Johannesburg, Joburg or Josi, and Sacred Heart Marist Brothers College

This morning we touched down in Johannesburg aka Jo-burg aka Josi, the final leg of our journey. Our morning began with a lovely 3:00am wake-up call. This was followed by extensive and expensive luggage reorganizing. Needless to say some of you will be receiving wine as souvenirs. The rest of you…well sorry maybe next time.

After piling into a van we were greeted with our first images of Johannesburg, a lawn covered with signs shaped like giant yellow hands, welcoming us from the airport. We really felt like South Africa was opening their arms to us and the world. When we arrived at the retreat house we were welcomed with what we’ve come to know as the typical South African hospitality with plenty of rooibus tea and a delicious breakfast. Then it was on to an official tour of the city courtesy of Darin Nydoo, our tour guide. We climbed 50 floors to take in an aerial view of the city with the help of an elevator of course. Our initial impressions of the city center were that in many ways it was similar to Durban. It is definitely a city with dilapidated buildings along with high rises and street vendors as well as storefront markets.

To get a better taste of what Jo-burg has to offer we ventured out of the city-center into the surrounding suburbs. Here we found signs advertising ADT and electric fences to be extremely prevalent. What struck us was the fact that people in the suburbs have to be just as cautious as people living in the city. Here living outside the city does not offer much protection against crime. Beautiful houses were surrounded by at least 8 ft walls topped in many cases by electric barbed wire. This level of security in some respects seems like it would entice people even more to see what lies behind these walls. For all its flaws though Jo-burg has tangible electricity in the air. It was common for us to hear the familiar echo’s of voovoozella’s coming from all directions.

At the tours end we were able to hear a completely new perspective of Apartheid. Darin, our tour guide, spoke to us from the perspective of a father raising his children in a post-Apartheid era. Here he candidly gave his views about teaching his children about Apartheid and the fact that it is not addressed in the school system. We were once again confronted with the issue of what it means to remember your past, how to reconcile it and the role it plays in the lives of future generations.

We concluded the evening with a welcoming dinner and reception by the Marist brothers school Sacred Heart College. We once again were able to experience the sense of family and community that the Marist brothers all over the world have worked to create. These people welcomed us into their home with a delicious meal while providing us with great conversation only furthering our knowledge and understanding of the many obstacles this nation has strove overcome.

We walked away from today with a better understanding of the divisions that existed so prominently within this society and how through in some ways soccer along with faith in each other has led to uniting a people. Perhaps one day the rest of the world will follow suit. “When I get older I will be stronger they’ll call me freedom just like the waving flag..” Go World Cup 2010!!

Hluhluwe, St. Henry's Marist College and Durban culture and tourism

Tuesday June 8th

GREETINGS FROM HLUHLUWE

Today after arriving to the Zulu-Nyala Game Lodge in Hluhluwe yesterday afternoon, was the day in which we finally got to experience an African safari. This morning we broke up into two separate 4x4 trucks and each went on a 2 and 1/2 hour adventure through the 300,000 acre Hluhluwe National Park. Both groups were able to see many impala, boar, buffalo, zebra and giraffe, but only one of the groups was lucky enough to see a herd of elephants. Overall only 2 of South Africa’s Big Five (lion, elephant, rhino, buffalo & leopard) were seen, but even so everyone had a great time.

Following the safari we headed to the St. Lucia Estuary where we took a boat ride to view crocodile and the animal that kills the most humans in Africa- the hippo. While on the boat we got close (but not too close!) to several pods of hippos as well as a few lonely crocodiles on the shore. On our bus ride back to the Game Lodge, Professor Summers had the bus make a surprise stop at a beach where the students had the opportunity to swim in the Indian Ocean. This once in a lifetime opportunity was worth the soggy and sandy bus ride back to the lodge.


















Wednesday June 9th

GREETINGS FROM DURBAN

We departed the Zulu-Nyala Game Lodge early this morning and headed directly to St. Henry’s Marist College in Durban. When we arrived 4 hours later, they had already prepared a luncheon with faculty and several graduating high school seniors. After lunch we learned more about this small, private catholic school and had a tour around its campus which was very nice. It is however, located between a township and a very wealthy suburb of Durban, a discrepancy very similar to many others we have seen in South Africa between the ‘Haves’ and ‘Have Nots’.

Later on after checking into the Tropicana Hotel, our group made our way to uShaka, the aquarium and number one theme park in Africa. There we were able to enjoy a dolphin show, the penguins getting fed, and some of the sea life indigenous to South Africa. Before dinner we had an informal lecture on the Indian Communities in Durban given by Lecturer Ruggasum of the University of KwaZulu-Natal. The discussion was very interesting and the students asked many in-depth questions during the subsequent Q&A period.

Less than one week is left on our South Africa experience and we are very excited to be heading to Johannesburg tomorrow!

Zulu Culture and Durban!

Waking before sunrise, we groggily assembled our bags and our tired bodies. A plane and two bus rides later we found ourselves in the thick of African tribal stereotypes. But, the stereotypes are trite and insulting to the beauty that emanates from the Zulu nature and people. Unanimously, the group voted the Zulu meal as the best thus far. A smattering of organic, home cooking gave us a taste for the Zulu diet that sustains their community and strengthens the tireless warriors, herdsmen and workers.

Not only is the culture attractive to the modern western world because of their wholesome foods, but they also live sustainably. They pay no gas or electric bills; in fact, their energy methods actively consume the methane that would otherwise eat away the ozone layer. As proven many times, Zulu life relies on cattle. It is their excrement that gives off the methane gas used for energy purposes. Besides traditional uses for Cattle--meat, leather, and tools--their dung helps in many ways: to clean floors, to burn, and to build shelter. Zulu people entwine reverence for animals, ancestors, and the power of earth and nature in everyday life.

Known for their skill with weapons, Zulu men distinguish themselves at a young age in stick fighting games and grow up with the responsibility to bring home meat and protect all. Defeating British forces, who (according to Western Imperialism) never lose, heralds the power, pride, and prestige of the great Zulu warriors. Every year this date--December 16th--excites much celebration. Luckily, Zulus willingly include visitors in their traditions and customs: we enjoyed a meal together; we learned (and executed somewhat successfully) their tribal dances; the boys got to stick fight; and the girls got to patch and clean the floor by smearing cow dung or they could grind sorghum. Our unique experiences and the warmth we found from sun and people at the Zulu homestead will never be forgotten.

Zulu Culture and Durban!

Waking before sunrise, we groggily assembled our bags and our tired bodies. A plane and two bus rides later we found ourselves in the thick of African tribal stereotypes. But, the stereotypes are trite and insulting to the beauty that emanates from the Zulu nature and people. Unanimously, the group voted the Zulu meal as the best thus far. A smattering of organic, home cooking gave us a taste for the Zulu diet that sustains their community and strengthens the tireless warriors, herdsmen and workers.

Not only is the culture attractive to the modern western world because of their wholesome foods, but they also live sustainably. They pay no gas or electric bills; in fact, their energy methods actively consume the methane that would otherwise eat away the ozone layer. As proven many times, Zulu life relies on cattle. It is their excrement that gives off the methane gas used for energy purposes. Besides traditional uses for Cattle--meat, leather, and tools--their dung helps in many ways: to clean floors, to burn, and to build shelter. Zulu people entwine reverence for animals, ancestors, and the power of earth and nature in everyday life.

Known for their skill with weapons, Zulu men distinguish themselves at a young age in stick fighting games and grow up with the responsibility to bring home meat and protect all. Defeating British forces, who (according to Western Imperialism) never lose, heralds the power, pride, and prestige of the great Zulu warriors. Every year this date--December 16th--excites much celebration. Luckily, Zulus willingly include visitors in their traditions and customs: we enjoyed a meal together; we learned (and executed somewhat successfully) their tribal dances; the boys got to stick fight; and the girls got to patch and clean the floor by smearing cow dung or they could grind sorghum. Our unique experiences and the warmth we found from sun and people at the Zulu homestead will never be forgotten.

Last Day in Cape Town

Today was our final day in Cape Town. We finished our stay here with a visit to Stellenbosch and the surrounding wine country. Our walk through historic Stellenbosch allowed us to expand our knowledge of the Dutch influence and its role in the history of the Cape. Here we were able to tour historic buildings, some dating back almost 200 years. Surrounding these buildings was a variety of indigenous plants that were better displayed in the botanical gardens. We were able to take in both the smells and sights of South Africa only magnified.

After our tour of the gardens we visited Stellenbosch University. The campus was virtually deserted because of the impending World Cup. There was certainly a difference between this campus and the ones we have visited before. The conservative teaching style seemed to fit with both the design and décor of the campus and its buildings.

Next we headed to Neethlingshof Estate where many of us had our first experience wine tasting. We began with a tour of the vineyard and its distillery. Here Keisha, our tour guide, explained to us the process of removing the skin and stems, impacting whether it becomes a white or red wine. Next we were able to see the fermentation tanks and learned that when its stops emitting carbon dioxide the process is complete. Finally, we were able to see the holding cellar which was filled with imported oak barrels to allow for the perfect amount oxygen to mix with the wine. When we sat down for our tasting we learned that yes in fact one glass of wine a day is beneficial to your health. Although Keisha prefers to skip a day then drink a bottle.

On our way home we stopped at another vineyard. Along with wine this vineyard has cheetahs, an extremely interesting combination. A majority of us opted to pet the cheetah, Enigma, while others preferred to stand with at least one fence separating them. While some of us thought this was exciting, it was without a doubt our final stop of the day that meant the most.

We ended our time here with one final visit to the battered women’s shelter. We dropped off basic supplies, candy, toys and to Bryan’s delight vuvuzela’s for the kids. Seeing their surprise and excitement that we returned for one final visit was for many of us what this trip to Cape Town has been about.

Community Service Day 3

Greetings From Cape Town!

This morning we visited St. Joseph’s Marist College, which is one of five Marist affiliated schools in South Africa. After sharing a mass honoring Saint Marcellin Champagnat, we shared tea with the archbishop, a Marist brother, and other school officials.

When tea time was finished, we went outside to watch the mock World Cup that the high school seniors were all playing in. Eventually a soccer game between the Americans and the South African students unfolded. Needless to say, we took home the gold.

Once our time at St. Joseph’s was over, we headed to the Battered Women’s Shelter ‘Dusk till Dawn’, where most of the children were already home from school. Today we spent our time there giving the kids some much needed attention by reading stories, playing soccer games, and just holding them. Although we may not have accomplished any long-term goals at ‘Dusk till Dawn’, we are very hopeful that our plan to re-landscape the entire backyard into a safe-haven for the children, will be fulfilled in the near future.

Unfortunately, Professor Summers will not give in to our requests to volunteer at the shelter for the next two weeks and skip our flights to Durban and Johannesburg. As a group we enjoyed our community service projects immensely, particularly the Battered Women’s Shelter, and we are looking forward to our next two weeks in South Africa!

Community Service Day 2

Today's blog was written by Cara, Brittany, and Lauren


Our morning began with a visit to the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa! It resembles the United States democratic system of two houses of separate representatives but has differences in how the delegates are chosen and what their power is, it is easy to forget that in this country, democracy is still young at less than twenty years since the end of Apartheid.

Afterwards, we split up into our individual groups to return to our various community service projects.

Brittany returned back to the school which was even more exciting as she was able to assess the students’ needs and bring supplies as well as little extras like Vuvuzelas (a long trumpet-like plastic horn that have become popular in stadium games and are quite the popular favor), soccer balls, and books. The children seemed to be captivated by tales so they were thrilled to welcome any stories from Disney favorites to simply talking about life in the United States. When acted out with hand motions, animal noises, and body-moving rhythms they were making vital text-to-life connections that helped them reach the three major goals designated by the education department for grade R (equivalent to Kindergarten in the US): literacy, numeracy and life skills. The teachers eagerly welcomed a break and combine classes of students to share the attention of their American guests. At the end of the day after referring to us as “teacher” or “auntie” they disappointedly headed home with their families, friends, or taxi drivers and they described their excitement for seeing us again. What a sad day it will be when we have to say goodbye –when we will not be coming back.

As a change of scenery Cara volunteered at the Dusk till Dawn battered women’s shelter. As previously mentioned, it is a safe-haven for women and children who have suffered from domestic abuse and are looking to make a new start. Though our group has made significant progress over the five years, there is still much work to be done. It is apparent that after spending a couple hours picking up glass and tidying up the yard we moved our efforts inside. The rest of the day was spent sorting through dusty, mildew, rat-chewed books and clothing donations that were to be re-distributed to the community. Aside from the manual labor of cleaning the play yard and moving bookcases, shelves and boxes upon boxes of old blankets, we were able to bond with the children. They were excited to see their American friends again, even though we could not understand their Afrikaans, and they were happy to receive any kind of affection.

No matter how little or how much the youth of a nation values (or are told to value) education, the term “library book” fails to inspire grade school students. Books spark interest only if the pages are short, letters are big, and pictures are prevalent. Amile Jansen made fire where there once was only cinders and ash. Rejecting the traditional form of education, he realizes the best way to communicate with kids from the Cape Flats and similar areas is to speak their language. He found that hip hop, dance, and rap, blast messages louder than any slew of library books. With an emphasis on “building national pride” he and his two groups -HEAL THE HOOD, and his rap troop –BLACK NOISE, not only compel but further demand that blacks (especially youth) re-evaluate their identity. The messages blaring from Heal the Hood’s metaphorical speakers pump positive waves over the negative drabble that some (especially those from higher classes) call news. Knowing one’s self from skin to within is a necessary step to truly healing the hood. The passion and ingenuity of a meal and his comrades continues to inspire their community country and a few mere students who are lucky to drop by.

We met some friends from Australia who had just finished making their way around England and together we celebrated Professor Summers’ birthday with some more fantastic food, great company and of course, cake.