My name is Kelsey and I am junior
studying Allied Health at UConn. Upon hearing that I was accepted into this
prestigious study abroad program I knew I was in store for something special
and was utterly grateful for the journey I was anticipating. From the first day
here I knew it would be an unexplainable adventure. We were all exhausted but
when we first caught sight of Table Mountain we knew it was worth the endless
hours of sitting on the airplane. Table Mountain is absolutely stunning and
considered one of the 7 world wonders. From the airport we were brought to our
houses. My roommates and I shared a triple with our own bathroom at a gorgeous
house with an in ground pool in the backyard. The weather by the way is like a
warm spring day in Connecticut. It takes my body time to realize I was no
longer stuck in depressive winter tundra. Cape Town has so much sun and life
around it.
We took a drive around town and saw
more of the mountains and Rondebosch commons, which is like a park people run
around and bring their dogs and whatever. This place feels like some island on
the Caribbean, except everything is in English and it is much much cleaner. The
homes however all have barbed wire around them and like 8 foot fences. I don't
know if I should feel safe or scared. To get to my bedroom from outside the
house takes me 4 keys- 1 for the front gate, 1 for the barred gate on the front
door, the front door itself, and then my actual room. I really am surprised at
how easily I settled into the house and the environment.
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| Kelsey, Larissa, & Allie at Cape Point |
As our orientation began it seemed to
me more like a vacation and we were tourist than anything else. The only
townships we had seen were the ones by the airport. At that point though we
were so excited about actually being there that we didn't really think about
the poverty here or what I mission was truly about. As orientation continued,
it became more and more realistic the pain that so many people have experienced
in such a beautiful place. Touring the District 6 museum was really heavy
stuff. It still blows my mind how such a human rights violation was allowed to
happen. Another thing that shocked me was District 6 was pronounced a whites
only area in 1966, which seems so recent to me. The effects of it, both
psychologically and literally are still being felt. On the flipside of this, we
have met very strong and inspiring people who are trying their best to get
their story out there, despite how painful it was. I've learned here so far you
can't break some people's spirit or will. We visited a children's center and I
felt that was so uplifting because of how welcoming and happy the children were
regardless of their situation. If they wanted to be happy, they could be, and I
think that rubbed off on us co-educators as well. Robben Island left a
particularly heavy impression on me because our tour guide was an actual
prisoner there for 5 years. When he was 18 he was rallying against apartheid by
setting fires, and he was sent off to Robben Island. After being released he
had no education or way of earning money so he had to go back to the prison and
work as a tour guide, not because he wanted to but because he needed to. I feel
like he is a solider in a type of way because he sacrificed his life for a
better cause, but still in return there is so much more justice to be served.
After hearing a bit about the background and the history of the city, we actually saw the townships which I think
was the most moving and heartbreaking part of the trip so far. The fact that
people were forced from their homes and basically had to live shacks is unreal.
You can't describe it until you actually witness it with your own eyes. I think
that is one of the struggles I will be having here; trying to convey what I've
been seeing and feeling to everyone back home. I almost feel helpless because I
wouldn't even know where to start in changing the way things are here. I look
forward to my internship at Talfealsig in one of the townships and know that I
will learn so much more there and with that new knowledge, a new set of thoughts
and emotions. It’s been like 8 days and I already feel like it’s flying by.
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