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South Africa

South Africa

Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust – Internship

6/17/05

Week two. I still love this place. I’m starting to wonder if there will come a time that I don’t love this place.

This past week, I began an internship with a well-respected organization called Rape Crisis. Not many people in our group have the opportunity to stay in the township for work. Many of them are working in the city centre or in Observatory (Obs). As an outsider, I’ve been working to understand how the organization works and learn just how I can be a resource or help. There’s a teeter-totter feeling right now as I vacillate between what I think is appropriate and/or useful.

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South Africa

Khayelitsha, Home Sweet Home

In Khayelitsha, the community accepts outsiders as family. This isn’t a process that’s earned or takes time, it happens immediately. Older people are addressed as “Mama” or “Dada,” younger people are “sisi” (sissy) or “brother.” Host families are just that – your family. That feeling I had arriving in Khayelitsha the first day, it was indeed foreshadowing.  Continue Reading

South Africa

Arrival in Khayelitsha

Molweni! Unjani? (Hello! How are you?)

I’ve officially been living in Khayelitsha, a township (or province) of Cape Town, for the past week.We packed up the kombis (comb-ease) and set off to the second part of our journey last Tuesday. Driving out of the city and into the township our leader, Scott, began to tell us more about the community in which we were about to live.

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South Africa

Cape Town to Khayelitsha

6/03/05

Tomorrow we move out of our posh, cozy guest house at Hillcrest Manor and prepare to move into Khayelitsha. Nervousness and excitement are blending together for me today. Change can be so scary when you’re uncertain of what comes on the other side. I did know this experience came with many changes and phases of adjustment and we are currently preparing for the largest change since we arrived on South African soil. Continue Reading

South Africa

Travel Day

5/30/2005

I LEAVE TODAY!

Finally! I have to be at the airport at 5am … it’s currently 12:23 am. I’m thinking there is not much sleep to be had in the near future. My poor house. My poor sister roommate. My house looks like ground zero of a bombing mission. My “carry-on” contents are strewn about the kitchen. How I’m supposed to get all of that into one teency little pack is beyond me. The rest? Well … my room is clean! Sadly the contents of it have found a new home in the middle of the living room. Continue Reading