My friend Charlie and I came together on the flight to South Africa. When we left our families in San Francisco, I was frightened at the thought of living with another family for so long; however, I was excited because my exchange, Ethan, and I bonded very well when he came to live with me.
When we landed and went through customs, the immigration officers were very lenient with checking our information. Afterwards, Ethan and I caught up since we hadn’t seen each other in over a month. I immediately wanted to begin my introduction to Cape Town, so Charlie, his exchange partner, Ethan, and I went to the promenade to hang out and see the ocean. The next day, we visited a mall to get my clothes for school. I was surprised to see the precautions that stores must take to prevent thievery. For example, the stores all have detecting machines at the entrance and an employee that checks receipts.
The following day, I went to school and was introduced to Ethan’s friends and classmates. In class, the teachers are much less strict, have trouble commanding respect, and teach elementary material. The students are unfocused, talkative, and relatively unmotivated compared to the Bay Area schooling that I have experienced. The physical infrastructure of the school is outdated as the school is 150 years old. The social experience of school is similar to that in America. There are cliques, class hierarchy, etc. I have gotten along well with Ethan’s friends, but not so fluently with with the other students.
Thought I have resided in Cape Town for just two weeks, I have already seen multiple locations. I have been to the waterfront, paragliding, a helicopter ride, and Table Mountain. I have enjoyed my time and continue to be amazed at how kids from the opposite side of the world can be so similar and interact so eloquently.
The Athenian School Exchange Blog 