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…
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