As we walked towards the blue gate of the Shri Ram Vidya Mandir School, I could feel my heart palpitating in my chest. Moments earlier I had been informed that we would be performing our choreographed dance for the hundreds of kids who attended the SRVM school. Trying to calm myself down, I began to focus on my breath rather than the daunting experience of performing an Indian style dance, that we had not practiced for days, in front of hundreds of children, grades one to twelve. When we walked through the gate we were met with a militaristic sight. Meticulous lines of children facing the front of the school where a special group of kids, and a few teachers were planted with a drum, speaker, and microphone. As we walked down the center aisle, I could feel curious eyes following our path and analyzing our every move. For the first thirtyish minutes of their morning, the students sang prayers, listened to motivational speeches from their peers, and heard a variety of other important information pertaining to the day presented. After we had gone up and performed our dance, the children ended the morning assembly with the India National Anthem, and then they filed out line by line in a very orderly fashion. We waited and watched, all in awe of how efficient and respectful the kids were, before heading up to the second floor to meet with a select group of 11th grade students and teachers.
When the other students from SRVM arrived we divided into groups, and began to talk with each other. The SRVM students quickly began to ask us questions about our own studies, and our “aims.” When telling these kids that I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do after high school, and didn’t know my “aim” or future career yet they were mortified. They had all been put into different “streams” and were already sure what career they wanted later in life, so it was a big shock for them that I had so much choice, and that I could be unsure of what I wanted to do. As we continued talking, we found more differences between our lives, but we also found a lot of similarities. They all were stressed for their upcoming exams, just like I get stressed for finals and AP tests. They all enjoy hanging out with friends and going on social media to relax, and so did we. Although we live in two completely different worlds, eight thousand miles apart we were still able to connect with one another and find aspects of our lives that we share in common.
Bella Cambell
Today we visited the school that Sri Ram Ashram started, Sri Ram Vidya Mandir. One difference I noticed from the beginning was the formality of the school; all of the students were in uniforms and had to recite a prayer in the morning. After the assembly, we got to talk to students from 11th grade, and share our interests and a bit about what our daily lives were like. A difference that came up during this conversation was the importance of extracurricular activities in the US. In the US extracurricular activities are very important for college applications which and in India it’s the opposite. Test scores and studying have a higher impact on college admissions than extracurricular activities. A lot of the students said they go home after school and study. One student said that he would watch six hours of lectures outside of school. I was shocked because I had never heard of anyone doing that before today. I was also surprised that he had the focus to watch lectures for that long.
One thing that really struck me was that students choose their major in 10th grade. In the school, there is a poster hanging up in the halls which illustrates the many career path options. Students choose between art, commerce, and math/science. These streams lead to a test you take when you graduate high school and to the various degrees you can achieve in college with your major. I really liked this idea of having your future career mapped out for you because I have always known what I wanted to do. However, I learned that it can be challenging to switch majors because you are choosing your life plan from such a young age.
Later in the day, we went on a safari in the Rajaji National Park with the hopes of seeing elephants since we had seen some at the ashram the past couple of nights. Unfortunately, we didn’t see an elephant but we did see many peacocks, deer, Sambar deer, and green parrots. I loved seeing all the animals, but my favorite part of the trip was talking to Shmuel and naming the Sambar deer “Mega Deer,” with Sam and Zoey. The safari was filled with so much laughter, which will be a key memory of this trip for me. At the end of the safari, we got to see a leopard. Even though it was a little hard to make out, it was really exciting. I am sad to leave the ashram and all of the happiness that surrounds me, but I am excited to see what the next part of the trip holds.
During the last part of our trip, we got to visit the long-awaited and much anticipated safari zone at the Black Rhino Lodge. I have been looking forward to this part of the trip ever since I heard about the South Africa Learning Journey. I was excited at the amazing opportunity to see the stunning animals up close, in person.
Today, we went on two safaris, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. We saw a variety of animals including elephants, zebras, impalas, baboons, lots of rhinos, and a buffalo and hippo. It truly is a unique experience to see these animals face to face when we are so used to seeing them only in pictures; it is almost indescribable. I feel as though this is the perfect way to end our trip here in South Africa. It allows us to reflect on our experiences here, during our much-needed relaxation, as well as seeing South Africa’s many wonders, the wildlife, in person.
Tabitha Hardin-Zollo
If
you have been in the ocean when a whale breaches you’ll know the feeling of
being completely humbled. That feeling of connection with the earth and the
animal in front of you, it makes you feel so incredibly small, but in the best
possible way. Seeing an elephant is just the same, but on a scale about fifteen
times as big. Elephants are strong, and can crush without effort, but they
don’t. They walk the earth taking what they need and leaving the rest alone,
peacefully living in harmony with the environment they are surrounded by. It’s
a majestically humbling experience. As the four gentle giants crossed the road
in front of our jeeps, on our first safari, the world just kind of stopped.
Every expectation, want, and need just slipped away in the presence of these
animals. For me, the sight was overwhelming, and it brought me to tears. It
saddens me to think that these animals can be subject to such torture by
humans, when they are so incredibly peaceful.
Lions
are just as incredible, not in a humbling way, but in an empowering way. When
Russy, our guide, got the call that a lioness was spotted, our Jeep took off.
Speeding down the winding roads, dust billowing up behind us, excitement in the
air. However, that rush is transformed when the lioness is spotted. Everyone is
quiet, as the strong cat, undisturbed walks down the path. The lioness has so
much physical strength, she could kill in one single bite; but she doesn’t. She
simply continues on her way, ignoring the jeeps and cameras. The lioness knows
her strength, and knows when to use it.
You
can learn so much from observing animals. The elephants are humbling. Lions are
empowering. Impalas are mighty. Zebras are observant. Rhinos make you
appreciative of people who want to save the earth. We can all remind ourselves
how important these qualities are while watching the animals.
After seeing the power of oppression and destruction that human kind has wielded, in the the form of apartheid, it is hopeful to be immersed in a place untouched, for a few short days. Seeing the vast valleys and peaks, unharmed by humans, filled with thriving ecosystems and gentle giants, gives me hope. Hope that humans have humanity, and that there are people dedicated to preserving nature.
On our last early morning safari ride, the sun rose over Pilanesberg Park and I finally realized the power of gaining a new perspective. A new perspective can change the way you see anything from money, to humanity, to even simply the sun.
It’s funny how your willingness to do certain things changes depending on the circumstances. Normally, if I had to wake up at 5:30 am to darkness surrounding me I would be groggy and grumpy. But when I had the opportunity to go on a safari and see the beautiful animals of South Africa, you can be sure I sprang out of my bed and got on my warmest clothes. It wasn’t just me who was ready to see the wonderful sights on the early morning excursion. I woke up to the sound of the outdoor showering running and Carl’s pristine voice singing an early morning tune. While Cyrus and I quietly got dressed in the front room, we both looked around at the lovely room we were staying in at the Black Rhino Lodge and he turned to me and said, “This is all sick dude,” with a big grin on his face. After we were all ready to leave, we headed out to the lounge where we met the rest of the group at 6:00 am. We were served coffee and tea before we headed out.
After the ten of us piled into the jeep, the people in the back immediately distributed the fleece lined ponchos, knowing the bitter wind would nip at our faces once we started our long, yet enjoyable, trek. The first animal we saw was the impala. Our guide, Daryl referred to them as the, “McDonalds of the bush.” Even though they’re so abundant in South Africa, every time I see one it still amazes my foreign eyes. They have a glistening coat and long ribbed antlers that twist upward like they’re grasping for the sky.
On this early morning safari ride we saw three of the “Big Five.” The “Big Five” include: elephants, lions, leopards, rhinos, and water buffalo. The first of the “Big Five” that we saw was a rhino, specifically a white rhino. We spotted this docile, peaceful creature grazing with its calf. She paid us no mind as we stopped 30 feet to the right of her and talked in hushed voices, marveling at the stout yet powerful beauty of her and her baby. The second animal of the “Big Five” that we saw was the elephant. I never thought I would see so much beauty in something that was so big, grey, and wrinkly. But to me no animal can compare to the massive magnificence of the elephant. I’ve seen elephants in zoos before but something about being so close to one and looking in its eyes made me see the quiet intellect yet brute strength that the elephant holds within it. We saw it pick up small bushels of shrubbery and strip them clean of the bark, their favorite snack. The third animal we saw was the lion. The lions we saw though were on top of a bunch of rocks and camouflaged by their surroundings. Our patient tour guide, Daryl, had to tell us step by step how to see them at least ten times because he could see our untrained eyes straining to identify where he was pointing. It was now that I regretted not bringing binoculars with me. Eventually, we were all able to spot not one but two females and one male that was lying in the sun on top of the rocks.
We also saw plenty of vibrant birds along the way and all had an amazing time. Overall, the elephant was my favorite animal and I’m exceedingly grateful I could see one so close and personal. We arrived and had breakfast waiting for us, quite the way to start a day.
Emily Villareal
We climbed aboard vehicles that closely resembled those from the Indiana Jones ride in Disneyland. So, I was excited. Only a little way into our journey we heard there was a sighting of a pangolin. Pangolins are basically scaly armadillos and they’re very rare because of the poaching that occurs in South Africa. When we arrived, there wasn’t a whole lot to see because it was flat to the ground and blending in, but moving closer you could see the scales and plates that formed the animal. It was a lucky first outing.
As the sun sank forming a rich orange background we also saw rhinos, wildebeasts, and impalas. Our guide was informative and elaborated on the necessary difference between black and white rhinos, one difference being that black rhinos are more likely to charge at you. Driving right alongside these huge rhinos our guide told us the disturbing fact that an average of four rhinos are killed every day for their horns. It’s sad that I’m seeing some of the few rhinos left. That’s why preservations like these are so important. South Africa has so much natural beauty, and I’ve only seen a small amount of it. Much of this trip has taught me how different it is to experience things for yourself than to be told about them or shown pictures. It was amazing to see these animals with my own eyes and not in The Lion King. I know that even the pictures I take home will never compare to viewing these beautiful animals in real life.
Zac Clark
I like nature, probably more than the average person. When I get bored, instead of laying around or watching mindless TV, I’ll watch nature documentaries, with genuine interest. Seeing the animals in their natural habitat, hunting or exploring the ecosystem, can absolutely entrance me. Before I heard about the South Africa trip, I thought I would be stuck with the wildlife of costal California. Now, I can tell you from my own experience that seeing a lion, a cheetah, or even having a standoff with an elephant, will change your perspective on wildlife around the world. Waking up at 5:30 in the morning, getting in a 10-person jeep, and driving through blistering cold air at a speed known as “Ferrari safari” to see giraffes, is 100% worth it. These are animals that barely anyone can say they’ve seen in person. On television, you don’t get the real scale of these animals, the raw power an elephant uses to push over a good-sized tree. Then using its massive trunk, eat branches with the sharpest spikes like it’s mashed potatoes.
Some days, it would be bland, in comparison to the other safaris. You would see a wildebeest far off in a field, or one zebra on the side of a hill. Then, there would be the days where you would see a male rhino try and take on a female rhino and its kid, drive farther in the reserve, see three lions lounging around not ten meters from the jeep and on the way back see 15 mongooses bound across the road in a small herd. No matter what we saw on the safari, it would still be fun because I would get to hang out with my classmates and our Afrikaans jeep driver named Marcus. He could teach us something new about almost every animal and plant we came across. Whether it was showing us which plant could clear up congestion or debunking National Geographic, his knowledge of the world was always useful. I never thought I would be able to see these animals past my TV screen, but now I have memories that I won’t forget for my entire life. This was the perfect way to end the trip.
