Orientation is officially over! It is crazy to think about how we have only been here for two weeks when it feels like we have been here for at least a month. We have done so much, seen so much, and experienced so much already I can honestly say I feel at home. Table mountain is beautiful (did you know it’s one of the seven wonders of the world?) but I no longer feel the need to quickly grab my camera and take pictures every time we pass by it (which is multiple times a day considering we even have a nice view of it from our ‘balcony’ at the house). Everything feels ‘normal’. It doesn’t feel like I’m in a foreign country. It doesn’t feel like I’m a stranger. It doesn’t feel like I don’t belong. Like I said, I feel at home.
We spent the past two days traveling to the 16 different internship sites that the 26 students UConn students will be at for the next 13 weeks. I am working at the clinic in Tafelsig, one of the poorest areas in Mitchell’s Plain. We visited there on Monday and my initial thought upon entering was: wow this is overwhelming. There were benches lined with tons of people waiting to be helped. We were told that the clinic sees up to 500 people in their workday and sometimes even more that they run out of numbers and have to make more. Again my initial reaction was that it must be overwhelming for the staff but then the woman told us that if you take one person at a time it doesn’t seem like so many. I’m telling myself not to set expectations because I want to get the most out of the internship but I am terribly excited for what’s to come. I also found out that while we will be rotating throughout the different ‘units’, I will be spending a majority of my time in peds!! Right now I am interested in becoming a pediatric nurse so this will help me determine if it really is the area I will want to concentrate in during my schooling.
Today we said goodbye to our huge touristy bus. And we said goodbye to always having to travel in groups of 30. But tomorrow we say hello to the start of something much bigger. The start of internships. So here I sit like a child about to enter a candy store, open to new experiences, new people, and new ways of thinking. I’ll share tomorrow about my first day, miss everyone! xoxo
jenniferklinecpsa 
I am so proud of you Jenna. You really are a special person. Your first and middle name represent the two most important people in my life. I am just sorry that you didn’t know them. Your Grandmother was a very giving person. She was always the first one that stepped up to care for anyone in the family that needed help especially when we were ill. I know that she emulated your Great Grandmother since she was also the one to help. Neither of them were rich but they gave all they had to their families. I can see that in you also. I hope they can see what a wonderful person you turned out to be. I know your Mom did the same for all of you. She was always there to make sure you succeeded in school and life putting you first ahead of her own needs and wants.
Please blog when you can. Know you will be busy. I am so happy you will be working with children. You always seemed to like taking care of young children. God bless. I will pray for your success and safety.
Love you, Aunt Fredie
Thank you for this. I promise to keep blogging. Love you!