Jillian continuing to co-educate . . .

Even though I’ve been home for a month already, it feels like my trip to South Africa was just yesterday. Everything I’ve learned in Cape Town has stuck with me and has been helping me continue my growth and do many of the things I’ve been striving to do since my experience abroad. I’ve been following the news more and staying informed with things that are happening around the world. I’ve also incorporated conversations about race and discrimination into my conversations with friends and family. Even though no one else completely understands what my experience was like, everyone has been eager to hear about it and has tried their best to understand. Before being in South Africa, I was afraid to have these types of conversations and would never speak up about anything about race, gender or class. After returning, I’m finding it so easy to talk about it. My hometown is not diverse at all and I was sheltered from poverty and racism for so long, which makes me extremely grateful to have been able to go to South Africa. Even though I’m not seeing the struggles people are going through around the world, I know it is occurring everywhere and I’m thinking about ways I can help often. I’ve been able to educate my friends about the world more and they all seem interested to learn more. I’ve also been able to have more conversations with my friends who are black or colored about their experiences. I’m learning so much at home just from talking to people and if I never went to South Africa, I don’t think I would be having these conversations. I miss the lifestyle in Cape Town and I miss the hospital I worked at because I was able to see the direct impact I was having on people’s lives. Even though I cannot see that at home, I have hope that what I’ve learned in South Africa will continue to help me educate others and impact people, however small the difference may be.