South Africa – Final Reflections

I went to South Africa for the first time in the fall of 2000. I was a college student then and the trip was part of Semester at Sea study abroad program. Cape Town, being a port on our itinerary, quickly became one of my favorite stops at that time, among the ten different countries we visited over a span of four academic months. The trip happened almost eighteen years ago and I still remembered the way Table Mountain stood proudly over the majestic city.

Tonight I dug out my old journal from that first trip. I wanted to see what I had written down as my impressions of South Africa. During the time of the voyage, I had a habit of compiling an itemized list of what stuck with me the most after each country visited. When I turned to the last page, I became a bit surprised. My reflections on South Africa in the year of 2000 were almost exactly the same as my reflections of the country in the present year of 2018! My neatly written entries spoke of the awe of Cape Town’s natural beauty, they stressed my guilt and despair over the economic and racial separation I witnessed and recollected that my favorite part of the trip involved visiting various townships and connecting with the local people.

I guess some things just don’t change all that much, do they?

As a matter of fact, here is what my itemized list of top experiences looked like in the year of 2000:

• Langa township
• District 6
• Elegant and rich Cape Town
• Incredible nightlife
• Penguins!

And if I was to compile such a list today, here is how it would compare:

• Langa and Soweto Townships
• The wounds of history present on every corner
• The fancy parts of Cape Town
• The warnings of high crime and my stolen purse
• The natural beauty of the country
• The animals!

So maybe over the years I have become just a tad bit more sophisticated in my writing, but overall my experiences were shaped by very similar perceptions. Perhaps, as Katherine Hepburn once said, “You can’t change the music of your soul.”

Today I’m sharing the last of my favorite images from South Africa. They are of the natural beauty that the country offers and I must say, that beauty is absolutely unparalleled. The rugged coastline of Cape Town will captivate the greatest of cynics. After all, how can you not fall in love with endless sea spray of crashing waves that reflect rainbow after rainbow backlight by the late afternoon sun? How can you drive by nonchalantly ignoring the weathered face of Cape Peninsula’s most grandiose mountain? And if the African sunsets don’t put you into a little bit of a nostalgic mood, I really don’t know what will J

South Africa, thank you for showing me your beauty, letting me in on your biggest challenges and allowing me to partake in the greatest adventure that you are!