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Student Reflections from 2008

Kianna

My trip to South Africa was very exciting and rewarding. Not only did I have the opportunity to visit a continent that many dream of, I was able to gain knowledge of the society and problems faced that are similar to ours here in the U.S. I was also able to ride a plane for the first time. I’d always thought I was afraid of planes until I actually rounded up enough courage to ride one.

During the first couple of days of our stay, we did a bit of sightseeing. We visited various scenic places in Cape Town, including Cape Point, which was very beautiful. The atmosphere and nature of South Africa was very different than that of DC. It seemed like nature lived more happily, and I’d say the sky was more welcoming.

We were able to explore and learn more about apartheid in South Africa many times throughout the Summit. We visited the District Six Museum, which highlighted apartheid and the deterioration of the District Six community. Also, we were given the opportunity to go to Robben Island to visit Nelson Mandela’s prison cell. This was a very enlightening day.

One of my most favorable experiences while in Africa was our visit to Heaven’s Nest and the Guguleta Community Center. We were able to play with children from unfortunate backgrounds. I became especially close to Lavon from Heaven’s Nest orphanage. He was about one and possessed a radiant light that just couldn’t be resisted. At the Community Center, we played “red light, green light” and watched youth dance and play instruments.

We were given the opportunity to live with a few South Africans on the UCT campus. This aspect of the summit allowed us to get to know the South Africans better and exchange cultural similarities and differences more casually.

This trip was all that I expected and more. It was the highlight of my life and I’ll definitely revisit South Africa.

Robert

My experience in South Africa will be one to remember. It changed my life for the better and made me a better person. The best part about the whole trip was to just see how the culture in South Africa is similar to American culture. People base their opinions about Africa by just believing what they see on television. Cape Town is a lot like New York City. It’s a beautiful place with so much to do and see.

This trip changed my life because it gave me the chance to see that other people’s lives are much harder than mine. It scared me to see how people live and how their government treats them. People that live in South Africa that aren’t from there (specifically the refugees) live like animals outside in tents. They are isolated from everyone and are in the middle of nowhere. Seeing the daily struggles of people in South Africa will change the way you think forever.

If I was president of South Africa, the first thing I would change is the way of living for the people in the townships. I would create jobs that people can succeed in and want to work at. I would ask other countries or the United Nations to help improve the homes of all South Africans. If those can be done, I am sure that things would change for the better.

This experience was life-changing because it made me want to improve my lifestyle and not take the things I have for granted. I would like to give back to South Africa by helping the children in the townships. My way of improving South Africa for them would be to open more community centers, shelters, literacy programs, and programs for low income.

By reading this I hope it motivates you to make a change in others lives in your world. By us making a small contribution, we could change someone’s life for the better. It’s never too late to make a change in the world.

Tiashea

The weather was very cold. The dorm rooms that we stayed in were also cold. Other than the temperature, it was great experience for me. I was able to compare and contrast the teenage lives in South Africa with the teenagers here in the United States. I learned how to be wise and not to take my life for granted. Also I realized that I shouldn’t complain about going to school because some people in South Africa cannot afford schooling to get a decent education.

We visited refugee camps where people that were considered foreigners stayed. The tents where they slept were in the middle of nowhere on a beach. When it rained all the water and wind got inside the tents, and the children were bound to catch a cold. Also, we did a lot of sightseeing; we went to Two Oceans Restaurant (where the Indian and Atlantic Oceans meet), Robben Island, the District Six Museum, Cape Point, Heaven’s Nest, and so many other places. They ate ostrich, and goat a lot, they rarely had chicken.

The kids at Heaven’s Nest were either victims of AIDS, their parents had it, or were just given up by their parents. We also saw penguins that were roaming around freely and were not caged in at all. The oceans were very blue and very pretty. We visited an organization for the lady named Amy Biehl who was murdered two days before her departure back home to California. Her parents started the Foundation and built a Community Center for children that live in a township. Some of the townships were very unstable and the only way to go to the restroom is outside in the portable potty. I was kind of sad when I had to leave and come back home. Now that I am back I will share my story about how I went to the mother land and returned with some great news.

Whitney

My experience in Cape Town, South Africa was wonderful; Cape Town was outrageously fun and a very beautiful place. I can actually say that sightseeing; meeting and making new friends; and experiencing and learning new things about South Africa have changed me as a person. During my visit to South Africa, I had the chance to experience so many things that some young adults my age may never get the opportunity to do or see. I ate their food, enjoyed listening to their music while watching their style of dancing, and learned firsthand about their communities and culture. While at Heaven’s Nest (an orphanage there), I had the opportunity to interact and play with children affected by HIV (either HIV positive or abandoned by HIV positive parents). We took a tour of the Nelson Mandela museum as well as Robben Island, where Mandela served 18 years of his 27-year prison sentence.

The time was great, even though it came very slowly and went very fast, I still can’t believe I was actually in South Africa. Because of my journey in South Africa, I have become a more mature person who takes things seriously and looks at things with a new perspective. I can now definitely say you should always be appreciative of what you have and take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. Going to South Africa was a life-changing experience and I want to return someday soon.