Stellenbosch

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So, I have been in Stellenbosch for a little over a week now.

The University of Stellenbosch is interesting to me, mostly because it is so vastly different from the University of Vermont. First of all, it is bigger, about 20,000 undergrads. Second of all, I'm not sure if I've seen school spirit to quite this level at UVM before. Maybe it's just because its only been first years here until about 3 days ago. I don't know.

Some of the activities that I have witnessed include a shopping cart race (unlike any shopping cart race I have ever seen before) and Windows, an event that involved the different residential areas putting on a 5 minute musical production and performing it to the school. Last weekend, a few of us hopped on the metro to Strand Beach for the day. Perfect.

I have kind of started classes. I say "Kind of" because the system here is weird, and I'm honestly not sure if I have actually started classes. Nonetheless, I am taking Intro to Afrikaans, Photography, Jewelry making and fine metal work, Intro to Wine Making, and a class about the impact of AIDS to South Africa.

Also, I am working with the Kayamandi Project, a program through the International Office to do an afterschool program with kids in Kayamandi, a township about 10 mins outside of Stellenbosch. The area is beautiful and the kids are fantastic and sweet. Unfortunately, I have been given strict instruction to never bring cameras. However, I'm hoping to get a chance at some time to take some pictures.

Overall, Stellenbosch is beautiful. I have a view of the mountains from my dorm room, it has been perfect weather (if not too hot) and student life and nghtlife are both incredibly fun.

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