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| Anna & Laura |
This past week we went to
Kruger and Jo’Burg for spring break! It was really amazing, and it was nice to
get away for a week. Jo’Burg was very different from Cape Town, in my opinion.
It was definitely interesting being there.
When I was in Jo’Burg, I did
notice that there was more diversity. We didn’t really go downtown, to the
heart of Jo’Burg, but it was very clear we were in a well-off business
district. I noticed more black people in suits walking in and out of the bigger
businesses. You see that in Cape Town, too, but less so. I would say that was
the biggest difference between Jo’Burg and Cape Town, race and class wise. I
think these differences were most noticeable when we were in Sandton.
Another somewhat stark
difference I noticed between Jo’Burg and Cape Town was the township. We visited
Soweto, which is the biggest township in South Africa. Comparatively, Soweto
was really nice. I know we only saw a small portion of the township, but it
seemed nicer than the townships in Cape Town. It was more well established and
built up.
For me, going to the Hector
Pietersen Museum was really powerful. When we first began our break, I was
hesitant because of all the museums and touring, but it was a very rewarding
experience. Walking around and reading everything in Hector Pietersen Museum
really helped me understand the peoples’ struggle during the Apartheid. One
thing I read that particularly stood out to me was about the students on trial
for the protest. They walked out into the court, and firmly stuck their firsts
in the air, signifying black power. I stood there and read that a few times,
and I just thought about my life. I’ve never been that brave. Sure, I’ve bungee
jumped and paraglided, but that’s a different type of bravery. I’ve never
knowingly defied the law, and faced the consequences knowing it might result in
death. I’ve never fought that hard for something. The bravery of those
students, who were mostly younger than me, was impressive and moving. I think
it helped me grasp what fighting back was really like during the Apartheid.
Another site that I
thoroughly enjoyed was Constitution Hill, and specifically the solitary cells.
There were carvings on all the cell doors. It made it easy to picture someone
sitting in the dark, cold cell. Seeing the prison made me realize the torture
people of color went through in the hands of white people. A lot of the people
that were held in the prison committed very minor crimes; they shouldn’t have
been in there. They were treated like animals, not humans, and it was
disturbing to hear some of the things prisoners had to deal with on a daily
basis. It also further showed me how brave people were, and what they were
willing to sacrifice for the equal treatment of people.
A lot of the sites we saw
made me reflect on my own race, and the privileges it provides me with. I’m
lucky I’ve never had to face racial discrimination. I’ve never had the kind of
experiences that people of color had during the Apartheid, so I don’t think
I’ll ever truly understand them. However, this trip deepened my understanding
of what it was like to face racial discrimination and how hard it is to fight
it.
Kruger was a great way to
end a busy and emotional week. Although we didn’t see cheetahs, we did see some
long-necked leopards (aka giraffes), an elephant, a whole bunch of impala, some
kudus, warthogs, and two beautiful lions! Kruger is so huge (BIGGER THAN
CONNECTICUT), so being there was really amazing. I wish we could’ve explored
other parts and stayed for another week!
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