Beach in Simon’s Town. Both of which are located on the peninsula South of Cape Town. Cape Point is the Southwesterly most point on the African continent and there’s a nature reserve there, and Boulders Beach is famous for its penguins.

Caution: Rockfall and BABOONS!

Cape Point is about a two-hour drive from Cape Town, and there are two ways to get there. Driving along the coast via Chapman’s Peak Drive or taking the highway farther inland. I recommend taking Chapman’s Peak Drive because it’s much more stunning in its beauty; kind of like driving along Route 101 in Oregon. Along the way, we saw signs alerting drivers to be cautious of baboons. Coming from Ohio, I was used to seeing warning signs about deer, so seeing this sign got us excited. We got lucky because we saw a troop of baboons just as we were about to turn into the nature reserve. In true tourist fashion, I brought the car to a stop so we could take pictures of the baboons.

Roadside Baboons

Say Hello!

We continued into the nature reserve at Cape Point. Cruising along the road, taking in the breathtaking beauty of the Atlantic coast, we spotted ostriches. Up until this point in my life, I had only seen ostriches at the zoo, and, further, I was under the impression that ostriches could only be found in the savannah. Well, now I know better. Apparently, Cape Point is home to a special kind of ostrich that has adapted to surviving the climate there. It felt odd to see ostriches standing on a beach. Better yet – it was cool seeing them there because it was completely unexpected.

Beachfront Ostriches

After taking photos of the ostriches, we drove to the Cape of Good Hope and then to Cape Point. We were under a bit of a time crunch, so we didn’t spend as much time as we would have liked at either place. In the future, I think it would be cool to hike between the two because they’re relatively close together and the hike would follow the coastline.

While we were at Cape Point, Michelle spotted a black shape bobbing in and out of the surf at the bottom of the cliff. Upon closer inspection, we realized it was a seal playing in the water. The water so strikingly blue that it was easy to see the seal twist and turn in the waves. We saw seals again at one other place; in the harbor at Cape Town.

Welcome!

Noting the time, we got back into our car and drove to Boulder’s Beach. Located on the opposite side of the peninsula, Boulder’s Beach is home to the African penguin. Other than seeing penguins at the zoo, I had seen them in the wild once before when I spent a semester studying in Ecuador at the Galapagos Islands (one of the places in the world Michelle wants to visit more than anywhere else). This, however, was about to be Michelle’s first time seeing them in the wild.

Penguins Sunning Themselves on a Boulder

When we got down to the beach, there were penguins everywhere. Some of them were sunning themselves on boulders; others were gliding through the water; and others still were nesting. We got to see penguins keeping their eggs warm, juveniles with their metallic blue plumage, and fully-grown adults waddling around on the sand. We took lots of pictures and videos.

Penguins Nesting (foreground) and Juveniles (middle ground)

A Stroll on the Beach

The Caption within the Pictures Speaks for Itself

"Walk This Way"

Before leaving, we stopped at the information/gift shop. I noticed in the back that there was a book where visitors could sign their name, where they’re from and leave a little note about their experience. I thought about what I could say about my experience seeing the penguins, which made me think about my little sister, Andrea. Penguins are her favorite animals. I decided to include her in the visitors’ book.

Here's to My Little Sister

Quick tangent about the seals in the harbor: There’s a term in biology, anthropomorphism, whereby human characteristics or behaviors are applied to non-human creatures. I mention this nerdy fact because while we were heading out of the harbor toward Robben Island, Michelle and I saw seals in the water not too far from the boat. Simply seeing the seals made us giddy, but there was more. As the boat floated past the seals, they turned on their sides and “waved” at the passersby. Seeing the seals wave brought even bigger smiles to our faces.

Toodle-oo!

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At this point in the post, you might be saying, “I thought Joe said he and Michelle saw Great White sharks.” Well, you’re correct. However, I want to save that experience for another post. Check back soon!

Cape Town Series: Introduction

The frame says it all...

Michelle and I recently vacationed in Cape Town during the April break from school. We did a lot and had a wonderful time while we were there, so there’s much to tell. In an attempt to keep from writing a blog post that’s 15 pages long, we’re going to try writing a series of posts about our time there. Topics we’re thinking about writing, in no particular order, include: 

• Time spent with friends
• Robben Island and museums
• Animals and nature
• Shark diving
• Paragliding
• Driving on the left-hand side of the road
• Ice cream and other delicious food
• Male privilege

We hope this helps make the posts easier to digest since they’ll come out in bite-size pieces.

A Quick History about Cape Town…

Archaeologists have discovered tools from the Stone Age suggesting that the area known as Cape Town was inhabited thousands of years ago. Fast forward to a few hundreds ago, Cape Town was inhabited by Khoikhoi and San peoples. Portuguese explorers took refuge in the natural harbor of Cape Town in the 1500’s, and later the Dutch set up a resupply port while they were establishing the Dutch East India Trading Company. The English eventually came to assert their authority and control over Cape Town in the 1830’s. All the while, indigenous peoples still inhabited the land. However, with the arrival of Europeans, indigenous peoples relocated to other areas.

While the Dutch were in control of the area, they tried utilizing the Khoikhoi and San peoples to complete manual labor but were unsuccessful. Alternatively, peoples from other African and Asian nations were forced into slavery. When the English took over, slavery was abolished; however, former slaves were still kept in a quasi-bondage because they had to complete apprenticeships with their former masters before they could strike out on their own. With slavery no longer in affect, the English looked for other ways to complete manual labor. Indentured servants from India, Malaysia, and other parts of Southeastern Asia were brought in.

Fast forward to today, Cape Town is a mix of cultures and skin tones. Many languages can be heard on the streets. And a variety of foods can satisfy just about any palette. Cape Town has a sorted history because of the practices put into place during the Apartheid era. And because Cape Town is arguably the most Westernized city in South Africa, practically any Western amenity one could imagine is available. Because of all of what I described above, Cape Town makes for a great place to visit, but I would argue that it’s important for visitors to take in its history and mix of cultures to get a true flavor of what it’s like.