Beautiful South Africa

I hope everyone’s summer has been off to a great start – I haven’t really felt like I’ve hit summer yet, as it’s winter here in the southern hemisphere, so most days I’ve needed jeans and long sleeves. Except when I’m in Durban, which calls for short sleeves and shorts during the day when it’s sunny out. I’m pretty much confused all the time about what season it’s supposed to be, which results in wearing lots of layers so that I’m prepared for anything. I’m back at Katie’s house in Durban now, and after spending a lovely 25^th birthday with her family yesterday, I have just one day left before flying out tomorrow. I’ve had a whirlwind month of traveling and spending time with my friends – now it’s just about over, and I have to start looking ahead to going home and preparing for Russia this fall.       

                                                                                                                                                                

South Africa is a pretty hot topic at the moment, due to both President Obama’s recent visit and to Nelson Mandela’s health. Mandela has been hospitalized for over three weeks now, and though the report has been up and down, at the moment he appears to be recovering. We were all holding our breaths for a little while, but now it seems like he’ll be hanging on a little while longer, as incredible as that is. As far as President Obama’s visit, due to our top secret (covert, if you will) advance notice, my friends and I actually previewed some of his excursions in South Africa before he got here – you know, to make sure everything was in order and in top shape for the American President.  Here’s a run down of what I’ve been up to the past month, with the best tour guides anyone could have asked for, the Askew family, to get an insider’s perspective of the country. I would have recommended them to Obama, but they were booked up last weekend.

Sani Pass

I can now say that I’ve had a drink at the Highest Pub in Africa. However, you have no idea how hard it was to reach that achievement. Although I’m glad I did it, I will say I have no desire to ever climb up that trail again…at least not in 130 kilometer per hour winds. Actually, I guess any wind speed below 130 kph would be better than before, so maybe I would do it again. Not anytime soon though.

After saying goodbye to Katie’s family, I met up with Jason’s family in a different part of the Drakensberg Mountains, this time in a place called Underberg. Sani Pass, which means ‘pass of the San people,’ is actually one of the gateways between South Africa and Lesotho, one of the two landlocked countries in South Africa. It’s a very tiny, mountainous country, and its name translates to ‘land of the people who speak Sesotho.’

These Sesotho-speakers must have also been excellent climbers, because entering Lesotho through Sani Pass requires an 8 km (4.5 miles) hike up a windy dirt road. Our group, which was Jason’s family plus some of his dad’s work colleagues, started off the morning at the bottom of said road, after getting our passports stamped with an exit stamp from South Africa – Sani Pass is technically ‘no man’s land,’ until you either enter Lesotho at the top or return to South Africa once you’ve been up. The plan was for whoever wanted to walk to walk, with Jason’s dad driving the SUV behind us, in case someone didn’t want to keep going or needed a break. I was pretty determined to do the hike, and enjoyed the first half of it very much – though it was chilly, it was still a clear day, very beautiful and peaceful.

Then we hit about halfway, and things began to change. The temperature dropped and the wind picked up. This was tolerable at first, but it soon got to be so windy that it was blowing dust in our faces and turning our hands to ice blocks. At this point we were only a few kms from the top though, and Jason and I hadn’t been UWGB swimmers for nothing. We were determined, and pushed through, even though we had to actually stop at some moments because the wind was so forceful that we were afraid we’d get blown right off the edge. The good news was that by the top I was so numb that my legs didn’t hurt anymore! However, the bad news was that I couldn’t even move my hands to take a picture once we got to the top. But of course, we were at the highest pub in Africa at that point, so of course we were able to order some hot drinks right away to warm us up. From there it was a very enjoyable time, as we sat in the cozy little chalet and enjoyed the views, though the wind was blowing so fiercely that the stove was rattling from the chimney. We braved the wind once more to go to Lesotho’s immigration office, impressive as it was, and get our passports stamped, then thankfully we had the SUV to take us back down to South Africa. It was a great experience and fun to do with a group, but again, I don’t think I’m in any rush to do that one again. 

Johannesburg

After Sani Pass, we returned to Johannesburg on Sunday, then after patiently waiting all week, Jason and I headed to the airport Saturday morning to pick up Allie and Travis. They arrived, slightly jet lagged yet excited to explore, so then after taking them to Jason’s house we went for a drive in Johannesburg. Again, to make sure everything would be a-okay for Obama. It seemed pretty unfair to try and explain the past century of South Africa’s history to them in their state, so instead we just did a quick tour to Constitution Hill, the site of the former Old Fort prison that held dozens of political prisoners throughout the twentieth century. Today it is the site of South Africa’s Constitutional Court, as well as three museums detailing the nation’s history and focusing on the former political prisoners and their struggle for freedom and democracy.

From Constitution Hill we drove to Sandton, one of the richest suburbs in the country, also known as “the richest square mile in Africa.” We checked out Nelson Mandela Square (guess which picture that is) and enjoyed walking around the pretty area. The irony of Sandton is that it is just a few miles away from Alexandra, an impoverished township. In the picture you can see Sandton’s tallest buildings at the top, with Alexandra’s shanties below. South Africa, though considered a third world country, is a land of contradictions as it also holds a large amount of the continent’s wealth, thanks to a very small percentage of the population. The disparity between the poor and the rich is pretty evident nearly everywhere in the country, whether it is driving by a poor township on the side of the road, being approached by a beggar at a stoplight, or seeing mothers with their children simply sitting at the side of the road, with nowhere else to go. Though I had been exposed to similar situations of poverty in other third world countries I’ve traveled to, it was all pretty new for Allie and Travis, though they handled it well. 

Sandton at the top, Alexandra below.

Reunited after three years. 

Once we got back to Jason’s, we got ourselves ready to go watch a rugby game on the big screen at a nearby pub. To me, rugby is like football except they don’t start and stop all the time, and they wear funny little shorts. I do understand more about the game though, thanks to Jason, and the game was fun to watch in the sports bar atmosphere, mostly due to the fact that the four of us were all together again for the first time in over three years. And possibly because we were sampling many different kinds of South African beers at the same time, to get the full cultural experience. It was a fun night.

Cape Town

As you might imagine, the next morning wasn’t so fun when we all had to get up and get ourselves to the airport early in the morning, but we survived. After a quick two hour flight, we landed in sunny skies in the beautiful city of Cape Town. In fact, Cape Town has been ranked as one of the most beautiful cities in the world. I have to say, compared to the cities I have traveled to and explored, in my book Cape Town is the most picturesque, rivaled only by Sydney, Australia.  Part of its beauty, of course, is due to the stunning weather we experienced in Cape Town for nearly three days – nearly unheard of in the winter months. We got lucky.

However, we didn’t know how long the great weather would last, so within three hours of landing we got ourselves checked into our hostel and up to the top of Table Mountain, the most iconic image of Cape Town. The views from the top were beautiful every which way you turned, and though it was pretty windy and chilly we spent nearly three hours just taking pictures, enjoying the view, and drinking wine while watching the sunset. It was the perfect introduction to Cape Town, and I decided that I didn’t even care if the weather was nice for the rest of the trip, since we had gotten such a beautiful day for Table Mountain.

Cape Town at sunset. 

But, as luck would have it, the next day was just as gorgeous as the day before. Allie and Travis had signed up to do shark cage diving, which was a full day excursion, but Jason and I chose to stay behind and explore a little more of Cape Town. A friend of Jason's, Matt, came to join us, so after eating breakfast we decided to split up for a while so we could all enjoy our respective activities. The boys went swimming at one of the beaches while I went to the District 6 Museum, which detailed the forced removal of an entire neighborhood of Cape Town due to the apartheid law entitled the 'Group Areas Act.' Basically, the area the very multicultural and ethnic neighborhood was located became a 'whites only' area, and all the current residents were forced to move to the outskirts of the city. The museum included many first hand accounts of those who had been kicked out of their homes, and provided another insightful look into the apartheid years. Recently, efforts have been made to give back some of the people their land and homes, and parts of the area have been preserved, but it will take a long time to rectify such actions against the former residents of District 6. 

Hout Bay. 

After enjoying my solo museum time, the boys came to pick me up and we took a lovely drive around the other side of Table Mountain, full of bays and beautiful beaches. We stopped to have a drink at one of the ritzier beaches, Clifton, and then drove along Camps Bay (pictured below) until we reached Hout Bay, a lovely little harbor with lots of fishing boats. In Hout Bay we had deliciously cheap fish and chips, while sitting on a dock and enjoying the views. We stayed there until it was nearly sunset, then headed back to the city to pick up Allie and Travis. Our destination for the evening was Simon's Town, another little bay about 40 minutes outside of the city, where Matt's aunt owned a B&B that she generously let us stay at.   

Camps Bay and the 'Twelve Apostles.'

The next morning we were treated to breakfast at our luxurious B&B, but we had to leave shortly after in order to make the 11:00 ferry to Robben Island. Again, because Obama was coming to visit Robben Island we obviously had to go there first. So, we made it on the ferry in the nick of time, and after half an hour of gazing at the views of the retreating Table Mountain, we had arrived at Robben Island.

I learned that the island was originally used as a leper colony, which then turned into a prison while it was still a British colony. During World War II it was even fortified to provide extra defense against Cape Town. It didn’t become a political prison until 1961, and then it became a haven for freedom fighters, including the current president and ANC leader Jacob Zuma, former president Nelson Mandela, Walter Sisulu, the lawyer who helped Mandela enter the political arena, and many more famous names.  

Nelson Mandela's prison cell. 

We all commented on the irony that from Robben Island, only a few km marked the distance between the prisoners and the free world of Cape Town, clearly visible from the shores. However, the few kms were everything to those prisoners who couldn’t swim, or who had a fear of sharks or cold water. It was a cruel fate for those imprisoned there, but it was astounding to learn how the political prisoners made the best of it. They used their time off, when they weren’t performing hard labor, to read and study. A few even received degrees from Robben Island, including one man who is currently a judge on the South African Constitutional Court. Those who were educated took advantage of the time they had to talk to other prisoners and teach them what they knew, receiving other’s education in return. Political ideals and positive spirits for the future of South Africa were kept alive even in the darkest of times. As Obama declared after he visited Robben Island just a couple of days ago:

“The world is grateful for the heroes of Robben Island, who remind us that no shackles or cells can match the strength of the human spirit.”

We all agreed that Robben Island had been a worthwhile excursion. We returned to the Cape Town Waterfront and enjoyed a wonderful seafood lunch in the last few rays of sunshine for the day. Our luck with the weather had just about run out, so we headed back via a drive called Chapman's Peak, where the views were dark and obscured but still impressive.   

We spent the cloudy evening at the B&B, then packed up our things the next morning to get ready for our evening flight. On our way out of Simon's Town we stopped at Boulder's Beach, famous for the local penguins that like to hang out on its shores (can you see them in the picture?) We could have paid more to get down closer to them, but we had more pressing matters on our mind. 

Boulders Beach. 

I was about to have my first wine tasting experience. We were all pretty amateur, but in Cape Town, where some of the best wine in the world is produced due to its Mediterranean climate, wine tasting is a must. We drove to Stellenbosch, an area famous for its numerous wine farms, and walked in. We paid to sample three different kinds, then got to sit in a beautifully decorated room and do nothing but enjoy the experience and taste the differences in wine. Having excelled in my affinity for very cheap boxed wine, which began on my first trip to Europe and has seen me through many countries, I thought everything tasted great, but by the end I could even taste some differences, and use fancy terms such as 'fruity' and 'yummy' with obvious expertise. 

Cheers!

After hitting up two wine farms and a brandy farm, the afternoon seemed to rapidly disappear, and before we knew it it was time to head to the airport. We returned the rental car, checked in for our flights, and zipped our way back to Johannesburg. I was still marveling at the luck we had with weather, and about how much we had done in such a short time. I felt like we had a great Cape Town experience, and I hope I can return someday, simply to enjoy the sights once more, even though it won't be the same without my friends. We had fun looking through pictures on the flight back and reminiscing, but our return to Joburg meant that we had to quickly get ready for our next adventure, which would begin the very next day. 

Pilanesberg

“Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up.

It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed.

Every morning a lion wakes up.

It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.

It doesn’t matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle.

When the sun comes up, you better start running.”

This quote, a famous African proverb, ran through my mind often during the four days we spent at Pilanesberg National Game Reserve Park. To clarify, we went on safari.  However, I was informed very quickly upon arrival that only ‘tourists’ call it safari, and that the proper term is to actually call it a ‘game drive,’ at a ‘game reserve’ or park. It’s the exact same thing: a large section of land that is protected to preserve its natural environment, complete with the animals inherent to the region, such as lion, elephant, cheetah, etc. People treat game reserves like vacation destinations, and you can stay in a variety of lodging options, from four or five star accommodations to camping in a campground. Then, you drive. You can either go on a guided game drive, in open vehicles that will leave you freezing cold most of the time (in the winter), with potentially pompous guides who may not take you to the right places or encounter the animal of your dreams. Or, you can have Craig and Jason Askew.

We all made the drive from Johannesburg with Jason and his dad on Thursday afternoon, where we would be setting up camp in their camper van, just outside of the game park. Though we had a lot of setup to do, Jason’s dad very kindly volunteered to stay behind and finish setting up so that Jason could take us on our first game drive, since the park was to close within an hour and a half, as the sun began to go down. So, we grabbed our ‘sundowners,’ (I’m sure you can figure out what those are, but I’ll tell you anyway: it’s a beverage you drink when the sun goes down), and took off to enter the nearby park gates and go for a drive. The park provides you with a map that has the roads – both tar and dirt – marked and labeled, including the dams and watering holes, so your job is to decide where you think you’ll have the most luck and take off. The thrill about game drives is that it is plain and simple luck that leads you to the exact right moment down the perfect road where you might encounter something exciting. Like this.

Jason and his dad agreed that we had experienced incredible luck in seeing not only one, but two lions close up within the first twenty minutes of our first drive. They said sometimes you can go days on drives without seeing anything, so we were thrilled to have such an encounter. To see a lion in real life in Africa was one of Allie’s lifelong dreams, and it was so fun to be sitting next to her when it actually happened – she even had tears in her eyes. Our afternoon was made after that, but we had more luck and even saw a rhino and a hippo baby with its mama just before leaving the park for the evening.

We arrived back at the camp to find the fire going and our chairs all set up for the evening, thanks to Jason’s dad. We had a fantastic braai (barbecue) with some beers, and even though it was chilly we made it fun. We’re from the Midwest, after all.

Camping in style. 

The game park rhythm meant that we had to go to bed early in order to get up early and enter the park at its open at sunrise, so we were in our tents by 10 PM and up by 6 PM. After some hot coffee and biscuits, we were ready for some more game sightings, so we hopped in the car and took off. We stayed out for about five hours, and saw a variety of game including giraffe, kudu, more lion, hippos, rhino, impala, wildebeest, and warthog. For me, the highlight was definitely being surrounded by a group of about six elephant, as they crossed the road directly in front of the car. It was incredible to encounter all of these animals in their natural environment, just going about their daily lives. Jason explained that they are so used to the cars as part of the environment that they aren’t bothered by them, but as soon as someone tries to get out or hangs out the window, that disrupts the car’s ‘image’ in their minds, so then they start to get skittish and could possibly attack the potential intruder. Needless to say, we all heeded the warning to stay in the car, even though it was so tempting to get out at times.  

The weekend passed by quickly, as we returned from our morning drives to relax and eat, then head out again around 3 for the afternoon session. Our last evening we spent some time just sitting at this watering hole and enjoying the view, the peace, and the quiet of the African bush. The whole weekend was an incredible experience, and we got so so lucky to be shown around by Jason and his family, who have been going on game drives for years. He was like our own private guide, and taught us so much about the animals, their environments, how to spot them, and what to look for. I decided that week, between Cape Town and Pilanesberg, was my favorite week out of the past year of traveling, just because they were both such unique experiences that you can only have in that part of the world. To be doing it with my friends was the icing on the cake, and I loved every minute of being there with them. Pilanesberg was such a thrill, but our trip wasn't over just yet. 

African Sunset. 

Durban

Horizon League swimmers reunited. 

We finished off our time together in Durban, where Jason grew up. After a quick visit to his Grandma at the end of the five hour drive from Johannesburg, we, now with Jason’s sister added to the group, made our way to downtown Durban. We decided to stay in a hostel near the beachfront, so after checking in and dropping off our stuff, we headed straight to the ocean. We had drinks and dinner on the beachfront with Katie, then headed back to the hostel to meet up with some friends for a night out. One of our other former teammates, Rudy, plus another girl, Carys, who swam at Cleveland State, were both back in Durban for the holidays, so it was fun to meet up with them and catch up. 

Sunset over Durban. 

The next day we drove around the city to check out the harbor, which is the largest port in Africa, and watched Travis do ‘The Big Swing’ from the top of the Moses Mabhida Stadium, built for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It gave him enough of an adrenaline rush to tackle the waves with us once we reached the ocean, after a delicious lunch of fish and chips on the beachfront. After having a thrilling time bodysurfing in the surf, we headed in once the sun began to set, then went back to the hostel for a community braai (they provided buns and salad, all we had to do was buy meat to grill) and some drinks with the swimmers once again.

On Wednesday morning Jason and I took Allie to see the sunrise at the beachfront – though it looked cloudy at first, it turned out to be the perfect morning, and the perfect way to end the trip. I was so happy to have done so much traveling and exploring with my best friend, along with two of our favorite teammates. We made an awesome group and all agreed it was a trip of a lifetime. Though it was sad to say goodbye, I knew I’d be following Allie, Travis, and Jason back to the States the next week, and that I would see them again this summer. 

And with that, they were gone! I was supposed to go back to Katie’s house for the remainder of my time in Durban, but it turned out half of her family had come down with a case of the highly contagious swine flu, so they didn’t want me to come to their house until Saturday. So, I stayed on the hostel for a few much needed days on my own, during which I walked around, organized my things, sorted my pictures, and started reading Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. It was an excellent time to read a firsthand account of the man who has been watched by the entire world the last few weeks, to see if he will pull through or not. I felt like it was the best way to end my trip, and so much of what he talks about in South Africa's history I actually understand and can relate to. He has lived an extraordinary life, from his humble village beginnings to his law experience and school, which led into his political career and imprisonment, followed by his release and presidency.  As President Obama said, he, and his legacy, will remain an inspiration to us all. 

My second to last day in South Africa was my 25^th birthday, which I celebrated with Katie’s family. We had a wonderful day together with a long lunch, frozen yogurt, two movies, and a cake and coffee session. I wanted to spend my birthday in South Africa, and it was also a perfect fit to the end of my time here. I’ve learned so much about this beautiful country, and will be taking a part of it with me as I return to the US tomorrow. I’ve experienced tremendous hospitality, kindness, and generosity, and I hope someday I can return to see my new friends and ‘second families’ again, and see even more of the country. I'm sure Obama will be back too. 

Good Morning Durban. Photo credit: Miss Allie Thut. 

How to Speak South African

 “Yes, I’ll be there just now, but I’m stuck at the robot!”

“Sure, I’d love to go swim, I’ll go look in my cupboard for my cozzie!”

“Can you please pass me a serviette? My hands are sticky from this braai.”

                Did any of that make sense to you? Is it a bit of a cryptic code that I invented to confuse anyone who reads it? Well, now you know how my life has been for the past seven weeks. Yes, this is English, no, I didn’t invent a new cryptic code, and yes, people really do speak like this in the one and only Republic of South Africa.

Here is your first lesson: “just now,” is a term South Africans say to mean “on my way,” or “in a minute.” Yes, I know “just now” means immediately, but apparently they don’t. Second lesson: “robot” means “traffic light.” This one I at least had a heads up on from Korea when we relentlessly made fun of Katie for always saying robot. But here, I’m the minority. It is stoplight no more.

Dad McAlery hard at work at the braai.

Next up: “swimming in your cozzie” means “swimsuit.” They call it a swimming costume, or cozzie for short. And cupboard? We know this one, right? Nope, it actually means closet. And last, “serviette” you can probably guess as another word for napkin, which is correct. But I bet I stumped you on “braai.” Braai is probably one of the most South African words you can find in my dictionary (I actually made one in my diary) – it’s another word for a barbecue. However, it means not only the grill but the entire process of eating the meal. “Let’s have a braai,” or “I’ll start the braai just now.” Throw some delicious marinated meat on the grill, add some sides, and you’ve got yourselves a classic South African braai. It’s actually an Afrikans (we’ll get there) word meaning “to grill,” and holds the same connotation as we do for “having a barbecue.” 

South Africa, also known as “the Rainbow Nation,” is one of the most interesting countries I’ve ever visited. It’s a fascinating blend of cultures, traditions, and ethnicities. It has a history like no other country in the world, with only one generation of young adults to have passed through its formative years post-apartheid. Apartheid is the most crucial concepts to understand about South Africa, because throughout the past century it’s shaped the nation and formed the intricacies and complexities of the current social structure.

But, before I get started on explaining about apartheid, I need to address two very important points with you. 1. Not all of Africa looks like the Lion King, Tarzan, or George of the Jungle. 2. Not everyone in South Africa is black. Just please get those two thoughts out of your head straightaway, so we can move on. 

 So, why isn’t everyone in South Africa black? Primarily for the same reason not everyone from Zimbabwe, or Kenya, or Tanzania is black: a little thing we like to call colonization. I’m just going to bring you back to your Western civilizations class, though you probably didn’t pay an ounce of attention, and see if you can recall a point in time when white people were trying to take over the world. When was that, approximately? If you answered ‘anytime,’ you’re pretty much right (and I just got you off the hook for sleeping in class). But let’s be more specific and talk about the forerunners of the white people explorer/conqueror type countries from the fifteenth century on: Portugal, England, The Netherlands, Spain, and France. We’ll throw out Spain and France for now and just focus on the first three. The Portuguese were actually the first to reach South Africa, but the Dutch were the first to settle in the Cape (Cape Town) Colony, on the southwestern coast, back around the time the time Colombus discovered the Americas. They decided it was a pretty great place and set up shop. As typical for a newly colonized country, there were white people and there were natives. Then they fought, and the white people took over and established all of their white people rules, while treating the natives terribly and killing a great many of them with their dirty diseases. Sound familiar?

This wasn’t the complete story in South Africa, but there are some familiar elements. At first, the native tribes in South Africa kind of just shifted over to accommodate these pushy white people, but when the Dutch (joined by a scattering of other random European groups, like the French, Germans and some Scandinavians), started getting too comfortable in their new home and kept expanding their boundaries, along with importing slaves to work their fields, things started to happen.

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the British, whose power had been growing over the Dutch in Europe, therefore in the global expansion theater, took over the Cape Colony and sent thousands of British citizens to live in South Africa, throwing off the ‘white people balance’ in South Africa. This is where the face of South African colonization begins to look different compared to the rest of the continent. After numerous disputes, the Boers (the evolved Dutch settlers, no longer identifying themselves as purely Dutch, but as their own people) decided they’d had enough of the British, and they took off for the northeastern part of the country, Oregon Trail style. To make a long story short, the Boers hung out up in the northeast (modern day Johannesburg/Pretoria area) until the British caught up to them, while establishing a successful port and sugar plantation stronghold along way on the eastern coast, and one hundred years later they began to fight again. This sparked a series of what are called the Boer Wars, a unique set of African wars. They were unique because they weren’t African against African or African against European, but European against European, fighting for control within an African country.

By 1902, the Boer Wars were finished, and the British were the proud new owners of a new Republic, to add to their growing Empire. As they surveyed their land, they would have found a vast and diverse mix of cultures, from the high concentation of Indian workers who had been brought in to work on the sugar plantations in the East, the Europeans and Australians who flooded in when diamonds, then gold, were discovered near Pretoria, the Boers who were still smarting over their defeat and now referred to themselves as Afrikaners, the fierce Zulu tribe of the eastern coast that were still trying to retain much of their traditional tribal life, other native tribes who were just trying to live peacefully throughout the whole mess, and all of the mixed races of everyone who had been co-exsisting ever since the Europeans had first arrived, bringing slaves from other parts of Africa and Asia. I’m not quite sure how or why the Chinese got here, but they’re here too. 

The Father of the "Rainbow Nation"

 So, South Africa really is the ‘Rainbow Nation,’ due to the incredible mix of enthicities, nationalities, tribes, languages, you name it. It’s pretty much got it all. There are many different social groups, each with their own stereotypes. The word ‘racist’ is thrown around in a similar way we use it in the States – you cringe a little bit, but usually end up chuckling at the joke because you’re around other people of the same race. Each person belongs to their own race, which encompasses a set of cultural norms and standards, and they make fun of the other races – sometimes lightly, sometimes not. I actually read a funny book at Jason’s called “The Racist’s Guide to the People of South Africa,” which included a chapter for each of the major races in South Africa: the whites (divided into Afrikans and non-Afrikans), the blacks, the Indians, the Coloreds (white and black mixed, mostly in the Cape Town area), and then a catch-all chapter for everyone else. It was very funny to read and it made fun of all races, but also included many true stereotypes that I’ve seen hold true in my time here. For example, most Africans love fried chicken, and most Durban Indians love to take their families to shopping centers on the weekends. When I first heard these stereotypes, I wasn’t sure if it was true or not, but I have now seen these phenomenons with my own eyes.

So now, go back to the early part of the twentieth century and start to think a

bout all of these diverse races and ethnicities, and then think about one of the minority races – the whites – trying to control who can live where, who can work where, who can vote, who can enter the city to work, who can go to school where, who can sit where, who can eat where, etc. This, similar to some of the most severe segregation laws in the United States prior to the Civil Rights Movement, was the reality of South Africa for nearly a century, under a system know as apartheid.

Apartheid, defined simply as “separation,” was originally put forth as a theory of “neither discrimination nor the domination of any particular race; the races would simply follow their separate paths in all spheres of life in accordance with…their own traditions and cultures.” Well, this didn’t happen. What really did happen was that white people wanted to control everyone who wasn’t white in order to protect their own interests. Under this pretense, the underlying foundation of apartheid was based on racism and white supremacy, and it was successful for nearly one hundred years.

Waiting in line to have passes approved.
Kwa-Muhle Museum, Durban.

There is so much to explain about apartheid, much of which I’ve learned from reading, going to museums, and listening to stories first hand while I’ve been here, but it’s impossible to cover in a short time. Basically, Americans can compare it to the segregation policies in the United States, with restrictions on land owndership, signs instructing where to sit and stand in public places, where to work, who to marry, what kind of education one will receive, and all other facets of life. Beginning with the first Native Land Act of 1913, which designated that Natives (Africans) weren’t allowed to own certain lands, nearly every year there seemed to be a new, controlling, and demeaning race law. People had to carry pass books, which would identify them as far as what race they were – though sometimes race was arbitrarily decided, and family members were identified as different races. Entire neighborhoods and districts were relocated and forced to move out of ‘white areas,’ and the education system for non-whites was designed to create an extremely unfair advantage for the whites, such as not teaching English, and cutting all of the successful mission schools. 

As you can imagine, all of these laws formed and enforced by a small white minority over the majority of the country created some unrest among those being prejudiced against. Along the lines of (and inspired by) Mohatma Ghandi, political parties began to form based on the idea of nonviolent protest. The most prominent parties were the Communist Party (CPSA) and the African National Congress (ANC), of which Nelson Mandela played a crucial role in.

In memory of the freedom fighters.
Soweto, Johannesburg.

However, as much as these parties tried to promote nonviolent protests such as strikes, marches, and defying pass laws in order to be thrown in jail, things escalated to a point of violence involving protesters and the police. The most famous incident and turning point was the Sharpeville Massacre of 1960, in which the police opened fire on the peaceful protesters, killing and injuring hundreds. “The crisis received huge international publicity, exposing the nature of the regime and taking its apartheid policy beyond repair.” Foreign investment pulled out, the British cut South Africa from the Commonwealth, the ANC was banned, and the freedom fighters, including Nelson Mandela, were forced underground or into exile. It became clear that non-violence was not going to make a change, so these underground parties began forming their own armed units and enacting small attacks of symbolic significance, not targeting specific people. It was these incidents that eventually led to Mandela’s arrest and trial in 1963, where he was sentenced to life imprisonment on Robben Island. After a famous five hour speech at his trial, “he emerged from the trial as the ANC’s dominant figure and the major leader of the struggle.”

The following three decades consisted of more violent attacks, protests, strikes, and international condemnation. South Africa entered a border war with Namibia, which increased military presence throughout the country. Students became the main leaders of protests and uprisings. However, their efforts proved effective. Though laws were not lifted, the enforcements became relaxed and some were simply ignored. Eventually, by the late 1980s, it became clear to the leaders that things could not continue as they were. By this time there was a new political party in operation, in secret talks with Mandela and other political prisoners on Robben Island. The era of apartheid was at an end.  

On February 2, 1990, the new president of the Republic, F. W. de Klerk, “with great calm and panache, announced the end of apartheid, the unbanning of all prohibited organizations, the release of Mandela and the remaining ANC prisoners, a welcome back home of all exiles and the invitation to the ANC and all other parties to talks on a new democratic nation.” Four years after this historical moment Nelson Mandela became the president of South Africa, after the first nation-wide election ever held, with all citizens given the right to vote. The new Constitution included freedom and equality for all, and a new generation of South Africans were born into a democratic nation. 

Taking part in South Africa's first democratic election. 

The new Constitution of South Africa. 

 And now, as Nelson Mandela nears the end of his long and incredible life, (the 94 year old former president has been in the hospital for the past week but appears to be making a recovery) the future of South Africa remains to be seen. All of the struggle and fighting for freedom has been eclipsed by the current ANC government, who seems to be more concerned with spending taxpayer’s money on frivolous things such as fancy cars and big houses. The ANC, once a beacon of hope for South Africa, now seems to be deteriorating within its own power. Young, educated South Africans are favoring international jobs over internal positions due to better opportunities and a more stable economic environment. The most we can hope for is that the loss of Mandela will reinvigorate his undying fighting spirit to unite the people of South Africa as one, equal nation with opportunities for everyone. South Africa has overcome an incredible history of struggle and conflict, and has so much to be proud of as a nation and a people. Even if they speak English a little funny.

So as a final language lesson, now that you understand a little more about the country I’ve been living in for nearly two months now, I’ll give you some words that I’ve spent weeks learning how to translate. You’re very welcome for saving you the trouble of buying an English-South African dictionary if you ever go to South Africa:

A pudding is dessert, a hooter is a car horn, a boot is a car trunk, an indicator is a car blinker, biltong is jerkey, a jersey is a hoodie, a biscuit is a cookie, a crisp is a potato chip, a chip is a french fry, a joll is a good time, a plaster is a Band-Aid, a plait is a braid, matric is senior year in high school, varsity is university, a rusk is a heartier biscotti for your morning coffee, brekkie is breakfast, rashers are bacon, and a garden is what they call a backyard. And just for an extra bonus, I’ll warn you that the steering wheel is on the right side of the car AND they drive on the left side of the road. I don’t recommend renting a car unless you’ve had some practice.

The new flag of the Republic of South Africa, the "Rainbow Nation."

Two weeks ago I left my lovely ocean view at the McAlery’s place for another camping trip with Jason’s family in The Berg, followed by a week back in Johannesburg until Allie and Travis arrived last Saturday. We spent the past few days in Cape Town, and will head to a game reserve for more camping this weekend. My time in Durban was incredibly relaxing, yet also productive, most importantly in getting my paperwork ready in order to prepare for the Russian visa application. Speaking of Russia, I have a new update for those of you who don’t know yet: instead of teaching on a four month contract in Petrozavodsk, Russia, I’ve recently accepted a different nine month teaching position in Moscow. The Moscow job is a better financial situation, a longer contract, and it seems to provide a stronger support system for its foreign teachers. I’m excited to spend nine months in a world-famous city, and to take advantage of such a great learning opportunity. Plus now I don’t have to learn how to pronounce Petrozavodsk.

So with that, start arranging your Russian visa paperwork to come for a visit. I don’t recommend coming in January, but I’d love to see you. More from South Africa after I’ve had a few more adventures here. Take care and Happy Summer! 

Flashback Series: From MSP to JFK

Hey everyone! This is the last of my catching up to do, and it's just a quick one about my time at home in between Costa Rica and South Africa. I don't even have that many pictures, as my camera was very unfortunately left behind in NYC. That's the bad news, but the good news is that I left it in my friend's handbag, so she has since mailed it to my other friend Allie, who will be bringing it to me in a couple of weeks. So check back then for my NYC pictures - I have a few here but not many.

I had a little over two weeks in between returning from Costa Rica and taking off for South Africa. The main reason for my quick stopover was to attend the wedding of one of my best friends, whom I’ve known since elementary school. Jess had told me the good news the previous January, and I promised her I’d be home in time to see her get married. So, on a snowy April night, I landed back in Minnesota for the week, ready for a weekend of fun and celebration. It was strange being back at first - it was snowy, but it wasn't Christmas and I was leaving within another week. Unfortunately, I had to undergo a few days of pain after I arrived, as I had an unexpected dental surgery pop up that had to be taken care of during the week I was home. That was inconvenient and resulted in some extra driving back and forth between Mankato and the Cities. But hey, life happens.

Minnesota just couldn't let me say goodbye without reminding me of what I'm missing.

 The day before the wedding I navigated my way up to downtown Minneapolis, got ready, and headed to the Hilton for the groom's dinner. It was great to see Jess and her family again, after so many years, and I got to hang out with Greg (the groom) and meet more of his family. Two of her bridesmaids were college friends, and the other two were girls I had graduated with and hadn’t seen for years, so it was fun to catch up. After the dinner I was able to sneak away for a couple of hours and meet up with some of my university swimming friends now living in the cities.

Jessica's wedding day was fun from start to finish, from getting ready to trooping over to the wedding venue for rehearsal, taking pictures in the cold, and then smoothing out all the last minute issues. I was thrilled to be a part of the wedding as her personal attendant, which meant that I was in charge of keeping things running smoothly and making sure the bridal party was relaxed, happy, clothed properly, and feeling their best. She looked beautiful, as always, and was absolutely glowing the whole day. Of all the things I couldn't be at while living overseas, weddings were the worst events to miss. I was so glad I had changed my travel plans to make it home for the wedding, and  to be able to spend a week at home to see my family and friends, as an added bonus. Mom and Brent made the trip to the cities to see me on the weekend, along with Allie, who came in from Wisconsin. 

The beautiful bridesmaids.

Friends for life. 

The flower girls, just like little flowers. 

The newlyweds. 

But, I only had a week. Jess was married, my gums were fixed, and my backpack was packed yet again. After getting the all clear from the oral surgeon, I was back up in the cities and at the Minneapolis airport (MSP) once again. I was off for my final stage of my trip around the world, with a pit stop in New York City. By lucky coincidence, three of my friends were flying to Florida the same day I was flying to New York City, so after staying the night with them I got a ride to the airport and was able to see them through security. It was nice to say goodbye knowing I’d be back again after not too long. A few hours later, I was taking off in the snow (after waiting almost an hour on the runway for them to de-ice the plane…way to go Minnesota) to see another childhood friend. It was time for a new adventure.

I landed at JFK an hour late, and went through three public transportation transfers to arrive at Chelsea’s street on the upper West Side just before midnight. First thought: it’s so much warmer here. Second thought: She lives down the street from a Starbucks!

After buzzing me in, Chelsea welcomed me, showed me around the apartment, gave me the keys, and we headed to bed - she still had to get up for work the next morning. But after 5 PM the next day we'd have all weekend to relax and catch up on each other's lives. I was lucky enough to arrive while she was in between roommates, which meant I had a room all to myself.

And the next day, I had New York City all to myself. I had a few things to take care of, so after getting ready, with much less warm clothing than I had needed back home, I stepped out into the fresh spring air and started walking. I walked my way down the Upper West Side down Broadway, and took in the sights, sounds, and smells of the city. The first time I went to NYC it was so short and touristy, so this time I had nothing in mind to do or see – I just wanted to explore.

Nope, not in Korea anymore. 

I revisited Lincoln Center, Central Park, and Times Square, then found my way to Rockefeller Center, Grand Central Station, and Koreatown.  Koreatown was fun - a street (named Korea Way) full of restaurants, Korean businesses, and Koreans. At some points I felt like I was actually back there, except that the food prices were at least double what they are in Korea. I was thrilled to find that one of my favorite coffee shops and one of my favorite bakeries had found its way to New York City.

That evening I met Chelsea and some of her friends in a bar in Hell’s Kitchen, an area that used to be pretty dodgy and dominated by Irish-Americans, but is now relatively safe and full of “ethnic restaurants and aspiring actors,” due to its proximity to Broadway. I had a fun night meeting her friends and catching up with Chelsea. We had a quick dinner at a Thai restaurant near her apartment before heading to bed, close to midnight.

Another best friend for life. 

Our Saturday was probably the best New York City Saturday ever. We slept in, then lounged in our pajamas until it was time to get ready for brunch. Our brunch was at a place just down the street from her apartment, where I met another one of her friends and we all chatted over endless refills of coffee. Brunch is the thing to do these days, often lasting for hours, and according to Chelsea, “New York City started it!”

It was a beautiful day outside, so can you guess what we did after brunch? Yup, we went for a walk in Central Park, with probably everyone else in the city. Chelsea lives only a few blocks from the park, and she took me on a lovely long loop. People watching was great fun, from hardcore exercisers to tourists to families with kids to old couples out for a stroll. I’ll fill you in on Chelsea now, so you can feel like you were actually there walking with us.

We've come a long way from our middle school days. 

I met Chelsea when she moved to Minnesota from Canada in eighth grade. We became fast friends thanks to our interest in athletics, band, and school. We lived close to each other and spent lots of time outdoors together, whether it was adventuring on rollerblades, climbing trees, and riding bikes. The winter didn’t deter us from our fun, as we just bundled up and headed out for fun in our snowpants. She taught me how to play broom ball (ice hockey minus ice skates) and how to curl (that crazy Canadian sport). We had a fantastic time together, which sadly came to an end when she moved away to North Carolina in ninth grade. Since then, we’ve seen each other once, in 2009, but have kept in touch and are still close. She graduated from UNC with a business degree, and is now working in the admissions department at Fordham University while getting her MBA. She keeps herself busy by singing in a youth choir, volunteer coaching ice hockey in Harlem, and playing street hockey on the weekends. 

After our walk we celebrated with a beer at one of her favorite sports bars near her apartment. As you can guess, we had plans for the evening with some of her friends so after taking the subway to Chelsea for dinner we met up at a very cool little bar with a crazy DJ. I knew a few people from the night before and I met some of her other friends. Everyone I met was friendly and so interesting to me – everyone in the City has a story, and I loved hearing about what her friends did, how they ended up in New York, how they knew each other. One of her friends worked at an events center and is able to see some of the big name performances in New York for free. Another friend went to college in the Empire State Building. I remembered meeting one of her friends from years ago who had had an internship with Shape Magazine. New York is the place to be for meeting interesting people. We had a great night which ended up lasting much later than we intended, and resulted in a 25 minute wait home for the subway in the middle of the night (morning). But, it was worth it and just another part of the city life experience.

Cheering from the sidelines as Chels plays street hockey.  

Sunday was another low key day, with a coffee and lunch run in the morning before spending the afternoon relaxing at her apartment while she finished up a presentation for her MBA class the next day, the last of the semester. That evening I tagged along to her street hockey game, which was fun to watch and a great local experience. I even made some friends who randomly sat down next to me to watch the game, not knowing what was going on. I explained, and then they decided to stay and help me cheer for Chelsea. She had a fan club by the end of the evening. 

The next day I went to work with Chels at Fordham University, a Jesuit University located in the Bronx. I hadn’t visited the Bronx on my previous trip, so I was looking forward to seeing what it was all about. As soon as we stepped out of the subway station after about a 30 minute communte, I understood the difference. Gone were the elegant streets and lovely tall buildings, replaced by two story shops and buildings, with a big mess of people everywhere, selling things, waiting for rides, and milling around. I was a minority race once again. It seemed a little coarser than Manhattan – not necessarily dirtier or unsafe, but just a little more rough around the edges. 

Her school was beautiful, and after being introduced to some of her co-workers I went off on a little walk to explore the grounds while she attended a meeting. I found my way to the library, where I did some reading and enjoyed the atmosphere of a college campus library again. However, I must say, Fordam's library was approximately ten times fancier than Green Bay's library. She even found out about a history lecture that was taking place that afternoon that I ended up attending with one of her co-workers. 

For lunch, we went to a classic Italian deli, complete with the Italian workers and large amounts of meat everywhere. The Bronx has historically been a magnet for ethnic immigrants, resulting in some fantastically authentic restaurants, for a much cheaper price than in the city. After lunch I was on my own again, and headed back to spend the afternoon in the Upper West Side. I even had coffee at the cafe that was featured in the Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks movie "You've Got Mail," as it's just two blocks from her apartment. Chelsea had her presentation that night, so after walking, having coffee, visiting a few used bookstores, and doing some organizing I relaxed with the novelty of American cable at my fingertips once again until she arrived home for the evening.

Tuesday I had the luck of being invited to lunch with Mickey, the woman whom I'd met while staying with my aunt and uncle in Costa Rica. She worked for a hedge fund on Wall Street, and when I mentioned I'd be in New York City in April she told me to contact her. So, I did, we made our plans, and on Tuesday I was strutting around in the historical Financial District of New York City. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and chilly weather, so it wasn't the best for walking around, but I still enjoyed revisiting the oldest part of Manhattan. I even looked like a professional New Yorker, wearing a nice and stylish winter coat (thanks Chels) with my tennis shoes while I walked the streets to my destination, flats in my purse ready to be changed into once I arrived. It was great to see Mickey again, and she took me out for a lovely lunch, where we caught up and chatted about my travels and her life in the City. Lunch was over much too soon, but everything is fast paced in the Big Apple, so Mickey had to get back to work. We said goodbye and hoped to see each other again in the future. Who knows where?

Next on my agenda for the day was to visit New York University's campus. I walked from the Financial District, after a quick stop in Trinity Church and a Starbucks, to campus, located in Greenwich Village. I didn't have an appointment, but planned to just stop in at the graduate admissions office and see who I could chat to about applying for the 2014 school year. I ended up having a great little talk with the reception guy, who told me to come back the next day during the scheduled drop-in time at admissions, then he sent me over to the history building just to see if there was someone there I could speak to. After entering the building and waiting to see the secretary, I remember looking on the wall and seeing the faculty office list - the professors I'd been reading and researching about were actually living and breathing in the same building I was in!

I got some good leads and advice for applying to the department, and went to the drop in session the next day. NYU is one of the top twenty schools in the nation for its graduate history department, so though I've set my sights high I have to remain realistic in remembering how competitive it is to get into big name schools. Still, it was a bit of a confidence booster to be sitting in the graduate admissions office at NYU, seriously discussing my future ideas with a professional. I'll find out by next April if and where I'll be attending graduate school (fingers crossed I get in somewhere,) which will be a huge relief to finally have a set plan for settling down back in the USA. Who knows, maybe I'll be back in New York City before long.

But, until then, I made the most of my time there by walking the city streets, eating at all of Chelsea's favorite spots, and living life as a local for a week. It was a fantastic trip and I was so glad for the opportunity to catch up with Chelsea, who remains one of my best friends. We spent our last few hours together at a wine bar, my treat to celebrate her upcoming birthdays, and we hoped that it wouldn't be another five years until we saw each other again.

I began the long journey back to the airport (sixty dollars for a taxi vs ten dollars for public transportation...worth the time) and ended up being delayed at JFK for two hours for my flight to London. I began chatting with another girl waiting nearby, and it turned out she was from Ohio but had attended university at St. Olaf, Minnesota, just 45 minutes from my hometown. An even better coincidence was that she knew a couple of people I grew up with - what a small world! We kept each other company while waiting for the plane and discussed backpacking in Europe, which she was about to do for the spring and summer. Travel mode: reinstated. 

As luck would have it, my new friend ended up being my seat partner. We were both very happy with our situation - you all know that person who you dread sitting next to on the plane? I didn't have one of those. We did some more chatting and got settled in for the night, enjoying our dinner and watching movies until we fell asleep. I must say, flying Virgin Atlantic was a nice treat. I woke up in London for my eight hour layover, to be filled with some reading, writing, coffee, and fantastic people watching. After saying goodbye I found my way to the terminal and did some reconnaissance, mostly for the best place to sit in relation to the Starbucks. The last time I was in London Heathrow I was on my way to South Korea for my new overseas adventure in August 2010. Since then, I’ve traveled and experienced so much, but I was still up for more. I was on my way to my a new continent, country, and travel experience, since this time it would just be visiting friends and I didn’t really have a purpose or objective to achieve. It was also a little strange to think that I’d be ‘traveling’ in an English speaking country (though English is actually only one among their eleven national languages).  I just wanted to enjoy myself, learn as much as I could about South Africa from the locals, and catch up with my friends and meet their families.

A little taste of London at the airport.

And that's what I was off to do. Next broadcast live from South Africa. Happy June to you all!