May 17th! :)

Well today was another amazing day in Cape Town! We started off with class this morning where we discussed our strengths. The teachers put an emphasis on how we should focus on our strengths versus our weaknesses. Typically if you were giving a list of 20 traits, in order, that were consider your strengths, most likely your eye would look at the last one to see what you aren’t good at and how you can improve. I confess I am guilty of it! My strengths in order is:

1.       Relator

2.       Responsibility

3.       Arranger

4.       Includer

5.       Positivity

I honestly think it described me to the T. Reading the results and descriptions of it on paper was interesting to say the least!

After that we went to one of the schools the Amy Biehl Foundation established. Kevin Chaplin, spoke to us the other day about how to be a good leader and run a successful business based on the “Table Theory,” I found it all really appealing and decided to buy the book! (I will have to waste three days on a plane ride home anyways!) However, he is the CEO for the Amy Biehl Foundation.

In short the Amy Biehl Foundation is a program established to help children in the townships to expand their extracurricular activities by hosting after school hobbies from 3-5pm every weekday. The events included dancing, singing, stepping, sports, HIV/AIDS prevention info, gardening, and so on.  We got to explore their class rooms and then they all performed for us. It was AMAZING. I could literally feel the passion these kids had for whatever their talent was. I could not take my eyes off of the boys stepping, or the kids in the choir. It is so hard to find the words to describe the feelings and emotions that came through me while being there. I felt like I was holding back tears and I had no idea why I would be crying. I guess seeing the joy and happiness on their faces with what they had and how thankful they was extremely humbling. Many of the kids did not even have shoes. I wanted so badly to take them all shopping and let them pick out anything they wanted! It’s just the simple things that we have in life that we constantly take for granted every day. While sitting and watching some of the kids perform I had the chance to talk to some of the little girls of the township. They were fascinated by my hair and kept wanting to play with it. The kid’s ages ranged from 2-17 there. And many of the older children spoke extremely good English! Some even better than me!! And while in one room I saw one of the kid’s math homework and truthfully I had no idea how to even solve the problems!! Haha I was very impressed with what the Amy Biehl Foundation has provided for all of these amazing children. You can see how grateful they are as well. I cannot wait to go back Friday to volunteer! We are getting to put on a field day so I am very eager to get to play soccer with the kids!!

I am excited for the rest of the adventures and amazing opportunities to unfold. Looking forward to tomorrow! J

Hiking Table Mountain!

Group Shot!