DAY FIVE:

BEST DAY BEST DAY BEST DAY BEST DAY!!!! Today we went into the township for the first time. It was called guguletu (pronounced goo-goo-le- to). This particular township has more than 550,000 people living in it, in houses smaller than my dorm room.This was such an eye opening experience for me. Words cannot describe how you feel driving and walking through the streets of the slums. I was overwhelmed with sadness and even felt guilty for my privledge. Why should I be able to live as I do when these people have nothing? On the way to the school we passed the exact curb where Amy Beihl was brutally murdered in 1993. A memorial now stand on the corner, reminding the whole neighborhood just what Amy lost her life fighting for: unity, for all. The school we went to is actually transformed into an after school program as a part of the Amy Biehl Foundation. Here the children can get off the streets and learn about music, dance, sports, spelling, english, and even HIV/AIDS and pregnancy prevention. This program gives the local kids the attention they need and deserve in order to succeed in higher schooling. We were able to take a tour of the program and go into the classes with the children where they performed for us whatever it was they were working on. I saw hip hop dances and got to listen to them sing songs and play traditional music. I also was able to participate in the physical education training...it was like a form of martial arts but it seemed like military training haha. I loved loved loved interacting with the kids! They were so open and joyful; their happiness was contagious. I honestly don't think I ever stopped smiling! Whenever we would leave the room they would shout and wave and blow kisses to us. And when we wanted to take pictures they would all fight each other to get in the front row....so pretty much all my pictures are blurry cause they're jumping up and down so much! And while we were so intrigued by the kids, they were just as interested in us. They would ask us questions and observe what we were wearing. One boy when we walked by his field hockey game goes "Nike, Nike, Nike, Nike." Like the typical college kid we were all wearing Nike tennis shoes. It took all that i had to not take my shoes off and give them to him. I didn't want to have to leave the children. I want to take them all home with me! And on that note, as I was leaving, so were some of the children. It astounded me how many of the littlest children just left to walk the streets home on their own. It just did not feel right to me. I left the school humbled. The tour of Amy Biehl Foundation's program was one of the best things i have ever done. Now completely shifting gears, after we got back from the township, I finally made it out in Cape Town wooooo!!!! Sooooo much more fun than the hotel bar haha. We went to this club, which was located in their mall... ummm what?, called Tiger Tiger. But it's sounds like tyga tyga when the locals say it haha. Such a cool place!! There were so many locals and a good amount of global lead people there too! Proud to say that I was among the last group to leave the bar...at 3:45 AM. Since we were the last cab the global lead taxi drivers Bradley and Ish (live in Cape Town) took us to Mcdonalds; ahhhhh American food!! The taxi ride home was a highlight! But, you have to know Bradley and Ish to understand haha. They are the two cutest people ever. Ish was riding in the back seat with me belting out at the top if his lungs ALL the words to "Shots," "Young, Wild, and Free," and "Fuck You" (mind you there was no radio version...) Got home at 4:45 and woke up at seven. Helllloooooooo Cape Town 2012. 

The school we went to.

The group of boys that performed a type of step dancing with rain boots. They loved the camera!!

<3

Some of the outdoor classrooms.

The hip hop class that would not stop jumping up and down haha

They are amazing!!

ADORABLE. 

Girl was good!

Off to tyga tyga!!

Last Americans there haha

ps. found out that the hike up Table Mountain was 2,258 feet in elevation, over 2.65 miles of straight staircases. I must say I am quite impressed with myself!