Okay, first things first: The learning curve is STEEP here in Cape Town, South Africa. And I LOVE it!

It's been two months, and I suppose I'm finally sending out my first 'official' update. A large part of that is simply because work here absorbs me like a sponge; another part of that is simply because I've
been dying to send out pictures to you all, but *ahem*, SOMEONE back home hasn't sent a digital camera. (Not like I'm pointing anyone out, or
anything.) I've bought a manual camera, recently out of desperation.

Looks like I'll have to scan those pictures the old fashioned way. If all goes well I'll be able to develop and send those out via email by
next week. On a serious note, however, I am constantly being blown away. I don't
know how many times I've said that already, or how many times I will.
But I am. The twofold nature of academia and every day life is just
fantastic. University of Cape Town is the oldest university of South
Africa and is considered by most to be the premiere research institution
for the entire continent. Culturally, I am learning something new,
every day.

So, the edifying exchanges here, the transfer of knowledge, the synapse between brilliant and just…indescribable. It's intriguing to see perceptions on two sides of the globe. "Where are you going, exactly?" asks the nurse back in New York as I get about the tenth vaccination shot for my trip to Cape Town, South Africa.
She has just finished rolling up my sleeve and is trying to take my mind off of the injection.

"Oh, South Africa", I reply, with a smile. It was so exciting to say aloud.

"Oh really? That's great! My niece is going there as well," she says.
"Oh really?! Cool. Where in South Africa?"

"Ghana!!"

There is a moment of silence.

"Umm…" I begin. Treading thin water here, I tell myself. "Ya know, that's a completely different country."
She pauses for a moment. "Oh! Well, yeah. I guess she's not going to the same place as you after all, huh?" and lets out a hearty laugh. Should I really trust this woman with giving me a vaccination? I wonder.
It is too late. The deed is over and done with in the midst of my shock. Maybe that was her intention?
That story always seems to draw out a laugh from my South African friends. Then again, a friend of mine visited me the other day, and brought a friend of his along with him. It was surprising to hear that
friend had to say about New York.

I have what I call a NYC tribute corner in my room - it is composed of an MTA transit map with an article nearby that says, "New Yorkers Show Best Side in a Crisis." It is referring to the blackout event a few
weeks back. He is intrigued by the map and finally says, "So this is the ghetto, huh?"

"What is?"

"New York City."

I laugh, though stop when I realize he's serious. I tell him that New York City is not just one "vacuum" of a ghetto/slum, though he does not believe me. He thinks I'm lying, perhaps. "I see New York in movies," he replies, as if unveiling some conspiracy theory.

"Exactly." I say. "The movies."

"Well…" he says, trying to find some ground of logic. "Brooklyn is, right? The entire area is a slum."

Again, I laugh. "No. It's not."

The impact of media is incredible.

In the past three days I've been asked four times about my thoughts on America in Iraq.. Oftentimes, soon after I mention that I'm from New York, I'm asked on my thoughts about 9/11. People are surprised, however, when I give my two cents in on discussions regarding African politics. Yet, there is still SO much that I don't know. The impression here is that all Americans know nothing of what goes on outside of America.

A friend of mine who's traveled extensively and spent much of his time in France once told me that between 70-80% of Americans don't own passports. Couple that with the fact that our major media engines (I don't like pinning it on the media, but…) tend to only cover what is immediately within the interest of the United States, and it's completely understandable to see why so many Americans don't know the sorts of things that go on outside of their borders. I've been encouraging my students from the College Tour Initiative we put together @ HarlemLIVE earlier in the year to travel at their earliest convenience. One girl, who's in her junior year of high school, has actually taken me up on the suggestion. She's planning to do an exchange program. (Great!)

One of the things that I am most impressed by, here in South Africa, is the vehement passion in the people. The issues here - crime, political corruption, culture, apartheid, racism, poverty, and development - are all very intensely debated. The South Africans are quite informed. That is one of the reasons I came here; the political culture that overturned apartheid is still very eminent. (This is actually the crux of my new radio show here, though I suppose I'll talk about that in my next update!) They still say "black" and "coloured", as if there is a difference. Yes,
that took getting used to.

Have I changed from two months ago? Perhaps. I look at crime differently. I look at poverty COMPLETELY differently. I see morality, world politics and law…differently. It'll sound so cliche, but my future has suddenly broadened. And yet, South Africa isn't THAT far from the states.

All you do is hop on a plane or two and you're here. Send an email, write a letter, or even call, if you're willing to pay the $1.50 per minute. In all pragmaticism, the continents are not really THAT far apart, yet they are far enough. The world is becoming a much smaller, yet larger place. UCT is such an intensely delicious intellectual ethos; I absolutely adore it. Much is expected of you, here; I love the pace.

Simply waking up in the morning excites me. There's just a natural academic progression. Obtaining your doctorate is a normal part of conversation. No one actually *stops* after undergrad, or even after getting a Master's. Interesting.

Our tutors - who are basically mini- versions of the professors -- are all grad students working on dissertations. As part of the mandatory curriculum, we meet with our tutors weekly to debate, discuss, andelaborate on issues for research. The discourse here is very research-oriented. I'm going to visit one of my tutors as she presents her dissertation to a room full of hard-boiled academics, this week. It's so inspiring. I recently reflected on this issue by thinking about the international students here from America and Europe, particularly those in my home. I am one of ten roommates, and at 18, am the youngest. Just about all of them are well into their twenties; some of my roommates are even grad students. Imagine going out in the world armed only with what they have now? I thought to myself the other night. What a scary concept. They all - we all - have so much more learning, growing, and expanding to do.

One of my professors, who's the former head of the Center for African Studies here, comes out of the blue and says she'd like to mentor me because she wants to see me take her place, some day. I've been working
pretty closely with her, lately. She's incredible, and what a compliment, I thought. Huge shoes to fill, but then again, for now, I'm just focusing on my own, anyway. Ok...I feel as though I am suddenly becoming a motor mouth. Will update more, soon. Feel free to check out some of the links I've posted below.