01/15/25 PM: Group Dinner

To cap off our Wednesday we spent time eating dinner at Gold near the waterfront of Cape Town for an immersive African experience. Gold is well recognized in South Africa for its great celebration of African culture as well as its amazing food. The restaurant offers a chance to try a great variety of African dishes. The highlight of the night was the 14-course meal—yes, you read that right, 14 courses! Each dish was a masterpiece, offering a taste of the diverse flavors and traditions from across Africa. This was more than just a dinner, it was a cultural journey that left us full, both physically and emotionally, with a newfound appreciation for Africa’s culinary heritage.

The dinner experience started with Moroccan Zeilook, South African Roosterkoek, Malawian Kandolo Balls, and Babotie Samosas. These opening dishes really set the tone with a diverse combination of flavors from across the continent. The next round of dishes included Mazambiquan Chili Chicken Wings and a Namibian Venison Pie. The waitresses explained what each dish was as they handed them out and made sure to include detail about its origin.

From the main course it seemed that the fan favorites from the GLCM students included the Mango and Lime Congo Chicken, the Rainbow Corn Salad, and the Zanzibar Tamarind Fish and Prawn Curry. Following the main course, we were provided a sweet treat which included a Cardamon Ice Cream accompanied with a Karamonk Biscuit. The GLCM students left no crumbs on the table.

Throughout the evening, the GLCM students were greeted during their dinner with three performances. The First performance was from the rich traditions of Malian culture and included a puppet and a Praise singer. The two performers greeted us with an African song and dance as we entered. The puppets play a significant role in ceremonies marking the change of seasons. The second performance was a contest between two male warriors and female dancers which represented the strength and spirit of African men and women. The last performance of the night was a tribute to African royalty with a song dedicated to the Kings and Queens. During this performance the Queen sprinkled us all with 24-carat-gold which symbolizes wealth and power. The queen was wearing golf glasses which traditionally is worn to avoid eye contact with ordinary people.

The night was finished with a group dance to the Africa n hit song Jerusalema by Master KG. This joyful moment brought everyone together on the stage in front of everyone eating their meals, celebrating the vibrant spirit of the night. The GLCM students were particularly well-prepared for this dance, as it was the same choreography they had learned upon their arrival in Cape Town during a special evening at Ivy’s Kitchen. Revisiting the dance not only showcased their enthusiasm but also symbolized a meaningful connection to their journey and the warm hospitality they experienced in South Africa.

Blog by Christian Sechel

01/12/25: Free Day/Red Bus Tour/Shark Cage Diving

Our second full day in Cape Town was a free day, The majority of students attended a Red Bus tour across Cape Town. Upon waking up, each student decided to either explore a local coffee shop or make breakfast at our homes. Afterwards, we loaded a bus and drove to the Red Bus Tour, which drove across the city of Cape Town. The weather was perfect, with the sun shining and clear skies.

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One of the stops on the Red Bus Tour was a wine tasting restaurant. Each student was able to try an array of wines, and most bought their favorite bottle of wine to take home. At another Red Bus Tour stop, we visited the World of Birds WIldlife Sanctuary and Monkey Park, where we saw many different animals, including chickens, meerkats, and even monkeys, which climbed on us while we fed them. Afterwards, the students split up to eat lunch and visit local shops at the Cape Town malls.

[Insert MEERKAT photo]

Meanwhile, several students woke up at 6 am to get ready to drive two and a half hours to go shark cage diving. We were picked up outside of our stay by a driver from the diving company, and we drove through beautiful mountainscapes until we arrived at a town on the harbor. Since we had arrived early, we stopped at a penguin sanctuary, where we looked at penguins being rehabilitated and cared for. We learned about how conservationists build homes for the penguins to encourage an increase in population.

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Afterwards, we arrived at the reception building for shark cage diving. As we received a briefing on the diving procedures, we were served a breakfast of croissants and deli meats.

[insert BREAKFAST photo]

After the briefing, we put on a life jacket and loaded onto a boat with a lower and upper deck. After a 20 minute boat ride into the ocean, we anchored and started to put on our wetsuits. The crew threw a large metal cage into the choppy water, and we were handed masks to cover our eyes and noses. As the crew started to chum the water with fish oil and bait, seven of us were loaded into the cage. We held our breath as we pulled ourselves underwater, where we were able to see and touch sharks, a sting ray, and hundreds of fish. Even a seal passed through.

[Insert CAGE photo]

After 20 minutes in the shark cage, we climbed back onto the boat and drank some hot chocolate. At this point some of us began to feel sea sick. However, after some rest on the front of the boat, we recovered. After we arrived back onto shore, we were served hot soup with bread to warm us up from the freezing sea winds. We then drove back to Cape Town. On the way back, we witnessed a large fire on the side of the road.

After we were done with the Red Bus Tour and shark cage diving, some students went to a local church and then we all met up for dinner at a fancy food court in downtown Cape town. Many students opted for a hamburger with a complimentary scoop of ice cream on a cone. After dinner, we explored the downtown area and headed back to our two homes, where we played card games before heading to bed.

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Blog by Joanna Kryczka