I felt like a hypocrite this weekend.
Let me explain. Friday morning, Elizabeth and I went into town to meet up with
Lucy who gave us a tour of the Slave Lodge and the Castle which we both missed
during orientation because we were sick. The tour was amazing and I wish that I
had more time to go and explore the Slave Lodge. I think it’s entirely possible
that I could spend a whole day there so I think I may head back next Friday.
There’s so much rich history to explore and I know the information in that
museum is not information that I can easily find in any history book back home.
And most importantly, it is history that deserves to be acknowledged.
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| Elizabeth, Charity & Lucy Campbell of Transcending History Tours |
After the tour, Elizabeth and I walked
to the train station to catch the train home. When we arrived at the train
station we found out that the trains were not running because the workers were
on strike although no one knew exactly what the workers were striking for. My
first reaction? I was super annoyed. I just wanted to hop on the train and head
home so I could get to my activist project, get some other things done around
the house and prepare to go out again later in the day. All I could think was
“How could these workers decide to strike now? How are people going to get home
from work? This is so inconvenient”. As soon as I got through thinking that
though I recalled how similar comments had been aimed at me when I participated
in a protest in Hartford with Moral Monday about Black Lives Matter and we blocked
traffic during rush hour after work. The drivers were super mad at us, some
pedestrians even shouted at us that this wasn’t the way for us to make our
cause known to others and get them involved in the movement. They just wanted
to get home, run their errands, or go pick up there kids from daycare or after
school. But protesting is meant to be inconvenient. It’s meant to get your
attention and make an impact. So once I realized how wrong and hypocritical I
was to feel annoyed, all I could feel was proud of the train workers for taking
a stand and fighting for their rights. I hope that their strike was successful
and that they achieved their goals. And if not, I look forward to having them
be on strike again and being able to get more knowledge regarding what their
demands are and what the issues are. This is what democracy looks like.
I also spent the weekend picking up
gifts for family, friends and some of my professors in Green Market Square. I
can’t believe it’s already time for me to be doing this. It feels like I just
got to Cape Town and I’m not ready to leave. Just when I was really starting to
feel in my element and get seriously settled in now it’s time for me to be
trying to figure out how I’m going to fit all of my clothes and souvenirs into
my suitcases. I’m excited to be graduating when I get home and to be moving on
to the next stage of my life but I wish I had more time here. It’s going to be
really difficult to say goodbye to all of the friends I have made here, but I
know for a fact that I will be back. Cape Town has become my second home.
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