As orientation comes to a close, I
have been reflecting on all of the exciting and eye-opening things we have done
over the past two weeks since the start of our program. We saw the beauty of Cape Town, as well as getting
an inside look at the hardships that Capetonians have to deal with on a daily
basis. This past week, we visited the
District Six Museum, the Slave Lodge in town, Robben Island where political
prisoners including Nelson Mandela were held during Apartheid, and various
townships including Langa, Gugulethu, Khayelithsa, Mitchell’s Plain and
Manenberg. There we saw the reality of
how many people in Cape Town live in informal housing and the high unemployment
rate. Although seeing that made us quite
upset, we did visit an artist project in Langa that helps previously unemployed
people learn to make beautiful art to make an income. There we met a man named Odon who creates
gorgeous sand paintings of animals and landscapes. It was great to see the creativity that
emerges from these places as well. |
| Some of the art work at Guga S'Thebe Centre in Langa |
 |
| Odon demonstrates his art of creating sand paintings |
In addition, this past week we
visited everybody’s internship placements.
It was wonderful to get a chance to see where everybody will be
interning over the next three months, and all the organizations in Cape Town that
help improve the lives of so many. When
we visited my site (where I will be working with Emily L, John and Maria),
Maitland Cottage Hospital, I was thrilled to finally see the hospital and meet
some of the staff and patients. It is a
pediatric hospital, and while interning there, we will get the chance to help
with the daily hospital routines, physical therapy, watch surgeries, and I will
also be assisting with an art class. I
am thrilled to begin working at the hospital.
Our work will be extremely rewarding, and hopefully it will help me
figure out which area in the health field I would like to enter in the future!
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