Clockwise--Susie, Siobhan, Teddy, Sharielle, Brenna, Ashley, Katherine
First night in Jo'burg at Homebaze: African Cuisine
This past week was perhaps the best spring weekend I’ve ever had. Exploring Johannesburg and Kruger was so much fun! Johannesburg was really interesting because we were able to see so many historical places and visit a number of museums, all of which taught me a lot. Visiting the actual sites of the Sharpeville Massacre, the Soweto riots, and the house of Nelson Mandela helped to put South Africa’s history into a more realistic and personal context. Even though these events had happened some years ago, you could still feel the atmosphere. One of my favorite parts of being in Johannesburg was visiting the Apartheid Museum. Right from the start, they divide people into whites and non-whites, and entrance is based on what your admission ticket classifies you as. Doing so helps to set the scene for what people are to experience in the museum. Inside the museum, there is sooo much information. The museum does an excellent job of creating exhibits that display information in a way that is sequential and interesting, so it made it easy to follow and understand everything going on. I especially enjoyed seeing the wall of Mandela quotes. Each one was so inspiring that it was hard to choose a favorite. The worst part of visiting the museum was not having enough time to further explore every exhibit.
The trip to Kruger following Johannesburg was equally as amazing. Unlike Johannesburg, the weather there was sunny and hot, so it was a nice change. Looking back, exploring the park seemed so surreal. The scenery was absolutely breathtaking from every angle. Seeing the beautiful South African sunset each night followed by the clear starry skies at night was so peaceful. It was an environment I had never before experienced in my life. Seeing the animals was a whole other level. There’s nothing like ending your night with a heard of elephants followed by seeing a jaime of giraffes and a lion walking beside you first thing in the morning. The bush walk will definitely go down as one of my all time favorite memories. I had expected to be taken to a trail that we would walk along, but instead, the guides pulled to the side of the road and we simply walked into the tall grass. What I found most interesting about the walk was the different angles and perspectives of the park compared to the two drives we had done. You get to see the park in a whole new level. At one point, we had stopped on top of a rock and you could see the park beyond the horizon in every direction; it was so serene and peaceful. I could not have asked for a better way to spend my spring break.
While our excursion was an amazing week, it definitely made me miss Cape Town. Being away for seven days, I realized just how much Cape Town has become my home. Perhaps it was the constant downpour in Johannesburg, but I really came to appreciate where I live. I missed seeing Ben and going to my internship. I missed going by the commons everyday, and I missed the friendly people of Cape Town. I even missed hearing the sound of the mini bus taxis shouting out at people. While we were away, I kept thinking about all the fun things we have done since arriving in January, and I realized just how hard it will be to have to say goodbye at the end of April. This trip is something that I will forever hold near and dear to my heart, and I couldn’t be more appreciative of having the opportunity to participate in it.
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