Erica on reflecting with someone special

Reflecting with a special someone

Last week, my boyfriend and fellow Cape Town study abroad alum, Dan Ratner, came to visit! I have been so excited for this, as Dan was a huge influence in helping me decide to come on this program. It seems silly to think about it now, but at first I was extremely hesitant to come on this program. I had a very active life at UConn, and was somewhat afraid of the unknown. Luckily, I had Dan to convince me otherwise. Once my decision was made, it wasn’t long after that Dan had booked his ticket to come visit.

           

Erica and Dan at Kirstenbosch Gardens

Though Dan’s visit was short, we were very fortunate to do a lot of different things. The first day we delivered the books that he had collected from home to Sithemeble Matiso in Nyanga. This was extremely exciting, as Dan had sent out a Facebook message encouraging friends and family to drop off books just days before coming to Cape Town. The response was overwhelming - he was able to fill up two huge suitcases full of books! It was very rewarding to know that we made a small impact on such a wonderful project.

Erica and Dan delivering books at Sithemeble Matiso School in Nyanga

The next couple days were extremely adventurous and were filled with hiking Table Mountain, surfing at Muizenberg, and even skydiving from 9,000 feet in the air. It was incredible to share all of these experiences with Dan, but perhaps the most significant aspect of his visit was the final day. After going skydiving and being filled with adrenaline/motion sickness, we met up with one of Dan’s friends, Ronni. It had been four years since the two had seen each other, so just being able to witness their reunion was special enough. Midway through lunch, Ronni had expressed that he has had a tough time this past year with battling HIV and more recently, losing his home to a fire. Of all the tragedies that have struck him, losing his cat in the house fire was the most devastating. He also explained that because of how sick he’s been, he hasn’t been able to work and is thus struggling financially. Yet, despite his hardships, Ronni is hopeful and actively looking for a way to turn things around for others by spreading HIV awareness in schools. It was absolutely incredible to learn Ronni’s story but more importantly, to hear how unbelievably strong and selfless he is.

This conversation was so significant, as it helped to remind me how incredibly fortunate I am. I ended up feeling guilty about all the things that Dan and I were able to do the past week, when there are so many people suffering. Dan helped to reassure me that it’s a constant battle of being aware and appreciative at the same time. It was so nice that I was able to reflect with Dan about this and brainstorm about how we could possibly help Ronni. I feel extremely lucky that I could not only share an incredible time with Dan, but that I can also discuss issues of inequality with someone so understanding.