Good morning- Yesterday was a FULL day. We had a cultural debriefing in the morning which was very informative. South Africa's history with colonization and racial discrimination is parallel to the US in so many ways. This country is so fascinating! The people are so resilient! We went to visit a primary school and had an opportunity to meet with children ans speak with teachers. Their stories are powerful. The teachers at this school are teaching 45-50 children in their classrooms. Their commitment is amazing. We learned, however, that South Africa is experiencing a teacher shortage. Similar to the US, there is a decline in Black teachers entering the profession primarily because there are more and different occupational opportunities for them. This poses a great challenge because children are allowed to be taught in their mother tongue their first 3 years of school. We went to the Hector Piertersen Museum which was a very somber experience. I kept thinking about the students who were part of SNCC and other student led activities that were part of the US Civil Rights Movement. This museum commemorated the lives and actions of South African youth who protested against having to learn Afrikaans in school. I ended the day with dinner at a good restaurant in Mandela Square.