Diplomacy Week photos

Here are some photos of the students serving at a primary school and the Amy Biehl after school program in a local township!

Our last bit of Cape Town

Diplomacy Week

We all loaded the buses heading for either a primary school or a high school. We were all excited about getting to interact with more children and to get to play with them. My community group went to a primary school. When we arrived we were told that the students were in the middle of exams and we were shown a room to sit in and wait. It gave us some time to ask a few questions to try to find out as much about the students and how we could be most effective in our short time. We were finally shown to the classroom of students that we would be working with and we all introduced ourselves. There were about eighty students sitting in the classroom eager to meet us. Next we took them outside and divided them up into two groups. We tried the human knot game and several others but it was hard to do with such a large group. We then told them to circle up so that everyone could take turns showing us a dance. All of the children loved this idea and before we knew it they had each of us in the center of the circle joining them.
We finally headed back into the classroom with the students. Once back inside we spent time answering some of their questions. A lot of them had questions about America and about of feelings about South Africa. We also asked several of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up. It was so exciting to hear all of the big dreams that they had for their futures. We tried to encourage them to stay in school and to not give up their dreams in order to make their dreams come true. We also asked the children who their role model was. Several of the children chose American celebrities but several children said their teachers. It showed how important these teachers are to these children and how much they look up to them. We explained to them a little about the Global L.E.A.D. program and several of the children thanked us for coming. The children all sang their national anthem for us and it sounded so beautiful that when they asked us to sing I was a little nervous. It finally came time for us to leave and as I was walking away from the school I realized that I may have come to the school thinking I could teach the children something but I definitely walked away having learned a lot from them.

-Anna Carroll

Diplomacy Week

We all loaded the buses heading for either a primary school or a high school. We were all excited about getting to interact with more children and to get to play with them. My community group went to a primary school. When we arrived we were told that the students were in the middle of exams and we were shown a room to sit in and wait. It gave us some time to ask a few questions to try to find out as much about the students and how we could be most effective in our short time. We were finally shown to the classroom of students that we would be working with and we all introduced ourselves. There were about eighty students sitting in the classroom eager to meet us. Next we took them outside and divided them up into two groups. We tried the human knot game and several others but it was hard to do with such a large group. We then told them to circle up so that everyone could take turns showing us a dance. All of the children loved this idea and before we knew it they had each of us in the center of the circle joining them.
We finally headed back into the classroom with the students. Once back inside we spent time answering some of their questions. A lot of them had questions about America and about of feelings about South Africa. We also asked several of the children what they wanted to be when they grew up. It was so exciting to hear all of the big dreams that they had for their futures. We tried to encourage them to stay in school and to not give up their dreams in order to make their dreams come true. We also asked the children who their role model was. Several of the children chose American celebrities but several children said their teachers. It showed how important these teachers are to these children and how much they look up to them. We explained to them a little about the Global L.E.A.D. program and several of the children thanked us for coming. The children all sang their national anthem for us and it sounded so beautiful that when they asked us to sing I was a little nervous. It finally came time for us to leave and as I was walking away from the school I realized that I may have come to the school thinking I could teach the children something but I definitely walked away having learned a lot from them.

-Anna Carroll

Our return to St. Lowry's Pass

Today goes down as one of my favorite days in Cape Town! The weather was perfect; there was not a cloud in the sky, and we were able to wear shorts and flip-flops. Our group was going back to Sir Lowry’s Pass, the township where we spent the infamous twenty-four hours. We were going to spend the afternoon in the township and cook our families lunch. It was exciting to be a part of a service project where you got to see the people you connected with for a second time. Everyone on the bus was reminiscing about each township family, and we were all anxious to see what they had been up to since our last visit. Right as I stepped off the bus, my mom, Cheryl, met me with a big hug and smile. The moms and kids in front of the school were so excited to see us again! I asked Cheryl how her son, Duncan, did on his drawing test that he had taken the morning after our first visit, and she was interested about the details of our trip to Kruger National Park. It was just like catching up with old friends. Duncan and Candy, Cheryl’s oldest daughter, were at home waiting for us, and when they saw our bags filled with ingredients for tacos, they told us they had never eaten them before. They were such a hit; and the cookies that Meghan made after were even more of a hit!
After lunch, we walked with all of the kids to the rugby field past the train tracks. Pictures don’t do this scenery justice. The kids get to play underneath the shadow of Cape Town’s Table Mountain everyday, and seeing all of the kids running back and forth across this landscape gave me great peace at that moment.
At about four o’clock, it was time to go. Everyone took his or her time saying goodbye, not wanting to take the first step onto the bus. We knew this would be the last time, at least on this trip, that we would see our township families. Cheryl gave us her contact information, and the five of us students waved at her through the bus window until we couldn’t see her face any longer.
The service aspect of Global LEAD came alive for a lot of us today. We are making relationships here, and the people we met in Sir Lowry’s Pass are moms, husbands, sons, and daughters that we will remember for the rest of our lives.

-Caroline Dwight

Kruger National Park! 5 Day Safari

Our Kruger experience started on a charter bus- surprise!- that we took to the airport dark and early on Monday morning. Check-in went astoundingly smooth for the sixty or seventy collegians and alum. We stopped and grabbed a quick breakfast, yummy toast and eggs and tomato, the entirety of which I proceeded to spill into my lap. We boarded our appropriately colored Mango Airlines plane and landed in Johannesburg a mere two hours later. Then we took a charter bus- surprise!- to Kruger, which was about five hours away.

The lodges at Nkambeni were pleasantly tented and rather open to the wilderness of Kruger. They were very clean and nice, but I couldn’t actually sleep all week for fear of a spider in my sheets or lizard in my pillow. A cool experience overall, though! The food was also awesome- I don’t think anyone had any complaints, as long as you didn’t make the mistake of asking for a grilled cheese. Global LEAD's first safari experience was on Tuesday. Our wake-up call was a loud knock and “hello” at the tent door. Everyone was bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, no doubt expecting to be stupendously mauled by one of the thousands of anticipated lions first thing that morning! It didn’t quite work that way, though. We crowded comfortably into a fleet of thirteen-passenger Land Rovers, making our way quietly toward the African bush.

My group immediately spotted a rhino in the distance, and a myriad of other fascinating creatures were unveiled throughout the day including: wildebeests, giraffe, crocodiles, impala, elephants, warthogs, meer cats, impala, buffalo, hippos, birds of all sorts, impala, kudu, rock jumpers, zebra, mongooses, and even the rare but beautiful impala. A few groups of lucky dungheads even spotted a Leopard! By the end of the first day, we were all well on our way to seeing the Big Five.

On Wednesday we took mini buses to Chimp Eden, a fascinating reserve sponsored by the Jane Goodall Institute. A woman named Sophie showed us around, feeding the chimpanzees and telling us some very disheartening stories about how our furry friends had been saved from the cruel hands of circus and pet-owners over the years. We learned that chimps should never be kept as pets, as they are naturally very aggressive and five times stronger than the average human male. A full-blown male chimp fight, for example, involves removed testicles, faces, and limbs. Yikes!

Our nighttime safari drive was Wednesday night! Again excited at the prospect of seeing a lion or leopard hunting prey in the cool, misty twilight, we bundled up and crept along the evening route. My group waited patiently in one spot until we finally saw a Serval, which is an extremely rare, nocturnal, cheetah-like feline. Wikipedia declares that the serval is “reputed to be the most effective hunter of all mammals in the animal kingdom.” Even our guide Jaques was quite excited that we saw it!
By Thursday, I was starting to doubt the very existence of lions, let alone the prospect of us actually seeing one in person. But as we spotted a few more animals throughout the morning and the sun appeared for the first time since 1972, our spirits lifted and lion sighting rumors spread before lunch! Joanna stood over our guide as he scarfed down a sandwich and we were off again, desperate to find the lion before the rain let loose! We finally found two gorgeous lionesses lounging in a humid, grassy opening. They were sound asleep and barely glanced up as our vehicle parked next to them; lions clearly have nothing to fear! We filmed and photographed, thrilled to have finally concluded our lion hunt and big-five sightings. We even saw a male lion in the distance less than an hour later on our way back to camp.

The safari taught us a lot about animals, extinction, and the circle of life, but our biggest lesson manifested in learning quiet patience between animal sightings. I think we learned a lot about each other during those intervals, anticipating the next animal and entertaining ourselves with games like “Jelly Tots.” I’ll always remember how exhilarating it was to look for and observe these beautiful animals, and I hope that preservation efforts of their natural habitat continue to succeed. WE SAW LIONS!!!! So cool. ☺

Carter Coyle and Joanna Harbin

Wrapping Up Education Week

Today marked the end of our eight mandatory class meetings and no person could have ended it better than one of the “Ten Outstanding People in the World” – our own Garrett Gravesen. Most of us know Garrett for his completely over-the-top, loud, go-getter personality, but today he showed us all a different side. Garrett opened with the statement, “You can be anything you want to be.” I have heard this statement thousands of times in my life, but for some reason this time it really hit me. Over the past three weeks, we have all had the opportunity to hear from speakers such as Dr. Betty Seigel, Mr. and Mrs. Dooley, and Kevin Chaplin. All of these people throughout their lives have become something great by reaching out and making themselves vulnerable, just as Garrett did six years ago when he came up with the crazy idea of creating HERO. Being great is a choice, and all of these people chose to find their passion and motivation in life to be what they wanted to be.
Garrett told us the story of his visit to Harvard University his freshmen year. While speaking with his girlfriend and some of her classmates, he asked them what it took to get into Harvard. After answering with, “I got a perfect score on the SAT” and “I am the number one flute player in the United States” they asked him “what are you good at?” At that moment, he stepped back and realized that he was not actually great at anything.
The message Garrett delivered to us today is a message that everyone can learn from. There is a difference between being great and being great at something. True greatness is to use great skills and help other people. Do not worry about expectations and boundaries. Follow a passion and be what you want to be. If you do this, you will be great no matter what.
Before ending, he posed the question, “What does it mean to be great on a day-to-day basis?” I thought for a while and realized that the answer to me was pretty simple. Being great on a day to day basis is staying true to yourself. I know that many of us get caught up in being involved with something great without actually being great. I challenge myself and the rest of the Global L.E.A.D members to go home after this trip and find out what makes you “great”.
--Jenny Harvey

Wrapping Up Education Week

Today marked the end of our eight mandatory class meetings and no person could have ended it better than one of the “Ten Outstanding People in the World” – our own Garrett Gravesen. Most of us know Garrett for his completely over-the-top, loud, go-getter personality, but today he showed us all a different side. Garrett opened with the statement, “You can be anything you want to be.” I have heard this statement thousands of times in my life, but for some reason this time it really hit me. Over the past three weeks, we have all had the opportunity to hear from speakers such as Dr. Betty Seigel, Mr. and Mrs. Dooley, and Kevin Chaplin. All of these people throughout their lives have become something great by reaching out and making themselves vulnerable, just as Garrett did six years ago when he came up with the crazy idea of creating HERO. Being great is a choice, and all of these people chose to find their passion and motivation in life to be what they wanted to be.
Garrett told us the story of his visit to Harvard University his freshmen year. While speaking with his girlfriend and some of her classmates, he asked them what it took to get into Harvard. After answering with, “I got a perfect score on the SAT” and “I am the number one flute player in the United States” they asked him “what are you good at?” At that moment, he stepped back and realized that he was not actually great at anything.
The message Garrett delivered to us today is a message that everyone can learn from. There is a difference between being great and being great at something. True greatness is to use great skills and help other people. Do not worry about expectations and boundaries. Follow a passion and be what you want to be. If you do this, you will be great no matter what.
Before ending, he posed the question, “What does it mean to be great on a day-to-day basis?” I thought for a while and realized that the answer to me was pretty simple. Being great on a day to day basis is staying true to yourself. I know that many of us get caught up in being involved with something great without actually being great. I challenge myself and the rest of the Global L.E.A.D members to go home after this trip and find out what makes you “great”.

--Jenny Harvey

Reflection on a dollar a day -- life in the townships

On Monday after our speaker, they told us we had an hour to prepare and pack before we departed to the townships. We were to go and live with a family and truly experience what it would be like to live off a dollar a day. I’m glad that this was not a planned event. It caught many of us off guard and brought people slightly outside their comfort zone which I think is healthy.
It didn’t really sink in what was happening until we got off the bus in the township. We were immediately greeted by many people and children with smiling faces. We split up into groups and met the mother of the family we would be staying with. Our mother was incredibly welcoming as she showed us around and took us to her home. I was immediately surprised how nice her home was equipped with a basic kitchen, three small bedrooms, bathroom, living room and even a television. Nonetheless, the square footage of the home was probably equivalent to some of our parents’ living rooms back home.
I spent the day outside interacting with the children in our area. After a couple playful games of rugby, I learned some other games they played involving string and marbles. I though it was amazing that although these kids have close to nothing, they are still so joyful and full of life. Our mother walked us around to other houses of her relatives and friends. We would walk in and see anther group of LEAD students singing or dancing with the people. It was very apparent to me how much these people valued friends and family and are content with what they have. One may say ignorance is bliss, but I think these people really know what life is all about. This experience will likely be one that many of us take the most away from.

--Jordan Drake

Education week continued...

Today was the third day of education week for the Global L.E.A.D. program. The speakers for the day were Louis and Leone Van Der Linde and one of the many students they have impacted with their pay-to-read program. Though there are similar programs in the states, none I have heard about have been able to make such an impact, on so large a level. To be able to motivate a mass of students to read these books and actually incorporate what they have read into their everyday lives is truly amazing. Being able to hear first hand how the program was able to make such a strong impression on one of the students helped our group understand what the program was about. The program works to take some of the school’s most troubled students and transform them into the schools best.
Apart from speaking about the book program, Leone spoke about the power of giving and not only how it makes a difference in the lives of those you give to, but on yours as well. She spoke of the power of dreaming and always doing your own thing. The moment in her speech that stuck out the most personally was when she said that you should give like a tree. “The tree does not discriminate between the rich or the poor, it gives unconditionally.” What a way to live, you don’t think about giving, you just give to those who need it most. Leone then moved on to speak about our overnight trip to the township, which we learned she coordinated. Before we arrived in the township and even after we left, none of us knew where the food that the soup mothers provided the children came from. Today we learned that all the food came straight from the Van Der Linde’s. I cannot begin to express the inspiration I felt coming out of the speech this morning… I can only hope that one day I can make an impact somewhat similar to theirs.

--Josh Green

Seven day Victoria Falls off week trip

During our off week, twelve of us had the opportunity to spend seven days visiting four countries: South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Zambia. Along the trip, we had tons of opportunity for adventure and exploration within the communities and interaction with the locals. Personally, my favorite part of the trip was the couple of days spent in Zimbabwe.

Our first fully day in Zimbabwe, the boys and girls split up for some adventure activities in the morning. The girls made their way toward the falls to go gorge swinging while the boys made their way to the Zambezi river for some fishing. Gorge swinging was incredible! I partnered with Jenny and we volunteered to go first, luckily, as we soon figured out its a lot scarier to watch then to actually gorge swing!

 In the afternoon, we all met back up to see the Falls, one of the seven natural wonders of the world. They were truly amazing and beautiful to see! Unfortunately, a camera can't come close to capturing the scenery or majesty of this natural wonder, although part of me is glad that I experienced it for myself and not through a camera lens.

After walking out of the falls completely soaked by the mist, we returned to the backpacker to change for our Mighty Zambezi Booze Cruise. The Zambezi river splits four countries, two of which we had the opportunity to visit, Zimbabwe and Botswana, and one of which we made a short stop to on our cruise, Zambia. During our cruise, we saw elephants bathing in the river, hippos peering just over the water and alligators watching from the banks. We also had the chance to watch a purple/orange sunset unseen in the States.

On second day in Zimbabwe, we woke up early for a walking elephant safari. We all paired up and hopped on our elephants with a personal guide. At the end of the excursion, we were able to feed the elephants through their trunk as well as their mouths. It was so much more than I ever expected! Also, at the end of the safari, we were able to purchased a footprint of our elephant in order to fund efforts to reduce poaching, which many of us did.

After the safari, we finally had the chance to shop at the market, which was truly an eye-opening experience. Vendors wanted to negotiate prices and trade things with you. The items at the market were extremely impressive, all hand-carved figurines of the big five, bowls, bracelets, etc.

Visiting Zimbabwe was an amazing experience that I personally will never forget! The people, the scenery, and the adventures offered in the town surrounding the falls is unmatched by anywhere I have visited previously. I hope to some day return to Zimbabwe and give back a fraction of what I have taken away from my two or three days in the country!

-Brooke Ray

Education Week -- a life application

Monday June 1^st kicked off Global LEAD’s education week.  Our group was fortunate enough to have Kevin Chaplin, the executive director of the Amy Biehl foundation, come speak to us on the importance of “The Power of Living.  The Power of Giving.”  He was an inspiring and relatable speaker – he mentioned many practical aspects of the business world and how one can be ethical and socially responsible while also running a successful business.  When he took over the Amy Biehl foundation in order to try to save it from going under – he had to personally fund the program for a while but he knew that in time, things would turn around, and they did.   

            After Mr. Chaplin’s talk Garrett “the Rule Breaker” Gravesen (better known as GG) stood up to close out our day.  Instead of breaking into our community groups to discuss our speaker’s lecture, as we have done before, Garrett announced that we would all be leaving in one hour for the slums.  He announced that we were going to spend 24 hours in the slums in order to see what it’s like to live off a dollar a day.  There were mixed emotions from the group at the news – some were very excited, some were apprehensive – no one knew what to expect.  We were told that we would be safe and that we’d be splitting into small group to sleep in the soup mom’s houses.  Soup moms are ladies who go to the school and cook for hundreds of children. 

            Stepping off the bus to children holding up notebooks to get my autograph isn’t the way I expected to be welcomed.  The purpose of this visit was for us to get a glimpse of what their lives are like on a daily basis.…. to put on their shoes for a while. I wanted to help with chores and they wanted to treat us like celebrities or royalty of some kind – that part felt pretty wrong.  Although a huge group of us just rolled up on a bus to invade their space for a bit I think that the intention of our visit was obvious – we came because we care and we would like to continue to bridge the racial, socioeconomic gap that plagues their country and ours too.  We want to learn as much as we can while we’re here.  Seeing the children (and adults) without teeth, proper health care, shoes, clothes, and other everyday essentials will hopefully weigh on the hearts of the group so that when our time here is through we’ll be able to give back… whether it’s in South Africa or Clarke County.             

            The experience was very interesting and also extremely overwhelming.  I’ve seen poverty and worked with poor people my entire life but I haven’t been able to put myself in their shoes like I tried to over the last 24 hours.   My group’s soup mom is Charmaine Steyn.  She was wonderful and treated us like her own children.  Her daughter Janine and her friend Jeremy walked us around the township and made sure we felt at home.  Janine wanted to show us all the pictures from her 21^st birthday and Jeremy is a talented guitarist and played for us.  My group of four went to church with Janine and Jeremy which was different than anything we’d ever experienced.  There is a major emphasis on family in the townships – everyone takes care of everyone else.  It’s not uncommon to have grown children living with their parents, usually it’s for financial reasons but they operate as a strong unit in what most would consider dire circumstances.           

            My only regret about the entire trip is that because we had no notice about the overnight stay – we didn’t have substantial food to bring with us.  We were only given two loaves of bread and some milk to give to our family.  Next time, and hopefully we’ll get to visit over the next weeks that we are here, I’d like to bring more food and prepare a nice meal for them instead of using their food and having them prepare food for us.   These 24 hours were important and I will never forget them.  This time grounded the group and brought us back to why we are spending this time in Cape Town.  

 --Liz Gaughf

"Scatterlings of Africa" - Garden Route

Last week was designed to give those of us here in South Africa an extended chance to take advantage of all Cape Town and the surrounding region has to offer. Being of increasingly audacious spirit and curious mind, I decided before this trip began that I would be a participant in one of the "off-week" adventure tours the Global L.E.A.D. program would offer. In a country filled with numerous uplifting landscapes and opportunities to make memories unimagined before,the chance to lose myself in a week of boundless exploration and fellowship was an easy decision.
Beginning early Monday morning, fourteen others and I set off on a five day journey in which we explored and experienced South Africa's popular Garden Route to its fullest capacity. What an amazing time we had!
I'm not sure I will ever get another chance in my life to do so much in the spanof a week's time. Over the course of our five days, we went sea kayaking in thepresence of playful fur seals, canoed up a glassy river and hiked to the spectacle of a rhythmically flowing waterfall, encountered and rode elephants in theirnatural sanctuary, felt the adrenalin rush of the world's highest bungy, zip-linedthrough the air over the scenic earth below, rode on a game-drive in one of thecountry's twenty national parks, surveyed the chambers of caves millions of years in age, and visited an ostrich farm rich with history in the industry of meat processing and leather production. Talk about five days packed with tons of fun and excitement!
My favorite memory from the trip would have to be my mission of conquering Bloukrans Bridge, site of the world's highest commercial bungy jump at 216 meters. All throughout the trip, the thought of relishing in the adrenalin of this free fall stayed fixed inside my mind. I knew that if I didn't push myself to theedge and complete the jump, I would regret it for the rest of my time here in South Africa and probably forever afterward. The people at Bloukrans have a saying that goes, "fear is temporary, regret is forever." Bailing out was not an option. What I came away with was without a doubt the most exhilarating and breathtaking feeling I have ever felt. The jump is furious and tranquil all at thesame time. During the initial free fall you have no time to think about the enormity of the test you're putting your body through. Only after the fall is finally over, do you have the chance to look back on what just happened andfind yourself at peace with it. I'll never forget the vivid memories I have of before, during, and after the jump. My mother was very happy to hear I survived Bloukrans, but she would not be pleased to know that I would do it again in a heartbeat!
Beyond the incredible activities I experienced on the trip were the chances I got to get to know those around me every single day. Our days were filled encouraging each other to push ourselves to our limits and our nights werespent sitting around toasty fires gazing up at African skies, enjoying the company of one another, and savoring tasty meals with our most hospitable hosts. Those times are priceless. I learned so much about myself over thecourse of the week, but building friendships and learning about others is specialand can't be replaced.
We were especially fortunate to be led throughout the route by two very intriguing people, our guide Christo and our driver Jason. Very wise at 22 years of age, Christo has already faced so much in his young life and he had an incredible amount of knowledge to share with us about his time spent "in the bush" and his life as a young Afrikaner. Jason is an eccentric character whoreminded me a lot of my Uncle Max back home. His love for South Africa as anAfrikaner floats on every passionate word he speaks and even though he is older he is definitely still young at heart. On more than one occasion we foundourselves as the last two still awake, sitting around the fire listening to eachother's stories, sharing memories of days gone by and hopes of days to come.All of the people on the trip were amazing and this only strengthened the magnitude of the times we spent together.
We all have to let life happen, but the great thing about this life is how easily wecan control how we spend our days. Perspective and purpose, knowledge and wisdom. I feed on these things. This trip was awesome because I was surrounded by truly passionate people who want to get the most out of their time in South Africa just as I do. As we heard "the White Zulu" Johnny Clegg singso many times throughout the week, "spirit is the journey, body is the bus, I am the driver, from dust to dust, trying to be near you, searching for a way, listen to your life song, before it fades away."
My life song was playing loud and clear this past week...and I know fourteen other people who would agree with me. Great times with brilliant people, and many more to come!

-Scott Sumner

Each day this week, those of us who stayed in Cape Town on our off-week have had the opportunity to do extra service work.   One organization that we have gone to work at, Themba Care , is a hospice for children with HIV/AIDS.  Today my group went to go play with and nurture the children who are there.  When Themba Care was created in 2002, the death rate was 77%, but today its only 2%.  Themba Care has become a place where children can go and get healthy so that they can return to their homes.  Even though many of the children have families, there are several that will have to be placed in foster care after they leave Themba Care.

Most of the children there were babies and young toddlers.  We got to hold them, give them their bottles, and love on them. Our group lucked out because no one needed their diaper changed.  There were two toddler girls who were probably two years old, and they loved playing with sunglasses.  They would put them on and pose for us.  It was really cute to watch them try to put the sunglasses on themselves—they always ended up upside down or hanging on one ear.  After we were there for a little while, some older children came into the center when school was out.  They were around five years old and immediately decided to make Mark a human jungle gym.  They just laughed and laughed when he would lift them up to touch the ceiling, and it didn’t take long for everyone to want a turn.  Some of the older girls also liked to play with our hair, and we taught them how to put it in a pony tail.  Even though several of them were very shy, it did not take long for them to start laughing and playing.

Being at Themba Care was both a rewarding and humbling experience.  I realized that the smallest actions, like holding a child, giving a child a high five, or helping caregivers out by feeding a child a bottle,  can make a difference.  I also remembered how fortunate I am to have grown up healthy with parents who always take care of me.   

--Lia Conrad

Today was just an ordinary day. We saw the most southwestern tip of South Africa, traveled through various bays along the coastline, and were forced to visit a penguin colony. Life is tough. A group of us arranged a tour of the Cape Town Peninsula, which follows much of the southwestern coastline of Cape Town. This adventure lead us to visit the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point (they are not the same thing as we once thought). Cape Point is the most southwestern tip of South Africa, which allows its visitors to hike up to an old lighthouse and look out over the Pacific Ocean. The views were stunning and the weather was perfect. As we left the great peninsula, we then traveled to a penguin colony located in Simon’s Town, a small community along the coastline. Hundreds of penguins waddle around in tuxedo suits playing with each other and enjoying an occasional dip in the ocean. To finish the day off we enjoyed a lunch at an old seafood restaurant in Kalks Bay. One-day-old fresh tuna and fish and chips were of the favorites ordered in our group. The rest of the Global Lead group left today for Victoria Falls and the Garden Route. The few of us who have stayed in Cape Town will hopefully enjoy more adventures around this beautiful city!

--Nancy Wilfong

Today was another ordinary day in a nation that is eerily reflective of the United States. I spoke for a few hours today with one of the front desk attendants of Lagoon Beach, the hotel/apartments in which we stay. His insight into South African economic and social development provided a new perspective which we had yet to receive. He grew up in a townships and through hard work, pulled himself, and his six-year-old son out of the grip of poverty that so tightly holds millions of citizens of Cape Town. Though we’ve observed that racial integration has been smooth, he recounted stories of discrimination similar to our home in the southeastern US. As a contrast to the US, nearly all jobs, including those in the fast food industry require a minimum education of what is essentially a high school diploma. This seems like a hinderance in allowing uneducated township citizens to better their lives by obtaining jobs to provide for their families. He told us about the corruption within the current government, a widely shared sentiment among locals. They appear to be embezzling tax revenues through the Bureau of Labor. He was unsure of any potential solution for this problem.The most interesting comment he made was regarding the current two party system that existed in South Africa. He commented that it seemed as if neither party was willing to put its own political ambitions aside for the betterment of the general populace. Sound familiar Americans?

--Eric Friedman

Today was definitely an intriguing experience as we journeyed to Franschhoek for a vineyard tour and wine tasting. For someone that's never tasted wine or was fully aware of the proper wine tasting techniques, I learned a ton. We were told the in's and out's and the wine industry and devastated to learn that the grapes weren't juiced via foot stomping. =) Our guides also dispelled my myth that red wine comes from red grapes and white wine from white grapes. It takes about 5 years maximum to produce a bottle of wine, and at this particular location they have the added hassle of fighing off wild animals such as baboons and leopards. After our tour, we then embarked on the highlight of our trip for most, wine tasting. I took this opportunity to learn the 3 fundamental steps of wine tasting: swirl, smell, and taste! We were given two types of white wine and two types of red wine. The white wines were generally sweeter than the red but none of the four pleased my taste buds. Following the wine tasting we proceeded into the town for lunch. I met a man named Alfred, from Malawi, who was selling crafts and jewelry with his wife and son. He approached me with a warm, welcoming spirit and began to talk about some of the items that sparked my interest. He mentioned how he saw me as his long lost sister, and how he dreams of coming to the states and interacting with his extended family. Our discussion was so heart warming. We learn in school that African-Americans generally descended from Africa and to come to South Africa and hear somebody call me their "sister" is amazing! That interaction was more meaningful than my wine tasting experience. It reminded me that this trip is about more than being a tourist in a foreign country; it's about the moments. My moment-interacting with a total stranger and feeling as if I’m among family.

--Cori Pinkett

Swimming with the sharks.. what?!

Today was absolutely amazing! Although we had to wake up bright and early to load the buses at 5:30 am, we didn’t mind because we were full of excitement and eager to go shark cage diving! I have to say that I was quite nervous and my stomach was completely full of knots, but everyone in our group came together to support and encourage one another. After we arrived and unloaded the bus, we settled down to a nice breakfast before we faced the great white shark- another creature that was probably getting ready to feast on his own breakfast (and we were just hoping it wouldn’t be us!). The captains then escorted us to the boat so we could begin our adventure at sea. The sight we were brought to is nationally known for it’s numerous great white sharks, and it is actually feeding season in South Africa so the chances of seeing a great white doubles! We were then divided into groups of four to go into the cage where we would be dropped into the ocean to experience some one-on-one time with a great white shark. As we climbed into the cages and dropped down into the cold water, our fear suddenly turned into anticipation and excitement! The crew was able to lure in quite a few sharks, and they came within touching distance to our cage. We could physically touch this man eating creature if we wanted to- we were that close! At one point, one of the sharks came close to biting the edge of the cage and we were able to see his enormous, sharp, and intimidating teeth. It was such an incredible experience, and every one in our boat was lucky enough to see at least one shark while submerged in the cage. The adrenaline that overcame us was extraordinary, and it was such a rush to swim with one of the most feared animals in the ocean. I have to say that today was yet another incredible day in South Africa. This country never ceases to enchant me.

-Liz Stone

Teamwork makes the Dream work

Coach Vince Dooley gave the students a lecture about communication and teamwork today. Here are a couple of photos of Coach and the teambuilding activity students completed within community groups, which helped to learn how critical it is to work strategically together in order to be a successful team.

Today was another beautiful day in Cape Town. Some of the group had an early morning hike up Table Mountain before Coach Vince Dooley taught us a little about teamwork. The rest of us showed up bright eye and rested to our early morning lesson. Coach Dooley shared with us some of what has made him successful as a football coach and as a man. He expressed that even though passion is important to your goals, intelligence is vital to actually accomplishing them. He said to be a good leader you must have "intelligent fanaticism". He shared with us stories about his childhood, becoming a Hall of Fame football coach, and his part in Atlanta being chosen for the Olympics. Coach Dooley was inspirational and eye opening. After wrapping up on leadership for the day, a large group went to hike Table Mountain. The group of 20 decided to hike up the harder but shorter trail. We figured how hard could it be? We soon came to find out when it says strenuous trail, that is the truth. The path is vertical most of the way. It was like being on a Stair-Master for miles in 3 o'clock heat. Once we reached the top, the view was well worth the blood, sweat, and under-breath profanities. The 360 degree views of Cape Town and the oceans were indescribable when the sun began to fade behind the horizon. I can't wait to explore the intricacies of the city we saw from above in the weeks to come.

-Spenser Bomholt

Kirstenbosch

Yesterday the majority of the students went to Kirstenbosch Botanical Garden, one of the six floral kingdoms of the world. Students spent the afternoon roaming the gardens, and had the opportunity to reflect, hike or tour the area with Coach Dooley, Barbara Dooley and recent speaker Dr. Betty Siegel. Here are a couple of photos from our afternoon!

I came to South Africa with the hopes of changing someone’s life. Little did I know that the life that would be changed would be my own. For the past few days, the questions that have been repeated have been
- what do you want to do with your life?
- what is your legacy?
Those two questions, among numerous others have been questions that I have constantly asked myself but didn’t really have an answer to until this trip. Dr. Betty Siegel told us today that, “leaders are those who enroll others in their vision.” Truth is, I’ve had a vision, but I never considered myself a leader. I have constantly lived my life trying not to follow in the footsteps of others, particularly my family. What I realized today is that you can follow in another person’s footsteps and still leave your own footprints. Just like each UGA organization on campus has it’s own purpose and mission, each person has his or her own mission as well. As I sat down to write my own mission, it was easier than I had expected, it was simply a matter of putting it down on paper. While writing, my mission just kind of flowed from my pen to the paper and this is what I ended up with:

My mission: I want to be a person who goes beyond physical and self-manifested boundaries. Who travels the world spreading the notion of equality and perseverance. I want to be able to speak in front of thousands and listen to one. I want to be an example and an everlasting legacy of good works.

I think it was easy for most of us to realize what we have each been called to do. The only thing that could possibly stop us in living up to our individual missions is our fear of failure. What makes us different from other generations is that we were conditioned to be a “free generation,” one with no real problems facing us where everything else had been achieved except for perfection. How do we know what perfection is without experiencing failure or realizing our flaws? Kevin told us that in order to truly live your life you have to be willing to fail. If there’s no risk, then there is no gain. It’s just what is expected. Dr. Siegel said that, “young people are the message we send to a world we will not see” and I feel that it is up to our generation to create a world worth seeing. Overall, our time here in South Africa has been full of moments of self-reflection where each of us has asked ourselves…

What will it take for me to change the world?

-Taylor Stanley

Today was special in that Vince and Barbara Dooley both came and sat in on breakfast and the lesson with us. The topic of discussion was visionary leadership, which emphasized forward-looking goals and using these goals as a focusing lens to look through in everything we do. This allows for us to see the little steps it takes on an everyday basis to achieve what we really want to accomplish in years to follow. As a supplementary to what we were learning, we broke up into our community groups to further discuss what we want our accomplishments to be, and how we want to be remembered. We listed each of these on our own, and discussed them around the groups. Although at first this seemed somewhat menial and elementary, midway through I realized that most of us have never really spent much time thinking of what it is that really makes us happy and what we really want to be able to look back on one day and be proud of. After the lesson a few of us had to go to the agency that is taking us to Victoria Falls for some paperwork. Their office is located along a pretty busy downtown area of Cape Town near Long Street. This turned out to be a good thing because we got a chance to get some authentic South African food. We went to place called Nyoni’s Kraal Restaurant, where I got a chance to eat some Snoek, a very common, coastal fish in SA, and a Kudu steak, which is a type of antelope, both of which were delicious. We followed dinner with a little walk around the area until our taxi came to take us back.Today was not as busy as many of the days we have had here, but tomorrow seems to be a good one coming. We have a discussion with Vince Dooley and a trip to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, and I have heard many great things.

-Kavi Bhai

There is so much adventure here in Cape Town – shark cage diving, skydiving, bungee jumping, hiking Table Mountain, and for the past few days, that has been all that I have been thinking about. When I have described my experience thus far to others, I have talked about all of the activities that await us, and how much I have enjoyed the nightlife, the food, the views, and the excitement of the city. This morning, however, I was reminded of our real reason for coming to this beautiful city. I woke up early in the morning to attend a nearby church for the 9 a.m. mass. The priest gave a beautiful service filled with humor and witty jokes. But his central message was that of 1 John 4: 1-7, which is that we should love one another as God has loved us. He spoke of service to others, and we prayed for those in the city that have been the survivors of segregation. For me, his words reminded me not of the poverty-stricken townships, but of the bright and hopeful faces of the children who live there. My adventure here in Cape Town is so much more the skydiving and climbing mountains, it is being blessed with the opportunity to help others and truly make a difference. After the wonderful service, my day got even more exciting when I returned to our apartments. Since I went to church alone, I was headed to eat breakfast in the hotel by myself, until I walked in to find Coach Vince Dooley also walking to breakfast! He went to go get his wife, Barbara Dooley, and we all sat down to a lovely breakfast in the hotel restaurant. There was a huge breakfast buffet, and we were able to eat it while sitting beside a huge window with a beautiful ocean view! Breakfast was wonderful, and Coach Dooley and Barbara were the nicest and most welcoming people. Eating breakfast with the Dooley’s in Cape Town is certainly a life moment and an experience I’ll never forget!

-Amanda Accarino

This morning everyone met in the lobby to sign up for all of our adventures we plan to do while we’re here in Cape Town! I think it got everyone really excited about our upcoming weeks because the company we are working with offers a wide variety of activities. I signed up for skydiving, sand boarding, and a 3-day Garden tour that is supposed to be absolutely incredible! The weather today is pretty rainy but it seems to be somewhat clearing up so I don’t think it’s going to hold any of us back from exploring the town! Today we are planning to head to Century City which is a huge tourist spot for South Africa. It has one of the largest malls in Africa. Canal Walk, the area of the mall, also has countless restaurants, shops, cinemas, and even a bird conservation area. Supposedly the restaurants are very good so I think we are planning to stay there for dinner. As of the moment, I am sitting in our wonderful apartment looking out onto the beach. Our condos are literally right on the shore so we have the most beautiful view of the coast. This entire area truly is the most beautiful place I have ever seen! Even with the somewhat cloudy weather today I can still see all of the huge mountains surrounding us, especially Table Mountain which I plan to hike one day soon!
-Alix Rhett

The past 24 have been absolutely phenomenal! Many of us went out last night for a night on the town with the students from Cape Town University. The people here could not be more hospitable and willing to help us. We all had agreat time hanging out with each other and getting to how the kids our own age treat their nightlife. This morning we went to meet with the company that will be helping us with all of our adventure desires from Great White Shark Cage Diving to Sandboarding down the dunes just outside of Cape Town. We boarded a bus around 11 am local time and drove throughout the city. We went to the city center, the Waterfront where the 2010 World Cup Stadium is being built, Camps Bay which is an area of spectacular cliffs and rock formations with hugeswells driven by the collision of the two oceans, and a local fishing marina. At the marina we were served fresh fish and chips and it was amazing. The people were great and so happy to see us. After our meal we drove up the mountain to"Lions Head". This overlooks the entire city. Unfortunately we were so high up that the clouds from the storm hindered our view, however when we could seethrew it was spectacular. A large group of us afterwards went back to the Waterfront for shopping and to indulge in some more local seafood. Again, the food was incredible. Were all back at the apartments now getting ready to go out with the students again. This country is amazing! How will we ever leave?
-Ryan Rearden

We aren't in Athens anymore...

We spent the morning learning about the city’s current social structure from a panel of professionals that reside here in Cape Town. They each expressed to us the progress this city has made since the ending of the apartheid, and explained that even though there are challenges still to be met, Cape Town’s people have an enduring faith that will push through them all.
Later in the afternoon we were able to see the townships first hand.

Shock.
Disbelief.
A sense of urgency and a tug at the heart.

These sentiments were what all of us felt as we drove through the township not far from the hotel in which we are staying. Just a short drive away is this other world – just a short drive away is this place filled with people who know nothing else but this poverty-stricken life. This, indeed, is reality here in Cape Town for 80 percent of its people.

….We aren’t in Athens anymore…

Curious faces.
Bright smiles.
Proud teachers.

They all greeted us as we arrived at the primary school in the township. In all honesty, I was surprised with their ability to have such a strong spirit. They were proud to show us their talent whether it was through dance, song or instrument. Members of the Amy Biehl foundation, these kids dedicate their efforts to developing their talent in one of these artistic ways. The kids invited us into their lives, even if it was just for an afternoon, and we all saw their own passion radiate. Without question, these kids blessed us today. They invested in us with their acceptance in humility. Now it is time for us to do the same for them – to make an impact as they managed to do with us in two short hours.

-Amanda Abbott

We aren't in Athens anymore

We spent the morning learning about the city’s current social structure from a panel of professionals that reside here in Cape Town. They each expressed to us the progress this city has made since the ending of the apartheid, and explained that even though there are challenges still to be met, Cape Town’s people have an enduring faith that will push through them all.
Later in the afternoon we were able to see the townships first hand.

Shock.
Disbelief.
A sense of urgency and a tug at the heart.

These sentiments were what all of us felt as we drove through the township not far from the hotel in which we are staying. Just a short drive away is this other world – just a short drive away is this place filled with people who know nothing else but this poverty-stricken life. This, indeed, is reality here in Cape Town for 80 percent of its people.

….We aren’t in Athens anymore…

Curious faces.
Bright smiles.
Proud teachers.

They all greeted us as we arrived at the primary school in the township. In all honesty, I was surprised with their ability to have such a strong spirit. They were proud to show us their talent whether it was through dance, song or instrument. Members of the Amy Biehl foundation, these kids dedicate their efforts to developing their talent in one of these artistic ways. The kids invited us into their lives, even if it was just for an afternoon, and we all saw their own passion radiate. Without question, these kids blessed us today. They invested in us with their acceptance in humility. Now it is time for us to do the same for them – to make an impact as they managed to do with us in two short hours.

Amanda Abbott

Life is Made up of Moments

Follow along as 50 students travel 10,000 miles away to the African continent for a new way to engage globally--they will See, Study, and Serve abroad through the Global L.E.A.D. Program. Be part of the journey as we update with a different student's perspective each day live from Cape Town, South Africa.

When you look back on life you may not remember the years, but you will always remember the moments—the moments that take your breath away. In a city with the charm of Paris, the beaches of Brazil, and the home to the 2010 World Cup, see life from the vantage point of 50 unique students as they take part in service projects in the slums, hear from dynamic speakers, and stretch their limits in a land far away.

Life is made up of moments, and this is the blog to capture each one!