Well, much to my surprise, I found out that one is never too old to get measles! On Thursday, 11 Dec., my friend Kim noticed I had a rash on my neck. Then it moved to my stomach. I hadn't been feeling up to par for a couple of weeks. Cough, sore throat, feverish and tired. Kim swore I had measles and convinced me to go the the clinic. Sure enough, the Doc said I had German measles! Unbelievable. I could have sworn I had measles when I was a kid. So, I called Mom to ask, and she informed me I had the "old fashioned measles", not to be confused with Rubella-German Measles.
Quarantined to my flat for 5 days so as not to contaminate others, I watched the rash move to my arms and legs.....but it is disappearing now! So, I'm free to get out of this flat, and just in time for a Christmas Braai tonight!
You know, I often hear the phrase "You're Never to Old.......", but I would have never thought that I would complete that phrase with "....to get Measles!"
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Shouts of Joy, Tears of Hope
Shouts of Joy, Tears of Hope
By La Shona Donica
6 November 2008
I have never cried over an election. But in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, gathered with people of all color, Americans, South Africans, Jamaicans, French and a host of others, I was overwhelmed with emotion when history was made when the announcement came that Barack Obama would be our 44th president.
It was in that moment that I truly felt the impact of what I had just witnessed. The layer of cold, hard stone that has been a barrier of the recognition that “all people are created equal” received, not just a chiseling of a corner piece, but a true cracking and crumbling of a barrier that time has weathered into a weak, disgraceful piece of masonry that has been way too slowly deteriorating. The voices of the people were like sledgehammers to concrete block, breaking away at the barrier of racism.
Not only did I witness history before my eyes, but I witnessed the profound effect that America has on the world. A sense of hope was felt by everyone. Tears came from the eyes of people who have never, and may never, step foot on our land. But they felt our hope. Our hope is there hope. The American Dream is something that many aspire to experience. Freedom and democracy. Hope and justice. Like me, many have been dismayed and discouraged by the state of our nation in the past eight years. The light of hope was dim.
The people gathered around me felt the hope that this new beginning will bring. Another step closer to moving past the evil powers of racism. A hope that their country will be inspired by the actions of Americans. The realization that, they too, can see better days coming for their homeland. And the idea that dreams can be realized, regardless of race or gender.
The arms of America are far reaching. The hopes of America are embraced by many outside our borders. Goodness, just as hopelessness, can be contagious. But it was goodness and hope that prevailed and filled people to the point of running over. Running over with tears of hope and happiness. For in our actions, the actions of electing our first African-American president, hope was restored to many all over the world.
Let us, as Americans, now do our part to continue this message of goodness, hope and possibility for our future. As seen by the actions of those who made their voices heard, we all have a part to play in making things better. Now is not the time to sit back and wait for change to come. We are a part of that change. We must continue to sling those hammers to break down those barriers until they are only dust on the landscape. Dust and ghosts from our past and not the barriers of our future.
Click on the following link and then picture #2 to see a picture of my friend Ryan and his girlfriend at our Party at Cafe Sofia in Cape Town. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7710168.stm
By La Shona Donica
6 November 2008
I have never cried over an election. But in the wee hours of Wednesday morning, gathered with people of all color, Americans, South Africans, Jamaicans, French and a host of others, I was overwhelmed with emotion when history was made when the announcement came that Barack Obama would be our 44th president.
It was in that moment that I truly felt the impact of what I had just witnessed. The layer of cold, hard stone that has been a barrier of the recognition that “all people are created equal” received, not just a chiseling of a corner piece, but a true cracking and crumbling of a barrier that time has weathered into a weak, disgraceful piece of masonry that has been way too slowly deteriorating. The voices of the people were like sledgehammers to concrete block, breaking away at the barrier of racism.
Not only did I witness history before my eyes, but I witnessed the profound effect that America has on the world. A sense of hope was felt by everyone. Tears came from the eyes of people who have never, and may never, step foot on our land. But they felt our hope. Our hope is there hope. The American Dream is something that many aspire to experience. Freedom and democracy. Hope and justice. Like me, many have been dismayed and discouraged by the state of our nation in the past eight years. The light of hope was dim.
The people gathered around me felt the hope that this new beginning will bring. Another step closer to moving past the evil powers of racism. A hope that their country will be inspired by the actions of Americans. The realization that, they too, can see better days coming for their homeland. And the idea that dreams can be realized, regardless of race or gender.
The arms of America are far reaching. The hopes of America are embraced by many outside our borders. Goodness, just as hopelessness, can be contagious. But it was goodness and hope that prevailed and filled people to the point of running over. Running over with tears of hope and happiness. For in our actions, the actions of electing our first African-American president, hope was restored to many all over the world.
Let us, as Americans, now do our part to continue this message of goodness, hope and possibility for our future. As seen by the actions of those who made their voices heard, we all have a part to play in making things better. Now is not the time to sit back and wait for change to come. We are a part of that change. We must continue to sling those hammers to break down those barriers until they are only dust on the landscape. Dust and ghosts from our past and not the barriers of our future.
Click on the following link and then picture #2 to see a picture of my friend Ryan and his girlfriend at our Party at Cafe Sofia in Cape Town. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/7710168.stm
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Something to Think About....
So after my long evening, day, evening, day....it's all running together. I decided to relax and so I watched a documentary called "God Grew Tired of Us". I would highly recommend that you go rent this, as it is a very moving documentary about the Lost Boys of Sudan--tens of thousands of young boys who fled their country during Civil War to escape being killed. The boys traveled without family, other than each other, for thousands of miles to Ethiopia and then later settling in a refugee camp in Kenya.
Their hope was to soon return to their home, their homeland, but after a decade, they were still could not return.
The documentary follows three young men who were given the opportunity to participate in a program that took them to the US to live, work and study.
Many of us might see this as a "dream come true" opportunity for these young men. But this documentary will open your eyes to what is important to these young men. Culture and family being first and foremost. And what they came to know as family and their culture was what they struggled to hold onto as they were moved across the country to start another chapter in their life. One that would be better--perhaps, in some ways.
This documentary certainly brings to light that there is more in life than material things. And how materialistic, we as Americans can be. And how self-absorbed and unaccepting we can be.
Too harsh? Maybe, maybe not.
I certainly know that not every American is that way, but what is the perception of Americans to people in other parts of the world?
Well, I have heard several times while being here in Cape Town, Americans referred to as "snobby" and not friendly.
A conversation was taking place a table near me on campus the other day, and all I heard was an overwhelming, "tell them to go back to America!"
In an interesting conversation with one of my classmates, who is South African, she told me I was the first American that she had met that had actually been nice to her. And she had been an exchange student studying in the states. I found that to be disturbing and sad.
So, why this impression of Americans? Well, not everyone has this impression, but quite a few do. Some say it's our government, some say it's the war. Some say it's what they see from American television and movies...not a very good representation of America, would you say?
I know on my nightly news we get the "Tinsel Town Report", we were getting regular political updates, but that had died down a bit only to be replaced by the reports of the situation on the polygamists in Texas.
So, if they think that all of America is Hollywood and politics then that could certainly give some explanation. But what about people who have met Americans and feel that we are not nice?
I'm doing my part to share information about where I'm from and what it's like with other people that I meet. And I want to explore more this idea of why we, as Americans, are seen as unfriendly.
But, I ask you to view the documentary, now that I have shared this with you, and pay close attention to what you see and what it is said.
I think we could all be a little nicer--not just to foreigners, but to each other.
Their hope was to soon return to their home, their homeland, but after a decade, they were still could not return.
The documentary follows three young men who were given the opportunity to participate in a program that took them to the US to live, work and study.
Many of us might see this as a "dream come true" opportunity for these young men. But this documentary will open your eyes to what is important to these young men. Culture and family being first and foremost. And what they came to know as family and their culture was what they struggled to hold onto as they were moved across the country to start another chapter in their life. One that would be better--perhaps, in some ways.
This documentary certainly brings to light that there is more in life than material things. And how materialistic, we as Americans can be. And how self-absorbed and unaccepting we can be.
Too harsh? Maybe, maybe not.
I certainly know that not every American is that way, but what is the perception of Americans to people in other parts of the world?
Well, I have heard several times while being here in Cape Town, Americans referred to as "snobby" and not friendly.
A conversation was taking place a table near me on campus the other day, and all I heard was an overwhelming, "tell them to go back to America!"
In an interesting conversation with one of my classmates, who is South African, she told me I was the first American that she had met that had actually been nice to her. And she had been an exchange student studying in the states. I found that to be disturbing and sad.
So, why this impression of Americans? Well, not everyone has this impression, but quite a few do. Some say it's our government, some say it's the war. Some say it's what they see from American television and movies...not a very good representation of America, would you say?
I know on my nightly news we get the "Tinsel Town Report", we were getting regular political updates, but that had died down a bit only to be replaced by the reports of the situation on the polygamists in Texas.
So, if they think that all of America is Hollywood and politics then that could certainly give some explanation. But what about people who have met Americans and feel that we are not nice?
I'm doing my part to share information about where I'm from and what it's like with other people that I meet. And I want to explore more this idea of why we, as Americans, are seen as unfriendly.
But, I ask you to view the documentary, now that I have shared this with you, and pay close attention to what you see and what it is said.
I think we could all be a little nicer--not just to foreigners, but to each other.
Black Consciousness...Self Consciousness
I just pulled an all nighter to complete my first research paper. Handed it in yesterday—and that was a bit of a relief. One down, one to go. I don’t know how it will fare against the rigorous grading system here, but I was satisfied with what I had done.
I had taken Steve Biko’s articles “We Blacks” and “Black Souls in White Skins?” from his book “I Write What I Like” stating that it could be used as bibliotherapy for survivors of childhood sexual abuse by the identification of the victimization of race to the victimization of gender (childhood sexual abuse).
Regardless of race, when finding the common denominator of victimization, then victim to victim, one would recognize and understand the emotional trauma that results from victimization.
Bibliotherapy is the use of literature in the healing of emotional, psychological, or physical problems.
Steve Biko was an activist against apartheid during the 50’s & 60’s. His idea of Black Consciousness was that the blacks, due to the oppression of white supremacy, had lost their self esteem, their self worth, and their identity, and the Black Consciousness Movement was a call for blacks to reclaim their identity, to rebuild their “selves”, their empty shells, as Biko had described them.
Seeing as whites will never understand what it means to be black, or the racism that the blacks face due to their skin color because they can not “become” black, the emotional trauma that develops can be similar to that of a victim of abuse, regardless of color. Being able to recognize the similarities, and sharing an understanding of victimization may also lead to a cross cultural understanding.
So, that is the premise of the paper. I learned a lot from the research and process. That, regardless of what the appearances of a person, there may be emotional and psychological links that could lead to better understandings of people as a whole, of a culture. Leading us to look past the outer to see how oppression affects an individual and have a better understanding from an emotional and psychological rather than physical point of view.
I had taken Steve Biko’s articles “We Blacks” and “Black Souls in White Skins?” from his book “I Write What I Like” stating that it could be used as bibliotherapy for survivors of childhood sexual abuse by the identification of the victimization of race to the victimization of gender (childhood sexual abuse).
Regardless of race, when finding the common denominator of victimization, then victim to victim, one would recognize and understand the emotional trauma that results from victimization.
Bibliotherapy is the use of literature in the healing of emotional, psychological, or physical problems.
Steve Biko was an activist against apartheid during the 50’s & 60’s. His idea of Black Consciousness was that the blacks, due to the oppression of white supremacy, had lost their self esteem, their self worth, and their identity, and the Black Consciousness Movement was a call for blacks to reclaim their identity, to rebuild their “selves”, their empty shells, as Biko had described them.
Seeing as whites will never understand what it means to be black, or the racism that the blacks face due to their skin color because they can not “become” black, the emotional trauma that develops can be similar to that of a victim of abuse, regardless of color. Being able to recognize the similarities, and sharing an understanding of victimization may also lead to a cross cultural understanding.
So, that is the premise of the paper. I learned a lot from the research and process. That, regardless of what the appearances of a person, there may be emotional and psychological links that could lead to better understandings of people as a whole, of a culture. Leading us to look past the outer to see how oppression affects an individual and have a better understanding from an emotional and psychological rather than physical point of view.
Thursday, May 1, 2008
Ode to a Friend.....
On March 17, I received an email from my friend Elias in Nova Scotia that our friend Bernie had passed away on March 15 in Doha, Qatar. The email said he was attending a St. Patrick’s Day celebration at the American Embassy and dancing with friends when he collapsed.I read that email over and over as I was in complete shock. I had just received an email from Bernie two Saturdays before with picture of him and his friends enjoying camel rides and the beach and the email said he was having a great time and that he would give me a call soon. I was anxious to hear from him as we had not spoken on the phone since I had left Indiana. But we had been in touch via email.
Bernie and I met during my Rotary Group Study Exchange to Nova Scotia in May 2006. He was a Rotarian who hosted me for a week and we became instant friends and kept in touch through phone calls and email. We became very good friends. Bernie and I had a special connection as we seemed to “understand” each other. We both felt that our paths crossed for a reason.
I believe that Bernie may have just turned fifty in January, if not he was right around that age. Still young, full of life, with wonderful ideas and so much to give others.
I was in complete shock by the news and heartbroken. I still can’t believe that he is gone.
Bernie was working in Doha, Qatar and we had talked about him coming to visit me in South Africa, as he wouldn’t be that far away. I was excited about the possibility of getting to see my good friend again. That won’t be happening now, not ever.
Bernie and I shared a lot for education, and we specifically shared an interest in distance education and had hoped to work on a project together in the future. He was an intelligent man with a big heart and had done much to help others and wanted to continue to do so. He was a CA, charted accountant, but wanted to look at teaching. But, he was a teacher. He taught me so much, and I know he has taught others so much as well, just by his outpouring of love and the guidance that he offered.
Though Bernie was only in my life for a short time, he made a big impact. He will be fondly remembered. And may we all remember to cherish our friendships and relationships daily; as we never know when the people we care about may physically leave us and we are left with memories. Hence the reason why memories become such a cherished, important and sometimes painful, part of our being.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Squeezey Cheese & Swiffers....
Email and Skype make it pretty convenient to keep in touch with friends and family, so when people ask if I am homesick, I, probably too quickly or energetically, respond “No!” But I’m not really one to get “homesick”—restless maybe, but not usually homesick.
But when one of my friends asked me what I missed most about home the other day, I said, “The Swiffer”. Yes, that’s right. That wonderful modern day, versatile household cleaning tool that makes life so much easier for cleaning those tile and wood floors or swiping those cobwebs hiding in the corners of the ceiling, or the dust that has collected on the ceiling fan blades. A tool that can dust and mop and then the clothes can handily been tossed into the trash bin. Oh how wonderful! Can you tell from my exuberant explanation that you can’t buy Swiffers in South Africa and that I have tile floors and ceiling fans?
But, I’ve attempted to make my own version of the Swiffer by attaching kitchen counter wipes to my broom—not quite as smooth as the Swiffer, but works better than the old fashion mop that pushes around dirty water.
And then last night I had a craving for “Squeezy Cheese”—actually, I think the can says “Easy Cheese”, but the pasteurized cheese in the aerosol can that you can squeeze on crackers. It’s a great road trip snack, or any time snack. Though they have all kinds of yummy cheese here, I haven’t seen the cheap, squeezey cheese. But we are going to the Cheese Festival this coming weekend with cheese from France, Germany, all over the world---hhhhhmmmmm, wonder if there will be any canned, squeeze cheese? Probably way too American, eh?
I did also miss Real Mayonnaise, but finally found that at a grocery called Spar, but have yet to find some “real” Ranch Dressing. I bought some, but it is no Hidden Valley. But, I have found a new love, and that is Fruit Chutney…but I use it sparingly as the sugar content is a bit high, but it is oh so yummy! Okay, not as versatile as Ranch dressing, but I can stretch it a bit and put it on my chips (fries), since I can’t use Ranch.
Now, I don’t mean to make it sound as if I miss material things more than I miss friends and family, but I can at least keep in touch with people, but I can’t keep in touch with the “comforts” of home. Things that we take for granted and don’t have any idea that we might miss until we don’t have them. As, I wasn’t too fond of using my Swiffer while at home, though I always loved my Squeezy cheese and Ranch dressing!
But Squeezy Cheese reminds me of road trips with my friend Karen to The Floating Men concerts in Nashville, Tennessee—for what’s a road trip without a can of pasteurized American cheese and a box of Chicken in a Biscuit crackers? And ranch dressing reminds me of many friends! A shared basket of fries at Lennie’s in Bloomington with my friend Tackett—oh they have the best Ranch dressing, lunch with my friends Teresa and Barb. And the Swiffer, well, my friend Teresa certainly loves the Swiffer, and could make that thing dance around her beautiful hardwood floors faster than anyone I’ve ever seen, and when me and Teresa helped Barb move into her temporary home after her house had caught on fire, the Swiffer was shared among us to get many jobs done that day.
So, these are not just material things that I miss from home, but attachments to memories of home. Things that may seem so simple when at home, but when far removed from those you love and care about become reminders of not just the taste, the smell, the feel, the sound, or sight of things you miss, but things that remind you of times spent making memories, when you didn’t even realize you were making them.
But when one of my friends asked me what I missed most about home the other day, I said, “The Swiffer”. Yes, that’s right. That wonderful modern day, versatile household cleaning tool that makes life so much easier for cleaning those tile and wood floors or swiping those cobwebs hiding in the corners of the ceiling, or the dust that has collected on the ceiling fan blades. A tool that can dust and mop and then the clothes can handily been tossed into the trash bin. Oh how wonderful! Can you tell from my exuberant explanation that you can’t buy Swiffers in South Africa and that I have tile floors and ceiling fans?
But, I’ve attempted to make my own version of the Swiffer by attaching kitchen counter wipes to my broom—not quite as smooth as the Swiffer, but works better than the old fashion mop that pushes around dirty water.
And then last night I had a craving for “Squeezy Cheese”—actually, I think the can says “Easy Cheese”, but the pasteurized cheese in the aerosol can that you can squeeze on crackers. It’s a great road trip snack, or any time snack. Though they have all kinds of yummy cheese here, I haven’t seen the cheap, squeezey cheese. But we are going to the Cheese Festival this coming weekend with cheese from France, Germany, all over the world---hhhhhmmmmm, wonder if there will be any canned, squeeze cheese? Probably way too American, eh?
I did also miss Real Mayonnaise, but finally found that at a grocery called Spar, but have yet to find some “real” Ranch Dressing. I bought some, but it is no Hidden Valley. But, I have found a new love, and that is Fruit Chutney…but I use it sparingly as the sugar content is a bit high, but it is oh so yummy! Okay, not as versatile as Ranch dressing, but I can stretch it a bit and put it on my chips (fries), since I can’t use Ranch.
Now, I don’t mean to make it sound as if I miss material things more than I miss friends and family, but I can at least keep in touch with people, but I can’t keep in touch with the “comforts” of home. Things that we take for granted and don’t have any idea that we might miss until we don’t have them. As, I wasn’t too fond of using my Swiffer while at home, though I always loved my Squeezy cheese and Ranch dressing!
But Squeezy Cheese reminds me of road trips with my friend Karen to The Floating Men concerts in Nashville, Tennessee—for what’s a road trip without a can of pasteurized American cheese and a box of Chicken in a Biscuit crackers? And ranch dressing reminds me of many friends! A shared basket of fries at Lennie’s in Bloomington with my friend Tackett—oh they have the best Ranch dressing, lunch with my friends Teresa and Barb. And the Swiffer, well, my friend Teresa certainly loves the Swiffer, and could make that thing dance around her beautiful hardwood floors faster than anyone I’ve ever seen, and when me and Teresa helped Barb move into her temporary home after her house had caught on fire, the Swiffer was shared among us to get many jobs done that day.
So, these are not just material things that I miss from home, but attachments to memories of home. Things that may seem so simple when at home, but when far removed from those you love and care about become reminders of not just the taste, the smell, the feel, the sound, or sight of things you miss, but things that remind you of times spent making memories, when you didn’t even realize you were making them.
Monday, April 14, 2008
The Forest for the Trees....
This was written after a class discussion....
So just what do I expect to learn from being in South Africa?
That life is good in the states?
That I need to appreciate what I have?
That blacks the world over have been mistreated and the color of our skin is still an issue and is so ingrained in “our” being that it is a continuous fight.?
How do you ungrain something?
Like the grain in a piece of wood?
You must sand it and sand it and sand it to take out the deep gouge or groove that has been placed there. It doesn’t go away by itself and without some serious “elbow grease” as we would say and even then sometimes there’s still a bi of a dip in the wood, a slight showing if you look close, or in the “right light” you can still see it.
Thinking about this idea of wood leads me naturally to the idea of trees. I’m not sure I know anyone who really “hates” trees, unless it’s the tree the person hates to mow around in the front yard, or the tree that dumps sap on the car—I’d say move your car, but really trees are a beautiful sight. And there are so many different types of trees. And in Indian, in the Fall of the year, or Autumn to some, when the leaves are at their peak, they paint the most beautiful panoramic views against the skies in oranges, reds and yellows. And people flock to see those colors.
Then, I thought, people are like trees. There are so many different people. Different shapes, sizes, colors. And just like it takes all the trees to make a beautiful forest, it takes all people to make this world. All people. So why can’t we appreciate all the colors of people like we appreciate all the beautiful color of the autumn leaves? Is it really that hard?
It seems so, even though we try to hide it and often pretend that it is not, but too many things in this world still prove the contrary.
So just what do I expect to learn from being in South Africa?
That life is good in the states?
That I need to appreciate what I have?
That blacks the world over have been mistreated and the color of our skin is still an issue and is so ingrained in “our” being that it is a continuous fight.?
How do you ungrain something?
Like the grain in a piece of wood?
You must sand it and sand it and sand it to take out the deep gouge or groove that has been placed there. It doesn’t go away by itself and without some serious “elbow grease” as we would say and even then sometimes there’s still a bi of a dip in the wood, a slight showing if you look close, or in the “right light” you can still see it.
Thinking about this idea of wood leads me naturally to the idea of trees. I’m not sure I know anyone who really “hates” trees, unless it’s the tree the person hates to mow around in the front yard, or the tree that dumps sap on the car—I’d say move your car, but really trees are a beautiful sight. And there are so many different types of trees. And in Indian, in the Fall of the year, or Autumn to some, when the leaves are at their peak, they paint the most beautiful panoramic views against the skies in oranges, reds and yellows. And people flock to see those colors.
Then, I thought, people are like trees. There are so many different people. Different shapes, sizes, colors. And just like it takes all the trees to make a beautiful forest, it takes all people to make this world. All people. So why can’t we appreciate all the colors of people like we appreciate all the beautiful color of the autumn leaves? Is it really that hard?
It seems so, even though we try to hide it and often pretend that it is not, but too many things in this world still prove the contrary.
Winds of Change....
A thought on the use of Wind Farms to please the eye. This was something I wrote while waiting for class and after a chat I had with some friends about why wind power wasn’t being utilized and the argument about how unsightly wind farms would be on the landscape.
Must it be ugly?
Could artists be brought together with engineers to create functional, but beautiful works of art that could be a “wind farm” disguised” as a monument to South Africa? The work of African artists on display for tourists to line, and pay, to view?
Something grand---like Mt Rushmore! The Eiffel Tower!
Could it be done?
Yes it could!
South Africa has the artists, the technical know how, the wind power, the need for alternative power sources and the tourists willing to see its beauty.
Something spectacular, something amazing, something people can marvel at, ooh and aah at, the eighth or ninth wonder of the world. The Winds of Change of South Africa.
In many facets, in the way the people from different vocations came together for the good of the cause, in the way they overcame adversity, in the way they capitalized on their many strengths, the way they took care of themselves, and they did it to benefit the people all people and the land and all who came to see it. And how they became an example of how other countries, still grappling with the same struggle of how to utilize wind power, can overcome, would be amazing.
What a wonderful testament to their ability to utilize their strengths, talents and resources to empower themselves and be an example for the world to see.
Must it be ugly?
Could artists be brought together with engineers to create functional, but beautiful works of art that could be a “wind farm” disguised” as a monument to South Africa? The work of African artists on display for tourists to line, and pay, to view?
Something grand---like Mt Rushmore! The Eiffel Tower!
Could it be done?
Yes it could!
South Africa has the artists, the technical know how, the wind power, the need for alternative power sources and the tourists willing to see its beauty.
Something spectacular, something amazing, something people can marvel at, ooh and aah at, the eighth or ninth wonder of the world. The Winds of Change of South Africa.
In many facets, in the way the people from different vocations came together for the good of the cause, in the way they overcame adversity, in the way they capitalized on their many strengths, the way they took care of themselves, and they did it to benefit the people all people and the land and all who came to see it. And how they became an example of how other countries, still grappling with the same struggle of how to utilize wind power, can overcome, would be amazing.
What a wonderful testament to their ability to utilize their strengths, talents and resources to empower themselves and be an example for the world to see.
I was doing some thinking....
I had a conversation with a friend last night that got me thinking. And for those of you who know me, I’m a thinker. This can get me into trouble, as I can do more thinking than doing sometimes, but I wanted to share with you these thoughts, though a hornet’s nest it may be.
I was sharing with my friend some of the things that had been discussed in on of my classes and we then started discussing racism. And how, even with the ending of apartheid in South Africa and the demolishment of slavery in the US, that racism still exists and how do you end racism.
I shared with him a talk that he and one of my friends here had recently. This is not a great example, but an example none the less. Take a fine antique table that has a large gouge that has been made on the top of it, that table is now damaged. If you want to repair it, you need to sand it, work long and hard to remove that damage that has been done that piece of furniture. Or you could throw a table cloth over the table and no one could see the damage, covering it up as if it is not there, masking it, though it is still there underneath because you would rather not do the work. Or you could fill it in with some putting and try to match the wood, though it wouldn’t look the same. Or you could try to find a piece of wood that was similar to replace it, but it still wouldn’t be the same, but close. The best is to work hard at sanding out the flaw to remove it with hard work, even though it may still leave a bit of a scar, it will eventually look better. That’s what we have to do about racism. Work hard, sand it, and sand it and work hard. But often we through a table cloth over it and cover it up and say it is gone when it is not. Or we try to use putty to fill it in; some other kind of method to take care of a problem that doesn’t quite fit the problem.
So then we started talking about equality, but what is really equal about us, except that we are all living, breathing human beings? Shouldn’t we celebrate our uniqueness, our differences, our talents, our abilities? Why must we separate and categorize? Why do many whites often feel superior to others? Why do some blacks feel inferior to whites still today? Why do we still check “color” boxes on forms? Why does it matter? Why should it matter? It shouldn’t. The only thing my skin color REALLY matters to is the sun as it makes me more likely to burn and more prone to skin cancer….been there, done that and have the scar to prove it!
We still have a lot of sanding to do, both here in South Africa and in the US.
Then our conversation turned back to the US and my friend mentioned people that didn’t want to learn English that came to the states. But I said, maybe it is not that they don’t want to learn, but that they are afraid to learn. And there could be many fears attached that—fear of being caught because they are in the states illegally, or fear that they can not learn, or fear that they will lose the one thing that still attaches them to their homeland. I know this is an extremely controversial subject in the states, but I have always been proud of the fact that the US has been a melting pot and a dream for people to come as a place to call home and to make a new life for themselves when the place that has been their home has become a place that is no longer a place that they feel they can raise their family. The US provides hope and future for them and their children. I know we can not “save” everyone, but the US has been that for so many and it has always been such a magical place that I hate to see that die. Many of these families turn to the states as their last hope and the language barrier is certainly a problem and many rely on their children to be the conduit for communication. But perhaps it is fear that prevents them from learning our language, not an easy language to learn, and especially for older people who come to our country.
But how often does fear keep any of us from doing something that we want to do? How often does fear keep us from doing something that we feel we should do? We fear that which we do not know. Fear is often what creates such things as racism and hatred, because we do not know better. So we must educate ourselves on that which we do not know. And we do not educate ourselves by listening to what is said on the news or in the newspapers only, as we do not get the full story. We must take the time to read about that which we do not know or reach out to those people we do not know and get to know them.
We must face our fears in order to overcome them.
So what are your fears?
I was sharing with my friend some of the things that had been discussed in on of my classes and we then started discussing racism. And how, even with the ending of apartheid in South Africa and the demolishment of slavery in the US, that racism still exists and how do you end racism.
I shared with him a talk that he and one of my friends here had recently. This is not a great example, but an example none the less. Take a fine antique table that has a large gouge that has been made on the top of it, that table is now damaged. If you want to repair it, you need to sand it, work long and hard to remove that damage that has been done that piece of furniture. Or you could throw a table cloth over the table and no one could see the damage, covering it up as if it is not there, masking it, though it is still there underneath because you would rather not do the work. Or you could fill it in with some putting and try to match the wood, though it wouldn’t look the same. Or you could try to find a piece of wood that was similar to replace it, but it still wouldn’t be the same, but close. The best is to work hard at sanding out the flaw to remove it with hard work, even though it may still leave a bit of a scar, it will eventually look better. That’s what we have to do about racism. Work hard, sand it, and sand it and work hard. But often we through a table cloth over it and cover it up and say it is gone when it is not. Or we try to use putty to fill it in; some other kind of method to take care of a problem that doesn’t quite fit the problem.
So then we started talking about equality, but what is really equal about us, except that we are all living, breathing human beings? Shouldn’t we celebrate our uniqueness, our differences, our talents, our abilities? Why must we separate and categorize? Why do many whites often feel superior to others? Why do some blacks feel inferior to whites still today? Why do we still check “color” boxes on forms? Why does it matter? Why should it matter? It shouldn’t. The only thing my skin color REALLY matters to is the sun as it makes me more likely to burn and more prone to skin cancer….been there, done that and have the scar to prove it!
We still have a lot of sanding to do, both here in South Africa and in the US.
Then our conversation turned back to the US and my friend mentioned people that didn’t want to learn English that came to the states. But I said, maybe it is not that they don’t want to learn, but that they are afraid to learn. And there could be many fears attached that—fear of being caught because they are in the states illegally, or fear that they can not learn, or fear that they will lose the one thing that still attaches them to their homeland. I know this is an extremely controversial subject in the states, but I have always been proud of the fact that the US has been a melting pot and a dream for people to come as a place to call home and to make a new life for themselves when the place that has been their home has become a place that is no longer a place that they feel they can raise their family. The US provides hope and future for them and their children. I know we can not “save” everyone, but the US has been that for so many and it has always been such a magical place that I hate to see that die. Many of these families turn to the states as their last hope and the language barrier is certainly a problem and many rely on their children to be the conduit for communication. But perhaps it is fear that prevents them from learning our language, not an easy language to learn, and especially for older people who come to our country.
But how often does fear keep any of us from doing something that we want to do? How often does fear keep us from doing something that we feel we should do? We fear that which we do not know. Fear is often what creates such things as racism and hatred, because we do not know better. So we must educate ourselves on that which we do not know. And we do not educate ourselves by listening to what is said on the news or in the newspapers only, as we do not get the full story. We must take the time to read about that which we do not know or reach out to those people we do not know and get to know them.
We must face our fears in order to overcome them.
So what are your fears?
Are there White People in South Africa?
I was asked this question after telling someone I was going to study in South Africa for a year.
The answer is yes, there are white people in South Africa—and not just since I arrived!
But, that question made me realize that so much of what we do and do not know about people, places and things is based on what we often see portrayed in the media or the perceptions we are given.
So, while still back in Indiana, I tried something with my college class and asked them to say the first thing that came to their mind when I said South Africa or Africa in general.
Any ideas what they may have said?
Safaris, animals, lions, jungles, tribes, starving people, aids, desert, and women with no tops.
No one mentioned apartheid or Nelson Mandela.
Basically, what they knew of Africa they admitted learning from National Geographic or the Discovery Channel. Was I any different? Not really.
When I chose South Africa as my place to study, I was looking at the following criteria:
English speaking
Cultural diversity
Southern hemisphere
Water/Mountains
University options
And most of all—challenge. The challenge to learn about what I do not know; experience what I have not experienced and to learn from the people of South Africa.
I didn’t know much more than my students did about South Africa but I wanted to learn.
There are times I feel quite ignorant, but that’s why I am here—to change that. I didn’t arrive all knowing and I will not leave all knowing. I arrived ignorant, but will leave less ignorant and more informed, better educated, more experienced. Because that is what a journey is all about.
And though I sit in the classroom surrounded by students who have studied African history, African politics and African everything for years, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by their wealth of knowledge and my lack of, I learn. I take it in and try to process it as best I can. I read and re-read the material, trying to make sense of the often complicated literature in hopes that I will gain some insight into Africa’s past and present. And I find it’s all complicated, as much of life is. But I continue to learn and grasp the ideas, concepts, moments, feelings and thoughts that are discussed that are shared each week. I listen—I learn. Not always do I understand. But how does one “understand” such an atrocity as apartheid?
The answer is yes, there are white people in South Africa—and not just since I arrived!
But, that question made me realize that so much of what we do and do not know about people, places and things is based on what we often see portrayed in the media or the perceptions we are given.
So, while still back in Indiana, I tried something with my college class and asked them to say the first thing that came to their mind when I said South Africa or Africa in general.
Any ideas what they may have said?
Safaris, animals, lions, jungles, tribes, starving people, aids, desert, and women with no tops.
No one mentioned apartheid or Nelson Mandela.
Basically, what they knew of Africa they admitted learning from National Geographic or the Discovery Channel. Was I any different? Not really.
When I chose South Africa as my place to study, I was looking at the following criteria:
English speaking
Cultural diversity
Southern hemisphere
Water/Mountains
University options
And most of all—challenge. The challenge to learn about what I do not know; experience what I have not experienced and to learn from the people of South Africa.
I didn’t know much more than my students did about South Africa but I wanted to learn.
There are times I feel quite ignorant, but that’s why I am here—to change that. I didn’t arrive all knowing and I will not leave all knowing. I arrived ignorant, but will leave less ignorant and more informed, better educated, more experienced. Because that is what a journey is all about.
And though I sit in the classroom surrounded by students who have studied African history, African politics and African everything for years, I sometimes feel overwhelmed by their wealth of knowledge and my lack of, I learn. I take it in and try to process it as best I can. I read and re-read the material, trying to make sense of the often complicated literature in hopes that I will gain some insight into Africa’s past and present. And I find it’s all complicated, as much of life is. But I continue to learn and grasp the ideas, concepts, moments, feelings and thoughts that are discussed that are shared each week. I listen—I learn. Not always do I understand. But how does one “understand” such an atrocity as apartheid?
White Picket Fences to Barbed Wire Walls....
I want the house with the white picket fence…the iconic “American Dream”. Here in South Africa I trade my white picket fence for barbed wire walls, gated parking area and a security system. That is my South African “dream” of a good place to live—security.
My host dad, John, also insisted that I find a place that had security for me, and my car. Especially since cars can be as much of a target for crime as people. As just because a place advertises itself as being in a “safe” area, John says you don’t want to park your car on the side of the road, as it will be a target for a break in or you might just find it won’t be there one day. I didn’t want that since I’d already put him through enough during the car shopping experience to have to do that again! And I trust that John knows what he’s talking about, even though I may not always let him believe that—we truly do have a “father/daughter” type relationship! But, he usually does know what’s best…..shhhh, don’t tell him I said that! (wink, wink).
With all this new knowledge, I found a place to live that met all the security needs and with a wonderful “land lady”, though she doesn’t like that title as she’s only 38. Kim and I have become good friends and she has been a great comfort to me and helped me to transition into my new place, giving me directions to places, suggestions of places to go, introducing me to people and providing me with loads of information about South Africa. This is the place I was meant to be next, as that is what John and Kay did for me, and Kim has picked me up at the next juncture, so to speak.
Finding a place was not so easy though, I have to tell you. It was difficult to find accommodation here in Cape Town for several reasons, and none of them have to do with choosing the place that has the right “décor” to fit your “style”.
In Cape Town there are more people looking for accommodations than there are accommodations. That means that you need to move quickly as places are snapped up quickly. I have a classmate that works for Student Housing on campus and she said there are currently 500 students on the waiting list for university housing. Can you say supply and demand? This has greatly affected the cost of the accommodation around the Cape Town area as well.
While still back in Indiana I was on a website that is often used to find accommodation in Cape Town and had been looking at places just to get a feel for the costs, so I could budget my scholarship money. The prices for accommodation have doubled since I was looking back in October. One of the reasons is the increased demand for the accommodations and the other is that the interest rates on mortgages (bonds here in South Africa) were increased in December and are expected to increase yet again.
So, I found myself looking for accommodations in a price range that was becoming increasingly nonexistent and had to keep raising my budget amount. I was on every website known available that listed accommodations, making appointments, so often to find the place was already rented (letted), or looking at a place with several people at once and you felt it was a competition—which it was actually. It was quite stressful, as there was pressure to make quick decisions and I’m a thinker, so I like to think things through, and this process of finding a place left no time for thinking, you had to act quickly or be left behind with nothing.
But John, Kay and his three daughters, Lindy, Andrea and Caroline all gave me the same great advice and that was not to take something you are not comfortable with, you will know the place when you find it...it has to be right for you. I’m very much a gut feeling person as well, so I thought I would know the place when I saw it, not because of what it “looked” like, but how I “felt” when I was there. As there were places that I visited that I didn’t feel comfortable going to in the day time, so I couldn’t imagine how I would feel staying there? And security was my number one criteria. Coming from small town Indiana where security is not a big concern, this was certainly at the top of my priority list.
But, the clock was ticking. John and Kay were preparing for company and I needed to be finding a place. I had a lead on an apartment to see that would be shared with another person and so I went to see it and was prepared to take it out of desperation, but it didn’t feel quite right for a few reasons. So, when I got back to John and Kay’s I got back on the internet for one last ditch effort to see if there was anything I might find, and there was one place that was new from all the other places I had tried that day, so I SMS’d (text messaged) the person to see if it was still available and if I could come see it before John and I went to the rugby game. She said yes! I asked John if that was okay and he said sure as it was on the way to the stadium. So away we went.
John said it was in a safe place, it had the secure parking, security alarm, plus two Chinese Shar Peis for added security, the flat was clean and the lady, Kim, was so nice, we hit it off immediately. I told her I was going to the game and would get back with her that evening. I got in the car and told John that I really liked it and that I thought this was the place and he said, “What are you waiting for?” So I SMS’d Kim and told her I would take it and that I was still parked outside. She came walking out and laughed and said, “Is this what you Americans do? You could have just buzzed me I would have come down.” I laughed and said, “No we would usually call, but I don’t know how much airtime I have!” And actually, I still wasn’t sure about how the whole “buzzer” system worked, as there were several choices! So, I told her then and there that I would take it and she was thrilled and I was thrilled and it has been a great choice.
Kim told me what she hopes to do with her place here and how she wants to help disadvantaged workers get their education, rent flats to international students and provide cultural experiences for them….she has wonderful goals for this place. And I’m excited to hear about what she has in store for the future and wish her the best and hope that I can be part of it somehow.
Kim and I both believe that everything happens for a reason. So, I’m where I’m supposed to be.
My host dad, John, also insisted that I find a place that had security for me, and my car. Especially since cars can be as much of a target for crime as people. As just because a place advertises itself as being in a “safe” area, John says you don’t want to park your car on the side of the road, as it will be a target for a break in or you might just find it won’t be there one day. I didn’t want that since I’d already put him through enough during the car shopping experience to have to do that again! And I trust that John knows what he’s talking about, even though I may not always let him believe that—we truly do have a “father/daughter” type relationship! But, he usually does know what’s best…..shhhh, don’t tell him I said that! (wink, wink).
With all this new knowledge, I found a place to live that met all the security needs and with a wonderful “land lady”, though she doesn’t like that title as she’s only 38. Kim and I have become good friends and she has been a great comfort to me and helped me to transition into my new place, giving me directions to places, suggestions of places to go, introducing me to people and providing me with loads of information about South Africa. This is the place I was meant to be next, as that is what John and Kay did for me, and Kim has picked me up at the next juncture, so to speak.
Finding a place was not so easy though, I have to tell you. It was difficult to find accommodation here in Cape Town for several reasons, and none of them have to do with choosing the place that has the right “décor” to fit your “style”.
In Cape Town there are more people looking for accommodations than there are accommodations. That means that you need to move quickly as places are snapped up quickly. I have a classmate that works for Student Housing on campus and she said there are currently 500 students on the waiting list for university housing. Can you say supply and demand? This has greatly affected the cost of the accommodation around the Cape Town area as well.
While still back in Indiana I was on a website that is often used to find accommodation in Cape Town and had been looking at places just to get a feel for the costs, so I could budget my scholarship money. The prices for accommodation have doubled since I was looking back in October. One of the reasons is the increased demand for the accommodations and the other is that the interest rates on mortgages (bonds here in South Africa) were increased in December and are expected to increase yet again.
So, I found myself looking for accommodations in a price range that was becoming increasingly nonexistent and had to keep raising my budget amount. I was on every website known available that listed accommodations, making appointments, so often to find the place was already rented (letted), or looking at a place with several people at once and you felt it was a competition—which it was actually. It was quite stressful, as there was pressure to make quick decisions and I’m a thinker, so I like to think things through, and this process of finding a place left no time for thinking, you had to act quickly or be left behind with nothing.
But John, Kay and his three daughters, Lindy, Andrea and Caroline all gave me the same great advice and that was not to take something you are not comfortable with, you will know the place when you find it...it has to be right for you. I’m very much a gut feeling person as well, so I thought I would know the place when I saw it, not because of what it “looked” like, but how I “felt” when I was there. As there were places that I visited that I didn’t feel comfortable going to in the day time, so I couldn’t imagine how I would feel staying there? And security was my number one criteria. Coming from small town Indiana where security is not a big concern, this was certainly at the top of my priority list.
But, the clock was ticking. John and Kay were preparing for company and I needed to be finding a place. I had a lead on an apartment to see that would be shared with another person and so I went to see it and was prepared to take it out of desperation, but it didn’t feel quite right for a few reasons. So, when I got back to John and Kay’s I got back on the internet for one last ditch effort to see if there was anything I might find, and there was one place that was new from all the other places I had tried that day, so I SMS’d (text messaged) the person to see if it was still available and if I could come see it before John and I went to the rugby game. She said yes! I asked John if that was okay and he said sure as it was on the way to the stadium. So away we went.
John said it was in a safe place, it had the secure parking, security alarm, plus two Chinese Shar Peis for added security, the flat was clean and the lady, Kim, was so nice, we hit it off immediately. I told her I was going to the game and would get back with her that evening. I got in the car and told John that I really liked it and that I thought this was the place and he said, “What are you waiting for?” So I SMS’d Kim and told her I would take it and that I was still parked outside. She came walking out and laughed and said, “Is this what you Americans do? You could have just buzzed me I would have come down.” I laughed and said, “No we would usually call, but I don’t know how much airtime I have!” And actually, I still wasn’t sure about how the whole “buzzer” system worked, as there were several choices! So, I told her then and there that I would take it and she was thrilled and I was thrilled and it has been a great choice.
Kim told me what she hopes to do with her place here and how she wants to help disadvantaged workers get their education, rent flats to international students and provide cultural experiences for them….she has wonderful goals for this place. And I’m excited to hear about what she has in store for the future and wish her the best and hope that I can be part of it somehow.
Kim and I both believe that everything happens for a reason. So, I’m where I’m supposed to be.
Friday, April 11, 2008
From Penguins to the Point.....
Rotary Scholars Jolene, Rose, Andrea and I spent a day together to visit Boulder’s Beach and Cape Point.
Boulder’s Beach is located just past Simon’s Town, a very picturesque town and the base for the African navy. Boulder’s Beach gets its name from the large boulders along the beach front that protect it from the southeaster and is home to a colony of more than 2300 jackass penguins. The penguins get this name from the sound they make which sounds like a donkey braying.
We were very excited to see penguins at a beach! Something quite unusual and they lived up to our expectations. They were all over the place. Jumping in the water with the swimmers, waddling up onto the beach, and down the walkways with the people, it was amazing.
After having a picnic lunch on the beach and enjoying some sun and penguins we headed down to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. Our hope was to see baboons at Cape Point, preferably from inside the car, as they tend to be very aggressive as they are always on the lookout for your food.
We went to the lookout point, which is the lighthouse and the view was spectacular! Although very beautiful, Cape Point had been fierce and deadly for many a ship and sailor.
We took lots of pictures and savored the view from every possible angle before making our way down and then drove the tip of know as the Cape of Good Hope. Again, beautiful scenery, but still no baboon sightings.
When we got back to the car to leave, we joked that we might have to pull out some food to entice some baboons, and Rose decided we needed to break out the cookies anyway, so we decided to bring the box of cookies from the trunk (boot in South Africa) and snack on them in the car, but we would have to hide them if we spotted any baboons. Baboons can get very aggressive about food, and we didn’t want a window smashing for a cookie.
So, we were heading out of the reserve talking about how beautiful the place was, how good the cookies were, but that we were disappointed we hadn’t seen baboons. We finished our cookies and not much further down the road, there they were! The baboons! Wonder if they knew we had cookies? Thank goodness we ate them all! We actually hid the box, just in case…..I think they have a keen sense of smell.
A mother with a baby on her back crossing the road, a male sitting on a rock at the side of the road….it was fantastic. So, Jolene drove drown and turned around so we could come back and get a better look and some pictures….with the windows rolled up! They were pretty well behaved, no jumping on the cars or anything. Then other cars starting coming along as well to get their pictures too, but they still stayed calm.
So, we had a wonderful day. Spending time with good friends, penguins and baboons, what more could you want on a sunny day in South Africa?
Enjoy the photos on PicasaWeb. Link on the Right Side.
La Shona
Boulder’s Beach is located just past Simon’s Town, a very picturesque town and the base for the African navy. Boulder’s Beach gets its name from the large boulders along the beach front that protect it from the southeaster and is home to a colony of more than 2300 jackass penguins. The penguins get this name from the sound they make which sounds like a donkey braying.
We were very excited to see penguins at a beach! Something quite unusual and they lived up to our expectations. They were all over the place. Jumping in the water with the swimmers, waddling up onto the beach, and down the walkways with the people, it was amazing.
After having a picnic lunch on the beach and enjoying some sun and penguins we headed down to Cape Point and the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve. Our hope was to see baboons at Cape Point, preferably from inside the car, as they tend to be very aggressive as they are always on the lookout for your food.
We went to the lookout point, which is the lighthouse and the view was spectacular! Although very beautiful, Cape Point had been fierce and deadly for many a ship and sailor.
We took lots of pictures and savored the view from every possible angle before making our way down and then drove the tip of know as the Cape of Good Hope. Again, beautiful scenery, but still no baboon sightings.
When we got back to the car to leave, we joked that we might have to pull out some food to entice some baboons, and Rose decided we needed to break out the cookies anyway, so we decided to bring the box of cookies from the trunk (boot in South Africa) and snack on them in the car, but we would have to hide them if we spotted any baboons. Baboons can get very aggressive about food, and we didn’t want a window smashing for a cookie.
So, we were heading out of the reserve talking about how beautiful the place was, how good the cookies were, but that we were disappointed we hadn’t seen baboons. We finished our cookies and not much further down the road, there they were! The baboons! Wonder if they knew we had cookies? Thank goodness we ate them all! We actually hid the box, just in case…..I think they have a keen sense of smell.
A mother with a baby on her back crossing the road, a male sitting on a rock at the side of the road….it was fantastic. So, Jolene drove drown and turned around so we could come back and get a better look and some pictures….with the windows rolled up! They were pretty well behaved, no jumping on the cars or anything. Then other cars starting coming along as well to get their pictures too, but they still stayed calm.
So, we had a wonderful day. Spending time with good friends, penguins and baboons, what more could you want on a sunny day in South Africa?
Enjoy the photos on PicasaWeb. Link on the Right Side.
La Shona
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Oh Where, Oh Where, Did My Blog Entries Go?
Well, it seems as though all the entries I made to this blog from the computers on UCT campus are nowhere to be found!!!!
SO, I must attempt to repost all my stories.
The Lessons I've learned?
1. Type all your blogs in WORD and save them first. Then copy and paste to your blog.
2. Don't update your blog from campus!
Sorry that I've left everyone with my climbing story....however, there are new pictures on Picasa Web to keep you busy until I can get my stories up to date!
Just click the La Shona's PhotoWeb link on the right side of the screen.
Have a great day!
SO, I must attempt to repost all my stories.
The Lessons I've learned?
1. Type all your blogs in WORD and save them first. Then copy and paste to your blog.
2. Don't update your blog from campus!
Sorry that I've left everyone with my climbing story....however, there are new pictures on Picasa Web to keep you busy until I can get my stories up to date!
Just click the La Shona's PhotoWeb link on the right side of the screen.
Have a great day!
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Climb Every Mountain....
or at least crawl up one very, very slowly! That's one thing I did during a jam packed Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Orientation Weekend! And what a weekend it was--I'm still recuperating.
All the scholars attending South African, and neighboring countries, universities and scholars from South Africa and nearby countries that are soon to be going to other countries to start their year abroud gathered for a weekend of fun, lots of information and quality time getting to know one another.
Lions Head--Look closely and you will see why it is called such!
Isn't this a beautiful view of Camps Bay?
Now, those folks who scampered up that mountain too fast may have missed this--I prefer the "take time to smell the roses" approach....also known as the "huff and puff your way up the mountain" approach, but I prefer the flowery description, though the latter is much more true to my form that day!
I'll share more about my adventurous weekend later!
Be sure to click on the La Shona's PicasaWeb on the left, as there are MORE PHOTOS!!!
Enjoy!
And, it's been GREAT to hear from everyone! Keep those comments coming...I love hearing from you.
Cheers!
L
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Look Right, Then Left, Then Right Again.....
and again, and again! That's what you do when crossing the street on foot or in a car turning Right!!!
Well, thanks to everyone who gave me words of support for getting my car home and driving around on the left, left, left, side of the road. Keep sending your words of encouragement, as they are certainly good to hear and are working wonders.
I have managed to make it through my first week of classes, and have driven myself, in my own car, a 1994 Nissan Sentra, found parking, and found my way back to John & Kay's without getting lost. Granted I didn't always go back the way that John did, but I found my way back just fine...maybe a bit more scenic, but fine none the less.
The most trouble I had was getting out of John and Kay's driveway the first morning, as I had to back out on a busy road during the morning traffic. And as I sat and sat and sat, waiting for an opening, I see John coming running past my car window, out into the middle of the road and like a New York cop, stop both lanes of traffic, and away I went! Thanks John, or I may have still been sitting there!!! Those Rotarians are quite amazing, eh?
I am still hunting for accommodations, but am getting closer I know, and have a good feeling about some calls and emails I've placed. Will go look at a place this evening.
My two classes for this semester I believe will be good ones---Debates in African Studies and Oral History. Plus I will have to be working on a thesis, so I've been brainstorming ideas for a research topic---I'll share that when I've decided.
This weekend will be the Rotary Scholar Orientation, which is a big event and will be the first time I will actually get to meet all the other scholars, though I have met 3 other scholars so far. This will be an event for all the incoming and outgoing scholars---should be great fun!
Well, I'm going to sign off for now, as it is Noon here, and lunch here is typically 1:00, so I try to beat the lunch crowd!
I will try get back on a little sooner this time. Sorry there was a delay this time, but getting all my ducks in a row for classes was a bit hectic and I just got into the labs on campus! My how the tables have turned, huh?
Hope all is well back home!
Cheers,
L
Well, thanks to everyone who gave me words of support for getting my car home and driving around on the left, left, left, side of the road. Keep sending your words of encouragement, as they are certainly good to hear and are working wonders.
I have managed to make it through my first week of classes, and have driven myself, in my own car, a 1994 Nissan Sentra, found parking, and found my way back to John & Kay's without getting lost. Granted I didn't always go back the way that John did, but I found my way back just fine...maybe a bit more scenic, but fine none the less.
The most trouble I had was getting out of John and Kay's driveway the first morning, as I had to back out on a busy road during the morning traffic. And as I sat and sat and sat, waiting for an opening, I see John coming running past my car window, out into the middle of the road and like a New York cop, stop both lanes of traffic, and away I went! Thanks John, or I may have still been sitting there!!! Those Rotarians are quite amazing, eh?
I am still hunting for accommodations, but am getting closer I know, and have a good feeling about some calls and emails I've placed. Will go look at a place this evening.
My two classes for this semester I believe will be good ones---Debates in African Studies and Oral History. Plus I will have to be working on a thesis, so I've been brainstorming ideas for a research topic---I'll share that when I've decided.
This weekend will be the Rotary Scholar Orientation, which is a big event and will be the first time I will actually get to meet all the other scholars, though I have met 3 other scholars so far. This will be an event for all the incoming and outgoing scholars---should be great fun!
Well, I'm going to sign off for now, as it is Noon here, and lunch here is typically 1:00, so I try to beat the lunch crowd!
I will try get back on a little sooner this time. Sorry there was a delay this time, but getting all my ducks in a row for classes was a bit hectic and I just got into the labs on campus! My how the tables have turned, huh?
Hope all is well back home!
Cheers,
L
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
A Lesson in Patience....
The Famous Jamison Hall and the Jammie Steps!
The beauty of Cape Town can easily cause one to forget about being in a third world country, though, as one South African student put it yesterday, Cape Town is the closest to "first world" in South Africa, or in Africa.
Now, for those who are "geographically" challenged, here's a little lesson:
AFRICA is a CONTINENT.
SOUTH AFRICA is a COUNTRY located at the southern most tip of the African Continent.
If you click HERE the link will take you to a website that will show you a map of the continents. The map is interactive, so you can click on the continent of Africa and it will then show you the countries. You will notice that South Africa is located at the very bottom (South!) and it will also show you Cape Town, where I'm located.
Cape Town itself is pretty cosmoplitan, compared to what you might think of when you think of Africa.
However, I am learning that just because they have many of the items we do, and life seems to move at a pretty fast pace ("hectic" is the term that is used a lot here), that I am to assume nothing.
Having worked many years in higher education, and having been a college student for even more years, I can say I have a lot of experience with higher education processes and procedures.........here's where the lesson in patience comes in!
And I do hope that students are reading this so as to appreciate a bit more what you do have when you register for your classes :)
Last week was orientation and pre-registration for International students, which went along without a hitch for me, surprisingly. So, I go in early to campus Monday morning to collect necessary papers so that I may register.
And so the process began
1. Go to the Graduate School of Humanities (GSH) and collect papers to take to the Faculties (Department) for signatures. I gathered my papers and headed to the Oppenhiemer building where the Center for African Studies (CAS) is located.
2. Go to the Reception desk at the CAS, explain that I'm a Post Grad student who needs to register and needs to have my registration papers signed, and ask who I need to see. They want to send me back to GSH. I tell them GSH already gave me the papers needed and sent me to CAS. I was then told to speak to Prof. Garuba, but he was over at Jammie Hall doing registration. I ask if I should make an appt., but the suggestion was made that I try to speak to him at Jammie Hall. So I gather directions to Jammie Hall. (That's Jammie as in "toast and jam)
3. I proceed to Jammie Hall to track down Prof. Garuba. I see from the signs that it is Undergrad Registration. Not where I'm supposed to be, but I'm bound and determined to track down Prof. Garuba. I ask the young lady at the information desk and she doesn't know who he is, so I ask some of the other professors, and they say he is not there he must of already left for lunch.
4. I go back to CAS, since I believe I've missed Prof. Garuba at Jammie Hall. I get to the Receptionist and when I tell her I missed him, she points across the Lobby and says there he is, as he turns and goes into his office and closes his door. I knock on his door, quickly tell him what I need and he asks me to make an appointment as he is preparing to go to Jammie Hall!
5. I go back to the receptionist to make an appointment and he doesn't have anything until Wednesday. So, I make the appointment for Wednesday (today). I did manage to ask her about the times for the classes and where I might find them, and she was able to tell me what they were for the 2 CAS classes I was interested in taking. For any of the other courses I would need to go the website of the Faculty and look...I'm still looking!
REGISTRATION Part 2
6. I arrive at CAS at my scheduled time, 11:30 Wednesday morning to speak with the Convenor, Prof. Garuba. When I arrive the Receptionist looks at me with this expression that told me I was not in for good news. She told me that Prof. Garuba was not there yet and asked if I had anything else I could do, and I said no, but I could go chill out for a while and she could call my cell. Then the director came to get me, but when she found out what my program was said I really needed to speak with the other guy. So, away I went.
7. It was a lovely day for a walk, and so I visited the many different societys and clubs that had set up tables and tents along the Jammie steps and walkway.
8. Approximately 20 minutes later my cell rings. Lucinda, the receptionist, (we're on a first name basis now!) called to let me know he was back. I told here I would be right there.
9. I meet with Prof. Garuba and explain what I want to do, show him the classes I have picked out and I was all ready for him to sign my papers so I could run around campus and have all the other departments, excuse me faculties, sign my paper....but, SCREEEEECH!!!
10. The program I was in was not designed to take graduate courses, I would have to take undergraduate courses----been there, done that. And he couldn't approve me to take the courses I had picked for the program I was in, even though, I had been given the graduate courses handbook and materials for this program, and it looked as if I could take graduate courses I could not.
11. I had to make a choice. Stay in the program and take undergrad courses. Or ask to switch to the honors program, take the grad classes that I wanted. Which would mean a delay in registration and I would have to write a request to the facutly and GSH.
12 I made an appointment for Friday at 9:30 AM to see Dr. Garuba about registering for the Honors program.
13. Classes start Monday.
In case you're wondering, I started my process a LONG time ago, and asked many, many questions before I arrived.
But, I'm certainly having to learn patience from the standpoint of being a student, and from being a university employee that works in the environment daily.
It's one thing to recognize that you are in another country. It's another to recognize the different ways that things are done in another country.
Traffic moves quickly here, but other things do not.
There's a long list of sayings that I will incorporate into my blogs when appropriate. And one I will use now is the saying "Just Now", which doesn't mean just now or right now or immediately. It might mean 10-15 minutes or so.
So, for someone like me who doesn't like to have people wait on me, and who prefers to be early or on time, I'm doing a lot of waiting on others. So, I need to get with this program quickly, or I'm going to stress myself out.
The other thing that I have learned through this process, is that registration is not streamlined. So, students must still go through several different steps in order to finalize their registration. For example, a student that wants to take a psychology course, a math course, a science course and a music course, must get signatures for each course from the respective faculties (departments). And the University of Cape Town (UCT) campus is not a small campus. It is big, strung out and steep!
So, there is no hopping on the Internet and looking at all the courses to see what time they are offered and having 15-10 sections of one course and signing up online. That doesn't happen.
But one thing that I thought was outstanding was the number of social organizations and clubs that was out on the Jammie Plaza this week for students to join. UCT encourages students to get involved in service, social and sport organizations. There are all kinds to choose from, like the Hip Hop Society--thought about that one, but figured an injury was definitely in my future--Mountain & Ski, Wine & Culture, Photography, Ballroom Dancing, Habitat for Humanity, and SHAWCO (http://www.shawco.org/) to name a few.
Actually, check out SHAWCO, http://www.shawco.org/, as it is an organization that allows you to volunteer to go to the townships and help tutor or mentor children and adults. A program I've heard a lot about and hope to get involved with if my schedule will allow.
Now, for those who are "geographically" challenged, here's a little lesson:
AFRICA is a CONTINENT.
SOUTH AFRICA is a COUNTRY located at the southern most tip of the African Continent.
If you click HERE the link will take you to a website that will show you a map of the continents. The map is interactive, so you can click on the continent of Africa and it will then show you the countries. You will notice that South Africa is located at the very bottom (South!) and it will also show you Cape Town, where I'm located.
Cape Town itself is pretty cosmoplitan, compared to what you might think of when you think of Africa.
However, I am learning that just because they have many of the items we do, and life seems to move at a pretty fast pace ("hectic" is the term that is used a lot here), that I am to assume nothing.
Having worked many years in higher education, and having been a college student for even more years, I can say I have a lot of experience with higher education processes and procedures.........here's where the lesson in patience comes in!
And I do hope that students are reading this so as to appreciate a bit more what you do have when you register for your classes :)
Last week was orientation and pre-registration for International students, which went along without a hitch for me, surprisingly. So, I go in early to campus Monday morning to collect necessary papers so that I may register.
And so the process began
1. Go to the Graduate School of Humanities (GSH) and collect papers to take to the Faculties (Department) for signatures. I gathered my papers and headed to the Oppenhiemer building where the Center for African Studies (CAS) is located.
2. Go to the Reception desk at the CAS, explain that I'm a Post Grad student who needs to register and needs to have my registration papers signed, and ask who I need to see. They want to send me back to GSH. I tell them GSH already gave me the papers needed and sent me to CAS. I was then told to speak to Prof. Garuba, but he was over at Jammie Hall doing registration. I ask if I should make an appt., but the suggestion was made that I try to speak to him at Jammie Hall. So I gather directions to Jammie Hall. (That's Jammie as in "toast and jam)
3. I proceed to Jammie Hall to track down Prof. Garuba. I see from the signs that it is Undergrad Registration. Not where I'm supposed to be, but I'm bound and determined to track down Prof. Garuba. I ask the young lady at the information desk and she doesn't know who he is, so I ask some of the other professors, and they say he is not there he must of already left for lunch.
4. I go back to CAS, since I believe I've missed Prof. Garuba at Jammie Hall. I get to the Receptionist and when I tell her I missed him, she points across the Lobby and says there he is, as he turns and goes into his office and closes his door. I knock on his door, quickly tell him what I need and he asks me to make an appointment as he is preparing to go to Jammie Hall!
5. I go back to the receptionist to make an appointment and he doesn't have anything until Wednesday. So, I make the appointment for Wednesday (today). I did manage to ask her about the times for the classes and where I might find them, and she was able to tell me what they were for the 2 CAS classes I was interested in taking. For any of the other courses I would need to go the website of the Faculty and look...I'm still looking!
REGISTRATION Part 2
6. I arrive at CAS at my scheduled time, 11:30 Wednesday morning to speak with the Convenor, Prof. Garuba. When I arrive the Receptionist looks at me with this expression that told me I was not in for good news. She told me that Prof. Garuba was not there yet and asked if I had anything else I could do, and I said no, but I could go chill out for a while and she could call my cell. Then the director came to get me, but when she found out what my program was said I really needed to speak with the other guy. So, away I went.
7. It was a lovely day for a walk, and so I visited the many different societys and clubs that had set up tables and tents along the Jammie steps and walkway.
8. Approximately 20 minutes later my cell rings. Lucinda, the receptionist, (we're on a first name basis now!) called to let me know he was back. I told here I would be right there.
9. I meet with Prof. Garuba and explain what I want to do, show him the classes I have picked out and I was all ready for him to sign my papers so I could run around campus and have all the other departments, excuse me faculties, sign my paper....but, SCREEEEECH!!!
10. The program I was in was not designed to take graduate courses, I would have to take undergraduate courses----been there, done that. And he couldn't approve me to take the courses I had picked for the program I was in, even though, I had been given the graduate courses handbook and materials for this program, and it looked as if I could take graduate courses I could not.
11. I had to make a choice. Stay in the program and take undergrad courses. Or ask to switch to the honors program, take the grad classes that I wanted. Which would mean a delay in registration and I would have to write a request to the facutly and GSH.
12 I made an appointment for Friday at 9:30 AM to see Dr. Garuba about registering for the Honors program.
13. Classes start Monday.
In case you're wondering, I started my process a LONG time ago, and asked many, many questions before I arrived.
But, I'm certainly having to learn patience from the standpoint of being a student, and from being a university employee that works in the environment daily.
It's one thing to recognize that you are in another country. It's another to recognize the different ways that things are done in another country.
Traffic moves quickly here, but other things do not.
There's a long list of sayings that I will incorporate into my blogs when appropriate. And one I will use now is the saying "Just Now", which doesn't mean just now or right now or immediately. It might mean 10-15 minutes or so.
So, for someone like me who doesn't like to have people wait on me, and who prefers to be early or on time, I'm doing a lot of waiting on others. So, I need to get with this program quickly, or I'm going to stress myself out.
The other thing that I have learned through this process, is that registration is not streamlined. So, students must still go through several different steps in order to finalize their registration. For example, a student that wants to take a psychology course, a math course, a science course and a music course, must get signatures for each course from the respective faculties (departments). And the University of Cape Town (UCT) campus is not a small campus. It is big, strung out and steep!
So, there is no hopping on the Internet and looking at all the courses to see what time they are offered and having 15-10 sections of one course and signing up online. That doesn't happen.
But one thing that I thought was outstanding was the number of social organizations and clubs that was out on the Jammie Plaza this week for students to join. UCT encourages students to get involved in service, social and sport organizations. There are all kinds to choose from, like the Hip Hop Society--thought about that one, but figured an injury was definitely in my future--Mountain & Ski, Wine & Culture, Photography, Ballroom Dancing, Habitat for Humanity, and SHAWCO (http://www.shawco.org/) to name a few.
Actually, check out SHAWCO, http://www.shawco.org/, as it is an organization that allows you to volunteer to go to the townships and help tutor or mentor children and adults. A program I've heard a lot about and hope to get involved with if my schedule will allow.
So, as I practice patience, I am also reminding myself that though the buildings of a higher educational institution may look the same on the outside, I must not be so ignorant to think that everything works the same....which I KNOW it doesn't, as that's true even in the states. I think that sometimes we (I) am walking among these beautiful, achitectural structures of academia, and I make assumptions...and it is in making assumptions that danger and ignorance collide!
View from Rugby Field, looking toward Upper Campus
So, just as we are told not to judge a book by it's cover, or to judge a person by there appearance, I am not to judge or make assumptions based on what I see...because what I see does not tell the full story of what truly is....a country where electricity is sparse and rolling blackouts are scheduled, internet is on a limited, not unlimited, basis. It is not that this country does not have what we have, but they do not necessarily enjoy it limitlessly like we do, or for the cost we do.
I open my eyes a little wider, I breathe a little deeper, I feel a little better.
L
To the Left, To the Left.....
Everybody sing along!
Yes, that's right, I've been singing the Beyonce song over and over in my head so that I might remember to drive on the LEFT side of the road when I get my car in the next day or two!! So, I'm thinking the more people that I can get to sing along with me, no matter how far away you are, it will become the choir of angels in my head and hopefully behind the wheel and on these crazy roads once I get on them.
Wish me well, and remember......To the Left, To the Left.........
Come on Indiana, I can't hear you!!!!! I need to hear some feedback!!! How about some comments here. Give me a little "To the Left, To the Left"!!!! Just click on Comment!!!!
I sure could use it!
L
Yes, that's right, I've been singing the Beyonce song over and over in my head so that I might remember to drive on the LEFT side of the road when I get my car in the next day or two!! So, I'm thinking the more people that I can get to sing along with me, no matter how far away you are, it will become the choir of angels in my head and hopefully behind the wheel and on these crazy roads once I get on them.
Wish me well, and remember......To the Left, To the Left.........
Come on Indiana, I can't hear you!!!!! I need to hear some feedback!!! How about some comments here. Give me a little "To the Left, To the Left"!!!! Just click on Comment!!!!
I sure could use it!
L
Monday, February 11, 2008
Start Packing Your Bags...
South African Airways is running quite a special, and seems to do so from time to time. I know a couple of you are definitely planning on visiting, but there have been several who have casually mentioned visiting while I'm in Cape Town, and so, this might be the time to check it out. The rates look great! So click HERE to go to a news story for more information about the deal on flights from the US to South Africa, as the flights are running about half the regular rate.
Cheers!
L
Cheers!
L
Friday, February 8, 2008
What the "Cape Dr." Ordered....
Here's a podcast of my latest adventures in Cape Town. Take a listen by clicking HERE!!!
Monday, February 4, 2008
It's a Small World After All...
Well, today was my "first day on campus" for orientation!
Here's what I learned today:
Here's what I learned today:
- I don't know my metric system, and it sure would come in handy about now!
- A lecture hall here is called a Theatre--imagine my surprise when there was no production!
- You don't wait in "line", you wait in the "que"---reminds me of my Disney days
- Iced tea is still served in a can
- Look right, left, then right again before crossing the street, and don't expect the traffic to stop for you
- Marcel's yogurt is awesome!
- That no matter where in the world you take classes, the first week is always crazy, and you're never where your supposed to be when you're supposed to be--that's a universal thing!
- You can make friends anywhere in the world
- No matter where you go, someone always knows someone, who knows someone........it happened just today.......It really is a small world we live in!
Today was a pretty good day of getting out and seeing a bit of campus and meeting some new people. I think I actually saw a couple of students that fell into my age group! So, I didn't feel like the oldest one on campus.
I met a girl named Anna, originally from Ontario, but now living on the Isle of Mann, who had just done some work at an orphanage in Johannesburg. She and I became fast friends and spent the afternoon at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront (V&A Waterfront) where the seals had come to take a bit of a rest.
Also, yesterday, Sunday, I worked my first Rotary event and enjoyed a lovely outdoor event called Opera in a Convent Garden. It was an outdoor concert of opera and popular songs performed in a beautiful outdoor garden of a private school. People brought their picnics and enjoyed the scenery and music. I helped to run the Opera Cafe with other scholars and Rotary members to raise money for Habitat for Humanity.
Below is a short video of a couple of youngsters enjoying the music!
Saturday, February 2, 2008
So, I went "down" to the beach....
Yes, that's right, I already managed to practice my grace and poise on the steep hills of Camps Bay by taking a tumble on the sidewalk on my way "down" to the beach yesterday. I thought about posting a nice picture of my battle scars but I figure for those of you who know me, you've seen enough of those throughout the years, that there's no need to waste the space on something so familiar and unsightly! So, at the bottom of this blog is a slideshow of some of the beautiful scenery from my first week here in Cape Town, or if you click on the link to the right that says La Shona's PicasaWeb, that will take you to another website that will post all of my photos. I apologize for not having names under all of the pictures, but many of them were taken through the car window, or on a very quick drive around, and so what I have done is put the name of the place at the beginning of the many pictures of place, and then when it changes (or I can remember the name of the next place) I list it. As you can see, there are some beautiful spots here.
Last night we had a blackout. There have been "rolling blackouts" that have been scheduled in different areas to conserve electricity, because there just aren't enough power plants to handle the load. But last night this area was hit due to another problem that left us without power from 8:45 PM until about 10:30 AM.
I still am with my host family. Still need to find a place to live and buy a car. I have my cell phone, AA (like AAA minus the "American", except for this little American I guess). Got my bank account set up today--Yeah!!! That is a huge relief, as it took us 3 trips to the bank, and on the 4th try was able to get the account set up. But that doesn't mean my scholarship money is here yet, so I'm not celebrating too much yet. And because I'm "over 25", I don't get the FREE student account, so I have the account that costs $$$$ every month, which hurts abit, because that takes away from my scholarship---plus I didn't get the free movie tickets and all the student discount package. I never thought I would feel age discrimination at 42, but I'm feeling it!
I'm thinking I will probably become a much healthier person by living here. The eating habits of my host family are healthier. Drive thrus--not common, except Kay said at McDonald's--Imagine That! Kay took me downtown to the bank today, and after our errands we sat down for a rest at an outdoor place at St. George's Mall and ordered something from Wimpy's. Kay ordered hot tea, which she drinks often---no matter the temperature outside.
I ordered iced tea and a Tuna Mayonnaise sandwiche. The iced tea is not like home, but rather comes often from a can is usually lemon or peach flavored--with a pretty strong flavor. The Tuna mayonnaise, was just that, like our tuna salad, but with tuna and mayonnaise only. I shared with Kay the ways in we prepared tuna salad---she thought it sounded like an awful lot of work! I laughed about that, and had to agree. But I told her that my mom always told me that it made it go farther by adding the eggs and celery and onion.
Going back to the tea. Andrea, Kay and John's youngest daughter, and I were discussing tea the other day. She was laughing about how she and her family drink hot tea all the time no matter the weather and hot it may be. And I laughed and told her we are the same with iced tea and we will drink it no matter how cold it may get ouside.
I see Brittish influences around in some of the customs, foods, words and certainly in the accents a bit.
Okay, enough rambling on for now. I must get some rest as I have a big day ahead tomorrow. I will be participating in a Rotary event with some other scholars to help raise $ for Habit for Humanity. It is an outdoor concert, somewhere! And I have no idea what I will be doing, but it doesn't matter, it will just be nice to meet some of the others I've been emailing.
But, first John is going to take me to look at cars before we go!
Enjoy the photos and I'll chat again soon!
L
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
I ate ostrich.....
You read that right, I ate bobotie, a mince meat pie, made with ostrich meat! And I had seconds, because it was quite tasty!
And for those of you who know that I don't eat chicken on a bone, know that this is a big step for me.
Tuesday was a beautiful day in Cape Town. The weather is fantastic. John and Kay are wonderful hosts.
John took me to see about a checking account, which we are still working on, and then drove me around the beautiful countryside, stopped by Constantia Winelands, and viewed Hout Bay from the winding cliff top roadside and back to their home at Camp's Bay, where we had our dinner of bobotie, wild rice, salad and white wine. Then off to the beach to grab some ice cream, I chose banana split and pistachio and a walk on the beach at sunset....it was beautiful.....pictures to come soon....my battery is dead on the laptop and I have to buy an adaptor. Right now I'm using John's apple. I'm doing well enough to find the right keys!
Today is Wednesday and John had to be in court and so I'm enjoying the beautiful weather, had lunch here at the house with Kay. I introduced Kay to our method of making "sun tea", so she has some sitting out on the deck right now! She had never heard of it before. I'm thinking South Africa has the perfect climate for sun tea!
I'm down in the basement right now using the computer, obviously, as it is cooler down here, but I honestly do not mind the weather as it feels wonderful to me.
In the evenings this time of year the southeaster comes pouring in, the winds really start to howl. They refer to them as the "Cape Doctor". The winds clear the smog, pollution away, but it sure does whip up some noise---but I kind of like it, as it sounds pretty musical to me.
Well, for now I will go and get back to enjoying the sunshine and will keep in touch as best I can. The next few days may get a little crazy as I must search for a place to live, a car to drive, etc.
Take care,
L
Monday, January 28, 2008
I Made It!
After a year and a few months of anticipating this day, it is finally here! I have made it to Cape Town, South Africa.
I left the Indianapolis airport at 2:24 PM on January 27th and arrived in Cape Town at 8:00 PM on January 28th. Cape Town is 7 hours ahead of Indiana's Eastern time zone.
After a quick stopover at Washington Dulles it was a 14.5 hour flight to Johannesburg and then after a tricky maze through customs, and departures at the Joburg airport, it was onto Cape Town.
I was met by Rotarians Trevor Wilkins and John Powell, who have been a great help to me. John and his wife Kay are my host family while I'm here.
Right there at the Cape Town airport was Desmond Tutu! My first famous South African sighting!
When we walked outside, I noticed the strong winds, which John told me were mild. These winds are referred to as the "Cape Doctor". But the temperature feels comfy....should make for good sleeping tonight.
Tomorrow I will get started on my list of things, including setting up a bank account, looking for a place to stay, and the list goes on.
I just want to say a big "THANK YOU" to everyone who helped me get here. From Rotary, to my friends and family.
I think I will sign off for now and get some rest.
L
I left the Indianapolis airport at 2:24 PM on January 27th and arrived in Cape Town at 8:00 PM on January 28th. Cape Town is 7 hours ahead of Indiana's Eastern time zone.
After a quick stopover at Washington Dulles it was a 14.5 hour flight to Johannesburg and then after a tricky maze through customs, and departures at the Joburg airport, it was onto Cape Town.
I was met by Rotarians Trevor Wilkins and John Powell, who have been a great help to me. John and his wife Kay are my host family while I'm here.
Right there at the Cape Town airport was Desmond Tutu! My first famous South African sighting!
When we walked outside, I noticed the strong winds, which John told me were mild. These winds are referred to as the "Cape Doctor". But the temperature feels comfy....should make for good sleeping tonight.
Tomorrow I will get started on my list of things, including setting up a bank account, looking for a place to stay, and the list goes on.
I just want to say a big "THANK YOU" to everyone who helped me get here. From Rotary, to my friends and family.
I think I will sign off for now and get some rest.
L
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
Saturday, January 12, 2008
The Countdown.....
Well, I am frantically preparing for my departure to Cape Town. Of course, I've been preparing for a long time, but there's so much that you can't do until closer to the time to leave. I just returned from visiting my brother and his family in San Antonio for 4 days, and was supposed to go to visit my parents and brother in Orlando for 3 days, but with so much left to do to get my house emptied out and stored, unfortunately, I had to cancel my trip.
I just finished up work and my leave of absence officially starts Monday. I'm packing up my rental house that is filled with things collected for the past 42 years and putting it in storage. Trying to figure out just what to pack to take for a year abroad, gifts for people I meet and things I can't live without that I might not be able to easily get there.
I've made list after list of things to do, and still I feel that I will forget something, as I'm sure I will. And though I know I can buy just about anything I will need when I get there, I just don't want to forget something I can't--like my driver's license, or something that may cost a lot to purchase there when I could have taken it with me.
Stressful days these are as I make lists, pack up the house, run errands, tie up loose ends, turn off utilities, get prescriptions filled, eyes checked, bags packed to regulation, say my goodbyes to as many friends and family as I can fit in, and the list continues.
These last few weeks have been very overwhelming as I try to juggle training a new person to take over the reigns of a job I've had for 8 years that has become a huge part of my life. And then I would come home to the challenge of deciding what to keep and what to pack up and store for a year. There were a few times the stress of it all just boiled over into a pool of tears and I would have myself a good cry, and then pick up and move on.
But I am excited about my upcoming adventure. I'm also nervous, anxious, apprehensive, sad and scared. And I think that is to be expected right now and that those emotions will change as I get through more of what needs to be done, and get on that plane, and set my feet on the ground in South Africa, and with each day that I move forward in my journey those emotions will change. That is just part of the growing process.
So, on Sunday, January 27th, at 2:24 PM I will be flying out of Indianapolis to head to South Africa. Until then, I will be busy packing!
Stay tuned for more adventures!
I just finished up work and my leave of absence officially starts Monday. I'm packing up my rental house that is filled with things collected for the past 42 years and putting it in storage. Trying to figure out just what to pack to take for a year abroad, gifts for people I meet and things I can't live without that I might not be able to easily get there.
I've made list after list of things to do, and still I feel that I will forget something, as I'm sure I will. And though I know I can buy just about anything I will need when I get there, I just don't want to forget something I can't--like my driver's license, or something that may cost a lot to purchase there when I could have taken it with me.
Stressful days these are as I make lists, pack up the house, run errands, tie up loose ends, turn off utilities, get prescriptions filled, eyes checked, bags packed to regulation, say my goodbyes to as many friends and family as I can fit in, and the list continues.
These last few weeks have been very overwhelming as I try to juggle training a new person to take over the reigns of a job I've had for 8 years that has become a huge part of my life. And then I would come home to the challenge of deciding what to keep and what to pack up and store for a year. There were a few times the stress of it all just boiled over into a pool of tears and I would have myself a good cry, and then pick up and move on.
But I am excited about my upcoming adventure. I'm also nervous, anxious, apprehensive, sad and scared. And I think that is to be expected right now and that those emotions will change as I get through more of what needs to be done, and get on that plane, and set my feet on the ground in South Africa, and with each day that I move forward in my journey those emotions will change. That is just part of the growing process.
So, on Sunday, January 27th, at 2:24 PM I will be flying out of Indianapolis to head to South Africa. Until then, I will be busy packing!
Stay tuned for more adventures!
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