This weekend was the Ocean View
homestay for half of us and wow is that one community I will never forget. From
the moment we arrived I felt the openness of their homes and hearts all around
me and I knew it would be a love filled weekend. Lily, Molly and I got the
privilege of staying with Chantel, the weekend coordinator, and her parents who
were all just the sweetest things! Here is the play by play of my life the past
4 days, per usual:
Thursday night: Arrived mid
afternoon and everyone got settled into there temporary homes. I realized the
bed I would be sleeping on was not only bigger, but infinitely more comfortable
than the one at the house we stay in so I was over the moon excited right off
the bat. Chantel’s mom decided to make spaghetti and meat sauce which is
actually one of my mom’s favorite dishes to whip up, so this made me feel right
at home. I quickly realized that the weekend would be full of eating since not
taking seconds is seen as somewhat rude or is taken as you not liking the food
(a food filled weekend is totally fine with me for the record). After din, all
the UConn students reconvened at the community center for some ballroom dancing
lessons taught by local kids! After 13 years of dance classes, I still love it
just as much as the day I started. Getting to see these kids practice what they
love in a safe space was such a beautiful gift because I know first hand how
great of an impact dance (and many other programs like this one) can have on a
child life! I had the pleasure of mainly dancing with one very shy young lady
names Stacy who was a great teacher and definitely came out of her shell by the
end when she ran up to give me a huge hug. I also have to add I was so
impressed and in love with the youngest dancers who could move their hips better
than Shakira at age 7. A second highlight was also seeing Josh dance with an
elderly woman. All things made my heart sing that evening.
Friday: We got to help with a field
day for so many kiddies!! The day mothers all over Ocean View wanted to organize
a field day for their kindergarten aged kids, and even the windiest of days
couldn’t stop them. I was assigned the orange team with Becca, Amelia, and
Pauline with kids ranging from 2-5. These kids were absolutely adorable and
even with a very big language barrier, they all spoke Afrikaans, their
excitement and happiness was so evident! I would sit down and immediately be
swarmed by kids, spending most of the day with about eight in my lap and three
playing with my hair. It was just so cool watching these kids participate in
what used to be my favorite school day event! My mom always used to volunteer
and some of my best memoires from elementary school are from field day with
her, so I hope these kids look back on that day with us just as fondly. It was the
simplest thing of running one race and getting tossed into the air at the
finish line that made them all beam. I think my face actually hurt until the nighttime
from how much I was smiling all morning.
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| Meg couldn't stop smiling throughout the field day with the kids of Ocean View |
Saturday: After a delicious
breakfast at a Native American inspired restaurant, that was definitely a funny
sight to see in South Africa, we spent most of the day relaxing with Chantel
and her parents. While walking through the restaurant and around the mall after
breakfast, Chantel was stopped just about every five steps to talk to someone
she knew. It was so cool to be with someone who is so obviously loved by her
community. The best part of Saturday for me was definitely at night when our
group and one other homestay got to go down to the city to watch Carnival from
a rooftop balcony! It was the best view of an incredibly entertaining parade. All
of the people who performed in it were meant to represent some aspect of Cape
Town, for example: waste management dancers for environmental awareness, LGBTQ
community representatives, native tribal dancing, tons of teenager dance
groups, shirtless firefighters, some shirtless police, and many more. One
really cool part was that I got to see some students from CMES preform in the
parade! They did an incredible job and it just made me feel like I actually
have some community ties here.
Sunday: After a great morning spent
at Chantel’s quaint church, we feasted over Sunday lunch. This was also a great
time for me to reflect on all I had seen and experienced in Ocean View over the
course of the stay. First and foremost I was just so impressed by the strength
of the community they have. It is so obvious that everyone has each other’s
back no matter what. Chantel at one point even joked about an old man who walks
around as ‘neighborhood security’ and also explained how for weddings everyone
in the community will pitch in to give you a night to remember. It was also a
reminder of how strong Capetonian’s faith is, and that for them it runs in the
roots of everything they do. Chantel within herself is such an inspiration too.
She gives and gives and gives to her community to make it the best place she
possibly can; her parents told us that at the end of term they have swarms of
kids outside their gate to show off their grades to her. I was just overwhelmed
by how easily they opened up not only their homes but their hearts to us. Now I
cannot imagine raising my kids in a community where I don’t at least know
everyone’s name on the street…
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