On March 6, 2023, an excited group of Trinity-Pawling students and faculty embarked on the trip of a lifetime to South Africa. Led by seasoned traveler and Director of College Counseling Slade Mead and tour guides Marius Du Plooy and Vanessa Cloete, the group started their trip in Cape Town, the jewel in the crown of South Africa, and over the course of 14 days, made their way around the beautiful country — from Robben Island to the Cape of Good Hope to Durban, Sodwana Bay, and more!
The action-packed itinerary featured a seemingly endless list of sights and experiences that showcased the breathtaking scenery and rich culture of South Africa. Highlights of the trip included hiking Table Mountain, Lion’s Head, and through the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Gardens; visiting Nelson Mandela’s cell on Robben Island, the lighthouse at the Cape of Good Hope, the District 6 Museum, Jubula Beach, the Company Gardens, the church of Desmond Tutu, and a Zulu village; taking surfing lessons; participating in South African drum lessons; exploring Seal Island; snorkeling in Sodwana Bay; seeing amazing wildlife on a sunset safari, on game drives in the KwaZulu Natal region, and at the Emdoneni Cheetah Project; and helping to paint the clubhouse of the Belinda Soccer team in the Gugulethu Township. And those are just the beginning!
“Taking a school group to South Africa is exhilarating as you watch everyone respond to the new culture,” began Slade Mead. “The awe inspired by seeing the vistas from Table Mountain or hiking and coming across a herd of giraffes; or the satisfaction of volunteering in a township and then enjoying a lunch, featuring chakalaka, followed by a friendly soccer game with members of the community.” He continued, “Or perhaps experiencing a new food like Apartheid’s necessitated Durban Bunny Chow; or surfing in the Atlantic and snorkeling in the Indian Ocean; or watching the exhilaration of the group experience a sunrise after hiking up Lion’s Head in the pre-dawn darkness. Or visiting iconic places like the beauty of the bluffs at the Cape of Good Hope or the brutality of Nelson Mandela’s cell on Robben Island. In a little under two weeks, everyone in the group becomes a better world citizen.”
Throughout the trip, faculty member Geri Barker and current sophomore Roni Eloranta ’25 joined forces to document the group’s adventures on the @trinitypawlingtravels Instagram account. In case you missed their coverage, be sure to check out the photos and videos of the Trinity-Pawling travelers’ unforgettable experiences.
“On Sunday, March 19, we arrived home at 5:30 AM with our hearts full,” the caption of the final Instagram post reads. “Thank you, South Africa. We all made memories that will last a lifetime.”
by Emma Quigley