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Well, I've been home just about a week now. I have to say, Michigan isn't as exciting as Muizenberg...but it is nice to be home. It's great to see people that I really didn't have a chance to see after coming home from my spring semester in Syracuse. Plus, I do have to start seriously getting ready to leave for Ireland and then London. I have some homework already (yikes!) that is due the day I leave for Ireland (August 20th.)

I do miss everyone that I met in South Africa. It's good to know that I will see some of you very soon.

To anyone who is reading this blog and considering a placement with IVHQ:

I get asked by potential volunteers frequently asking me if I would recommend the program. I have to say I would, but with a few strong reservations. The best summary of my experience is that I LOVED Cape Town and South Africa, but the management of the program was hard to deal with. If you can find a different way of getting to South Africa and volunteering, perhaps explore that. OR, if you are dead-set on volunteering with IVHQ, I have faith in them as an organization. Their other placements seem to be more stable than ours was.

The main issues I had with Volunteer in South Africa were just due to a lack of follow-through and professionalism, some things that I think they at least know (I hope) that they need to work on. In the short time I was there, we were witness to a lot of staff turnover for an organization that only has 4-5 employees, we were kicked out of our original house and moved into an apartment with one bathroom between 20 people, and we were frequently ignored as people with concerns.

It's just not how most of us had pictured a community-based organization to be run, either...the focus of the management there is on their own inflated profits instead of on the concerns they set out to deal with - something that reminds me of a lot of American companies in the media these days, but obviously on a much smaller scale.

Anyway, I ABSOLUTELY LOVED my time in South Africa, so you will love it regardless of any issues you may have in-house. The country, specifically the Cape Town area, is alive. There is a lot to do, and a lot of exciting people to meet. Some of my favorite moments included: skydiving, bungy jumping from the world's highest bungy bridge, WORLD CUP, traveling to Mozambique, visiting Robben Island, and just meeting all of the great people that visit and live in Cape Town)


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The biggest thing I have taken away from this is an appreciation for what I have been given. I do not think that my work there was enough to make a large impact, I have to be able to admit that. I was only there for two months, part of a never-ending cycle of rotating people reaching out a temporary hand. These kids are worth more than that. Some of them (in time, obviously) would be just as successful as most of the 20-year olds I know if they had just been given the same opportunities that we (that I) have been given.

If anyone is ever at the program with IVHQ and works with grade 6B in Christian David, tell them Adam says hello!!!

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Here are a few of my favorite pics. (Yay! I can finally upload pictures!) More to come.


The view from the balcony on our first house


An example home in the townships, within a five minute walk of where we lived/worked

Me on the bike tour through South African wine country...later without bikes



Urban Cape Town during the day


A few kids from school and me :)