Footprint

Before eating some pasta and dessert at an Italian restaurant called Spiga d’Oro last Wednesday, we as a group had a discussion on Wednesday about the footprint that we will leave behind us here in Durban.

Some of us talked about the tangible things we plan on leaving behind. For instance, someone in our group is working on an anger management program for her worksite and at We Help Our Children is working on creating a website. We also mentioned the small things that we will leave behind which add up. The relationships we’ve formed and even the information we’ve shared about America and even ourselves. We also discussed the footprint that the people here have left with us. We discussed their genuine frankness and curiosity about America and the humility that they carry with them. Others of us talked about the fun things that they have left with us such as Zulu songs and the various clicks. We also added in terms of our collective footprint, the community service project we are to take part in at Blue Roof and the memories that we’ve formed to leave with our homestays and the Durban community. It has been interesting to see how some of the kids at some of the schools and people in the community know us. Even beyond this, the collective influence of last years students, us, and students to come will indeed leave an indelible mark on the lives and people we’ve encountered as Duke students.