I spent the morning accompanying Shumi on her chicken feet business (it surprisingly tastes just like chicken). We also visited both the Primary and High Schools in the township. The staff at the High School were quite taken with my visit; some had even seen me on television a few weeks prior. Shumi’s son, Charles, who teaches at the High School, gave me a tour before Shumi dropped me off in Stellenbosch.
Carla, my next hostess, picked me up from the center of Stellenbosch and took me to her family home in Somerset West. There, I joined her and her friends for a delightful dinner.
Carla is a journalist and content writer and she had discovered my work while I was in the far north of Europe. She never expected to meet me so soon in the south. After dinner, she took me to a lively party at a friend’s house in Stellenbosch. The place was packed from the kitchen to the living room, with music blaring from a ghetto blaster. It was quite an experience to observe how many people were sober amidst the revelry, though the fun was palpable.
The night continued at At The Life, a bustling dance spot in town. Despite its simplicity, the club’s charm lay in its eccentric deejay, who sat cross-legged behind curtains, looking almost as if waiting for enlightenment—or perhaps it was the alcohol that had taken over his performance.
It was a day of contrasts: one moment exploring a township, the next experiencing the vibrant nightlife at the edge of our planet.
