Bryan recaps his 2nd week

This blog post covers what I did in South Africa from January 24-31^st. I thought that this week included many interesting things, but first we will start with the Braai which is the South African equivalent to a BBQ. The Braai was hosted by Vernon at his home where he made us almost what seemed like three courses, which was completely new to me, because when I attend BBQ’s at home its usually just a ton of food placed out, but at the Braai there was the appetizers then the first course which included snook and chili and then the main course when was lamb, and chicken.

The next interesting thing that I want to talk about in this blog was the fact that we finally had to do two things that were outside of the tourist realm. The event was we attended our first classes the first class being a double session of Vernon’s class which was interesting. The second class was led by Marita and we got to learn about Race through several different lenses. The next event was the Public transportation exercise which was actually kind of weird. The exercise involved each person being put into a group of 4 or more and having to follow the specific transportation method made by Vernon to reach a destination which was one of the internships. My group had to catch a Minibus Taxi to my Internship Right2Know which was actually pretty easy and was as familiar as taking a city bus back in the states except the drivers don’t care about the rules of the road and only want to get places as fast as possible while making as much money as possible.

The Last interesting thing I want to mention was the visits to everyone’s internships, although the internships took a full three days to complete it was a wonderful experience getting to see firsthand what everyone in the group was interested in. I believe that by viewing them in person, offered another sense of what my co educators wanted to do. For example when some wanted to be in the health profession, it was a completely different experience when we went to the hospitals and saw patients who were sick, or just out of surgery trying to make the best of the situations that they were in. Overall I think the internships really showed us just how different we really are from one another and how our diversity makes us that much more unique. 

Then again our diversity can also be a bad thing like in the case of consensus decision making where we literally took about an hour and a half discussing when we should have class and we couldn’t really make progress after about the 30^th minute. At this point in time it just became a discussion about the same problem over and over while offering the same unpopular solutions which were continuously supported by the same opinion, but rephrased differently. This of course made me understand that in a vote there are losers, but in a consensus we all technically win but we also technically lose (especially our youth).

Becca appreciating orientation but looking forward to settling into a routine

I am so excited about what’s to come. Orientation ended today with a beautiful concert at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. We saw a band called The Soil, a local group who performs upbeat a cappella music. We brought a picnic dinner, which was a nice break from the heavy (albeit delicious) dinners we’ve been having out at Vernon’s suggestion. For me, this was the best way to end the hectic two weeks we’ve had and reflect. The concert venue sits in an alcove in the mountains. The lighting was perfect and everybody was dancing or lounging—just enjoying life.

 

Lily, Meg, Mariko, Kayla & Becca at Kirstenbosch Gardens concert

This past week, we got to tour everybody’s various internship. While I’m really excited about mine, at the Economic Justice Network, I was really inspired by the people and structure of Christel House, the school where Caroline will be interning. I don’t want to talk about it too much because I’m sure she’ll have a ton to talk about in the upcoming weeks, but the school is structured in such a way that it sets the poorest people in the Western Cape with a pathway for sustainable success. What’s even more amazing is the fact that they expect to be financially self-sustaining within the next couple of years.

On Friday, we practiced taking public transport to our internships. Amelia, Mary, and I take the train down town to our internships. It went really well on the way there. On the way back, we missed the train we wanted to get on by a matter of seconds. At first it didn’t seem like a big deal, until we realized that the next one wasn’t coming for another 45 minutes. So we sat in the train station and got to know one another a little bit. I’d like to believe it was worth it—the reason we were late was because we were wandering around a Farmer’s Market on St. George’s Mall that’s only open on Thursday’s (this is when we will have class so it was the first and last opportunity we’d have to go there). That night we went to Stardust, a restaurant where all the waiters sing and dance and everybody gets to dance on their tables or chairs. The food was delicious—tapas and a dessert of ice cream, crème brulee, and chocolate lava cake.

Thursday afternoon and Friday morning were our first classes with Vernon and Marita. It was almost a relief to return to something semi-normal, but also a little bit of a harsh reality that I am actually studying abroad. However, based on the discussions we had, I’m really looking forward to the material we’ll be covering.

Friday afternoon, Libby, Emily, Elizabeth, Alex and I headed to the waterfront to explore and shop. We found a series of indoor markets for crafts and food and tons of samples. I’m looking forward to bringing my family there when they come to visit. Unfortunately, we made the mistake of trying to take a taxi home during rush hour—what should have taken 15 minutes took over two hours. We actually ended up getting to know our cab driver really well. He and his family had come to South Africa a few years ago because he was an activist in the DRC being persecuted by the government. He even has a book published called Perspectives of Privatization Policy: The Case of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. We asked him how he came to be a cab driver and what he answered has really stuck with me. “In the end, I have to do what I am passionate about to be successful, but I cannot do that if I cannot sustain my family because they sustain me. They are my true passion. And so I have to be a cab driver for a little while.” I feel like this moment really captured the principle of Ubuntu, “I am because you are”. Instead of having an identity crisis or complaining, he channeled his love for the people around him to find hope and empowerment in a bleak situation.

We ended the day with a trip to a soccer game between two South African teams. Especially exciting was the fact that the home team (Cape Town

Ajax) won—all the fans were really excited.

Saturday, a bunch of us went to The Old Biscuit Mill, an indoor-outdoor food and craft market with anything any hipster could ever want. I was in heaven. For dinner, we headed to Vernon’s house for a braai (BBQ) where we enjoyed some delicious traditional South African fish, lamb, and chicken that he cooked over a wood-burning fire. We celebrated the end of orientation and reflected on our expectations for the upcoming weeks.

Finally today, Libby, Megan H, Alex Z, Emily, and I decided to go to the beach. However, the train never came. After an hour and a half of sitting on a bench, we decided to just walk to brunch.

Orientation has been great, but I’m so glad to finally start doing things on more of a routine. Maybe now I’ll be less chronically exhausted.

Caroline's 1st (but probaby not last) hike up Table Mountain

On Saturday, fifteen days after arriving in Cape Town, I was finally able to hike Table Mountain. Every day since arriving, Table Mountain has been staring at me, begging me to hike it, explore it. Nearly everywhere I went I could see Table Mountain looming over the city, calling my name. As soon as I had a free day, I woke up at 6:15 in the morning and set out with some friends to conquer the beast.

We decided to head up through Kirstenbosch Gardens and climbed the Skeleton Gorge trail based off some stellar advice I received from a friend – shoutout to my girl Dani Haims! It was incredibly hot on Saturday, and the hike up was delightfully shady. It was a relatively strenuous hike up the mountain, consisting of mostly natural steps made of stone and a couple ladders. Once we got to the top we discovered a reservoir – about the last thing I would have guessed would be sitting atop Table Mountain. And the color was incredible! The water gradually turned from a warm yellow to deep red and then dark purple. I was wary of the cleanliness of the water, but we met some local hikers who re-filled their water bottles in the reservoir and told us it was just clean rainwater. I was less concerned after watching them drink it, but I decided I would hold off on filling up my bottle. Better not risk it, I thought.

From the reservoir we hiked across the top of Table Mountain along the Smuts Trail for a couple of kilometers until we reached the beacon marking the highest point of the mountain.  Along the way we passed Castle Rock, which my friend Josh and I decided to climb up. It was pretty tough and I needed a helping hand from Josh, but it was so cool to stand on top and have a panoramic view of one side of the mountain. We could see from Rondebosch all the way to Hout Bay, which was really an unbelievable view. I don’t have a picture from the top of Castle Rock because I didn’t want to risk climbing up with my camera. Sorry everyone!

Past the beacon we continued our hike across Table which had evened out into more of a relaxing walk. The path hugged the edge of mountain along the Table Bay side, and it was breathtaking.

The way down was a completely different story. I had thought that the hike up was tough, but compared to the way down it was a piece of cake. The majority of our group decided to take the lovely cable car down, but Josh and I wanted to finish strong and decided to hike down through Platteklip Gorge. I don’t regret it one bit, but it was exhausting. The way down snaked through a sharp valley in between two peaks and offered virtually no shade. The entire path was a steep staircase of orange stones that baked under the heat of the sun. Some steps were slippery, and some were so large I had to scoot down them. The only things keeping me going were Josh’s encouragement and the looks of utter exhaustion I saw on the faces of the hikers who were climbing up. The sun was so strong because it was only and hour past noon, and I shared some water with a couple of hikers, chatted with passersby and wished them good luck, because they were going to need it.

We when finally hit that last step it felt awesome. Josh and I high-fived and I was so elated, relieved, proud, and exhausted all at the same time. We hiked about 10 kilometers, heading up one side of the mountain and down the other. It was the most beautiful hike I’ve ever done, and I’m certain when other kids want to experience it I’ll be the first to volunteer. But I’m probably going to take the cable car down. 

Caroline on the top of the world

Collette ready to get into the routine of daily life in Cape Town

Now that orientation is coming to a close, it really feels like we’ve been here for months. With so much packed into so little time, I think we are all ready to get into a routine with our internships, classes, projects and downtime. Though I am excited to explore all of the amazing sites and activities the city has to offer, I am already getting nervous about how even these three and a half months won’t be enough time to do all of the things I want to.

Tonight we wrapped up orientation at Kirstenbosch Gardens with a concert by an acapella singing group concert The Soil. While the music itself was awesome, the view of the mountain peaks behind the amphitheater was what seemed to really make the night. It was great to see everyone together and excited for the internships tomorrow. 

The whole group at Kirstenbosch Garden's Summer Concert Series

Personally, I cannot wait to go to Sarah Fox tomorrow morning. I was initially most nervous for the transportation to and from work, but since the transportation exercise I’m now excited for that part too. When Mariko, Libby and I took the minibus taxi the other day, it was definitely far less intimidating than I had anticipated. The drivers and passengers were friendly and personable, and the music was definitely what we’ll need to wake up on the way to work.

I have experience working in a doctor’s office, but I know it’s going to be so different at Sarah Fox. For those who don’t know, Sarah Fox Children’s Convalescent Home is an establishment for children who are recovering from surgeries, or for sick orphans. This is obviously something I would never have the opportunity to do back home in the States, so I have known for a while that these two experiences wouldn’t be comparable. This is something a lot of us are thinking about, as many of the students in the program are on a medical path. Though it is mainly a Human Rights oriented trip, the invaluable experience the internship provides has drawn attention from students from all majors and backgrounds. Tonight at my house, all of the medical students were so excited that we actually dressed up in a scrubs and hung out together in the living room.

 

Mariko, Paige, Collette, Lily, Maria, Derek, Eric

I’m going to cut this post a little short, seeing as myself and Mariko are the first people who have to leave in the morning. Wish me luck on myself and my fellow co-educators first days at the internships!

Molly is nervous but excited to begin her internship at Cape Town Refugee Centre

Before I came to South Africa, I had learned that it had this super progressive constitution with a lot of human rights provisions, and I had this idea that working to enact those existing laws through policies would be the best way to improve the quality of life for South Africans. I’ve always been a little skeptical of nonprofits’ ability to improve long-term quality of life. This may sound problematic for someone who’s majoring in human rights. I have volunteered and interned at nonprofits and seen that many of them, especially those that work directly with people by serving them food, educating them or providing them with medical care can provide immediate help and truly help these individuals out in the long term. However, I also believed that the best way to reach a larger group of people over a longer period of time would be through policies and legislation. Don’t get me wrong - after we visited all of the internship sites over the past week, I felt inspired and energized by the dedication of the locals who run them and by the services that they’re able to provide. However, I was also saddened to see just how necessary all of these NGOs and nonprofits were. In an ideal world, kids wouldn’t need to be rescued from gangs by the kindness of those who work at great nonprofits like Molo Songololo, and they wouldn’t need funding from international donors to get a quality education. In an ideal world, Christel House wouldn’t be necessary. Walking around Christel House and seeing the students who were striving and achieving great things, I’m sure we could all agree that it provides an incredible service and we are all glad that it exists. However, it also only provides this service to a very, very tiny percentage of students. Education is a great tool because it can create an impact that spreads far beyond the student who receives the education. At the same time, there are many more students who deserve to receive the education and the benefits that a well-equipped classroom and teacher can provide.

All of that having been said, I don’t underestimate the value of helping individuals improve their circumstances. Of course I’m nervous about starting my internship, but I’m also very excited to work in both one-on-one interactions with refugees during intake, to assist with groups on social cohesion, and to hopefully work on the civic involvement projects with the Cape Town Refugee Centre that have the potential to create a larger structural change.