Service-Learning begins...

We are enjoying another fun, relaxing weekend with beautiful weather.  I have continued to explore more and more of the UCT campus during my daily runs, and I can feel my legs getting stronger with the practically all-uphill mountain roads.  My run always include a trip up to the the Rhodes memorial on the side of Table Mountain, with a sweeping view of Cape Town and two oceans.  The first time I stumbled on this spot, it truly took my breath away.

the view

Rhodes Memorial

Yesterday, we checked out the Old Biscuit Mill, a huge open-air market in the Woodstock neighborhood.  We were amazed (and slightly overwhelmed!) by the hoards of people, vast array of goods, and unbelievable smells coming from the dozens of food stands: everything from Indian curries to French pastries, sweet and savory crepes, shawarma and mezze, and even a woodburning pizza oven firing-up authentic Italian pies.  Aside from the food (which would have been more than enough to keep us occupied all afternoon) there were clothing vendors, craft stands, and tons of other local goods.  Needless to say, I was a big fan of the mill, and may have to make my trips there a weekly ritual.
Tomorrow begins our first full week of service-learning life.  We have our classes in the mornings, and in the afternoons we'll be going to our various service sites and getting to work. Over the past two weeks, we've been visiting tons of different sites and trying to decide where we want to spend the next four months developing our service projects.  All of the sites were incredibly interesting, but it wasn't until my visit to the Brooklyn Chest TB hospital that something clicked for me.
Walking into the hospital for the first time, the scene was pretty overwhelming.  Brooklyn Chest is basically a complex of three wards: one for young children, one for older children (there is also a school for them on the grounds) and one for adults.  All patients are infected with Tuberculosis, which is a huge problem here in South Africa.  As soon as I entered the young children's ward, I was struck by what I saw.  About two dozen cribs were scattered right in the entrance, with crying infants laying on bare mattresses, each labeled with the child's name, age, and some record of their condition.  The helplessness of these children, many of which rarely have visitors or human contact outside of those tending to their most basic needs, was difficult to take in.
Yolanda, the woman who met us and showed us around, was very warm and grateful for our interest in the hospital.  She seemed open, receptive, and eager to make use of anything we could offer.  Along with expecting us to help cover some of the more basic needs of the children, like feeding and changing them, she encouraged us to pursue our own projects and attempt to bring some fresh ideas to their organization.  I am excited to work with her, and I can't wait to get started!