Sam is grateful every day for this experience

I can’t believe I’ve been home for over a month now. I still think about my experience like it was yesterday, and I wish it was! Even though its good to be home it just feels so different. I definitely notice myself thinking about things differently and from a different perspective. I notice how I think about things through this different perspective, but I’m still not quite sure how to process it.  Even though I’m not sure how to process it I know that I am thankful for it- that I’m not so quick to think in a certain way.

It also feels so strange when I see people and ask me about my trip- like when I run into somebody at the grocery store and they ask how it was how can I even begin? I have found myself just sharing the big things with people that I am closer to and have more time to talk about things with.

I am still in contact with my people form Christel House which makes me so happy. I love getting emails from them! Hearing from them makes me feel like I left something with them and I am grateful for that.

Every day I think about how grateful I am for this experience and know that it is only the beginning for many great things to come. 

Sam's final week

Yesterday we had our last dance class in Manenberg which was amazing. The girls were so happy to be there and we could really tell how much it meant to them. They had practiced the dance from last week and knew it perfectly which shows how much it means to them. We also left them with some food and a lot of clothes we are leaving behind. Seeing how excited they were and how appreciative they have been the entire time was so worth everything.

This morning at Christel House I handed out 280 blankets to students. Their faces say it all and exactly why it was so worth it for me to do. These kids are amazing and will be in my heart forever. The kids are going to keep their blankets with them at school because if they were to take it home it would most likely be gone within a day, and even though this is so sad I am so happy they have these blankets to keep at school. There are no words for how much I'm Going to miss them. They have inspired me so much and I am without a doubt going to pursue my career in social work that much more because of them.

 

 

 

Sam recaps the last two weeks as her count down to departure begins

Last week was our excursion which was great! To me, the beginning of the week was a little slow but definitely very interesting and important to see. All of the museums made the events that we have learned about seem so real, especially with pictures and exhibits. I think the Hector Peterson Museum and the Sharpeville Exhibit resonated with me the most in seeing all of the pictures portray those horrific events in history. Pictures truly do speak 1000 words and being at the place and seeing and learning about what had happened there felt so real. I remember at each museum thinking "wow, people actually had to go through all of this" and feeling very emotional and sad for such innocent people. I also was so blown away at realizing again just how much bravery people had to fight for their lives. i really can't put into words how astonishing this history is. 

Internship has been going well! I've been a lot more involved in creating processes for children that relate to their anger issues, social issues, etc. I even wrote up a whole process document for an anger management group and we will be beginning the group soon! i like who i am working closely with and i know I'm going to miss christel house so much. it is definitely going to be hard leaving the kids. I have raised enough money to buy 300 blankets for the kids at christel house!!! 

 

This past weekend i helped with the admissions process for the upcoming school year which made me realize how great of an organization christel house is. parents are literally DESPERATE to get their kids in. there were over 300 applicants yet only 30 open spots for grade R, which makes me sad that so many people won't be accepted. 

It is SO crazy that we have just 12 days left here in cape town. i keep replaying january 16th in my head when we got here and i just can't grasp that this journey is actually coming to an end. I'm definitely ready to hug my parents but its just so weird that this has been home for the past few months and soon i'll be returning to my other home. 

Sam impressed by kids wanting to learn

Molly & Sam with some learners from their dance class

Our dance class has been going so well! Even though we haven't been able to go every week or cut it short because of shootings, we can tell the kids are getting so much out of it. We begin with Molly teaching technique and then I will teach them a different dance each week. It always amazes me how well they're doing and how fast they pick it up! They are so eager to learn more. Seeing their eagerness makes me happy and feel accomplished because it was one of our aims to give them a hobby and a skill to work at. When we got back from excursion we were so impressed with this one girl who has been practicing her technique so much! 

When the shootings prevent us from being able to go, it is such a reminder that this is their lives and how hard it is for them to break the cycle. thats exactly why i appreciate so much them coming to our dance class because we can see it in them that they want better for their futures. 

I know the kids at Christel House would love our class too but it is hard to find the time to be able to do it! We're still trying to work on that, but last week a few boys inspired me with their hobbies. They took it upon themselves to present to their teachers and principal on why they should have a "fun day" to celebrate their last year before high school and had a huge and organized plan with a day including sports, debates, fun lessons, etc. These boys are in 7th grade and included debates about current issues in their fun day!!! (and they're the pretty popular guys). 

It amazes me how much having certain hobbies and interests can keep these kids focused on their life goals. 

Sam's time to reflect and reconnect

This weekend was a relaxing yet enlightening weekend. Everyone was away so the house was quiet so I could truly reflect on how our time here in Cape Town is wrapping up. I can't believe we go home in five weeks. Writing the nonfiction paper also made me think just a lot about South Africa as a whole and reflect upon its troubled past. I read and wrote about the Soweto uprising which is another event in history that is just remarkable in its bravery and consciousness of sticking up for equality. It just boggles my mind again to hear about such a troubling past.

This weekend I also was able to go get dinner with one of my camp counselors from 9 years ago who lives in Cape Town. I love being able to reconnect with her after all of these years, but now I feel that I know so much more about her life and history. Obviously when she was my counselor 9 years ago I was not concerned with anything more than what activity she would be taking us to next, but now being older and more knowledgeable about where she comes from it was great to be able to connect with her in a deeper and more meaningful way. 

Sam and camp counselor from 9 years ago, Tammy. 

Sam trying to process her experiences here

I realize I haven't written in a while but I think it's because so much has been happening and I'm still not quite sure how to process it all. 

At work I have been really bonding and getting to know the kids so closely which is good but also kind of depressing because then when I get briefed on their cases and home lives my heart breaks. 

One first grade boy who runs up to me every single day has experienced such horrific violence and I don't know how he can come to school every day with his bright and adorable smile.

 This is the link to part of his story, it's public and on the Internet so I figured I could share to give you guys an idea of what ALL of these kids go through.

This is 1 out of over 700 stories of the kids at Christel House and it's just the beginning of what goes on in their lives. It gives me so much perspective on life and makes me realize how truly lucky I am for my upbringing. 

I also feel very fortunate that a lot of these kids are so warm and loving to me. I was given probably 20 birthday cards on my birthday and probably 200 hugs! It's going to be so hard leaving these kids. 

My sister and cousin were here last week and it was an amazing time! I'm glad that I got to show them so much of Cape Town! I was also happy with their reactions of coming to Christel House and the township tour because they were blown away just as I hoped they would be. They told me that in that short time they saw the poverty and issues just shouting out at them they were given a lot of perspective as well. 

Yesterday Molly and I went to Mannenberg for our dance class but unfortunately and sadly right when we got there they sent us home because of gang violence that has been occurring. The day before a child had been caught in the crossfire of gang guns and is now paralyzed. I was literally in shock after this afternoon because we have been told about these realities but this time I experienced it. I was also so sad because the kids that have been coming to the dance class have been loving it and thriving from it and I was sad that now we have to wait another week to see them and dance! One of my students at school who has a lot of emotional issues because of his home life comes to the dance class and each day at school he tells me how excited he is for class and right when we were sent home my heart broke for him because when leaving Christel House I said "see you later!!" and there was such excitement. 

I think through all of what has happened especially with the kids at school I am just gaining so much perspective on how people around the world live and realizing how these young, Innocent, precious kids live just blows my mind. 

Sam finds every day amazing

I am seriously amazed by something new every single day here. 

At work I learn so much from these kids! I am so grateful that they are so willing to open up to me and trust me. But I think what amazes me each and every day is when I see their bright smiles. 

Yesterday I was observing in a 2nd grade class and there was one boy who looked incredibly sad and wouldn't speak and just wanted to hug the teacher. The teacher told me that his mom had passed recently from AIDS and he is still very upset about it, his dad is nowhere in the picture and is raised by his grandmother. This boy made me so sad and I tried to cheer him up and it worked a little bit. Then today, the same boy RAN up to me full of smiles and jumped on me for a hug. He said "yesterday was so sad but today is happy and I want to hug you!" and it just amazed me. This boy is so young and only has his grandma taking after him and its just so frustrating to me because for the rest of his life he's going to go through all these ups and downs and have nobody. 

Sam & Molly with kids at dance class

Molly and I started our activist project which went well! We split the dance class into 2 different age groups. The first group was all young kids and wow were we in over our heads when we thought we could teach them ballet.. they do NOT have the attention span or control for that SO we decided next week we will just do something along the lines of an (organized) dance party to release their energy and get them moving in a positive way. It went really well with the older kids though!! They were very interested and eager to learn ballet and are very excited about the class. Molly and I work perfectly together because she enjoys teaching technique and I enjoy teaching choreography so it will be good that we can both use our strengths. We also gave them dance shoes which they were SO excited about! It’s definitely going to be a lot of fun!