Long Over-Due Update

As many can tell, life has gotten hectic around here. Since the last update a lot of things have happened. First, there was spring break. It was AMAZING. Matt came in for a little over 2 weeks and we did a little bit of everything. We spent 2 days at the Game Lodge on the Garden Route and then went for a 4 Day canoeing/camping trip down the Orange River into Namibia. That was a great experience. Nothing but necessitites and the beautiful star painted African sky. The scenery was breath taking. The canoeing was intense. Between that and our evening of hiking and exploring the new campsite we definitely got our exercise. The people on the trip were also pretty awesome. Everyone clicked very well. After that we managed to juggle my class schedule and the Kayamandi after-school program with hiking, surfing,Robben Island, Cape Point, and the Penguins. Robben Island was such a great site to learn South African history. There was a bus tour of the island and then a guided tour of the prison. They pointed out Nelson Mandela's old cell and allowed us to take pictures. Both tours were guided by ex-prisoners. Their personal insight really made a difference. When I ask our guide from the prison how he could be contained there for so many years and then come back to work in it every day, reliving the memories of his time there. His response was that, first it was difficult but then it became like therapy. It was very interesting to see a place of such torment turn into such an agent of healing. It allowed me to see a practical application to things we are learning in my Transitional Justice class. Justice and Reconciliation comes in many different forms. Employing past prisoners allows them to deal with the psychological damage along with employing many people who may find themselves jobless otherwise.
My new passion is surfing. I am still doing the ballroom dancing but have also picked up surfing. We took a lesson during break and now me and some friends go at least once a week to rent boards and suits and practice. Last time we went I manged to get up a lot so I felt pretty good. My friend Saara and I have made a deal that after our 10th time out we are going to buy matching roxy surf shirts(rash vests) to keep as a memento of all our trips out to the beach.
My last big advancement is I have started an internship at a human rights office in Cape Town. Today was my first day and it was great. The office deals a lot with refugees and displaced persons. The stories of many of these people are heartbreaking. Just reading through the cases today made me feel so lucky to just have the most basic of things. I feel like this will give me much needed insight to my future. I hope to make some kind of impact in my short amount of time. It is very new and very exciting. Updates will surely be in order.
It feels as if time here is just fleeing. Once I blink it will all be over and I will just be left with the memories and the person I have became because of it. I know now that I will greatly miss this place,but feel as if I have done a lot during my stay. So for now there is only school work to overcome and crossing off the last have-tos off my list. Tomorrow is my first real exam so I am going to study and begin all my final papers and projects. Plenty more updates before this chapter is completely closed.