I did a fair bit of research into South Africa, but throughout the first week, it has continued to blow my mind. Not only is it one of the most gorgeous physical locations I have ever traveled to, with its beaches, mountains, sunsets, and more, but the country and people themselves are beautiful as well. Even as tourists, we have been welcomed and embraced by the locals here and it is such an incredible culture to take in. We began the trip by touring various spots such as Table Mountain, Castle of Good Hope, Aquila Safari, and other spots in and around Capetown, and with each, we learned a great deal about the politics, history, and culture of South Africa and also how they are continuing to change and evolve. It was shocking to a lot of us to learn how recent a lot of the social and legal developments have been and how much change the people still believe needs to happen. An especially impactful experience we all had was yesterday when we ventured away from the ?touristy? spots and walked around one of the townships. Our guide there was extremely vulnerable with us about his upbringing and the current ones of the township residents and to say it was eye-opening would be putting it lightly. It both made us grateful to have had the opportunities we did, and also exposed us to a very different perspective. One of the things that really stood out to me was how despite the circumstances, everyone still embodied such joy and gratefulness and it is an attitude I am looking to portray more of as I continue on this trip and as I go back home. Another thing that was evident there and throughout the trip is the aspect and attitude of community and truly looking out for and caring for one another. While America tends to portray and praise individualism and every man placing importance on their own successes and trying to get ahead, the people of South Africa at their core live for each other and depend on one another and it’s beautiful to see. The power of family is so strong here! One of my absolute favorite ?fun? moments so far was when we got to paraglide off of one of the mountains!! It wasn?t on the schedule, but myself and a couple of others convinced our trip guide to work it in, and as an adrenaline junkie, it was one of the most exhilarating experiences I have ever had!! Another ?bonus? venture I went on was a sunrise hike up Lion?s Head Mountain and I loved interacting with not only more beauty but also locals and people from other spots around the world. Overall, South Africa has been impeccable and has been nothing what I expected, but in a positive manner and I can?t wait to soak in every experience on the rest of the trip!
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