As I sit here on my last chunk of 30rand internet time, I find myself wondering what will life be like when we come home. Before traveling to South Africa I had never studied away before. I was excited to learn and to show how much I had already learned but I was completely unaware of how much changing I would do on this trip.
I have been challenged to try new things, to try and learn the customs of cultures that are completely different than mine, and to try and survive in a country that is extremely complex. The people of South Africa struggle to form a nation because of significant setbacks like the gap between the rich and the poor, and aids, and an education system that is superb in some respects and severly lacking in others. Learning about these struggles was intense at times but also helped put life into perspective. One of the things that really struck me was that education is definitely not free, and not guaranteed. There are certain subjects that are compulsory but thats only for children that can get into their closest school.
I also have always been relatively privleged my whole life in that I've never before had to bathe in water that is brown (but passed the test!), or cringe because the clean water I am drinking tastes absolutely horrible. I've never gone to a school where computers were nonexistent and where girls leave school to give birth to babies and then come back in two days.
This may be painting a picture of South Africa as a third world country but this is not necessarily the case. Here the affulent and the poverty-stricken live next door. This country is First and Third. Although this may sound incredibly sad i is not a depressing place, because the people who are living in townships (in shacks made of spare wood and tin), and those living in rural Xhosa villages have taught me so much about true happiness and community. These people have rich traditions and customs that they are willing to teach to anyone who cares to learn. They are warm and welcoming with overwhelming personalities and hearts.They will feed you, let you stay with them, dress in traditional clothes and perform for you, and most of all educate you.
So, now it is almost time to go home and leave the beautiful, welcoming country of South Africa. It is time to see exactly how much these challenges have changed us, I have learned so much from this experience and the people we have met here... I can't wait to come back!