On the 31st of August 2015, I went on a journey with my classmates in the LFS 152 course. We left the University of the Western Cape at 10 and arrived at the camp site of Okkie Jooste at 11:30. We were a bit behind schedule due to certain delays, therefore our daily activities had to be shifted around which was quite unorganized. Our accommodations were quite extreme due to the tight and narrow rooms which were overcrowded with the bunk beds and mattresses that were provided. The cold water was not welcome since the weather conditions were quite cold and in some cases rain. The room we occupied was comprised of 8 ladies including myself, which was a bit overcrowded, but as the days passed we started getting along and accepting the environment we were brought into.
The entire class was split into 3 groups and provided with a schedule for the four days we were at the camp. There was barely any free time to actually enjoy the scenery or to socialize on the camp since our schedule started at 6 am (if I had kitchen duty) and ended at 11 pm, sometimes at 12 am. Everyday was a new experience, the camp comprised of hiking, mammal trapping, insect catching, presentations and group assignments. There were an uproar in the room due to people's belongings disappearing and reappearing. Everybody blamed each other, it was hilarious when it was discovered among person who lost it's possession. The facilitators were quite helpful in certain events, but excluded themselves when help was required when compiling a group presentation.
Majority of the presentations that were done on this camp was related to Biodiversity and Conservation Biology. As a Biotechnology student, I was not sure what the purpose of this camp was. As the days went by, I came to the realization that familiarizing yourself with the various vegetation could assist in finding certain herbs that could be used in a laboratory.
Figure 1: The accommodations, kitchen
and hall of Okkie Jooste
Figure 2: The beds provided at the camp
