Lucky enough to be accepted as one of the postgraduate students of the prestigious Stellenbosch University in Cape Town, time for me to visit my new university has finally arrived. The course, in fact, is a Postgraduate Diploma in HIV/AIDS Management (PDM), the only one of its kind started since 2001 under the joint venture of Stellenbosch University, UNAIDS and Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management. It is a full-time, one year and online study programme designed for professionals in the work place, so that each can make a difference in the areas of prevention and management of HIV/AIDS. Students of this programme are all expected to be computer literate so that they will be able to have access to their study materials and submit their assignments through the Web CT (website computer tools) of the university. Thanks to technology, new knowledge and information I gained from my research in rural Zambia will be sent through the Web CT and will actually be part of the huge database collected and stored by the university's IT department. Let's now have a tour of the place.
Table Mountain as seen from Signal Hill. Table Mountain is a flat-topped mountain overlooking the city of Cape Town. Its top can be accessed either by hiking or using a cable car (rope way). It forms part of the Table Mountain National Park. It is flanked by Devil's Peak to the east and Lion's Head to the west.
This is the way to the famous university town called Stellenbosch. The distance from Cape Town centre to Stellenbosch is approximately 50 km. The documented history of Stellenbosch dates back to 1679 and it was quickly identified as as an area which had real potential for agriculture. The soil proved to be very fertile and the climate was conducive for producing vegetables to sustain ships passing by the Cape of Good Hope enroute to the other Dutch colonies in the East. Stellenbosch saw its hills and valleys planted with vines by the end of the 17th century. Up to this time it has been a hub for the flourishing wine industry and is called 'The Wine Capital of South Africa'
This is a bird's eye view of Stellenbosch town and its surrounding mountains. The photo was taken from the window of the 7th floor of one of the university's residences where I was accomodated during my stay. The population in Stellenbosch is 65,000 of which 22, 269 are students. Today this buzzing University town is also lovingly known as the Town of Oaks or "Eikestad". The reason for this is obvious when you stroll down the oak lined streets.
These are two of Stellenbosch University's buildings. The foundations for Stellenbosch's heritage as an educational centre were laid in 1859 when a theological seminary was established. In 1918 a university was founded and to this day the University of Stellenbosch remains an internationally recognised educational institution and one of the leading universities of the African continent.
Far away beyond an oil tanker is Robben Island. Robben Island is an island in Table Bay, about seven kilometres off the coast of Cape Town.It is of particular note as it was here that former South African President and Nobel Laureate Nelson Mandela was imprisoned during the apartheid era from April 1964 to April 1984. From 1836 to 1931 the island was also used as a leper colony.
Youngsters of JL Zwane Centre performing one of their dance and song items during our visit to the centre. JL Zwane is one of the 11 centres which has affiliation with Stellenbosch University’s ‘Africa Centre for HIV/AIDS Management’. In this centre orphans of AIDS found refuge and are being cared for until they are developed with certain skills and prepared to face the world on their own.
AIDS orphans having their midday meal time at JL Zwane Centre. Statistic shows that in South Africa, about one in five adults are HIV positive. South Africa also currently has 1.2 million AIDS orphans. The HIV prevalence rate among pregnant women is 30.2%. Average life expectancy in South Africa is now 54 years – without AIDS, it is estimated that it would be 64. Hospitals are struggling to cope with the number of HIV-related patients that they have to care for and AIDS account for 60-70% of medical expenditure in South African hospitals.
The sign says it’s Kloof road. This road neither has special significance nor is an important landmark. But it just got my attention and hence is being posted here. Besides its natural beauty, maybe at that time I was just curious of where to this country road leads.
Lion's Head which is to the west of the Table Mountain forms an important landmark and looks so magnificent when viewed from the Signal Hill. There is a trekking route leading up to the summit and I just wonder how many people might have already been to the top, and of course, to what level the surge of adrenaline be at their moments of achievement.
A view of Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean from Signal Hill. Signal Hill is a landmark flat-topped hill located in Cape Town, next to Lion's Head and Table Mountain. Signal flags were used to communicate weather warnings as well as anchoring instructions to visiting ships in order to ensure that they prepared adequately for stormy weather while in the bay. Similarly, ships could use flags to signal for assistance, for example, during a storm.
Another view of Cape Town. This picture was taken from a hilly and winding road leading to the Signal Hill. You can actually see part of the road already taken by us on our journey uphill towards the Signal Hill.
'Camps Bay' with its idyllic beaches spanning all across the coastal area. We have to journey downhill in order to get there. On both sides of the road are planted flowers of diverse variety with well-planned residential area lining the road.
'South Africa 2010' is on the way! Here is one of the many newly constructed stadia for the game. The location is just ideal, very close to the Atlantic Ocean and the historic Robben Island is not far away. Of course, the stadium is yet far from completion, but the organisers are hopeful that they will be able to do the final touches on time. The picture is taken from Signal Hill. Let me be specific. This stadium is called the Green Point Stadium and its capacity is a crowd of 70,000. It is situated between the Table Mountain and the Atlantic Ocean.
Even at this age, the heart of Cape Town still resonates with a historical atmosphere and cultural appeal. The city reflects over three centuries of occupation, including Dutch, Georgian and Victorian architecture.
The Table Mountain stands out prominently even from the centre of Cape Town. It attracts more of my attention than what all the architectural beauty of the town does.
The Lion's Head also stands out from behind the trees as tall as that of the city's skyscrapers.
The light posts, the pine trees and the Lion's Head all seem to compete for 'who' is the tallest.
A mix of natural and technological wonder can still be beautiful.
One afternoon at the beach. Sea, Sun and Sand are all gifts from God.
The popular Mariner's Wharf. Only seafoods are served here. It is just by the Atlantic Ocean and it's no wonder they have varieties of seafood.
Hope that you enjoy your virtual tour of Stellenbosch and Cape Town. Have a nice day.
14 comments:
University student nih chu i inhmeh vengvawng hle mai.
I blog page hi i tizau thiam bik hle mai, kan la expert ve lo a ni.
A hmunhma vel pawh a nawm hmel khawp e. Zirna sang zawk i bei thei hi kan lawmpui tak meuh che.
Zir hi a tha. Zir peih erawh a harsa. Hlawhtling takin zir la Lalpa tan, Sipai Pawl tan a nih sa bakah kan ram tan pawh la ni zel rawhse. S Africa hi chuan Basil Meinjtis kha min ti hrechhuak thin....a bang ta mai a le....
We are proud of you! Wish you All the Best in your studies and services as well.
Lawmpuiawm rualin hmuhnawm bawk anih hi..
Krismas khan Cape Town-ah hian thiante an kal a, Lion's Head, Table Mountain leh 12 Apostles tih vel hi thlalak ka lo en chhuai chhuai a, ka kal ve chak lutuk a, a tak ngeia i kal thei hi vannei ka ti ngawt mai che. Chu achhapah Zirlai hautak leh phurawm takin a hmuak bawk che a..
Tluang taka i zir chhuah ngei ka duhsak che-in ka lo tawngtaipui a che.
We are very proud of you and congratulate you for having such an opportunity for further study of the subject what the present world needs dsperately. We are assuring you of our fervent prayer support for your study.
a thousand congrats.........i deserve e.........i reh rei vang2 ka tia i lo zin kual vang nih dawn hi..........azl rawn chuan chhuah a hnai em?
dr.chhanhima ralte
presbyterian hospital
durtlang
E khai..a va nawm hmel ve le...Han zir trang2 teh...Salvation Army chu an duai ngai lo an tih kha...Salvation Army chu ka ni hauh lo nang a.I pic tawp bera tlang zum put te khi a va nawm hmel ve....
@Fela=hei kan han tan chho chu nia, hnathawk chunga zir nih bakah naupang harh rual fa pahnih neih nen, beih ngial a ngai dawn e. Mahse a nuam phian zel e.Blog font zau i duh chuan ka template ang hi hmang ve mai rawh, thlan mai tur a awm kha. A colour chu i duh danin i modify mai dawn nia.
@ZL=ni e, engkim hi, keimahni lam hian mahni ta kan ni tawh si lo a. Pathianin a duh anga a hman mai tur kan ni reng ang. Basil Meinjtis i sawi hi tunge le, ka hre miah lo.
@LeaszRalte=thanks for the good wishes. You have mine too in your study.
@Varte=Cape Town chu la kal ve ngei ang che, i holiday neih theih hunah. Ei leh in a thain a tlawm a, thlenna hmun pawh a hautak lo. A mawi tawp!
@Kiamlova & Puii=kan nupain kan lawm takmeuh a ni. Africa ram thimah midangte tana malsawmna ni turin kan kal a, chutih laiin Africa ramin kawng tam taka malsawmna min pek let hi a tam zawk daih a ni. Pathian hminga in mi buatsaihna te, fuihna te leh enkawl zui zelna te avangin in chungah kan lawm a ni. In sawi thin angin leh, Pathian ngei pawhin Abrahama hnena a lo sawi tawh angin 'kalchhuah' hi 'malsawmna' hnar a lo ni e.
@Chhanhima=tunlai Durtlang a vawt ngawtin ka ring. Chhante, kei ang bawkin kohhran hospital-a rawngbawl hi i hlimpui ngawtin ka hria. Theihtawp lo chhuah zel teh u. Zoram chu 2010 ah Pathianin rem a tih chuan kan rawn chuang chhuak ang. Chawlh hmang turin. I mi lawmpuina vangin ka lawm takmeuh e.
@Burgerstud2005=welcome, thanks for the visit. And also for speaking in a high note about the Salvation Army, the church that I hold so dear. I like your blog too.
Sipai Pawl chu tak takin ka hre ve chiang ang reng thin.Salvation Army kan ni thin a.Mahse kan ni tawh lo a.Presbyterian Church ah lut tawh a.
Kan naupan lai chuan Dona Lian sual Dona tih te,Thisen hnuaiah ka awm tih te,Sipai Pawl hla kha kan sa nasa thei.Central Corps ah kan awm thin.Major Lalngaihawmi te hi kan veng ania.Kan vengah chuan SA an tam ang reng.Tunah chuan Ebenezer Corps an ti tawh.Brig Ngurliana Sailo poh kha hei kum 101 a ni tawh.A la dam.A tar tawh khjawp mai.I hriat ka ring a,kan sawi ve ngawt a.
Kan naupan laiin General Eva Burrows te kha a lo kal a.I'm too young too march in the infantry,ride on the cavalry,shhot the artilerry tihte kha kan sa thin.
Social Works hi a dik tak chuan Mizoramah chuan SA tih chhuah liau liau a ni ve a.Mahse Synod hian sum an ngah zawk avang hian kan chhuh nasa che u ka hria.Engpawh ni se thil tha lam a ni a,pawi lo ah dah ta ila.
SA ah chuan Nute Ni hi ka la ngai thin.Nute nen a hla in chhang sak thin lai te kha ka ngaihtuah thin.Pics nalh deuh deuh lo dah thin teh..kei chu zin vel te hi nuam ka ti a,photography pawh hi ka tui khawp mai.
Rev. Laiu Fachhai, Doctor of Theology a zirchhuah/hmuna University a ni e... i tih tha ngawt mai... Wishing you good luck!
@Burgerstud2005=a lo nih tak chu mawle. I han sawi atang hian tun thlengin SA hian i nun,ngaihtuahna leh hawiherah te nghawng a la nei tih ka hre thei. Lalngaihawmi (tunah Colonel) chu India Eastern Territory-a kan Chief Secretary ni lai a ni a,Zambia kan kal dawna official farewell meeting kan neiha min tichhuaktu/hlantu a ni, Ebenezar corps-ah a ni nghe nghe.Brig. Ngurliana pawh ka hria e.
Mizorama SA social work Presbyterianin chhuh/luahlan ta anga i ngai hi, midang tam tak ngaihdan pawh a ni a, mahse A DIK LO. SA chu tichhuaktu a ni a, tun thlengin hmahruaitu kan la ni rengin ka hria. Kohhran dangte hian orphanage home leh school te chu an nei nual mai,Kan Blind School (Kolasib)te, Free Food Feeding Programme (Guwahati) te,AIDS/Drug Addiction kohhran anga hmachhawn hmasa bertu kan ni te, CSW te tana Night Shelter tantu kan nite leh, Mautam tanpuina lian Fair Deal Project te hi heng kan orphanage leh school te bakah kan social work rawngbawlna danglam leh deuhte chu an ni. Heng zz hi 'cost-effective' taka kalpui theuh an ni, social work hi chu keini SA te kan 'specialist'-vena ka lo ti mai asin!
Africa lam thlalak rawn post fo chu ka tum ang, i lo tlawh fo dawn nia.
@Maraland=A ni tak asin, Stellenbosch University hi Theological Institute anga tan a ni a, tun thlengin theology-ah pawh institution tha ber pawl a la ni. Ka thian chhar thar South Korean pakhat chu he university-a theology-a Doctorate zirlai a ni. Tunah hi chuan he university hian kan sawi sen bak subject/discipline-a thiamna a ofer tawh a, ka zir tan ve HIV/AIDS a speciality thlengin.
Rev. Laiu Fachhai chu khawnge tunah a awm tak, enge a hna chelh lai ni le?
I mi duhsakna avangin ka lawm e.
I just discovered your blog and love it.
Rev. Dr. Laiu Fachhai chu African continent ah khan kum 14 lai missionary in a awm thin, tunah chuan SIM Northeast India ah Director in a awm mek, Shillong ah...
Post a Comment