Last full day in Cape Town

11/23/08
This morning, Ben Brown picked Kenz and I up to go to breakfast. Ben was my RA (Residential Advisor) on my hall freshman year at UNC. He’s actually one of the main reasons and inspirations that I am studying abroad in Africa. I remember myself as an awestruck Carolina freshman, asking Ben all about UNC and his experiences. He RAVED about studying abroad in Cape Town, South Africa and shared countless stories with me (somehow intermittently in almost every conversation). I saw the way his face lit up when he talked about it, not realizing at the time that it was even an option to study abroad in Africa through UNC (as most college kids would probably prefer Europe).

I remember thinking to myself, “Hmm…I wonder WHAT it would be like to live in Africa for a semester?” Little did I know that I would actually one day meet up with Ben himself in Cape Town, South Africa, on “holiday” from studying in Ghana. Crazy. The world is small and unpredictable. I always find it so interesting and often entertaining to look back on first meeting someone, then looking at the way he or she colored your life, never really knowing how they might jump back into your storybook at any moment, one day.

We enjoyed coffee and breakfast on a street lined with San Francisco-like houses (think Full House). It was so nice to see Ben. I admire that he works for what he is passionate about (how much better of a place would the world be if we all did that everyday?)-living internationally and working with the HIV/AIDS affected population in Cape Town, researching new retro-antivirals and spending time with (U-CONN) college kids as their study abroad coordinator.

Ben briefed Kenz and me on Cape Town and talked with us about the challenges and benefits of living abroad. After breakfast, he drove Kenz and I to the Convention Center for a church service at Hillsong (www.hillsong.com). We were so pumped, as Elevation (Kenz’s church) and the Summit (the church I go to when I’m at UNC) both often sing Hillsong songs on Sunday mornings.

It was refreshing to be surrounded by a group of believers. The praise and worship was unbelievable, filled with energy and people lifting their hands to the Lord. The pastor, well…it wasn’t JD (Summit’s pastor), nor was it Steven Furtick (Kenz will attest to that), but it was pretty good. It was about how the “small things” make a “BIG” difference. The message was good, but the delivery was a little disorganized. The pastor is from Sydney, Australia, where Hillsong’s main church campus is based. Cape Town Hillsong is brand new, and thus, is still undergoing many adjustments. After Hillsong, Kenz and I explored Green Point Market to finish up Christmas shopping, then hit up internet, and stopped at a small café, like a mini Dean & Deluca, enjoying the most delicious slice of plain cheesecake.

We went back to B’s to unwind, write postcards, and nap before getting ready for dinner. The sunset was stunning and the weather was perfect, but I dreaded every second of the sun setting, knowing it would be our last sunset in Cape Town (for this trip, at least) and that we’d be leaving when the sun came up tomorrow morning…a thought I am still trying to push away.

We went out for an Italian dinner at Bravo’s, where we met up with Patrick (who we now call “Uncle Pat”). We all enjoyed conversation over Italian dishes, followed by delicious tiramisu and crème brulee (crazy, I know, you would think we were back in America or something). What an amazing last full day…oh, how we’re going to miss this life in Cape Town.

Kenz and I have been so incredibly blessed while being here. Everything has been so accessible and easy. It has been such a blessing being able to stay with Bradley. He is so wonderful and thoughtful and after this trip, I feel even more like he’s a big brother to me. I hate “goodbyes”, so I am dreading the morning, but I am thankful to leave on such a good note knowing that every second of our time in Cape Town has been magical.

“Cheers”, Carly