Tumi Fadare, Pitt in South Africa Summer 2024
During the first week of the Pitt in South Africa program, I stayed in a bed and breakfast called Life on Third. I shared a room with another student, and it was a wonderful experience. We enjoyed free breakfast every day, and the home was close to a part of Johannesburg called “The L.” The L had restaurants, coffee shops, clothing stores, grocery stores—everything I needed during my week-long stay. The best part of this stay was interacting with Lydia and Bealua, who were in charge of taking care of the place. They both came from Zambia to South Africa in search of a better life after Apartheid ended. Hearing their stories and understanding South Africa from their perspective was unforgettable and incredibly enlightening.
Unfortunately, I did not get to experience life in Johannesburg for too long. During the second week of the program, we traveled to Cape Town for the remaining three weeks of our stay in South Africa. Cape Town is relatively safer than Johannesburg due to the high police presence during most of the day. While in Cape Town, I stayed at the Cape Town Lodge Hotel along with other participants and professors. Living in the hotel was very different from staying in a bed and breakfast. For starters, it lacked the home-like feeling I had at Life on Third. The bed and breakfast had a vibrant atmosphere and plenty of outdoor space. At the hotel, I felt compelled to leave more often because the only space I had was my room.
There were two significant challenges I faced at the hotel. At the bed and breakfast, everyone in the program sat at one table and had a fresh, personalized breakfast made for each of us. It was great to have fresh food and to interact with everyone in the morning. At the hotel, the seating was limited to four per table. I believe not having these morning breakfasts together took away some of the group’s intimacy.
The second issue was the setup of the hotel rooms. Despite the rooms being spacious, they had only a mini fridge and no microwave. This made it difficult to store food and heat up leftovers, leading to unnecessary spending on additional meals.
Despite these challenges, South Africa has been an awesome experience, especially in Cape Town! I love the atmosphere of Cape Town. There is so much to do, and the diversity is incredible. Each section of Cape Town has a rich history, and everyone is eager to share their knowledge so you can fully understand South Africa.
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