Alex: reflecting on time in Cape Town

Prior to leaving Cape Town reach co-educator wrote a paper in response to the following questions: How do you expect the experiences and knowledge gained this semester to influence your future career and life choices?; What have your learned about race and gender that you believe is important for you to know as you strive to become a more well informed global citizen?; What have you learned about yourself that you believe is important for you to know?  

Alex has agreed to post her answers as her final entry on this blog.

Upfront I would like to note that I’m not sure I will be able to accurately put into words my true feelings about this program, the experiences I have had, and knowledge that I have gained while being here. When a place is able to truly impact one’s life in so many ways, I think it is hard to describe, and actually capture everything you want to say. Each day here has been a learning experience that I will be able to use for the rest of my life. Each person I have met has touched me one way or another, and I have learned more about peoples, cultures, and languages in three and a half months than I have in twenty years. These experiences and knowledge I have acquired over the months will definitely influence my future career. Having been able to intern at such an incredible non-profit organization, and seeing how they operate, will help me in the future when I apply to work at other non-profits. From my internship I’ve learned so much about working with people from different background and cultures, ways to communicate and get around language barriers, and how to learn new material quickly. All of these experiences will be most beneficial in helping me in the future. These experiences will also definitely influence my life choices. Taking the chance to come here showed me that I should grasp every opportunity presented, and I think I did that to the best of my ability here. Seeing how amazing the results are encourages me to continue accepting all options and opportunities. Everything I have been exposed to while in Cape Town will greatly affect my life choices. Whether it is being more sensitive and understanding about other peoples’ lives, or venturing back to Cape Town as soon as possible, I think that each day I live will have some part of Cape Town in it.

I think it would be impossible to come to Cape Town and not learn about race and gender. The “Rainbow Nation” has done a great job at exposing me to a variety of cultures and peoples, from whom I’ve learned so much. I think one of the most important things I’ve learned about race by being here is that it is completely arbitrary. I knew this when coming here, however learning about South Africa’s past, and just how random the racial categorization process was, really shows me how insignificant it is. Knowing this, and how continuing to use racial categories established during such a dreadful era can perpetuate racism is important. I can take away this knowledge and work to end it in the other cultures and countries I visit. The same is true for the knowledge I have gained about gender. Learning about it both in the classroom, as well as through people in the city, I think it has helped make me a much more informed individual. Seeing how the language we use can imply certain gender roles, and how we tend to neglect we are doing it because it is so “normal” in society, has really opened my eyes and has made me more conscious of how I speak. In addition, being in South Africa and learning how in certain cultures men treat women, or vice versa, is incredibly important. I’ve learned how women tend to stay in these roles, and I think this information will help me in the future trying to advocate for equality.

           

Being in South Africa has done more than just teach me about race, genders, and cultures; it has taught me so much about myself, as well as my place in the world. Through my experiences here, such as the Human Rights weekend, discussing topics with my co-educators and friends I have come to realize that what I believe is okay. I’ve always been told I am too idealistic in my thoughts and beliefs, however it is being in Cape Town that has showed me that that is okay, and that there is no such thing as “too idealistic.” I think most importantly I have learned how to be self confident in all that I do, and that mistakes are okay to make. I’ve also learned a lot about how I interact with others and how I tend to handle situations. From being around large groups of people, conflict is almost inevitable, and that is one thing I always strive to stay away from because it makes me anxious. However, from being here I’ve learned how to deal with my feelings better and in a much healthier manner. I think another thing I’ve learned about myself is that I’m extremely comfortable in foreign places, even if I am suddenly the minority. I’ve always loved people, but I think I’ve become much more outgoing here and learned about a whole new comfort zone that I have. All of the things I’ve learned about myself while in Cape Town have truly given me a sense of my entire identity. As cliché as it sounds, I think through my experiences here I’ve learned everything there is to know about myself at this point in time. My favorite thing that I’ve learned about myself by being here, however, is just how happy Cape Town makes me.

           

 

From experiences that have taught me about myself, to knowledge about other peoples, culture, and history, Cape Town has opened so many doors and opportunities for the future. I fell in love with the city from the very beginning, and the longer I have stayed here the more I never want to leave. The people I have met and grown close to have shaped my life in so many unexpected ways. A spur of the moment decision to come here, has turned out to be the biggest life changing trip I’ve ever taken. Marita, you were right- Cape Town really is amazing, and once you come here you’ll never want to leave.