Last Day in Cape Town - June 20th, 2019

June 21, 2019

Last Day in Cape Town - June 20th, 2019

Our last day in Cape Town was a long one. It was a day filled with sadness for it being our last day on this unforgettable trip, but also happiness and laughter sharing our last memories together in South Africa. We started the day off by packing our bags and saying goodbye to the hotel staff that graciously dealt with us over the past two weeks. After this we headed off to do the same with our friends in Langa. We spent an hour with Siviwe, iThuba and LEAP students, exchanging information so we do not lose contact with them when we return home. Even in that last hour, we learned new games from them and spent most of the time running around the community centre playing hide-and-seek, in an effort to make the most of our last moments together. After saying our multiple goodbyes and giving copious hugs, we finally loaded the bus to go to the Waterfront to tour Robben Island. In order to get to the island, there was an hour ferry that included most of us trying not to be sea sick and the rest of us taking that time to catch up on sleep. We spent a few hours on Robben Island, the maximum security prison where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of the total 27 years as a prisoner. We heard about the experience within the prison from a former prisoner and activist himself. Day in and day out, most of the prisoners, including Nelson Mandela, spent most of their time mining for lime stone in a quarry and doing the mundane task of creating piles of rocks. On the back of the 100 Rand bill there are two images. One of Nelson Mandela and a picture of the Lime Stone Quarry. Finally, we finished the day by having a classic Cape Malay meal and reflecting on these past couple of weeks working with both iThuba, LEAP, and each other on building a new family here in Cape Town. It has been an amazing trip and we are all trying to plot our way on to the next group that journeys here. "It's not goodbye it's I'll see you later."

-Juliette