Nicole on acknowledging and respecting differing perspectives

Nicole (far right) on Human Rights Training weekend

This past weekend we had the Human Rights training experience. In the time that we spent at the olive farm there is so much that I learned about human rights and the way that people work together that it is overwhelming. It is not even that everything I learned was necessarily taught. Rather, what I learned form the most was watching the ways that different people from different places interacted with each other. This weekend was really cool because it allowed people from South Africa, Zimbabwe, DRC, and Namibia, to interact with American students. We had to do many projects and split into many groups and come together and make decisions that would benefit us all and incorporate all of our ideas without making anyone feel like they’re ideas weren’t making a contribution. From this trip, where there was just over 50 people that had to work together, it really put it into perspective just how difficult it must be for any decision, ANYWHERE in the world to be made. It took our small group of 8 people hours of discussions to try to come to agreements on certain issues and even still we didn’t all agree with the final outcome of our presentations. It just further enforces the idea that everyone has different experiences in their lifetimes. These different experiences forces us to have different opinions, viewpoints and perspectives. Just because we disagree with someone else’s beliefs doesn’t necessarily make either one of us wrong. It just makes us different. It’s just important for everyone to understand that there are going to be these differences when you interact with other people. And while you don’t have to agree with them it is important to acknowledge their viewpoint.

"You and I both see the world through a different lens, with different perspectives. 

We have different viewpoints and see different things.

 But it is just that, Different. Your perspective is no better or worse than mine."

Kate appreciating the previously taken for granted

As I sit down to reflect on everything we’ve done since being here, I can’t believe it’s already been almost 7 weeks! On one hand it feels like we just got here, yet when I think about all we’ve accomplished, and the routines we’re all developing it feels like a lifetime ago that we got off the plane. I am still loving my internship at Beautiful Gate. Going to the clinic on Monday’s has continued to be a very rewarding experience. More than anything, it has made me thankful in more than one way. For one, I am thankful for the health care I am privileged to have.  I am so lucky to be able to make a doctors appointment for a specific time, to have adequate transportation to get to that appointment, and to be seen in a timely matter after arriving. Patients here are just told to come in on a certain day, where they then must wait copious amounts of time (anywhere from 1 to 6 hours) to be seen by a doctor. The entire things seemed very inefficient and unreasonable until I learned that getting to and from the clinic is an issue for many of the patients. Because of that, if given times, people would miss their appointments more often than not. Furthermore, because all the patients I see are on ARV treatment for their HIV/aids, they must see a doctor quite often. For some patients, this requires a weekly trip to the clinic. The high numbers of people infected with aids who are living untreated becomes a lot more justified when that treatment requires one to devote an entire day each week to see a doctor. How can one hold a job when they have to miss work every Monday to see a doctor? Under the same circumstances, I’m not sure I would want to go to the doctor either.

Another thing that surprised me was that patients actually receive their medications at the clinic. After their appointment with the doctor is through, the doctor hands them their file (something that would never happen in the US) and sends them to the pharmacy to pick up their meds. On top of this, when the patient needs a refill yet doesn’t need to see the doctor, they are still required to come to the clinic where they again must wait insane amounts of time to pick up that medication. One of the doctors I sat in with put the entire thing in a good perspective when he admitted to me one of the challenges of being a doctor. He explained that pediatric health is especially difficult because it isn’t about simply providing the child with the correct care, but making sure someone is around to support and administer that care. Hearing him say that made me incredibly thankful for my family and specifically my parents, who have always been there to support me. It’s the things like that that I’m learning to appreciate more and more with each day that I spend here.

Ashley running after a moving train

Running after a moving train; this is the way I feel when I think about all the experiences I’ve had these past few weeks.  As a matter of fact I was running after a moving train this morning while visiting one of Cape Town’s beautiful beaches, Muizenburg.  This was my first train experience in Cape Town and never would have thought that the doors would have remained open as the train sped off.  I’m constantly reminded that I am not in the city or the US and situations will not be the same.  After experiencing the fright of being left behind or getting seriously hurt for jumping in; I couldn’t help but crack up along with my housemates.  I also cannot forget to mention the fact that there were passengers sitting in between the train cars!  The things we see in Cape Town cannot compare to what we would be exposed to back home. 

So many amazing blessings have come my way this month that it frightens me to think that I may not be taking all of it in or that this experience will be over in less than three months……

Running after a moving train….this is what comes to my mind when I remember my life back home.  Always hectic, rushing, on schedule, on time, stressed!  I haven’t felt this way not once since I step foot in Africa.  When I began my internship I worried about that fact that I may not be capable of adjusting to such a relaxed work environment, when I’m so used to a busy life.  While working on an event I felt I had to hold myself back from trying to take control of the situation to speed up the process.  Three weeks later I look back and don’t understand how I lived my life this way.  Cape Town showed me that amazing things can be done but at its own time.  No need for rush

Running after a moving train…..This is what comes to my mind as I think about the children I’ve worked with from the townships.  I wish I could just go into the townships and question the parents of the children who are running around and should be in school.  When I first saw this it made me really upset.  Coming from the US we know that the majority of children entering kindergarten will have public schools to attend where they don’t have to buy uniforms or worry that they will not have a meal for the day.  I would question the people I was working with and ask them WHY?! It broke my heart to have to enter a crèche (African name for day care/pre-school) and see the terrible conditions these children are attending school in.  Windows broken, paint chipping, clothes lines held up by slanted wooden poles about to tip over, and most importantly the toilet less bathroom.  The first couple of days I wanted to come up with ideas on how I can completely transform this place.  Again, trying to take control of the situation and put my ideas which I thought would be effective simply because I have been exposed to pre-schools that are well equipped.  It wasn’t long before I learned that I was NOT going to catch this train! The organization I am working with has a program where high school students serve as educators to the rest of their school and community.  Along with this they take on a community upliftment project which in this case was the crèche.  With the donated money they received they had to begin to fix the crèche and with time continue to fix the school.  When I first heard that all we were going to do was paint and fix the yard I was a little aggravated but eventually realized that these kids ARE doing something about their community.  I can’t just come in here and assume that because I’m American I have the power to try and fix this school.  It was a huge eye opener for me.  It helped me see that I am in another country with a lot more issues with poverty than mine and I don’t know how to handle it.  I don’t blame myself for trying to take control because now I see that it was a way for me to try to make myself feel better because of the advantages I have had.  Seeing these children in such conditions made me think about how lucky I was and continue to be.  South African lesson number one: I can’t come into this country and try to fix everything.  I can’t assume that I have a big enough train to scoop all the children and take them to a wonderful school.  I have to first understand what is causing this and know that there are people within these communities who care and are committed to help change the lives of the children being born into these conditions.  My role right now is not to change the world, but contribute to the already amazing organizations that are working towards making their world a little better.        

Brenna's challenging questions through the joys and the sorrows

Lianna & Brenna

The dichotomy of being here has been one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. Some days, I feel as though I am on top of the world – nothing can stop me from enjoying every moment I spend in this inspiring country. On other days, the evidence of oppression lingering throughout the city sinks into my soul and weighs me down.  Seesawing between these two transcending realities evokes within me an intense spectrum of emotion that I have never been so intimate with, especially so consistently within such a short period of time.

So much has happened since my last post. I’ve been at my internship for four weeks now and as I get more comfortable with SAEP being there becomes more and more rewarding. Forging new relationships with a group of warm-hearted, motivated people is so exciting. Lianna and I will finally be doing our environmental afterschool program in three schools in Philippi, and I am so looking forward to really getting to know the learners. I’m also getting closer with everyone on the trip, which is so fulfilling. Between internships, classes and every day experiences we are learning so much here and sharing it with one another; I love exchanging thoughts and ideas with my “co-educators”! We’ve all been trying to get to know locals, too, who have so much to say. Every day I learn something new about South African people and culture, which enlightens my perspective not only on local but global social issues. Being exposed to such a diverse community of individuals every day is exactly what I wanted out of coming here and the experience has made me think, learn and feel more than I ever imagined.

With this sincere excitement comes genuine despair and anger. With the more I learn, the more I know about harsh realities that plague so many people. Oppression and all the indirect effects of it have never been so consistently and bluntly in my face as they are here. More than half the people that I see on a regular basis live in extreme poverty and have grown up being normalized to various forms of subjugation. Between recognizing this and applying it to what I’m learning in classes, whose topics are so perfectly linked to the experiences we go through here, I realize how deeply embedded oppression is into historical and modern times, which overwhelms me with desperation. How did the world become this unfair when it doesn’t have to be? In Marita’s class, we watched a movie called Race: The Power of an Illusion, which illustrates how racism is an arbitrary social construct that came to fruition because a series of megalomaniacs decided that adding significance to a meaningless biological trait was the best way for people like them to succeed. Being exposed to this in class and then seeing the pervasiveness of racism in Cape Town has been mind-blowing. What I am seeing here mirrors what goes on in the rest of the country and world with varying issues, and I hate that so much injustice comes out of such meaningless norms.

Sometimes, I can drive through the townships and informal settlements and disregard the anger because I want to enjoy and celebrate the beautiful people who live there; but other times, my heart breaks to see the conditions in which my sissies and bhutis live. As challenging as this binary of realities is, these are the perspectives through which I know I will live the rest of my life. I want to know the beauty of it all while also sharing in the pain, so that I can do my part in making this world better. With all that said, there is no doubt in my mind that Cape Town is the perfect place for me to be right now.

Vernon & Brenna dancing at Blue Chip

Kayla's favorite weekend yet

So I think that last weekend was one of my favorite weekends here so far. On Thursday, we hiked up Lions Head Mountain to watch the sunset and moon rise. It was of the most amazing things I had ever seen. On one side of the mountain where the sun was setting, it was the ocean and beach and the sunset behind the water which was absolutely beautiful to watch. Looking off the other side of lions head was the whole city and the moon setting above it. It was incredible to see the city light up as the sky turned dark. I just couldn’t express how happy I was being up there although I'm sure I said it plenty of times. I really just couldn’t be happier that night and was also very satisfied with myself and everyone we went with for making it up the mountain since it was a rather steep hike.

On Friday, I went with Susie and Julian to Khayelitsha to work with Amanda and Bongi in their afterschool book club for middle school to high school aged children. It was a great experience to do activities with the kids and talk to them about what they wanted to do in their future and what they like to do now. It was amazing to hear the things that these kids wanted to do and I truly hope they achieve their dreams in their future. It was great to be able to help them in their life skills which is one step further to achieving that goal. That was one of my favorite things about this book club that Amanda runs; it teaches life skills to the children as well helping to build their confidence with talking and reading. I really enjoyed working with Amanda and Bongi and all of the children, and look forward to going back next Friday to help.

On Saturday, a bunch of us went to the concert on Clifton beach in which Vicky Sampson, our professor Vincent’s wife, was the star of the show. The whole atmosphere of the concert was just great. It was on a gorgeous beach and we were right next to Lions Head and Table Mountain. It started in the evening and lasted a little while after dark. It was amazing to listen to the music and stand up and dance with everyone. When they announced it was the last song, I was just wishing it could go on for a while longer. I really had a great time and enjoyed listening to Vicky’s amazing singing voice. Something else I loved about this concert was being able to see people hiking up and down Lions Head. When it was dark, you could just see specks of light going up and down the exact path we had taken on Thursday. It brought back the great memories and just all around, made me happy. After the concert, we got dinner and went out to some places in Camps Bay right near the water. It was a wonderful night.

This weekend, we are going to a human rights training weekend which we do not know much about. All we know is that there will be 24 of us there (our group) along with 24 South Africans. I am really looking forward to meeting these new people and can’t wait to find out what we will be doing all weekend. Judging by the amazing people I have met here so far, I am sure it will be another unforgettable weekend in South Africa. 

“Lessons on Long Street: the absurdity of socially-accepted sexism” by Marie

I love theatre! I love everything about theatre—the lighting, the staging, the excited feeling I get right when a show is about to start. I also happen to love comedy. I doubt that anything has the potential to cheer me up more than a night at the theatre laughing along with a bunch of strangers with whom I share a brief, yet special, theatrical connection. But, if I spent this entry talking all about my love of theatre, then I suppose I would need to change the title. So, now comes the important part; this entry isn’t about my love of theatre but rather about my first theatrical experience here in Cape Town. To say that it was not the most pleasant of experiences would be a gross understatement—it was the most insulting show I had ever seen in my life! This is not to say that all Cape Townian theatre is bad, in fact, I believe that Cape Town the leading performing arts hub in South Africa with groundbreaking work being staged all the time. I, however, was unlucky enough to pick a show from the not-so-groundbreaking set. Given the nature of the show, I think it only appropriate that I introduce my evening with a joke. So, here goes: A feminist walks into a stand-up comedy show…

Get it? No? The joke is in the absurdity of the situation. Why? Because most feminists I know would not want to spend time watching 99% of stand-up comedy shows knowing that they will undoubtedly have sexist jokes and one-liners? Perhaps that wasn’t the cleverest joke I’ve ever told, but you get the idea. The stand-up comic I, and some of my fellow classmates, went to see based a large chunk of his show on the idea that our society considers sexist stereotypes amusing. I, for one, was certainly not amused. One of the most unpleasant moments in the show came when the comic (a man) decided to read a poem entitled “What if there were No Girls.” That “poem” just made my skin crawl! Firstly, let us take note that the title features the word “girls” versus “women” (an obvious nod to our society’s constant infantilization of women). The title, however, was the least of the poem’s problems. The entire thing was simply one big sexist stereotype of women recited in a comedic fashion and aimed toward a male audience (despite the even division of the sexes in the actual crowd). The comic recited lines like, “if there were no girls, who would cook us dinner?” I wanted to stand up and yell, “Cook it yourself!”

While in the restroom after the show, I overheard a conversation between two young women who were discussing just how funny the comedian was and how much they enjoyed the show. It sickened me that they enjoyed the abundance of sexist stereotypes in the show and had nothing but a positive reaction to it. Critics of my negative reaction might argue that the sexist jokes were meant to sound so ridiculous that they couldn’t possibly be supporting sexism in society. However, I still consider it a dangerous risk to take as there are many people who would not see the horror of such sexism and further internalize the negative stereotypes presented by the comic. Yet, I do have one positive note; I highly enjoyed his jokes on the insane South African mosquitoes and their relentless determination to suck me dry of blood. See, it is possible to do stand-up comedy without insulting anyone…the mosquitoes, of course, don’t count; those little bastards deserve every bit of misery they get!

Dana re-evaluating what really matters

About a week ago, Katherine and I were invited to our boss’s (Stan) mother’s house for lunch. It was a celebration for the four year anniversary of his heart transplant; absolutely amazing! His two sons were there along with his mother, two sisters, their families, and a few close friends. Before we started to eat, Stan made a short speech to thank everyone for being there for him throughout the past few years, especially his sons who were with him in the hospital every step of the way. Although I tried to hide it out of embarrassment, I couldn’t help but tear up a bit during his speech because it’s so beautiful that even after four years of such a serious and dangerous operation it can be celebrated with friends and family who went through it all with him instead of mourned or taken for granted. Four years ago Stan had a heart transplant after waiting 8 months for a heart. All he knows is that it came from a 20 year old; he likes to say that although he’s old, he’s young at heart. For him, I suppose he truly is. This is what I really admire about Stan. An event in his life changed him, and now he’s really living instead of just going through the motions. He’s giving back to his community through Operation HOPE every single day while truly believing in what he’s doing. He’s raising two successful sons, he participates in the transplant Olympic games (taking a trip to Sweden in a few months for nationals!) and although he works hard, he takes time to relax and enjoy small pleasures.

 Dana with her supervisor Stan from Operation Hope

One thing I’ve learned here is that people take their time to relax. Whether it is through teatime, vacation, or just taking time at night to sit and talk with family, overall people like to enjoy their time, money, and company much more than Americans. What I’ve come to find is that money seems to be more valuable to people here because of what it can give you rather than in America where it seems that people make money just to have and show it off rather than enjoy it. This has definitely changed my perspective on what to work towards in my career.  Instead of working simply for money, I want to be the kind of person who works towards a physical goal where money is a reward for what I am achieving instead of the actual goal itself. To look at Stan who is such a successful person enjoying his (second) chance at life makes me truly happy and makes me re-evaluate what matters in life.

Joe's learning all the time.

Cape Town continues to be an outstanding learning experience. No matter if I am doing something recreational or education, I find myself being more and more enriched. For example, on Saturday night some of us went to Clifton Beach for a free concert where Vicky Sampson, our professor’s wife sang. During the concert, they paused the performance in order to play a video on the screen displaying the various forms of social injustice occurring in South Africa. The different topics the movie discussed were the abuse of refugees, the elderly and the poor. I was very pleased to be able to turn a concert into an experience where I could be educated more about the country that I am continuing to love more each and every day. Furthermore, during my internship today I was able to visit a township in the southern part of the Cape Flats called Capricorn, it is one of the smaller informal settlements. I saw a complex of about ten one-room houses where refugees from all over Africa were living. The majority of the people that I saw in the complex were from Malawi; after speaking with a man there I learned more about Malawi and more about the continent of Africa.

 I also find myself learning more about the culture and history of South Africa as well. With much thanks to Vincent’s class, every week I am beginning to understand the importance of history in the larger context of modern society in South Africa. For example, after discussing the upcoming local elections with a colleague, it is easier for me to understand why certain racial groups aligned themselves with specific political parties. Black and coloured people often vote for the ANC because it was the political party that was banned during apartheid and helped to bring the end of systemized segregation in South Africa. I am so very glad to be able to have the opportunity to learn all the time.   

Julian work in the classroom & fun in the sun

Julian & Nicole on Devil's Peak

Taylor and I have officially taken over Ms. Mtiya’s 10^th grade classes. Quizzes, homework, lesson plans; they’re all up to us. We’ve also managed to make the classes somewhat interesting. In one of our lessons we made a game that involved copies of South African money. Whenever a group of learners got a question right they would take money from the other groups. This was the first class that we taught where 100% of the learners stayed awake. Kids were making it rain left and right and they actually retained some of the information that we taught them the next day.

Yesterday we experienced some serious language barrier problems at the job. We were having the kids make political cartoons on slavery and asked them to put captions at the bottom. They didn’t know what captions are though. We explained it as a short line that fits the topic of their cartoon. They interpreted that as writing a paragraph on why slavery is bad. It wasn’t what we wanted but we’ve learned to be patient.

Last weekend was a crazy one. It started Wednesday with Stoanes, as usual. Thursday was class and then a sunset and full moon hike on Lions Head Mountain. On Friday Logan and I whipped out our new dance move at the Assembly in town. Saturday was an early morning hike that started at Rhodes Memorial which is located at the top of the UCT campus. The trail that Logan, Nicole and I took brought us around Devil’s Peak, up Newlands Ravine, down some random slope and finally up Devils Peak. To get back down we went down Devil’s peak, across half of Table Mountain and down to Tafelberg Road. It was definitely the longest hike I’ve done since I’ve been here. In fact, the longest hike I’ve ever done considering I don’t even hike back at home.

So I had a great weekend at that point and figured I’d use Sunday as a day to do all of my homework. I woke up, got my computer out, and was all ready to do work when I heard Kayla talking about Chrystal Pools. She met some friends at Stoanes who are locals and they offered to bring some people to this place about an hour away that has cliff jumping and swimming. Naturally, I decided to let my homework wait and went to have a little fun in the sun.

My activist project is finally underway too! I think. Right now I am torn between working at Thandokhulu High School where I would be doing a technology program with the kids. I’m not too keen with technology but these kids don’t even know how to use Word or make an e-mail. These basic things are necessary for those of who go to college. I’m also considering doing something that is sports oriented with our RA’s other job. I don’t really know the details of it though. Maybe I’ll just do both.

Emily looking ahead

Sitting at the top of Lion’s Head watching the sun sink into the ocean on one side and the full moon rise on the other, with the view of Table Mountain to our left and the city of Cape Town to our right, was a very surreal moment for me and I’m sure for the amazing people I’m on this trip with. I often wonder how so much beauty can exist in one place and how so few people can know about such a place. Although the hike was short, just an hour or so, there were some difficult parts to it that required teamwork. Making sure Terri could reach the ladder rungs hammered into the rocks and reach the chain above her was my main concern on the way up! Coming down was a whole other experience as we helped each other through the dark with only the light of the moon and our cell phones. I found it very sweet how the small group I was with made sure each person made it safely down the ladders before proceeding down the trail. It is easy to see just how much our affection for each other has grown over this short period of time. The amazing quiet of the mountain struck me as we walked down with just the crunch of gravel beneath our sneakers occasionally breaking the silence. 

It I amazing to think that we still have two long months in this amazing country but then again that is such a SHORT time! There are so many things I want to do, like hiking around Cape Point, going camping, white water rafting, cage diving, sky diving, the list goes on. I know these days are going to fly by and so I try to appreciate every second I am in this beautiful country because pretty soon I will be back Storrs in the beautiful leaves, wrapped in a sweatshirt and scarf and wondering how I am possibly already back from Africa, possibly never to return. 

I am very excited to start my activist project at Thandukulu. Julian, Marie, Taylor and myself are going to be teaching kids, most likely ninth graders and maybe some teachers too, how to use computers. Our hope is that these skills will help them to achieve the same things in college that come easier to their more affluent classmates, and hopefully we can have some fun along the way. I am very excited to spend the weekend on an Olive Farm and really hope we can finally have a campfire and make some smores! Being from Vermont, I really miss this! But I am also excited to meet some local South Africans who are our age, outside of the party scene and really connect. I think it will be very interesting to see all of the different perspectives on human rights. Coming from a country where I have basic necessities such as clean water and access to good education will definitely set me apart from the South Africans and the international students we will also be meeting, it should be a great experience, not to mention bring our group even closer together! 

Siobhan seeing it again with new eyes

On Thursday night we climbed Lion’s Head to watch the sunset into the ocean (something that I had never seen before, living on the East Coast) and it was definitely my favorite thing that I have done since being here. The sun was just this burning orange ball that you could look straight at as it sank into the ocean, leaving the sky a gorgeous pink and purple painting in its wake. It was incredible because on one side, all you could see was the ocean, and then you turned around and saw the moon getting brighter and brighter as the sky got darker, hanging over the city that was slowly lighting up. I really can’t even describe it in words, but it was definitely the most beautiful thing that I’ve ever seen.

My family is here visiting me and it has been so much fun taking them around and showing them everything. For once I know where I am going! It’s been amazing because even though I’ve only been here a month, I have apparently gotten used to how stunningly pretty it is here, which I hate to admit. I realized this as we drove up and down the roads that I have traveled daily, and my sister insisted on having the car pulled over so we could get out and look and take pictures. I hate the fact that this has become a common sight for me, and so I am thankful that I have my family here to remind me just how lucky I am.

I’ve also been reminded about the inequalities in Cape Town as I show them places such as the waterfront, with its elaborate hotels and BMWs parked outside. It is so hard to come to terms with the fact that there is a multi-billion dollar hotel only 30 minutes away from some of the worst poverty I have ever seen. I can’t accept the fact that this is the reality of this country, and it’s hard to appreciate the beautiful architecture when I know that only 20 miles away people are living in shacks made out of tin. I’m realizing as I write this that the same exact thing occurs in the U.S. (just look at New Haven: on one side you have Yale, while on the other you have streets that you can’t walk on at night) and yet it took me coming to a completely different place to fully realize the injustice of this. I can only hope that I can keep this mindset when I get home, and work to change these injustices.  

Teddy regarding his work at Christel House

In this blog entry I would like to describe my internship at Christel House South Africa which is located in Ottery, near Cape Town. Susie has already beaten me in writing a general description of Christel House which you can read here if you’d like: http://cptadventures2011.blogspot.com/2011/02/susie-learning-new-lessons-in-grade-r.html

Her internship is much different from mine, though. Susie is mostly working with the social workers and meeting with the learners to help them overcome the challenges they’re facing at home. As for me, I work mostly with the fourth grade, which is divided into the classes 4a and 4b. Specifically, I work with Mrs Marilyn of the 4b class on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays. I frequently help in running portions of class, assisting with the material on multiplication, division, natural sciences, English grammar, and many other topics. I also help tutor the students during their in-class assignments and help Mrs. Marilyn prepare materials for each class. If the leerlinge (“learners” in Afrikaans) finish their work a few minutes early or have behaved especially well in class, they enjoy showing me Google maps. They love to show me places they know of in South Africa and also enjoy seeing places I’ve been to in the US. Several of the learners have expressed interest in graphic design so I occasionally show them some online graphic design forums where professional artists display their work. These learners really enjoyed seeing how their interests could be turned into real careers!

The 4^th graders are all exceptionally bright and eager to learn. As they get older they understand more deeply the gift Christel House is giving to them by offering a free education and meals during the school week. From my position in the school I do not ever really hear specific stories about the students’ family situations, but I have of course learned a lot about some of the common issues they are all facing. Many of the learners come from motherless or fatherless families or have parents addicted to drugs. Others are struggling with these situations along with many others at the same time. It is impossible to not think every day about the struggles the students are up against without my respect for them increasing. It is inspiring to see how focused they can be on their work despite all the other things that could understandably distract them. Not to mention, it's amazing to see how they just want to greet everyone with a giant hug every morning!

Despite their home-circumstances the students are usually in great moods when they’re at school. Christel House works very hard to provide a comforting, understanding, and supportive environment to create this effect. Though the teachers need to be stern in the classroom to ensure the students are learning, they all engage with the students after class by talking with them about sports or music, and help them plan fun events for holidays like Valentine’s Day. During this recent Valentine’s Day a couple periods were set aside so that each class (including 4b) could have a Mr. and Ms. Valentine’s Day celebration. A few days later I asked the marketing department if we could arrange for the 4^th graders to visit the Picton Castle, a 179 ft tall ship from Nova Scotia which was visiting Cape Town. The trip had already been planned for many other grades and the 4^thgraders were readily included. They got to learn all about long-distance sailing, hoisting sails, life on board a large ship, and all sorts of other related topics. You can check out the ship here: http://www.picton-castle.com/ship-and-crew.html

It’s these sorts of events that maintain the comfortable feeling the students have at Christel House - they are very confident that their teachers are looking out for them and want them to enjoy life, but also want them to succeed in school so that they can move up and out of the poverty they currently live in.

The school does not only focus on the students, but also on their students’ parents. They run numerous workshops to help the parents organize their lives better and improve the home-environments for the children. Thus, the school is not only a school in the conventional sense - it works to improve whole communities. It achieves this further by continually selecting students from the same collection of neighborhoods; this helps establish relationships between the families.

I could easily talk endlessly about Christel House. However, I am still learning more about it as I work with the teacher. In the next few weeks I will get to shadow and assist the marketing department and administration staff which I’m looking forward to a lot! Ultimately, I am getting a lot of experience with regards to how a school such as Christel House approaches its work. 

Terri meeting new people, doing amazing things

Kayla, Terri, Susie

I am falling more in love with the city of Cape Town everyday.  Today, me, Kayla, Julian, Nicole and two of our new friends from Cape Town went on a trip around the cape to go cliff jumping into water.  We had a blast!  Going around the cape with people who have lived here their whole lives was an experience in itself.  We were able to hear about different activities that we would not have known about from a travel booklet or guide.  We learned different sayings that young people our age use in Cape Town although it took some trial and error to learn when to actually use them.  I now understand why Ben and Marita have told us to meet new people.  The people here who are our age are like people from America but still so different.  I loved getting to hang out with them and do something that without meeting them probably would not have known was possible.  It was a very fun and exciting day.

My internship is still so amazing.  I have been volunteering to go in on Fridays and help with the Club Foot Clinic where many parents come with their infants to have their feet casted to correct their club feet.  As of this past Friday I have officially applied my first cast! I am so fortunate to have been placed at Maitland Cottage. The doctors are amazing and so happy to teach me as much as they can.  I would never be given the same opportunities or responsibilities at a medical internship in the states.  I am so grateful that I have been given such an opportunity to learn so much about things that I love and plan to do for the rest of my life.  I am still watching and assisting in different surgeries and learning more that I ever could imagine about the human body. 

The Lion’s Head Hike was beautiful! We went on Thursday to watch the sunset and then see the moon on the other side of the cape.  Seeing the city lit up at night was one of my favorite experiences here.  I am so happy that I was able to share that experience with such amazing people.  There are so many beautiful things to do in Cape Town and I am determined to do as many of them as possible.  Next weekend is our human rights weekend that we are all looking forward to.  I’m very excited to meet other students from South Africa and other counties in Africa.  I am sure it will be an amazing learning experience and great time.  

Taylor on his non-routine routine

As we start our sixth week of living here, things seem to be falling into routine. But that routine is by no means routine compared to my life at home. Monday through Wednesday I wake up and spend the day trying to figure out how to teach history. I seem to be learning as much from them as they are from me, if not more. My teaching is either met with a blank stare saying slow down and stop rambling on about nothing, or an encouraging smile and some hand raising signaling they are interested and understand. I was also approached by a student after school, he told me he had a problem with my class, he said he needed to learn more about the Vietnam War and the Civil Rights Movement.

The routine continues at home for the night when we make dinner. I am actually cooking, something I have never done in my life, with the exception of ramen and eggs. Routine also includes the weekly surfing trip to Muzinberg and perhaps a hike. This week we saw the sunset on Lion’s Head, followed by a nearly full moon. My routine ended this weekend with a Sunset concert at Kirstenbosch Gardens. 

Katherine finding her niche

After being in Cape Town for over a month, it’s interesting to see how much we’ve all acclimated to our new surroundings. When I take a step back and look at all we’ve done so far, both on a group and an individual level, I can see a big difference from when we first arrived in January. Now that everyone has internships and is on there way to beginning their activist projects, we’ve begun to take on responsibilities in this town. Everyone has some sort of project that they are working on, and sometimes it even runs past our set internship hours. We’ve also learned to make our way to other places through public transport, which is something that at least I know I was very nervous about having to do. Many of us have also had the opportunity to befriend locals and have them show us what Cape Town has to offer. It makes me really excited to see everyone finding their own niche in this town, and it makes me look forward to the upcoming events of the next two months. 

Tom feeling at home and having fun

Yesterday was one heckuva day and I can finally say that I feel like I’m heading in a direction.  In the morning I went with Marita and Jessica to watch my friend Bongi’s soccer (check football) teams, the Khayelitsha Firefighters, play some matches.  This has been something I’ve been looking forward to for awhile, because I think youth sports, especially for under privileged kids, are the most important institutions that a community can develop.  Lessons like teamwork and the simple fact that for a few hours a week these kids are away from the gangs and other hardships of Khayelitsha alone are justification enough for creating youth sports teams.  Suffice it to say, I was quite inspired by what Bongi had done in creating this soccer program and I look forward to staying as involved as I’m wanted to be until I go home in April.  On an even more base level, the games were fantastic, I was amazed at how good these kids were individually and in the context of the team.  I have never seen anything close to the teamwork displayed on that field by such young kids.  While, I was only at the game for a few short hours that was the most at home I’ve felt since I’ve been here.  I guess I’m just comfortable around sports and teams; I’ve been playing them since before I can remember and coaching them occasionally from when I was in the 16-17 year old ballpark.

Moving on to the rest of the day, as soon as Jessica pulled into the Loch Road driveway Joe and Taylor were on their way out to the driving range, I’m not one to turn down an invite to the range.  It was abundantly clear that I hadn’t hit a golf ball in a long time and while I may not be the next Tiger Woods there was something cathartic about hitting the ball (who the hell am I kidding I didn’t hit the ball near well enough for catharsis I was at that I just hit golf balls for an hour level of frustration, if you’ve ever played you know what I’m talking about).  Anyways from there some of us went out to celebrate Ashley’s birthday, what a grand celebration it was.  We went to a Kurdish restaurant, which was quite new to me, that had great food, hookah, and belly dancers.  Since I love all three of those things I figured it was going to be a good time.  I love being right, it was an absolute blast.  The highlight of the night was no doubt when everyone got up to belly dance during Shakira’s “Hips Don’t Lie.”  While this was not an entirely true for me, my hips do, on occasion, lie; it was still the most fun a guy could have with his clothes on.  There is just something special about having that many people up attempting, some of us succeeding, to belly dance together.  I know I’ll never forget it and I hope Ashley feels the same way.

Susie learning challenging lessons beyond the beauty

The beauty in Cape Town never gets old! Whether it is running around the Common and gazing up at the mountain or relaxing at Muizenberg Bay after surfing, there seems to be something absolutely stunning to see everywhere. At my internship, Christel House, every classroom has a wall of windows so the mountains are visible to the students at every moment. This may sound like it would be distracting to the learning, but most people living in the townships cannot see them from their homes; each tiny house is so close to the next, creating a congested and clumped area that allows little to no breathing room. Thus, the constant outlook of the mountains along with the grassy fields and trees around Christel House provides a much needed escape for the students.

I have been working with the social worker at Christel House helping with children who have various hardships they may be enduring. This week, Claudia and I had our first home visits, which the school calls family profiling. I was able to enter the townships into some of the children’s houses, and meet their families’ and observe their living environment. I thought I had a vision in my head of what the quality of life would be, but I guess I cannot prepare myself for everything. I finally found the first place where something was definitely lacking in South Africa, despite the nice family and adorable children. Making home visits was extremely powerful, and although it is difficult to grasp, I am so grateful I have this opportunity to learn so much and engage in eye-opening experiences.

Tonight, while on our way to climb Lion’s Head Mountain to watch the sunset, another incident occurred that left me dumbfounded. We took the minibus taxis from Rondebosch to Lion’s Head, and on our way, our driver got lost and did not know how to get there. I was utterly confused at how he would not know what Lion’s Head is; the mountain can be seen from almost anywhere. And then it clicked…

Sharielle reaching beyond her comfort zone

Lion's Head

Back Row: Logan, Taylor, Julian, Tom, Joe, Brenna, Leanne, Susie, Katherine, Kayle, Terrie, Kate

Front Row: Anna, Sharielle, Dana, Emily, Nicole, Siobhan, Lianna, Meaghan

I climbed a mountain. This is something that I never thought I would do. I thought that I was going to go for a simple hike, but when I got mid-way, I knew that is was more that just a hike. I wanted to turn back so bad, three times to be exact. It was probably the scariest thing that I ever did. There were times that the path was narrow and all I could see was how far down the real world was. However, when I got to the top, with the help of Brenna and Meaghan, it was worth it. The view from Lion's Head, was absolutely GORGEOUS! I did not know where to look. On one side there was the beach, the other Table Mountain was facing us and on the other side was the city lit up. If I knew how the trail was before I went there, I don't think I would've gone. I am grateful for the experience, because it was something that I never would've done and probably will not do again.

           

I am hoping that this is just one of the experiences in South Africa that I have that will help me get out of my comfort zone. Getting out of my comfort zone does not necessarily mean that I have to climb a mountain, but put my places in situations that I normally would not. These situations that let us become a better person and taking on new perspectives. I cannot wait to see what else South Africa has to challenge me with! 

Brenna, Sharielle, Meaghan

Meaghan recognizing another privilege

Settling into Beautiful Gate has been a lot of fun, and I can’t believe we’ve completed three weeks of work already! Last Tuesday I met Susan and Aaltje who are from Holland, and they will be interning with the social department as well. It has been a lot of fun getting to know them and learning about their life in the Netherlands. It is interesting to observe how we can all work together, despite the fact that we are dealing with language barriers and coming from different cultural backgrounds. After the discussion we have been having in Marita’s class, I have found it very interesting to witness the privilege I have regarding language. Here I am in South Africa working at Beautiful Gate, and our common ground of communication is English. I think it just further proves how privileged we are that I can go half way across the world and still speak my first language and be respected because I can speak so well.

Recently I have actually adjusted my schedule for what I will be doing at Beautiful Gate, and although I have been learning a lot I will no longer be going to the clinic on Mondays. Yandi decided that she wanted Susan, Aaltje, and I to be more involved with the children of Beautiful Gate. On Monday afternoons we will be having a group of ten kids join us for different activities and lessons. I really look forward to this because I think it will be an awesome learning experience, and a really fun way to make a difference in these children’s lives. I also think this will be a great balance with the house visits on Tuesdays and Wednesdays because I can then have a better background of the children who’s houses I will visit, and what they come from. I look forward to seeing the ways Susan, Aaltje and I can come together to teach these children working with the resources we have and the schooling experiences we individually had. Still loving South Africa!

“Lessons from Learners: Focus on Women’s Issues” by Marie

I could open this entry with some HIV/AIDS statistics or an example from literature about teen pregnancy but I’ll let one of my 11^th grade students do the honors by extracting a quote from one of her essays: “Most of the people that get HIV are girls because they don’t wear proper clothes when going to parties.” Now, let’s all take a moment to contemplate the horrific cultural norms that support that statement……….

Perhaps I should back-track a bit…I am very fortunate to have the opportunity to intern as a teaching assistant at Thandokhulu High School this semester; a position which I find both challenging and rewarding. The main challenge, however, lies with the learners; who must struggle with a multitude of economic, social, and medical issues on a daily basis…issues that we Westerners rarely consider. At the first school assembly I attended, one of the administrative speaker’s main points came in the form of a plea directed toward the students. The message: respect yourselves and don’t get pregnant. With pregnancy remaining one of the top reasons for the high drop-out rate, it’s obvious why emphasizing sexual responsibility is key. However, I was irked that the address was mostly geared toward the teenage girls. Just as the opening quote suggests, it’s almost as if teen boys are not accountable for being sexually responsible. Oftentimes, women are viewed as the root of sexual issues, whether it is rape, HIV/AIDS, or pregnancy. The more I thought about it, the more I realized that South Africa is not the only country where women are held more accountable than men for unplanned pregnancy…U.S. society holds the same ideas; ideas which are changing at a glacial pace.

Until the status of women improves in our world, things like pregnancy will continue to remain solely a woman’s responsibility. Still, there is hope for the future…I found it in my very own classroom. Another student and, may I say, quite a blossoming feminist; wrote a strong essay promoting women in positions of power. I was pleased to find similar essays as my reading went on and, just as I began, I would like to close this entry with a quote from one of my brilliant pupils:  “People say that we are free and equal, but this is not so. It is very rare to find a president who is a woman, but people still say that we are equal. Women have the ability to do more but they are demoted by men. Women are hard-working and dedicated both at home and in the work place. They are powerful but they are not recognized. It is believed that men are the heads of households but, if you look around, many families are headed by single mothers.”

Let us look, let us look around indeed!

Julian: another eventful week

It isn’t really a problem to find something to write about. The problem is trying to pick what to write about. It was yet another eventful week here in Cape Town. I think I’ll start with last weekend.

So, most of us were at Table Mountain. We arrived at the trailhead about two hours after we had planned. On top of that, we realized that we didn’t really know where we were going considering there is somewhere around 300 trails on the Table Mountain Range. After talking to a few people we found a route that took us up across and down the mountain. Logan and I pulled ahead of the group and soon realized that our PB&J’s weren’t enough food to last us, but we made it through nonetheless.

Things are continuing to pick up at the internship. Taylor and I finally had the opportunity to create a lesson plan before being thrown into a classroom alone.  This time it was on the French Revolution, but my knowledge on the subject was pretty limited. I say “was” because I’ve practically memorized the entire Wikipedia article on the revolution since then.

I’ve also realized that I’m probably having too much fun. I figured this out today when I realized that I’m still in school and I actually have work to do. Between starting an eight page research paper, doing seven online postings and writing this blog today was an uneventful day. But I’m also getting ready to leave to climb Lion’s Head for a sunset hike and go out to long street tonight… so life could be worse.

Joe growing in understanding

I finally believe that I understand what it means to live in South Africa, and specifically in the city of Cape Town. Though there are so many forms of injustice taking place throughout the country, there is always a sign of positivity. For example, though there are many problems with the immigration policies of South Africa, it is amazing to see the diligent work that people like my co-workers at the Cape Town Refugee Centre put in to help to benefit their situation. For years, the country has made it difficult for refugees to obtain full legal citizenship in the country, this is mostly a problem pertaining to economic power because the wealthy are trying to keep refugees in an oppressed state so they will perform manual labor for lesser rates. This is similar to the situation with immigrants in the United States, we will continue to ignore their human rights so that wealthy elitists can continue to benefit from their status.

Another part of the country that influences me to continue to persevere through hard times is Table Mountain. Climbing the mountain was somewhat symbolic to me that of the struggle that the blacks went through during apartheid. They worked extremely hard to find that equal plane but since then have not continue to look up or down, but they have plateau, like the top of the mountain. There is still so much work to be done, and it’s a long way until South Africans reach actual equality but at least they have stable ground to stand on, and that can never be overstated.  

Lianna on this place feeling like home

After sitting down yesterday and writing up a list of all the things that we want to get done in Cape Town, it is easy to see how quickly our time here is going to pass.  We have already been here a month, and before we know it we’ll be headed back to the US.  But that’s not really something I want to think about right now.  I’d rather focus on all the fun that I’ve been having, and just how amazing this opportunity is. 

On my walk to work this morning I was thinking about that.  How awesome and amazing it is that I got to come here.  On a global perspective, I feel so lucky and privileged that I have this opportunity to see the world, when there are so many people who never have the opportunity to leave their country, or even get much past their hometown.  I feel particularly lucky because I made it my personal goal to see as much of the world as I can.  My mother has never left the continent, and the only time my Dad has was training for and fighting in the Vietnam War.  The only one of my four siblings to get off the continent is my brother, who went to Japan, Saudi Arabia and Iraq through the Marine Corp, so the experience of living in another country is pretty unique for me.  Often I think about my time here and how badly I want to come back, already, and even though I want to see everywhere, I have a feeling that I will try to come back here.  There is just something amazing about it here, and it doesn’t hurt that there are so many different aspects to Cape Town.  As a group we have learned that there is an endless amount to do here, for so many different interests.  It’s a great combination of the beach, a city and nature, hiking is one of my favorite pastimes, and there is plenty of that here!

One thing that surprised me a lot about Cape Town is just how small it really is.  Not area wise, or population wise, but how often you run into people here.  I’m not even going to pretend I know a lot of locals here, but whether it’s running into some of my coworkers at the beach, running into the same group of Americans everywhere we go, or bumping into my boss on Long Street, it never ceases to surprise me when I see someone I know, especially the one time we were recognized hiking up Table Mountain.  It’s a nice feeling; it helps make this place feel more like a home, and less like a place that I have come for a visit. 

Logan's recap of week #4

My first week of internship at Black Sash went very well. I work with four other interns that are my age, three from France and one from Germany. I spent the first two days mostly doing research and reading trying to catch up to the other interns working on the same project as me. By the third day the other interns were already involving me on their project which was really cool to get put in the mix so quickly. From what I can tell from my internship work is very relaxed here. When I am doing work it is very heavy reading and a lot of work, but my boss never wants to overwork me so breaks and short days are acceptable. Some of the things I will be able to do at my intern are informing people of their rights in the townships, going into parliament, and monitoring governmental organizations such as refugee centers, so it should be very exciting. 

Classes have been going well, but it is hard to stay focused on school work while in Cape Town not to mention living in a house with a pool and 16 other students. I am glad we get to go to University of Cape Town campus for one day a week though. While we don't have the opportunity to take classes with other UCT students, there are other ways to meet people there. Julian, Tom, and myself went and played basketball at the gym and had the opportunity to meet a diverse group of people from Greece, South Africa and Zimbabwe to play ball with on Thursdays.

A couple of us went up Lions Head on Saturday night with the interns from Black Sash to watch the sunset. It may have been the most beautiful landscape I have seen since I have been to Cape Town. Watching the sun go down over the ocean and the city light up as it became darker was an astonishing image. I look forward to doing it again with the rest of the group on the full moon. 

View from Lion's Head

Leanne on the opening of Parliament

Last Thursday, February 10^th, most of our group decided to go to the opening of the South African Parliament.  The Parliament building is located in the center of the city of Cape Town, so we had to take public transport into the city.  Teddy, Anna, Brenna, Marie and I took the train from Mowbray into town.  This was my first experience riding an actual train, though I have made use of the T system in Boston and the subway in NYC a handful of times.  The station was initially confusing because we needed to cross the tracks and didn’t know how to do that, but a friendly local guy directed us towards the (creepy) underground passageway.   The train was right on time, and we learned that it is important to get on as soon as possible – South African trains don’t mess around, it pulled into the station and then was on its way again in about one minute flat.  We saw a couple people jogging up and hopping on the train when it was already moving, having to hold the doors open as they leaped in – that’s way too much excitement for me!  The train fare was inexpensive, R5 for regular class and R7 for first class.  Since R7 is approximately one US dollar, that’s a bargain for a 20 minute ride! We were directed to buy the tickets upon arriving in the Cape Town station, so I’m not sure how they keep track of who rides what class.  Also, I have since ridden the train to the beach and was not required to purchase a ticket at any point.  I’m not sure how the system makes any money. 

Many of the city roads were blocked off in anticipation of the procession, so it was hard for us to get close to the front of the Parliament building.  I’m assuming it was full of people, since the sides of the main roads were moderately crowded.  We watched President Jacob Zuma drive by in a vehicle with huge glass windows, preceded by armed guards on horseback and followed by a motorcycle convoy.  A woman standing near us said that each branch of the military would then follow.  We could just catch sight of airplanes flying over some of the nearby buildings.  Teddy and I decided to go closer to check it out, and to hear Zuma’s speech, but wound up wandering up and down side streets, trapped in by the roadblocks.  We gave up after about twenty minutes and decided to engage in one of Teddy’s favorite pastimes – eating Indian food.  We found a bustling place that looked promising.  The “traditional Indian ice cream” was disappointing but they did have fabulous mango lassis! 

Long Street

We met up with the rest of the Malleson Road group at The Neighbourhood, a restaurant on the corner of Long and Wale Street, and were soon joined by the big group from Loch road, who had apparently gotten a late start and missed the first train.  We had appetizers there, and then walked around Long Street, which is known for its vibrant nightlife.  All in all, it was a good night, though the opening of Parliament was somewhat disappointing.  I’m not sure exactly what I was expecting, but I’m still glad that I went – it’s probably a once in a lifetime experience because who knows if I will ever be in South Africa in mid-February again!  

Kate's great week

Meaghan, Emily, Lianna, Kate, Dana, Kayla

As we approach our one-month anniversary since arriving in Cape Town, it’s fun to see how everyone has begun to settle in to an individual routine. Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays make me feel really grown up- the expression, “Long day at the office,” has a whole new meaning for me. Our internships have proven to be incredible experiences already. Thursdays are a good change, and Fridays have so far proven to be tons of fun. This past Friday we went to Muizenburg, a beach, for the day. Soon after arriving, someone coaxed in to going surfing. My surfing experience prior to Friday was very limited, and consists of one lesson when I was in the 8^th grade. To say the least, I was not expecting much out of myself and was thrilled when I was able to stand up and ride the whole course of a wave.  The hour we rented the equipment for (which was only 15 dollars!) zoomed by, and I already can’t wait to go back for more.

Today, Kayla, Meaghan, and myself were invited to attend church with the nurse from Beautiful Gate, Nokazola. She took us to her church in Nyanga, a nearby township. The church was a Catholic one, which turned out perfect because all 3 of us happen to be Catholic.  It was very cool to see how different the mass was from my church at home. The most noticeable difference for me was the quality, and quantity, of the music.  The lyrical aspect was so much more involved and upbeat than any of the Catholic masses I’ve attended in the U.S. From what I could tell, the youth also play a much bigger role than those do in my church- that was also cool to see. All in all, it was a great day, and a great week!