Volunteering and Traveling
I meant to study this evening but instead I got sucked into the maelstrom of facebook Halloween photos... To climb my way out, I started researching volunteering opportunities in South Africa/other parts of Africa, possibly as something to do during my summer here. I've been getting restless in Cape Town as of late. Doesn't help that some of my good friends are in Namibia, a trip I really wanted to go on but couldn't because of commitments here--Media School and a friend visiting from Durban...
Everyone's starting to make travel plans... However, I still have no idea what I'm going to be doing. I have to be in Cape Town until Nov. 20, because I'm planning a camp for the media school learners I've been working with all semester for the 17-19 Nov., right after they finish school--a Friday to a Sunday. I'm really, really excited about it! Strangely enough, I'll be putting it together with a guy who studied abroad at UMass in fall '05 and came to speak to our International Scholars class about Cape Town, before it had even occurred to me for a moment that I might come here. I contacted him once I knew I was coming, and he told me to get involved in the Media School--he started the project, working with the learners that I'm mentoring now. We've met up here in Cape Town--he's graduated and is working now--and are now planning this camp together... what a crazy small world! We're trying to recruit people to come and do activities with the kids--teach capoeira, do a creative writing workshop, etc. And the kids are asking about it every time I see them--"Katie, is there any more news about the camp?" I told them today that we're probably going to do it, and I'm very excited.. before it was just "we'll try," but now we have decided to actually make this a reality.
So I'm excited. However, most of my friends want to leave to travel AS SOON AS exams are over. Which is the 14th or 16th for most everyone. My two Norwegian housemates Kristin and Therese are planning to drive down the Garden Route and I don't know what else, with another friend of mine, and they said they might be able to wait til the 20th, which would be pretty cool, and I'm definitely considering that as a possibility. I'd really like to make a big trip that includes the Garden Route, the Wild Coast, and Lesotho, and perhaps I can visit my friend Teboho or my friend Virginia in Joburg. I've gotta talk to them more about it. My friend Yashar also hasn't made his plans yet, and has thrown out the idea of buying a plane ticket to Kenya and making our way back on public transport as far as we can. That sounds absolutely amazing to me, but once again, don't know how that's going to shape up. Other friends are planning to go to Madagascar, and who knows what else... But like I said, still no clue what I'll be up to 2 1/2 weeks from now.
So I looked up volunteer opportunities. There's all sorts of things out there--from teaching English or sexual health in rural communities to working on game parks on conservation stuff to volunteering in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania! But why does it have to cost over $2000 for any volunteer program I'd like to do? I feel like looking online is the wrong way to do it... Surely there are volunteer organizations in South Africa--TONS of them--who would love unpaid help without expecting me to cough up big bucks I don't have in order to do good in the world! I know that a lot of these organizations are probably wonderful, and catered towards people who are coming from overseas and have never been to Africa before, but I don't need a basic overview of apartheid as part of my orientation. I've been living here for almost 3 1/2 months. And no, I don't think I'm this badass who knows everything about South Africa--I still have so much to learn, and that's why I'd like to get out and experience something different.
I need to start talking to people... There's gotta be tons of things out there that I can do... Hmmmmm. Ideas?
EDIT: There were at least four other pirates at our Halloween party. However, I was the only female pirate (I think?) and definitely the sexiest. ;)
Everyone's starting to make travel plans... However, I still have no idea what I'm going to be doing. I have to be in Cape Town until Nov. 20, because I'm planning a camp for the media school learners I've been working with all semester for the 17-19 Nov., right after they finish school--a Friday to a Sunday. I'm really, really excited about it! Strangely enough, I'll be putting it together with a guy who studied abroad at UMass in fall '05 and came to speak to our International Scholars class about Cape Town, before it had even occurred to me for a moment that I might come here. I contacted him once I knew I was coming, and he told me to get involved in the Media School--he started the project, working with the learners that I'm mentoring now. We've met up here in Cape Town--he's graduated and is working now--and are now planning this camp together... what a crazy small world! We're trying to recruit people to come and do activities with the kids--teach capoeira, do a creative writing workshop, etc. And the kids are asking about it every time I see them--"Katie, is there any more news about the camp?" I told them today that we're probably going to do it, and I'm very excited.. before it was just "we'll try," but now we have decided to actually make this a reality.
So I'm excited. However, most of my friends want to leave to travel AS SOON AS exams are over. Which is the 14th or 16th for most everyone. My two Norwegian housemates Kristin and Therese are planning to drive down the Garden Route and I don't know what else, with another friend of mine, and they said they might be able to wait til the 20th, which would be pretty cool, and I'm definitely considering that as a possibility. I'd really like to make a big trip that includes the Garden Route, the Wild Coast, and Lesotho, and perhaps I can visit my friend Teboho or my friend Virginia in Joburg. I've gotta talk to them more about it. My friend Yashar also hasn't made his plans yet, and has thrown out the idea of buying a plane ticket to Kenya and making our way back on public transport as far as we can. That sounds absolutely amazing to me, but once again, don't know how that's going to shape up. Other friends are planning to go to Madagascar, and who knows what else... But like I said, still no clue what I'll be up to 2 1/2 weeks from now.
So I looked up volunteer opportunities. There's all sorts of things out there--from teaching English or sexual health in rural communities to working on game parks on conservation stuff to volunteering in Kilimanjaro, Tanzania! But why does it have to cost over $2000 for any volunteer program I'd like to do? I feel like looking online is the wrong way to do it... Surely there are volunteer organizations in South Africa--TONS of them--who would love unpaid help without expecting me to cough up big bucks I don't have in order to do good in the world! I know that a lot of these organizations are probably wonderful, and catered towards people who are coming from overseas and have never been to Africa before, but I don't need a basic overview of apartheid as part of my orientation. I've been living here for almost 3 1/2 months. And no, I don't think I'm this badass who knows everything about South Africa--I still have so much to learn, and that's why I'd like to get out and experience something different.
I need to start talking to people... There's gotta be tons of things out there that I can do... Hmmmmm. Ideas?
EDIT: There were at least four other pirates at our Halloween party. However, I was the only female pirate (I think?) and definitely the sexiest. ;)