Yesterday, we had the opportunity to go to one of the primary schools that the Amy Biehl Foundation runs for the children living in the townships of Cape Town. These children have next to nothing, but are able to smile and find so much joy in the simple things of life. They brought so much joy to my heart with their sincere smiles and happy faces. It was such an eye-opening experience seeing how these children are able to find happiness even with having so little. It helped me take a step back and realize how thankful I am for all that I am blessed with and to be happy with my life. I feel like at times, I dwell on things I don’t have that I want and perhaps overlook the things and people I have been blessed with. Being in these townships with the happy children immediately gives me a reality check and puts things into perspective about what I should be caring about.

During this after school care program, the kids are able to choose one thing to specialize in, whether it be music, sports, dance, art, or English as a Second Language (ESL) class. While we were there, we got to see a guitar love song performance from some of the younger schoolboys and a song and dance performance from some of the other children. During the guitar performance, I was actually pulled out of the crowd to join in a dance with one of the guys! I was so nervous that my hands were still shaking when I sat back down to continue videoing the classroom performance! The dance performance at the end was a showcase of their talents, and I fell in love with this one little girl who was a fabulous dancer with a sassy and cute attitude. I got to talk to her for a little bit at the end where I got a hug and a high five! I can’t wait to go back to the school to hang out with the children again. They made me so happy!

Yesterday was one of the coolest days of the trip so far.  We started the day off by watching a video clip about Amy Beihl, a young woman with a passion for bringing about social justice in South Africa.  Born in California and graduated from Stanford University, Amy moved to South Africa to help work toward a democratic South Africa and improve voters’ rights.  She actually helped write South Africa’s new constitution after apartheid.  Amy took to the culture, learned the Xhosa language, and often forgot that her skin color came with a hated stereotype in the area.  In an uprising, Amy happened to be passing through the wrong place at the wrong time.  She drove into a mob of angry black people, who surrounded her car and forced her out.  They then stoned her and stabbed her to death at the young age of 28, simply because she was white, and not realizing that she was on their side and working to improve the equality in South Africa.

We took a trip yesterday through the townships and got to see the exact place Amy was forced out of her car and killed.  I was shocked by the “shanties,” “squatter houses,” or shacks, basically, that the people in the township lived in.  They are made of sheets of tin and some parts are only cardboard.  They look like they would blow away with a passing wind.  And most of them are only one room, the size of a normal American walk-in closet.  The structures had tires, clothes, and other forms of debris on them being used to hold everything together.  On the outside of most of the shacks, dogs sat.  They appeared to be sitting with their specific home, not running off, being aggressive, or even acting interested in anything.  I wonder how often these dogs are fed, since people probably don’t have much food for themselves even.

Seeing that so many people live that way was really eye-opening to me.  Apparently some of the townships have up to 1.3 million people living in them.  When we got to the school where the Amy Beihl Foundation holds afterschool activities and learning, everything changed from depressing to uplifting.  The kids we encountered were all so happy.  They were also extremely respectful of their teachers, leaders, and anyone who tried to communicate with them.  The talent they had is incredible – in dancing, singing, musical instruments, etc.  When some of the young girls sang, it was Whitney Houston’s voice coming out.  They all wanted to play with our hair, dance with us, and they all asked when we were coming back.  I can’t wait to go back to the Foundation during my Service week and spend more time with these kids.

Claire Warder

University of Georgia

Class of 2013

Recreation and Leisure Studies

–Kevin Chaplin.

Our guest speaker in class today was Kevin Chaplin he spoke about leadership and goal setting.  Maybe sounds a little bit boring but he was so great! His energy, stories, and insight were derived from true passion and he was really inspiring.  Currently, he helps run the Amy Biehl Foundation, which is an after school program across South Africa for the school children here, but was a successful business man in Cape Town before.   Tomorrow we are going on a tour of one of the schools and I’m really excited but pretty anxious about how the kids will be.  Kevin talked about having passion in whatever you do in life and that was great for me to hear because I have been struggling in not knowing what I want to do once I graduate, but his advice was reassuring because he said you can make a difference in whatever profession you are in just by the way you treat people.

After the speaker we went to Table Mountain. I was so excited for the adventure and wanted to keep a really great attitude especially after Kevin spoke.  It was a lot hotter than I thought it would be and uphill the ENTIRE time. So. Many. Rocks. Anyways, the adventure up was really fun and once I was on top of the mountain I did not want to leave.  The view was unreal and staying positive with my new friends was a good bonding experience too.  I definitely want to hike it again before we leave and am looking forward to hiking Lion’s Head at sunrise next week.

-Hailey Blackburn

Junior

University of Tennessee

Studying Marketing and International Business

Yesterday, upon our arrival at the Amy Biehl Center in the Gugulethu Township, the kids had some pretty special performances planned for our tour. After the obligatory introductions and a little background information about what the kids do every day in the afterschool center, we were led into a class room for a recital. We heard violinists, drummers, and singers. Most impressive, however, were the dancers, one little 6 year old girl specifically. The stomping and clapping and hip shaking were mind blowing…I was utterly impressed.

What impressed me most was how put-together and prepared these young kids were for our arrival. They showed no signs of stage fright and each knew their next step…some even looked to be as young as six years old! At that age—and now still—I would have never been able to perform in that way (or at all) in front of us forty-five Springboks. They exuded intensity and especially confidence and I walked away with sore cheeks from smiling so hard.

-Caroline Steffens

University of Georgia

Journalism Major 2015

These circumstances were conditions created by a government that taught hatred of any other race. Her parents chose to forgive these men for their crime, the murder of their beloved daughter, because they knew that is what Amy would want. The strength and courage this must have taken is unimaginable. Instead of forever holding hatred in their heart and letting this hatred fester, they chose to continue Amy’s work and begin the foundation in her honor. This foundation provides after school programs for children living in the poverty-stricken townships outside of Cape Town. The after school programs function to keep these boys and girls off of the streets and away from drugs, gangs, and other detrimental life choices. It also encourages the education that was so unfairly taken away from these people during Apartheid. Not only is this foundation continuing Amy’s legacy by helping thousands of young children, it is helping a country forgive just as Amy’s parents did.

The hopes of this foundation is that eventually the black African community will be given the same opportunities as white Africans, mixed Africans, or any other ethnicity living in the country. This goal could mean that one day, maybe, the atrocities of Apartheid could be forgiven but never forgotten. Just as Amy’s life and death drives the motivation of the Amy Biehl foundation, the painful memories of Apartheid drive the movement towards an equal life for all Africans.

-Mary Conaway

Junior

Nursing major

University of Tennessee

Erin Gordon

Upcoming Sophomore
Nursing Major
University of Georgia

Honey Bennett

The University of Alabama

After reading the sign, it made me reflect back on my climb. For the first time I was okay with not getting to the top first. I began to appreciate the time I took to climb the mountain. When we first arrived I was very intimated by what we were about to climb. From my view it did not seem like there was a clear way to get to the top and I was beginning to wonder if I would even be able to make it to the top! Once we started our trek up the mountain, all 140 of us were in a big line to the top of the mountain, this did not last very long. After the first 10 minutes, people began setting their own paces, leaving a lot of gaps in the group. Instead of focusing on getting to the top, I began to look around and I was amazed! Every view was breathtaking. At the beginning of the climb I would look up the mountain and just look at the formation. Table Mountain does not look real, it just looks like it was made by someone and dropped into Cape Town. I could not get over the fact that it has been here the whole time.

Not only were the views amazing but the physical aspect was incredible as well. In order to climb the mountain it felt like every step was a lunge. It took a lot of strength to get to the top. I knew the climb was going to be a challenge but I was not expecting it to be that way. So with each step I took I felt stronger. It was an amazing feeling! Even though I was not racing up the mountain I felt empowered as I was getting closer and closer to the top. It was a great feeling that I was accomplishing something personally while at the same time having the privilege to look at the most beautiful view in all of Cape Town. I felt truly blessed.

So once I reached the top, I began to realize there was so much more than just being on top of the mountain. It is standing on top of the mountain and looking down and seeing how far you have come. I started at the bottom and now I was standing on the top and it didn’t seem so scary anymore. Instead of thinking of things that made me nervous, I could look back on all of the things that made it worth the adventure. It amazes me that after only 3 days in Cape Town I have already had such gains. I know this trip is going to be so much more than I ever dreamed it could be. I’m looking forward to where this journey is going to lead me to

“So don’t be afraid to make mistakes, stumble and fall, because most of the time, the greatest rewards come from doing the things that scare you the most. Maybe, you’ll get everything you wish for. Maybe, you’ll get more than you could have ever imagined, who knows where life will take you, the road is long and in the end the journey is the destination.”

-One Tree Hill

Libby Coan

University of Georgia

•  Table Mountain- Climbing Table Mountain was on my bucket list from day one. I have never hiked a mountain before and was determined to hike this one. The hike was a tough one, but SO worth it and more rewarding than you could imagine. It was like when people hike in the movies and get to the top of the mountain and all of a sudden the music starts playing, there’s a panorama of the scenery, and the person is in awe. That’s exactly how I felt. After being so tired and worn out from the hike itself, I was immediately reenergized by the view at the top.

• “Death by Chocolate”- I have conveniently renamed a dangerous dessert that some friends and I discovered a couple of nights ago. I don’t even remember the correct name, but it’s like chocolate lava cake times infinity. I’m sure this hot chocolate pudding and I will be seeing a lot more of each other.

• District 6 Museum- District 6 and it’s museum tell an amazing story of a community rising above their oppression, a forgiving heart, and moving on. The people who lived here had their homes taken away by the government and today, have found a way to forgive. This is a lesson we all could learn from.

• Diversity Panel- The diversity panel was a group of people who spoke to our class about their unique experiences during Apartheid. Most of them lived in District 6 so they brought the museum we had just seen to life.

• Kevin Chaplain- What an amazing man! When I think of the good he has done for others and the honorable life he leads, I am in awe. He is a successful businessman turned successful humanitarian who aimed to bridge the gap between races after the apartheid. Through his WATCH model and a humble heart, he continues to provide a better life for those in need.

• Moyo Dance Experience- After our traditional South African dinner on Monday, Moyo began playing a song very familiar to we Americans. I’m not sure of the exact title, but Shakira sings a song that says “This is Africa” in the chorus. A huge group of people began dancing with the waitresses. We were all so energized by being in Africa and this is slowly becoming our theme song for the trip.

• The Scenic Walk to Class- There are three huge landmarks in Cape Town: Signal Hill, Lion’s Head, and Table Mountain. Each morning on our walk to and from class, we are able to see these breathtaking land forms. It is a great reminder of where we are and how blessed we are to be here.

• Amy Beihl Foundation- The organization aims to provide after school programs for the young children of Cape Town in the memory of an American, Amy Beihl. The story behind the foundation is another inspiring tale of reconciliation and forgiveness. After seeing first hand the children who benefit from this program, I am once again speechless and in awe.

• Bucket List- On the first day, we made a bucket list out of paper chain links. I don’t think I made enough links because everyday I discover something else I want to do! I was able to mark two things off this week: hiking Table Mountain and being an Adventurous Eater. Both of which paid off.

• Grocery Shopping- I struggle grocery shopping at home so finding groceries here was overwhelming! I had to take it slow and read every label. I think I’m ready to make my second trip, though because I’d like to branch out a little more. I only came away with frozen cheese pizzas and PB&J this time, but I’m sure I can do better next time.

I wish I could list everything I loved but that just wouldn’t be practical because I honestly love every single thing I encounter.

Allie Herndon

Junior

University of Georgia

Early Childhood Education

Here is some food for thought: One of our professors, Chase, read this to us Monday, and one of the panelist read it to us today…

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words. Watch your words, for they become actions.  Watch your actions, for they become habits. Watch your habits, for they become character. Watch your character, for it becomes you destiny.”

I wish you all well!

Laura-Hill Nash

University of Georgia

Major: Music Business and Economics in The Terry School of Business

Year: Junior