Shona thinking about her place in the world and what she needs to make herself feel fulfilled

Coming into our final stretch of time, I'm amazed looking back. Recounting the times I've had here to other people, I realize how much I've done. I have explored and done so many things since I've been here, and I know I'm different for it. It probably won't really hit me until I get home and people ask me what I've done, and I'll probably surprise myself with all of the things I did and remember. This trip has made me think so much about my place in the world and what I need to do to make myself feel fulfilled. I hope I continue to find it when I go home. 

This past weekends have been fantastic days, full of fun and different adventures. On Friday we went to our activist project, where we continue to help out in the creche. The language barrier makes it really difficult to interact with the kids sometimes. They will saying something in Xhosa so intently, clearly they want something from us, but we just stare at them and wish they would start speaking English. We have to look to the very few adults who speak English to translate, but often that does nothing to help the situation. They will ultimately say a new word and a new command and we're grasping at straws again. We try to teach them songs or little dances, and they can't pick up on it because they don't know any basic English. So even the way we play beyond holding stuffed animals is difficult. Language barriers always cause these frustrations, but we continue to work our best.

This weekend and past few days in particular have been very relaxing. We ventured to the beach three times, where we learned all about different beach vibes. We went to Muizenberg, where the vibe was young and adventurous, with little shops and the fun colored shower shacks, windsurfing and regular surfing. There was always something happening. And then we went to Clifton's 4th another day, which was a small beach, almost private even, where people crowded in around a small shoreline. The water was freezing, and even in cooling down the ocean was a chilling surprise every time. Finally, we went to Bloubergstrand. This was a very long shoreline, where you could walk up and down the sand for a long time. It was more quiet because much of the area was residential, but it was beautiful. Table Mountain was across the bay and we watched the sunset over the ocean. It was amazing. I'm glad that we got these adventures. What was difficult was going back to school on Wednesday, where we were let out early because of taxi protests and the violence that followed in Khayelitsha. A reminder that the world can't come to the beach with me. 

We also went paragliding over Signal Hill. This was not as relaxing as the beach trips because my pilot was of the "that funny guy" nature, and it made the experience, well, not remembered for the right reasons. While I love the sensation of mid air suspension above Seapoint, the smoothest ride I have ever been on, the landing was quite scary. But it is another experience to add to my time here.