Hello!
Well. Here it is. My first blog in South Africa. I can guarantee that it will be written over a few days. I have very limited access to internet...and to be honest...I kind of like it that way!
Well. Here it is. My first blog in South Africa. I can guarantee that it will be written over a few days. I have very limited access to internet...and to be honest...I kind of like it that way!
So what have I been up to since I landed?
Let's start with the plane ride.
I got maybe two hours sleep in a period of 48 hours. Even with one gravol, one sleeping tablet, and a glass of wine (I was desperate) I could not fall asleep for the life of me. Nothing to report about the actual trip. We had an eight hour lay over in London. It was a little frustrating sitting in that airport and thinking that my beautiful friend, Saskia, was just a short two hour drive away. But there wasn't much I could do...
Oh. Another thing was we met up with the British Columbia CWY team...they were staying on the Sunshine Coast and are doing their exchange in Athalone, South Africa. So it was nice meeting new people...and talking to guys for a change. The plane food was good for once...minus our last breakfast which was plastic egg and something they called sausage. They had Inception under the movie selection. But it seemed a little too ambitious to watch that movie on such a small screen.
Let's start with the plane ride.
I got maybe two hours sleep in a period of 48 hours. Even with one gravol, one sleeping tablet, and a glass of wine (I was desperate) I could not fall asleep for the life of me. Nothing to report about the actual trip. We had an eight hour lay over in London. It was a little frustrating sitting in that airport and thinking that my beautiful friend, Saskia, was just a short two hour drive away. But there wasn't much I could do...
Oh. Another thing was we met up with the British Columbia CWY team...they were staying on the Sunshine Coast and are doing their exchange in Athalone, South Africa. So it was nice meeting new people...and talking to guys for a change. The plane food was good for once...minus our last breakfast which was plastic egg and something they called sausage. They had Inception under the movie selection. But it seemed a little too ambitious to watch that movie on such a small screen.
So... South Africa. We arrived to >30+ heat..completely exhausted...smelling not so pleasant...but really excited. I remember that first taxi ride to the facility where we were going to have our orientation camp. Now for those of you picturing a shiny, yellow little taxi that comfortably seats four, you are mistaken. In SA a taxi is a big van that fits from 15-22 people...not quite as comfortable. Leaving the airport and driving through the different communities, I felt such a sense of...rightness. Sorry I don't know what the appropriate word is. I just felt, at that moment, like this was were I was supposed to be. I can't remember the last time I felt that....such a wonderful feeling.
The first thing that struck me though was the stark contrasts between the different areas we went through. We passed by communities of informal settlements made up of hundreds of shacks crammed next to each other and then would go by beautiful suburbs with nicely spaced houses much nicer than most in Canada. It blows my mind the gap between rich and poor here...it's one thing to hear about it, but it's another to actually see it. I heard just this week too that South Africa has the largest gap between rich in poor in the world...not surprising. I think I'm going to have to dedicate a blog solely to this...watch for it...
We ended up going to this place called Strandfontein for our orientation camp. We had the camp with the other CWY group. The actual campsite was a dump. It was one large building with three rooms and a kitchen...ALL >28+ girls stayed in one room...while the 9 guys had the other. And the beds were shady bunk beds with mats about an inch thick. It was great. We were pretty close to the beach though so that was a bonus. Honestly, I do not know what the purpose of us meeting together was. It was poorly organized, we learnt nothing new, the other group was pretty annoying, and the fact that we were all jet lagged certainly didn't help.
The first thing that struck me though was the stark contrasts between the different areas we went through. We passed by communities of informal settlements made up of hundreds of shacks crammed next to each other and then would go by beautiful suburbs with nicely spaced houses much nicer than most in Canada. It blows my mind the gap between rich and poor here...it's one thing to hear about it, but it's another to actually see it. I heard just this week too that South Africa has the largest gap between rich in poor in the world...not surprising. I think I'm going to have to dedicate a blog solely to this...watch for it...
We ended up going to this place called Strandfontein for our orientation camp. We had the camp with the other CWY group. The actual campsite was a dump. It was one large building with three rooms and a kitchen...ALL >28+ girls stayed in one room...while the 9 guys had the other. And the beds were shady bunk beds with mats about an inch thick. It was great. We were pretty close to the beach though so that was a bonus. Honestly, I do not know what the purpose of us meeting together was. It was poorly organized, we learnt nothing new, the other group was pretty annoying, and the fact that we were all jet lagged certainly didn't help.
After the orientation camp, we headed for our respective host communities. The other CWY group went to Athalone, which is a 'coloured' community, while we made our way to Khayelitsha, a 'black' community. As we were driving from house to house dropping all the pairs off I was quite scared. I remember being nervous meeting my Canadian host family, but it was nothing compared to how nervous I was meeting my SA one. It didn't help that we were not only that last ones dropped off, but we were also placed in a separate section from everyone else. Let me explain. Khayelitsha is divided into sections. I think there are eight in total, but there may be more. I wish I could show you exactly what the sections look like. The streets are wide enough for one car. The houses are packed together...made of brick and are brightly coloured...and are about the size of two train containers put together. I will take pictures and post when I'm back?
My host family. I live with a host mother, Grace, who is in her mid sixties, and her nephew, my host brother, Luvuyo who is 22. It wasn't a great start. Apparently they didn't know we were arriving that day, so they weren't really prepared. And to top it off she, Grace, started off by telling me everything I am not allowed to do. And the way she speaks is quite different to anyone I'm used too...it was almost like she was yelling at me. I tried very hard not to cry (not in front of her anyways). I did once I got to the room. I was completely overwhelmed...that and completely culture shocked. But things have gotten better. I am getting used to the way she communicates, which I now realize isn't yelling. She has a very commanding presence, and doesn't take crap from anyone. She is sweet though. And when she laughs the whole community can hear her. But it's not easy. It's hard to read her, and I always feel like she's upset about something...even though she isn't. My host brother has been great though. He's very helpful with acting as translator, and has been introducing me to all his friends and taking us around with him. I really can't complain. It's different that's all.
Let me tell you about my new way of living though! For those of you who have shower heads and hot water..consider yourselves incredibly privileged. I have to boil my water in this bucket every morning...and I have to use another little bucket to wash my hair. It's quite the process. It took me so long to figure out exactly how to wash my hair..it was a nightmare at first. But I've gotten it down to less than 20 minutes! I'll get to ten soon...just you wait. OH! And I have to do my laundry by hand. Oh my word. It's exhausting. It took me over 2 hours to wash my clothes last week. You know what the problem was? The soap. I couldn't get the damn soap out of my clothes! After I was finished, my back was done for the rest of the week. But you know? I'm enjoying this. I will definitely not take for granted all the luxuries I have back home. That and I am realizing just how much stuff I had back home...all these shortcuts and with everything available at the tip of our fingers. We can be so wasteful...just because we have access to all those luxuries, doesn't mean we have to use them all up, does it? I'm definitely gaining some much needed perspective..and after only three weeks...can only imagine what else I'll learn in the coming months.
My host family. I live with a host mother, Grace, who is in her mid sixties, and her nephew, my host brother, Luvuyo who is 22. It wasn't a great start. Apparently they didn't know we were arriving that day, so they weren't really prepared. And to top it off she, Grace, started off by telling me everything I am not allowed to do. And the way she speaks is quite different to anyone I'm used too...it was almost like she was yelling at me. I tried very hard not to cry (not in front of her anyways). I did once I got to the room. I was completely overwhelmed...that and completely culture shocked. But things have gotten better. I am getting used to the way she communicates, which I now realize isn't yelling. She has a very commanding presence, and doesn't take crap from anyone. She is sweet though. And when she laughs the whole community can hear her. But it's not easy. It's hard to read her, and I always feel like she's upset about something...even though she isn't. My host brother has been great though. He's very helpful with acting as translator, and has been introducing me to all his friends and taking us around with him. I really can't complain. It's different that's all.
Let me tell you about my new way of living though! For those of you who have shower heads and hot water..consider yourselves incredibly privileged. I have to boil my water in this bucket every morning...and I have to use another little bucket to wash my hair. It's quite the process. It took me so long to figure out exactly how to wash my hair..it was a nightmare at first. But I've gotten it down to less than 20 minutes! I'll get to ten soon...just you wait. OH! And I have to do my laundry by hand. Oh my word. It's exhausting. It took me over 2 hours to wash my clothes last week. You know what the problem was? The soap. I couldn't get the damn soap out of my clothes! After I was finished, my back was done for the rest of the week. But you know? I'm enjoying this. I will definitely not take for granted all the luxuries I have back home. That and I am realizing just how much stuff I had back home...all these shortcuts and with everything available at the tip of our fingers. We can be so wasteful...just because we have access to all those luxuries, doesn't mean we have to use them all up, does it? I'm definitely gaining some much needed perspective..and after only three weeks...can only imagine what else I'll learn in the coming months.
As for things we've done so far. The first weekend that we were here, we went to the Khayelitsha health summit. It was pretty interesting...There were people from different health organizations and sectors as well as the public. The first day there were many boring presentations from the 'experts' on the health status of Khayelitsha... I understood some of it, but I'm not sure if the majority of the audience did...so I don't know what they were trying to accomplish really. The most interesting part of the summit was the Commissions. They had different topics that they asked the participants to break off into groups and discuss. I chose to be in the Maternity/Women and Children group. It was pretty crazy the stories I heard from the women about the crap that goes on in the health system. Pregnant women, in labour, being turned away from the hospital doors...pregnant teenagers getting reprimanded and mistreated by health staff for being sexually active...women afraid to go to clinics to get HIV tested because of the stigma and, again, staff mistreatment. And to think I had issues with the Canadian health system...
Other things we've been doing during the week have been:
1) Community orientations
2) March to increase awareness about domestic violence to kick of the 16 days of activism
3) Building solar stoves for this even called 350 (check below link):
http://www.350.org/en/about/blogs/south-africa-shines-hope
1) Community orientations
2) March to increase awareness about domestic violence to kick of the 16 days of activism
3) Building solar stoves for this even called 350 (check below link):
http://www.350.org/en/about/blogs/south-africa-shines-hope
*I was by the eight ray from the right...the yellow one...maybe you can see me??
4) Visit to neighbouring townships (Gugulethu, Clairemont, Mitchell's Plain)
5) Attended an 'Activating your Feminist Voice' conference
*Note: Very interesting conference put on by the Commission for Gender Equality. It was three days of dialogue discussing women's issues in SA and ways to overcome issues of inequality. Very enlightening...that and it was right on the beach.
6) March in the heart of Cape Town to mark the end of the '16 Days of Activism' Campaign
*Note: This is a worldwide event...look it up. At the end of the March we met in a church and had a number of speakers including the National and Provincial Minister for Social Development. The highlight for me was when they had six different religious leaders present to represent their respective faiths and pledge to fight against violence against women and children. It was quite something...seeing people of such different beliefs come together for a single cause...a beautiful moment.
7) March in Khayelistha to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS in South Africa
4) Visit to neighbouring townships (Gugulethu, Clairemont, Mitchell's Plain)
5) Attended an 'Activating your Feminist Voice' conference
*Note: Very interesting conference put on by the Commission for Gender Equality. It was three days of dialogue discussing women's issues in SA and ways to overcome issues of inequality. Very enlightening...that and it was right on the beach.
6) March in the heart of Cape Town to mark the end of the '16 Days of Activism' Campaign
*Note: This is a worldwide event...look it up. At the end of the March we met in a church and had a number of speakers including the National and Provincial Minister for Social Development. The highlight for me was when they had six different religious leaders present to represent their respective faiths and pledge to fight against violence against women and children. It was quite something...seeing people of such different beliefs come together for a single cause...a beautiful moment.
7) March in Khayelistha to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS in South Africa
As for work placements. We had several organizations come in to discuss working together...and the one I really want to work with is called Simelela (http://www.mosaic.org.za/srh_simelela.html). It's an NGO that works with victims of sexual violence and is in close partnership with the Khayelitsha health clinic...which makes me wonder....
Fingers crossed that the work placement actually goes through...I might have the opportunity to work with the on staff medical doctors. It would be quite the learning experience, I am sure...
One last thing I will touch on. My birthday weekend! I was really quite indifferent about the day and didn't have much motivation to plan anything special. But Saturday two very lovely girls from my group decided to take me along with them to a doctor's appointment...for moral support... It's quite ridiculous when I think back. I didn't ask any questions...I figured she needed support, so she would get it. We go to the place, and then they turn me around and tell me they had planned this for my birthday. It was lovely. We ate Indian food, I had a birthday gift delivered to me by a beautiful man, and then we shopped. I also went to my host brother's friend's place for a braai party...which is just a party where they barbeque lots of meat. The South Africans LOVE their meat. And on Sunday (yesterday) we went to this place called Mzoli's in Gugulethu. The place is infamous...both in a good and bad way. It was fun. We had braai, met lots of people, and danced and danced and danced. I like the place because there is such a wide range of people from all over...whites, coloured, blacks, yellow, orange, pink...you name it.
Fingers crossed that the work placement actually goes through...I might have the opportunity to work with the on staff medical doctors. It would be quite the learning experience, I am sure...
One last thing I will touch on. My birthday weekend! I was really quite indifferent about the day and didn't have much motivation to plan anything special. But Saturday two very lovely girls from my group decided to take me along with them to a doctor's appointment...for moral support... It's quite ridiculous when I think back. I didn't ask any questions...I figured she needed support, so she would get it. We go to the place, and then they turn me around and tell me they had planned this for my birthday. It was lovely. We ate Indian food, I had a birthday gift delivered to me by a beautiful man, and then we shopped. I also went to my host brother's friend's place for a braai party...which is just a party where they barbeque lots of meat. The South Africans LOVE their meat. And on Sunday (yesterday) we went to this place called Mzoli's in Gugulethu. The place is infamous...both in a good and bad way. It was fun. We had braai, met lots of people, and danced and danced and danced. I like the place because there is such a wide range of people from all over...whites, coloured, blacks, yellow, orange, pink...you name it.
I think that's enough for the first update. Not really sure what else to add. But, music?
That's probably been one of the most challenging things for me so far. The music here is horrible. It's house...and every single song sounds the same. It was nice at first, and it is great to dance to...but when they blast it out of the pubs, houses, and taxis 24/7 it is quite irritating. My apologies, but I will not post South African music...
That's probably been one of the most challenging things for me so far. The music here is horrible. It's house...and every single song sounds the same. It was nice at first, and it is great to dance to...but when they blast it out of the pubs, houses, and taxis 24/7 it is quite irritating. My apologies, but I will not post South African music...
Here is an Australian band...a brother/sister duo called Angus and Julia Stone. They make beautiful music. Both the brother and sister sing, but I prefer it when Angus takes the lead. This song is one of the more uplifting on my ipod...called 'Just a Boy'. In my opinion it's a love song. More a love song then most claim to be anyways. Whoever he wrote this song for is one lucky girl. Enjoy!
sounds great. look forward to hearing more!
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