Dispatch from South Africa
September 3, 2026
Two Cate juniors reflect on friendship and service during a Round Square trip this summer to South Africa.
By Claire Chan ‘28 and Riya Mitera ‘28
This summer we had the privilege of traveling to South Africa with Round Square for a service project. Alongside 50 other high school students from around the world, we helped build a shelter for a local soup kitchen.
We have to admit, we were both a little skeptical going into the trip. We literally made a list of every pro and con of going (the biggest con, of course, being that we were about to be phone-less). Even though Elsie Chamberlain ’26, Max van Someren ’27, and Gurnoop Singh ’28 had all told us amazing stories from their trip the year before, we still had our doubts.
That didn’t last long. After stepping into O.R. Tambo International Airport all of those doubts started to disappear.
Day 1: Arriving in South Africa (and Meeting the Great BFG)
After making our way through customs and baggage claim, we were greeted by a British guy in a bucket hat who immediately asked us about our brick-laying skills. (For reference, brick laying is what we ended up doing for basically the entire trip. We are now both brick-laying masters.)
This guy turned out to be Ben George, aka BFG or Ben Fantastic George. Despite being cursed with pink eye for practically the entire trip, he and his bucket hat somehow became one of our biggest sources of inspiration. This was his last Round Square project, and we’re so grateful we got to share it with him.
After arriving at the hotel, we met almost everyone on the trip. There were students from France, New Zealand, South Africa, Germany, and so many other places. Everyone was incredibly welcoming, and we all became close almost immediately.
Day 2: The Kloof
We woke up at 6 a.m. to load the buses and begin our seven-hour drive to Tiger Kloof Boarding School. Despite the early wake-up, everyone set out full of energy. As each bathroom break and rest stop passed, though, the energy slowly disappeared. One by one, everyone drifted off to sleep, only to wake up as we rolled into Tiger Kloof, aka THE KLOOF.
The campus was beautiful. Its Gothic architecture made it feel like a Saharan version of Hogwarts. There was a soccer (or football) field right in front of the dining hall, and every evening the sun would set perfectly behind it. It almost made up for the fact that we missed the World Cup final. (RIP Argentina; yay Spain.)
Since we’d spent most of the day on the road, we quickly showered and headed to dinner. The Kloof’s dining hall definitely gives Cate’s a run for its money (don’t worry, both are great). After dinner, we split into our Barazas. These groups of eight to 10 students quickly became our little “families.” They were a lot like advisories: Whenever you needed someone to talk to or just wanted to hang out, your Baraza was always there. Shoutout to KC, who was one of the leaders!
Day 3: A Full Day at the Kloof
We started bright and early, waking up at 6 a.m. (Given the early hour, Riya took an extra 20-minute nap after breakfast.) As we walked from our dorms to the dining hall, we stopped to watch the sunrise. Even though it was only about 20 degrees outside, we stood there until the sun had fully risen before finally heading inside for breakfast.
Once we arrived at the soup kitchen, we split into our Barazas and got to work. Some people carried bricks while others mixed mortar. We headed back to Tiger Kloof tired, dirty, and very excited to shower, play soccer, and eat dinner.
Day 4: A Full Workday
By this point, the morning routine had become pretty predictable: Wake up at 6, watch the sunrise, drink an outrageous amount of coffee, and hop on the bus to the work site. This time, though, we worked for almost eight hours. By the end of the day, Riya and I had officially mastered the art of brick laying.
Throughout the afternoon, groups of kids of all ages gathered outside the fence separating the work site from the nearby township. Even though we didn’t speak the same language, that didn’t seem to matter. We hugged, took pictures together, danced the Macarena, and laughed nonstop. These moments reminded all of us why we were there in the first place.
Day 5: A Change of Plans
We woke up expecting another day at the work site, but instead learned that there were rumors of nearby protests over immigration laws. Rather than heading out, we stayed at Tiger Kloof and met with our Barazas to talk through the change in plans.
After spending time with the kids the day before, many of us struggled with the fact that we’d be safe behind the boarding school’s gates, while many of them wouldn’t have that security if things became dangerous. Thankfully, the protests never happened, and later that afternoon we were able to return to the work site.
Days 6–8: Bricks, Bricks, Bricks
Bricks. Bricks. Bricks. Bricks. Bricks.
Day 9: Nelson Mandela Day
Today was Nelson Mandela Day! Because it’s considered a public holiday in South Africa, nobody worked. Instead, we spent the day learning more about South African history and culture. We also learned how to play the marimba and perform the gumboot dance. Riya and I can now confidently play “The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” so if Chorale ever needs marimba players, we’ve got you, although we pretty much stink at gumboot dancing.
Day 10: A Morning with the Kids
Without a doubt, this was one of our favorite days. We got to visit the primary school and spend the morning with the kids. They welcomed us with singing and dancing, and then we spent hours playing soccer and hide-and-seek together.
Day 11: The Soup Kitchen Opens
After roughly 56 hours of laying bricks, mixing mortar, and carrying materials, it was finally time to open the soup kitchen. While some of us snuck off to play with the kids from the nearby church, others put the finishing touches on the shelter and helped prepare the food.
We watched families from the community line up to receive a meal. Older siblings held younger siblings’ hands and carefully carried reusable containers to be filled. Everyone waited patiently. The entire group went quiet. We didn’t really know what to say.
Some of us tried sneaking extra food into people’s containers, only to be reminded that there wouldn’t be enough for everyone if we did. So we served the last few meals, sat down with our own plates, and ate in silence.
Back at Tiger Kloof, we got ready for the talent show. Riya and I joined the other Americans to perform “Cotton Eye Joe,”a truly unforgettable performance; we should’ve gotten a standing ovation. We all ended up dancing to “Waka Waka,” learned an Australian dance, and even joined in an African dance before the night was over.
If we’re going to leave you with one piece of advice, it’s this: If you’re even considering applying for a Round Square international service project, do it. We know how intimidating it can seem. We literally made a pros-and-cons list before leaving, but we can honestly say it ended up being one of the best experiences we’ve ever had.