For these past few weeks here in Cape Town, I have been exposed to numerous identities and cultures. Much like America, Cape Town can also be considered a melting pot! But even though we do share a lot of common features there are also quite a few differences – one of those main differences being the food. Like I mentioned, Cape Town is also considered a melting pot of different cultures and that is also included in their cuisines. Here in South Africa, a lot of the food tends to be on the sweeter side. We started to notice that they add sugar to almost all of their meals, where that is not a common feature back at home in America. Additionally, a lot of their food here is influenced largely on the European cultures that migrated here. Common dishes we saw at almost all restaurants were French and Swedish dishes. The interactions among people were very different as well. In South Africa, giving others personal space is not something that is really practiced. Whenever someone was having a one-on-one conversation with me, they always felt the need to close the space in between us so I knew I had their undivided attention. Additionally, since I am an African American female, the interactions I had with people were much different than that of my white counterparts. Often times I would be addressed as “my sister” from the other African and black people here. They also would give me a lot warmer greeting in comparison to some others. It could be because of the underlying racial tension that still exists here due to apartheid. Overall, my experience here in South Africa has been amazing. I have been exposed to so many different cultures and people. This will be an experience that I will cherish for years to come.