About the people and life cost!!

Hi everyone... I'm back again!! I guess after read all these interesting tips about Cape Town, you are probably considering my first offer, aren't you? 

Cape Town is a fantastic city and has loads to teach you... it isn't only about english (trust me). The city is inspiring, magic, welcoming, plural and happy. You just need to be open for the new experiences and opportunities and the Mother City will do the rest for you, for sure. Furthermore, you'll have a personal priceless life improvement, learning from people from everywhere, including South Africans.

About South African people, by the way, you will certainly fall in love with them. They are a very friendly people, warm and musical (actually, they're very similar to Brazilian, from this point of view). South African people are truly warriors and they have a curious and rich history to tell you. 

Dude, a zulu's south african lady, saleswoman at GreenMarket!

Try to speak with them, dance with them, laugh with them; try to get involved with them. Get to know them close and they may teach you about Ubuntu, the South Africa’s spirit/lifestyle. Try to understand a bit of their huge history of struggle and you may see how cruel humanity can be in order to keep the power and control in their very hands. It is just amazing speaking with mzanzi and share with them all the diversity only Cape Town can give you.

Another curious aspect of learning english in South Africa is the linguistic diversity. The country has 11 official idioms (not even couting on the many dialects), and the most spoken languages in Cape Town are: English, Afrikaans, Xhosa, Zulu and Sotho. I used to say if you are able to understand a Xhosa or an Afrikaans accent, you then are able to get anyone else’s accent in this planet. Furthermore, after Apartheid, all South African children are literated in two languages (english +), at the same time in school.

My crazy italian friend... skydiving!

Coming back to Mother City... in Cape Town, if you like radical sports you will feel quite at home. It is easy, cheap and safe… you have access to just so many different options such as: gliding, paragling, skydiving, scubadiving, shark cage diving, and what more. You may also have some nice other options, involving less adrenaline: helicopter sightseeing, sailing tour, fast-boat or catamaran tour… everything is under your dispose at Waterfront, you just have to pay for it (or you can also arrange all of it from LAL)! Nevertheless, the most famous and biggest bungy jump on bridge in the world, you will only find outside Cape Town (we are speaking about that later).

The cost of living in Cape Town isn't too expensive, for brazilians I must say. One american dollar costs about 11 rands while 1 euro costs about 14 rands. So, the South Africa currency makes our life quite confortable over there. Furthermore, what you find really inexpensive is: food, convenience (restaurants, pharmacy, cinema), beverages (except water), taxi and fun. You dont trully want to look at electronics... they are indeed more expensive than anything. But, perfurms and cosmetics are way cheaper than Duty Free shops, trust me!!

My tip is... do not purchase Rands in your home country. It is better take dollar or euro on you and then exchange it into Rand on later stage... for this, you can to Long Street and meet my friend Mario, at Western Union Bureau of Change. Whenever you can, is also a good idea to draw cash from the ATM's (that was always my first option). While I was in school, studying, during 8 weeks I've spent about US$800,00; including trips, food and night life! It's just a matter of spending your money wisely!

Fellows, although the topic was quite short I think these information is very important together with the other topics. Next post I'm back talking about an INCREDIBLE trip!!

Cheers!!!!