Jenna making memories, appreciating little things & bonding over human rights

This is going to sound completely ridiculous, but sometimes I wish that I could fly home at the end of each week just for a couple hours so I can tell my friends and family in person what another amazing week I had. I started a separate personal blog and kept up with it for the first couple weeks in Cape Town but have since stopped. I debate about updating it almost every day but there’s always something that holds me back. It is just so hard for me to express in written words all that I want to say. So as you read this, know that I am trying but that I can tell you much better in person. And I will soon.

This past week has been everything and more. I want to say that it has been the best since I’ve been here but as the weeks pass by I find myself wanting to say that about every week. This past weekend was our human rights weekend and if one thing is for sure, it is that it was entirely different than any other weekend and not what I was expecting in the slightest. We weren’t told much before we departed from home on Friday afternoon except that we would be with 20+ individuals from other countries in Africa. 

We stayed at the most beautiful place (an olive farm called  Goedgedacht that seemed to be in the middle of nowhere), met the most amazing people who I was blessed enough to hear some of their stores, and had the most interesting conversations about human rights. I shared so so many laughs over the course of the weekend but I also cherish the serious discussions that made me think. 

On Saturday afternoon we defined that human rights are universal: everyone has them. We were then asked to brainstorm groups of people who are often denied of certain rights. Some of these groups included those in poverty, women, children, LGBTIs, criminals, people living in rural areas, etc. Then we were asked what would happen if someone were to fall into many of these different groups (ex. a women in poverty in an rural area)? Many people responded that the individual would die at an early age and that is something I will never forget because it truly disturbed me. EVERYONE has human rights so why don't we see that in action? Why!!

Saturday night I saw my first shooting star. And second. And third. It’s going to sound so incredibly corny but it was by far one of the most amazing moments of my life. A bunch of us were lying on the ground (or standing up like me because people kept making jokes about baboons coming and eating us…) watching the stars and all of a sudden you hear a bunch of gasps because we all saw it at the same time. I zoned out of the conversations, looked up at the sky, and smiled because I realized in that moment I was so genuinely happy. And it was because of something so simple like a shooting star. I started thinking about how fast paced my life is back home in the States; how sometimes I’m in such a rush I don’t even say goodbye to my family. I’m so stressed with classes that I decline an invitation to have dinner with my friends. I don’t have time to notice the little things and that is something I want to pay more attention to when I depart from Cape Town and head home. Because often time the small things are the things that mean so much to me. 

I went into the weekend with an open mind and left that weekend with my mind blown. I will always remember the new memories I made with new friends and how we no matter what country we were from, we all came together and bonded over something so powerful as human rights . I will never forget us all singing our national anthems as loud as we could together and laughing at how terrible most of our voices were. I will continue to think about all the discussions we had about human rights. And I will try as hard as I possible can to educate others about their human rights because when it comes down to it, they have the right to know too.

Jenna receiving her Africa Unite Human Rights Training Certificate from Ntombi Mcoyi

I celebrated my 20^th birthday this week too so I just wanted to send a quick shoutout to everyone who helped make it so special. To Sister Castle, Morg, Katrina, Emily, and Allie: thanks for surprising me with the cake and cupcakes (the picture war continues Emily lol). Thanks to the other staff for all your hugs and kind words. Thanks to everyone for dinner, for our poor decisions afterward, and for making my birthday in SAfrica truly unforgettable!! To everyone back home, thanks for the birthday wishes. I miss you all so much and I can’t wait to share with you all that I have experienced and all I still have left to experience!

Jenna celebrating her birthday at Tafelsig Clinic with Sister Castle