Diamonds From South Africa

chalk it up to being a little delayed as my south african friends like to say, but i just realized i never fully explained what i've been doing in south africa all this time. certainly being south african helps. but what i may have failed to mention, is that this time i'm here as part of the howard law school summer program in south africa. i guess it's similar to what university of minnesota law school set up in china this year, but this program has been running for 10 years, and is total first class all the way.

there are about 60 students from different law schools across the states and about 30 south african law students from the university of western cape law school. as part of the program in cape town (which i say is the finest city in the world and i dont think any of the other students here will disagree), they put us in 5 star apartments in the waterfront marina for the 6 week program. when i'm talking luxuary apartments, i'm talking about million dollar apartments, right on cape town's waterfront, prime location, so we're balling like jay-z right now. we get maid service everyday, fresh towels, dishes washed you name it. i'm fortunate enough that i have two cool room-mates, and we all get along real well, and how could you not being in cape town in these kind of conditions. room 302 is definately in the building. but true to fact, some of the other students have not faired so well in their living conditions (what is it about girls not getting along together). there are some truly outstanding stories in there, but they are of those you have to be there kind of moments. but picture one highlight where there was this one guy, probably one of the coolest most calm seeming person you met, going ballistic on his revren like roommate, ripping off his shirt and screaming "this is africa jack". needless to say, these two do not talk to each other anymore. and then there is this old school cat, let's call him superb, and let's just say he is a habitual line stepper, as charlie murphy would say.

anyways, as part of the program, a bus picks us up from our apartments every morning at 730 to take us to campus. and when i say 730 i mean like 7:29:59 because time waits for no one here. when they say they leave on time, they leave on time, and people get left behind all the time, and we can only afford to miss 2 classes. it's been pretty classical, because some of the other american students thought they could stroll in a few minutes late and that the bus would not leave without them. wrong! on more than one occasion, they've had to run down the street, chasing the bus. classes usually end at 1 if there are no additional tours, or trips to the court or parliament. then some students go for internships at some of the law firms in the city, while others go back to the waterfront and kick it, and i mean kick it.

then as i mentioned some time ago, we are doing a comparitive constitutional law class, taught by one of the supreme court justices, who just happens to be blind and deaf. there is also an international business transaction class, and finanly an international human rights class (which i elected not to take, because of what i call strategic reasons, again something you would understand if you were here). but anyways, classes here have been great, and being here, i realized that there is something clearly missing from our class discussions back at the u. part of it, might have to do with having students from south africa and from several different schools, but it's even more simple than that, and again if you were here, you would know exactly what i'm talking about. but the only thing i will say, is that we are definately missing out.

there have been so many other highlights in there. on july 4th, some of the students organized a huge july 4th celebration, and had a braii (bbq) and invited all the south african students as well, total class. parties have been great. tours have been outstanding. some of the students went shark diving (with real sharks), you better ask about it. i don't know how other summer programs may be, but if you want to really enjoy yourself, and see and do stuff that you have never done before, then i recommend the howard law school summer program. and for me, knowing people here, makes it all that, and a big bag of chips with the dip. mrcanadian holding it down. best time ever. coming back to minneapolis, is going to be like getting dropped from your record label and having to move back to the hood after this.

holla.