South Africa trip – visiting the Johannesburg townships

We started our journey in South Africa by visiting the townships of Johannesburg. It was sad to see some of the living conditions of these neighborhoods, but I love how this shaped their everyday lives. Despite the challenges of their environment, the residents of the townships persevered. The residents had made it clear that lots of shops make their money from tourists. The couple days we spent here really had a strong impact on my cultural awareness and understanding of societies. We visited famous museums and monuments, such as Constitution Hill, Hector Pieterson museum, Nelson Mandela’s House Museum, Bishop Desmond Tutu’s House, Walter Sisulu Square, and explored famous streets of Soweto. Johannesburg is such a vibrant, diverse city with a complex, challenging history. My short time there left me eager to return and continue discovering all that it has to offer.