Port #10: Cape Town, South Africa

My visit to South Africa was not a typical SaS experience.  Over the last few months I have been reading and writing for my Fielding (PhD.) Comprehensive Exam.  This is one of the last requirements before I step into my dissertation research.  Essentially, this part of the Comp. is a critique on a body of literature of my choosing.  I chose to dive into the mentorship literature as this is what I am leaning towards for my dissertation.  (Typically, students use this as a precursor to their Literature Review for the Dissertation.  Something I have chose to do as well.)  That is all to say that my time in Cape Town was spent collecting my thoughts, organizing my notes, and preparing to write.  The writing would occur during the South Atlantic crossing from South Africa to South America.  I rented a space in a Bed and Breakfast just north of Cape Town in a town called Blaauwberg.  It was right on the beach with a direct view of Cape Town and Table Mountain.












We arrived in Cape Town the morning of October 18th – my birthday.  (The night prior, my colleagues through me a surprise party (a Chips and Salsa party).  The birthday morning was spent watching the sunrise over Table Mountain – an amazing sight to see.  Once we received permission to get off the ship, myself and some favorite students hiked up the Mountain.  The weather below was glorious.  Hot and sunny.  As we hiked up, the clouds began to cover the mountain which made for a cool, foggy, and absolutely beautiful ascent.  Once at the top, it was completely cloud filled.  However, by the time lunch was over, the clouds had dissipated and the entire city and region was in view.  As soon as the hike was over I packed my bags and headed to Blaauwberg.













The whole of my four days there were spent either seep within the literature or taking a break by walking on the beach, eating at a local restaurant, or exploring this hamlet just north of Cape Town.  It was the perfect birthday get-away and time spent immersing myself in some much-needed Comp. time.  It was this experience away from the city and the typical tourist activities that enabled me to get after my exam and submit it on the other end of the Atlantic…