Vara welcoming the challenges that lie ahead

Vara at Chapman's Peak

Being in South Africa is certainly a change from my studies at UConn as a Finance major. I am a sophomore honors SPinL student planning to graduate in 2015 but I have no set plans for what awaits me in the future. I think even being on this trip for a week really has challenged me to think about the person I will be in another 2 1/2 years. The sights we have seen even since the first day of the orientation experience have been inspirational. And more inspirational moments are yet to come.

Tomorrow I am going to visit my intern site, Place of Hope, which is a shelter for abused women and their children. The shelter is a part of the Network for Violence against women and offers specific programs for women and children to aid in recovering from abuse. I have always had a passion for protecting the rights of women ever since my involvement in a high school group POWER “Political Organization for Women’s Equal Rights.” I am very intrigued by this opportunity at Place of Hope as well as excited to see where this experience may lead me.

Looking back on the week, I have experienced the widest range of emotions from complete serenity and content to anger to nervousness. Starting the week off with scenic tours, I was blown away by the beauty of the mountains and the calmness that they brought about. Yet, I kept finding myself feeling as if I was missing the greater picture. It was not until after the township tour that I recognized what I felt to be the connection of the whole orientation week. The week was really a complete zoom to the culture of South Africa and truly what makes the country so unique. We saw the mountains and the city from high above. We slowly toured various parts of the city and became accustomed to the Rondebosch life and being a tourist, until we learned of the history of South Africa through the slave lodge and District Six museum. The musical, “Kat and the Kings” was a gentle way to educate us of the hardships South Africans faced, notably the colored and black communities. As the week progressed, we were encouraged to challenge our traditional beliefs and misconceptions of the country more, eventually leading us to the township tour and faith experience in Guguletu. By in essence zooming in on the culture to observe first hand, I was taken aback but welcomed the challenge of accepting myself for my own skin color which for so many years had been a vehicle in oppressing others. This challenge will continue as I begin my internship and life as a “Capetonian,” and I know it will be the driving factor in my growth as an individual.