Melanie's first week back

Well leaving Cape Town was sad but it didn’t really hit me until it was over.

I had a meaningful goodbye at Elonwabeni Friday night when a show was planned by the kids, volunteers, and staff for us to come watch. It was cute and meant a lot that they took the time to say goodbye. I hope we are able to keep in touch.

Melanie & Manuela with folks from Elonwabeni

Melanie, David & Katrina

The morning we left I did a trail run with Katrina and David, which was the perfect way to end the trip. Then we scrambled to get back, shower, and pack before our goodbye meeting. Ben saying goodbye in the house really hit me because he’s an example of someone who will be difficult to see again. He also gave great advise about how to let our experiences be a part of us and everything we do, rather than simply a story.

Despite being all packed up and on our way to the airport it still didn’t hit me that we were leaving. I don’t know how I could be so detached from it. The plane ride was not bad except that my feet swelled up (probably a result of doing a trail run that morning). I had to keep asking for ice from the flight attendant and when we landed I struggled to get my shoes to fit (it was not a good scene).

Seeing my parents was exciting. My mom was so eager that she climbed through the gate (that you’re not supposed to) to come to me. I guess it was cute but also embarrassing J

           

We landed early Monday morning and I didn’t have any plans so I ended up going to the launching of a state senate campaign for Emily Bjornberg, a woman I’ve known for years in my church. It was kind of a spontaneous event to go to within hours of arriving home, but ended up being perfect. Her speech entailed a section about how her family is rooted in service, that when her husband was in the army she took the time to go volunteer… in South Africa! She spoke of traveling the world but ultimately deciding to return to her home- the CT River Valley area. This event was held at the Deep River Landing on the CT River and looking around (although I was a bit cold) I realized South Africa is absolutely beautiful but my home-town area is as well. And running into so many people asking about my trip made me realize how lucky I was to grow up in such a great town. I also hope to help Emily with her campaign in the coming months. She reminds me that inspirational and hardworking people are everywhere (not just in South Africa).

           

After that ended, I stopped by my grandparents house and then headed to UConn to see everyone. I spent time with my boyfriend and siblings. At midnight all my friends gathered in the Union and we all sat around telling stories from our different semesters. I was delirious from being so overtired but I was also so happy because again I realized what great friends I have. And UConn’s atmosphere certainly doesn’t compare to the University of Cape Town’s, but walking around and running into everyone I felt at home. I only meant to spend one night there but realized I didn’t have enough time to catch up with everyone and I ended up staying until Saturday….(borrowing everyone’s clothes and crashing on peoples couches).

           

After the initial euphoria of seeing everyone for the first time died down I’ve realized coming home isn’t going to be as easy as it seemed. I still don’t know what to say when people ask how my trip was and I still find it hard to explain to those close to me. I feel different but also disappointingly the same… like that how I changed and grew in Cape Town is no longer a part of me here. So I’m consciously deciding to try to incorporate what I’ve learned about myself into my life here too. And I’m trying to keep myself busy and find things to look forward to; like my internship next semester and triathlon training with Katrina! Most importantly I’m trying to keep in touch with everyone! It worked out great that I’ll be living with my roommate from South Africa, Lauren, and Katrina. Our room will be decorated with most of our souvenirs J

           

It was probably the most amazing three months of my life and I’m excited to see where I go from here. I’ve realized there’s a WORLD of opportunities out there if you look in the right places. I’ll be forever grateful for everyone who made the experiences I’ve had possible and I hope everyone knows how much we appreciated them J

It’s funny to think how close I was to not coming on this trip and how much of a mistake that would have been.

Lastly, good luck to all the future students!! Take it in because it ends too quickly!

Melanie's running community

What I’ll remember from the Cape Town Running Community:

It might be a hard thing to explain but so far my favorite part of being in South Africa has been getting involved in the running clubs and races. After joining a social running club in the fall at UConn (UConn Endurance) I knew I would want to find some fun races to do. And since my mother was very insistent on me always running with a friend, I was so lucky to spot Katrina’s Hartford ING Half Marathon water bottle in the pre-departure class and from then on we became study abroad (and hopefully life-long) running buddies J

When we first arrived here running was rough – we were not used to the heat and were very busy during orientation. Our lodging is conveniently in walking distance of the Rondebosch Commons, a popular running and biking 3k loop. It was tough in the beginning but eventually we worked back up to longer distances. Looking back, this was when our bonding really started. We would go out for group runs in the mornings and then all rush back so all 6 of us could use the same shower before we had to start our day. The runs gave us a good chance to catch up and talk about how we were adjusting to South Africa.

The first race we wanted to run was the Koeberg Nature Reserve 15k. However, planning how to register and get there affordably was not easy and we almost didn’t go. But we did decide to go and it ended up being the best decision ever. We showed up in a taxi and immediately stood out because as it turned out this race was primarily for locals in running clubs (we were the only ones with “temporary licenses” and without running club jerseys). It was intimidating at first but we immediately met the nicest person, named Joy, in the bathroom line. Basically she adopted us and taught us all about running clubs and races in Cape Town and introduced us to so many people. We made plans to meet up with her at the next race, the Constantia Valley 15k. That race was also a great day. Not only did we meet up with Joy (and it was her birthday!), but we met new people who also instantly welcomed us to their running communities as well. After passing the finish line you ended in an open field where all the running clubs had tents set up. We literally went tent hopping meeting all different people and getting good advice about what races would be fun for us to do.

We noticed little things about those races that we loved. First, unlike in my past experiences, nobody wears headphones for music. Instead of an individualistic, trying to zone out experience, it’s about appreciating your run fully.

It seems that there are these races every Saturday, which makes for a great time-consuming and healthy habit for locals.

Also, why is there coke at the finish line and no water? At first we resented it but by the end we embraced this new unhealthy habit J

 Next we tackled our first half marathon abroad, the Tiger Valley Half Marathon. This was special because David and Savanna, two other UConn students who have also taken up running, also came with to do the 5k. It was so exciting seeing people go to their first races and feel so inspired that they are both now planning to do half’s in the future! The vibes and positivity at these events are unlike anything else.

Then we had about a month free until the big, famous Two Oceans race. This was the race that we’ve been trying to get registered into since before leaving. It was not easy and I got a lucky extra registration through the entry draw. Then for awhile it was sad because Katrina couldn’t enter but she ended up finding an entry through an organization called A21 recruiting runners to run for a charity. Her organization works to end slavery and human trafficking. That’s just one example of the many ways running brings people together and inspires them to do good things.

The Two Oceans race started within walking distance of our house, which felt cool because it really felt as if this HUGE, world-known race was happening in my hometown. There are two races, the half marathon (13.1mi/21km) or the Ultra marathon (35mi/56km). We clearly did the half. It was a hilly course but great because there were so many people cheering for us and even full bands and DJ’s set up along the way. It made me think about support, how someone sticking out their hand for a high-five could give us enough energy to make it up the next hill. Two Oceans also posted cute signs along the way, such as “Run Forrest Run” “It’s just a hill, get over it” or even “Run for something greater than yourself.” At the finish we were greeted by Lauren and Allie cheering us on too! Then we stuck around by the bleachers to watch the first ultra marathoners finish. The first man finished in about 3:08 (which is like a 5:30-ish per mile pace). Which is crazy. Like absolutely crazy. So it wasn’t a surprise that the first finishers actually just collapse after they cross (which is sad to watch… and pretty unhealthy).

We went over by the grassy area where the ultra marathon finishers were stretching. We were curious what people did after finishing something like that so we just sat in the grass in the middle of it all and observed. At one point a guy sat close to us so we nervously started conversing with him about how the race went. His name was Elias and we ended up talking for quite a while (which often happens at these things). He told us all about his training schedules and finishing the comrades race (another famous South African race that’s about 86k and can take up to 11 hours to finish….). He loved hearing about what we’ve been doing in South Africa and wanted us to spread the word to our friends and family about what the country is really like. He even invited us to visit his church and school where he works in another province. Overall it was inspiring to hear about his serious dedication and love for running but he also had a way of making us feel proud for finishing the half (when after watching ultra marathoners finish you basically forget you ran any significant distance at all). In a way it was amazing to meet Elias but in another way that’s just another example of the day-to-day interactions in Cape Town.

Soon after finishing the race our landlord, Harry, showed us his photograph book of his running career and telling stories. He has been great; giving us lots of advice and inspiration. He showed us the big award he got for completely the ultra ten times. And again, in South Africa these are just your average-joes.

When we went out that night we wore our race shirts so the friendliness continued, people coming up so us and saying they ran too and we would share stories.

Like I said, it might be hard to explain why these experiences have been so special. Overall the running culture is a huge part of the area and we feel really lucky to have been accepted into it. We’ve been randomly invited to so many different clubs, group runs, and even braai’s. We’ve learned about community, social support, dedication, inspiration, and fun. We are now in our last week of the program and we are full of different thoughts and emotions. Our flight leaves Sunday afternoon, and it seems just perfect that there happens to be a trail run that morning. We might be a little sore on the plane, but we think it will be the perfect way to say goodbye to Cape Town. 

Melanie's reflection on religion in South Africa

The Role of the Churches During Apartheid

Melanie (front right) next to Archbishop Desmond Tutu at St. George's Cathedral in Cape Town

One thing you’ll definitely notice if you spend any time in South Africa is that religion plays a large roles in people’s lives here. For example, people pray in schools, most conversations with strangers will end with “God bless you” and Sundays are quiet, religious days where most people flock to church for the morning and afternoon. At my specific internship at Elonwabeni, we begin each day with a morning prayer session and are occasionally accompanied by a local priest.

Another thing you’ll notice when studying the history of South Africa is the constant mentioning of the role of the churches during Apartheid. After hearing little bits and pieces of the story I decided I wanted to explore that history in depth. Our internship coordinator, Reverend Vernon Rose, was very much involved in the anti-apartheid struggle, often through the church, so I decided to ask him sit down with me to help me get the full story.  Here is what I learned in that interview.

When referring to the Apartheid years, the churches need to be broken up because they all had varying attitudes of the Apartheid regime. First, we have the Afrikaaners-based Dutch reform churches (ex. Herstigte Gereformeerde Kerk) that outright supported Apartheid. They were very conservative and their theology formed the basis for the apartheid construction, often biblically justifying the foundations of the apartheid structure. When The World Council of Churches, declared (The Cottoesloe Consultation) that it is unacceptable for worship places to be racially separated and therefore refused to accept the apartheid regime the Dutch reform churches withdrew from the World Council of Churches (1960). This is very similar to the way in which in the Unites States the Southern Baptists broke off from the Northern Baptists (Triannual Convention, 1834) because they disagreed on racial issues.

Secondly, there was the Evangelical Fundamentalist groups, who never outright supported nor opposed apartheid. This was based on the understanding that they should respect authority and the political system in power, however their silence ultimately implied support.

Lastly, there were the “mainstream” churches. This included the Anglican, Methodist (who Vernon is a part of), Catholic, etc. churches. In 1968 the South African Council of churches was established for these churches and ultimately they constantly called for support to oppose apartheid.

In 1968 an open letter to all churches was sent out to “adopt civil disobedience” in resisting apartheid. Examples meant defying the group areas act, the pass laws (which required blacks and coloreds to carry racial identification cards with them), and other acts enforced by the apartheid political system. The impact was that for the first time the churches, leaders and members, desired to take action and started raising their voices. In the 70s, following the Sharpsville Massacre of 1969, the churches were impacted by more various important events. For example, the beginning of trade unions and the Durban worker strikes which showed the people of South Africa the power of the workforce. In the early 70s the black power movement began to strongly assert itself and people began to see the impact of black theology as a very empowering tool for black Christians. Other events that significantly affected the church and forced them to decide how to respond was the Soweto uprising and massacre on June 16, 1976 and the assassination of anti-apartheid activist, Steve Biko in September, 1977.

The statement that defined the churches beliefs in the 70s was “Status Confessionis” which in Latin translates to ‘affront to ones faith’. The logic of this was that the Apartheid regime contradicts everything Christian’s value and therefore merely accepting it is un-Christian. Once this was declared many Christians felt a call to commit themselves to the struggle. At this time, liberation movements were banned and so the churches played a large role in keeping it alive. Church ministers or outspoken members were often arrested and detained.

In 1982 a similar revelation was made about Apartheid calling it “a heresy” meaning false teaching. As heresy is completely unacceptable in Christianity therefore reiterated to everyone that Apartheid needed to end. Faith organizations became even more determined and this coincided with many grassroots organizations forming to resist apartheid. This involved the encouragement of ordinary people to mobilize around mundane issues and this became a nation movement. Examples are the formation of the United Democratic Front in 1982, TEAM (theological ecumenical action movement), and Christian Institute.

In 1988 the South African Council of Churches and others adopted a “standing for the truth” campaign strategy driven by commitments saying “we will not stop our protests until the regime collapses” and demonstrations very frequent, almost daily up until February 1990.

On February 2^nd, 1990 there was a protest on the parade which turned into a victory celebration when it was announced that finally, after years and years of the oppressive, racist system of Apartheid was beginning to dismantle. Nelson Mandela and the other political prisoners would be released from prison and political parties would be unbanned. The priest from Elonwabeni describes this as the moment when the church community felt so relieved and excited, but he also adds so tired, “we were so incredibly tired of fighting and for everything we lost doing so.”

Which brings me to the next point I talked about with the priest and with Vernon. They agree that in the post-apartheid years the church has been unusually silent. Apartheid may be abolished but the scars from those years remain and the issues still incredibly prevalent. Racism, crime, gangs, poverty, HIV/AIDS, environmental issues, etc. Vernon also spoke of the churches neglecting their LGBTQI brothers and sisters. There is one particular denomination, the Metropolitan Community Church, which is an open and affirming church where many members are those who felt alienated and discriminated against in other churches. Vernon calls all these current issues a “status confessionis” yet there is not so much attention to it now. Nobody can say why the churches have become quiet but I think it’s a quite unfortunate yet understandable effect of many long years of struggle.

However, this is not to say religion isn’t playing a large role in the lives of South African people. What seems to remain strong is people’s faith. It always strikes me when I meet someone whose been dealt a terrible set of cards in life and not only still finds the strength to continue on but also faithfully trusts God and is thankful for what they do have. Being here I am constantly reminded of the great resilience of the human race, which I am coming to believe is one of God’s greatest gifts.

       

Vernon

Melanie, Vernon, Emily

        Special thanks to Vernon 

for taking the time to talk to me J

Melanie on her excursion and returning home

Getting to travel to other areas of South Africa for excursion was really great. The sites we visited in Johannesburg really brought together a lot of what we’ve been learning here.

The first Museum was the Hector Pieterson Museum, dedicated to Hector Pieterson, who was a student killed during the Soweto uprisings. The museum made me realize how really young the students of the Soweto uprising were… I knew they were students but I hadn’t pictured them so small and young (as young as 11 and 12).

The Mandela Family Home was really cool to go to and get to walk through where Nelson Mandela lived. I realized a couple things that I hadn’t known. First of all I never knew the US was involved in the capturing of Mandela to send him to prison. I also saw two juxtaposed pictures of right before he went and right after he was released from prison and it was profound seeing how much he really aged. Overall it left me wanting to learn even more about Mandela’s life because I continuously am hearing more and more amazing stories about his character and the imprint he left in South Africa and the world.

The apartheid museum was a really eye-opening experience. There was so much information and so many personal stories captured and it felt really surreal to imagine all those things had happened here recently. I’m more used to museums being much deeper into history.

Constitution Court

Going to Constitution Hill was cool. Their courtroom was designed very symbolically to be inclusive of all the different cultures in South Africa.

Melanie at the Pimville Boys & Girls Club in Soweto

Going to the Boys and Girls Club of South Africa was by far my favorite day. Marita and I sorted through and alphabetized SO many files and it felt accomplishing to finish. Then we played with the kids all afternoon and they were so energetic and fun.

Lastly, Sharpeville was also a really profound area to visit. Meeting a man who had been shot and survived the massacre where 69 people were killed at a march also felt surreal. It made me realize how much living history there still is in South Africa. Going to the cemetery where all the victims were buried was really emotional. I learned that they had a mass funeral for all the victims and I kept imagining each victim’s families and friends surrounding the massive line of graves. I can’t even imagine the amount of grief and shock all gathered together on that day. It also made me sad to learn that Sharpeville does not receive many visitors, especially for being such an important part of history.

We returned to internship at Klipfontein Primary School to some bad news. One of the first clients we met had passed away while we were away. We knew she had cancer but it still never really hit me that she would pass away so soon. The husband and another elder man from the family came and were discussing where to go from there, specifically in regards to getting financial support from the government for caring for the two young children. It seemed like there wasn’t much time for grieving, right away they needed to take steps to figure out how they were going to take care of the kids. Next there was more sad news. The crèche teacher’s daughter’s father was stabbed by his girlfriend and died last Tuesday. It was terrible to hear about and I realized how death is a much more common part of life in the poorer communities here. When the teacher left to take the day off I ended up holding her daughter, Cailin, for a long time while she cried that she missed her parents. I felt sorry knowing that this child would grow up now without a father.

Melanie at Maitland Cottage

 On a brighter note, our activist project has been going really well. We are very thankful to everyone who donated to our project and we were really surprised by the amount of people who supported us that we far surpassed our goal! We are now looking forward to shopping for supplies and toys. Today we went and one girl who we’ve particularly bonded with had good news that she is going home for seven weeks. It’s sad that we won’t see her again but we are so excited for her to return home. She told us a bit of her story and it left Lauren and I so inspired by her strength and positivity, but also sorry that so many young children have to face such serious challenges such as worrying about if they will ever walk again. Overall, it reminded us why we decided to start this project and now we are excited to complete it!

Also, was so sad to miss the championship basketball games but GO HUSKIES!! We enjoyed waking up at 3am for Emily’s parents to live-stream us the game anyway!

Melanie's recap of her time in Cape Town

Despite at first thinking this may be impossible, my time in Cape Town has become increasingly exciting and meaningful. I have been fully enjoying my internship, classes, activism project, and some fun activities!

First of all, Manuela and I have begun spending our Mondays at the Kliptonfein Primary School in the run-down community of Netgear (translating to Just Right) with a community worker. First of all, I felt incredibly welcomed by all the staff. On our first day we were thrown right into it, Deon put us at his desk and told us any person who walked into his office was now our responsibility. 



It was not easy because we were not yet familiar with the resources available in the area but Deon helped us get familiar with how he goes about helping clients. The first woman was new to Deon’s office and was having a housing problem because she was no longer getting along with her husbands family whom she stayed with. Her husband also was about to lose his job and her cancer had just come back. With the help of Deon the women was given information about getting onto a housing project waitlist but it did not look promising. Instead, Deon resorted to giving advice about ways to handle conflicts with the family and to encourage her husband to be supportive in her time of sickness and need. After more people came in and out throughout the morning I began to notice something about the way Deon valued each of his clients. No matter what problems they came in with, he advocated for them and exhausted all of his resources to help solve their problems. Often one client would sit there as he made dozens of phone calls, dialing away and patiently explaining the dire need for whoever was on the other end to help. As someone who wants to enter the social services field, this is a value I will want to hold onto deeply. Even if Deon is not able to help his client, they leave with the validation of knowing someone tried everything they could, they feel respected and heard.

Aside from spending mornings in Deon’s office, we’ve found ourselves useful in all other areas of the school. We help in the crèche, in the after-care tutoring program for underachieving kids, playing at recess, and our personal favorite was reading to a grade 4 class and doing a mini-English lesson (being as it’s a primarily Afrikaans speaking school). Visiting the classroom was really fun and it allowed us to also form relationships with the teachers. We were graciously invited to dinner Friday night with two of the teachers and then ended up playing mini-golf at Sea Point. Overall, this experience has helped me realize I really enjoy the school environment and should look into school social work for the future.

The classes we’ve been taking here have also been really insightful. We are exploring the history and politics of South Africa, the basics of the organization of our internships, and in Marita’s class we explore and discuss issues relating to race, class, gender, and privileges as a whole. I’ve learned to look at issues in a whole new, non-defensive way and connect them to not only what goes on here in South Africa but also how my own life has been impacted by them. So far it’s brought a lot of awareness to me and I look forward to continue reflecting on it.

Another new, exciting aspect of this program for me is my new activism project. Despite getting off the a rocky start, myself and Emily, Savannah, and Lauren have decided to volunteer, do crafts, and read with the children at Maitland Cottage Home, a residential hospital for physically disable children (where Savannah also interns). The need for this as brought to our attention as Savannah pointed out that the children there do not get many visitors and don’t have enough toys to play with. After Lauren and I first visited on Thursday, we are even more excited to get this project going and develop relationships with the kids.

Lastly, I’ve found my time in Cape Town to be quite the mixture of touristy activities and cultural activities. For example, surfing, skydiving, and horseback riding on the beach was great but I’ve also found an interest in the local plays and musicals. I first attended Blood Brothers, then A Human Being Died that Night, and then Missing. Each play uniquely represented many of the issues South Africa faced and continues to face in a powerfully moving way. Blood Brothers was about two twins who were secretly separated at birth, one with his birth mother and one with a wealthy woman desperate to have a child. It explores class issues as the brothers lives intensely interconnect. A Human Being Died that Night was about a psychologist interviewing a man who had committed many malicious crimes during apartheid and her struggling to see his humanity, questioning values of morality and evil. Lastly, Missing was a deeply saddening story about a member of the ANC who went into exile in Sweden, started a family with a white woman, and started a new life only to be turned upside down after their first visit back to South Africa post-apartheid brings up unfinished business, a longing to remain in his home country which he desperately missed, and a need to feel that his work in the struggle had been appreciated. Overall, I’ve grown an appreciation for the way the arts can help people understand and connect with stories and histories.

              

With just a month left, we are all planning to fit as much as we can in. But for now, we are looking forward to our weeklong excursion to Johannesburg and Kruger National Park!