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Welcome to Our Blog

WELCOME TO OUR BLOG

As anyone who has participated in UConn's Education Abroad in Cape Town will tell you, there are no words to adequately explain the depth of the experiences, no narratives to sufficiently describe the hospitality of the people, and no pictures to begin to capture the exquisite scenery. Therefore this blog is only intended to provide an unfolding story of the those co-educators who are traveling together as companions on this amazing journey.

As Resident Director of this program since 2008 it is once again my privilege and honor to accompany another group of remarkable students to this place I have come to know and love.

In peace, with hope,
Marita McComiskey, PhD

(marita4peace@gmail.com)

Thursday, January 7, 2016

Trista learning about issues of race and human rights at home and abroad


Although I was aware that there was much I did not know about South Africa’s history prior to the pre-departure class, I did not expect the readings and activities we completed to cause such extensive critical thinking.  I truly expected the course to simply be an overview of South African culture and serve as a means of getting to know the other participants.  While this was certainly accomplished, the class also provided me with an immense amount of information regarding South Africa’s troubled past as well as how that past continues to impact the development of the country.  For example, when we learned about matric exams, it became clear that the disparities created by apartheid policies continue to have a significant impact on individuals who were small children, or not even born, when these policies were in place.  Additionally, the course caused me to look at my own country and how it views and treats racial inequalities in addition to a number of other issues.  All in all, I found the course to be extremely beneficial, as it opened my eyes to issues of race and human rights in both my own country and the country I will call home for the next four months.

1 comment:

  1. Excited to have you in Cape Town...there's more to learn

    ReplyDelete