Nicole's thoughtful analogy

It would suck to be an Impala. Think about it, not only are you at the bottom of the food chain, and constantly have to watch your back, but you’re also the animal that nobody cares about, because there are so many of you. At Kruger, the Safari truck didn’t even bother to stop when it would come across a herd of the small deer, but instead would zoom on past, in the hopes of finding a more ‘interesting’ animal, ones that would be “worth” stopping for.  

I can’t help but wonder if the Impala is similar to many of the people who live in South Africa. I can’t help but think that the people who live in Khayelitsha or Tafelsig, and I’m sure many of the other informal settlements and townships, are like the Impala. 

They are numerous in number, and at the bottom of the socio-economic classes. During Apartheid, they were pushed to the outskirts of the city, and out of they way to fend for themselves. It’s almost as if these people are left on the outside of the city so that they are out of view. After all.. “Out of sight, out of mind” is how the saying goes. Even after being in South Africa for a little over two months, it still amazes me, the effects of Apartheid that are still so prevalent in today’s society. There is still so much disparity between the whites, Coloureds, and blacks, especially in Cape Town. During a lull at my internship today, I had a chance to talk with one of the nurses about my stay in South Africa. She was asking me how I liked it and what I thought about certain things. Somehow the conversation eventually steered to where she lived and where she had come from. I learned that, while she had spent the last couple decades in an area of the Mitchells Plain Township, she has originally come from District Six, and was part of one of the first groups of people to be forcibly removed from their homes. She told me how she was involved in “The Struggle” and had risked becoming imprisoned for the part she had played in her workings against the National Party. It was amazing to stand in front of this woman and listen to her story. It’s crazy to think that a person who looks so normal, an elderly nurse, a woman, and a Coloured person, had not only survived through such a struggle in her lifetime, but had actually been an active part, and had fought for her rights and freedoms. What’s even more ridiculous is that I was there to listen to her story, and that she was willing to share it with me. I felt so connected to a part of history, a history that really has no place for me as an American, but as a human being is important that I understand. It is important that people around the world realize that there are many decisions from our pasts that have had a huge impact on our present and will continue to have an impact on us in the future. A regime cannot simply be overthrown and everything be fixed in a snap. It is a slow process to heal, and this country still very evidently has gaping wounds.

Emily reflecting on her many & varied experiences here

We have done a lot of fun, amazing things while here in Cape Town but there have definitely been some more sobering and serious moments that I’d really like to share with my family, friends and my housemates families and friends. While at my internship one day this past week I struck up a conversation with the copy man (the man who fixes our irksome copy machine, which loves to break every 2 seconds) and was surprised at what he asked me. Upon learning that I was American, he told me that he was Muslim and that he really wanted to visit the United States but that he was afraid to because of the attacks on Muslims he had been hearing about and the general attitudes of the American people towards Muslims and those who looked like Muslims. This hit me very hard as we had recently watched a film in class entitled “Divided We Fall,” which I HIGHLY recommend all about the attacks on Sikh Indians in the U.S. He asked me what I thought he should do, was it safe for him to visit or no? I didn’t know what to say and it upset me. I wanted him to visit my country, especially because he really wanted to but at the same time I didn’t want to lie to him and say he wouldn’t encounter any threats or stereotypes of Muslims while he was there. I hated that I came from a country that had such negative attitudes about a group of people who meant us no harm. At that moment I did not want to be American.

Another moment that hit me very hard was during our first few weeks here in Cape Town. We had gone to church and were coming home and driving through the township of Khayelitsha on our big touristy bus. I saw three little kids playing on the side of the road in a pile of garbage. One of the boys picked up a broken crate to play with and I watched as a little girl whacked him over the head with a piece of garbage because she wanted to play with the crate. These kids were literally fighting over garbage because that was all that they had to play with. I nearly burst into tears. I could remember fighting over toys with my brother when I was younger and they were certainly new, clean and innumerable.

 

Another similar moment to that occurred just a week or so ago while in Johannesburg. We played with some children we encountered in a market and it was their greatest moment of joy when we let them use our cameras to take pictures of us and themselves. The little boy among the group had been rolling a dirty old tire along with a stick as a toy. A man came along with inflatable toys and some members of our group immediately wanted to buy a toy for them so we did. Seeing the kids faces light up at small inflatable Winnie the Pooh or Spiderman for 5 rand nearly broke my heart in all the right ways. It was incredibly hard to stay at the Balalaika Hotel and see the Gold Reef Casino knowing the extreme poverty that people suffer in the townships right next to these places of luxury. Doing all of the amazing activities here, especially the ones that were paid for for our group, is such a privilege. Many of the locals I have spoken to have never even climbed Table Mountain because they can’t afford the transportation to get to the base or to get into the park and they live below it their whole lives. I am only here for four months and I have already gone climbing three times.

 

And a final moment of sadness was when we went to the Hector Pieterson memorial and walked through the cemetery remembering those who had been killed at Sharpeville, the youngest of whom was only a 9-year-old girl. Seeing a tipped over gravestone emerged in water and realizing that even in death these freedom fighters were not awarded the respect and dignity that they deserved really got to me. You cannot see what I have seen in this country and not be changed as a person. I can see my housemates changing around me and I can see the change within myself as well. Seeing the hardships and poverty that we have all seen has brought us closer together as a group and bonded us. Yes the days are full of fun such as surfing, climbing mountains and eating tasty goodies but the days and especially nights are full of meaningful thoughts and at least on my part, journal entries questioning who I am and why and what I did to have all that I do have. You cannot visit this country and leave without wanting to help people somewhere, it is impossible. Cape Town and South Africa have made a great and lasting impact on me that I will never forget or regret. 

Katherine introducing her family to Cape Town

These past few days I’ve been lucky enough to have my sister come visit. It was great to see her, and it made being away from home a bit easier. One of the reasons I was most grateful to have her come was that I was finally able to merge part of my life back home with my life here in South Africa. Being here and working at my internship, participating on my activist project and just learning about the many different aspects of South Africa always gets me so excited. And now, I finally had a chance to get to introduce my family to all the things that excited me about being here, and get them excited about it as well.

Having my family here was also great because it reaffirmed just how much I’ve learned since arriving here. Being able to show them some of my favorite parts of Cape Town, or introduce them so some local things that otherwise they may not have experienced was a great feeling. It was also nice to pass on some of the knowledge I learned. I was able to teach them about South Africa’s history and about their current politics, which I think is so important. I only wish they had more time to spend here so that they could get to know South Africa just as I have.

Sharielle on the best spring break ever

Johannesburg, or as I like to call it- Jo'burg, was great! It had a different feel than Cape Town. Jo'burg is essentially the New York of South Africa. Everything was fast paced and tall buildings lined the streets. One thing that caught my eye was the amount of Black people I saw driving nice cars- something that is very hard to find in Cape Town (The majority of people in Jo'burg are Black, in contrast to Cape Town). Even in the lovely hotel we stayed at  there were a lot of successful Black people. For me, it has been a long time, if ever, in which I have been to a place where Black people were the predominantly successful citizens.

Despite, the increase of Blacks I saw in wealthier positions, going to places such as Soweto gave us a reality and a context to the wealth that I saw. The Apartheid Museum, the Hector Pieterson Museum and Sharpeville reminded me of South Africa's dark past. I will not go into detail about everything that I saw, but one of the experiences that really stands out in my mind was walking by the graves of those who died during the Sharpeville Massacre in 1976. Over 60 people were murdered by the police for burning their pass books in resistance to the apartheid government. While walking pass the graves I took a look at the ages of the people who died. A lot of these people were around my age, 21. I kept thinking that these people stood for something. I have to ask myself- “What am I ready to die for?” What is that important to me? While I do have some answers, it is a question that I try to think about daily. These questions serve to motivate me and keep my passion going when I get discouraged.

Now to turn our attention to animals. Kruger National Park (KNP) is located in the province of Mpuma-Langa and the park itself is the size of Israel. I am not an animal or outdoorsy person. However, I do like to observe nature. Thankfully, there were caravans that we rode in- once at sunset and once at sunrise. Everything around me was absolutely breathtaking, from the small chameleon in the tree to the lion that confidently and with ease strolled pass our caravan. 

The sunset and sunrise proved to really make the experience. I have always been in love with just standing outside and watching the sunset, sunrise and stars, this was made all the better by having animals compliment the scenery. This experience, combined with my previous trip to Rwanda, further convinced me that there is no continent or place that is more beautiful than Africa.

On the second day most people went on a game walk through the fields to see animals. I chose not to go along since I am not a fan of walking among animals who can run faster than me. Choosing not to go on this game walk did not mean that I missed out on the awesome things that the park had to offer. Just sitting on the deck, little monkeys were leaping around eating food off of plates. They were just too cute, and seemed to have such an interesting life. I would watch as they would stop in pairs and clean each others fur, hug each other and even fight. It was such a cool experience.

Jo'burg, was by far the best Spring Break I ever had. I was so fortunate to have the opportunity to go on this trip. This trip just further emphasized how much I love South Africa- both the people and animals!

Lianna recalling the excursion and preparing to take home memories

Excursion gave me plenty of opportunities to appreciate a whole new part of this country.  Flying into Joburg was such an exciting experience, and I knew I was going to love it.  While I may have missed the Cape Town weather and the back drop of Table Mountain each time I looked around, it was nice to be able to see new sights and meet new people, in a new part of the country.  When I first signed up for this trip I had no idea that Joburg and Cape Town were so far apart, not only distance wise (I suppose I have no one to blame for my lack of knowledge of geographical skills other than myself), but also in attitudes.  At work the week prior to leaving, people were trying to give Brenna and I advice on what to expect out of Joburg.  I heard comparisons to New York and LA, and that there, people were always on the move, always go go go, which as we all know, is not quite the attitude in Cape Town.  The little bit I did of walking around in Joburg, without being on our great big tour bus, did give me the impression of a more busy city.  In addition, the big mall, Nelson Mandela Square, was very American-like.  A Nike store, Hagen-das, Swatch, and even a Mac (resale) store!   It was surreal, but enjoyable, sipping on an ice coffee and checking my email on the Mac store computer, just like home.

The hotel we stayed in was easily the nicest hotel I have ever been in, the beds were so comfy that each morning I was tempted to sleep past my alarm.  The continental breakfast was more of a buffet, with a person making omelets for you (just like Uconn!) and it was so great getting to eat nuts again (a luxury I have yet to splurge on).  Our days were filled with activities’, the most interesting for me being the Hector Peterson museum.  These two museums were two of the best museums I have ever been in, both filled with information and interesting stories. Although I wish we had had more time in the apartheid museum, I still was able to learn so much, especially with the exhibit on Nelson Mandela that we got to walk through.  The Hector Pieterson museum was something completely new to me, because I hadn’t heard much about him prior to excursion week.  Hector Pieterson was a boy who was killed during the Soweto uprising when he was 13.  Students were attempting to protest the enforcement of the language Afrikaans and English in their school. It was a really depressing, moving and at the same time inspiring museum, for me the hardest part was the photo outside of the museum, of a boy carrying Hector Petersons body.  On one of the benches was a quote from that boy’s mother, about how carrying his body back was just a natural thing, that if he hadn’t the community would have shunned him.  It was really hard for me to read.

From Joburg was just a short ride (7 hours one way) to Kruger National Park, we were finally headed out on safari, or should I say, the bush (I was told by someone at work that Safari must be an American word, because no true South Africans ever say that).  The ride was beautiful, and as much as I wanted to sleep, I couldn’t help but stare out the window seeing all the beautiful sites, and for the first time in my life a horizon! Previously, growing up in New England, there have always been mountains, trees, and hills blocking my view of the flat horizon, and this bus ride was the first peek I had at one! It probably doesn’t sound that exciting, but for me, it was! From there we got to move into these adorable little thatched roof huts, take a dip in the pool, and head out on our first safari!  Between the 2 drives and the bush walk, we saw a lion, elephants, hippos, rhinos, giant spiders, and ever a cheetah!  It was all really cool- my favorite part obviously being the gigantic lion that strolled right past our truck.

Now that excursion is over, I am once again freaking out about how little time we have left here.  I remember thinking in January that once excursion was over we’d have such little time left! And while I am so thankful for all the experiences I have already had, I can’t help but wish we had even more time to travel around, see new things, meet new people and return to some of the places we’ve already been and loved. It’s getting to that time where I’m wondering if I’ll even get to do all the things I wanted to do, big things and small, and hoping that somehow I’ll get to come back here again and share with other people all the things I have done and learned.  I can’t help but be jealous of Martia, who not only has gotten to return here for several springs, but has gotten to show some of her friends and family just how amazing this place can be.  Hopefully one day I can return here and see all of these things that I love so much, but if I don’t I will always have the memories (in the form of about 700 photos) and all the things I have learned to remind me of my time here.

Dana thankful to continue a UConn project at Thandokhulu High

As an activist project, Kate and I are restarting the art program at Thandokhulu high school in Mowbray, where Julian, Taylor, and Marie are interning. Last year three women who studied abroad from UConn started the art program. From what we heard from them, the students really liked the program and enjoyed just having time to spend doing something they enjoy with brand new art materials, all for them. Unfortunately, once they left, the art program fizzled out because there was no one to take over managing the program. So, Kate and I decided it would be nice for the students to restart the program. It runs every Friday immediately after school. It was a bit difficult to start up considering the schedule of the school and the busy staff, but we finally got it going. We’ve done it a few times and it has been so much fun! Surprisingly, there are more boys that usually show up than girls, but about 25 kids normally attend. They were so excited to use the brand new markers and colored pencils we bought for them last week to make fortune tellers. After they were done with that, they asked to just draw. Little did we know, they are amazing artists! They were drawing cartoons and their names in graffiti type writing better than some art students! We bring our computers so they can listen to music while they are working which creates a really fun environment. Last week, after most of the other students left, there were only a few boys left and we all danced to Michael Jackson. Not only are they great artists, but awesome dancers as well!!

 Students from Thandokhulu Secondary Art Project

So far we’ve done pretty simple projects with limited supplies just to make sure we had enough for the students that would show up. However, I am very excited for next week when we will be making tie-dye t-shirts with the kids. We had asked them if they would rather use clay or make tie-dye, and much to our surprise they all very enthusiastically said clay. Because this sounded odd to us, we asked if they knew what tie-dye was and most didn’t. So, after we explained and showed them a picture, they all hurriedly changed their minds to tie-dye over clay. We think it’s going to be something really exciting for them because I doubt any of them have done tie-dye before.

How are we funding all of this you may ask? Well, we owe a HUGE thank you to Brittany Florio, a student who came on the UConn Cape Town study abroad last year and ran the art program at Thandokhulu. She had raised $2000 American dollars for the art club and sent it all over to us to use for the students. This is more than we could have ever asked for. We’re sure that there will be left over to donate to Thandokhulu as well for their much needed text book fund. So, thank you Brittany for everything you’re doing for the kids at Thandokhulu, and Kate and I!

Taylor awed by the people and history of South Africa

Our trip to Johannesburg and Mpumalanga was absolutely incredible.  Johannesburg reminded me of New York City with its pace and general metropolitan appearance, especially since our hotel was located directly across the street from the Johannesburg Stock Exchange.  It was especially amazing to see Sharpsville Massacre memorial and the location the massacre actually took place.  As a history major, this was quite exciting, but also incredibly moving.  Visiting the Hector Peterson museum was equally as moving.  I spent the entire three hours reading and looking at pictures from the event.  It was humbling and depressing to read of the sacrifices people had to make in the face of oppression, it really put the life we live in perspective.  The simple fact that we can be taught in our native language and not have to risk being shot in the back while running away from a peaceful protest is mind-blowing.  It goes to show how much I take for granted in everyday life, then again, this entire trip has had a similar effect.  Visiting Nelson Mandela’s home in Soweto and being able to walk around the house that perhaps the greatest living legend once lived in was a huge nerd moment for me. 

Kruger is a place that makes you think, “This is Africa,” but living and working in this country makes you realize that Kruger is the exception.  The amazing part of Africa is not the Big 5 or the deserts; it is the people and the history they share as well as the precedents in reconstruction and reconciliation they are setting for the rest of the world.  That aside, Kruger was still amazing.  A lion trotted by right next to our truck as if it was watching us instead of the other way around.  It was so nice being in the middle of nowhere and getting away from it all; except the spiders. 

Terri's amazing excursion

Last week in Johannesburg and at Kruger was amazing! We did so many different things and I learned more in the couple days of museums and tours than I ever could have imagined.  We did so many different things including going to tours of Sharpeville, Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital, Johannesburg prison, Constitutional Court, Apartheid Museum, Hector Pieterson Museum, and we went to the Mandela House. 

The tours definitely proved the extent of violence during apartheid.  Sharpeville and murder of Hector Pieterson are two well-known events that occurred in apartheid that lead some South Africans and the world to realize how horrible apartheid was.  On March 21, 1960 a large group of South Africans protested outside the Sharpeville Police Station without their picture ID that stated their classification.  All black and coloured citizens were required to carry these passes with them at all times.  If they were ever found without the passes they were most likely arrested.  When the police noticed the large crowd they grabbed their firearms began to shoot.  Some police drove on vehicles that looked similar to military tanks while shooting.  In the end 69 people were killed and many more were injured.  We were told that most of these people were shot in the backs as they were running away from the police.  Later that day we went to the cemetery where all 69 people were buried.  We walked down the row in silence and aw.  I don’t think the horror of that day hit us until we actually saw the 69 tombstones lined up.  I instantly noticed the ages on the stones, the youngest was 12.  I couldn’t believe that a 12 year old was involved in this protest.  I find it amazing that during this time even 12 year old kids understood that they were being treated poorly and were willing to risk their lives for their rights.  While in America today it’s hard to get anyone to protest their rights.

Hector Pieterson was a 13 year old boy who was killed by police during the Soweto uprisings.  Students were protesting the change of both English and Afrikaans being taught to them in school.  Most children did not speak Afrikaans, it was just another way of the Apartheid government oppressing the black community.  If they did not understand what was being taught to them they would not be able to learn and in affect would have fewer chances of getting jobs and living successful lives.  The police again began to shoot at the crowd in order to end the protest.  It was mind boggling to hear that a young boy was killed because he and others wanted to learn in a language they actually understood.

One of my favorite parts of this trip was the Apartheid Museum.  At the beginning of our tour we were given cards, each of which had either “white” or “black” on the back.  We walked through to see what it was like to have real ID cards during this time.  The museum had many pictures and information on events that occurred throughout apartheid.  The things that I remember most are the short films we saw that showed us real footage of what it was like during this time. We saw a lot of the police violence on black people.  This violence included punching, hitting, kicking, beating with guns, and throwing people to the ground, and having their dogs bite at them.  I was in tears within a couple seconds of watching one of the films.  They were horrible, it broke my heart to see that people were treated in this way all because they were standing up for their human rights.  Another part of the museum I enjoyed was the section dedicated to Mandela.  It was amazing to see all the things he accomplished in this life.  There was a lot of live footage of him once he was elected president, people he met, and video of how ecstatic many South Africans were when Apartheid ended.  It made me feel that there is hope for the world to end racial violence.

We then went to Kruger National Park where we did many guided tours of the park.  We went on 2 game drives and one walk.  They were all amazing.  The guides were great people.  It was amazing how much they knew about every animal.  Some of the animals I saw were giraffes, elephants, buffalo, impalas, rhinos, owls, and a lion.  They were all so amazing to see.  My favorite was definitely the lion because it got so close to us and it was one animal I was worried we would not see.  I did not see a leopard but saw enough of the other animals to make up for it.  All in all the trip was an amazing learning experience!

Ashely inspired and empowered to work for social justice

Ashley about to enjoy a marvelous lunch at Wandi's Place in Soweto

My most recent adventure here in South Africa was the week trip to Johannesburg.  I think it is amazing that we get the chance to experience another side of the country.  While being in Cape Town and exposed to Capetonians,  a view of Johannesburg was place in my mind.  Everyone at my internship explained it as a busy, hectic, business like city.  I perceived to it be a New York City in South Africa.  Didn’t know what to expect but thankfully I was able to make my own observation on this much talked about place.  Going into the excursion I only knew that Johannesburg is also called “the city of gold” because this is how it was founded and developed.  It also goes by the name of Jo'burg and Jozi, and it is the business capital of South Africa.  The first thing I noticed was that it wasn’t as “hectic” (south Africans use this word often to substitute “busy” or “crazy”) as I thought it would be.   There was a lot more commercial buildings, businesses, and billboards than Cape Town but not as crowded as I expected it to be.  I left with a positive image of the city and enjoyed being able to experience this famous Jozi!  One thing that really surprised me was the fact that the mini-bus taxi drivers do not yell out their destination as they pass by.  They only beep and have a sign stating where they are going.  Oddly this made me miss Cape Town.  At the beginning of the trip I would get somewhat annoyed at all these taxi drivers yelling out their windows but going to Jo'burg really helped me see how much I have grown used to Cape Town and how much I have learned to love it.

Kruger National Park was another awesome experience.  I have been waiting for this safari trip to arrive and was soooooo excited to know that there was a possibility of me seeing a giraffe! It was actually one of the first animals we saw and learned some awesome quick facts that I didn’t know about.  They only sleep in twenty minute intervals, and the way they do this is by slightly bending their extremely long legs the same way they bend them to drink water.  It was so fascinating to see them do this, an image I will never forget.  We also saw a Lion.  I was surprised to see just how calm it was and how he had no reaction to us being there gasping with our eyes wide open because we have never seen something like this so close before, another unforgettable moment.

One of the museums and visits that caught my attention most was the Hector Peterson Museum.  Hector Peterson was a thirteen year old boy who died from a stray bullet while marching in a protest against The Bantu Education Act.  This march goes by the name of the Soweto Uprisings of 1976 and for some reason I couldn’t get over the fact that this really happened.  Not only the many lost lives of school children but the way that they began a sequence of changes in their country.  The law was made so that every student would be forced to be taught in Afrikaans in their many school subjects.  The problem here was that the majority of these children only spoke their mother tongue and some English.  I couldn’t grasp the fact that school children directed by high school students, lead such a huge and impacting demonstration.  Learning something like this makes me feel empowered and gives me so much confidence to want to act for a social issue I feel passionate about.  I remember the old me, before this experience, saying that there is no way something such as a protest would make government officials react to this cause.  Three days after the uprisings the government banned the teaching of Afrikaans in the school subjects.  Something extremely motivating and what should be taken as a challenge for us as university students that have the energy, time and connections to work towards a better community.

Emily so happy to come home to Cape Town

Spending time in Johannesburg certainly made me appreciate Cape Town and consider it home even more so than I did before! I was immediately homesick for 10 Loch Road as soon as we left. Johannesburg however, was great! It was a much faster pace than slow, crawly Cape Town can often be and felt like Africa’s version of New York City. The Balalaika Hotel was fantastically extravagant and it was nice to eat out and not eat spaghetti every night for a week! Seeing all of the fantastic museums, monuments and memorials was great. One of my favorite stops along the way was definitely the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum. The memorial was beautiful and the sound of the trickling water was incredibly calming and disheartening at the same time, as I was told that the water spilling over the ledge represented the blood of the children that was spilt during the Soweto riots. Imagining innocent school children being shot dead by police officers is a horrible thing to have on ones mind, but it was a reality here in South Africa. At the apartheid museum they split us into whites and non-whites, a great touch that really added to the experience and made you understand how life was here in South Africa. The museum was huge and I could’ve spent days pouring through it’s contents. My favorite item I discovered in the apartheid museum were some old posters advertising all sorts of events and political groups such as the ANC, they were very cool! Seeing the Constitutional Court was also surreal and understanding the great detail put into its design made it seem like such a special place. The court is designed to look like a tree! Having read much about Soweto, Sharpeville, the prisons and apartheid, it was great to finally visit all of the places we have learned so much about. It made everything seem more real and come together as the story of South Africa. Having just completed reading a biography of Winnie Mandela it was very surreal to be standing in her kitchen at House #8115 and remember all she had gone through while there.

One of the greatest parts of the city was when we stopped briefly to see the Freedom Charter Memorial and several of us encountered some adorable children. A little girl came running out of nowhere and hugged Julian and Joe and then some of her friends or siblings showed up. We played with them and told them our names and they played with our cameras taking pictures of us and themselves. A man came over with some inflatable toys and a few of us bought the four of them a toy each. Seeing their faces light up at this small, cheap toy is certainly in my top five moments here in South Africa. They had arrived playing with sticks and an old tire and left with way cool Winnie the Pooh, Hello Kitty and Spider Man toys! When we left I was sad to say goodbye to them but it was nice to know that we had brightened their day.

The end of the week was certainly lighter with a trip to a great craft market and finally to Kruger where we saw tons of animals! Kruger was even greater than I could have ever expected it to be. The first animal our group saw was a beautiful giraffe at the watering hole and I was incredibly excited! Giraffes are my moms and I’s favorites! I took a good 20 pictures of this one giraffe while we sat there and watched him lick his lips. He was too cute! I was literally within feet of a lion and could see the flecks of gold in his eyes and was nearly charged by not one, but two rhinos on our walking safari, which was well worth the money! The huts we stayed in were very cool and it was nice to get back to that scorching African heat we were greeted with when we arrived here in January, which has now given way to cooler weather here in Cape Town. I got to hold the light when we went out on our evening safari and I loved the responsibility! I seemed to be pretty good at it too and may perhaps be considering a career in spotlighting. 

Nicole and Emily holding guns toted by guides during their from walking safari

Perhaps the best part of our trip though was arriving home and flying in over the mountains of Cape Town. Hearing how happy everyone else was to be home gave me a nice feeling of community even if we did return to an electricity-less house! Returning to my internship yesterday to hugs and warm welcomes made me truly feel as though this place were home and I have no idea how anyone expects me to leave in 30 days!  

Susie great excursion but excited to be back

It is almost April- the beginning of the end! These past two and a half months have definitely been the fastest I have ever experienced. When I was recently grocery shopping at Pick and Pay, I thought about our second day in South Africa; we were brought to Main Road to learn where the grocery stores and ATMs were located, and saw our first minibus taxis flying by us. Now I can easily recognize good prices for fresh fruit and jump in a minibus knowing where it will take me! I am not sure at what point I went from feeling like a scared outsider to knowing my way around Cape Town, but it is definitely a relieving and happy feeling.

Last week was our excursion to Johannesburg and Kruger. We were brought back to the friendly familiarity of airplane rides, fabulous restaurants, long bus rides and overall freshness to a new city. We spent five days touring Johannesburg and the surrounding area visiting several interesting museums and an exciting flee market. Personally, my favorite museum we visited was the Hector Pietersen Museum in Soweto, the largest township. Hector Pietersen was one of the first children killed in what started out as a friendly march where school children in surrounding neighborhoods were protesting being taught in Afrikaans (a foreign language to them). By being taught in the colonizers’ language that was completely unfamiliar to them, they were at a complete disadvantage for learning. Thus, when the march turned violent when police shots were fired, it started an uproar and numerous children and adults died. I really enjoyed the museum because the amazing photographs retold the protest’s story; there was a large photo of Hector Pietersen being carried after shot, with his heartbroken and frantic sister running at his side. It is so startling to see students- younger than me- being killed for rights they believed in and deserved.

Susie (in yellow) with co-educators on Safari in Kruger

After Johannesburg we traveled to Kruger Park for a two day safari. As soon as we were driving up to our lodging, we saw impalas and baboons wandering around. I knew this was going to be an adventure! I went on three safaris: one at sunset, sunrise, and an afternoon walk. The highlights were definitely seeing the packs of elephants at night and the stunning giraffes as the sun was rising. The most shocking was when a lion walked right up to our jeep, stared us down, and kept on strutting by- so intimidating! On the hike, we were about twenty meters away from charging rhinos which was absolutely unbelievable! As amazing as the week was, I was excited to get back to Cape Town last Wednesday; it feels like home. 

Brenna focusing on hope

As from the poem I quoted in my last post, love has opened up my consciousness to what it means to sincerely enjoy what life offers with every moment. Being in South Africa has made me really think about all the love that I have in my life and that exists in this world – and I have gained such a deeper appreciation for every person who has been involved in bringing this to light for me. First, I know I’ve spoken about the beautiful spirit of the people in Cape Town before, but the same people continue to warm me as do the strangers I meet on a daily basis – all of the little things done evoke a happiness in me that makes me a better me. I cherish the times when I catch a co-worker dancing and singing to silence as he waits for the kettle to boil in the staff kitchen or when another hands me a list of Xhosa proverbs he typed up for me to enjoy, or when we all sit at a staff meeting and laugh together over 5 rand muffins. When the minibus caller starts dancing and singing to blasting techno music as another comes out from the convenience store with two bottles of soda and a handful of straws for all of us to share I was as touched as I was when that outspoken woman joined our minibus ride, offering cake to the driver and a light spirit to the passengers in exchange for being dropped off right at her doorstep. I think about all of the inspiring students I’ve met, too, who have a grown up in a world so different and harder than mine and yet powerfully turn that experience into the strength needed to improve their communities while also having fun. Everyone on my program, too, we are all sharing in and learning from this experience and becoming more awakened versions of ourselves, which has been so fulfilling. There are so many other little acts of kindness and warmth that I have experienced through these and many other people since being here, and all of it has transformed who I am forever.

Being here has also made me honestly realize all the love and support from back home, too. I have many family members and friends who are so sincerely excited to hear about every detail of my experience and how it’s affecting me. Each time one of my grandmothers asks me how I am doing and what I am learning I melt similarly as to when my parents tell me how much they love and miss me or one of my uncles tells me to stay safe and be smart and when my siblings and cousins give me sincere words of encouragement. It’s the same care I feel when the beautiful man I am currently and very deeply love with elatedly asks to hear about what I’ve been up to. However, as much as I am feeling the love more than ever, being in Cape Town has made me feel the other side of the dichotomy more than ever, too, and how hate and greed still continue to plague the world, unfairly obstructing so many from being able to experience this love of humanity I am so fortunate to enjoy.

About six weeks into my time here, I was sitting in on one of the afterschool programs SAEP holds for students at a senior secondary school. Each student came to the front of the class to explain the bag she or he decorated with various pictures and words that represented themselves. I was so inspired by hearing these learners, they are so aware of themselves and have some of the biggest dreams I’ve ever heard – becoming doctors, engineers, entertainers; everything and anything imaginable they want to be. I was overcome with joy over these aspirations until the dark cloud of reality quickly overcast the brightness. The truth is, many, if not all, of the dreams of these students will never be attained, and the most grimacing part about it is that it comes at no fault of their own. Their schools are severely underfunded, the work of all involved is unappreciated, and the creative, beautiful ideas of these students are neglected. And all I could do in that moment was ask myself why? I was sitting in a classroom with rickety chairs, broken desks, and little evidence of any of educational resources I remember having in the classrooms I was in when I was that age – but all that is insignificant to knowing that in that same classroom were some of the most inspirational people I have ever encountered, but soon, if not already, they will be broken, too. Lack of education, necessities and access to opportunity forms the brick wall of social and institutional oppression that will stop these students, and billions of people worldwide, from accomplishing their dreams. With all the happiness and joy I have for life, I just cannot handle this reality and no one else should, either, but so many do and that’s why our world is ridden with injustice and inequality. I explored the Philippi and Nyanga townships recently with a friend from work, and the same reality sunk into me as I walked around and then talked at a shebeen with two locals, who were so enthusiastic about changing the world, but have been stuck doing nothing since graduating secondary school.  It was easy for me to say to them, “Well just go out and do it! Find something!” and as much I do believe in making what you want for yourself, I cannot understand the difficulties they face in trying to do so – would I be able to do it if I lived in their shoes? I believe enough in myself to say yes, but that is very much a product of my experiences, so, really, I don’t know – and it scares me to say that because that means that things may not get better soon.

On my way to volunteer at a church in Nyanga, I talked to two little boys, each no older than five years old. I greeted them with a smile and a “Molo!” and they returned the gesture and asked my name, we exchanged them and I told one that I really liked his bracelet. As I said bye and turned to walk away, I heard a “Here!” and looked back to see the boy holding his bracelet out to me and saying “You can have it!” with the biggest, sincerest grin on his face. I know it’s only a bracelet, but the genuineness that came out of such a young heart moved me so deeply. And it is this genuine love from human to human that oppressive systems break. I will cherish the bracelet forever and each time I look at it I will hope that his spirit has not been broken. I have to believe that this love will prevail and things will get better for everyone. Any one striving for social justice needs to focus on hope while recognizing these harsh realities because that is the only way that some day, all of our dreams will be achieved. 

Tom recognizing the spirit of UBUNTU: I am because we are

So I’m late again, I’m trying not to turn this into too much of a habit.  Recently I’ve been really struggling to find something to write about…and then I went to my friend (well of our friend) Abongile’s (Bongi) soccer matches yesterday.  Bongi runs a soccer program for youth in the township Khayelitsha as a way to keep them away from the omnipresent harsh realities of their lives, to give them a chance at rising above the situation that they have so unjustly been placed in.  Anyways, this isn’t the first time I’ve been to his teams’ games but it probably the most important and memorable time.

Last time I went to a match it was with Marita and Jessica and it was on their home turf – Mandela Park in Khayelitsha.  This time I went by myself and the match was held in dystopian suburbia…err I mean Claremont (quick aside – Claremont is actually a lovely place it just freaks me out, as do most suburbs since I’ve been here.  It is just so detached from the realities of Cape Town that it’s frightening).  Back on track, because of my singularity and new setting I think I was part of a unique experience.

The surface differences between the two clubs are apparent as soon as I walk through the gates to the fields.  The teams from Claremont are predominantly white and classified colored while Bongi’s teams are universally black.  It is an all too common separation harkening back to the Apartheid that is still one of the dominant social forces here.  Differences went beyond color, the facilities in Claremont were newish and it was immediately clear which team had funding and which team had none, I’ll give you one guess as to which one is which.  The most disheartening of the differences was fan support.  Parents attending the game in support of the Khayelitsha Fire Fighters were sparse while there were plenty for Santos FC (this would be the Claremont team).  This is not because there is a lack of parent interest in the Fire Fighters, au contraire I would guess.  No, this is a burning indictment of the state of things in Cape Town and South Africa as a whole.  Most parents simply can’t see their kids play for the Fire Fighters.  Transportation is too expensive and if not that the parents are working, trying to scrape by so their kids can eat insufficient meals to give them the energy to play soccer.  While this is something I’ve talked about with Bongi before it really hit me at these matches.

It took me back to my own experiences as a kid playing sports.  I remember being able to look to the sideline and see my Dad holding the coaches clipboard for almost every sports season I ever played (3 sports a year from too young to remember to high school).  I remember seeing my Mom standing and cheering from the bleachers or the collection of lawn chairs on the other sideline often holding a camera to add to our collection of home movies and offering her protection from sideline (sometimes I was certain during games that she would throw on the uniform just to make sure the other kids stayed off of me).  I remember seeing grandparents and aunts and uncles, all there to support me – to watch me play football, basketball, baseball, and soccer; to watch me swim and later run cross country.  Every game or meet or match I would see them all after, they would grin and bear it and tell me how great of a job I did even if I didn’t.  

I went back even further into the recesses of my memory.  I remembered the time in 5^th grade when I failed the fitness test mile.  I remember the embarrassment of an overweight kid who called himself husky to save an iota of self-esteem, a smidgen that was lost when he couldn’t even realize the benchmark of not being fat (simply passing).  More important than all of this I remember my mother.  I remember her walking with me to Duffy Elementary School the day after with a stopwatch where I ran and practiced.  She would not let me quit until I passed that day.  A few days later I retested and passed.  As I look back on this moment I look at it as maybe the first seminal moment of my life – something I can look at and define myself with (hard work, determination, and never-say-die-attitude).  I also realize something else, how my parents – in this case my Mom – were always there for me, always involved, always pushing me when I needed it and comforting when I needed that too. 

This is such an immense privilege that I never fully realized until yesterday.  In the past I’ve always considered myself ‘the self-made man.’  I’ve managed to tell myself that I am who I am because I am.  I’m here because of what I think of as uncommon work ethic and drive.  I’m learning that this is not the case at all.  I’m here for a lot of reasons.  I’ve always known that I am immensely fortunate, that my ‘hardships’ are borderline laughable, I’ve never been more keenly aware of that as I am now.  It broke my heart yesterday when I realized that many of these kids have never had that feeling of comfort, security, and confidence that comes with looking to the sideline and seeing parents and family cheering them on.

I was in the middle of despairing about this when I realized something else about the Khayelitsha Fire Fighters – this is a special group of kids.  How do I know this?  Anyone could know this by watching them for a day.  There are a couple of teams with different age levels (seems to be about 11 to 16).  Every team was present for all of the games – every kid from every age level was watching every game intently.  This is unheard of.  For comparison the Santos FC kids showed up only for their games and left right after barely even interacting with their own, immediate teammates.  Anyways, the Fire Fighters cheered, they jeered, they were concerned for their teammates and they laughed at them – it goes even beyond this.  I constantly saw the older kids with the younger kids – they were teaching, mentoring, and keeping them out of trouble.  It was chilling seeing a group of 16-year-old boys (but really men) showing maturity beyond their years, fulfilling the role of positive role model to the younger kids when they themselves could have very well never had one.  What hit me the most was when one Fire Fighter went down during the game he was immediately surrounded by every Fire Fighter on the field and sometimes every Fire Fighter watching the game.  What made this stand out more was the fact that it appeared as if the kids from Santos FC could care less about each other when the Fire Fighters were a bonafide family.  I attribute this to Bongi; he has done a better job with these kids, building this team, nurturing this family than I could ever possibly envision as possible.  It really comes as no surprise to me, if anyone can do this it would be Bongi, one of the most amazing people I’ve ever met.  I’m always in awe when I’m in his presence and he is simply someone you want to root for, there is no one I respect more. 

Abongile with one of his Khayelitsha Fire Fighters Football Teams 

Well I sat down to write about the game and I didn’t even get to that.  The Fire Fighters played great, as always – it just so happens that Bongi is a master soccer technician in addition to his other qualities and his players are uncommonly good for their age.  I guess I also learned from yesterday that it simply isn’t about winning and losing, it’s about what it takes to get there and beyond.  I’m looking forward to thanking Bongi and his teams for teaching me more in a day than I’ve learned in almost 21 years about love, family, commitment, and being part of something far greater than the self.  Now, I’m going to go ahead and call my parents.

Kayla's excursion filled with learning and adventure

Kayla and Terri at the Nelson Mandela House

This past week we traveled to Johannesburg for 5 days and then to Kruger National Park for 3 days. The whole trip was an unbelievable experience. Johannesburg was filled with various museums and learning experiences. We went to Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital which is one of the biggest hospitals in the southern hemisphere. This hospital is located in Soweto. It was amazing to hear all of the things that the hospital has done and still continues to do for the community. They have many programs in place to help with HIV/AIDS as well as many other illnesses that the community faces. We also visited Nelson Mandela’s home which was also located in Soweto (the largest township in South Africa). There, we learned about a lot of his family and his past before imprisonment and what happened after he was released. I really enjoyed seeing the place where Mandela spent a large portion of his life.

Some of the museums/sites we visited included the Apartheid Museum, the Hector Pieterson Memorial Site, the Sharpeville Memorial, and Memorial Johannesburg Prison and Constitutional Court. These places were absolutely amazing. The Apartheid Museum was so big and had so much to see that I really think I could have stayed there for days. Before we went in, we were given at random our tickets to enter and on each one, there was a label which said either “white” or “non-white.” And that determined which entrance you were allowed to walk through. I liked how that kind of put things into perspective of how people actually lived and how separate everyone was with people who were not in their race. As much as I loved the museum and all of the learning and videos, it was also really hard at times. It’s hard to believe how people were treated here during apartheid and how it only ended 17 years ago. People who were not white were not treated like humans in any sense and were constantly dealing with abuse and torture. Hearing personal stories and watching videos of how police officers treated people was really disheartening and upsetting. It is amazing to me that these people continued to fight back and resist this oppression to stand up for their rights. And after that long, hard struggle, apartheid ended and they are still on the road to an equal country.  I really loved to hear what black and coloured people did during this struggle and how hopeful they were throughout that time. Many of them fought till their death and put up with unimaginable torture to stand up and fight for equality and resist the oppression of apartheid.

Hector Pieterson was a young boy who was shot to death when protesting with a bunch of other school children for educational rights. The government was oppressing them by forcing the teachers to teach the classes in Afrikaans which made it even harder for the students to learn. During this protest, the police officers were shooting shamelessly into the crowd of kids. Many innocent people were injured and died here who were just standing up for their education so they could learn and have a future.  The Sharpeville Memorial was also hard at times because it was at the police station where the Sharpeville Massacre occurred. 69 people died here and around 180 were injured. The sad thing about this is that the people came unarmed and the police opened fire on them and continued to do so until there was silence. Most of the people who died were shot in the back which shows that they were running away when they were shot and not fighting or resisting. This just goes to show the countless torture and carelessness of anyone who is not white. The Memorial and Johannesburg Prison displayed the conditions that people lived in while in prison and the differences between white and non-white prisoners. I couldn’t believe that even in prison, people were treated so differently. One of the hardest things that I learned while being there is the amount of torture that was put upon people of color. Some people were put in solitary confinement for such long amounts of time, even lasting up until one year. I could not imagine being in an enclosed cell with no lighMOt or anything for that matter for a whole year. I feel like that is one of the worst types of torture because the person is secluded from all life and never knows what time of day it is and how much time is going by and what not. And the thing that bothers me the most is that these people who are locked in this solitary confinement usually didn’t do much of anything wrong. Visiting these places definitely gave a bitter sweet feeling when thinking about what these people went through but then knowing that they did succeed with what they were fighting for.

                                         

Morning Safari at Kruger

The end of the trip was definitely a change of pace. Kruger National Park was awesome! We went on a sunset safari the day we got there and the next morning we went on a sunrise safari. Both were amazing experiences. We saw many animals including giraffes, elephants, impalas, rhinos, hippos, wildebeests, a lion, and more that I do not know the names of. The lion actually walked right by our truck! It was so cool to see these animals in their natural habitat and observe how they live. Some of us also went on a safari walk in the evening which was also a great experience. There were about 10 of us and 2 guides who drove us to a place where we then parked and walked through some of the land. We walked pretty far into the woodsy area and saw a few animals from a distance as well as many different insects. It was really cool because a lot of the time, we could feel the ground vibrating along with hearing in the distance the loud stomping of the elephants or big animals walking around. While walking through, I felt so small amongst everything and it really gave me a different perspective of it all. I really enjoyed the walk although I was pretty scared a lot of the time. I loved being at Kruger. The whole trip was just an amazing experience and it was nice to also learn a lot while having such a great time. But now that we are back, this means that we only have 5 weeks left here so I hope that we will make the most of it! 

                                         

Nicole, Terri & Kayla on a mountain top in Kruger National Park

Meaghan on her incredible journey

Meaghan, Lianna, Kayla, Susie, & Anna walk through cemetery in Sharpeville

Last Wednesday we set off to Johannesburg to begin our weeklong excursion! The week was absolutely incredible, spending five days in Johannesburg and two at Kruger National Park. I learned so much in Johannesburg from all of the historical sites we visited, and visited some of the nicest museums I have ever been to. It was very interesting for me because our visit to Sharpeville and the surrounding areas really tied in with the current non-fiction book I am reading. It really makes an impact when the things I am reading about can be seen right in front of me. It was funny to notice the different way of life that existed in Joburg, despite the fact that it was only a two-hour plane ride away.

Stone commemorating the Sharpeville Massacre, 21 March 1960

 Our experience at Kruger is pretty hard to put into words, as it is obviously unlike anything I’ve ever done before. It was so awesome to be able to see so many animals I’ve only ever seen in a zoo or on television. Having a lion walk less than 10 feet away from us was absolutely unreal. The game walk we got to do was so awesome. Despite the fact that we didn’t get to see many animals up close, I learned so much from our guides. It was really impressive to see how much they knew about the animals in the park, ranging from an elephant or lion, to a dung beetle. I’m so grateful we got to experience the rides we did, and it’s actually become a goal of mine to one day make it back to Kruger. My favorite part about the safaris was that they never seemed to let you down, despite how poor the odds seemed. For example, during our first ride we saw a giraffe pretty quickly, but then went a long time without seeing any animals. Just as people were beginning to lose hope and the sun went down, we saw a giraffes, elephants, rhinos, and water buffalos, all within the last hour. The same thing happened on our morning ride when after a long period of silence, a lion casually walked down the road past our car without any hesitation. It was really awesome to have things pick up so drastically just as you were losing hope.

All in all, I’m not sure what was better the vacation we had, or simply having Ben and Faiik waiting for us at the airport as we arrived back in Cape Town.

Dana contemplating how humans treat other humans

Kate & Dana walking across Walter Sisulu Freedom Square, Kliptown, Soweto

Where to start! Excursion was absolutely amazing!!!! If I were to talk about everything this blog would turn into an essay, so instead I’m just going to mention one big highlight of the trip; the Apartheid Museum.

Apartheid Museum

Apartheid reined in South Africa for 49 years yet in only about two hours in a museum I was moved to tears by the horrible way humans treat each other in times of desperation. I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately. Humans are set apart from other animals in their ability to think and love according to psychology, biology, sociology, and all the other -ologies. However, I don’t think we can be defined by our ability to love if the worst in us comes out at the first sign of trouble. We see it everywhere in the past but in the present as well. Immediately after 9/11, Sikhs in the United States were targeted as terrorists simply because they wear turbans as a part of their religion despite the fact that the perpetrators of 9/11 were not Sikh. Even today, people still have the lingering attitude of “turban = terror.” In desperation to find a reason why and find a culprit of who would bomb the twin towers, the US as a whole took the turban and turned it into a target, no matter who the person is under the turban. Innocent and patriotic American Sikhs were beaten, threatened, and even killed because of this frantic desperation for an answer.

With the situation in Japan, after the initial emotional devastation of the tsunami, looting of houses and businesses became the focus of many news articles instead of sympathy for those who have lost loved ones. When people became desperate, they relied on thieving from the houses and businesses of people in their own community. I remember reading a quote from a young Japanese man who mentioned that many people shoved elderly people aside during the tsunami in pure selfishness. In desperation to take whatever they could get, the Japanese people completely ignored morals, ethics, and the law.

Apartheid began as a way to keep black and white life separate in order to continue to push the white political agenda while barring blacks from participation in government. For years there was only peaceful protesting on the side of anti-apartheid groups. After continuous and extreme violence on the side of apartheid officials, desperation of no other way to fight back caused anti-apartheid groups like the ANC and PAC to turn violent. Out of desperation to remain human, anti-apartheid groups had to stoop to the level of their apartheid counterparts. Conversely, apartheid officials literally eliminated anyone who stood in the way of their goal of a white-run society. Out of desperation to remain in control, apartheid supporters dehumanized black people and desensitized their people to see black people as targets instead of humans.

My non-fiction book, A Human Being Died That Night, is about a member of the Truth and Reconciliation Committee’s prison interview with Eugene de Kock, an apartheid general nicknamed “Prime Evil.” The book goes through an explanation of the human condition in terms of apartheid and de Kock who murdered hundreds of anti-apartheid leaders as well as innocent civilians in efforts to preserve apartheid. De Kock, despite spending the rest of his life in prison, expresses true remorse with no explanations or excuses; he is truly sorry, and some people have forgiven him. So, although I previously thought that humans should not be defined by how well they can love, I’ve learned that this is precisely what allowed the hundreds of apartheid victims to forgive the very perpetrators that killed their husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, and children. Therefore, I’ve decided that the humanity should be defined by how well we can love instead of how well we hate.