Erica had an educational and rewarding trip to Jo'burg & Kruger but very happy to be back in Cape Town

I am currently writing this blog post coming off of a great week in Johannesburg. We got to see so much in just one short week, from numerous museums visits and tours, to spotting lions and giraffes in Kruger National Park. It was exciting to see another part of South Africa, and I feel like I learned a lot from the various activities we did. The beginning of the week consisted of many museum tours, including the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill, and the Hector Petersen Museum, to name a few. 

The Hector Pieterson Museum left a lasting impression on me. Prior to visiting to the museum, I was curious about who Hector Pieterson was, and why the Museum was dedicated to him. I learned that Hector Pieterson was a young boy who was shot by the police during the Soweto uprisings, and his death became a symbol for the many grave injustices that occurred during the apartheid era. Although this museum took a bit of an emotional toll on me, I’m glad that we visited it because I learned a lot. 

On Tuesday we had the night free, and some of my fellow co-educators and I went to see the movie “Get Out”. This film was unique and socially relevant; it was a horror film, however, there was a lot of social commentary about race woven into the movie. One thing I really enjoyed about this film is that it critiques white liberal racism. This reminded me of some of the readings we’ve had for class, because while it’s easy to point out overt racism, many people hold unconscious biases that can be just as dangerous. I would highly recommend this film to anyone who hasn’t seen it. 

Another highlight of the excursion was all of the different restaurants we went to throughout the week. One of my favorite places was Wandi’s in Soweto, where we got to eat traditional African food while listening to live music. This restaurant was very eclectic and I highly enjoyed the atmosphere.  

On Friday morning we made the long journey to Kruger National Park, and we stayed there for a total of two days. I went on three game drives in total and I got to see a wide variety of animals; including zebras, lions, giraffes, elephants, hyenas, and lots of impalas. I had a great time going on the game drives, not only to spot animals, but also for the amazing views of the sunrise and sunset in the African bush. Sunday was mainly a traveling day, and we arrived back in Cape Town at about 9pm. I had a great time exploring Johannesburg, but I’m also very happy to be back in Cape Town, which now feels like my second home.