Molly's reminded of how many different parts there are to culture

When I first applied to this program, I was worried that I would end up going into Cape Town without knowing much about the city or its history, and that I would be thrown into an organization that I didn’t really have any way of helping. I’m still not an expert on Cape Town, but I think that the Ted talks and other videos about teens and young adults in Cape Town who are taking their Matrics and trying to improve their communities helped me understand where I might fit in to Cape Town’s equation. Yes, I’ll be working with an organization that works to improve the lives of refugees and the community as a whole, but those videos reminded me that I’m not supposed to be the future of Cape Town - that role will be filled by Cape Town’s own children and young adults.

As much as I’m looking forward to meeting new people in Cape Town and learning about the ways in which their society and their progress is different from ours, I’m just as excited to meet everyone else from the UConn program. I completed the pre-departure course from far away in Spain, and although I read through some of my classmate’s discussion board posts, I never got to experience the exchange of ideas and debates in real time. I’m very excited to have discussions about race and inequality with both people from Cape Town and with my classmates from UConn, especially since it’s been so long since I’ve had people in my life to have those conversations with. South Africa may be more readily thought of as a place with racial tensions and inequalities, but I think that the same could be said about UConn (and about many, many other college campuses in the United States).

This pre-departure class required a lot of attention to the outside world as well as personal reflexion, and even though this should go without saying, it reminded me of how many different parts there are to a culture, to a society and to a history. There are so many different things to be aware of when we’re going to a new place, so I think it’s good not only to be as prepared as possible, but also to be prepared to make mistakes and to embrace the consequences of leaving our comfort zones.

Mariko feeing more prepared to live in South Africa

I cannot believe the semester is over and that we are heading off to South Africa in less than a month. I am extremely grateful that we had the opportunity to share our thoughts and get to know each other before living together on the other side of the world.  Aside from serving as a platform to meet each other, the pre-departure class offered new perspectives to not only take with me on the upcoming adventure, but to also apply to my everyday life.

           

I didn’t know what to initially expect of the class, but imagined we would be talking about safety, reviewing South Africa’s history, and figuring out the logistics of our trip. And while we did have discussions about all the aforementioned topics, we also learned exceptionally valuable lessons about American society and how similar it is South Africa’s. The parallel between the past and present issues facing South Africa and the US is extremely visible, but only if you are willing to open your eyes and see it. Perhaps that’s the most important lesson I’ve learned in this class; we need to consciously acknowledge the injustices around us and reject the instinctual denial that allows many of us to pretend that we live in an ideal, free country. While it is easy to point fingers at South Africa for their archaic and deplorable “apartheid” policies that taint their recent past, we cannot forget where we are coming from. White privilege is not a South African phenomenon, but rather a global one. Furthermore, racism and hatred aren’t problems that belong solely to generations of the past. Just because current tensions do not fit the overt pre-Civil Rights Movement, black versus white, de jure profile, discrimination and inequality remain pervasive both systematically and individually. 

             

In addition to the planned curriculum of videos and readings, the array of current events that shook domestic and international stages stimulated a lot of open and formative conversations throughout the semester. One of the common themes of our discussions was the fear of sounding ignorant or offensive because of our opinions. I have always personally feared crossing a line or perpetuating a bias when speaking about wedge issues. However, Marita’s lessons not only encouraged us to delve into uncomfortable topics, but also taught us that shying away from such conversations is detrimental to the prospect of a progressive future. We need to hear all sides of the story, look at the bigger picture, then make an effort to not just adopt any opinion, but to work on formulating our own.

I honestly feel that the pre-departure class would benefit anyone, even those who are not going to South Africa, because it forces one to reconsider the foundations of most social tension and hatred.  With that being said, I feel much more prepared to live in South Africa and fully reflect on my future experiences having taken this class.

           

I hope everyone has an awesome holiday vacation and enjoys the last couple of weeks with their family. I can’t wait to see you all at the airport!

Drew's preparing to listen, learn and support in this new environment

Over the course of this pre-departure course I have been reminded of a lot of the material I had learned before and have become significantly more mentally prepared for our 15 weeks in Cape Town. A lot of the concepts I was previously aware of regarding gender and race and privilege have been enforced and applied to the contexts that we will be working in once we reach Cape Town. Mostly the course reinforced the importance of constantly making sure that I am having a positive impact on the community I will be working in. I need to be open to listening and learning and supporting where I can rather than presuming any knowledge about the situations and circumstances of the people I am working with. Overall the course has just gotten me more and more excited for our departure date and I cannot wait to share this amazing new experience with everyone.

Caroline excited to find out what adventures await

I really appreciated our pre-departure course and was very thankful that I was able to begin to get know my fellow travelers before we arrive in South Africa. Throughout the semester, we discussed issues of poverty, racism, and inequality both in the United States and in South Africa. The pre-departure class gave me a broad yet valuable understanding of the culture and social climate I will encounter when I arrive Cape Town. I found that our Unit assignments, specifically the final one, were really helpful in understanding what daily life looks like and feels like in Cape Town. I enjoyed learning about the music, food, sports, and architecture that I will soon experience. 

I also really liked watching documentaries and TED Talks for class because I was able to familiarize myself with the struggles that South Africans still face today. The documentary we watched about matric exams really sticks out in my mind because I was able to relate with the students in the film and empathize with them. I hope to make my own meaningful connections with South African students during my internship at Christel House in Cape Town. I am so excited to find out what adventures await me in Cape Town! Less than one month until the flight!

Abby was glad to learn more about both South Africa & the US

I’ve learned a lot about social justice and human rights through my training as an RA. So while I enjoyed discussing those areas, the most important thing I learned about in this class was the history of Cape Town. Prior to this course, I had basically no knowledge about Cape Town, so learning about the Apartheid and matriculation, listening to talks from people from the country, and learning about social issues within the country were very valuable. I think this is all very important to know so that I can have a better understanding of the background of people we will meet there. We will be entering an entirely different culture, and any knowledge we can have to begin understanding it is valuable. Further, it was valuable learning things about our own country. I didn’t really know that people would be asking us so many questions about our government and current events, so I’m glad I was able to become more knowledgeable about that as well.