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| Caitlin & friends enjoy a day of sandboarding |
Recently we've been doing a lot of
fun things on the weekends, such as skydiving, sand boarding, hikes, and
shopping. While it has been really fun (and exhausting!) I always feel a little
uncomfortable telling people at my internship about these things on Monday mornings
when they ask me how my weekend was. I'm well aware that most people in Cape
Town can't afford to spend money on these kinds of leisure activities. Even
hiking requires money for transportation, and we usually take cabs. I know that
on the weekends I'm experiencing a very different side of Cape Town than the
people I work with. It can be a weird transition to go from a work mindset to a
vacation mindset in the same week! I've been trying not to feel too guilty
because I still want to enjoy my time here while I learn. However, sometimes
the difference in privilege and the unfairness of it hits me all at once, and
it can be a paralyzing feeling. It's also weird to think that I never really
worried too much about this stuff at home- I knew I had privilege and that
inequality existed, but it wasn't constantly in my head and outside my window
every day. That's why I'm excited to complete my documentary for my activist
project and bring it back to show people in the US. I think it's important for
other people to experience these same realizations and start thinking about
themselves in a global context. Even though I won't be able to give people back
home the full experience of being here, if I can give them a taste of what it's
like and get them thinking about it, then I will have succeeded.  |
| The sandy "streets" of Khayelitsha near where Caitlin interns at Treatment Action Campaign. |
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