Simon's Town

March 8-14
Simon's Town, South Africa.
Week One
I have loved two things about this week. I have loved hanging out with the African Penguins on the beach and I also loved Micheline's Conflict Resolution classes.
With an experiential learning approach, Micheline took on the task of teaching us a thing or two about conflict and I must say she was quite successful.
Step one was to determine what conflict actually is, which I must say was not what I initially thought it was.
Step two was to teach us some of the causes of conflict. The third part was to look at some of our responses to conflict. And finally we topped the week off with a lesson on listening skills and how we can solve conflict.
Classes here have been so much fun, and there are so many practical things that I have learned about conflict, things I hope to make use of in my own life, now and after Outtatown. Definately a memorable week for me.
submitted by Amanda Kehler
Conflict Transformation Class with Michelline.
Michelline, our Tour Guide/Conflict Class Instructor shows us the view of Cape Town from a mountain view point. Again South Africa is a spectacularly beautiful country!
District 6 Museum
We took a tour of the District 6 Museum, which is an area of Cape Town where the coloured families were forcibly removed from their homes in the 1960s due to Apartheid. Again it is heartbreaking to hear the stories of people's lives that have been so deeply impacted and remain wounded by the legacy of Apartheid in this country.
An example of the signs that ruled the day-to-day life of every South African not all that long ago.
Stories being remembered well.
A map on the floor of the area people used to call home, which now lies vacant, a constant reminder of what once what home to many.
Cape Town Tour
Here are the Union Buildings in downtown Cape Town. This is the building from which Mandela gave his first speach after he was realeased from prison in 1990.
Union Buildings again.
The view from "our beach", okay it's really called Seaforth beach, but we like to spend as much time at it as possible as our retreat centre, Water's Edge, really is literally at the edge of the water!

The view from the Simon's Town Harbourfront! (our backyard for two weeks!) (which by the way, we are not complaining about!)
South African Penguins... honest, it's hard to believe but they exist!
Playing with the penguins... touching them without getting bit is a big success.... here Megan creeps up on them!

Sarah smiles with her new friends.

Another penguin... they may look cute and cuddly but they have been known to bite, so watch out!

Sarah, Libby and Carissa enjoy Iced Coffee on a free day in Cape Town.