Back Row: Carrie Graham, Alyssa Hughes, Daniella Abelard, Cindy Bravo, Cynthia Tetteh, Maeve Maloney, Zuleika Candelaria;
Front Row: Chivelle Blissett, Leslie Rivera, Deborah Delianne, Eddie Woollacot

Welcome . . .

On May 10, 2013 ten eager students and their director Carrie Graham arrived in Cape Town to begin what is sure to be an amazing four weeks. The University of Connecticut’s Service Learning Study Abroad in Cape Town is designed to facilitate greater understanding of South Africa’s troubled past while providing opportunities to witness its vibrant hope for the future. While living, learning, and working in one of most beautiful settings in the world, students are placed at various service learning sites while participating in classes intended to help contextualize their experiences, expand their horizons and develop a deeper appreciation of what it means to be a global citizen.

As anyone who has been to Cape Town can attest, there are no words or pictures that can begin to adequately capture the beauty of the scenery or hospitality of the people here. Therefore, this blog is merely intended to provide an overview of the program and a glimpse at some experiences of students participating in this first ever 4 week "summer" program. Once again it is a privilege and honor to accompany a wonderful group of UConn students to a place I have come to know and love.

In peace, with hope, Marita McComiskey

Saturday, June 1, 2013

Eddie contemplating life while watching the animals


Eddie relaxing before the game drive
 My visit to the Aquila game reserve was one of the highlights of my whole study abroad year and is something I will remember forever.  It was great to see lions, zebras, cheetahs, ostriches, hippos, giraffes, rhinos, wildebeest and buffalo without bars separating us.  I couldn’t believe how close we got to the animals.  Drinking wine in the middle of the reserve as the sun was setting was a moment that was indescribable and unforgettable.  For me it was then and there that I comprehend just how beautiful this land really is and how sad it is that it is ensnared in such vice.  Our rustic surroundings allowed us to introspect and understand how we take things as simple as clean water for granted in the West.  Observing dissimilar animals peacefully living together in the reserve made me wonder why we are incapable of doing the same.  We are far more advanced and yet our avarice and pugnacity reduces us to mere drones, rapaciously serving the interests of others.  Looking at these animals (which we kill for trophies), it made me wonder what hope is there for us?  Then I remembered we have developed medicine and education; we have passed laws to include all and explored the Moon; we have established services to help those on the periphery.  We have a conscience to act as a guide but many of us choose to ignore it, we go astray and justify to ourselves with notions of profit and self-interest.  I contemplated all this whilst watching the animals peacefully walk together and run away when they saw us.  I was so delighted to go on safari, as studying animals in their habitat was an activity I never thought I would be able to do, but it made me think more of humans and how we live together in this world.
Leslie, Eddie, Daniella, Cindy

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