Rina: Changing everyday

I'm changing everyday, I hope everyone at home is able to keep up!  The past two weekends have been incrediblly fun, emotionally taxing, and not to be cheesy, but two of the most life-changing experiences yet.  One thing I like to think about is that every experience I go through, day by day is life-changing, because every experience changes you in some way or another.  Some may not affect you as much as others, and these past two weekends have been extremely influential on me.  

The first weekend get-away was to Malmesbury, a place about an hour away from Cape Town, where we spent our weekend at Goedgedacht, an olive farm.  It was almost like a bed and breakfast, but with homemade olive oils and salad dressings.  However the purpose of our stay at Goedgedacht was not to relax, but to actively learn about human rights, and how to become an educator/facillitator of human rights training workshops.  There were about twenty other people also attending the human rights training workshop; some were a part of Africa Unite, and all were from various parts of Africa, with their own individual reasons for being on the weekend workshop.  We did many activities as well as some informal lectures involving human rights principles.  What I enjoyed most about the weekend was the interactions and connections I had with the other people outside of our UConn circle.  Each person had something unique to offer, and their own goals and visions for Africa, humanity etc.  It was extremely encouraging and empowering to be around so many people that shared the common interest of equal human rights for all.  Talking to some people like Lucinda and Ashley, I was inspired, because even though they know how corrupt and unfair the government and its systems may be, they weren't discouraged.  What was frustrating to me, was knowing what was wrong and knowing the solutions, but the fact that everything takes so much longer to process here.  South Africa is extremely laid back, and getting things accomplished quickly and efficiently is a major challenge.  Regardless, they are patient and willing to deal with it in order to create a better Africa for everyone to which it is home.  Spending the night in the company of our new friends, and star-gazing were just added bonuses to top off the weekend.  

The following weekend a group of 9 of us went to Ocean View, an impoverished township where many colored people had been forced to move to during the apartheid government.  We paired off and stayed with different host families, and they opened their homes and hearts to us, treated us like family, and fed us (too much!)  Kristin and I stayed with Aunty Katie, her husband, and their son; their two daughters were moved out and had families of their own.  One night, it was Aunty Katie's grandson's birthday, and so he had a few of his friends come over, and we had a braai.  Something I realized, talking to his friends, was that some of the colored people in Ocean View really disliked the idea of black people moving into their community.  We tried to explain to the guys that if they were a black family moving into OV, they would want to be treated with fairness and kindness.  Although they agreed, they still argued that black people have been benefiting more after the end of apartheid, compared to the colored people, who have been neglected.  It made me mad that they didn't understand how their way of thinking was the exact way the apartheid government wanted them to think; to turn against each other, divide and conquer.  We tried to explain that it might be better to have some allies, that way maybe some change could come of it, if coloreds and blacks worked together.  The only way to begin is to integrate and allow them into the community.  What frustrated me the most was knowing that this was likely how many of the young people in Ocean View also grew up, believing in these racist, and prejudiced views.  It was sad because these guys were all around our age, and so I knew that they would grow up thinking this way and then pass it along to their children, creating a viscous cycle.

The next day we went to church at Hillsong International, in Canal Walk.  There was an event where hundreds of women were invited from various townships, and provided transportation to Canal Walk.  Had transportation not been provided, however, there would not have been nearly as many people there.  The group of women ranged in age, color, size, and economic background, which amazed me, because everyone was at the same level, in church.  The place hardly looked like a church, though.  It looked like a mall, and the auditorium was a large concert hall, where a band played different religious songs and everyone sang along as the lyrics were being played on giant flat-screen TVs everywhere.  The concept of Hillsong seemed wonderful at first, it seemed like a great charity project, they colllected money to donate to India, and gave out prizes for free dinners and manicures.  The pastor gave a sermon about rising up, and being a strong independent woman.  The only problem was, she never mentioned anything about rising up as a community, and helping each other.  The whole time, everything seemed really fake; there were posters everywhere that read, "You look beautiful," and "Hey pretty lady!"  Afterwards, Kristin and I spent the evening with Bonita (Katie's daughter) and her friends, Roseanne and Sharon.  The women were around our parents' age, but I found it refreshing that we could have a great time with them, chatting, despite the age gap.  We spoke about God and our image of "Him," or if God is even a man, or human for that matter.  We decided that God is in each of us, and that we need to first believe in ourselves before we can help others.  We also chatted about education systems, the government in South Africa and the US, but also about family, friends, and Facebook.  I enjoyed hanging out with Bonita and her friends, and I could easily compare her relationship with her friends to the one I have with mine.  It made me happy to see they had stayed friends for so long, and grown their families while staying in touch.  It was inspiring.