Hey Everybody,
This is probably going to be my last post until January 15th or 16th. I am leaving on holiday next Saturday and I will be gone until the 13th. But I am going to take lots of pictures and Ill be back here posting again in the new year.
So let me see, what have I been up to the past week. Well, a lot of hanging around really.
Monday we put up christmas stuff in our house to make it feel a bit more like the holidays. But it is just so hot here that it really doesn't feel like Christmas to me. There is supposed to be snow this time of year, I know it. One of the interns from Site 11 came over for the day to visit. And we took a trip downtown to buy some things.
Tuesday we did something but I can't for the life of me remember what it was. Wednesday I can't remember either. Aerin and I are sitting here racking our brains but we can't come up with what we did.
Thursday we went to see the new James Bond movie and then we walked over to the house Anne works at to accompany that family to a Christmas festival called Fantasia. We walked around the craft tent part because it was cheaper than going to the rides which were really expensive I guess, and we also got some food from one of the many Muslim food tents. I had an east meets west steak and cheese burger with Middle eastern style seasoning and onions. Then we walked through the Christmas village of lights and I swear, there are displays in front yards back home larger than this. But I don't know what I was expecting, I am in South Africa.
Friday was the hottest day of year and it was far too hot to do anything. We did get Sally to take us to the store though so that we could by food for the week. That night I didn't fall asleep until 5 becuase it was far to hot too be comfortable.
Yesterday wasn't much cooler but we made an outing around 4:30 when it was starting to cool off. The rest of our house came back also so we had people again.
Basically this past week we have made one outing a day with the exception of friday and we have otherwise spent time watching movies or hanging out with our neighbors.
Now the war against roaches has taken on a new level since the weather has gotten warmer here. First they were invading Anne's room nightly, big ones. Then we Doom fogged her room and the next night there was one in my room. So that was the last straw for us. We bought some poison bait and laced our house. I have no clue how effective it is at killing roaches but it has certainly made them vigilliant. They now venture out at even with all the lights on. So with a can of Doom on hand I have gone into battle each night. Friday I killed three of them in a row. Needless to say, I am very paranoid now. Once it gets dark outside, I am on full alert.
Last night I had a very lengthy conversation with one of the staff members who was staying next door. First we talked about how the new generation of Zulu children don't know there own history because they aren't being taught it at school or at home. Then Sfiso got into telling me all about Shaka Zulu, perhaps the most famous of the Zulu cheifs. As interesting as all it was I came to discover two things. The Zulu are a very proud people, who are proud of their past even if this new generation is relatively ignorant. There pride in thier history is so strong infact that they feel a kind of superiority to the other South African tribes. Yet the Zulu also blame their current strife on the betrayal of Shaka Zulu. When something goes wrong here, the Zulu say, its because Shaka Zulu said it would be so.
I also discovered that it is very hard to get a Zulu person to talk about politics in South Africa. Whenever I ask a question they usually tell me they don't know the answer or they tell me something historical as was the case last night. Unfortunately for me, I really would like to know more about the people and culture I am working with but its very hard to do that when I can't seem to get answers to my questions. So I guess I am either asking the wrong questions, asking the wrong people, or I need to change my approach.
Well thats all I have time for. Best wishes for the holidays and we'll talk again in a month.
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Sawubona,
I think my last post was one Sunday yeah? So let me begin on updates...
Monday we did not have work because it was an awards ceremony for the entire YFC/KZN, which means there were a lot of people packed into a room that was way to hot. Now we were told that the ceremony was to begin at 9 o'clock in the morning so like good Westerners we arrived at 5 till 9. We forgot that we are in South Africa however because South Africa functions on "Bantu Time". Bantu time basically means you get there when you get there and things will start when everyone arrives. This means that, because people were not only coming from all over Maritzburg but also Durban, the ceremony did not begin untill 11:45. There was then a very long introduction followed by lunch because at every event hear, food is surved. They decided that since the ceremony was running so late, lunch would only be a half hour instead of the full hour originally planned. So after an hour and fourty-five minute lunch we got back underway. Basically we were all kinda grumpy by the end. The rest of the day was spent hanging out at home with some of our Zulu colleagues. By the end of it all we settled for ordering pizza which has become something of a weekly ritual.
Tuesday Aerin and I got up for work and made our way to the office to begin our last week of work at Haniville. We arrived and were sent away because our supervisor was out of town from some reason that day and we aren't aloud to be in the community working without a Zulu person. So we went home and I decided to get some more sleep. After I was fully rested I decided to accompany Anne and three of the foster kids she works with to one of the public pools. That was something of an experience between dealing with the drunk security guard and trying to watch three very small kids in mob of afternoon swimmers. We attempted to teach the two older ones to swim a bit and we were actually fairly successful save for the lack of swimming room. Tuesday night we went with a bunch of the guys who work at the shelter next door to go see Madagascar 2, Escape 2 Africa in the theater. I think cartoons hear are more popular amoung adults here because there were only two kids there and yet the place was still packed. I was disappointed by the popcorn though.
Wednesday was quite a long day at Haniville with kids the entire day again. We had an unusually young age group that day and it made it difficult to play with them. I deffinately like working with kids who are a little older. I have noticed an interesting phonomena though at Haniville and that is the younger a child is, the more English they speak, or are willing to speak. I am not sure why this is or if it transcends all the townships as well but it has certainly raised some questions in my mind.
Thursday we had a lot more kids than we had been having because it was the last day the center was open untill the end of january next year. We did have kids all day again but it was easier to entertain them. Also I failed to mention that in the last two weeks of work I have become a human jungle gym since the kids figured out that I was strong enough to carry a bunch of them and since I play tug of war and what not. So I went home thursday with a very sore back and very greatful for a couch to get horizontal on. We went on one last sugar cane raid in the fields across the street and it was my best catch yet I must say. Sweet and juicy, mmmm.
Yesterday we had one last prayer meeting for the year and then we went to a cold and rainy briaa for the street kids. I have fallen in love with Zulu cooking; we had a delicious assortment of grilled meats as well as shakalaka which is just well, delicious. My same offer stands as before, I'll cook it for anyone who buys me the supplies. We got some movies for the weekend and had a relaxing night at home with Mlu visiting from next door. He calls me mfundu which means "my brother".
Today is warmer and I am told that tomorrow is going to be well over 100 degrees. So much for a white christmas eh.
I was talking with Mlu last night about some cultural things and I learned that there is a lot of blacks hear who truly hate whites. Mlu doesn't really understand why and while at first I thought, "of course, they lived under appartide" Mlu told me that most are two young to remember it. I am thinking that it is mainly resentment at all the wealth whites have hear while so much of the black population is struggling. It reminds me in a lot of ways of America and the more I learn here, the more I see just how similar the dynamics are.
I think my last post was one Sunday yeah? So let me begin on updates...
Monday we did not have work because it was an awards ceremony for the entire YFC/KZN, which means there were a lot of people packed into a room that was way to hot. Now we were told that the ceremony was to begin at 9 o'clock in the morning so like good Westerners we arrived at 5 till 9. We forgot that we are in South Africa however because South Africa functions on "Bantu Time". Bantu time basically means you get there when you get there and things will start when everyone arrives. This means that, because people were not only coming from all over Maritzburg but also Durban, the ceremony did not begin untill 11:45. There was then a very long introduction followed by lunch because at every event hear, food is surved. They decided that since the ceremony was running so late, lunch would only be a half hour instead of the full hour originally planned. So after an hour and fourty-five minute lunch we got back underway. Basically we were all kinda grumpy by the end. The rest of the day was spent hanging out at home with some of our Zulu colleagues. By the end of it all we settled for ordering pizza which has become something of a weekly ritual.
Tuesday Aerin and I got up for work and made our way to the office to begin our last week of work at Haniville. We arrived and were sent away because our supervisor was out of town from some reason that day and we aren't aloud to be in the community working without a Zulu person. So we went home and I decided to get some more sleep. After I was fully rested I decided to accompany Anne and three of the foster kids she works with to one of the public pools. That was something of an experience between dealing with the drunk security guard and trying to watch three very small kids in mob of afternoon swimmers. We attempted to teach the two older ones to swim a bit and we were actually fairly successful save for the lack of swimming room. Tuesday night we went with a bunch of the guys who work at the shelter next door to go see Madagascar 2, Escape 2 Africa in the theater. I think cartoons hear are more popular amoung adults here because there were only two kids there and yet the place was still packed. I was disappointed by the popcorn though.
Wednesday was quite a long day at Haniville with kids the entire day again. We had an unusually young age group that day and it made it difficult to play with them. I deffinately like working with kids who are a little older. I have noticed an interesting phonomena though at Haniville and that is the younger a child is, the more English they speak, or are willing to speak. I am not sure why this is or if it transcends all the townships as well but it has certainly raised some questions in my mind.
Thursday we had a lot more kids than we had been having because it was the last day the center was open untill the end of january next year. We did have kids all day again but it was easier to entertain them. Also I failed to mention that in the last two weeks of work I have become a human jungle gym since the kids figured out that I was strong enough to carry a bunch of them and since I play tug of war and what not. So I went home thursday with a very sore back and very greatful for a couch to get horizontal on. We went on one last sugar cane raid in the fields across the street and it was my best catch yet I must say. Sweet and juicy, mmmm.
Yesterday we had one last prayer meeting for the year and then we went to a cold and rainy briaa for the street kids. I have fallen in love with Zulu cooking; we had a delicious assortment of grilled meats as well as shakalaka which is just well, delicious. My same offer stands as before, I'll cook it for anyone who buys me the supplies. We got some movies for the weekend and had a relaxing night at home with Mlu visiting from next door. He calls me mfundu which means "my brother".
Today is warmer and I am told that tomorrow is going to be well over 100 degrees. So much for a white christmas eh.
I was talking with Mlu last night about some cultural things and I learned that there is a lot of blacks hear who truly hate whites. Mlu doesn't really understand why and while at first I thought, "of course, they lived under appartide" Mlu told me that most are two young to remember it. I am thinking that it is mainly resentment at all the wealth whites have hear while so much of the black population is struggling. It reminds me in a lot of ways of America and the more I learn here, the more I see just how similar the dynamics are.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
SAwubona,
Its been two weeks since my last post but they have flown by for me and getting here this week has been difficult with something coming up everyday or just being too tired to make it here. I hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving, I know I did. For those of you reading my local newspaper, don't worry too much. So far I have not witnessed or been impacted by anything in the paper and as for the crazy police here which are constantly in the paper for beating people or running people over (for those of you who don't read), I am on the safe side being white and foreign; Its a sad fact but its true. And of course I am law abiding. Still, I find myself feeling very nervous whenever I am around them.
Now lets try and catch you up to speed.
The work is really starting to wind down for the year. Work after my last post was pretty much done by Aerin and I alone because our supervisor was at a training thing all week and the two interns are very lazy. Also, school is now over for the year so our groups of kids got smaller and smaller.
Thursday Aerin and I took the day off to cook a Thanksgiving feast for our house mates as well as Sally. We started in the morning with a trip to the shop to get our turkey plus a few last minute items and then we began with the baking and continued right on through until dinner at 8. Let me say that it was quite an adventure because neither of us has ever prepared a thanksgiving dinner before. The turkey was by far the most interesting part from the bath to thaw it to the dressing it and baking it in our tiny toaster oven. But when all was said and done with in the kitchen Aerin and I were a really good team and Sally told us we could tell our parents it was a great meal. Which it most certainly was if I don't say so myself. Everyone went to bed with full stomachs that night.
Friday we had a very small prayer meeting in the morning. Then there was some quiet time until 1 when I went to go play soccer. My usual team was not there so I played on a team with the street kids. They are a frustrating bunch to play with because, for as much talent as they have, they all want to be the star of the game and because of that, they don't play their positions well. So it was often two defenders in the back (Myself and another) against four or five attackers. We had our hands full but between us and the keeper, we put up quite a defence. Even my coach who is always full of "constructive" critism of my playing told me that I was brilliant on defence that day. So I left the game knowing that I was byfar not the best person on the field, but I was finally improving a noticeable level. I returned home to a going away party for two of our volunteers which lasted much longer than it was meant to and by the end, I was beat and ready to kick back until an early to bed.
Saturday we went to the beach in durban with 65 kids from the Site 11 township. That was a very long, very crazy day. I don't really like spending alot of time on the beach to begin with because i hate having sand everywhere, but I also felt very useless. Not only did I really not know the faces of the kids I was supposed to be watching, the beach was also insanely crouded. At one point a small boy asked me to take him out to the bigger waves and as we were out there talking I realized that he was not one of ours from Site 11 but just some random kid from Durban. That was a bit strange for me. I did get nice and toasted though by this African sun. I have only had a handful of burns in my life and only one or two of those that even hurt, but this time I my entire torso was brought up to a nice bright red and now I am really peeling.
Sunday our number in the house was cut to 4 and the new quiet is very nice. It was cold and rainy so we got some movies and watched those for the day and slept alot because the weekend/week was so tiring.
Monday and tuesday at work were very different than normal. Not only did we have a very different group of kids from normal, we had them the entire day. It felt very much like being a camp counselor only we had absolutely no help from our supervisor who spent the entire day next door. Still, those turned out to be the most fun days of work I have had.
Wednesday we accompanied a group of school kids from Anne's new project to the zoo. It was a very depressing zoo, all run down and small but it was cool to see some new animals that I have never seen before like a Tapir, and something that looks like a giant mongoose but isn't. I also got to pet a very tame Giraffe. It saw us coming and walked right up to the fence and then reached out its head to us. At first we weren't sure what to do but in the end we decided to pet it. It was almost like a giant dog with a long neck. It even licked my back from above me. Their was also and Orangatang (I have no idea how to spell that) that through a branch at me and almost succeed at hitting my head.
Thurday we were back at work though only for a short time because Thabo was very busy and needed to drop us off late and pick us up early.
Friday we had what the dutch call Sinterclause or something of that nature. Its a gift exchange and we all got eachother presents which we hid around the house and went looking for. That was a lot of fun. And we also enjoyed some dutch sweets as well.
Saturday was just Aerin and I so we did some errands and got some movies.
Now my time is nearly up so I must take my leave. I'll try and post sooner next time.
Bye
Its been two weeks since my last post but they have flown by for me and getting here this week has been difficult with something coming up everyday or just being too tired to make it here. I hope everyone had a wonderful thanksgiving, I know I did. For those of you reading my local newspaper, don't worry too much. So far I have not witnessed or been impacted by anything in the paper and as for the crazy police here which are constantly in the paper for beating people or running people over (for those of you who don't read), I am on the safe side being white and foreign; Its a sad fact but its true. And of course I am law abiding. Still, I find myself feeling very nervous whenever I am around them.
Now lets try and catch you up to speed.
The work is really starting to wind down for the year. Work after my last post was pretty much done by Aerin and I alone because our supervisor was at a training thing all week and the two interns are very lazy. Also, school is now over for the year so our groups of kids got smaller and smaller.
Thursday Aerin and I took the day off to cook a Thanksgiving feast for our house mates as well as Sally. We started in the morning with a trip to the shop to get our turkey plus a few last minute items and then we began with the baking and continued right on through until dinner at 8. Let me say that it was quite an adventure because neither of us has ever prepared a thanksgiving dinner before. The turkey was by far the most interesting part from the bath to thaw it to the dressing it and baking it in our tiny toaster oven. But when all was said and done with in the kitchen Aerin and I were a really good team and Sally told us we could tell our parents it was a great meal. Which it most certainly was if I don't say so myself. Everyone went to bed with full stomachs that night.
Friday we had a very small prayer meeting in the morning. Then there was some quiet time until 1 when I went to go play soccer. My usual team was not there so I played on a team with the street kids. They are a frustrating bunch to play with because, for as much talent as they have, they all want to be the star of the game and because of that, they don't play their positions well. So it was often two defenders in the back (Myself and another) against four or five attackers. We had our hands full but between us and the keeper, we put up quite a defence. Even my coach who is always full of "constructive" critism of my playing told me that I was brilliant on defence that day. So I left the game knowing that I was byfar not the best person on the field, but I was finally improving a noticeable level. I returned home to a going away party for two of our volunteers which lasted much longer than it was meant to and by the end, I was beat and ready to kick back until an early to bed.
Saturday we went to the beach in durban with 65 kids from the Site 11 township. That was a very long, very crazy day. I don't really like spending alot of time on the beach to begin with because i hate having sand everywhere, but I also felt very useless. Not only did I really not know the faces of the kids I was supposed to be watching, the beach was also insanely crouded. At one point a small boy asked me to take him out to the bigger waves and as we were out there talking I realized that he was not one of ours from Site 11 but just some random kid from Durban. That was a bit strange for me. I did get nice and toasted though by this African sun. I have only had a handful of burns in my life and only one or two of those that even hurt, but this time I my entire torso was brought up to a nice bright red and now I am really peeling.
Sunday our number in the house was cut to 4 and the new quiet is very nice. It was cold and rainy so we got some movies and watched those for the day and slept alot because the weekend/week was so tiring.
Monday and tuesday at work were very different than normal. Not only did we have a very different group of kids from normal, we had them the entire day. It felt very much like being a camp counselor only we had absolutely no help from our supervisor who spent the entire day next door. Still, those turned out to be the most fun days of work I have had.
Wednesday we accompanied a group of school kids from Anne's new project to the zoo. It was a very depressing zoo, all run down and small but it was cool to see some new animals that I have never seen before like a Tapir, and something that looks like a giant mongoose but isn't. I also got to pet a very tame Giraffe. It saw us coming and walked right up to the fence and then reached out its head to us. At first we weren't sure what to do but in the end we decided to pet it. It was almost like a giant dog with a long neck. It even licked my back from above me. Their was also and Orangatang (I have no idea how to spell that) that through a branch at me and almost succeed at hitting my head.
Thurday we were back at work though only for a short time because Thabo was very busy and needed to drop us off late and pick us up early.
Friday we had what the dutch call Sinterclause or something of that nature. Its a gift exchange and we all got eachother presents which we hid around the house and went looking for. That was a lot of fun. And we also enjoyed some dutch sweets as well.
Saturday was just Aerin and I so we did some errands and got some movies.
Now my time is nearly up so I must take my leave. I'll try and post sooner next time.
Bye
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