We got into Durban late Thursday evening; we were met by Jenni (our program director from Duke), Kelly (our on-site coordinator from Duke), Jean (our South African Coordinator), and Sean (our driver). We loaded all of our bags (barely) and drove to a building, Wings of Love, across from the police station. There, we were warmyly welcomed and we met all of host families. We went home with them that evening, were shown our rooms, and got settled.
We spent the next day touring the Wenworth area, visiting the locations of all of the homestays and NGOs. We also went to Anstey Beach in the Bluff area, where we had lunch and watched fishermen and surfers enjoy the warm-ish waters, despite the "cold winter" that SA is having. It was just beautiful:
That evening, we went to a surprise dinner hosted for us by the NGOs and our homestays at an NGO called the Blue Roof, a centre for AIDS which Alicia Keys funded and was honored in a week ago. It was a great event; Jean had coordinated it so that key people involved in planning our program were able to speak about the work they had down over the past year, and how it helped our program to actually take root and come to exist. We had a delicious dinner of traditional South African cuisine with an Indian rice and dahl, salads, chicken, and a special macaroni casserole. Dessert was coffee, tea, a Cake Sister (pronounced "kohck" in Afrikaans) and some chocolate cake. We were also given South African soccer jerseys by our homestays and NGOs to wear during our time in SA and also at home. It was such a kind and thoughtful gift.
We spent Saturday in Durban proper. We began the morning at an upscale outdoor market called Essenwood, where we saw local troupes preform traditional a traditional African elephant dance called Endlamu and then another troupe perform an African drama. We walked through the market, visiting the stalls with their handmade goods, and ate lunch there. We then travelled downtown to the beach to visit the FIFA Fan Park and enjoy all of the amenities on the beach--including a live drumming session--offered during the World Cup. We saw the stadium from a distance, and also drove by the City Hall and other important landmarks in the city.
That night, from various locations, we watched the US lose to Ghana in their World Cup match. Though disappointing for our nation, the South Africans are overjoyed that the last team remaining from their continent has advanced. As reporters were saying after the game, "The Black Star of Ghana rises again."
Sunday was a cold and rainy day in Durban. Some students went to church or markets with their families while others stayed in for a big lunch. We learned that many families have big lunches on Sundays because during Apartheid, when colored or black families went out to eat, they would always wait until every white family had been served before they were seated. Since this could take hours, they took to cooking big meals at home instead, and the tradition has since remained. We went that afternoon the Pavillion Mall, up in a ritzy area of the Durban suburbs, so that we could buy the warm clothes we had neglected to pack.
Today marks our first day at our NGOs. The day, however, will be brief, as Jenni was able to find World Cup tickets and we are headed to the match at 1600 in Durban of the Netherlands vs Slovakia! We are so excited for this!
