Wait, Where Are You Going This Time?

If only I had a rand for every time I got that question.

Yes, I said rand. That's the currency in my future home away from home: South Africa. I'll say farewell to the US dollar in just over a week, so it's about time I introduce my destination...

Meet Cape Town, South Africa. 

Aerial view of Cape Town

Cape Town at night 

The City Bowl, a natural amphitheater home to many neighborhoods

My initial interest in South Africa was rooted in the education reform conversations taking place in the country. As I learned more and more about the dynamic country, I realized this was the perfect place for my year as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar. 

I'll live and study in Cape Town, which has the second highest population of all cities in the country with about 825,000 people in the city and about 3.7 million people in the metropolitan region. It is characterized by landmarks such as Table Mountain, Devil's Peak and Lion's Head (mountain, too), as well as Cape Point and the city's harbor. While in Cape Town, I'll live in what's known as the City Bowl, the central area of the city which is home to a handful of neighborhoods, including ours: Tamboerskloof. The climate is rather moderate with mild, wet winters (from June to August with temperature ranges from 47-64 degrees Fahrenheit) and warm, dry summers (from December to March with temperature ranges from 61-79 degrees Fahrenheit).

When people ask why I'll spend a year here, I tend to think, Why wouldn't I?