Cassidy's Reflection #2

A month in Cape Town has already come and gone and I cannot believe it. I am not sure where the time has gone. Work at our internships is picking up so quickly that the days seem to just pass you by. Working at Black Sash is definitely an experience. Last week we were actually able to go into Parliament and sit in on a public hearing and to hear the Budget Speech. We were able to see all of the important people in government and even Jacob Zuma. It was an unreal feeling being able to go where most citizens are not allowed. The rest of the time is spent making sure we see and do everything we can. Now, we also have to do an activist project which I am really excited about. I think it will allow for a completely different perspective on how things work in Cape Town. I have decided to volunteer at an animal shelter nearby in Fish Hoek. Last Friday I went with a few other students to visit the organization, TEARS, and it was truly an unbelievable experience. I have always been a pet lover and cannot remember a time without an animal in my house. I tend to be especially fond of cats, often being called the “crazy cat lady”. Thus, I knew right away that I wanted to work in the cattery at the shelter. I was so excited when I arrived because I have been missing my own cats terribly and was looking forward to the chance to even be around animals. However, I tend to be very emotional and as soon as I walked into one of the cages I became immediately overwhelmed and saddened. I could feel the tears building and there was no turning back. They rolled down my face uncontrollably and onto a frail kitten that had eagerly welcomed me. It was the tiniest kitten I had ever seen and was clearly malnourished. There was hardly any meat on her bones and yet she just wanted a little attention. I played with her until she got tired and rolled up in a ball on my lap. This however did not last long because she still wanted to play.


So, after about two minutes she got back up and continued her same cry for affection. As much as I wanted to stay with her all day, I felt an obligation to visit all of the other animals who weren’t receiving any attention. I was glad to see that she wasn’t too distraught, climbing back into her basket to sleep. I moved on to the row of cages where the adult cats were kept. While they looked healthy and well fed, I was upset to hear that, like in the States, adult cats were not wanted as much as kittens. I was surprised that they were all so calm around strangers. Usually abandoned animals are very weary of people, but these cats were happy to see the possibility of receiving love.



This past weekend was Valentine’s Day which is also celebrated here. Many people in the house have boyfriends that they couldn’t be with and many of us don’t, making it a sad day all around. However, my roommate Jill and I decided to be each other’s valentines and go out on the town. We decided to go see Beauty and the Beast since we are both crazy about musicals. We weren’t sure what to expect since we had never seen a show here before. Throughout the whole show our jaws were dropped in awe. It was absolutely amazing! We haven’t stopped raving about it since and now everyone in the house wants to go. We have already decided that we will go with them, just as an excuse to see it again. The one thing we did notice however is that the audience was comprised of middle-class white people. Every day I am reminded how the poverty lines are drawn. It is eerie how much it reminds me of the States. One never wants to believe that these types of things are occurring in their own backyard, but it is a realization that must be made.

The one thing that I am truly enjoying now is going out on the weekends and getting to know the local people better. The students at the University of Cape Town just arrived last week so it is a very interesting change in the city. Everywhere you look there are students, whereas before there were hardly any. It is amazing how youth can change the entire vibe of a city. Nothing is ever really subdued and everyone is eager to learn about our unique fifteen-person dynamic. I too am looking forward to the months ahead with a truly diverse group of wonderful people.