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.
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