We have 3 days left in Cape Town and as much as I expected
to come to terms with that as departure nears, I still have not. I wanted to
spend my last week enjoying all the freedom that I have here to pursue
everything that makes me happy, whether it be interning at the hospital, hiking
up the most beautiful mountains in the world, or playing soccer with the kids.
And while I have spent the past few days doing all of the above, I am much less
outwardly expressive and much more introspective about how much each and every
moment here has impacted me. The thought of going home and having to deal with
personal adjustments, all while mediating the adjustment of others to the new
me, doesn’t scare me much because I know its for the better. I mainly dread how
much I will miss it all. Someone said within the first couple weeks that once
we leave Cape Town, the whole semester will feel like a dream, and I think
that’s probably the most accurate way to put it.
As of right now, I need to focus on saying goodbye to the
city properly, whatever that means. This past weekend was dedicated to
revisiting the places I know I love, like Old Biscuit Mill and taking care of
some unfinished business, like hiking my last of the three mountains, Devil’s
Peak. It was one of the more relaxed weekends I’ve had here, but I now value
how the pace is winding down because it has allowed me to keep track of my
thoughts and come to terms with everything before I touch down in the U.S. in
addition to saying goodbye to places in Cape Town, I have started saying
goodbye to its people. Yesterday marked the last day of my internship at Melomed
and I had a hard time grasping the fact that I won’t see the nurses and sisters
again next week. I’ve gotten so used to leaving work and washing my scrubs for
the next day, and its so strange to think that I won’t be hopping on the
minibus taxi Monday morning to head to the hospital. And although I didn’t meet
as many South Africans as I originally expected, the relationships I did form
mean more to me than I anticipated. A few of the nurses took us under their
wings and gave us mini life lessons on a daily basis that seemed almost
comically heartfelt for people we’ve only known for a few months, but I’m sure
I’ll carry them with me for years to come. Saying goodbye to them was hard, but
at least we have the final dinner to still look forward to!
We also went to our final soccer practice in Khayelitsha
yesterday to drop off a bag of cleats that we bought for the kids and I was
reminded that my time in Cape Town was not always perfect, but rather laced
with sporadic challenges. Because of the inefficient transport system, neither
coaches were able to be there at the field, leaving us without a way to
translate what the cleats and the jerseys were for. Instead of being met with
excitement, the kids gave us unsure nods as we tried to explain what the gifts
were. It was humbling to have that final experience in the township because it
reminded me of all the small obstacles I’ve faced since arriving, and that
these past three months were way more formative than a three-month
vacation.
I can’t officially sign off yet because we still have one
more post to go, but I just want to say that its been incredible to document my
ups and down during my time abroad. However, its important to note that
everything I’ve written only comprises a small fraction of the life-changing
experiences I’ve had here.
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