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Student Reflections from 2006
While growing up in such a controversial society, I was never taught about how people live in Africa or South Africa to be exact. Since I was never introduced to the country, I never extended my curiosity to want to learn more than what was being broadcast on “Feed the Children”. I always thought the commercial was a scheme to take people’s money and use it for useless acts.
The only knowledge I had of Africa was the geographic aspect of it, not the political aspect. It was not until my high school years that my school offered a class called African American studies. It was not a required class for me, because I had taken geography at my previous school. Not knowing exactly what was taught, I was told that it did discuss the heritage, culture, customs and the political background, but only to a certain extent.
While attending a tutoring program at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington, DC called Community Club, I was offered an opportunity to visit Cape Town, South Africa for a Youth Leadership Summit. This was my chance to understand and absorb as much information as possibly so I could become more knowledgeable and up to date on my history of Africa. I took this opportunity as a once in a lifetime dream to be able to visit such a rich, multicultural and diverse country like South Africa.
Pictures can’t describe the feeling and mental understanding of what I experienced while in South Africa. One would have to actually take a trip there to witness what I’ve witnessed. I came to appreciate my history and ancestors who came from all parts of Africa and were not allowed to tell their story through their eyes. I witnessed the hardship and struggles that were undergone during Apartheid. I was able to relate to peers my own age who suffer from being different from their neighbor; forced to settle for less, and not being treated as equal, but as a group. I’ve understood what struggle was all about: Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X, and Nelson Mandela all fought for the same thing – equality and the pursuit of all happiness.
I now have the information I sought in the beginning, and the knowledge to teach others of my journey to Cape Town, South Africa. I am now able to teach them that Africa is not all about “Feed the Children”; it’s about a continuous fight for equality and acceptance. Just like the people of South Africa, African Americans are no different; we just reside on the opposite side of the globe. My message to anyone wanting to broaden their horizons just like I did is to have an open mind, and expect to meet those less fortunate than you.
The most interesting thing I have ever done in my life was travel to Cape Town South Africa. It changed my life completely. It made me look at life in a whole new light. I have matured and I believe it has help me realized that I can reach my life’s goal of becoming a successful businessman.
It started with me deciding to apply for the opportunity to go to the Community Club (a citywide tutoring program). As a part of the Community Club tutoring program I learned about an opportunity to go to South Africa for those students who would be selected. I submitted an essay about why I wanted to go, was interviewed and was later selected to go to South Africa with five other Community Cub students.
When I first found out that I got the opportunity to go to South Africa. I did not think very much of it. I just thought that I would be very nice trip because I love to travel. As I got on the plane and when I actually arrived in South Africa I began to realize how important this trip was and how much it would change my life. At first I was surprised at how modern or western South Africa is.
I thought I was not going to learn about a new culture and society. However it turned out that I did learn about a new culture and society. Even though, we as Americans have similar problems as South Africans, their problems are a lot worse. As a result, I appreciate everything that I have a lot more. I thought that we had the worst violence and criminal activity. After hearing some of the stories from the South African students, we have nothing on them.
With the housing here in the nation’s capital, we have ghettos and rundown apartments like any place else in the United States. People are getting pushed out of the District of Columbia because they can no longer afford the cost of housing in the city. When I went to the different townships it made me feel rich. I was devastated. It was sad to think that I had something so nice and these wonderful South Africans had close to nothing. When I saw the townships and what bad condition these so called houses were in, I thought, how can people let others live like this?
As part of our summit, we engaged in innovative activities and discussions with several South African students concerning the parallels between our two countries, and the many issues each country’s citizens face. We discovered that racism and youth violence were two of the most prevalent in both countries.
With our South African friends, we visited different townships, mainly consisting of shanties which resembled the projects or poor public housing areas here in the United States. Yet, they were beyond impoverished conditions. The opportunity to meet preschoolers and interact with the neighborhood children, whose toys were unsafe and clothes in poor condition, extremely touched my heart as I instantly thought of the Save the Children commercials I often watch at home, hoping that one day I could be there to meet those children and help them by all means. Watching the South Africans move throughout their daily routines as if we were not there was one of the most amazing things, and eye-opening experiences, ever. Just being able to play with the children and walk through their homes, where there could possibly be eight families staying in one residential space, were heart-felt reality for me. I now appreciate the fortunes available here that I used to take for granted.
We had a workshop during the summit, which truly helped me uncover who I was inside. More than anything, it taught me that time continues to march on, and that each moment spent alive is not to be wasted; so live life and enjoy! The students that we spent time with are highly intelligent, and it is unfortunate that many of them will not continue their education due to financial difficulties. The entire trip and endeavor to promote communication amongst youth world wide has motivated and captivated my life. Another enlightening ambition in conjunction with my future goals is to work with South Africa along the lines of my future career. This fortunate opportunity is ultimately priceless and will forever live within my soul.
My name is Phillip T. McCall. I am a junior at Wilson Senior High School. I was able to experience the chance of a lifetime on July 7, 2006 to travel to Cape Town, South Africa. Thanks to the Youth Leadership Summit program and many other supporters, five other students and I from the Washington, DC area were able to attend the Youth Leadership Summit in South Africa, along with other groups from Philadelphia, Detroit, and San Diego.
Before going to South Africa, I had many questions, like did Africa look the way it was projected on television, and what were some of the issues that they face every day? Since becoming a part of this program, my questions were answered. I learned that television only tells you half of the truth. For example, from my point of view, television only tells you about the poverty in Africa and not about the cities, and that everyone in Africa doesn’t live in shacks or huts. I learned that they have cities and houses like the United States. When we compared our schools and the issues that we face every day, it turned out that we face the same issues. While in Africa, I had a lot of fun, but I learned a lot. I also learned about Cape Town’s old government, Apartheid, and the segregation that existed then, and how it has changed. I also was able to tour Robben Island.
My time in Africa was both fun and educational. I would recommend that any student join the Youth Leadership Summit.
Traveling to an entirely different country allows one to explore different cultures and historical backgrounds.
The Cape Town, South Africa trip gave me the opportunity to meet new people and experience new lifestyles. My expectations when traveling to South Africa were to meet and interact with the people and learn more about the history and story behind the country. My actual experience definitely exceeded my expectations of South Africa because everything was so real and tangible.
This trip was truly a blessing and an amazing learning experience for me. It was very informative and I learned so much about the history of South Africa as well as the hardships and struggles that the different races of South Africans had to go through. Cape Town was such a beautiful city and the scenery was like nothing I have ever seen before. The mountains were breathtaking but sometimes the heights were a little frightening to me. The people of South Africa were so intelligent; especially the young people. I was so impressed by the South African students we met at the Youth Leadership Summit and the little girls we visited at the Mandela mosaic center.
My experience in South Africa was life changing and I hope to visit other parts of Africa as well.
South Africa was not what I thought it was going to be. Part of that is because I went to Ghana. So I was expecting South Africa to be somewhat like Ghana. Until I began to write this paper, I was always comparing Ghana to South Africa. Now it hit me that I have to take South Africa for what it was. I told myself that Ghana is Ghana and South Africa is just what it is – South Africa. That meant the people would not be the same, and they would not have the same customs.
I also did not take the time to sit down and think about my emotions after the trip until this paper. Now, at 5 in the morning when I am writing this, all of these feelings are hitting me. Now that I think about coming back to DC, I had a lot of mixed feelings. I was happy to be getting back home, and sad because I was coming back to the heat, and I was also leaving a lot of new friends that I met in South Africa. After spending a day at home, it was back to work, school, and living on the GW campus. I can’t say that South Africa has changed my outlook on life or the way that I think. Maybe it’s because I just got right back to my life, or it may just hit after I am finished writing this paper; maybe never. I will let you know if it ever does!
To some of my counterparts, South Africa was a life-changing thing that took place in their lives, and it should be. For some, it brought about a change in their way of thinking how they see the world, and how they see people. When I went to South Africa, that change did not happen in me. It’s not because I am a heartless monster, because believe me, it has affected me. It is because that change has already taken place in me. All of the feelings the others are feeling right now I have had before. Leaving your home and going to be with a group of people you don’t know well, for example, or get on a plane for the first time in years, and telling everyone you meet that you went to Africa. Most of all, getting the drive to help people that I still have today. Maybe some of you will travel yet again, and you won’t have a feeling of change, but you will understand yourself better.
For me, this journey was more about the people that I have met in South Africa, and the people that helped me get there. So I would like to thank Taara for helping me to open up, Damany for always being humorous, Phillip for just being Phil, McKindria for the knowledge that you gave us, and Gerri for telling it like it is. Thanks for being you and going through this with me. I also would like to thank Leslie, Kate, and Mary for looking after other people’s kids and for just being there. Last, I would like to give a big thanks to Jennie and Mark for helping me like they did. I hope you get to go next year!
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