i am thoroughly enjoying the fans blowing cool air towards me as i sit in a bright red internet cafe in cape town, the "mother city" of south africa. what a contrast from jo'burg. while the drizzle and grey skies got the best of us in johannesburg, i feel that the city has a much more industrial and downtrodden vibe to it. cape town has been hot (91 degrees) and sunny, as well as more geared towards tourists. our vehicle is even more ridiculous than the first- it's a huge blue charter bus with a driver named "gladman." we are staying at a lovely b&b guesthouse about two blocks from the water (that is, the atlantic ocean warmed from indian ocean currents coming from the east side of the cape) in the suburb of muizenberg. we spent the first afternoon lounging on the beach and, after less than an hour outside, most of us were lobster-red. i've heard that the african sun beats down harder, and that brief foray into cape beach life justified that claim. my feet, ankles, arms, nose, neck and chest are still rosy despite layers of aloe and sunblock.
yesterday we played tourists as we went to table mountain, a huge plateaued peak in the drakensburg (sp?) mountains that overlooks the city of cape town. we took a rather frightening cable car ride up to the top and had two hours to roam around. from there, we could see nearly the entire metropolitan area, including the gleaming harbor, robben island, a cluster of skyscrapers, residential areas, and more mountains. it was awesome. after that we headed to the kirstenbosch botanical gardens, a staple of the former dutch colony. the ethnic make-up of the gardens (as well as cape town and the western cape province as a whole) was noticeably different from the rest of the country- ie. nearly every single person there was white. after taking a stroll around the gardens with some friends, we headed to the ampitheatre nestled between the mountains and the garden to hear the apparently iconic afrikaner punk group "fokofpolisiekar" (if you pronounce this phonetically you will figure out the translation). the audience was extremely subdued- there were plenty of young families picnicing, older couples lounging, and of course a few preteens in nofx t-shirts too. it was probably the least punk punk show i've ever been to. the bass player was wearing a short-sleeved white cardigan, for goodness sakes! but it was lovely and odd.
this morning we met with one of the nation's leading aids researchers, doctor linda-gail bekker of the desmond tutu hiv foundation and the university of cape town medical school. her presentation was very informative and professional, and we were lucky to have this experience! this afternoon we are meeting with the treatment action campaign (tac), one of the most influential activist groups in the world. they have really changed the face of the struggle against hiv/aids.
we are meeting with more ngos later this week, and heading to the eastern cape on thursday. we are moving quickly, learning a ton, having fun with each other, and trying to enjoy our january sunburns...
1.14.2008
1.11.2008
day #4
i am back at the cheap internet cafe in johannesburg, where my dear friend who got her baggage stolen is shopping for all that she lost. we have two hours to kill before we have a grand traditional meal at an all-you-can-eat meat buffet.
yesterday was moving as well as a little troubling. we visited the topsy foundation, an ngo in the rural province of mpumalanga. as we drove out of jo'burg we saw quite a few "informal settlements"- chaotic clusters of corrugated tin shanty houses linked together by potholed dirt roads. we had a meeting with some of topsy's key players, who were informative and very hospitable. their work is noble- providing medical treatment to the impoverished areas around them, where hiv prevalence can reach up to 33%. we then took a tour of the facilities, which was a little jarring. a group of fifteen extremely naive american students trooping around a tiny aids clinic must have been obnoxious. our tour guide led us into nearly all of the rooms, including a few patients' appointments. we found ourselves staring into the eyes of silent, contemplative, and obviously ill patients as they waited for care. after the tour and a brief but cheery visit with the "bead ladies" and "sewing ladies" who comprise the life skills section of topsy, we headed into our huge van and drove around some of the communities topsy serves. i don't think i've ever witnessed (or perhaps, been so immersed in) that level of poverty. none of the homes had running water or electricity, let alone any sort of permanent walls. as we drove slowly around the patchy dirt trails connecting the colorful but volatile shacks, nearly everyone we passed stared inquisitively at our vehicle. we looked pretty ridiculous, so i can see why. once we started waving and smiling, we instantly received warm but slightly cautious waves in response. the children of the community were particularly delighted to wave, although they often sheepishly retreated to their mothers or little dogs as we passed. our tour guide ushered us into the home of a granny who has watched her two young grandchildren since their mother died of aids. we took up the entire low-ceilinged, dark, cold metal room. as we boarded the bus again, we heard a group of a dozen or so women singing a resonant sotho song.
the second community we visited was slightly more developed than the first- it had a few stores and more gathering places, but no less poverty. we arrived at a topsy-supported creche (daycare) without a clear idea of what we were to see. inside the two tiny rooms sat almost fifty small children- one room contained about 25 wide-eyed toddlers, all sitting steadfastly still, while the other housed the same amount of preschool-aged children singing charmingly out of tune. i have no idea how they were so well-behaved, besides the fact that there was no room to move around. my classmate maia was clever enough to bring stickers, and we began to pass them to the children with permission from the teacher. witnessing the kids' eyes light up as we handed them dinosaurs or as they slapped little princess stickers on their foreheads was probably the most adorable thing i've ever seen. i didn't feel guilty intruding on the creche, unlike the granny in the first community, because these children seemed genuinely excited to have visitors. as we left most of them let out endearing, high-pitched shouts of "bye" and waved with two hands. that was the highlight of the day.
today we heard three lectures from academics at various south african institutions. besides the fact that we left at 7:45, endured our third straight day of rain (it's supposed to be summer here!), skipped lunch, and listened to literally hours of critiques of south african aids policies, i really enjoyed the day. i suppose that is the difference between studying abroad and simply traveling for fun. the subject matter is engaging enough that i didn't mind a bit.
we leave for cape town at 6:45 tomorrow morning. i've heard nothing but great things about it, so it should be fun!
oh and a final note: the film "yesterday" really captures the experience of what we have seen- how rural communities cope with hiv/aids. i'd recommend it.
yesterday was moving as well as a little troubling. we visited the topsy foundation, an ngo in the rural province of mpumalanga. as we drove out of jo'burg we saw quite a few "informal settlements"- chaotic clusters of corrugated tin shanty houses linked together by potholed dirt roads. we had a meeting with some of topsy's key players, who were informative and very hospitable. their work is noble- providing medical treatment to the impoverished areas around them, where hiv prevalence can reach up to 33%. we then took a tour of the facilities, which was a little jarring. a group of fifteen extremely naive american students trooping around a tiny aids clinic must have been obnoxious. our tour guide led us into nearly all of the rooms, including a few patients' appointments. we found ourselves staring into the eyes of silent, contemplative, and obviously ill patients as they waited for care. after the tour and a brief but cheery visit with the "bead ladies" and "sewing ladies" who comprise the life skills section of topsy, we headed into our huge van and drove around some of the communities topsy serves. i don't think i've ever witnessed (or perhaps, been so immersed in) that level of poverty. none of the homes had running water or electricity, let alone any sort of permanent walls. as we drove slowly around the patchy dirt trails connecting the colorful but volatile shacks, nearly everyone we passed stared inquisitively at our vehicle. we looked pretty ridiculous, so i can see why. once we started waving and smiling, we instantly received warm but slightly cautious waves in response. the children of the community were particularly delighted to wave, although they often sheepishly retreated to their mothers or little dogs as we passed. our tour guide ushered us into the home of a granny who has watched her two young grandchildren since their mother died of aids. we took up the entire low-ceilinged, dark, cold metal room. as we boarded the bus again, we heard a group of a dozen or so women singing a resonant sotho song.
the second community we visited was slightly more developed than the first- it had a few stores and more gathering places, but no less poverty. we arrived at a topsy-supported creche (daycare) without a clear idea of what we were to see. inside the two tiny rooms sat almost fifty small children- one room contained about 25 wide-eyed toddlers, all sitting steadfastly still, while the other housed the same amount of preschool-aged children singing charmingly out of tune. i have no idea how they were so well-behaved, besides the fact that there was no room to move around. my classmate maia was clever enough to bring stickers, and we began to pass them to the children with permission from the teacher. witnessing the kids' eyes light up as we handed them dinosaurs or as they slapped little princess stickers on their foreheads was probably the most adorable thing i've ever seen. i didn't feel guilty intruding on the creche, unlike the granny in the first community, because these children seemed genuinely excited to have visitors. as we left most of them let out endearing, high-pitched shouts of "bye" and waved with two hands. that was the highlight of the day.
today we heard three lectures from academics at various south african institutions. besides the fact that we left at 7:45, endured our third straight day of rain (it's supposed to be summer here!), skipped lunch, and listened to literally hours of critiques of south african aids policies, i really enjoyed the day. i suppose that is the difference between studying abroad and simply traveling for fun. the subject matter is engaging enough that i didn't mind a bit.
we leave for cape town at 6:45 tomorrow morning. i've heard nothing but great things about it, so it should be fun!
oh and a final note: the film "yesterday" really captures the experience of what we have seen- how rural communities cope with hiv/aids. i'd recommend it.
1.09.2008
in jo'burg
i have approx. 4 minutes before my time at the internet cafe runs out, but i just thought i'd post that i arrived safely in johannesburg last night. the flight was insanely long and my ankles were pretty swollen, but besides that (and my friend's suitcase going missing), everything was fine. we went the the thorough and well-designed apartheid museum this morning and spent the afternoon at an old prison, which is now the constitutional court. it had amazing architecture! everything is going well here so far- i hope the jet lag doesn't catch up to us too soon!
1.07.2008
winter pause
at this point, my winter break is over and i am back at school. however, the adventure will continue as i embark on a sociology trip to south africa for three weeks— leaving tomorrow! the reality of my impending departure hasn’t yet sunk in. i trekked from seattle to baltimore today— via turbulent denver— and i am already a little sore from hauling so much stuff. i have decided to pack lightly for south africa, quite a challenge for someone who always strives to be over-prepared for virtually any situation.
winter break in shoreline kept me sufficiently busy. i tend to get restless without work to do, but it was really nice to be able to read a bit, relax at home and catch up with my family, high school friends, and many of the kids i babysit. babysitting proved to be a win-win situation for all involved— i got to play with adorable and intelligent children (which i certainly can’t do on a college campus), hopefully helped the parents enjoy a night out, and earned a little income. i was also pleasantly surprised by my high school friends, many of whom have changed a lot since they began their college careers— all in a positive manner, however. it’s odd that some of my peers have changed so dramatically and reinvented themselves, while others remain in nearly the exact place. i suppose that’s how adult life goes? i certainly feel fortunate to have access to resources which allow me to develop: a stellar education, a supportive family, work experience, the opportunity to travel… although i feel that i am aware of how lucky i am, spending three weeks with aids-affected south africans may open my eyes a bit more.
i am unsure of how much reasonably-priced internet access will present itself in south africa, but i hope to blog when possible. i wish you all the best in 2008!
attached are some photos from break.
winter break in shoreline kept me sufficiently busy. i tend to get restless without work to do, but it was really nice to be able to read a bit, relax at home and catch up with my family, high school friends, and many of the kids i babysit. babysitting proved to be a win-win situation for all involved— i got to play with adorable and intelligent children (which i certainly can’t do on a college campus), hopefully helped the parents enjoy a night out, and earned a little income. i was also pleasantly surprised by my high school friends, many of whom have changed a lot since they began their college careers— all in a positive manner, however. it’s odd that some of my peers have changed so dramatically and reinvented themselves, while others remain in nearly the exact place. i suppose that’s how adult life goes? i certainly feel fortunate to have access to resources which allow me to develop: a stellar education, a supportive family, work experience, the opportunity to travel… although i feel that i am aware of how lucky i am, spending three weeks with aids-affected south africans may open my eyes a bit more.
i am unsure of how much reasonably-priced internet access will present itself in south africa, but i hope to blog when possible. i wish you all the best in 2008!
attached are some photos from break.
12.13.2007
done with the semester!
although it felt pretty anticlimactic, i finished all my work for the semester today! i fly to l.a. tomorrow morning. the semester was fairly trying, but i know next semester will be even more so because i am taking nearly all methods classes (methods of sociology, methods of anthropology, history of sociology...) and will have increased responsibilities on campus. sophomore year, i think, is everyone's peak year at goucher. everyone goes abroad junior year and returns enlightened but indifferent to the everyday trials of campus life. so i plan on plunging in head-first into work and activities next semester, while i still care about abiding by bureaucratic policies.
on a lighter note, here are some photos from the past few weeks. they include gingerbread house-making, the amazing christmas lights in a baltimore neighborhood called hampden, and my lovely roommate maura with the menorah we lit every night... happy holidays!
on a lighter note, here are some photos from the past few weeks. they include gingerbread house-making, the amazing christmas lights in a baltimore neighborhood called hampden, and my lovely roommate maura with the menorah we lit every night... happy holidays!
11.28.2007
college lifestyle?
thanksgiving in massachusetts proved to be very relaxing and enjoyable. my friends and their families that hosted me are very kind. and then, the harsh reality of looming final exams hit me. coming back from nearly a week of vacation- in which i did very little work but instead read three entire books, watched quite a few '80s music videos, a slept much more than i usually do- was rough.
for the first time in my life, i am not 100% happy to be at school. i am feeling bogged down and overwhelmed with all i have to do. i have five papers due in the next week. i copy edited and reformatted an entire 24-page newspaper last night. i ran out of meals and find cooking a formidable challenge (not to mention that i don't really have the resources- i have no pots/pans, groceries, time or money), so i have also adopted a typical college diet of coffee, granola bars, easy mac and candy. i also don't have very much time to sleep, let alone exercise. in addition, i have a sinus infection that has been plaguing me for almost a month. the combination of all of these factors really takes a toll after a while.
on a more positive and (but still pretty self-centered...sorry) note, i am excited for my upcoming travels. i just applied to be on an audio-documentary crew in new orleans for a week in march. and, i am beginning to think about living/working arrangements to spend the summer in baltimore...
finally, keep in mind it is world aids day this saturday (december 1). i am hosting a global peace tiles workshop with two of my closest friends (and classmates), where students have the opportunity to create personal, artistic statements about aids on 8"x8" wooden tiles. we are going to donate the tiles to the topsy foundation in south africa. peace tiles is a really cool project that i urge you to investigate- check out www.peacetiles.net and www.flickr.com/peacetiles. but if you don't have the means to make a peace tile, try to do something to honor your solidarity with the aids pandemic.
for the first time in my life, i am not 100% happy to be at school. i am feeling bogged down and overwhelmed with all i have to do. i have five papers due in the next week. i copy edited and reformatted an entire 24-page newspaper last night. i ran out of meals and find cooking a formidable challenge (not to mention that i don't really have the resources- i have no pots/pans, groceries, time or money), so i have also adopted a typical college diet of coffee, granola bars, easy mac and candy. i also don't have very much time to sleep, let alone exercise. in addition, i have a sinus infection that has been plaguing me for almost a month. the combination of all of these factors really takes a toll after a while.
on a more positive and (but still pretty self-centered...sorry) note, i am excited for my upcoming travels. i just applied to be on an audio-documentary crew in new orleans for a week in march. and, i am beginning to think about living/working arrangements to spend the summer in baltimore...
finally, keep in mind it is world aids day this saturday (december 1). i am hosting a global peace tiles workshop with two of my closest friends (and classmates), where students have the opportunity to create personal, artistic statements about aids on 8"x8" wooden tiles. we are going to donate the tiles to the topsy foundation in south africa. peace tiles is a really cool project that i urge you to investigate- check out www.peacetiles.net and www.flickr.com/peacetiles. but if you don't have the means to make a peace tile, try to do something to honor your solidarity with the aids pandemic.
11.20.2007
thanksgiving
it is the tuesday before thanksgiving and i am pondering how much life can change in a year’s time. a year ago i was anxiously awaiting a visit from my significant other at the time. i remember feeling so mature for having a east coast thanksgiving with this special person— we spent time (very briefly) in philadelphia, washington dc and new york city. it was certainly an exhilarating way to spend a few days! this year i feel so much more settled into goucher and ready to get off campus for a little while. i am leaving this evening to drive to massachusetts with friends. i am excited to return to massachusetts— both worcester and boston— which of course i wouldn’t have predicted a year ago. it will be so nice to be in a home and interact with family again, despite the home and family not being my own. i think thanksgiving is a great opportunity to expand horizons, so i am not fretting about not going home. when i do make it to shoreline in december it will be my first time home in over six months! college in general is such a prime time to explore new parts of the country and meet new people— i am so grateful that i am able to experience this! i am so, so thankful for my family for allowing me to have these wonderful cross-country encounters. i could not ask for a more supportive family and i look forward to seeing them greatly over christmas. i am also extremely grateful to all the friends i've made at goucher, and especially the ones that have opened their homes to me in the last year. i realize how fortunate i am to spend time meandering— that’s certainly not something everyone is able to do— and i hope to become a more well-rounded, better-informed, and interesting person for it. i certainly can't imagine where i will be in a year.
happy thanksgiving to all!
here are some photos of recent events:
1. louie came to visit baltimore in october. it was a bit of a flashback to high school. i hope he had fun here!
2. the gorgeous autumn weather in baltimore! this is the sunlight in my room.
3. some friends and i headed up to our buddy debra's house in woodstown, new jersey. we had a blast at a square dance at her quaker meetinghouse, building a bonfire on their lovely audubon reserve property, eating vegetarian chili, and going to a cute coffeehouse in their little town. the weekend excursion really changed my opinion of new jersey.
4. this is the ghost foot of one of my friends square dancing.
5. the annual dining hall version of thanksgiving dinner left us all pretty content.
happy thanksgiving to all!
here are some photos of recent events:
1. louie came to visit baltimore in october. it was a bit of a flashback to high school. i hope he had fun here!
2. the gorgeous autumn weather in baltimore! this is the sunlight in my room.
3. some friends and i headed up to our buddy debra's house in woodstown, new jersey. we had a blast at a square dance at her quaker meetinghouse, building a bonfire on their lovely audubon reserve property, eating vegetarian chili, and going to a cute coffeehouse in their little town. the weekend excursion really changed my opinion of new jersey.
4. this is the ghost foot of one of my friends square dancing.
5. the annual dining hall version of thanksgiving dinner left us all pretty content.
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