Getting started

Hello everyone!

It is cold and raining here, just like Portland in the winter except that none of the buildings here have any heat in them! That makes me want to stay in bed a really long time in the morning, even though I should get up and do things :). My backpacker is REALLY noisy on weekend nights, too! The partying seriously goes on until 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning. But I hope I'll be out of there and into other lodging soon. Now that I'm up and out I think I will browse a used bookstore because I am almost done with the books I brought with me. And somehow, nothing feels better than curling up with a cup of hot tea and a book when it is gross and rainy out (not to mention unsafe after dark).

For anyone who is interested, I now have a cell phone and you can email me to get the number. There is a way to do free international calling, but I left that info at home so I'll have to email it to all of you another day. But incoming calls should be free on my phone, so as long as you can calculate the time difference (9 hrs ahead) I would love to talk to you!

I am at loose ends today, but I found a really nice coffee shop/cafe where I sat and had some coffee and some butternut squash soup. It was tasty! My stomach is bothering me a bit, but I think that's just because I am still nervous about a lot of things. It's interesting to feel that way, because I can't remember ever having a physical reaction to nervousness that lasted longer than a few hours. I think I will feel a lot better once I have a long-term place to live. I am seriously considering the shared-houses that one of the other SAEP volunteers recommended. It sounds like you have to start out in a backpacker-style lodge with dorm rooms and shared facilities, but that you can move to a nicer lodge (owned by the same people) after a little while. The nicer lodges have much more space, private rooms, and bathrooms (most of which have showers) in the rooms. I might try to live there for a few weeks and if I don't enjoy it I will try to find another place. It sounds nice because it will be easy to meet students and travelers, which might be harder if I were to take a room in someone's home (I had a recommendation for a nice lady who has two rooms to let). We'll see! It seems like everyone at SAEP has friends outside of work that they spend a lot of time with, so I want to make sure I can also meet other people.

There is a lot of ATM fraud here... which makes sense, but still feels strange after living in Iowa for four years :). Everyone warns you not to use an ATM that is outdoors, or one without a guard near it. Yes, they actually have security guards at their ATMs! Apparently it's the most common form of theft and it happens most to tourists who aren't careful. The thieves somehow get the machine to jam with your card in it, and most people don't realize until after you have entered your PIN. At which point you go inside to notify the bank, and the thief robs your account and takes your card. So far, none of this has happened to me... the backpacker has been very nice about suggesting ATMs to use, they must have a lot of experience with stupid tourists :).

There are also these funny taxis here called "minibus taxis" that are essentially minivans, and they run through the city with an operator who calls and whistles out the side window. They'll stop anywhere and pick you up if you wave, or let you off anywhere you ask. They are more common than actual buses or commuter trains. It's a funny system, but really cheap. There are some routes that are unsafe to take the minibus on because the drivers are a bit crazy, but the one running from Observatory (where the shared houses are) and Rondebosch (where the SAEP office is) is a safer one because you don't have to go on the freeway. Anyhow, I got to ride one yesterday and it was an interesting experience!

Anyhow, that's all the news from here! Hope to hear from all of you soon!