Each rising senior at Guilford ABC has the opportunity to spend part of the summer abroad or choose another significant experience. Jasmine Laryea chose a trip to South Africa, inspired by the work and memory of Nelson Mandela.
During her three-week trip, Jasmine also studied one of the many ancient languages, isiXhosa, and delighted in “an amazing variety of food.” Her group shared their food with the homeless population living on the beach. One week she helped children at the Bonga Primary School build a food garden, growing onions, tomatoes, asparagus.
In Cape Town, Jasmine hiked Lions Head Mountain, then ascended Tabletop Mountain via cable car. CIEE was the sponsoring organization.
Jasmine also visited museums that have captured the history of apartheid and Robbin Island where Nelson Mandela, the first democratically-elected president of South Africa was held for 17 of his 28 years as a prisoner.
“It was brutally honest,” she said quietly. The concept of Ubuntu captured her intense interest. “It’s the concept of seeing everyone for their humanity,” she explained, “to unify.”
