What made Cape Town so admirable to me was its undeniable natural beauty within its wildlife and people. It was a breath of fresh air, to say the very least. I found myself constantly picturing the map of Africa and being so intrigued by the fact that I was standing on the southernmost tip of such a massive continent. As a seventeen-year-old woman, I feel very grateful that I had the chance to explore a new land so far away from home; this is something I wish every person could accomplish in their lifetime. 

The beginning of my travel consisted of long drives to view Cape Town’s most famous natural sites, but I caught on soon that the drives between destination to destination were simply beautiful all along the way. One of my favorite sites was Table Mountain, one of the world’s seven wonders of nature. 

Traveling to the township of Langa was an experience that became so deep-rooted into my mind and heart that I will remember it for the rest of my life. I visited a neighborhood and peeked into lifestyles so foreign from my own. Although the townspeople may not have much financial wealth, their true abundance is in culture, art, happiness, music, and family. I then visited a Langa kindergarten class, where students sang excitedly in Afrikaans and English. They sang a song about having respect for their own bodies, and it blew me away that they were learning importance of body rights at such a young age. Why isn’t every school teaching that?

Soon, it was time to leave the class, so I reluctantly began walking toward the door. But I was stopped by a swarm of kids who hugged and pulled me from behind, with the biggest smiles I had ever seen. I spent the next ten minutes of pure joy playing with the kids who appeared to be the happiest people on earth. It was truly unforgettable: their hugs still seem so close, even though we are miles apart now.