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| Tina |
After being in Cape Town for nearly three weeks, I realized
that I have been looking at this program very one-dimensionally; by that I
mean, when I decided to come to Cape Town, I was coming for the scenery, the
classes and the internship aspect, but I realized that this is not what the
trip has turned out to be like. I cannot begin to describe how my mentality is
shifting after realizing that the people here are truly what makes Cape Town,
in my eyes, flourish. I’m starting to realize that to compare this program to
other ones people may be on, whether that be in any location, is detrimental to
my overall experience due to the fact that my experience here is so unique. Although it is difficult to see photographs
and hear of my friends exploring Europe and Australia, and even the United
States living about their daily lives, I need to remember that those
experiences are ones that I can have at any point in my life, while my
adventure here is honestly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
I have already experienced so many things that I know are
fleeting, in terms of probability of them occurring again. For instance, going
to the Baptist Church was one of the most inspiring, humbling, emotional and
spiritual moments I ever had the pleasure of taking part in. The sense of
community I felt, with a room full of strangers, was something I never had the
privilege of partaking in, and frankly something I could only believe on a
superficial level. In the past, I had only experienced connections within
communities well established in my life, with my family and friends, so to go
into the church being a newcomer and leaving as a valued component to the mass
was overwhelming. I felt valued and respected, not for any mere reason other
than that I am a human being, and I never really experienced something so
authentic before.
The energy in that room was genuine, and the words, hymns
and songs that people expressed were ones of sincere gratitude and celebration.
People were sincerely grateful to have
woken up that day and used that as the inspiration to praise God. That struck a chord with me, perhaps due to
the fact that I tend to take getting up everyday for granted, and for the first
time, in quite a long time, I understood the desire to want to go to church and
give thanks. The zest of those around me was contagious, and it was the first
time I have truly felt at home here. I wasn’t expecting to have such a profound
experience that day; nevertheless, that experience has already had such a
strong impact on me. Although I am aware of how privileged I am, being in a
room full of people who face daily struggles to provide water, clothing,
shelter, food and income for their families, really put things in to perspective
for me.
With that said, I am proud of who I am and all
that I have access to, my work ethic, drive, motivation, and passion. I also
find it comforting and just that I am making the most of the opportunities
given to me, and am challenging myself to be the best person I can be. I find
it to be difficult dealing with the concept of privilege because it is a
double-edged sword, something that I am immensely proud to have, while also, at
times, I can’t help but feel culpable for taking advantage of having three
meals a day, clean water, shoes, a high-quality education, and my health,
security and shelter. When I do get in that stupor, I tend to think this
is why I came to Cape Town; I came for an unconventional study abroad
experience, and the opportunity to grow, and I am doing that. I’m slowly
beginning to realize that the people, their warmth and strength, are what make
this program special, and that is why Cape Town, in general, is becoming one of
the most alluring places to visit.
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