Seeing the sea: a new way to "get around"

Volunteering in developing countries has come to a close due to my diminished energy and barking back. I am thankful for the privilege I had of working with so many international teachers for eleven years.

Last winter I joined the Semester at Sea ship for five weeks of their four month semester lf learning around the world sponsored by the University of Virgina.  I joined the ship in Singapore, visited Burma, India, Mauritius, and South Africa. Desmond Tutu joined the ship at the beginning of January, and he and I both left the ship in Cape Town where he lives.

While on the ship, Nelson Mandela was in and out of the hospital and much was made of his health since he is an icon representing hope and forgiveness in South Africa.  As we all know, Desmond Tutu (fondly call "The Arch") was a pillar of moral authority while Mandela was in prison, and a force of the truth and reconciliation commission following Mandela's release.

I recall Tutu saying that it would not have been possible for Mandela to forgive the injustice of the apartheid government had he not spent 27 harsh years in prison.  Mandela simply came to the conclusion that if he was released and did not forgive, he would still be in prison.  Given the current economic hardship of 45 per cent unemployment and poor government leadership, there is still much to forgive.  Hope will be challenged now that Mandela has died, and I am sure that "Arch" will be a pillar again.