Our first day in South Africa was Wednesday, 5/17, and we went through a historical city tour with a stop at the nearby marketplaces. Every local we met was extremely friendly and wanted to show us their crafts. We ended the night at Golds, a restaurant where we participated in an interactive drumming lesson before diving into a 14-course meal. The drumming instructor was outgoing and patient; he even brought us onto the stage at the night’s end and showed us some dance moves! Through the past few days here, one thing that stood out to me was truly how friendly and appreciative the locals here are to tourists and foreigners. This was extremely evident with our tour guide in Cape Town. His name was Fuzzy, and not only did he take good care of us through the few days we were there, but he also made sure we felt safe and prepared by helping guide us through exchanging USD to Rand at the airport. This feeling of friendliness and appreciation was also felt on day 6 when we visited the elephant overlook restaurant. We got to feed four of the elephants before enjoying a delicious meal. During the dinner, the chef of the restaurant came to our table and personally thanked us for coming, as his restaurant has been experiencing a slow period of growth lately. He explained every dish that we were having and also went into detail about the stories of the elephants we just met. This high level of genuine appreciation towards people and animals is a characteristic that comes naturally to the locals here in South Africa and the countries surrounding it. It?s in their blood and it?s who they are. They are always eager to give tourists a glimpse into their unique lifestyle and share a bit of their culture with anyone who wants to learn!
