Golden Birthday in the Western Cape

It sometimes so happens that the days and times align really well in order to make a great day. My birthday is June 22. It's usually a pretty cool day and as far as I remember, I only have positive memories of my past birthdays. This year was my "golden birthday" which is essentially when I turn 22 on the 22nd. It's a fun, cute idea. Because there is so much I have to do here in Cape Town, I had to go and celebrate a little bit before my actual birthday. My new friends took me to a pasta restaurant where I had a burger (such an American thing to do) and then went to the bar, Forex. Now, there is no way your friends can embarrass you more than to get a bar packed full of people to join them in singing "Happy Birthday." If there was ever an appropriate time to be drunk, it would be after that nightmare. Nevertheless, I survived.
For my actual birthday, the internship placement organization took us to Cape Point, the most South Western tip of the African continent. It's about an hour drive from Observatory and a must-do when in Cape Town. Once you get near Cape Point, you get to see some fun animals like ostriches and baboons. I don't recommend you try playing with either of them. I didn't, but apparently the obvious statements have to be made because tourists sometimes can only learn from experience. For things like safety, you only have to tell me and I'll take your word for it. So, I didn't get to play with the poor baboons.
Once you get to Cape Point, there are two short hikes you can do. One is to the lighthouse and the other is to the Cape of Good Hope which is as Southwest as Africa gets. I'll share some words about what I saw, but I'll let the pictures here do some talking first.

 These are just some of the sights I got to see whilst at Cape Point. After walking up to the lighthouse for the views, we then walked to Cape Point in which the trail took us to the top of a hill on a cliff. I never understood why people risk their lives for a nice picture right on the edge of a cliff. Are likes worth that much. The wind almost knocked someone off the edge of the cliff. What's a step or two forward so you're less likely to fall off? I got as close as I was comfortable. I got some nice pictures and that was that. The path down the hill was rather unsafe. You essentially had to hop from rock to rock and when you weren't hopping on rocks, you had to walk on rickety wood hoping it wouldn't break. It took about 15 minutes to get down and back to the van. Bye baboons. Until next time my friends.
To complete my birthday was another big family dinner at the grandparent's flat. I got some great gifts such as books, wine, chocolate, and clothes. Even when you get older, gifts from the heart are always nice. Traveling and family make for a great birthday, even for a golden birthday. I had a really good day and I am so far having a wonderful time in Cape Town. Off to the next adventure.
~Noah Goldman

Life in the Water Crisis

One of the stresses about Cape Town I had was coming here during a water crisis. Day Zero, the policy in which water usage will be extremely limited, was scary to think about. I must say though, I have lucked out a bit thanks to two things. Capetonians have become very concerned about the water crisis and have limited their water consumption as best they can. The second thing is, it has been raining a good bit. The dam levels are rising and Day Zero has been pushed back and seems to be getting pushed further and further back. This is good news but Cape Town is not out of the woods yet.
When I first got here, they told me "if it's yellow let it mellow and if it's brown flush it down." I'll leave it at that with regards to toilet usage. I have been pretty good at taking 2 minute showers but just know that when I'm back home, I'm gonna make up for lost time and take a 5 hour shower. Just kidding! I often don't drink water but other liquids to stay hydrated and typically only bring water on hikes or long trips. I have done my best to limit my water usage and I'm curious to see how it will be when I'm back home.
Living in Cape Town has made me greater appreciate the value of water and we waste so much of it back in Charlotte. We need water to live and yet we overuse it by taking insanely long showers, dumping out water instead of saving it for another day, and so much other ways we waste it. I hope that when I am back in Charlotte, I will be more considerate in my water usage. Back home I will always flush and my showers will take longer than 2 minutes but it won't be excessive. Appreciate the value of water as water is what gives us life and you shouldn't have to come to Cape Town to appreciate its importance.

Education for Immigrants in the Western Cape

I started my internship a couple of days ago. To catch you up, the organization is called the Refugee Legal & Advocacy Centre which primarily helps refugees get asylum in South Africa. One of the things my supervisor wanted me to see was some of the immigrant schools that exist in Cape Town. The school system I went to visit is called the Bright Student Learning Centre which has an incredible goal and ethic. The school is a non-profit that helps immigrant and refugee children in South Africa get a good education and makes sure that the students learn English. The students come from mainly Zimbabwe but also from Malawi, Mozambique, Ethiopia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

I had the opportunity to interview the principal, some teachers, and some students from the three different campuses. The three campuses are in Wynberg, Bellville, and Masiphumelele which is a township. Prior to going, I did some research on South African and Zimbabwean politics to better understand the issues that people in the two countries face. Both countries have recently had big political shake-ups with Jacob Zuma forced to resign in shame and replaced by Cyril Ramaphosa. Robert Mugabe was replaced by Emmerson Mnangagwa through the means of a military coup. The issues that force Zimbabweans out of Zimbabwe are poverty, unemployment, and political instability to name a few. South Africa currently has a growing poverty rate and a 26% unemployment rate. This is just the numbers recorded based on those in South Africa who have papers. If you don't have papers, you don't get included in the records.
I share some of the details to paint a picture as to what the migrant and refugee children I met have to deal with. I interviewed students who go far out of their way so that they can go to school. Some go by themselves on the train or the crazy taxis to get to school. For many, on a good day it is a 45 minute commute. Many of these kids were planning on going to public school but because of spacing issues, they have been deferred and some had to wait two years in order to go to public school. I met nine year olds who were forced to wait and were in the 1st Grade being held very far behind. That's why immigrant and refugee parents will send their kids to schools like the Bright Student Learning Centre, even if they can barely or downright not afford to send their kids there. It's because they know that education is a powerful tool that can take you far in life so that's why people risk everything to get it.

This is the preschool in Masiphumelele. Behind each door is a class of about 30 kindergartners. 

This school works in making sure students are fluent in English and get a high-quality education. There is a big hurdle for the school's success: money. The school started in 2012 in a small house and today has three campuses with over 500 students in total. They get no support from the South African government nor from Zimbabweans back in Zimbabwe. They rely on fees and donations and there are a good bit of people not paying their fees for whatever their reason may be. Money limits the resources needed to help these kids get an even better education. The kids I met are disciplined and more eager to learn than many Americans I know back home. I think sometimes we take education for granted since it's a requirement back home whereas here, the cracks are very big and easy to fall through. These kids value education because they know it can make a better life for them and their families. They want to be lawyers, doctors, tv stars, etc. They have these goals and ambitions at a young age. If you feel it in your heart, check out their website to learn more about how they help many young students in Cape Town.
~Noah Goldman
http://brightstudentlearningcentre.co.za/ 

My Thoughts on Anthony Bourdain While in Cape Town

This adventure had been planned for more than a year in advance and one of the things I wanted to best prepare was my mindset. Some way or another, I ended up watching Anthony Bourdain's show Parts Unknown. I spent many hours watching it looking forward to the views, the food, and the conversations. I wanted to learn how to travel "properly" Bourdain was certainly someone who spoke his mind, for better or worse, and did not care what you thought about it. He said some things I loved and said some things I didn't like but yet he still inspired me. How?

Bourdain showed me how a meal is about more than just the food. A meal is about the powerful connections between human beings that form in a dialogue on our lives over that meal. Bourdain would ask tough questions about life and the politics of the countries he visited over local dishes. Quite often, he praised food made in local kitchens over food found in fancy restaurants. We can learn the humility in that. That when we travel, we should make friends over meals and if we should be blessed, it will be a home-cooked meal. 

I have taken these lessons from Bourdain to my adventure here. So far, I have been in a few different restaurants ranging from nice kosher restaurants to behind the corner shops. I had delicious lamb curry and rice from a kosher restaurant called Avrons Place. I very much recommend. I had a nice chat about life in Cape Town with some relatives. Over the weekend, we had a big family Shabbat meal (16 people in attendance) and we talked about everything ranging from other travels to issues of the day in South Africa. I'll be having more meals and some beers with relatives while I am in Cape Town. Here in Observatory, I went into the little market with a new friend who knows the place and had chicken, pap (a maize porridge), and vegetables. I got to talk over this dish about local African foods and what many people eat. I finished the pap which apparently surprised many in this tiny eating establishment. They weren't used to Americans finishing pap, or their food in general. Sometimes finishing your plate can say more about you than what you say or wear. I have been welcomed to return.

Now, some of what Bourdain ate whilst abroad I may try to avoid and would more than likely play the kosher card. But nevertheless, this is the impact Bourdain had on me. He showed that we can break down barriers over food. That even though I have white skin, I am welcomed to go back to a place that predominantly caters to black Africans could say a lot. Let us learn from Bourdain and take food more seriously than we do. In the U.S., we waste so much food and to put it bluntly, we eat a lot of crap. Let's take more pride in the dishes we serve and the food we put in our bellies as well as the connections that we make over these meals. This is what he would have wanted and this is something we can all do. 

Rest in Peace Anthony Bourdain (1956-2018)

At the very least, you inspired me to see the good in everyone. 

~Noah Goldman

Cape Town - The Long Haul

Seriously, this trip is long overdue. How is it that I have so much family in Cape Town but have never visited it before? I blame the cost. I am both excited and nervous to be arriving in Cape Town. I think the big thing I am nervous about is being there for a little over two months. I have never been in a different country for that long. I will essentially be living in a foreign country for two months. That's weird and new, but also exciting. I have heard a lot about Cape Town since I was a small child. I've heard of the good and the bad. I finally get to see that.
Part of the reason I get to be here is through Queens' JBIP program that has granted me the privilege to be able to do an international internship. My internship will be with an organization called the Refugee Legal & Advocacy Centre. This organization provides free legal support for refugees seeking asylum in South Africa. Refugees in South Africa mainly come from Ethiopia, Somalia, he DRC, Nigeria, Sudan, more recently Zimbabwe, and from other African countries as well. I will be learning about refugee laws when it comes to both South African law and the United Nations. I will not just be exploring policy but also see how that policy impacts refugees on the ground. I will be exploring the role that South African institutions play in how they help refugees. I am very excited to learn about these things and to see where this internship will take me.
This really ends up being a perfect blessing for me. Through this program, I get to learn a lot about the politics of another country, I get to visit family here, and I have my own place so as not to bug anyone. I hope to learn a lot about the culture and food there and to see where that will take me. This is an amazing opportunity and I hope to take full advantage of it.
Stay tuned as the adventure carries on.
~Noah Goldman

Zurich - The Little Big City

Whenever I go to Europe (and its not very often), I have to make a stop in either Switzerland and/or Liechtenstein. The reason being is that I have close family in both countries and I have to visit. Expensive they may be, their beauty is something that pictures cannot bring to justice but only seeing it with your eyes can do so. My first impression of Zurich was that it is a cute, peaceful city. I don't think that perception has changed much but for good reason. I am thankful and blessed to have family that open their homes and their hearts for me and I really cannot thank them enough. They have made it possible to see the beauty of their worlds. I am forever grateful and hope to have more adventures with them in the future.
For this little trip, I of course made a stop in the little town of Hutlingen which is where some family members live. We had a nice barbecue and got to catch up as well as make some future plans. I also got to see a lot of the Swiss countryside which is jaw-droppingly beautiful. Sadly, I was not able to make it to Liechtenstein this time around. Liechtenstein is where some of my family still lives and it is also very beautiful and I have to make my way around there next time I am in Europe. But, Switzerland will do for now.
I am blessed to have family who open their homes for me and let me see their beautiful country. I will of course return and hopefully can spend more time here in this beautiful part of the world. Have I said beautiful enough?
Next stop - Cape Town, South Africa
~Noah Goldman

Prague - Heart of the Europe

I must be completely honest here, I decided to go to Prague on a whim. I came with two other friends and we decided to pick a city to go to right after our Poland excursion. I, for whatever reason, said Prague and we just kind of went with it. Looking back, I am so happy that we decided to go to Prague. It is such a beautiful city with so much to see and even more to do. One of the perks of seeing Prague is that for the most part it was not destroyed during the Second World War. We spent a lot of time just walking around looking at the sites and eating delicious food. Some of the excursions that we went on were paddle-boating the Vltava River, walking the Charles Bridge, going through Old Town and the Jewish Quarter, and so much more. It’s also fun to do these things with friends instead of by yourself.

This was our first time being in a foreign country with no itinerary and no guidance. It was fun in regards to the fact that we could do whatever we wanted (so long as it was within the budget). We found this fantastic waffle breakfast place where they customized these big waffles for you to enjoy. What is great with Prague is its affordability when it comes to hostels, food, and drink. What more do you need?

I think traveling without supervision is a fantastic growing opportunity. I had to pay for myself and make sure all the arrangements were in order with no one looking over it. I found Prague to be an incredible city that should be on every traveler's list. It is a city full of beauty, history, and culture. And if you can, take a day to go outside the city and explore what else the Czech Republic has to offer. There is plenty.
~Noah Goldman