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
