Sara's final thoughts on the Cape Town she has come to know and love

My experience in Cape Town has been one of a kind and I wouldn’t take it back for anything in the world. Something I have noticed about Cape Town is that I experienced the happiest of emotions in the same day as the saddest of emotions. I felt on top of the world while standing on top Table Mountain, but then heartbroken the same night while seeing children beg on the streets.

In Cape Town, I was mugged. I witnessed my close friends in a street fight, I have witnessed hundreds of people begging around me and also to me, I have seen a woman passed out on the street with no one helping simply because she was black and homeless, I left a club minutes before a shooting, I have had clothes, food and my camera stolen. I have been grabbed and pulled in clubs by older men, gawked at countless times on the street.

BUT, I have bungee jumped off the world’s highest bungee jump bridge, gotten just feet away from wild giraffes, elephants, buffalo, monkeys, wart hogs, hyena, zebra, wilda beast, camels, penguins... I have protested against Trump half way across the world in a fight for love and world peace, I have seen how far two minutes of love to a single child can go…. I have partied in penthouses overlooking the city, in mansions and apartments overlooking the ocean, I have felt like the most loved person in the world because the children at the Boys and Girls Club make you feel so special and important. I have felt pure happiness when I saw rain clouds and from dancing in the hail. I felt pure bliss while watching the sunset from the top of Lion’s Head Mountain. I have been to the most amazing beaches, gone swimming in the Indian Ocean, swimming next to surfers and wild seals. I have had pool access to a roof overlooking the whole city. I have gotten attached to children in the foster care system, I have felt fortunate to go to such a beautiful university that was just a short walk from my house. I have provided children with pb&j sandwiches for the first time in their life and heard them say they would have dreams about them, I had free entry and bottle service on the 31st floor of a club, I have hiked Table Mountain and Lion’s Head at least 10 times, crawled through caves to end up on the other side of a mountain, gone to a weekend long music festival on the beach and also Ultra in the Cape Town stadium, I have seen the Lumineers, I have made friends from all over the world, I have had the privilege of working with a local soccer team called the Firefighters and helping them fundraise for their first ever tournament, I have visited the 2010 World Cup Final Stadium, visited Nelson Mandela’s prison cell and also seen the conditions of where Ghandi went to prison, went to National Parks and Gardens, learned to surf, visited multiple wineries, had the most fun and welcoming church experience of my life, seen street performers, live music, I have helped tutor young men for the SATs who are being recruited to the State to play soccer, spent hundreds supporting local communities without regretting a single penny(or a single Rand;)), and I have spent countless time trying to make people feel like they are important no matter what there background may be. I learned South Africa’s history and why all of the workers are black while customers are white for a majority of the time and why black people live in shacks across the highway from wealthy white people living in mansions that could house dozens of people. I have shared memories with people who I now consider my best friends. I have felt on top of the world, inspired so much that it felt like I can change the world, I have become a part of countless families and felt love that I didn’t know was possible. I have had my eyes opened to the fact that I have already done so much in my life that other people will never even get to see a fraction of what I have seen. I want everyone to feel the emotions and love I have felt in Cape Town because I am sure that our world would be a beautiful place if they did. I have become a part of a new city, which made me feel like the luckiest person in the entire world each and every day without fail.

Now when someone says that Cape Town is dangerous, you shouldn’t go there; does Cape Town seem like a bad place to you?

Yes, I understand I was involved in a few bad situations in Cape Town. No. they didn’t have nearly the same impact that all of the amazing things I have had the privilege of being a part of have. Next time someone says South Africa is dangerous, think about what you would do if you lived in a metal shack and had to take care of your siblings as young as the age of 5. If your community was heavily intoxicated with street and gang violence, would you steal a camera while trying to support your family and making a living as an Uber driver? Driving for two weeks to make an equivalent to $400 for a cut of $30? Would you stand up for your friend if someone was being racist against him/her? Would you beg for money if your parents forced you to at a young age and grow up thinking this was the only way to live?

To all of these questions, whether you do think you would or not, the real point is that the people of Cape Town need love… And don’t we all?

There were so many ups in Cape Town and I would not have experienced any of it without this amazing opportunity to study in Cape Town. I know I will return to Cape Town one day, whether it be next winter break or 5 years from now. Even though some of the things I experienced were scary, I wouldn’t be the person I am now without seeing or experiencing these things.

Cape Town holds a piece of my heart and I am looking forward to going back as soon as possible. I am so grateful I have learned so much about myself, others, and life itself in the most amazing city in the world. To start creating change we need to bring everyone together so they can realize how similar we all are no matter where we come from or what the color of our skin may be. I never thought I could feel so much love and inspiration in a time span of 4 months, but Cape Town proved me wrong.

Maddy's final extended week

Maddy, Sara, & Kait in BoKaap

After a week of a lot of change and transition, which included suddenly moving out of our house and into a hotel for the last week of program, the program ending, and having to say goodbye to everyone, I was so happy with my decision to extend my trip an extra week and get to really enjoy and take in my last week in Cape Town. Saying goodbye to the rest of my co-educators who were not staying is when it hit me that our study abroad experience has officially came to an end. It makes me so sad knowing it’s over because it was truly some of the best four months of my life. I was able to do and see things I would have never imagined doing just because of this program. Even if I simply went on vacation, I would not have learned and felt half of the things we got to because I wouldn’t have been exposed to many of the things that made the most impact on me.

My last week in Cape Town was amazing. Kait, Sara, Ethan, and I planned a busy schedule to fill our last week. Even with an extra week to do things, we found ourselves not being able to fit in everything. It was a such a good week that it made leaving even harder. I don’t know if I would have ever been ready to leave Cape Town. Saying goodbye to people made it even harder. People I have met here have made such an impact on me in such a short amount of time and saying goodbye to them without knowing if I actually will I ever see them again made leaving very hard. I am however so thankful that I had such an amazing experience that it made leaving so hard. I am looking forward to seeing how I will adjust to being back home. I hope that I will see how different my outlook is on the world now and use this in my life at home.  

 

Farewell to Cape Town

Kaitlyn's final week of the program

Looking down on he Co-educators

This past week or so has been the most unreal week of my entire life and not necessarily in a good or bad way. I don’t even have words to describe most of it. After moving out of Loch Road and into the Park Inn Hotel in Newlands, the rest of my time with my co-educators FLEW BY. 

Our last week of the program was filled with many lasts, goodbyes, a few tears (happy & sad), and even more lasting memories with some of my favorite people. Last Friday was one of the best days I have had here. The upstairs crew minus Ethan (me, Maddy, Claire, Sara, Rachele, & Laura T) went to Silvermine Trails to hike Elephant’s Eye. We hiked to the Elephant Eye Cave which was beautiful and just enjoyed everything. We didn't have to rush and on our way down we spontaneously jumped into the reservoir. We met two South African guys there who we have hung out with a lot since meeting!! There's no data or cell service where we were so we were slightly stranded with no way to get a taxi or an uber.. Ethan came to the rescue, but before he came we ended up getting an uber. It sounds like any other day here, but amidst all that had been happening it was much needed. 

Kirstenbosch is one of my favorite places here, and although I didn't spend nearly enough time there, walking around it last week with Ethan and Claire was perfect. So serene and beautiful, leaving me at such peace. I went out to lunch and to Bo-Kaap with Alex to take pictures one day which was relaxing and nice to get away from the chaos of the week. Alex and I have become so close, which is one of the many things I am so grateful for from my time here. I absolutely loved sharing an internship with her and wouldn't have changed that for anything. We were able to bond and relate over it, become great friends, and now we even have a lab class together when we get back to UConn! Thanks for talking to me and listening to me vent on our two hour daily walks and rubbing your sarcastic sassiness off on me. Tuesday night was the annual thank you internship dinner at Strand Tower Hotel in the city. This was such a wonderful night, filled with so many emotions. Everyone gave such inspiring speeches that night, I wish I recorded them. It reminded me how lucky I've been to have had this experience and to have met all these incredible people along the way, some of who make this program what it is and those who have crossed my path while here. There was a feeling of thankfulness that spread throughout the room all night, a feeling I never want to forget. At one point when Maddy and I needed some fresh air, we stepped outside onto the pool deck area and leaned against the railing looking out over the city below. We couldn’t help but think about how unready we were to leave and that our one extra week ahead would give us the perfect amount of time to relax, take it all in, and accept that we actually had to go home. Wednesday was not Alex and I’s last day of internship, since we arranged to come in for the Club Foot Clinic Friday morning. The Lumineers concert was that night, and almost all of us ended up going! It was a chill concert that ended at a reasonable time; it was the perfect outing where by the end of it we all had such an incredible time bonding, singing, and dancing together. Such love was present among us and it made me so happy and grateful to be spending my night and time here with my co-educators. Thursday Maddy, Claire, and I went to the Waterfront to get lunch and finish up some last minute shopping. We waited there for Taylor and Laura T and we all went on a sunset champagne sailboat ride. Friday was everyone’s last full day together. We didn't all spend it together unfortunately, but I think everyone enjoyed it. I overslept, but still started my morning at Maitland Cottage. The Club Foot Clinic is on Fridays so Alex and I wanted to experience it before we left. I only caught the end of it, but it was so cool. We were able to help put casts on and hold the children down that were being treated. I learned a lot and in just that one morning became even closer with the other physios and interns there. When I got back, Claire, Maddy, Sara, and I went to a hotel's rooftop pool in the city which had an incredible view; it was a nice way to end our time together since Claire was leaving the next day. Shona came with us to see sunset at Signal Hill that night. The best part was that Sara showed us a rooftop to watch it on a little down the hill because the rest of Signal Hill was super packed. It was emotional, but the best way to wrap everything up. We were so close to not going, but I couldn't be happier that we did. 

Saying goodbye to everyone at the airport on Saturday continued the unreal trend of the week and was so sad. It felt weird saying goodbye, since Cape Town is something we've all experienced together this whole time. Especially given the chaos of the week, I wasn't even close to being ready to leave which is why I'm still so glad I'm still in Cape Town. This last week has helped me to accept the fact that I'm actually leaving soon and to enjoy this wonderful city with no other obligations or responsibilities in my way. 

Parks, Kaitlyn & Vernon at final dinner

Sara, Maddy, Claire & Kaitlyn

Karen believes to say she enjoyed this experience wouldn't do it justice

Where did time go!! Friday is our last full day here. I cannot believe that this trip is already almost over. I'm very happy with everything i've done, what i've learned and the friendships i've made. There are so many people in Cape Town who have made this experience wonderful. Not just my co-educators, but also the individuals that I have met and the people at my internship have taught me so much. I really appreciate everything about this trip. I don't even know how to put any of this into words, but overall I am so happy with everything. 

One aspect of this trip that I personally enjoyed was getting a lot of hands-on experience. I was able to actually walk some of the townships and become involved with the community within those townships. If it weren't for Vernon who placed me at a wonderful organization, and the team members from The Safety Lab who made these trips possible, I wouldn't know nearly as much as I do now. 

 I'm actually really happy because my internship at The Safety Lab has been nothing but rewarding. I am going to stay in contact with the team members and hopefully be able to continue helping from the US/ keeping updated with their projects. 

I hope one day I can come back and visit with my family. Until then, thank you to everybody who made this trip worthwhile. I loved spending time in this city... even if I got a little homesick here and there. 

I think Cape Town is the type of place that everybody should visit. 

If Cape Town has taught me anything, it's showed me who I want to be, and who I want to surround myself with in life. I want to live a more minimalistic lifestyle, I want to be optimistic and surround myself with people who make me laugh. I want to remember that racism and sexism still occurs at mass rates in this world. I want to remind myself that resources like water don't just come from nowhere.... I don't want to forget that instead of buying a $20 meal, I could purchase groceries and save that money to help others. 

The list could go on. There are so many little things that will constantly remind me of Cape Town. 

To say i've enjoyed this experience wouldn't do it justice. This trip was wonderful. 

Ethan, Kaitlyn, & Karen