One, Not Everyone

Another great weekend in Cape Town has come and gone. Saturday morning was spent at the infamous Biscuit Mill, the greatest place on Earth. This round, I enjoyed a delicious steak sandwich and a mango passion fruit smoothie that I bought from a man dressed as a wizard. Haha I’m really going to miss the eclectic atmosphere, and of course the awesome food. By nightfall, I was surrounded by die hard screaming fans at my very first rugby game! Rugby is like a religion here. These fans are intense. We cheered for the Stormers, who faced off against the Bulls. Although we were not victorious in the end, it was an exciting match and I feel that I have a much better understanding of the game. Shout out to all the locals that I was drilling with questions- Thank you, or “Dankie” in Afrikaans. Sunday, we explored the magnificent Kirstenbosch Gardens. They really lived up to their reputation of having “Dr. Suess” looking vegetation. This is a picture of me and the coolest flowers I’ve ever seen.

Monday has arrived and it’s really hard to believe that we are embarking on our final week in Cape Town. In class today, the theme was “the power of one.” Do for one what you wish you could for everyone. Not knowing how to help everyone is not an excuse for overlooking the good that you could be doing for one. Don’t underestimate the power of this. Think ONE, not everyone. This was the mindset that we explored today, and I found it very relatable to my time in the township last week. I tend to look at a situation and immediately try to find a solution. At first, I was disturbed by quality of life and overwhelmed because I felt that I could never do enough for these amazing people who deserve so much better. Throughout the week, I had to discover my role and accept that many things were out of my control. I began to understand that I was underestimating the affects of my presence. It’s not a surprise that in the end, they will have done more for me than I will have for them; however, once I accepted that I was only capable of so much, I feel that I was able to fulfill my role to the best of my ability. I was the truest and happiest version of myself, aiming to give as much love and encouragement to the children as possible. “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” This is a quote from Noble Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu that epitomizes my realization through this experience and will stay with me once I return to school. I can’t let myself get discouraged if I think that an issue is too big to tackle. There will always be some bit of good that I can do. If I can make a difference in even one person’s life, then that’s something I can be proud of. While I hope to one day make a bigger impact through philanthropic business, for now I’m embracing baby steps. They will get me going in the right direction.

-Ali Pleiman