Starting the Cycle for Recycling

Last night, we had the opportunity to go to Bo-Kaap, a section of Cape Town, and learn how to cook a traditional Cape Malay meal. Many of us said that it was the best dinner we've had on this trip, followed by the best dessert! 

Today we started quite early with a 7:00 a.m. breakfast, followed by an 8:00 a.m. departure for a local high school to complete our impact project. We split into four groups: box-building, poster-drawing, banner-painting, and powerpoint-making. Each group was comprised of CIEE students with the high school students.  We were able to interact with them while doing our respective tasks and by 2:00 p.m. the whole project was presented to around 50 class representatives and it was a success! 

Seeing how we were able to not only start and finish what seemed like a daunting task in one day, but how we were also able to leave people with a positive idea about recycling was extremely fulfilling for the group. We were sad to leave because we made friends at the school, but were also hopeful because now we had somewhere to one day return to. Knowing that we're the group that helped this school begin a recycling initiative is something that will resound with all of us for life. Lastly, we were able to see that although we are from different cultures, there are still infinite similarities (but also differences) between all of us and we built meaningful relationships on those similarities and differences. 

After that experience, we went to a soup kitchen where we served food to homeless people.  We met many nice, interesting people there and got to listen to their life stories and talk about ourselves as well.  It was nice to be able to have a mature, friendly conversation with people much older than us and live very different lives.

Until tomorrow, in the CITY OF DREAMS!!!!!!!

-Meagan and Bhrij :)