Back to:
Alison Zimmer's Review:
The HDEV300I study abroad course is an experience of a lifetime. Not only did I learn about death and dying, but I also learned about South Africa’s history. Dr. Roberts and Luke Angel were in charge of the trip and did a fantastic job making sure it was filled with activities; we always had somewhere to go and something to do. The lasting effects of apartheid, the youth uprising in Soweto on June 16, 1976, Hector Pieterson, Nelson Mandela, Robben Island, and the stigma attached to AIDS are only a few of the educational experiences I had. Each day was filled with different events, in different locations, with different people. I found myself meeting local South Africans daily and greatly appreciating each encounter.
Although this experience was a lot of fun, it was also a lot of work. After being in the field for 4+ hours we would attend lecture and then have the rest of the evening to ourselves. Death and dying is a course that sounds morbid and morose at first, but the lectures ranged from AIDS to xenophobia. Each lecture opened my eyes to different cultural and religious beliefs/customs that I was not aware of. What first seemed bizarre and vulgar now seems beautiful and appropriate. My opinions toward the world have changed and I have transformed many of my own beliefs. Every field trip and lecture added further knowledge to the subject of living and dying during South Africa’s past and their present. On certain days, and sometimes by luck, we had a guest lecturer from the community talk to us about different topics. Through these interactions we learned about funeral customs, hospice care, political issues in Khayelitsha, police corruption, the education system, prevention programs, and many other relevant South African issues.
Most of the nights my roommates and I would do our homework in our apartment or at the local café. The course readings were very interesting and informative, but felt over whelming at times. The daily journal entries required us to reflect on our day as well as incorporate the readings; this took a lot of time but allowed me to leave South Africa with an electronic diary. This class is a lot of reading, writing, fieldwork, and participation; the more you put into it, the more you walk away with. On the nights we were not doing homework, we went out to dinner and to the bars. Everyone on the trip got along really well and I made a lot of friends. I continue to keep in contact with a few people from the trip and we all agree that we miss South Africa tremendously.
For the first two weeks we stayed in Cape Town, which is a well-developed city, in apartments (nice bathrooms, big rooms, and great kitchens). During the day we would go out into the field for a few hours and work with members of the community, then have lecture and discuss the days events/course readings, and after that we had free time for dinner/homework/fun. At night we would go down to the News Café to have a drink and use their Internet connection to email family and friends. The Internet connection was slow and not very dependable, but other than that it was an enjoyable place to end the night. I did not bring a cell phone with me, which I enjoyed not having, so my only connection to home was the Internet. My family was fine with this, but if your family insists on talking to you consistently throughout the trip, you will want to bring a cell phone.
On the first day in Cape Town we had Ibrahim give us a tour of the city. We stopped at the Castle of Good Hope where we were first introduced to slavery in South Africa, the District Six Museum where we were introduced to apartheid and its recent negative effects, Langa where we got out and played with random township children, and heard the history of South Africa throughout the day. Each destination had important significance and endless photo opportunities. For the rest of the time in Cape Town we had Arlene as our guide. She was with us while we worked with HOPE World Wide helping members of the community, went to Vicky’s B&B in Khayelitsha to discuss Xhosa funeral customs and have a walking tour of the township, volunteered with the old-folks at Rebooth, visited the penguins at Boulder Bay, and for the tour of the Cape of Good Hope. She is an extremely intelligent local South African woman who I feel lucky to have met; she made things happen for us and made the trip absolutely unforgettable.
Once we left Cape Town we arrived in Johannesburg. While there we had Lutendo as our guide and he took us to the Apartheid museum, the Hector Pieterson museum, gave us a tour of Soweto, took us to Constitution Hill, we ate lunch in a shebeen, and walked through a natural healer market. By attending museums the knowledge I had acquired from the previous lectures and course readings came full circle. I now understand why the youth uprising had occurred in 1976, why apartheid was unethical and corrupt, and why Nelson Mandela is considered a hero. This country has experienced a lot of death during their recent past, which has led to miserable living conditions for many in the present. Going to Constitution Hill exposed us to African Justice Under A Tree; this motto allows South Africa to use its past to build a better future. They will never be able to forget about what happened, but have been able to convey amnesty to one another and move forward.
We only had a few days to spend in Johannesburg because we had to leave for Dennilton, which was by far my favorite part of the trip. We drove in two vans to the middle of nowhere to plant some trees. Not being one for manual labor I was kind of hesitant on the enthusiasm scale, but once we got there I couldn’t wait to get dirty. The people in that community are unforgettable and full of life. After we planted the trees and ate lunch the kids put on performances for us. I have never witnessed talent so astounding. We all danced and took pictures before we had to leave and it was apparent in everyone’s eyes that no one in the group wanted the day to end.
That night we stayed in a Buddhist temple and had a vegetarian dinner with the monks in silence. Although this sounds like a random experience to have in South Africa, it was one of my highlights. The next morning my roommates and I voluntarily woke up early to watch the Temple sunrise. I will forever remember this morning by the peace I felt while I watched the moon set to my left, the sunrise to my right, and the temple glittering gold in front of me. This is something I am glad I did because pictures were not able to capture the beauty and tranquility of it.
After having a vegetarian breakfast in silence with the monks we headed for Tremisana. That night we went on a safari where we witnessed an amazing sunset, huge termite mounds, and a lion. The next morning we went on an all day safari. We rode in open jeeps and were able to observe many animals in their natural habitat. By the time we were done we had seen a cheetah, elephants, zebras, giraffes, crocodiles, hippos, lions, a leopard, buffalo, wildebeests, impalas, monkeys, birds, and many others. The next morning we got back on the vans for a 7-hour ride to the airport. On the way we stopped at Blyde Canyon to take pictures and say good-bye to South Africa. The canyon was breathtaking and the perfect way to end our trip.
The worst part of the trip is by far all the traveling. Being in an airplane for over 20 hours is grueling but totally worth it. South Africa is an amazing place and going on this trip exposed me to a way of life I never knew existed. Walking through the townships has given me a different perspective on the words poor and small, working with HOPE showed me first hand the disorganization of an organization, and being around local South Africans has given me more patience (South Africans have a different definition of time, things get done at a much slower pace). All of these interactions and encounters have made me look at life differently and have taught me about life and death in South Africa; I realize I have been forever changed because of this trip. My only regrets are not going sandboarding and not going cage diving with the great white sharks.
A few tips:
Do some of the course readings before you leave for South Africa
The lighter your bags…the easier it is to travel
Donating money to organizations is sometimes better than donating supplies
Bring a dependable laptop
Don’t get behind in your class work
PARTICIPATE!!!
Bring shoes and clothes to go out dancing in
Long Street is where the bars are located (Cape Town)
Green Market Square has good shopping (Cape Town)
Practice how to bargain
Never go ANYWHERE alone (it makes people worry about you!)
Do not walk the streets at night
Do not hang your purse on the back of your chair
Bring extra outlet plugs
Bring some sort of alarm
Don’t blow up your blow-dryer/straightener on the first day
Savannah Dry is a cider beer that is delicious