Cape Town midpoint update

Hello from incredible Cape Town,

Every day I am thankful to be here – it has been a wonderful and rewarding experience for me on so very many levels—more than I could have ever anticipated.

The students are amazing. Their commitment, wisdom, idealism and vision continue to inspire me and help me to keep hope alive. In addition to their internships, which have provided them with first hand experience to integrate their academic knowledge with personal and professional experience, they are all involved in activist projects in a sector beyond their field placement, and they are, of course, taking every opportunity to get to know the people, customs, and country.

And in Cape Town, the landscape itself continues to provide lessons.

For me, the omnipresent mountains have become a guiding force --- always there as a point of reference —not only to provide direction as I travel but perspective as I confront challenges. I look up and know I am going in the right direction, both figuratively and literally! I continue to be astonished by the calm that comes over me when I gaze upon the incredible beauty, strength and endurance! Certainly not an original thought, but none the less a profoundly personal awakening.

Hard to believe that 7 of our 15 weeks in Cape Town are behind us —the time is truly flying by.

Anyone who has checked my fledgling blog has surely noticed that nothing has been added in over a month—until today!!

Now that we are approaching the 1/2 way mark I have decided to at least get the pics from the first part of our trip in order. Therefore, you can check out new pictures of all 25 fabulous interns which have been posted both on my blog and at the webpage site on which I have posted pictures taken since our arrival --- now somewhat organized (and some, if not all, are even labeled) —
You can check them out at http://picasaweb.google.com/marita.mccomiskey

(I know many of the students are posting pictures regularly on their Facebook pages--- so for those who can negotiate Facebook you may be able to find even more pictures from a wide array of places that I myself have not visited).

On the up and coming front:
• From March 22-29 the group will be on an excursion in the Durban area. I will post the finalized itinerary within the next few days. I trust that trip will be yet another adventure from which we will all be able to further expand our horizons.
• I am asking each student to write a blurb about how their placement is going, what they are doing for their activist projects, and at least one significant thing they have learned since arriving. I will post their responses to the blog as I receive them. (I have no doubt you will be as impressed as I)


Cheers,

In peace, with hope,