Short Entry for Quick Pics

Sawbonani!  I'm not even sure if that's how you spell it.  Anyways, I hope you all are well, this is going to be a very short entry just to share some quick things with you all.  These are all pictures of Robben Island, where Nelson Mandella was imprisoned.  I never posted these after we toured the island and I feel that they're pretty special, so I wanted to be sure that I shared them with all of you back there in the States.  Just for a very quick update on me, I'm almost finished in Eshowe for the research portion of my ISP, and I have to say that I've learned a great deal of amazing things.  I finished interviewing all of the female prisoners that I was able to on Friday afternoon, and some of the things I was able to get from them was absolutely inspiring.  I even got to do yoga with them :)  I'll be back in Durban for the rest of my time in South Africa starting Thursday and then at that time I will be doing the hard part-writing this massive report.  I've also decided that this is going to be my 2nd to last entry and I'm going to try to write up something pretty special for my last post, so keep on the lookout.  It'll be a little while since I'm going to be focusing mainly on my report, but not too long!  3 more weeks left-wow...can't believe it.  Enjoy the new pics :)

These are some penguins that live on the island.  I got to stand right next to them hehe.  This one is for you Courtney!
This is a picture of a hall where the beds were for the prisoners at the time when Nelson Mandella was incarcerated.  This is no longer a prison and there currently are no prisons on Robben Island anymore.  It is now one of the most beautiful places in the world (in my opinion at least), and many buildings have been turned into schools and community centers, including some of the former prisons.  It is so peaceful there-very few people inhabit the island and everyone works together to keep it the wonderful place that it is.  Change is possible!

Here's the sign right before you walk into the prison.  The top is in English, and the bottom language is Afrikaans.  
And here's the very special picture-Nelson Mandella's cell where he was kept for fighting for the freedom of all South Africans-of humanity in general.  Because after all, as Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice anywhere."  I can't believe that I got the chance to see this.  Look at the size of this-it's smaller than my closet.  I wonder what he was thinking when he was in this cell night after night.  

And here's the last picture of the cell just from another angle.  That's his bedding, I'm not sure if he really slept on the floor or if they just removed the bed.  But what continues to amaze me is that he wasn't afraid to go to prison for the dignity and lives of others.  I'm not sure if many people are willing to do that anymore.  How did he keep himself emotionally and mentally alive while he was in there for 20 some years?  What extraordinary will power.