Explore. Dream. Discover

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”

-Mark Twain

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Day 1: Soweto

Today we went to Soweto (the abbreviation of South West Township). There, we visited Mandela house museum as well as the Hector Pieterson museum. Both signifying important moments within the anti-Apartheid movement as well the rebuilding of South Africa post-Apartheid.

The Mandela museum was a small brick house on the corner of Vilakazi and Ngakne streets in Soweto. Walking through the house was a challenge: the house consisted of a kitchen and 2 bedrooms which barely fit our group of 24. The museum displayed photos of Mandela and his family as well as awards given to the influential Anti-Apartheid leader and former president.

Next we went to the Hector Pieterson museum down the road. This beautiful modern museum was constructed as a way to memorialize the lives lost in the student riot on June 16th 1976. Students were protesting the use of Afrikaans in schools when police began firing on the crowd. 13 year old Hector Pieterson was killed in the riot and became a martyr for the cause.

After Soweto we headed to mall in Johannesburg. For all of you who know I'm a shopaholic, you'd be surprised to find out I didn't buy anything. The rest of the day is for resting and getting adjusted to the time.

miss you all!

1 comment:

  1. Leah!! I'm so excited you're finally there and doin yo thang!! you're going to have sooo much fun abroad, you must already be having a blast and learning so much. I'm jealous! I'm still just waiting in anticipation lol...2 more weeks. Sooo you've inspired me! i just made my own blog, but i haven't started it yet...it may or may not have to be in french...yikes. but anywho i wanted to be your first comment! hope you're soakin it all in - miss you girl!

    Love,
    Kiely

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