Blog #2
By: Jen Pash
“May your choices reflect your hopes not your fears. “
Nelson Mandela is in my opinion one of the greatest leaders that the world has ever seen. His demeanor was one of a kind that only one could aspire to acquire in their lifetime. Throughout our entire trip we have experienced the legacy of Nelson Mandela, it doesn’t matter geographically where you are in South Africa in order to feel the admiration and pride that the people of South Africa have for this incredible leader. Even though Nelson Mandela is no longer here with us his legacy remains.
As a class we have seen the impact that Nelson Mandela has has had on communities in Cape Town and in Johannesburg. After speaking with locals, touring museums, observing and taking note of the architecture I was able to see how much Mandela continues to impact South Africans lives even though he is not physically present.
In Cape Town I spoke with one of the employees at the fountain hotel. I asked him who his role model was and with no hesitation he responded with Nelson Mandela. He told me that he was a fearless leader and that he admired his work ethic, patience, and drive to fight inequality. To this man he represented an image of what happens when you work hard. I think that this man’s admiration for Mandela was also shared by many. In Cape Town, Johannesburg, and towns that we drove through there were also several pieces of artwork and street art that paid tribute to Mandela.
In Johannesburg we had the opportunity to almost walk in the steps of Nelson Mandela. We visited the prison at constitutional hill where Mandela stayed, Liliesleaf , and robben island in Cape Town. One of my favorite parts of the trip was being in the places that Mandela was in and picturing what it must have been like. It was especially powerful visiting the jail cells in which Mandela stayed and wrote some of his greatest work. After reading some of his pieces and seeing where he wrote them really moved me.
In Johannesburg one of the most powerful museums that we saw on the trip was the apartheid museum. At this museum it was tough to see and read about certain things that South Africans had to go through just because of their skin color. At the museum I watched a clip of mandelas first television interview and I was extremely impressed but the way that he carried himself. I admired how patient he was and how well he articulated his thoughts. I admired how he kept his cool when questioned and how he spoke with just the right amount of passion. One of my favorite parts of the trip was reading his writing and listening to video clips of him speaking. At the museum there was a huge tribute exhibit to Mandela which was really powerful for me. This is exhibit did a great job of honoring Mandela and the legacy of hope and the beginning of united nation that he left behind. Nelson Mandela started the frame work as a United nation however it was evident through our entire trip that apartheid was still lingering today.
As we traveled from city to city we saw especially in townships that even though apartheid is technically over there are many things that suggest that it is not. Today there is still a huge division between white South Africans and black South Africans regarding wealth. The effects of apartheid are still lingering today. I think what Nelson Mandela left behind for the people is to not only have faith and hope that things will get better but to also take action and stand up for the injustices that exist in your life. I believe part of Nelson Mandela’s legacy is leaving behind a nation that was more United than before and that is willing to fight and stand up for their beliefs. With apartheid still lingering today I think people in South Africa look to Mandela as an example that as impossible something may seem it can be accomplished with patience, diligence, hard work, and passion.
I think Nelson Mandela still continues to inspire the nation to be better and to work to erase the injustices that exist. Each museum and location the we traveled to regarding Mandela also inspired me. Mandela has inspired me to be a better version of myself. One of the quotes that really spoke to me was, “to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains but to live in a way that enhances and respects the freedom of others.” This quote inspires me to be a better person. To be more patient. To stand up for the injustices in the world. To be responsible and active part of the community that I live in. Mandela was a unique leader and his legacy and life will continue to impact the lives of many until the end of time.
Favorite Quotes that I have collected of Nelson Mandela:
-
“may your choices reflect your hopes and not your fears”
-
“to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains but to live in a way that enhances and respects the freedom of others”
-
“if you are in harmony with yourself, you may meet a lion without fear because he respects anyone with self-confidence”
-
“the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself.”
-
“the greatest glory in living lies not in never failing, but in rising every time that we fall.”
