A group of students, staff, alumni
and friends embarked on an exciting travel-learning tour of South Africa on May
25 to June 8, as part of UVI’s Passport
to the World Travel-Learning Program.
The twenty-four-member contingent spent
the first week in Johannesburg and the second week in Cape Town. In both
cities, participants gained an in-depth understanding of South Africa's
history, pre and post the Apartheid regime.
To do so, they need to step out of
their comfort zones and see the world.
"At UVI, we want our
students, faculty, and staff to be well-rounded, to be global citizens,” said Camille McKayle, Provost
and Vice President for Academic Affairs. “UVI Passport to the World
Travel-Learning Program to South Africa provided an opportunity for
participants to make those connections between our culture and that of South
Africa in many ways"
In Johannesburg, the group visited
the Apartheid Museum, the home of Nelson Mandela in the South Western Township
(SOWETO) as well as the Hector Peterson museum.
The attendees partook in a cultural
immersion experience which included visits to the Lesedi Cultural Village on
the outskirts of Johannesburg where they learned about the different tribal
cultures that contribute to South Africa being known as the "Rainbow
Nation".
UVI’s visiting contingent also had
the opportunity to visit non-governmental agencies such as the Johannesburg
Development Agency; local business ECONET, a telecommunications and technology
company; and institutions of higher learning within the Johannesburg area.
The second week of the program was
spent in Cape Town where participants were able to enjoy and experience Table
Mountain—one of the 7-wonders of nature. A steep cable ride up the mountain
revealed picturesque views of the city of Cape Town.
While in Cape Town, the group
continued its exploration of South Africa's unique history by visiting Robben
Island, the island which housed the prison of its name in which Nelson Mandela
spent 18 of his 27 years of imprisonment.
The group had the chance to speak with one of the former prisoners who served with Nelson Mandela—Sparks, who related his experience and that of the over 500 prisoners who endured hard labor on the island.
A tour of the inside of the prison allowed participants to visit the actual prison cell in which Mandela spent his time.
They also visited the District 6 Museum where they interacted with a colored man who was forcefully removed from the area by the South African Apartheid government in the 1960's.
The group had the chance to speak with one of the former prisoners who served with Nelson Mandela—Sparks, who related his experience and that of the over 500 prisoners who endured hard labor on the island.
A tour of the inside of the prison allowed participants to visit the actual prison cell in which Mandela spent his time.
They also visited the District 6 Museum where they interacted with a colored man who was forcefully removed from the area by the South African Apartheid government in the 1960's.
For UVI Alumnus and doctoral student,
Rick Grant the trip to South Africa wasn’t only about learning about the
country’s rich history and past., Rick is most proud to have shared his
recently published children’s book, "When I Grow Up" to a group of
children in Cape Town.
“As a mentor, author and educator, my
interest was being able to give back to
a local group of children,” said Rick.
“Being provided the opportunity to engage and encourage children, read my own
book and leave copies with the native South African children of the Happy Feet
after school program was the most impactful takeaway for me.”
Akeem McKintosh, UVI alumnus and
staff member describes the trip as an awesome opportunity and a great
experience that deepened his love and understanding for African history and
culture.
“I enjoyed visiting the various
museums and Robben Island, getting a detailed lesson in South African History,”
McKintosh said. “Gaining a deeper
understanding of the Apartheid system and the struggles of South Africans added
much more context to the music of Lucky Dube. It was easily one of the most
memorable days of the trip, I enjoyed getting up- close and personal, having
heart to heart conversations with many local South Africans.”
Lorna Freeman, UVI staff member
lauded the UVI Passport to the World Program as eye opening, humbling and
impactful experience that allows the UVI community to explore different
cultures.
“This is a really great program that
the University has embarked upon in order to
open the eyes of its students,
faculty, staff and alumni so that they may be able to
experience other cultures outside of
our immediate Caribbean area,” said Freeman. “It is really great for people who
would normally not have the opportunity to travel to those areas on their own,
to do so in a group setting.”
The UVI Passport to the World
Travel-Learning program is housed in the Office of the Provost and was created
in 2015 with a goal to bring UVI to the world. This experiential learning
opportunity fuses education, culture, and recreation to create a culturally immersive experience for participants. In the past, the program has included
travel to China and India.
UVI's Passport to the World
Educational Travel Program partnered with World Strides, with it’s over 50
years of experience in organizing travel-learning experiences, to provide this
capstone program.
The program is opened to UVI students,
staff, faculty, and alumni and takes place annually. The program for 2019 is
currently being developed.
