Hi guys,
Ani, I completely empathize with having too much time to think. However, I know I am in the more beautiful place, and I'm loving the view! Yesterday I was looking out over the Cape of Good Hope (not to rub it in or anything, I just love saying that name), with my Buffel’s Bay baboons sitting behind me scratching their asses, and I thought to myself, what the fuck am I to do? Medicine? Marine Biology? Law? Become an unemployed Australian badass? Marry a 50yr old Greek slimehead? I have some clue of what not to do, but really no clue of what to do.
That was on hour 3 of watching these fucking baboons. There are 12 solid hours in our workday. And the landscape is anything but easy to navigate. I lost them yesterday in 12 foot high bushes with acacia thorns five inches long on average, which they easily crawled over. Evolution my ass.
The alpha male of the troop, BB King, attacked me yesterday. That might be the biggest news I’ll have all summer. Don’t worry, a hundred pound baboon running straight for me is nothing- they have king cobras and some of the most deadly snakes in the world here, and the rustling in the bushes testifies to that. However, he did leave me shaking in my boots, quite literally, and completely sick and tired of fucking immature baboons.
They are curious creatures, but their lives are quite dull. Especially when you’re not allowed to interact with them at all, beyond following them. So I spend my time combing the beaches or sitting on a rock reading if I have abook with me.
I have a day off today, so I’m writing this in advance in Word for you. Hopefully I’ll get some pictures up for you guys, as the scenery is spectacular here. I’m already injured—not by the babs but by my backpack. I’ve done something to my shoulder, so I’m walking around all day in the field with a purse slung over the other one, with a full Nalgene, four sandwiches and an elephant’s meal of dried fruit in it, on top of my camera, binocs, GPS, notebook, 90% deet cream, cell phone and aviators as well. And yes, that is all necessary. Yesterday, I finished my sandwiches before 2PM, with five hours left to go, and busied myself counting over 150 ticks on my pants before the day’s end.
Anyway. Maybe y’all can’t imagine little me doing rough and ready field work, and you know what? I’m starting to agree. Not because of the physical, but because of the boredom. Reading “A portrait of the artist as a young man” while watching baboons fight is fascinating, but it’s a short book, and I can’t carry anything longer…
No complaining allowed. Sorry. I owe a few of you emails, but it is quite difficult to get internet here, especially with such long days and no internet within walking distance. And the telephones?? Well, the landline is impossible to hear out of, and calling the US with my South AFrican cell for 15 minutes costs… well, $30. Then again, that is all I’m buying here, because there’s not much else to do…
This house is in Kommetije, right on the beach, surrounded by wealthy expats and native South Africans (Afrikaaners). The workers are all black, and they sit on the rocks on the beach, wrapped in multiple layers against the sun. They take their shoes off if they are women; if they are men, they lean against the fences and cross their arms and gesture only with their heads. George, you know what it’s like here, and the Cape Town people I am with don’t give me much hope for any economic, social or religious changes happening anytime soon—they’re our age and older, and they criticize the people living in townships for not cleaning up better. I don’t think I can morally judge them, but I think I’m right in saying that is kind of strange and not very understanding.
Happy 4th of July. Those of you at Stanford, I’d recommend watching the fireworks in the Oval—Ani, you know you should, and bring some good food! Those of us elsewhere and abroad, all I can say is be careful and don’t be afraid to miss the states or Stanford. I miss the endless conversations, whether by phone, email or in person.
Yours truly,
Frustrated and charmed by the landscape,
Caroline
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3 comments:
MY LIFE IS SO DULL
Also, I spoke with Jenna via telephone the other day and, while I forget her words exactly, I believe it was sort of like this: "I'm too good to blog."
Haha, I got a slightly different response from Jenna: she was waiting to sit down with Ned so that they could give a joint post, together...
"Frustrated and charmed by the landscape"
Sounds like some guy you're pursuing that's not giving you any.
Anyhow... can't wait to see some pictures! I'll do a big Espana post soon, or multiple posts, as I feel like I have a lot to say, but frankly, I'm exhausted. Might wait until Cali.
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