Observations of the Mother City

Before leaving for South Africa, I was asked what South Africa looked like and what the people wore and what kind of food was eaten. My answer was usually vague and generalized. These are hard questions to answer because there is no blanket answer. South Africa is a conglomerate of many different cultures and backgrounds and nationalities. It is similar to the U.S. in this respect. It would be like asking the question: What do people wear in the U.S.? Answer: clothing. The same is true for South Africa.

The other reason I was hesitant to answer these questions is because they come from a place of ignorance about South Africa, and possibly Africa in general. The person who asked these questions was looking for an answer that described something exotic and unknown; she wanted to learn about the natives' costumes and bizarre food. This judgement of the asker might be a bit harsh. I know I'm sensitive to the issue of stereotypes about South Africa and Africa, but I can only assume, because she asked these questions, that she assumed South Africa would be different from home. And based on news coverage of and general beliefs about Africa, I can only assume she thought South Africa would be different from home in a way that is different from how Paris, for example, is different from home.

Cape Town is a city and very similar in many ways to any other city. Cape Town, like Boston, has big buildings and restaurants that serve food from all over the world and lots of people and public transportation and homelessness and dance clubs and all the other things that define what a city is.

While I try the neutralize the Africaness of Cape Town, the reality is that it is a city in Africa and there are differences from other cities I've visited on other continents. Here is a list of observations about things I've seen or heard or tasted or experienced in Cape Town. Disclaimer: None of these should be extrapolated to be about South Africa or Africa in general. These shouldn't even be assumed to be set-in-stone truths about Cape Town. They are just things I've noticed. Hopefully this will give you a better idea about what life looks like in the Mother City.

• Cars drive on the left side of the road. Despite crossing streets here for more than two months, I still have not learned this. Though I have figured out that the driver's seat is on the right and stopped going to that door when getting into a car. I like to think I know to look right and then left, but an event today crushed any delusions I have about this. That event also crushed my toes. I walked into oncoming traffic and inadvertently put my left foot in front of a car's back tire, which proceeded to roll over each of my toes. Ouch! I'm guessing you think my toes are hurt. Not the case. It's just my pride. I was crossing the street to get to a minibus taxi, so the guys in the taxi saw me 'bump' into the moving car. K, the other intern who I was with, saw me. The driver saw me; he/she stopped after I hit him/her, but I just kept going for the taxi to avoid any conversation about my inability to cross the road. Luckily, I'm fine. I wiggled my toes around during the ride into town with no trouble. It doesn't hurt to walk. There's no bruising. It seems like I should have broken something, but the car was small and not moving very fast.
• There is a visible Muslim population in Cape Town. I have no idea if there are more or fewer Muslims than in Boston in terms of numbers or percentage of the population. I say the community is more visible because traditional Muslim head coverings are a common sight around town. It is not surprising to see women wearing hijabs and men wearing taqiyahs.
• Sweet potatoes are white instead of orange.
• Instead of saying 'you're welcome,' people say 'pleasure.' Also, 'darling' is said in places where I would think to use the word 'dear.' Often, when I exit a minibus taxi and thank the guy working the door, he will say 'pleasure, my darling.'
• I have not seen any quick-cook oats. It is a fine art to cook oatmeal in a microwave, which involves watching the bowl through the door's window like it was the most exciting television show you've ever seen. If you look away for a moment you risk the oatmeal bubbling over the sides and making a huge mess. I usually cook the oatmeal in three stages. The first stage is for 55 seconds and I don't need to watch it. The second stage is for 45 seconds and I squat in front of the microwave and eye the oats and water as they bubble up like a volcano in the bowl. The last phase is for 35 seconds, but I usually have to stop every ten seconds to stir the oatmeal. When I stayed with Johann, a CSer, the last time I was in Cape Town, I made a mess of his microwave while attempting to make oatmeal. I felt awful because I was rushing out the door to cash a flight to Jo'burg and didn't have time to clean up. It took me a couple of tries to get the procedure right this time around and I had a few messes to clean up, but now I'm an oatmeal master.
• When riding in a minibus taxi, it is more common to hear people speaking a language that is not English, mainly Afrikaans and Xhosa. It took me a while to get used to this. It initially freaked me out. It's hard to feel secure in an unknown situation when people are saying things you don't understand. But now I just enjoy the melody of the conversations around me. And hope they aren't plotting my death or making fun of me.
• Skinny jeans with ballet flats and waist-cinching belts are popular among the 20-something-year-old women. Older and middle-aged women commonly wear skirts that hit well below the knee and hats - mainly beanie-style hats. I've only recently in the past twoish weeks seen any young women wearing short skirts and shirts they think are dresses; I'm pretty sure this is because the new semester at the University of Cape Town has started and all of the foreign students have arrived, bringing their less modest fashion sense with them. It could also be that the seasons are transitioning from winter to spring.
• Electricity for homes and flats is prepared. When you run out, the electricity shuts off and someone must go to a local vendor - I know some grocery stores less it - and buy more. This happened only thrice while I've been here.  
• KFC is a popular fast food option in Cape Town (and Windhoek, Namibia). With the exception of one McDonald's I've seen, it's the only American chain here. I read about how Starbucks was constructing a temporary location for the World Cup for all the foreigners. Some local chains are Wimpy's, Nando's, Spur, and Kauai. I've only tried Kauai; it's a health-conscious chain with lots of veggie options and salads, wraps, and smoothies. I also want to try Nando's which is Indian-inspired fast food. The other two are just burger-and-chip joints.
• The most African thing I've noticed here, other than being in Africa and surrounded by Africans, is that many women - mostly black women - carry babies and small children on their backs by wrapping blankets and towels around the child and then tied in the front around their stomach and chest. I have no idea what kind of knot they are using, but those kids never fall or slide out of the wrap. 

I think that's enough. This is really just a random, not-exciting list of stuff I've noticed on the ground. This ongoing realization - that Cape Town is not necessarily as unique as I previously thought - has actually made me fall a little less in love with it. But that is neither here nor there.

To some up:
What to people wear here? Clothing.
What do people eat? Lots of different kinds of food.
What does Cape Town look like? A city of concrete and construction that happens to also be nestled between mountains and the ocean, making it one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.