Erica: approaching the half way mark

Erica receives her certificate at the
Human Rights Training Weekend

I am one and half months into my trip in South Africa, which means I only have two months left in this beautiful country (I wish there was more time). I have been given the opportunity to participate in many events and one of them being the Human Rights weekend. Just like many of my co-educators who have blogged thus far, the Human Rights weekend was very insightful.  I have learned so many new ideas and concepts from this weekend, but what was important and valuable to me is the fact that I can facilitate a Human Rights workshop anywhere I go. It can be in a group of 15 people or speaking to people at home.

As I have mentioned in my previous blogs I absolutely love waking up every morning I know I will be at my internship. Every day I go I have different experiences.  On Wednesday our school began the intervention program.  Intervention is a program where students get extra help on subjects they are falling behind in. This program takes place during the last period of school.  Dan and I worked with the grades 6 and 7 with reading and writing. I enjoyed helping the students with their work, and I loved the expression on their faces when they completed their work or got a correct answer.

Hopefully within the next three weeks, I will be going on Chisana tour. This tour was created by Bradley Naidoo who was an ex gang member.  The purpose of this tour is to create exposure to the lifestyle, history, and the lives of individuals living the Cape Flats regarding gangs. Their goal is to create an opportunity for “people to meet and come together and share an uncommon and completely diverse culture and lifestyle”(Chisana tours).  I am very excited to go on this tour because gang activity and its relations to communities is a subject that I would love to do research on.