Amariliz trying to make sense of her experience

The excursion. I do not know how honest I should be or how honest I am allowed to be.  I also don’t even know if have any credentials to make my judgments or pass my criticism. I do not want this to seem like I am unhappy with the excursion because this is not the case. I just simply want to allow myself the freedom to speak what was on my mind while walking through Sharpeville memorial and through the other museums on our excursion.

I think it is best to start with the overall impression. First of all I will leave Kruger out of this. Let’s face it there is no way to make a game reserve bad. The only improvement would be to stay at the Park forever and roam free with the wild animals. This is clearly impossible.

I think that the trip to Johannesburg served its function. It was a good experience. I thought it was helpful to become immersed in the history that we are taught in Vincent’s class. The events were no longer names and points on a time line. Due to the trip I felt that they became real. On a personal level I learn better when I can picture the topic and when I can hear personal accounts. This trip was an experience. We were able to walk through Soweto and take presence in Sharpeville. I also thought it was important to see that the concept of Human Rights Day has controversy.

Also on a personal level I am not too much of a museum person. I think it’s an attention span thing and also I rather hear personal accounts from different people lives than historical noted events. For me and I only speak on behalf of myself this was too many museums in a short period of time.

Basically while we were taking our walk through the Sharpeville museum, inside I thought it was awesome. I thought it was very important to commemorate and remember those that died in the struggle of apartheid. But as we left the museum and proceeded to walk around the area I could not help but being annoyed. Why is so much money being put into the past? When here in the present there is so much that still needs to be developed and worked on? Looking at the local school, I thought to myself, all the money that was spent in the memorial could have been spent on books, desks, teachers and even a better learning environment. I know that people died for their freedom and the museum represents that and provides their deaths with meaning.  But what about the meaning of the lives for the people who are still a part of the community?  I also found issue with the fountain. Really? I mean yes the structure is beautiful and so is the message. But what about the message that there are still people who do not have access to water in their own community?  I don’t know . This is just what was going through my mind.

I think what is really important to admit to myself and to all reading the blog---Had I been given the choice of this excursion or doing my own thing.  I would have to say that I would not have elected to spend my week this way with the exception of Kruger. For this reason I do believe that the excursion served its purpose. I was forced/given the opportunity to indulge in a break but also to indulge in a learning environment.