Wetskills-USA 2023, by Danica Carnow (University of the Western Cape, PhD candidate from South Africa) – It’s St. Patrick’s Day and the final day of our stay at the Consulate of South Africa in New York.
Hello, molweni, goeiemore, olá, as-salaam ‘alykum, kumusta, Tsangma la julley, Dia dhuit, hallo, hi!
A sense of excitement and nostalgia fills the air on day 6 of the Wetskills programme in New York as we walk into our work setting with the Wetskills finals soon approaching and google greeting the day with the St Patty’s Day celebrations.
The work before the fun!
Full of energy, we resume our activities for the day by holding meetings with case owners, finalising ideas on posters, editing papers, and formulating ideas for pitches. With the finals approaching, each group continues to put in all their effort and motivation to accomplish their tasks for the day. And just like we arrived, we have left the Consulate of South Africa moving swiftly towards the Wetskills finals at New York’s Water week. Thank you, S.A for hosting us!
With our stay at the South African Consulate concluding at 01:00pm, we create our final memory with a good old group photo for Wetskills- USA (UN) 2023!
Heading down the streets of NYC on St. Patty’s Day!
On St. Patrick’s Day, the cathedral is a popular spot for pilgrims, tourists, and locals alike. The streets are filled with a sea of green, as people dressed in shamrock-coloured outfits march their way through the city of New York spreading cheer and joy. It’s a day when people all over the world come to St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City to honour the patron saint of Ireland of his achievements and his legacy. The cathedral, represents hope and faith and has a fascinating history. Indeed, a remarkable place to visit before all the deadlines and finals draw in, bringing us reassurance, hope, faith and courage for what lies ahead in the next few days.
It’s a potluck party at the end of the rainbow!
St. Patrick’s Day is perfect occasion to spread some joy, kindness, cherish one’s tradition and share it with others. Nothing better than hosting a potluck party to get to know each other better, learn about our different cultures, and taste different flavours- Wetskills edition! Especially since cuisine is one of the many windows that allow others to experience a culture without necessarily being there. Sharing our cultures and food was a way of embracing our diversity, promoting inclusion, and respecting all difference by learning about other cultures and educating oneself about the history and traditions of others. Coming together, sharing our heritage and cuisines, we collaboratively set aside any biases and create an opportunity for meaningful dialogue and robust engagement. This was a fantastic way of experiencing diversity while bringing us closer here at the Wetskills USA 2023.
