At Mhudi Vineyard
This past weekend, the group took a trip out to Stellenbosch, an area renowned as the home to South Africa’s many vineyards. We visited a black-owned vineyard called Mhudi. The owners gave us a presentation in which they discussed, among other things, some problems plaguing their company. A current obstacle against which they are battling is the perception that their wine is of a lower quality simply because the vineyard is owned by black South Africans. But after our wine sampling, none of us doubted the quality of their wine.
Later, we were served a traditional South African lunch, complete with Kudu sausage, lamb chops, and many local vegetables that are not found in the U.S. While we dined on a beautiful veranda overlooking the mountains, a band entertained us with many songs on marimbas.
Yesterday, the group climbed Lion’s Head, a mountain in Cape Town. From the summit, we watched the sun set over the city of Cape Town. The view was amazing; one could see the city of Cape Town, Table Mountain, and the ocean. Climbing down in the dark was slightly treacherous, but fortunately there were no major falls or injuries.
I have come to really appreciate the additional excursions that our group takes on the weekends, and during the week. They are an invaluable asset to our program, and the trips augment our academic experience greatly. Prior to arriving in South Africa for DukeEngage, I assumed that the trip would be almost solely service-based. And while that is a huge component of our program, I have been surprised and appreciative of the plethora of academic experiences we have gained. From meeting with community leaders to reading South African newspaper articles, I have learned so much. But I have also found that, even when an activity may be ostensibly unrelated to academics, the experience somehow still manages to help me grow intellectually. And to me, that unintentional type of learning is the best kind.
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