Student reflection on a free HIV-testing event - Margaret Loehnig

Saturday, May 28

Today was certainly a unique learning experience. Instead of going with the rest of the group to the Kirstenbosch Garden and the University of Cape Town, Hazar, Erin, and I went to Khayelitsha (a township) to help Treatment Action Campaign and Doctors Without Borders with a free HIV testing event. And by “help,” I really mean we were there to learn, as always. Whenever we asked if there was anything we could do to help, the response was always “Just relax!” That’s how it is around here, at least from my experience.

Our guide and the man who picked us up from Hillcrest was an Italian who worked for DWB named Gisepe. We spent a lot of the morning waiting for a spare key to be delivered to TAC and listening to Gisepe explain many of the shortcomings of the DWB project in Khayelitsha. He said the workers are often “sick” and just won’t show up to work. “Even if they haven’t taken care of something, they will tell you they have if you ask them,” he told us. “It’s so frustrating, because then I’ll show up expecting it to be done and it won’t be, and that just makes me even angrier than if they had just told me the truth in the first place.” Reflecting on his statement, I think this may just be a cultural difference in South Africa. It reminds me of peoples’ tendency here to agree to come to a gathering when invited, even when they don’t intend to actually show up. It’s simply considered impolite to refuse.

We finally arrived at the site of the testing event and set up a small, white tent. A group of young girls arrived to dance on a nearby stage in order to attract more people to the area. They came up to us and gave us a hug one by one. It was adorable. My favorite part of the day was when we got to go out into the township and distribute pamphlets to the residents to try to raise awareness about the testing. Erin, Hazar, and I split up and each went with a local volunteer. We wove in and out of the shacks on a sandy-like ground, occasionally popping into houses with open doors. Dogs roamed around looking ragged and miserable. People generally looked more miserable. It had rained the night before, and the day was cold and windy. Many of their houses had holes in the roofs, and most were one room only. The little kids with snot running down their faces stared at me like I was some kind of mysterious apparition. One little boy fixated on me, wide-eyed, from his doorway and tugged at the sleeve of his little friend. As I was leaving, I did happen to catch the word “umlungu” from him. I smiled. The word means “white person.”

In general, people were fairly receptive to our efforts. I found this surprising, imagining how offended many people in the United States would be if a stranger came to the doorway and handed them a pamphlet to go get tested for HIV. Despite our efforts, however, only 14 people actually showed up to get tested. This could have been due to several factors, including the crummy weather. But it is also clear that the event was disorganized and lacked adequate publicity. The health volunteers were clearly frustrated by the turnout. However, they had the hope that the next one would turn out better.

Feeding ostriches at an ostrich farm

Kudu with a dewlap for speed and distance

A young elephant at Aquila

Springbok at Aquila

Lions resting in the sun

Hippos lying in the sun at Aquila Game Reserve

On safari at Aquila Game Reserve!

Typical scenery of the Little Karoo

Day 18

An early start (6:30 am) for a trip to Aquila Game Reserve.  It's a two-hour drive from Cape Town into the "Little Karoo," which is a long valley bordered by the Swartberg and the Langeberg Mountains in the Western Cape. This is an arid area of rolling hills and flat valleys, filled with succulents and low scrubby bushes.  Herds of buffalo, elephant and kudu once dominated this area only to be hunted or driven out by modern development.  Private reserves like Aquila have successfully reintroduced a variety of game, from zebra to lions, and also participate in efforts to rescue animals from "canned hunting".  We arrived and were met with a welcome drink, followed by a full breakfast, then off on our game drive at 9:45 am in an open jeep-like vehicle.  We were fortunate to see large numbers of springbok, wildebeest and zebra, a napping group of lions, two elephants, hippos, rhinos, eland, and several other antelope.  After a refreshment stop, we continued our drive, ending with a visit to a rescued leopard and cheetahs. Then we had a delicious lunch, and spotted a giraffe at a distance! More students were awake on the drive back to enjoy the beautiful scenery!

A client at PDSA

Operating room at the PDSA

Lauren Ross at People's Dispensary for Sick Animals in Bridgeton

Student Internship Reflection - PDSA - Lauren Ross

PDSA Experiences

            One week of internships down!  So far, my experiences at the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) have been amazing.  I have done the dirty work (clean kennels), and the interesting work (assisted with and watched some really cool surgeries).  On the first day at the PDSA I was totally surprised at how big of an operation the PDSA truly is.  There are 4 veterinarians, 11 veterinary nurses (which are like vet techs in the states), 12 secretaries and office workers, and 8-10 kennel workers.  I don’t know that I have even met everyone yet.

            I have gotten to know a few of these employees better than others.  Every morning I start out helping either Innocent or Shaun (but his real name is Talkmore) clean kennels.  It is kind of nasty, particularly cleaning the cages of the dogs and cats that have worms.  After the kennels are done, I usually head to the surgery theater to help Martin (one of the vet nurses).  He has been really helpful and allowed me to assist with surgery prep, including shaving, tubing, and giving the anesthetic as well as the reversal.  I have already seen some very interesting surgeries including an eye removal, a toe removal, a diaphragmatic and abdominal hernia repair, a cruciate repair, a cryptorchid neuter as well as several regular spays and neuters.  In the afternoons, I go to the ICU to help Anika (one of the veterinarians) with various tasks, like x-rays, shots and just general check-ups.  She has been a great teacher, clearly explaining everything I help her with. 

            Aside from the veterinary experiences, I have also learned quite a bit about the culture and had some very interesting conversations with kennel workers, vet nurses and veterinarians.  Before I continue, I would also like to say a little about the racial make-up of the entire operation.  Almost without exception, all of the kennel workers fall into the apartheid racial category of black, the vet nurses coloured, and the veterinarians white.  It took me a few days to realize this, but it makes the apartheid racial divisions incredibly clear and it made me significantly more aware of the lasting effect of apartheid on this country. 

The kennel workers are all around my age and it is interesting to talk to them about pop culture because their exposure to certain things has been a little different than mine.  Strangely enough, they have been very interested in my views on relationships and love, but so far mine have not been significantly different from their own.  Martin, one of the vet nurses, explained why South Africans make a lot of food.  They always make enough food to feed visitors and enough to take the next day for lunch.  They find it incredibly rude not to be able to offer visitors food.  I have also talked extensively with the veterinarians about vet school in South Africa.  It seems just as competitive as in the states because they only have one school for the entire country in Pretoria.  They can, however, apply after completing only one year of undergrad studies, but apparently not many students get in the first time they apply and most finish their undergrad degree before being accepted.

Bird of Paradise Flower at Kirstenbosch Gardens

The Dell in Kirstenbosch Gardens

Lunch at the Tea Room in Kirstenbosch Gardens

On the steps in front of Jamison Hall, University of Cape Town

Day 17

Today started in the pouring rain, so we headed over to the University of Cape Town, only to find that the bookstore was closed, and entrance exams were going on for prospective students.  So we walked around a bit and trekked down to the main bookstore at the entrance to the lower campus.  Several of us bought UCT shirts and jackets, and then we made the decision to continue on to Kirstenbosch Gardens, hoping that the rain would stop.  By the time we arrived, the sun was coming out, and after a great lunch in the Tea Room, we had over two hours of sunny (but chilly) weather to explore the gardens.

Playtime at Thandi!

Enjoying our lunch in the Thandi Farm Kitchen

At Thandi winery

Day 16

A beautiful day for our wine-tasting adventure!  First to Beyerskloof near Stellenbosch - a vineyard which specializes in Pinotage grapes and makes excellent wines.  After sampling a variety of Pinotage varieties, we were back on the N1 and drove across Sir Lowry's pass in a high mountain range to the Thandi winery and farm kitchen, where we enjoyed a delicious lunch and another wine tasting.  Thandi grows grapes for Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Sauvignon.  In 2003, Thandi became the first winery in the world to achieve Fair Trade certification. Thandi’s aim is to empower previously disadvantaged farming communities. With support and mentorship from leading players in the fruit and wine industries, these communities export top-class produce to countries all over the world.  Their love and passion (Thandi means "nurturing love" in Xhosa) has quickly given Thandi a reputation for exceptional quality and the project is now being applied to wine and fruit farms in other provinces around South Africa.  We purchased wine and bags of their delicious apples, and promptly fell asleep for our bus ride back to Cape Town. 

Which Pinotage is best?

Enjoying wine-tasting at Beyerskloof

Laura and Adam focus intently on the discussion - Africa Day

Molly and Dylan take notes as Sam reflects on the discussion - Africa Day

Africa Day roundtable discussion on women in Africa today

Reflection on Internship at Cape Town Refugee Center - Kelsey Smith

Week One of our internship? Check! Everyday this week, we have all
gotten up early (some earlier than others) and travelled to various
NGO’s across Cape Town and into the townships. Our dinner
conversations this week have consisted of mainly of what went on at
our various work places everyday. While there are various amounts of
happiness with different interns, I personally feel I have scored the
best one. Though I may be a tad biased. Also, there are definitely
positives and negatives to each one. But overall, I have to say I am
so so lucky to have been assigned to the Cape Town Refugee Centre. My
first impression was not exactly a happy one. I felt a little as if
the centre was not ready for me nor Abby, who is also working there.
But now that I have moved in, I have discovered that the Centre
actually deals with so many people and that it is just a little on the
disheveled side. While there are times that this disorganization is
nerve-wracking or annoying, it also gives the place a little bit of
charm. How boring would it be to just go to work every single day and
never have to do anything different? The slight disorganization
teaches me so many better skills, like going with the flow, which
Capetonians are apparently exceptional at.
So far at my internship, I have been given my own clients, who come to
the refugee centre to ask for assistance in paying for courses that
they would like to take in order to help improve their chances at
landing a job, my own problems to solve, and have created a new
database to search for different types of clients for myself. I have
also attended both a home visit and a business visit, in which staff
from the CTRC check out both the homes and businesses of clients who
they are looking in to assisting with rent to make sure the client
qualifies for aid. Also, on Wednesday the CTRC helped hold an event
for a holiday known as Africa Day, which is a celebration across the
entire continent of Africa to raise awareness for the countries of
Africa and create a bond across all of the African people. The event
had an audience of over 100 people, many of them clothed in
traditional African clothing, music, poetry reading, dancing,
speeches, and djembe drum playing. The whole event was just an eye
opening cultural experience for me and I thoroughly enjoyed watching
the excitement and bond that reached across the people in the audience
while they chanted and danced together.
I am looking forward to two more full weeks of working at my
internship and I am also excited to see the kinds of things other
people are doing.

Africa Day at the Cape Town Refugee Center

Kelsey Smith at Cape Town Refugee Center's Africa Day celebration

Week 2

Monday through Thursday the students were hard at work at their various internships, engaged in many different activities throughout Cape Town.  Wednesday, May 25, was Africa Day, which celebrates the founding of the Organization of African Unity.  Dylan and Adam worked with staff members at Africa Unite to plan and carry out an Africa Day roundtable discussion on the role of women in Africa today.  Molly reported on the event for the Cape Argus and had her story published in the paper on Thursday!  And Sam and Laura attended as representatives of Black Sash.  Lots of good synergy there, and a great event!  On Wednesday evening, our entire group attended a celebration of Africa day and a performance of the Xhosa play "Amaza" as guests of Artscape where Joanne is interning.  And on Thursday evening several group members enjoyed a performance of "Jesus Christ, Superstar" at the Artscape theatre.  A busy and productive week!

"Don't forget to breathe, Dylan!"

"Make sure and keep all body parts inside the cage!"

View from inside the shark cage

Shark diving cage - "do we really want to do this?"

Happy 20th Birthday, Amelia!

Day 11

A free day for students - some went shark diving(!), some hiked up Lion's Head, some attended services at St. George's Anglican Cathedral, and another group found great Indian food downtown. We also celebrated Amelia Bursi's 20th birthday, with a delicious chocolate cake from Charly's. All in all, another good day in Cape Town.

Nelson Mandela's prison cell

Learning about Robben Island from a former political prisoner

On the ferry to Robben Island

Waiting for the ferry at the Nelson Mandela Gateway

Day 10

Another warm and dry day, though with a few clouds, for our trip to the waterfront and Robben Island. We spent the morning exploring shops and restaurants, than boarded the 1 pm ferry for the island. It was one of the original ferries used to take political prisoners - the trip across the harbor was about 45 minutes and gave us a wonderful view of Cape Town. Upon arrival, we boarded a bus for a tour around the island, which explained its many uses over time - as a leper colony, a prison for troublemakers from other British colonies, a military outpost during WWII, and finally a political prison for South Africa during the years of apartheid rule. We were met at the prison complex by a former political prisoner, who told us how the prison operated, and how the prisoners were able to circumvent many of the rules designed to divide and silence them. Of particular interest was the cell occupied by Nelson Mandela for 18 years, and the rock quarry where Mandela and others toiled at chipping stones from the rock of the island. Our trip back across the harbor in the afternoon was a bit chillier - an indication of the wintry weather which will soon arrive!

Reflection on the Elections - Amelia Bursi, Elizabeth Hatting, and Sara Stubbert

While in Cape Town, we (Elizabeth, Amelia and Sara) are lucky enough to get to work at the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Wednesday they held their municipal elections throughout the entirety of South Africa, and we were able to spend Tuesday and Wednesday observing their center of operations for the Western Cape. What stuck out to us most during the time we spent there was the excitement of the South African people about even the local electoral process. As the South African democracy is only seventeen years old, compared to
the hundreds of years democracy has been around in the US, everyone is incredibly excited to cast their ballot and be represented in the democratic system. Even those in the incredibly impoverished townships we visited earlier in the week recognize the extreme importance of voting and supporting a government of the people. Even the excitement of the presidential elections in the US in 2008 cannot compare to the energy that seems to be sweeping the Cape Town area as a result of the elections.
The other component of our interactions thus far with the IEC and South African students and individuals involved at the center for operations that has been incredibly interesting is the individual responsibility they feel when casting their votes. Trevor, the head of communications and the individual who has been in charge of us for the past few days, was discussing the voting process with us on Tuesday and made a comment that astounded me. Trevor remarked that he asked his child who he would vote for (if allowed) in the elections. Unsurprisingly, the child remarked that he would vote for the party that Trevor supports. The response given to the child (who could not articulate the merits of the ANC beyond familial obligation) was that he should not blindly follow, but rather formulate his own opinions and political affiliations. This entire mindset is just completely different than what we have observed within much of the United States, where individuals are content to follow the politics of their parents or friends without ever being encouraged to question the real merits of the policies being professed. Especially as South Africa moves farther away from the apartheid period, young South Africans are starting to feel less obligation (if any) to the ANC that their parents often felt a great allegiance to due to the party’s work to free the people from the apartheid regime. This seems to indicate movements toward looking to the future, rather than the past, for political decision making and voting behavior for the South African people. This movement can only be a positive as they strive to fix the social, economic and political problems that are plaguing the country.

Student Reflection on the faith experience at Sivuyile National Baptist - Hannah Motes

Today in the house we all showed up to breakfast showered and dressed. Shocking, as this is not expected of college students on mornings after nights out; this scenario would be non-existent if we were not off to Guguletu for a morning service with the Sivuyile National Baptist Church. Most of us were very concerned over appropriateness of dress, as half of the group is catholic or non-practicing-meaning very casual is usually acceptable attire. So after several outfit changes, we were off to experience township faith. Full members of the church were able to wear a black and white outfit, while the rest of the congregation was in various colours. We arrived early and spread out to better mingle with the congregation. The ladies began singing while beating various percussion instruments: including a cowbell. The world could always use more cowbell (thats for you blue oyster cult.) It was a very happy situation, with as much singing as sermon, and gasp!-dancing.-that's right -these women and men dance to god. One lady even got the spirit, which is more typical in a Pentecostal setting, but apparently happens as some of the ladies next to her know what to do. Everyone was very nice and welcoming, and helped us follow, as the service was in isiXhosa-by the way, the unison clicks were awesome. When we left, all the kids wanted their picture with us; it was really cute, I'm a sucker for kids. The reverend introduced us and we will be staying with members of the church during our township overnight. This just correlates everything I’ve felt so far from South African people; the welcoming and automatic acceptance as a friend/family member is astonishing and fantastic. For the most part, people are not suspicious of motives, and genuinely want to accept you, America could learn something from South Africa. On a side note, it was the first time all trip I really had time to reflect over Emily's suicide and my grandpa's death on Wednesday. That, coupled with the emotion in the church made it a really hard day that I honestly wasn't prepared for. However, for the first time in awhile, I was glad to be in a church and felt something-didn't feel quite as alone or questioning for the first time in years.

Reflection on the trip to Cape Point - Jennifer Pearlstein

Friday, May 20, 2011
Today we experienced the expanse of beauty nature has to offer us in Cape Town. We started the day by climbing on boulders on the beach. We snapped pictures all around at the ocean, its raging waves, and the mountains on either side. The weather left nothing to be desired, with the sun cascading over the scene and providing the perfect amount of warmth for those of us in t shirts and shorts.
We then went to Hout Bay, an area known for its fish and chips and white sandy beaches. We scanned the boats docked along the harbor as we consumed our South African cuisine. Many of us, myself included, tasted snook for the first time. Snook is a fish native to the area and caught and sold exclusively on the continent. Although we’ve been told it’s commonly eaten in a dried out jerky form, today we chowed down grilled snook.
After perusing the shops of Hout Bay, we headed towards Cape Point. En route we stopped at Chapman’s Peak. We were awe-struck at the view. Again mountains surrounded us, with the ocean directly ahead. We soaked in the sun, appreciating the view and snapping photos.
We then approached the Cape of Good Hope. On our way, we passed an ostrich reserve and farm. As we headed into Cape Point, we spotted an ostrich couple near the road. We were excited and hopeful for more exotic animal life, with baboons and zebras in mind. Once reaching Cape Point, we hiked up to the peak. We saw the Cape of Good Hope, mountain ranges all around and the “meeting of the oceans” (which apparently doesn’t actually occur at this location anyway). We also noticed tens of lizards and the unique vegetation of the area. We were disappointed at the dearth of baboons and zebras, though.
Following Cape Point, we finally embarked on what most of us had been waiting for…. Penguins at Boulders Beach! The furry friends paved our paths, waddling and squawking and caring for their young. They were just feet from us, flapping their wings and nestling in their feathers. We were all captivated by their interactions. And by how darn cute they are.
After the long day of site seeing, we headed back to the house for a home-cooked meal by our hosts. We were ravenous after the long hike at Cape’s Point and the exhilarating encounters of the day. We just finished inhaling our supper, and are ready to part ways for the night’s activities.

The penguins are so cute...

Penguins at Boulders Beach

The Cape of Good Hope

Cape Point - we made it!

A view from Chapman's Peak Road

At Maiden's Beach, on the way to Cape Point

Day 9

Following Municipal Election day in South Africa (5/18) and the first day of student internships (5/19), we boarded our bus for a trip down the peninsula to Cape Point. Our first stop was Maiden's Beach on the Atlantic Coast, followed by lunch at Mariner's Wharf at Hout Bay. Then we took a scenic drive along Chapman's Peak Road to the Cape. Along the way we spotted ostriches, but no baboons! The weather was perfect for our hike to the lighthouse at the point. Then we drove along the False Bay side of the peninsula to Boulders Beach and a visit to the penguins. Delicious gelato brought closure to an almost perfect day!

Enjoying a delicious braai at Vernon and Esme Rose's home

Reflection on using public transportation - Jessica Petrie

Today we experienced Cape Town public transportation for the first time. Our group was told to take the Wynburg bus to Station Road, so we set off to the downtown area where a herd of minibuses waits. The bus system is fascinating because passengers can be dropped off or picked up anywhere along the route. There was a lot of swerving and sudden stopping as the driver spotted new passengers along the side of the road. Aside from the occasional jolt of sudden braking, however, the trip was going well. What we did not realize though, was that there is a Station Road in every township and we had already passed the one we were supposed to get off at. Once we shared this revelation with the driver he spun the bus around and took us to our destination.
I was very surprised at just how helpful he was. We could tell he genuinely wanted to get us to our destination. After completing our
mission of finding the high school, we needed to find a mini bus going back to Cape Town. This was not at all difficult. Once we got to the highway, one driver, going the opposite direction, swung through several lanes to get to us. Another driver pulled up right behind him and jumped out of his van and blocked the door to the other van. We managed to get into the first van though and drove off. This driver was even more intense about finding new passengers. He created his own lane of traffic between the other lanes and slammed on his brakes faster than any driver I’ve ever seen. Lane lines, speed limits, and crosswalks seemed to be mere suggestions for him. There were five other people on the bus with us and when the driver asked one woman who she was going to vote for in the municipal election she replied that she would vote for the ANC because she was black and had to vote for the black party. The man behind her yelled that that was racist and no way to participate in a democracy. Sadly, the discussion changed to Xhosa so we couldn’t understand the rest. It was surprising to see that political discussions are not the taboo that they are in the US. People seem more willing to engage and debate with others about political issues. I think that this is a good sign for South Africa as it continues the journey to becoming a vibrant democracy.

Reflection on the township tour - Dylan Terry

5/14/11
“My sense of time is different here. I like to call it vacation time. Each day seems to move in normal time, maybe even a little slow, but on Friday the week seems to have flown by. Today is an example of that in miniature. Each part took extra energy to get through, but this morning was only a couple of hours ago. In reality, this morning was ten hours ago. Today: breakfast, Langa, Khayelitsha, townships, lunch, slave lodge, tour, deli, and dinner. And the day is not even over. If that didn’t already seem like a full day, all day was emotionally taxing. The townships were more than I was expecting. I wasn’t prepared to see as much as we did. I knew we would see poverty and pain but I did not realize we would visit a home and walk around. Standing in the cement box called a home made me feel ashamed. I wanted to take pictures to document my experience, but it seemed inappropriate. Like I was visiting something that wasn’t real. Like I was in a museum. But this was somebody’s reality. I was glad to heard him say not to feel awkward. He said that apartheid lasted for so long because it was in isolation. Showing the world the reality of South Africa can change people’s worlds. I still felt awkward though. I felt like I was making light of their situation. Or I was making too much of it. I still can’t tell which. Each bedroom was stuffed completely full: clothes, bedding, beds, just a plethora of things. This stood in stark contrast to the main room which had nothing but a table and a sink. Contrast seems to define this city. Half of the people wave and smile, usually the children, while the others stand, rooted, and stare. It’s hard to guess their emotions. The most contrast could be seen in Langa near the higher class home, or should I say close to the shanties? A street divided the two. Homes on one side and huts on the other. In the same way that the townships glare at the city from across a highway, the huts stand out against the garden and lawns of houses across the one lane street. But they don’t seem to glare with bitterness or resentment. They are just there. It’s like they are resigned to their place. The matter-of-fact nature of it hits me hardest. I am sure that at some depth, probably not even very deep, I will find resentment, bitterness, anger, shame, etc… But on this visit, people just stare without any of those. I think I felt the whole range of emotions just in the morning. Grateful for the experience. Excited at the opportunity. Shame for the disparity. Pain for the people. Those are just a few of the emotions I could find words for much less the many more that evade the proper vocabulary to really describe them. Lucy Campbell said to find yourself, to search for you. The township threw emotions in your face that forced you to look at yourself and begin to analyze.”

Day 6

Today students participated in a public transportation exercise in preparation for starting their internships on Thursday (agencies are closed on Wednesday for Municipal elections).  Everyone completed their assignments successfully and came back with great stories.  The evening concluded with our first South African braai at the Rose's!

Hazar's birthday cake!

Sunset from the Guest House

Inside the command center of the Independent Electoral Commission

The 2011 election slogan

Learning about the role of the arts in building a new South Africa

Day 5

Today we enjoyed a visit to Artscape and a reception hosted by the Director, Marlene Le Roux.  We also visited the Independent Electoral Commission's election headquarters, and saw the nerve center for Wednesday's municipal elections.  Other internship sites were visited more briefly throughout the afternoon.

In the cable car heading up Table Mountain

Lunch at the Rose's house in Bridgetown

At Sivuyile Baptist Church