Hello from Cape Town!

Hello Everyone,
Just got the internet set up. We're supposed to have a session tomorrow that teaches us how to get it set up with the pay-as-you-go wifi that they have in the residence areas, but I figured it out early.
My flight was great. Didn't seem that long. Two vegan meals with my name on them again  Got here and the weather was clear and blue and 75 and windy enough to keep it cool. PERFECT. On the flight landing I could see rows and rows of shanty towns set up by the airport, which is on the outskirts of Cape Town. Shocking and sad. In May, Interstudy is giving us a tour of them, along with trips to museums that I wanted to visit. Our first trip is in 2 days to Table Mountain, where we will hike for a few hours! Speaking of… It is SO BEAUTIFUL!
As soon as I landed in Cape Town, there was a guy from Interstudy waiting for me with a sign with my name on it. Two other students were already there, and we hopped into a small car, and drove into Cape Town on the wrong side of the road (that'll take some getting used to). One of the students is from MN and goes to Yale. He knows Lucy (my old roommate) and thinks he was in our dorm room at some point. Small world!
Anyways, as we drove in, the view was spectacular! The mountain is soooo cool with the clouds wrapped around the top of it. One of the guys took out his camera and started snapping pictures of it and then put it away, realizing he'd have better photo ops later since campus is at the base of it! As soon as we got in to the residence areas we were greeted by very friendly welcoming staff and keys to our new apartments. The boys walked to their place and I walked to mine. Since I was the first one in the apartment of two, I got to choose my room first (the bigger one).

I have so little crap in such a big room it's almost silly. I have A LOT of storage space. I could give each pair of underwear its own shelf if I wanted. I am also connected to the bathroom  The apartment is very pretty and neat and already furnished.

There are a lot of windows (including one at the head of my bed – Stefan, you would love it!) so there's a nice breeze going through here. The kitchen counter is surrounded by one large window that lets in s ton of light. I'll send pictures of the apartment later (and some from London).
After I unpacked, my mentor (I think that's what they called him?), Richard, brought me a goody bag full of snacks and water (and a roll of TP), my folder full of welcome materials, and my new cell phone. Everyone told me not to call home. Ever. Way too pricey. Google chat is the way to go I guess. I took a VERY cold shower (NJ, Interstudy staff, came to turn the water heater on for me later…), and took a walk around the neighborhood. There is plenty within walking distance here. I was hoping for a coffee shop but have found none yet. There's 3 grocery stores, a laundry mat, plenty of food places and a couple bars (none that I really care to visit, however), and couple corner stores. People are very friendly and it feels like a safe neighborhood, and very busy. There are bars on every window and locks and gates for everything. My key ring has about 10 assorted keys and an automatic lock on it, and when I asked NJ what each of them did, he laughed and said to figure it out and explore. So I did. Still unsure on a few of them. SO, after I explored to my right, I explored to my left and found campus. It is SPREAD out, and there are busses called "Jammies" that take your between campuses. I am closest to lower north campus, and have to take the Jammie to lower south, middle, and upper campus during registration. It looks nice and clean from what I can see, and really is at the base of table mountain. I'll never get sick of the view!
On my way back I stopped at the grocery store to pick up some food and essentials. Produce is much cheaper here than in the states. I even found soy milk and a vegan butter (they have more than I've seen in the U.S., it's just not advertized that way). I won't be going hungry, that's for sure. When I got back, an Interstudy employee kindly let me in through the gate. I bent down to pet his dog, a British Bulldog, and afterward he decided he liked me so much that he would lift his leg and pee on my grocery bag… Luckily it was plastic so it shed…
I came back and took a long nap, still waiting for my roommate to show up (hope she doesn't want the big room, too!). To be fair, the other one has a skylight, wood floors, and a door to the porch, so it's not that raw of a deal. This place is great all around. Wish I could go meet some more people! I'm a little bored right now, but tomorrow we'll get together as a group and everyone will meet everyone as soon as we're fed and rested. I'm already feeling pretty comfortable here and can't wait to see the rest of the city!
Well, in the time it took to write this message it has only cost me 8 U.S. cents, so I think e-mail will be the way to go. Everyone - let me know when a good time for you would be to meet over google chat; I can't wait to test it out! Send me any questions you have!
Love,
Emily