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.