As much as I loved spring break, its great to be
back in Cape Town. The last half of the excursion went by in a flash but I’ll try to sum it up. I thoroughly enjoyed
the order of everything we did in Johannesburg because, following the Human
Rights Day activities, we stepped forward, out of the historical happenings of
South Africa and got a glimpse of where the country is at now.
We spent all of
Tuesday at the Boys and Girls Club in Pimville, where I passed the first hour
or so rearranging book shelves and organizing the office. At first I wondered
how I was supposed to make myself busy for the rest of the afternoon, but then
the kids showed up and I wished I had a way to make the clock go slower because
they were an absolute blast, despite the exhaustion that ensued from trying to
keep up with a bunch of energetic munchkins. Having spent the day with all of
the bright and talented students gave me hope as to what the future holds. One
kid I was playing soccer with even explained that he never wears the jerseys of
famous soccer players because someday he’s going to become a famous soccer
player and everybody will know him for his own name. However, I also got to
speak with one of the older boys who was originally a member and came back to
work there after graduating from High School and listened to him explain how
crucial that program is in filling a gap to prevent kids from falling into the
unpleasant patterns of the area. Its disappointing to know that even after such
a tremendous fight for freedom, there are still so many obstacles to be
overcome for majority of the black and colored people of this country. Then
again, the struggle is not restricted to this country, as was beautifully
illustrated by the poets featured at our dinner venue that evening. A lot of
the words recited were powerfully intertwining race, class, and gender in ways
that could spark hours of conversation and contemplation, especially amongst
the co-educators on this trip. I felt incredibly moved, but also like a
bystander witnessing a pouring of emotions that I may never be able to fully
relate to. It was the perfect way to wrap up all that we had learned and
experienced throughout our time in the city, before moving onto Krueger Park in
the morning.
After a long, but not too painful (thank goodness for great
company), eight-hour bus ride, we arrived at our game lodge in the middle of
nowhere. And as this trip has proven, there is very little time to waste, so
within a few hours we were out on the safari vehicle, spotting elephants, giraffes
and even a pack of hyenas. The next morning was dedicated to going on another
game drive and taking in scenery that is impossible to put into words. Once we
had our fair share of the wild and bush braais, we headed back to our beloved
city of Cape Town. Now that the end of the program is starting to creep up on
us, I feel a lot of pressure to cross things off of my bucket list. At the same
time, I am trying to just enjoy the simple pleasures of living in Cape Town
without cramming a million activities into a single day. So far I’ve made good
use of this weekend off, despite the fall-like weather reminiscent of New
England September. Yesterday morning, I headed off to Woodstock to explore the
area and grab a bite to eat at the greatest market on earth, the Old Biscuit
Mill. I also went to a monthly craft market this morning at the Kirstenbosch
Gardens. Needless to say, today has been very different from Easters in the
past, and as much as I wish I could be with my family on this holiday, I feel
incredibly fortunate to have spent it in this beautiful city with great
people. 
No comments:
Post a Comment