At least I had running water
After one week I have finally returned from the hole that is the hilltop-luxury-shanty looking down on Mossel Bay. I was not pleased. Not with the place. Not with coming back. I'm not easy to please apparently.
First we spent a two nights at a hotel in Cape Town. Nice. Spacious. Showers. Bed. Roof. ... Then we met Mossel Bay. When we arrived in Mossel Bay (or at least the shanties near it) I felt sorry for all the people that had to put up with that kind of mess. But nevermind (I thought), we'll be at school any time now! There'll be lots of happy faces and interested students! And they'll have showers!
Nope.
The school itself looked like a prison. I think it goes without saying that we all thought the busdriver was joking when he stopped in front of it. We still thought they were joking when we got out of the bus, got our luggage, went inside and had chicken. Apparently there was no joking going on whatsoever. The chicken was okay... but it would be the best meal we'd have for 4 days.
Then we met the students.
I got the one who looked most down-to-earth and organised. And when the rickety bus dropped us off at the house I thought: "This isn't so bad. I probably got the best one". I later found out that it was not at all not-so-bad and that the entire house-funds were spent on the exterior. I had no shower. And the bathwater looked suspiciously yellow. Not so bad, though. I would have lived with it for 2 weeks, that wasn't the problem.
The real problem was the family. They wouldn't talk to me. I talked to them and they talked back.. to some extent, but that was it. They didn't ask me anything about Austria or myself (except why I wouldn't eat the eggs) and my host was not down-to-earth at all! He was a frighteningly confused human being and STILL everyone counted on this guy, because apparently he was the most organised guy in Mossel Bay. CURSE YOU MOSSEL BAY!
List of things that I disapproved of, but aren't important enough to earn a paragraph, but should still be acknowledged: the students weren't interested in class at all, the lessons were in Afrikaans, I heard the song "Sexy Back" about 17 billion times every day and had to put up with a large collection of freaks dancing to it, there were more dogs than people, there was nothing to do except sit on the street AND there is no service at restaurants at ALL!! ACKK SPEH CKKHHG *gagging noises*
Then came the party on Saturday...
It was at my host-family's place. My confused host organised it. -_-' On the other side of the street a large group of people was huddled up, presumably not discussing politics, my friend Piza was offered Marijuana twice and something to inject once, my host-dad got drunk and high and started asking girls from my class to sleep with him.
I think that may have been the culture shock my Geography teacher was referring to.
When we managed to get through to our teachers about what was going on it was over. Everything. BAM. And now I'm in Linz. And the 6M paid less than we did.
Welcome to Mossel Bay!
...
I'm not going back there any time soon.
Sincerely,
Retarded demon Monkey
First we spent a two nights at a hotel in Cape Town. Nice. Spacious. Showers. Bed. Roof. ... Then we met Mossel Bay. When we arrived in Mossel Bay (or at least the shanties near it) I felt sorry for all the people that had to put up with that kind of mess. But nevermind (I thought), we'll be at school any time now! There'll be lots of happy faces and interested students! And they'll have showers!
Nope.
The school itself looked like a prison. I think it goes without saying that we all thought the busdriver was joking when he stopped in front of it. We still thought they were joking when we got out of the bus, got our luggage, went inside and had chicken. Apparently there was no joking going on whatsoever. The chicken was okay... but it would be the best meal we'd have for 4 days.
Then we met the students.
I got the one who looked most down-to-earth and organised. And when the rickety bus dropped us off at the house I thought: "This isn't so bad. I probably got the best one". I later found out that it was not at all not-so-bad and that the entire house-funds were spent on the exterior. I had no shower. And the bathwater looked suspiciously yellow. Not so bad, though. I would have lived with it for 2 weeks, that wasn't the problem.
The real problem was the family. They wouldn't talk to me. I talked to them and they talked back.. to some extent, but that was it. They didn't ask me anything about Austria or myself (except why I wouldn't eat the eggs) and my host was not down-to-earth at all! He was a frighteningly confused human being and STILL everyone counted on this guy, because apparently he was the most organised guy in Mossel Bay. CURSE YOU MOSSEL BAY!
List of things that I disapproved of, but aren't important enough to earn a paragraph, but should still be acknowledged: the students weren't interested in class at all, the lessons were in Afrikaans, I heard the song "Sexy Back" about 17 billion times every day and had to put up with a large collection of freaks dancing to it, there were more dogs than people, there was nothing to do except sit on the street AND there is no service at restaurants at ALL!! ACKK SPEH CKKHHG *gagging noises*
Then came the party on Saturday...
It was at my host-family's place. My confused host organised it. -_-' On the other side of the street a large group of people was huddled up, presumably not discussing politics, my friend Piza was offered Marijuana twice and something to inject once, my host-dad got drunk and high and started asking girls from my class to sleep with him.
I think that may have been the culture shock my Geography teacher was referring to.
When we managed to get through to our teachers about what was going on it was over. Everything. BAM. And now I'm in Linz. And the 6M paid less than we did.
Welcome to Mossel Bay!
...
I'm not going back there any time soon.
Sincerely,
Retarded demon Monkey
posted by Anonymous at Tuesday, October 17, 2006
1 Comments:
Actually Patrick, you don't sound that difficult to please. Given the appalling conditions, the unpleasant host family and the abrupt return, you still sound as though it was "not too bad." As with all things that matter, sometimes it is not the end result, but rather the process that counts. You have had a unique experience, unlike anything most people will ever have. This gives you an amazing perspective as to what kinds of things really go on in the world.
Although, perhaps the reason the host family had to get high and drunk, was because YOU were with them :) You are definitely your own unique experience! Thank heavens we have you to keep us all in our place.
Amy
Post a Comment
<< Home