Winter Creeps In

The past few weeks in Cape Town have ushered in a distinct autumn, and now winter has begun to rear its ugly head. Winter here is characterized by chilly temperatures and lots of wind and rain. The rain is probably the most notable, since it isn't uncommon for rainstorms to go on for several days in the months of June and July. We haven't gotten a ton of rain, but it is raining more often and the temperatures have cooled down. Think late October in WI. And although this is no Wisconsin winter, it might as well be in some cases.

When it is -10ºF at home, my bedroom is usually around 55-60º when I wake up, and I hate it. I despise waking up cold. In Cape Town right now, it may be 55º or 60º outside in the morning, but in a house that is build with no heat or insulation, and windows that are meant to keep out burglars and not drafts of air, I wake up to the same temperatures in my bedroom as I do at home. Or better yet, I get very cold at night and then wrap myself up more, only to wake up in a cold sweat. I've been trying different things recently, like layering and cocooning in a sleeping bag, which seems to help some.

The weather can be very unpredictable though, so it is a challenge to dress in the morning. Not only am I guessing what it will be outside in the sun and the shade, but guessing what the temperature will be on campus, up on the mountain, with a healthy Cape Town wind thrown in. And I usually bring my rain jacket with, because being caught in rain isn't fun and this city has a tendency to quickly destroy anything resembling an umbrella with a gust.

Panorama of UCT's Upper Campus.

Our swimming pool has shifted from a backyard paradise to an unhealthy, swampy emerald green color. We don't swim in it anymore, obviously, but our maintenance friend likes to still run the filter and add chemicals (maybe for fun, or to save it from ultimate chemical collapse), but we're still paying for the pool electricity and it is unnerving.

Swampy pool.

Life goes on though, as UCT students are now back into the swing of things after their respective Easter vacations. Things are wrapping up at school, and IAPO (department for international students) sent out an email warning students to stay vigilant about crime as they get more used to the city and their surroundings. Despite being more comfortable, crime is still a reality in the city. A few weeks ago, a girl from UW was robbed by two guys who put a knife to her neck on the other side of Obz for only a cell phone. And last weekend, two friends from my African Studies class were kidnapped in a minibus taxi and held for an hour while they withdrew hundreds of dollars from their bank accounts before letting them loose. I say this not to scare you guys or make it seem like I'm in danger, because I don't really think I am, I just don't want to paint an unreal picture of the city. I'm still loving it here, and I'm conscious of what could happen, but... it still happens. Despite that prospect, and what seems like more dreary weather, I am having more fun than ever, and we still have some nice days.

With 52 days left in my program, we've only got about three weeks of classes left. This will leave about a month of free time after classes end, and just a bit less after our final exams. I'm still looking for something to do when that free time arrives, but I have some ideas in mind. There are so many things I'd still like to do before leaving! It is actually approaching really quickly.

Travelling and spending money may prove more difficult now, though, since I have watched the exchange rate of my US Dollars to South African rands literally plummet over the last few weeks. I don't even like checking it anymore, because yesterday it reached a six month low. Ultimately, this just means that everything in the country costs me more for me than it did before. And it's dangerous because I'm used to thinking in my head "Okay, this is R300, which is just under $30." The "ten factor" works quite well and I've been spoiled. It is costing me almost $36 in reality, though. That's like 20% more! Poor me.

Exchange Rate:  Down... Down... Down.

As I get closer to coming home, I'm also having a harder time controlling my cravings for things at home. I'll cut to the chase: The first person to meet me at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago with a carnitas Chipotle burrito in hand will be on my A-list forever. Specifically: burrito, extra rice, extra black beans, Carnitas pork, corn salsa, cheese, and sour cream. Ohhhh, why did I just write that? It sounds so good. I did just fine ignoring this before, but the prospect of eating this in two months is a very tempting prospect. I'm also missing my boyfriend more than ever, and am excited to see my Matthew in a short time. It is particularly difficult since, for the last two winters in Madison, I have had him to warm me up most of the time when I'm cold in the mornings.

Next week I will be continuing my advanced diving certification, this time with a Night Dive at Long Beach on Wednesday. Here's hoping that it isn't freezing, that I will have a flashlight when I'm underwater in the dark, and that I see something cool if I see anything at all. Also, no panic attacks. :-)