I had my first Student Society of Law and Social Justice (SSLSJ) meeting on Thursday and I am really looking forward to getting involved with what they have planned for the semester. They seem really passionate about making sure the law curriculum at UCT is supplemented with education on social justice issues. The society formed in 2007 as an act of rebellion, in a sense, against the law department; many students felt they were becoming bogged down with the technicalities of law and losing sight of why they wanted to study law in the first place. I met some interesting people and I think my involvement will help me make the most of my time here and gain a lot of knowledge and experience to bring back with me to the States. They are having several events regarding the upcoming presidential election in April and I am eager to learn more about the issues and candidates.

The bugs are gone, the heat has subsided and all is well in Cape Town. Last weekend I had an amazing time in Stellenbosch. A small group of us arrived Saturday morning and after lunch in town four of us decided to go check out a Cheetah education facility where we were able to play with a baby cheetah! Saturday night we went to an amazing restaurant called Moyo that is like a giant tree house. They have buffet style eating with many different types of meat and traditional African dishes. Throughout the night they have various singing groups, dancers and musicians play and a woman travels to all the tables painting each diners face with a white design. It was a blast, to say the least! Sunday we went on a bike riding tour of 4 different wineries. The bike ride wasn't too difficult but the heat made it more strenuous - it was definitely a full day of exercise. After the first wine stop I think we were all doubting how drinking and riding was going to pan out, but in the end we all had a great time; our lunch stop at one of the wineries had a welcomed sobering effect. The landscape was absolutely beautiful and each vineyard had a different feel to it. I drank a lot of wine and even learned a little along the way!

This week I have been working on a case comment for International Law that is 20% of my grade. Talk about stress! I am working really hard on it and hopefully my effort pays off. Without the legal background most of the other students attained in their first year of legal studies I am already a step behind. I met with my professor today and he was really helpful and nice, he realizes my position and is more than willing to give me advice. After my meeting I went to the pool and swam laps for a bit before returning home to find some fresh guacamole waiting for me! I am really loving living with so many people, everyone is so interesting and brings something different to the table. We are all so open with each other and with all our security and bug issues nobody ever fights!

It is pretty strange being a minority everywhere I go. In the suburb that I live in here, being white sets me apart. On campus there is a decent mix of races, however the second I open my mouth I am immediately looked at a certain way. Most professors use examples of American society and politics in a negative manner and we are told that most South Africans view us as arrogant and fairly ignorant about the world. I have finally gained the confidence to speak up in my tutorials however I feel like I am under a harsher scrutiny when my classmates recognize my accent. Overall students are nice and welcoming, though. They immediately ask where in the States I am from and I usually end up talking about how different the US education system is from theirs. To get into university here you just have to have a certain number of credits from high school (which is just called 'school'), and to get into a school like UCT you just have to have earned beyond the average amount - no long applications, no competition, it is all a standard process. Sweet life, huh.

Happy spring break to all of you back in the States, I still have another month to go before I get time off here. By the way, feel free to share my blog with whomever you wish and also don't hesitate to send me an email at alexandra.edelstein@gmail.com - it might take me a while to respond, but I will eventually! I don't want to post my mailing address on the internet, but if anyone is interesting in sending me a letter I am happy to email you my house address. Oh, and check out the pictures I added to my last post!