The Unites States of South Africa ^Featured

I can’t believe that our first week has already passed, we literally just landed here. On my way to the
USA some of my expectations of the “Capital of the World” was those of it being a type of concrete
jungle, but it’s quite a beautiful city with lush tree’s and big valleys where rivers run trough the city. It
certainly is nothing like what I have experienced before, as I found myself in a first world country for
only the second time in my life. The one that I’ve been to before doesn’t actually count.

Since we’ve arrived, the team has done some amazing things. Besides interning at some of the world’s
biggest corporations, we visited the South African Residence in the beginning of the week. This was a
very special meeting to me as it was held on Youth Day, especially commemorating those who gave their
lives for the freedom we have today. We had a very insightful discussion with some American students
about the economic freedom of our Youth in order to insure our future. This was ended off with a
traditional South African Braai. Could I have asked for anything better in the States? It made me long
for my family’s braai which we do about 3 times a week, it made me feel at home. A few thoughts that
stuck with me throughout the session were that the youth truly needs a better base to raise concerns
from, we need a better voice within South Africa. Youth forms a big part of the country why can’t we
have a say, because we’re young?

Meanwhile, I am doing my internship at the International Finance Corporation and it’s going great.
The D.C. culture is the kind of Johannesburg vibe where people are completely on their own mission.
Nonetheless, I have met some amazing people, people which I won’t necessarily use for my own benefit,
but people which I truly have become friends with. The IFC is an extremely diverse organization with
135 countries represented. We also had some other meetings which were very interesting. These
included a Networking skills meeting as well various other topics and SAWIP’s program/curriculum is
definitely not disappointing me.

Initially arriving in the US was interesting. We waited for about 1h30min in customs, where they
question you about your visit to the country. It very soon became a reality to me that I find myself in the
worlds strongest and biggest technological advanced economy, a country with 314 million people and
a nation which rules the world. After spending a week in the US I am not surprised that South Africa’s
youth is up with the best in the business. By saying this I’m not boasting about myself or the team, but
I’m talking about the mentality of people from the rest of the world that look over us or down on us,
because we’re from so called “Africa”. I wish had the time to give you all the examples of things that
took place during this past week where this could be observed. We are on the same level as the US
students of our age, that is if where not ahead of them. We are a unique country and just as we can
learn from the United States they can learn from us, the world can learn from South Africa.

Don’t let someone ever look down on you, just because of where you come from. We live in a globalized
community where the rest of the world can learn a lot from Africa and especially from South Africa. The
problems of our past and also because of the fact that we are forced to function on a daily basis with
different cultures and people, has vested a big understanding of people and vision within us. Watch out,
the ”United States of South Africa” is growing and developing to become a force to be reckoned with…