Enkosi (Thank you!)

It’s hard to believe it has only been a week since I left Cape Town. As I sat down to write this blog, I found myself at a loss of words. I am clueless as to go about explaining the rush of emotions I have experienced upon my re entrance to the states. There have been moments of elation and joy accompanied by times of frustration and despair.  But throughout the whirlwind of emotions, I have experienced a persistent feeling of gratitude; gratitude for the people I’ve met, the places I have traveled to, the things I have done, but most importantly the lessons I have learned. I have been taught to appreciate instability in life, for that is what brings us the most profound transformations. South Africa also taught me the value of simplicity, flexibility, passion, and correct attitude. And I could never express an adequate appreciation to all those whom guided, supported and taught me over the last few months.

I left for South Africa with the hope of being pushed outside my comfort zone- I wanted to be fundamentally transformed by the language, the culture and by the diversity. With pride, I can say that I have indeed evolved.

There is something about living abroad that ignites within you a childlike outlook on your surroundings. I was in a constant state of awe and appreciation and I pray that I am able to maintain that sense of wonder in my life back home in Milwaukee. As each day presents new opportunities, I will strive to learn form them with equal conviction as I have done in South Africa.

Mzoli's

To celebrate our last Sunday in Cape Town, my roommates and I went to Mzoli's market in the Guguletu Township. When visiting Mzoli's, your first stop is at the butcher shop to pick out your meat (being vegetarian, I brought a PB & J sandwich, but regardless, the experience is worth it). They then pass you your 'bucket of meat' which you then take to the braai room. While you wait for your meat to cook, you can enjoy music and dance in their patio area. 

Mzoli's is a unique atmosphere in that it brings together so many different worlds. Generally speaking, it is extremely unlikely for white individuals to be found roaming around the townships. However, Mzoli's offers an exception to the rule and is both welcoming and affirming of diversity. 

Since we were already in Guguletu, my roommate Christine and I decided to walk a few blocks to her service site, a nearby primary school. I had been informed that the area surrounding Mzoli's can be somewhat dangerous if you are not careful. However my curiosity to see more of the township, as well as where my roommate had dedicated so much of her time abroad, got the best of me. 

When we reached Christine's school we were greeted by some of the children that had been playing in the field. The youngest ones, who did not speak English, came running over to me with arms outstretched shouting out "Amy Biehl Foundation," which is the outreach program that Christine worked for. This foundation recruits volunteers, many of whom are white individuals, to do youth outreach within the schools in the townships. It was amazing to me that this young girl had assumed that I was part of the Amy Biehl Foundation, likely because that is the only time she sees white women in her township. This is an example of the segregation that is prevalent throughout the city. It seems as though there are imaginary borders that certain individuals either refuse to, or are prohibited, to pass. Cape Town needs more people like Amy Biehl who are willing to surpass those borders (read more about Amy's life and legacy here: http://www.myhero.com/go/hero.asp?hero=a_biehl).

Goodbye Braai

On Saturday, the Kimberly House hosted a "Goodbye Braai" to which we invited EVERYONE who had played an influential role during our semester in South Africa. In preparation for the event, the roommates were busy cooking and cleaning all day. And I can honestly say that I don't think I have ever seen the house as clean as it was that day. Even the dishes were done, which is quite a rarity in a house of 21 college students. 

The night was enjoyed by all and I am so thankful to all those who were able to attend. We have been so blessed to have had the support of such amazing people and they will always have a special spot in my heart. 

In celebration of a successful evening, a few of my housemates and I went to our favorite Mexican restaurant for a margarita (favorite is a relative term considering its Mexican food is a country that has a very minuscule Mexican population). Apparently a full day of cooking and cleaning was a lot for me to handle seeing as I fell asleep face down on the table. At least my roommates woke me up before they left! 

Ubuntu in the Home

Within the last month, my volunteer work at SAFFI has taken a unique and exciting turn. SAFFI has recently partnered with the Desmond & Leah Tutu Legacy Foundation and has also secured a grant from Swedish donors. These events have allowed SAFFI the opportunity to implement an outreach program entitled “Ubtuntu in the Home: Ubuntu in Intimate Relationships.”

Ubuntu is an African philosophy that is translated as “I am what I am because of who we all are.” It explains that because our humanity is inextricably bound up with that of one another, you cannot be human all by yourself. We are all interconnected and what you do, affects the rest of the world. “When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.”

The point of this project is to sensitize and educate religious leaders regrading the root causes, implications, and consequences of domestic violence. By getting religious leaders on board, we are hoping to establish support services within these religious communities. For far too long, silence has surrounded the issue of gender based violence. This program will hold abusers accountable for their actions while offering interventions, support, and information to all those affected by intimate partner violence.

This past week, SAFFI and the Legacy Foundation have hosted a training workshop for a group of 10 facilitators. Starting in July, these facilitators will take their acquired skills out into the religious communities. By the end of the yearlong project, we hope to have secured commitments from 20 religious leaders, pledging their dedication to this cause and implementing support systems in their congregations.

Although it will be hard for me to leave SAFFI at such a pivotal moment, I have also appreciated the opportunity to see all the hard work that has led up to this moment. I am both excited and hopeful for the future of this organization. 

Khayelitsha

With it being right in the middle of our finals month, here at the Kimberly House, tensions have been running a bit high. By the time the end of the week rolled around, everyone was in dire need of a break from the unending study sessions, group work and late night paper writing. Patrick, the caretaker at the Kimberly House, invited us all over for a braai at his home in Khayelitsha, the largest township in Cape Town.

Patrick's English is a bit hard to understand; and honestly, half the time I don't even know if he is speaking Xhosa or English (the other half of the time I am pretty sure he isn't speaking either, but rather chatting away in some incoherent tongue). That being said, when Patrick extended the invitation to spend a Saturday afternoon in his community, the only detail we actually comprehended was that we were to be picked up at 11am that upcoming Saturday.  

After being picked up, we first found ourselves not at Patrick’s house, but at a nearby community center. Here some of the youth performed traditional African dance accompanied by singing and drumming. After this wonderful performance we proceeded to travel to Patrick’s house, by means of a parade nonetheless. Once in Patrick’s neighborhood, the dancing continued while the food was prepared. Everyone joined in on the dance- men and women, young and old, white and black. What we had thought was going to be a simple meal with Patrick’s immediate family, turned out to be an entire community event. I spent the day teaching the children Spanish and English while they tried to teach me Xhosa; I had my hair styled my hair at least 5 different times by 10 different children; I attempted to learn African dance; and gave more piggy back rides than I can count. 

Although this community lacked the material assets that many westerners are accustomed to, I saw the pride on each of their faces as they watched their children dance. The rhythm and music served as a unifying force; it surpassed language barriers and overcame racial, cultural, ethnic and religious divisions. We were united in a day of celebration- and by the end of the day, the passion, life, and light that emanated from this community was overwhelming and inspirational.

As our van pulled out of the neighborhood at the end of the day, there were nearly 40 children chasing along side us; waving and reaching for final high fives through the van’s windows.

The 3 Peak Challenge

This past weekend, 11 of my roommates and I embarked on The 3 Peak Challenge; a challenge to climb Devils Peak, Table Mountain and Lions head all in one day’s time. We left the house at 5:15 am and had reached the top of the first mountain, Devil’s Peak, by 7:30am- just in time for sunrise (which we couldn’t watch considering we were amidst the clouds). Although we completed the first leg of the hike in pitch-black darkness, I managed to fall only once…and there wasn’t even that much blood!

After a “graceful” descent down Devil’s peak, we began the climb up the highest of the three mountains. Setting a personal record in a time of 1 hour and 30 minutes, we were at the top of Table Mountain by noon. Despite the 5 layers of clothing I had packed, I was still caught off guard by the frigid temperatures at the top of the mountain. After quickly snapping a picture to prove our achievement, we quickly began our descent, eager for warmer temperatures back at sea level.

By the time we began to climb Lion’s Head, my quads were on fire. Trust me…Division I Varsity Athletics training does nothing to prepare you for this challenge. Don’t ask me how, but an hour later, I found myself perched at the highest point of Lion’s Head looking out over downtown Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean.

Our total hiking time was 10 hours and 40 minutes and my self-esteem was soaring. That is, until the cab driver (no, I was NOT about to walk my butt home) informed us that just a few months ago, a man completed the challenge in less than 5 hours... Yea, uh maybe next time?

Peak #1: Devil's Peak (3,281 ft. elevation)

Peak #2: Table Mountain (3,558 ft. elevation)

Peak #3: Lion's Head (2,195 ft. elevation)

Visitors

This past Sunday, my mother and grandmother (aka ‘Bucca’) came to visit me here in Cape Town. My mom received a proper greeting by being pooped on by a South African pigeon, which is indeed good luck, seeing as Bucca’s lost suitcase safely arrived at the hotel later on that evening.

We began our excursions on Monday with a tour of the Robben Island prison where, in addition to getting a great historical lesson, Bucca and mom learned a lesson in South African bus etiquette; regardless of how full a bus might be, there is always room for another body (they still haven’t seen the half of it).

The following day, we awoke early for a tour of my house in Observatory before proceeding onto Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens. It was here that we began the Skeleton Gorge trail, which leads up Table Mountain…and two minutes later, we had already stopped for our first water break (which we continued to do every 20 steps or so).  After hours of hiking, we finally caught sight of the top of the mountain. Sadly, me being the airhead I am, I somehow lost the trail path and despite having climbed up rocks, waterfalls and ladders for nearly 2 hours, we were forced to turn around just shy of the peak of the mountain. Whoops…

Our next adventure took place on Wednesday with a 4:45 am pick up time for a shark cage diving adventure in Hermanus, South Africa. Despite my attempts to convince her otherwise, Bucca was the self-appointed sidelined photographer while my mother and I struggled into our wetsuits in preparation for the dive. After nearly 30mins of diving, mom had quite the adrenaline rush when a 16 foot shark, in attempt to eat a fish which happened to be floating in front of her face, swam full speed directly into the cage, jaws wide open and all. And those teeth are just as big as they are in the movies, FYI. Needless to say, that was the end of our diving for the day. (I would also like to note Bucca’s fascination with seaweed. However, her actual remark while referring to the seaweed was “Wow, look at all those birds! What kind of birds are those, do you suppose?”)

As if I hadn’t tired them out enough already, the three of us spent the morning at the Lotus Park cresh (preschool). With 120 children squeezed into a classroom comprised of 2 train cars, it was beyond hectic to say the least. But Bucca did manage to learn some great new dance moves from the 3-year-old girls, which I am sure will be making a debut in Minocqua this year.

Despite having done so much already, mom and Bucca still have 5 days left in Cape Town. Hopefully we have all the bird accidents and shark attacks out of the way.