Steph O: “Psss Do Something”

I have always felt that I was born into the wrong generation. Every time I closed my eyes and immersed myself into my favorite Pink Floyd album Umma Gumma, I thought for sure I belong with the beat generation.

However, my infatuation with the 60’s and the 70’s went beyond psychedelics, flowers, and Tie-Dye – there was something incredibly courageous about that generation that I so desperately wanted to be a part of.

I can recall the countless times I sat, after a long shift at work, talking with my friend Lisa about life. One night, we were discussing how we wished we were alive for the incredible social movements that happened in the past. These discussions lead us to ask the question: why is our generation so apathetic to social change? I could not answer the question back then. It always baffled us how little social change our generation was willing to achieve. How could other generations propel beneficial changes for society such as the civil rights movement and the sexual revolution, and our generation leave no footprint in history? Are we, the future of tomorrow, too comfortable with our lives?

For example, I can’t recall a time in the states that I didn’t have my phone glued to my hand at all times. We text when we drive, when we are in class, when we are eating dinner, and in the middle of conversations with our loved ones. Have we become so aloof to other peoples feelings that we fail to give them our undivided attention? We read Perez
Hilton’s blog and memorize futile celebrity gossip instead of reading the New York Times. This leaves us, a generation with nothing to fight for – nothing to care for except material objects. Our angst has no positive channel except, perhaps, self-destruction. It seems that we begin to hate ourselves and forget about the system that is truly oppressing us.

This is a system, in which our success is defined by what we posses, how much we are worth, what car we drive, and the tag on the clothing we wear. A system, in which we are told that perfection is feasible, but it has a price. We spend billions of dollars every year on materials, which make us feel better about ourselves. The new Marc Jacob boots, the Channel perfume, the new Ipod and the new car, have become our new sources of happiness. But when we fail to amount to society’s standards (an impossible feat), we get low about our lives. We become depressed because for societies standards we are never
beautiful enough, thin enough, never have the right clothes on, or earn enough money to afford the American dream. I mean did you want to be the only kid on the block without a bike when you were 9?

But money is not the only price we are paying. This takes me back to what I was discussing before I began to rant about consumerism. The true price that we are paying is the lack of real values that we posses. We could spend less time in front of the computer and TV and begin to read some books here and there (Twilight and Harry Potter doesn’t count!) that might teach us a thing or two about current affairs. We could become passionate about something other than fashion,
and perhaps, make a difference. For example, where has the feminist movement gone? Simply because women in the U.S. have certain rights does not mean that, systematically, they are not oppressed. But, we are all just sitting back and not getting angry enough about this to induce further change to occur. Take, for instance, child care and house labor. Although women now have the privilege to have a career, many still come home to what sociologists call the “second –shift”: house work and child care. And I am aware that feminism is not everyone’s favorite subject (partly due to the misuse and misunderstanding of the word and cause itself), but there are enough topics out there to be angry about.

This is why I love South Africa; because people here are angry, creating an environment in which change is possible. Every movement is alive and well. Ending apartheid was simply not enough for South Africans. South Africans have continued to fight for an20equal system for all. Chapter Nine was specifically designed to ensure that these rights are exercised. By no means am I saying that South Africa has a perfect government or society, but they are trying. People take to the streets and they protest. Take, for example, the minibus strikes!! So I guess we don’t have to go back in time to the 60’s and 70’s to be a part of something that is leaving a mark in history. I guess social movements are always happening, we just have to look out for them and make sure we part take in them.

When I am older I want to be able to tell younger generations what I was a part of. I want to be able to say that I impacted the world in one way or another. Like our professors Vernon, Vincent, and Marita, I want to be able to recall those times that we fought for our beliefs.

Catching up and moving on

A rainbow from when we first arrived in the Drakensburg Mountains

For those who have been following the Honors in Cape Town blog on a regular basis since we arrived — and those who may have been frustrated during the previous 8-10 days when the daily posts stopped appearing, I am writing to let you know....... your wait for receiving the latest news on our adventures is over!!

Beginning today, you will hopefully be able to get your daily virtual update from 15 study abroad students who have just returned from their weeklong excursion and braced themselves for the final four weeks of our time together in Cape Town.

The failure to maintain our consistent posting was due in part to the spotty internet connections before we left, followed by our being disconnected from the internet for nearly a week as we enjoyed our whirlwind break on the eastern coast of South Africa! With that said, it has taken a day or two to get caught up BUT, I am happy to report, we are nearly back on our blogging track.

Although I am convinced that a few blog entries may still be drifting around some where in cyber space, the majority have found there way back into my inbox and have been uploaded to our blog at http://cptadventures09.blogspot.com/

Although 8 or more entries were actually posted today, I maintained the once a day due dates just to keep the posts consistent.

For those who will virtually travel with us during these final weeks, we hope you enjoy.

Peace and possibilities,
Marita

Julie's Reflections on having fun

I'm going to begin my blog by saying I am writing this entry entirely in the prone position, reason being that I'm still recovering from my excursion exertions. On that vein, I hope that my need to stay in bed won't impact the overall quality that all of our readers are used to. And with that, I'll begin…

I'm sure many of the people who tune in to read 10 Loch Road's blog entries on this web site are familiar with Chelsea's excellent personal blog, and if they aren't, that they should be. She gives a first-rate account of all of our activities on the trip coupled with some really to die for photographs (Sorry if I'm embarrassing you, Chelsea, but I had to say it). So, rather than just summing up what she's already said, I'm going to put my own personal spin on an account of the trip by talking about some of the internal changes that have taken place (in me, at the very least) as a result of our very unique study abroad-style vacation.

Having the advantage of being able to look back on all we've seen and done on our excursion (hiking, shopping, eating, safari-ing!), I can't help but think of it, on the whole, as a much-needed regression into a less troubled, more childlike state of mind. In our work at our internships, each and every one of us, at one time or another, has been confronted by a unique set of serious issues that require a great deal of soul searching to come to terms with. In our daily dealing with such serious social ills as HIV and AIDS, domestic violence, poverty, pollution, and political corruption, it would be impossible not to internalize some of the negativity and pessimism that comes with fighting an uphill battle. After two months of working to combat these major roadblocks for positive social change, I think we as a house would all agree that our frayed edges were beginning to show just a bit.

That being said, the mood of our excursion, therefore, was decidedly (and appropriately) adolescent. I'm not saying I didn't have my fair share of engaging in grown-up activities. I sunned myself in a variety of beautiful locales, "safaried," ate quality cuisine, hiked, shopped in an amazing Indian marketplace, read to my heart's content (an activity vital to all English majors home and abroad), and visited the largest mosque in the southern hemisphere. Now, ordinarily, those activities would have been enough to sustain me, but because I am a member of the 10 Loch Road family, I now realize that I require a bit more from my vacations than the typical offered fare.

I'm not trying to devalue the experiences I've just listed in any way. Each one of them was amazing in its own right, and I enjoyed engaging in each one of them immensely. What I am attempting to say is that, on the whole (and this goes for both excursions; in Plet and Durban, etc.), I experienced a very happily regressed 10 Loch Road. We played games I haven't even thought of, let alone played, since I was in elementary school, let go of our stodgy inhibitions, and just had fun. Looking back on both excursions, even with a slew of fantastic experiences under my belt, I have to say that some of my favorite memories came about as a result of a few off-handed suggestions to play a long ago forgotten children's game like Capture the Flag, Jenga, Manhunt, or Mafia (or as some like to call it, Murder in the Dark). Our pick-up games of some very lazy volleyball and my decision to partake in a karaoke night on our last night in the Drakensburgs also rank fairly high on that list.

My point is fairly simple: Tensions can flare when you live in a house with 14 other people with different agendas, their own set of problems and uniquely timed mood swings. And yet, when we were on this trip, laughing and playing together, without even knowing it, the little lines and frustrations I saw forming at home ironed themselves out on their own. I guess, in a nutshell, what I'm trying to say is that it's hard to have a frown on your face when you're acting like an 8-year-old. Accordingly, I plan on engaging in activities that bring about that reaction in myself and other people far more frequently.

Emily A's Reflections on Islam

We have spent the past week traveling through Kwazulu Natal on our excursion, staying in Hluhluwe, Durban, and the Drackensberg Mountains. The key to this excursion, let me point out, was specifically to relax and simply enjoy ourselves. However, we did manage to squeeze in one educational activity (by choice) and ended up visiting the largest Mosque in southern Africa.

We were given a tour through this beautiful and grand mosque but were first asked to remove our shoes. Entering through the foyer barefoot, we were met by a huge marble pool stretching up to the ceiling with about twenty stools around it where people may sit and wash before praying. We then proceeded into the main room with elaborately decorated walls and a very high ceiling. The carpet was red with decorative gold outlines indicating where each person will pray. At the front is a place fixed into the wall where the Imam or priest hosts the prayer; everyone faces this point which points towards Mecca.

We then sat in a semicircle around our tour guide as he told us the basics of Islam. He discussed the five pillars of Islam: faith, prayer, fasting, zakah (the financial obligation to the poor), and the Hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia) and taught us some typical prayers. He also made an effort to clear up a lot of misconceptions about Muslims such as extremist views, treatment of women, and race relations.

He brought up that not all Muslims are extremists and almost all of them condemn terrorism. There are just as many if not more extremists of Christianity and other religions as there are of Islam. It’s sad that many Americans still think that all Muslims are terrorists or even that Islam promotes terrorism, as was evident of the assault of many Muslims and even those who “looked like” Muslims after the September 11th terrorist attacks.

Islam also tends to get a bad reputation for subjugating women and treating them as lesser beings. However, contrary to popular belief, the only thing the Quran says to this effect is that women should dress modestly. It is not the Quran or the Islamic faith that has declared that women should dress a certain way such as wearing burkas. These restrictions are completely by choice or imposed by society, not religion.

Race is a big issue in South Africa and racial tension is a reality on a daily basis. Our tour guide addressed this by saying that all people are welcome in Islam regardless of race. When it comes down to it, religion is all encompassing; it is about coming together to worship God. Race is irrelevant. It is nice to think that all different people can come together under one common goal even in such a divided country as South Africa.

Visiting the Mosque made me remember how much I love learning about different religions. It is so interesting to see how religion impacts on different cultures and how it can shape certain societies. I think religion and spirituality is an integral part in understanding people different to us. This experience really makes me want to take better advantage of the knowledge and experiences of friends who are of a different faith by attending worship with them or simply discussing religion more frequently.

Jumah Mosque: Corner Grey and Queen Streets, Indian Quarter, Durban, South Africa

Michelle's Reflections on being a woman in South Africa

Over the past few weeks, I have been thinking about what it means to me to be a woman in South Africa. I have had a tough time understanding exactly what my experience has been in why, because I am aware of the fact that I am an outsider in this country, and I also spend much of my time in a township where I am the only “white” person. So, I ask myself in general, for me, what does it mean to be a woman? What are the challenges, both personally and in society?

My personal experience has been a unique one, because my opinion today, and even over the last five or so years, is different than it was when I was younger. After entering college and beginning to read social and feminist theory and apply those theories to my life, I began to view life through a different lens. I remember one of my first women’s studies professors telling me that once one becomes aware of certain issues in this world, there is no turning back; your life will be forever changed, and your view of the world will be forever different. I had no idea how right she would be.

Even after taking my first women’s studies class, I suddenly had a dramatically different view of the world. It’s not that I learned things I didn’t already know, necessarily, but more that it was explained in a different way. More so than that, actually, it was about beginning of the process of unlearning most of what I had learned in my life. Beginning that process was a difficult and challenging one, but in many ways, it was also empowering. Once I became aware of all the subtle ways in which women are objectified and oppressed in society, both on a personal and systematic level, I also became aware of the many ways that things could change. Although I had previously been involved in animal and environmental rights initiatives, I then also started becoming involved with feminist and women’s rights organizations. Little did I know, it would be the start of me going down a path that would become a defining part of my life.

Being a woman in the United States, for me, is different than being a woman in South Africa. I am always acutely aware of my surroundings, of the dangers of being a woman and so on, but being in South Africa has brought things to an entirely different level. But, I don’t want to fool myself; I do not believe my experience as a woman has been different here simply because of a geographical difference. I think it is also because here, although I am Cuban, I am viewed as a “white” person, and consequently and automatically a person of privilege. In addition, once I begin talking, it becomes apparent that I am also, at least perceived as, a “white” woman of privilege from the United States.

It is strange and also surprising how often gender and violence against women is talked about in Cape Town and in the township in which I work. The estimated statistics in Khayelitsha are that two out of three women were forced into their first sexual experience. Given that I am not from here, I have no right to argue why the statistics are so high. I do wonder, though, if part of the reason is because there has been such a push here to report sexual and domestic violence, but it is not so in the United States. This summer I interned as a counselor at a sexual assault crisis center, and becoming aware of the sickening reality that up to 85% of rapes are not reported in the United States, and of those that are reported and actually prosecuted, only 1% actually lead to a conviction. (These numbers come from the 2000 FBI Statistics and Bureau of Justice.)

The combination of being a women’s studies and sociology major, working at the Sexual Assault Crisis Center, and for the Violence Against Women Prevention Program has left me with a unique perspective of women’s place in society, but it has also left me quite frustrated with the lack of conversation and initiatives taken in the United States. Although the statistics here are beyond comprehension, I do have to commend community members and organizations to their devotion towards bringing about positive social change, especially in the realm of gendered violence. Even the simple fact that violence against women comes up in every-day conversation is something that was unexpected and that I was pleasantly surprised by.

Although I sometimes feel like I am a target in specific areas of South Africa, I also feel like that is because I am an outsider and not part of the community. I think there are a lot of things I still need to take into consideration before I will come to any sort of real understanding. The thing I have been most surprised about, though, is the commitment within the community to changing the current status of women. Even if nothing else, I think this is something that I can take with me and hopefully apply to my work back home. My experience as a woman is forever changing, and endlessly complicated and challenging. But, my experience in South Africa has made me begin to question many things about life, and particularly about myself and what I want to do with my life. I have been reminded how true it is that a committed group of citizens really can change the world.

"You must be the change you wish to see in the world."

     -Mahatma Gandhi

Chelsea's Comparative Travels

It’s funny how we can find ways to compare just about any new place we visit to other places we’ve been in our lives. No matter how distant or different the location, there always seems to be something familiar to which we can liken the landscape, the atmosphere, or the smaller aspects of the places we’ve encountered since we’ve been in South Africa. After two months of internships, classes, and activist projects, we ventured east this week on our mid-semester excursion to KwaZulu Natal (KZN), and we’ve had the chance to see a part of South Africa that is geographically (and culturally) quite different than the Western Cape. The Drakensberg Mountains – where we will be spending the last three days of the trip – have proven to be the most striking topography of the excursion, and even after hours of driving through the mountains on Wednesday, we still walk out of our chalets at Monte-Aux-Sources Resort to gaze in awe upon the grand panorama.

For every mental picture I capture, I long to be able to describe it in terms that those I know back home can understand, and so I find myself likening almost everything I see to something I’ve known (or heard about) while back in the United States. I may not be well travelled internationally, but I’ve been lucky enough to have seen a large portion of the continental US, so from my summer travels around the country, I piece together a South African landscape through comparison…

Coast Highway

In the sleepy, sun-drenched town of Plettenberg Bay, I see Santa Barbara, CA.

In the middle-of-nowhere road side rest stops along the N2, I see the rest stops of the American Midwest, right down to the Shania Twain soundtrack and fast food.

In the traditional huts and villages scattered across the vast and rolling landscape near Hluhluwe, I see the Native American reservations of the South West.

In the cattle milling in clusters across the middle of the rural farm road, I see the herds of sheep that blocked the roads in my mother’s pictures of Ireland.

In the pink and green neon glow of hotels and casinos on the Durban beachfront, I see the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip.

In the endless sky and long, winding roads across KZN’s vacant, green fields, I see the Oklahoma prairie, and in the hazy blue-green mountains that encompass those fields I see the oversized landscape of Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

In the green and brown stratified peaks of the jutting Drakensberg Mountains, I see the Sierra Nevadas and the southern Rocky Mountains.

And in the waterfalls, pools, and sculpted rocky ridges that surrounded us during our hike through the Drakensbergs, I saw the mountainous landscape of Hawaii. (This likeness is perhaps supported best by my inadvertent repetition of the phrase “Wow, this feels like Lost,” as we hiked through the mountains.)(

The continent of Africa has been so exoticized by the Western world – through the media, even through the education system – that I was prepared to find myself in some wholly alien environment once we stepped outside of urban Cape Town on this excursion to the wild reaches of KZN. A part of me expected jungles, rutted dirt roads, and lions on the prowl. And admittedly, I expected sand dunes, regardless of the fact that we’re no where near the Sahara I was picturing. But in the beautifully dramatic landscapes we’ve seen during the last five days on the excursion, I have found a peaceful familiarity in a continent thousands of miles across the Atlantic from home.

Having been in South Africa over two months, I’d thought I’d surpassed the point of formulating any histrionic assumptions about a “stereotypical” Africa. I have, after all, developed a very grounded and realistic portrait of this country over the last two months as we’ve experienced and learned about issues like racial and political tension, while visiting the many landmark sites on the Western Cape. But it is clear that the romanticized visions of Africa still linger in all of us, from time to time. It’s been said that this is a country of many contrasts and much diversity; the landscapes, the culture, the development, the politics. Sometimes it just takes a trip like this to remind us that there is still so much of South Africa we do not yet know, still so much we have yet to discover.

Hannah's Reflections on Cape Town thus far

Cape Town Thus Far….
As I approach week eleven of my stay in Cape Town, I feel that it is essential to reflect upon my time here thus far and what I have learned and come to respect and cherish most. Before coming to Cape Town, I was really nervous and somewhat terrified of what life after UConn would entail. I had no idea what type of job I would be interested in, where I wanted to live or any of the other factors that one must decide upon after graduating from college. This unsure feeling terrified me. I felt quite frightened of the independence and responsibility and anxious about such freedom and lack of direction. I felt that I would be unprepared for the “real world”.

Luckily, this perspective has completely altered since my time in Cape Town. This outlook changed without my even realizing it. Through my time here, I have gained a strong sense of excitement for what lies ahead. To feel so passionately about a foreign place makes me curious and eager to travel more and delve into new experiences.

A major contributor to this change is my internship at Sonke. Nevertheless, I do not with to forget about or discredit my other interactions with the people I have met and spent time with in Cape Town. Through my internship and daily interactions with co-workers, friends and others, I have been able to obtain a better grasp on what my abilities, interests, strengths and passions are. I have gained a clear understanding of what is sincerely important to me.

I have a definite passion for gender studies and working towards equality with others (especially those of diverse backgrounds and perspectives). I have gained a deep respect, comprehension and devotion towards the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Sector. It is genuinely inspiring to be a part of an organization that is successful and influential; an organization that does positive and fundamental work. I have come to realize and understand the worth of organizations like Sonke.

Although I have whined and complained about all the papers I have had to write for classes this semester, I have come to appreciate Vernon’s internship assignments. Through these assignments, I have researched and acquired vital knowledge about how my organization runs, how it is structured, what the goals are and how they are implemented. Learning about the vision and goals, in particular, has reminded me of the significance and achievements of Sonke and has made me proud to be a part of the team. At this point, I feel like a true colleague (as my co-workers often refer to Steph and I).

I have learned so much from my positive, friendly, hard-working co-workers and the people around me in this amazing city that I could have never learned elsewhere. I hope that I can share what I have taken from this experience and use it to my advantage wherever else I may travel.

I have learned and heard this before in different ways and in different classes, however I truly understand and believe it now: gender work is not just work to help women or men. It cuts across all lines and deals with intersecting issues (of race, class, age, religion, etc). The point of gender work is to further equality and happiness of all people. This is a social movement that I know I want to be a part of and there are many possibilities and places to do this type of work. I am delighted with my work here and can only imagine what adventures lie ahead.

Hannah, Emily G. & Steph O

Dan's Reflections on introducing his Dad to Cape Town

Throughout this trip there have been countless times when I have desired someone from home to be able to experience what I was experiencing. Pictures may be helpful aids, but they can never do something like Table Mountain, shark diving, the townships of Khayelitsha, or ‘smiley’s’ proper justice. I was lucky enough to have my Dad, Mitch come visit for a week. During this time I was able to take him beyond the majority of the touristy areas and get him somewhat acclimated with the true culture that makes up Cape Town. When I walked into the hotel to take him on the first outing into the townships, I realized how easy it was for people to come to South Africa and go through the strict vacation regimen. There’s nothing wrong with that idea except it seems odd that those travelers can enjoy the fruits of Cape Town while ignoring the townships that provide much of the workforce. In most cases these townships have an unemployment rate of at least 40% while having the most condensed populations in the country. It is for this reason I have grown to disagree with the ignorance of the typical tourist. However, I do understand that every country has its problems and when I go somewhere to relax I do appreciate the blissful delight of lying on a beach without a care in the world. Yet, in pursuit of being a knowledgeable tour guide I did my best to make sure my Dad was up on his feet encountering an array of things no first time tourist would encounter. Although this meant less time to sleep, he was ecstatic that he is now able to understand what I have been doing and who has become inspirational to me in my endeavors.

Although I may have seemed well-informed on the area of Cape Town, there was still loads of things I was able to learn while having my Dad around. He was the impetus to convince me to get a 1.50$ haircut at a shack outside of the Cape Town bus station. I was the only white person in sight besides my Dad who stood at the ready taking pictures. I originally wanted to do this merely for the experience. It was cheap and was the epitome of a South African haircut. However, after receiving one of the best haircuts I have ever received, I plan on going back in a few weeks to get another shape up before venturing back to the U.S. Right off the bat I became aware that it is impossible to judge something based on the price and appearance because you will usually be pleasantly surprised with what you receive.
However, this doesn’t always work this way. For example, when you buy street meat you know exactly what you’re getting whether or not you know exactly what it is. This brings me to a nice transition of one of the more daring things I dragged my Dad into. While in Khayelitsha, we were led around the township and brought to the home of a woman who serves ‘smiley’s’, otherwise known as sheep head. This is known to be one of the daily snacks that people living within the township enjoy. For about 25 Rand (35 Rand when my Dad and I paid), you’ll be given a lambs head that has been thrown onto a grill until the hair is singed off. Following this the head is boiled and then cut right down the middle. This makes it easier to grip because the teeth are prevalent enough to grab on to.

When we arrived to the place the woman who served us spoke no English. Apparently, we had missed out on a chance to dine on a fresh smiley so she pulled two halves of the head out of the fridge and tossed them in her microwave. As we waited I joked with my Dad and hid a bit of the anxiety I was experiencing. After several minutes, she pulled the sheep from the microwave and brought it to us on a plate. This began a race between our appetites and the surrounding flies. We were given some salt to garnish the sheep if so desired.

I had heard that the cheek and the eye’s were the best parts. Despite these tips I began with a bit of the crisply cooked face. I cut and tore a hunk of it off and began to chow down. Not too shabby. Our tour guide, who was one of my coworkers from the TAC, flipped the face over to show me where the cheek was located. We sliced a few hefty hunks of and I was nice enough to share this delicacy with my padre. Although he didn’t eat much he enjoyed what he had. The final task of eating the sheep was partaking in the eye. This was not only the most gruesome part but also the most fun. I used the knife to hastily cut around the socket and yanked out the eye with a nice ‘SQULECH.’ I quickly examined it before tossing the whole chewy ball in my mouth. It was so interesting I decided to dissect the other eye too. I attempted to share with my dad but to my glee he respectfully declined. After taking a nice chunk out of the eye I was able to stare at the pupil and whatever else was in there. It was fascinating stuff. This was a wild experience that I would highly recommend to anyone wanting to try something different from the realm of pizza or Chinese food.

Having my Dad here was much more than walking around and showing off the sites. I was finally able to relate to one of the closest people in my life and have a perspective of to how I have changed throughout my time here. It gave me a reason to take a step back and be happy with who I have become. Overall, I don’t think I’ve changed too much personality wise. However, as a person I feel I am more capable of handling stressful situations while remaining composed. From my range of opportunities I would also like to believe that I’ve become a more patient and better person. I was also extremely impressed but not surprised at the willingness of my Dad to try new things. A few of the more intense activities involved a bit of prodding but we were generally triumphant regardless. I am quite a lucky guy to have my padre come up and be put through the same things I have done. It was a great time.

Dan & Mitch Ratner

Stephanie Y's Reflections on the consequences of decisions made

The decisions we make are not always as easy or inconsequential as they may initially seem. A simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ can change the entire course of a day, week, year and our lives. Recently, I have been thinking about this, the choices we make, why we settle on one way or another, and how those decisions affect us. With some reflection, I have come to realize that the majority of the time I have been very happy with the choices I have made while other times I wish I had decided a bit differently…

There are a number of great activities I have participated in and decisions I have made that I have learned a tremendous amount from. For one, as Rachel previously blogged, one night after dinner at the house, a group of us piled into Ben’s car to go on a Magnum ice cream run and ended up seeing Morgan Freeman and Clint Eastwood filming right on Durban Road. We of course had a natural reaction: freaked out and stalked them for a little over an hour. The point here is not about our star-struck behavior but rather that if I had not made that seemingly small and insignificant decision to go in the car instead of call Mr. Delivery then I would not have had an awesome celebrity sighting. Clearly, that was an outcome that made me very happy as Morgan Freeman is one of my favorite actors and I now have endless material to tell highly-fabricated stories. Yet, my semester has not gone without a few wow, I really wish I had not done that moments.

Last week, during my lunch break at Place of Hope I happened to have one of those moments. I walked into the study where I eat and keep my bag. When I got to the doorway I saw one of the residents waiting on the couch. I assumed that she was about to have a meeting so, not wanting to interrupt, I quickly left the room. In that split second standing in the doorway I thought I saw she was crying so I popped back in to ask if everything was alright. She nodded yes in a way that clearly meant no, I’m not okay. At that moment, I didn’t know how to react; if I should go in and talk to her or leave. A number of thoughts raced through my mind and eventually I decided to leave. For some reason – maybe ignorance, fear or insecurity – I made an easy decision into a challenging one. I was immediately and continue to be disappointed with my choice. If I could change one thing about what I’ve done here, that would be it. I wish that I did not turn and leave but rather stayed to chat.

While this has not been the cheeriest of blog entries I do believe that it is an important one nonetheless. I am upset, but not defeated. Now I find myself with a new challenge, which is to try to understand why I reacted the way I did and of course, to choose differently should a similar circumstance ever arise.

Rachel's Reflections on the Inauguration of the NEW Christel House School

Last weekend and this week have been extremely exciting and tiring. Christel House has been buzzing with anticipation for the opening of the new school and it was finally time to put all the hard work together and pull off an amazing day. But before I go into detail about the inauguration I should tell you all about the wonderful opportunities Christel House have given me. I have to thank Sharon Williams from Christel House for allowing Jill and myself the honor of attending the dinners and events that took place over last weekend and during the week. Jill and I were invited to have drinks and meet members of the board of directors of Christel House on Sunday night, and were also invited to attend a dinner for the board members and important guests and friends of Christel House on Monday night. Because of Sharon’s kindness we had the chance to meet Christel DeHaan herself, whom both Jill and I were very excited and nervous to meet. After only meeting her quickly it was obvious that we had no reason to be nervous because she was very friendly and welcoming to us. On Monday night Jill and I had another opportunity to meet Christel DeHaan and were able to have a fantastic dinner at Gold Of Africa Museum and Restaurant. We were able to meet many fascinating and influential people who have a hand in making Christel House the amazing school that is has become.

So, Tuesday rolls around and I get to school and it is alive with anticipation for the ceremony. Students are walking by wearing outfits for their performances, music is being rehearsed, teachers are bustling around trying to get their kids organized, and learners are excitedly chatting together. I had not had a chance to see the new hall until the opening, and it was wonderful to walk in with my students and see it completed and filled with people, ready for the upcoming events. The ceremony started with the national anthem and the Christel House credo, and was followed by a speech by the Mayor of Cape Town, Helen Zille. After the speech students gave wonderful performances. There were a variety of performances from a scene in the District Six play from last year, to traditional dancers. All of the performances were very impressive, but one performance stood out to many people. Two students sang a prayer to Christel DeHaan that touched the hearts of everyone in the crowd, bringing many to tears. The singing voices were incredible and their voices blended brilliantly together. The chorus also sang “A Whole New World,” and it was beautifully done. I was so impressed by all the students that I was, and still am, quite speechless. I knew that they were all very talented people but I had no idea the extent to which they were. I have never been so blown away by raw talent than I was on Tuesday.

After seeing the students perform it made me realize that without Christel House, many of these kids would not have had the opportunity to capitalize on their talents. It makes me extremely happy to know that I may play a small part in helping these kids realize their potential and to eventually achieve their goals and make their dreams come true. Christel House is helping so many kids, but there are many who are still getting improper education and I would like to be able to help all of them. But for now, since I am not super woman (yet), I will try my best to help the students in my Grade R class learn and grow into the wonderful young adults I know they will be.

Cassidy's wonderings on what it will be like to return home

Before coming to South Africa everyone, including myself was wondering how we would adapt to a new culture. Now that we have been here for ten weeks I have completely emerged myself into the country and am starting to wonder how I will adapt to going back home. I have gotten so used to the ways of living here that I am not sure I will be able to go home and pick up where I left off. Everything here is so exciting every day. When I go home I know that there is no way that I will be able to have as much fun on a regular basis. Even the exciting things will seem mundane.

I am afraid that I will place unreal expectations on my friends. Even my friends have already come to this realization. They too are afraid that they will not be able to live up to my Cape Town life. They have made comments that have made me feel like a terrible friend even though nothing has happened yet. I want to make sure that none of these predictions come true, but I am not sure how to achieve this. Along with the exciting life here I have also made new friendships with the people that have been sharing these experiences with me. We will always have a bond that no one will understand because we did this program together. How will my friends understand this? They won’t be able to comprehend why and how I have changed without having been here. And now that this experience has become such a big part of my life I know that I will not be able to stop talking about it for a long time. But I know that everyone else who I left behind won’t want to listen to me go on and on about the amazing time I had. Sure they will initially want to hear about the fun things I did, but after that they will want to move on to the present. So how do I deal with not annoying them and still being able to reflect on the past four months of my life?

I know none of this will be easy and I don’t know if I will have the mental strength to deal with it. I am hoping that I am just being dramatic and that everything will fall nicely into place. But I know this is too much to ask for. Things in life are never that easy, as I have fully learned in South Africa. None the less, I am not dreading going home. I love my friends and family and know that our relationships are strong enough that we will work through any obstacles we face. I am so happy they have supported from the beginning and know they will continue to do so.

Jordan's Reflections on the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC)

Last week I started my new internship at the IEC (The Independent Electoral Commission). Im working in the communications department, and regardless of the fact that nothing there relates to anything that I study, it has been absolutely fabulous.

The IEC was formed by the 1996 constitution, and a Chapter 9 Institution. Chapter 9 of the SA constitution created several organizations that would help support the new democracy, some of the other groups that were created at the South African Human Rights Commission, the Commission for Gender Equality, and the Public Protector, which investigates any complaints about the government. They are all independent of the government, but are still responsible to parliament since they get a good deal of government funds.

SO I'm working for the IEC, which runs the elections, and for anyone who doesn't know yet, on the 22nd there are going to be national and provincial elections here. The elections that are about to go on are also probably the most interesting/influential ones since 1994.

Something about me that makes my placement here even better is this: politics are my crack. I love them, and frankly, I was experiencing a shortage of political drama in my life after Obama got elected. SO for anyone that has a similar hole in their life, I would suggest doing some reading about SA... its like a soap opera. Except that its better, and crazier.

Part of my job being in the communications department is to keep up with what all of the SA papers are saying about the elections, and politics and the whole thing, So I do get to indulge myself all day hearing about Helen Zille's latest crazy comments about summoning the army or who the ANC got out of jail just in time for elections.

But in lieu of talking about politics for an entire blog, Ill talk about the press tour that I went on yesterday. Part of the job of the IEC is to set up voting stations all over the city so that people can vote. Some of the problems with this are that, there is not exactly buildings everywhere that people need to vote. Compounding that problem is that in the places where there are no buildings, there also tends to be the highest population density, the least space, and the most politically charged people.

So the press tour was to take some journalists around and show them what the situation is like that people have to vote in, ideally we wanted to show this so that coverage of these areas might be different on election day.

In these voting stations, it is not surprising if there are problems on election day, its what happens when you have a few thousand people standing in a line for hours in a crowded area on a hot day.

But when that type of thing happens, the media tends to jump on it and average people tend to just add it to the list of reasons that they stay away from townships, because in their mind, the people in Khayletisha are voting in the same conditions as them, and they just can't understand why they are so violent.

So we were trying to point that kind of thing out to the press, and show them that not everyone gets to have the same experience on election day.

The tour went to 4 voting sites in Khayletisha, and instead of talking about it, I suppose I will try to do exactly what the press tour did, which is show you.

The house in the background here is going to be used as a voting station. 

This is where another few thousand people are going to voting. Its basically just a space between buildings.

This is how you get to that space.

Needless to say, the trip was enlightening.

Emily G's Reflections on seeking answers and finding questions

Like many other students, I came to South Africa with relatively lofty expectations of the people, landscape, adventures and culture that I would come to know during my semester abroad. I realized that in my time here I probably wouldn’t be able to change the world in a significant way, but I did believe that with my growing interest in global public health, this experience would help me better understand exactly what I wanted to do with my life. Until last fall, I knew with certainty that I was going to be a doctor, not because my parents pressured me or because I knew it is a career that would provide me with financial stability and independence. I really love medicine and its mysteries, and I love helping people. However, after paying my dues in organic chemistry and volunteering at the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, I realized that it was possible that maybe I did not want to be a doctor and that I should probably spend time exploring other opportunities and interests.

I really hated not having a nice neat plan for after college, but I grew more interested in public health because it allowed me to examine medical issues with a more sociological and political lens. When I learned that I was coming to South Africa, I was ecstatic to have the opportunity to further understand health challenges such as HIV/AIDS in an area deeply affected by the epidemic. When I arrived in Cape Town, I learned that I would be interning at Olive Leaf Foundation, an organization that attempts to build human and social capital in areas greatly affected by the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Everything was perfect because I had this awesome internship in an area of my interest, and from this experience I would really know what career path to take once I complete college. I had a plan once again.

However, I was wrong. I enjoy my internship, but instead of reassuring me of my proposed career choice in public health, it has only opened many doors to more issues and challenges that people face on a daily basis and that I am intrigued by. Now I am learning a lot about human rights, gender inequality, development and even economics. Everyday my curiosity is peaked by a different issue at work or at the house or during class, and I am constantly considering very different paths to take after college, whether it will be working at an NGO, traveling around Africa or advocating for women’s rights.

Before I arrived in South Africa, I saw the study abroad experience as discovery of myself, and as a trip that would provide answers to so many questions about life that I have. However, I have only been asking more questions about the culture in which I live and work. I am finally realizing that becoming aware of issues and events around us and trying to learn as much as possible is really what I have come to Cape Town to do. I will go home with no idea what to do with my life after UConn, and have no idea what the solutions to poverty or inequality are. What I do know is that I will go home a more compassionate and informed human being, and am really excited (and scared) to tackle and work after college with some of the different issues I have observed while spending time in South Africa.

Faina's Reflections on walking in the shoes of another

It is hard to capture and imagine the circumstances in which the majority of South Africans live in. The innumerable masses of people living and dying in poverty is an overwhelming and saddening reality which cannot fully be grasped until it is seen first hand.

You can walk into Thandokhulu High School, where I work, and watch the learners sitting at their desks trying to concentrate. All of them fully dressed in blue uniforms, even in the hottest of days. They take care to make sure everything is clean and tucked correctly. They take pride in looking neat. Those who can afford it wear black stockings while others have on long white socks which are pulled up from their black school shoes. All of their notebooks must be carefully wrapped in order to protect them through-out the term. Many of them have a small pouch that holds their pens, pencils, Tipp-Ex (white out), and other tools. In their back-packs or purses they also have a calculator, a ruler, their textbooks, maybe a glue stick and other necessities. Many of these are used to make their notebooks look nice and orderly (i.e. gluing the worksheets into their notebook or creating a colorful border with a ruler and colorful pen for the cover page of an essay). Many of the girls’ hair is pulled back or braided nicely, while the boys’ hair is often trimmed short. During break some of them pull out their cell phones or headphones and chat and laugh like any teenager would. Some sell snacks to other learners or run to the back of the school to buy fruit or chips.

When they are “writing a test” they work silently and intently, using their white out when they make a mistake. I also heard their beautiful voices when I walked past the choir practicing. The way the sound flowed, rising and falling was unreal and astonishing. During their assemblies you see them standing – heads fixed to the front – hearing the teachers tell them about working hard and doing the right thing. They transform into a frenzy of excitement and cheers as their new school representatives are announced and called to the front.


Their faces are full of smiles and content seeing their class mates succeed. They close their eyes and bow their heads in unison when it is time for prayer. Then you can begin to wonder what unimaginable obstacle they could be praying to get through. Is it to win their next soccer match? Is it to get that car that they have always wanted? Is it to get home without being mugged or harassed? Is it for their mother to get through another day?
Witnessing these learners from 8am to 3pm it is difficult to picture them in their other environment, in the reality from which they come. But I try to because it helps me realize who they are in totality. They all have different stories, live in different places but if I were to step into a learner’s shoes for a day it would begin at 5:30am. I would wake up to the noise of my alarm, if I had time to run to buy electricity after school the day before. Then I would fill up the basin of water in order to wash while making oatmeal for my sisters. I would rush to throw on my uniform, collect my books and leave to catch the taxi at 6:30am. I would see some other learners walking up to the taxi rank, and many others who are heading to work. The taxi rank would be busy now and I would have to wait aside while the man in charge organizes who goes in which taxi. Finally I get on and wait for all the others to be jammed in and we are on our way. I stare out of the window and see the house after house, shack after shack after shack pass me by. A woman carries a large container of water on her head, a man walks slowly, a huge line of older women and men stand outside waiting for something or other – maybe a government grant, maybe for disability or for old age. Then the shacks disappear in the distance and I am on the high way. I get dropped off at the bus rank and it is already 7:30 because the taxi took so long. If I get there past 8am I will be locked out of the school or punished so I walk fast to make it. School will be long and I will not buy lunch today so I can save the 5 Rands (50 cents) for dinner. When I leave school I will have to catch another taxi and will get back at about 5pm. Then I must wash my uniform, help cook, sweep the cement floor which will never look clean and try to finish my homework. The air is stiff and dusty. The tin corrugated roof does not quiet the rain drops when they fall and my cousins yelling cannot be avoided in this cramped room.


Many of the learners do not live with both parents. Their mother could have died of AIDS, their father stabbed in the streets. Their guardians are unemployed; the government grants allow them to live only at subsistence. They have to deal with death, abandonment, and lack of money. Every day they get older the temptation of leaving in order to make money tugs at them and the urge to support their relatives weighs down on them. Their families want them to continue school but only in principal because to them school means getting out of the township but practically if they are offered a job priorities will change. Truthfully even if they did get into a university the chances that they would be able to afford the whole ride or lift their entire family out of poverty is slim to none. The cheerful, bright eyed teens who meticulously scrub their uniforms each night look forward to unemployment, crime, disappointment, denial, disease and the early death of family and friends.
Every day I wish I could do more for them. If only everyone who had the money could give $1 one less person would cry for their brother who does not have shoes to go to school, for their grandmother who has to sell fruit or vegetables outside even though she is old and weak, for their sister who dropped out of school because the older man who was giving her and her family money got her pregnant and left her. But I take it one day at a time and do the best I can.

Steph O's Reflections on gender violence

Emily G and Steph O taking a stand!

Last Wednesday was my first time participating in a workshop sponsored by Sonke Gender Justice Network. My colleagues, Leo, Max, and Mzamu facilitated the workshop that took place in the Township of Khayelitsha at the Black House Shebeen. The purpose of the workshop was to educate men on gender based violence through the One Man Can Campaign.

The workshop began at around 11am in the morning. The men gathered around drinking beers and conversing with one another before the workshop began. The first activity that was facilitated was laying out the ground rules. Everyone was able to voice their opinion regarding what ground rules they valued the most. Some men suggested respecting each other’s opinions, while others suggested that one should not hold back their opinions. Later, after the ground rules the pre-test began. The pre-test asked each participant questions which they had the option to agree with or disagree. Some of the questions that were asked included: Men are more clever than women; Under some circumstances it is acceptable for men to beat their partners; It is possible for a woman to be raped by her husband; Men have the right to decide when to have sex with their partner; and there is nothing I can personally do to prevent gender-based violence in my community.

As I looked down at my own pre-test form I chuckled to myself, thinking that these questions had obvious answers. Well of course under NO circumstances is it acceptable for men to beat their partners, I thought to myself. My curiosity drew my eyes to other people’s papers to peek at their responses. Suddenly, my heart sank. The men around me were marking “agree” next to many of the questions that, in my opinion, “were obvious disagree answers.” It was as if reality was slapping me in the face. These are real perceptions held by millions of men around the world, whether I agree with them of not.

As a student of women’s studies and sociology I found it surprising that my initial reaction was shock. After semesters spent researching statistics and reading articles regarding gender based violence, why was I so shocked by these men’s perceptions after all? It was then that I realized that it was because it was the first time that I had to deal with the truth about living in a patriarchal society face to face. It was as if this experience had taken every lesson that I had learned from a piece of paper and transformed it into life. The next activity invited the participants to stand on different corners of the Shebeen according to their agreement with the stated statement. After choosing sides, the participants were encouraged to share their opinions and reasoning’s with the other participating members of the workshop. One of the questions asked was, “If you buy a woman a drink, are you entitled to have sexual intercourse with her afterwards?” The room split, and many of the men stood proud under the “Strongly Agree” sign that hung above their heads. “I’m not spending for free,” one of them shouted. There was laugher in the room, but I did not find it amusing. I felt so angry inside, but I knew that my feelings had to be explored. I could not judge this situation until after I had processed it.

The next question split the room 50-50, Leo asked if a woman is walking around at night wearing a short skirt, was she inviting rape? Some men responded yes, because they believed that “women were powerless, and men are not.” Other’s claimed that “women have beautiful legs and as men, they could not control their feelings.” Even some women in the group agreed, they claimed that women should know better than to walk around alone in the dark wearing a short skirt. Finally, a young man with dreads drinking a Black label beer stood strong against all odds and claimed that “just because a woman is weak doesn’t mean that you should take advantage.” I felt relief that this man had shared his opinion.

I was unable to stay for the entire workshop, but the long ride back to Loch Rd allowed me to reflect on what I had just experienced. I knew that I felt anger and despair in a room full of victims of a patriarchal society. But my biggest realization was that at least here in South Africa, Gender based violence is talked about. Conversely in the States, I have never in my entire life heard a man admit that gender-based violence is acceptable. Yet, it happens every day. Why is it that we claim to have come so far, when we as women cannot walk around the UCONN campus freely in the dark? We claim that women have rights in the states, but we don’t even have equal pay. So here I am, again reminded by South Africa, that the struggle for a more egalitarian society continues on a global scale. We must never forget that your struggle is our struggle, and from one another we can further educate ourselves.

Sonke Gender Justice Network ONE MAN CAN Campaign

Kevin's Reflections on Cecil Rhodes, inequality & consensus decision making

I picked up a book from the library called Cecil Rhodes and his Time. 

Cecil Rhodes lived from 1852-1902 and was responsible for a large percentage of diamond and gold production in South Africa. He was highly involved in politics and became the premier of the Cape Colony in 1890. He even founded territory for his own country called Rhodesia (known as Zimbabwe as of April 1980). His ultimate goal is described in his will written before his twentieth birthday: “…the extension of British rule throughout the world … the colonization by British subjects of all lands where the means of livelihood are attainable by energy, labour and enterprise, and especially the occupation by British settlers of the entire Continent of Africa, the Holy Land, the Valley of Euphrates, the Islands of Cyprus and Candia, the whole of South America, the islands of the Pacific not heretofore possessed by Great Britain, the whole of the Malay Archipelago, the seaboard of China and Japan, the ultimate recovery of the United States of America as an integral part of the British Empire (8).”

The author writes in the next paragraph about how Cecil Rhodes believed that this type of worldwide empire was a prerequisite for world peace that would render wars impossible and promote the best interests of humanity. Popular belief at the time among the powers was that colonization activities were favorable to promote a more “civilized” way of life for all. That’s how large scale support was gathered in a nutshell.







How does this relate to my experience in South Africa? Basically all of the “economic growth” and many of the customs around me in South Africa is here because of primarily British/Dutch colonization.

Trains, Electricity, Automobiles, Television, Rugby, Cricket, Universities, Airplanes, Telephones, Pine Trees, Food Production Techniques, Christianity, Townships, etc are all a result of British/Dutch colonization. The South Africa I am experiencing is a combined experience of all of the groups that have been able to stake some type of claim in this area and the resulted interactions of all the various groups involved to this date. Inequality is rampant and socio-economic development has been at the forefront of government and NGO agendas since democracy/majority rule has begun in 1994.

A recent class discussion that relates to colonization and its inequalities is that of being born into a world where you have access to resources and services that maybe 75% of the rest of the world does not have access to. You might be starting the race “100 miles” ahead of others because you are a privileged minority. Some philosopher has written about this and I don’t remember who (If anyone knows and can comment that would be great). So what do you do? It wouldn’t be difficult to influence people to feel guilty about the things they have and take a more socialistic approach towards life by looking at the world through this lens because the situation is “unfair” – through a kind of Robin Hood lens.

What all of the students have learned on our trip in Cape Town that relates to the situation of making decisions that everyone may not agree with is the process of consensus decision making

Here in Cape Town the fourteen other students and I were engage the process of consensus decision making at least a few times a week (usually not by our own will unfortunately). House meetings, dinner planning, class group assignments are all conducted under terms that everyone must agree to. There is no voting – everyone must agree. I agree that the consensus decision making process helps solve problems, prevent problems, and fosters efficient, mature, and empathetic decision makers. I see the value of practice among small groups, but I discredit the process for working for millions of people. The process is time consuming and tends to actually reward the least accommodating group members. Relating back to the “100 miles ahead race” - if all of the decisions were made with consensus decision making process then the 100 mile gap would decrease (by undetermined means) since those behind would demand the gap decrease.

People like to look for something to blame when problems occur. During my time in Cape Town I’ve learned that many people actively spend their time looking for people and groups to blame for inequalities and ills in the world.

I’ve heard on more than one occasion that many of the problems that exist (gender inequality, racial discrimination, poverty) are because of the actions of governments, political parties, leaders, human greed, human nature, corporations, “those wealthy people on the top”, patriarchies, or capitalism.

Colonization and discrimination have caused countless problems for those who didn’t possess certain qualities. Is this enough to motivate people on a mass-scale to move away from self-interest activity to activity that promotes the welfare of complete strangers who share completely different cultural customs? I sound a bit cynic but if people aren’t going to profit from doing so then I don’t think much socio-economic development will occur for all groups or that any type of gap will lessen. The foundations for globalization are what people like Cecil Rhodes have labored their lives for and whose money past their death will continue to fund in the ways the individual saw fit. Views of globalization haven’t been agreed upon by all nations involved in the process – should they? Some have seen inequalities as being necessary to achieve equality in the future. Slightly intangible terms unless picked apart further and a bit of a paradox yeah? Pointing the finger, getting angry, and devaluing people, groups, and entire fields of study doesn’t help to reach a consensus either. The cycle of misinformation and refusal to understand the situation of the other side begins to repeat. These decisions are constantly being made and they do affect you – what role are you playing?

Kevin Bahr