Journey of a Lifetime: Juxtapositions and Wealth Disparities in South Africa
One moment I was on top of Table mountain, next I was horse riding by the sea — or drinking fermented beer from a bucket in an informal settlement. The juxtapositions of life in South Africa!
Cape Town, South Africa
South Africa -or more specifically, Cape Town was where I changed the way I travel for the rest of the way. I think I always knew how I wanted to travel but I never made an opportunity or gave myself chance to do so -out of fear..I think. Fear of what? Let’s see.
We arrived and docked near the harbor/waterfront area of Cape Town in the middle of the day I think, and so we were had good time to explore the waterfront area abit. I remember pinching and re-pinching myself as the expression goes, to make sure that literally, this little Cambodian piece of meat was able to get the visa to South Africa, the yellow fever vaccine required and got on the ship, and finally she landed in Cape Town, South Africa -with amazing people by her side! LIKE WOW!
So yeah, the first day was nothing out of ordinary, but let me share with you something that made my day -or my night. After walking around for a while, taking in the foreign atmosphere and letting my giddiness die down abit, we came back in and changed into party clothes. I realised by then that, Cape Town wasn’t very “local”. I mean I knew about the racial separation and wealth disparity in South Africa -but it doesn’t really compare to seeing and experiencing the environment. When you walked around for a few hours, and saw majority of the white population buying and spending, while the waiters, receptionists, bellboy were all …black — AND it was the Waterfront area, meaning it was the area with money and the bling-bling -so there you go, my first experience and exposure to the wealth disparity of Cape Town.
That night, Polly, Federico, Angeles and I went out for a fancy dinner. We had some Italian (I know right, I was in SA yet, it was very difficult to find a local cuisine -but then since it was so diverse in Cape Town, could I say that Italian…was local of Cape Town ?)
I remembered a funny story about me mixing olive oil and Balsamic vinegar for bread dip because I thought that was how they do it, I didn’t know I was creating my own sauce -haha.
I also ordered my first proper glass of wine, and it was very strong and old. The taste was…hmm-like a 40 year old wise glass of cynical shit. Haha.
That night, I don’t quite remember how I felt. I think I just remembered that we went out later for the bars and clubs. I think. I do remember being on the ride of an Uber in which during the whole ride, the driver was quiet -in oppose to us -Fede, Polly, Simona, Colton, Me….etc. However, when we arrived at the destination, he pulled into park, and turned back slowly and said:
“I’ve had Argentinian, Bulgarian, Americans…but this is the first time, I have a Cambodian in my car -and I have been driving for a long time…
“Welcome to South Africa, welcome to Cape Town”
Literally. One. Of. The. Best. Moments. Ever.
The rest of the time was all about dancing, meeting locals, sketchy encounters and more dancing haha. I’d like to highlight that moment where I did feel like an ambassador of my own country in another country.
I mean it wasn’t the most appropriate time to feel that -right before you go partying, but still. :)
I felt like I did achieve something but deciding to take a gap year and explore the world. It felt good to be surrounded by amazing people, welcome into a place miles and miles from home (well, approx. 10,398 km from home haha).
At that very moment, I realised my skepticism and cynicism of people I’ve never met was starting to change. *dramatic realisation* Not…everyone…wants to get you out there -some just longs for the connection with you -just like you with them :)
Give people a chance! My heart starts to feel open. Something just clicked, and I felt the chain of fear of loving breaks abit. And ladies and gentleman, bitches and babes, that was when I start to fall in love with humanity.
It was just the beginning.
Fast forwarded to the next day, I had a Global Studies program to visit a place of a Cheetah Rescue program. I pet a cheetah, and yeah, everything was a little bit more pampered than I thought. However, I’m grateful because through the program, I got to meet a beautiful soul -Brook, she is Native American and had such a memorable story to tell, I wouldn’t be surprised that someday someone would make a movie out of her story. I learnt a new and never thought of before perspective of the struggles and joy of the native american population.
“A nation within a nation” — Brook
Also, I am thankful because I remember looking out of the bus window and wish I wasn’t on the bus but exploring by foot, all those settlements on the outskirts of Cape Town where the poor and displaced lived. I longed so badly to do something like that.
Then, I put my mind to make it happen. I didn’t know how but I felt a strong edge of conviction to do so. Mark my word
Skip. Skip. All the beautiful memories! *Sigh* but priorities!
I rode horses with my Manchurian friend, Sitong, on the beach with Imhoff farm, the beach ride was just…beautiful! There were also other horse riders on the beach, which to me, was a privilege to see and be apart of because in Cambodia, this could never happen.
*casually rides your beautiful horse one morning on a beach*
“How do you do sir?”
Nope.
it was truly magical. However, my experience at the farm itself after riding was less than magical because I noticed that it was an all-white space, and I knew it wasn’t the only one country-side club of those likes. It felt luxurious and yet, there were probably black population just outside of the farm (seen along the way to the farm) that are displaced, without proper homes, food or water. These pockets of richness (country-club-ish farms) create a stark contrast with the bleak reality I see along the way.
On the third day, I had another program to go paddle with penguins! I was super excited and I wasn’t let down.
To be honest, I didn’t have a paddling partner since everyone was very quick to find their partners but thank you that I didn’t! Because I got to paddle with one of the cool guys of the paddling team. Nick.
Now, Nick is amazing. He studied African politics and also, did research on the wealth disparities and sometimes, lead bicycle tours of the settlements aside from leading paddling tours. He was also a free soul, travelling the world. I made sure to keep in contact with him.
By the way, we were very lucky, expecting penguins and seals…we were literally about 30 metres away from a sunbathing whale as well! It was so cool!
(Here again, my heart opened a bit more!)
It was a half-day program and I was super exhausted from all the dancing the previous night. However, I changed from my swimsuit to hiking gear and decided to go hike Table Mountain -not even the easy route, but the hard shit.
And guess what bitches? I DID IT. And in company of good people again. I think I was just super blessed. I mean after all, my name is -
LUCK(Lita) Theng.
It was a big achievement for me to hike the mountain instead of taking the cable car like the majority of the people. Also, along the way, I was like strangled and choked by the amazing views of beautiful Cape Town. I mean the ocean, the wind, the sky, the winding routes behind and in front of the mountain. It was simply refreshing.
The top offered an unparalleled view of a cascading flow of clouds as if they were waterfall falling from one side of the mountain to the other. There were also curious animals which I thought looked like capybaras! Haha I was wrong, it was a dassie -some distant relative of elephants but which looked like a rodent to me. The view of the sun setting and the waterfall of clouds and the funny dassies zen-ing it… I think I fell in love all over again with nature and now, thinking about it, I promise myself to truly be in nature when the goals and ambitions of my heart and mind can be put to rest…
Okay! Okay! Remember the moment when I looked out the bus’ windows and willed myself to go explore those settlements somehow -regardless the warnings and the inexperience traveller in me? I FUCKING DID IT and it remains the best inspiring memory ever of the whole voyage!
So, it wasn’t planned at all! Firstly, on that day, Seda, Kexin and I wanted to travel together but Seda didn’t feel good so she went off. Kexin and I called an Uber and I just point to a random place on the map of the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus, it turned out to be Imizamo Yethu, one of the famous settlements. No phone, barely any money and knowledge of the geography of the place and plus, Kexin thought I had a plan and had everything under control (I actually had no clue wtf was going on too) -we went to Imizamo Yethu.
And OH MY GOSH, the school, the kids, the people, Bianca, Zenith, Bianca’s family and children — the history of the settlements, the reality of a noticeable number of people in South Africa and the troubles and joys of the place …it was so overwhelming and beautiful. I realised how much I miss my own country, and a fire inside me was lit -the desire to visit the slums and settlements in Cambodia. I felt remorseful and a tad angry that I was 18 years old and I’ve never -even once- seen the realities of the slums in my own country. I also managed to visit another informal settlement — Langa and this time, again I met the local students, learnt about their equivalent of a UWC school in their community, their desire to help their people, the beautiful language of Khoisan -difficult clicks to mimic for me. Here’s it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W6WO5XabD-s
That day, I was suppose to visit Robben Island, but unfortunately, or fortunately, due to strong wind, the tour was cancelled. It was unfortunate, but in turn, I had the best time at Langa with Kexin -local students, local traditional maize beer from a bucket and local snacks and food!
Just beautiful, and so much inspiration and information to take in too! I mean, same conclusion though, I NEED TO FALL IN LOVE WITH MY OWN COUNTRY and redefine my personal definition of Phnom Penh, my hometown.
BUT anyways, I did what I wanted to achieve and it was just getting started, my thirst to explore the local way, and Oof! It went all the way until the very end :D. I created my own identity with how I travelled and I think even inspired people on the ship (if I may brag :P) haha, I was surprised myself.
After boarding the ship, all the UWC Shelby Davis scholars were invited to dine with Mr. Shelby himself. Something Kexin said really stuck to me, she mentioned how in one day she was able to visit the crooks and knacks of Langa, an informal settlement just on the outskirts of Cape Town, drinking local fermented malt beer from a metal bucket in a makeshift hut, and that was lunch and for dinner? A 5 course meal with two glasses of wine and champagne on a cruise ship.
C’est La Vie.
