Quick Update

        South Africa has been a very interesting experience. At the beginning of our time here, we spent ten days living in homestays in a black township called Zwelethemba that's about an hour and a half outside of Cape Town. While living there I didn't fully appreciate the importance of that experience, but after living in Cape Town for a week and a half I see that if I had only lived around the University of Cape Town and downtown then I really wouldn't have a good understanding of the country. SA also has the highest economic disparity in the world in its population and you really do see it. That said, I'm having a lot of fun and eating some great food. I've gotten the reputation as the food guy on the trip for both how much I eat and everything that I want to try. This weekend my friends and I took a day trip to Cape Point and climbed rocks with the local African Penguins. Everything that I've seen and learned about HIV/AIDS here has been another unforgettable experience.
         At the moment we're living in homestays in the Bo Kaap, the Muslim neighborhood of Cape Town. The location is only a couple of blocks away from downtown, which is really convenient. The family consists of a mother, father, and three sons, aged 11, 16, and 18. They've hosted IHP students before and so they understand us well and give us our space. Honestly, at this point on the trip it's nice to have the space. This is the fourth homestay in a row and we're all appreciative of the hands-off approach. I really like hearing the call to prayer throughout the day in the neighborhood.