(no subject)
Last week was so unbelievably stressful. I had four ten-page papers due and one of them was literally the WORST paper I have ever written in my life. Fortunately, it's not just me. All of my housemates feel like they've written the shittiest papers here, though I don't know if it's because everything in general is poorly run at UCT, or if we're just being lazy because we're abroad. Probably both, but coming here has definitely made me appreciate my education at UCSC. I have never been in a situation where ALL of my classes have been this disorganized. It's understandable why the grading scale is much different here (100-75% is an A; 74-70% is a B; 69-60% is a C; 59-50% is a D)-- it's impossible to get anything higher than an 80 on a paper! On the positive side, this week is the last week of classes and finals start November 1st. The Cape rains are finally gone (according to one of my physical environmental processes professors, this was Cape Town's most rainy winter in 50 years) and springtime is finally here.
Anyway, to celebrate my success of not having a panic attack from my papers, I went to a ska show Friday night with this group of South African guys who always come to my house. We met them through one of our neighbors and they basically drive us wherever they/we want to go. It's so weird being in a country where everyone loves Americans. I've gotten away with so much just by telling people I was American (although at first people have thought I was Malaysian, Thai, Canadian-- I get this one often, MADAGASCARAN). Anyway, I hadn't listened to ska since high school, so the show was actually really nostalgic and soothing.
Today I went to Mount Nelson for high tea to celebrate Julia's birthday. Mount Nelson is this ultra swanky hotel that looks like an English grandma's palace from the inside, but it's really fucking sweet. For 150 rand (which is about $16 USD) you get a glass pot of loose-leaf gourmet tea and an endless supply of pastries, sandwiches, and desserts. Never again will I return to Cha for Tea!
Mount Nelson
High tea room
Anyway, to celebrate my success of not having a panic attack from my papers, I went to a ska show Friday night with this group of South African guys who always come to my house. We met them through one of our neighbors and they basically drive us wherever they/we want to go. It's so weird being in a country where everyone loves Americans. I've gotten away with so much just by telling people I was American (although at first people have thought I was Malaysian, Thai, Canadian-- I get this one often, MADAGASCARAN). Anyway, I hadn't listened to ska since high school, so the show was actually really nostalgic and soothing.
Today I went to Mount Nelson for high tea to celebrate Julia's birthday. Mount Nelson is this ultra swanky hotel that looks like an English grandma's palace from the inside, but it's really fucking sweet. For 150 rand (which is about $16 USD) you get a glass pot of loose-leaf gourmet tea and an endless supply of pastries, sandwiches, and desserts. Never again will I return to Cha for Tea!
Mount Nelson
High tea room