Day 1: Robben Island Tour, RV United Soccer Club Clinic – Khayelitsha Township, Match vs Saints Volleyball Club
Robben Island Prison Block 
Table Mountain (View from Robben Island) 
RV United in Khayelitsha Township 
Our first day in Cape Town, South Africa was a great adventure. We hopped of the 18 hour plane ride and headed right on to undulation of the Atlantic Ocean aka the ferry to Robben Island. At Robben Island, we had the privilege of receiving a tour from a previous political prisoner, Tom Moses. A highlight of this was seeing Nelson Mandela’s prison cell (where he was imprisoned for 18 years) and the garden where he buried his writings from a “Long Walk to Freedom”. Tom’s story was very moving and we truly appreciated his dedication to making sure his and so many others’ stories are heard. Next, we set off to the Khayelitsha Township to meet members of the RV (Resilient Victorious) United Women’s Football Club. This organization partners with Grassroots Soccer Organization, and focuses on using sport to encourage physical health, self-esteem, and equitable gender norms for girls and young women. As women, this was very inspiring to see, especially as this organization practices so much of what we learn and talk about in our classes back home. The girls also gave our men’s soccer team a run for their money on the soccer field. They also taught us how to make ragballs, a ball made out of completely recycled materials. After a quick break, our day ended with a competitive match against Saints Club Volleyball. It was nice to end the day with a familiar activity that reminded us just how lucky we are to be traveling and playing in the beautiful country. Until tomorrow morning at 6:30AM….
Signing off, Rachel and Shelby