WE ARE TIRED!

So there are a lot of strikes going on now here in South Africa! EVERYONE is striking from bus drivers, to teachers, to hospital workers...and even students.  Today on campus as I was headed to my last class of the week I heard the sounds of screaming and african chanting and I realized it was a strike! I am not sure what the details are but they were holding signs that said:

WE ARE STARVING!!!

WHERE IS THE MONEY!!

                                                        WE NEED HELP!!

                                                       WE ARE TIRED!!

I heard the lady on the video with the mic saying something about not letting the white people do this anymore because they derserve rights!! Wow it was pretty intense!

This is an exert from Port Elizabeth News:

The government that we voted into power today doesnt see the need to give workers what they want, whilst in 3 weeks ago, he was pleadin with citizens not to distrupt the world cup and now citizens are pleading with him for money but he cant supply it. And the sad part is that it's only the workin class society that is on strike and the affected people are also the working class and thier children, I say this becuase teachers on strike are of the public sector and so that means their own children are not studing because they are the one in public schools and then how do we expect them to get 38 points for admission at universities?, seemingly the 2% who are currently at university wont increase but decline. then thats when we call for nationalisation of schools so that also the capitalists can feel the pain, when their children are also not learning when they are suppose to. (HEALTH).... our health sytem is mainly poor in the public sector and now how much more will it be as this strike continues?, If you want to see a difference between a land owner and the working class go to hospitals at normal conditions, at a public hospital if you get there being shoot or sturbed you wont get treatment at night you have to wait till morning when a doctor is available, but in a private hospital you get there and the is sufficient stuff to assist you and you survive and recently the death of newly borns was an issue take note that was in the public sector, the working class is suffering in its home, and now i want to raise a question to the public administator officers, how do they sleep at night when they know that people are dien at hospitals, because nurse's are on strike? and the blacks in majority are failing because they had and unexpected vaccation due to strike? production isn't taking place because of strike? then how do we build a society that will overcome the capitalst society, if our government can't help to improve the life's of our people?, those very same people are loyal to the government because they always vote this government in to power but now they are being neglected by the very same man!!! we call mr president to intervern and we in the process of improving our education so i also call upon the ministers of education to intervern...

Money MONEY money

Rand is the currency in South Africa. They have coins from 5cents to 50cents. And ran coins from 1-5. The interesting thing is they do not have anything smaller than 5c, so when you go into a store they usually just round it out even tho they still price things at like 13.99 ( thirteen ran ninetey nine) is how you would say it. They have notes (or bills) from R10 (ten ran) and up.

The exchange rate is for every 1 U.S dollar you get 7.3 Ran. The rates change daily but only by .1 or .2.

To put this in perspective for you. You can buy a loaf of bread for about R6 which is just under 1dollar.

A carton of milk for R9.99 and a carton of eggs for about R8.99. So in comparison with us prices you can get food at a very low price here. I will put up pictures of the supermarket soon!

America VS. Africa

In class, yet again we discuss America ,the west, or the whites as my professor so eloquently says it. So these are some of the differences she says that Africans and Americans have…please don’t get offended realize the this is usually from people who have never even been to America. However somethings are very true I think. Either way this is interesting to realize.

These are the areas in which we differ mostly: (African perspective)

•  Communication
• Politeness- everybody is expected to greet when passing-by somebody, knowing him or not. If knowing the individual, a hand-on-heart greeting is expected.
• Just saying “yes”, “no” or “hey” is not acceptable in African culture as it is in American. 
•  Child-rearing methods 
•  Africans particularly amaXhosa take it as their responsibility to train their children to be responsible community members, trustworthy future parents and respectable citizens. 
•  Americans rear their children in a independent way not related to society or any social norms. Individualism is important and self gain.
• Religious beliefs
• Western culture is basically practical, naturalistic or scientific. Westerners believe in scientific approach religion so to find a way to stabilize, control and improve their lifestyle.
• In African worldview God is understood as the Creator and Almighty. Spirituality and ancestors is the most supportive phenomenon.
• Marriage
•  Africans ,agreement is between the two sets of parents without the consent of the two youths. The bond of relationship between the two families is strengthened by payment of lobola from the side of the young man.
• Western Culture two young people could get married and their family could never even meet because its about individual happiness not a collective happiness from the family and the community. 
•  Functions 
•  Africans extend unlimited forms of invitation because what is important is the fellowship with others in the community.
• Westerners invite a limited number of friends and relatives because again they are concerned with money and logistical.

Ofcourse there are many many more but these are some of the biggest points!

Happy Feet

Ok, so yesterday me and my friend spotted this penguin coming out of the ocean as we were coming from lunch. So of course, we freak out and run over to it. But then we realize there is something wrong with it…it was covered in oil!! Yes like oil as in BP oil….I mean I’m not saying it was from BP but nevertheless isn’t that horrible? The poor little guy was so far from home and he was all alone covered in this thick layer of oil. So we had to try to find help for the little guy. We couldn’t stay until the rescue came so some other people took over but I really hope the little guy is ok now. I can’t believe I actually witnessed this. It kind of put everything that I hear in the news about pollution and environmental toxins into a realm of reality. I mean I have never been a fan of littering and I always try to be eco-friendly but now that I have seen this little guy suffering because of poor decisions we as human beings have made. It’s so sad. And now I feel I must do more. More to help. Look at em’….

Ubuntu: a person is a person because of his/her relationship with others!

So I’m in my cultural studies class and he brings up this concept of Ubuntu which is a Zulu word that literally translates to “humanity” or “humanness”. It’s a concept that initiates a way of life through values such as respect, helpfulness, community, sharing, caring, trust, unselfishness. The idea of maintaining harmony within your community.


As said by Barbara Nussbaun : Ur pain is my pain


Ur wealth is my wealth


Ur salvation is my salvation


Wow right? I mean honestly when I make decisions or when I have pain or when I am blessed with something…I never think beyond me. In America we have this idea of “ima get mine and you get yours.” We love to say look at me, what I know, what I did, what I have. Why is it that American culture is about self gain and self promotion and not the prosperity of those around them? Because if he prospers he might just get ahead of me right? But so what? What if he does get ahead of you? Congrats to him? I mean because we are all living for a shared destiny according to African concepts. Living that we may be successful or wealthy, or go to heaven, or have kids, or see the world. Inevitably we all are living for eternal happiness, in whatever form that may be for you.


I realized that maybe I should start to recognize others in my life. Recognize how my gain or lack of is directly affecting my counterparts. In the same respect recognize the worth of others in my life and how their life adjustments affect me as well. One must have a proper self assurance to be able to give what is “rightfully theirs” for the enabling of another though. If I have food and I share with you and then you now have more food than I do then I’m pissed lol (I love food). That’s where the self assurance comes in, that you know without a doubt your ability to get more food and your understanding that under this idea of Ubuntu you will never go hungry because your hunger is their hunger and they will one day share with you.


This has even been used in some court cases here in Africa. The people share each others pain, so in one instance a guy kills a woman’s brother but she forgives him because she shares his feeling of guilt and the case is dismissed…..WOW. This is also where the idea of polygamy comes about. Many wives sharing one husband….but that’s a whole different blog.


But then I ponder this. If we start to live under this concept of Ubuntu wouldn’t life be easier. Wouldn’t it be so comforting to know that you are not alone in your loneliness or your strife? What is mine may be meant for you too so from now on I am determined to share my knowledge, my love, my understanding, my pain, my pride, my success, and even my food lol. And you better share yours. Beautiful concept guys please read more about it.

Transportation

Omg the mini buses……..let me just say that I hate them!! Hate them! These are the reasons why? Most of them are raggedy, they only hold about twelve people but they will press about 20 to 25 people in that thing just to earn the extra bucks. Along with being pressed against a complete stranger they drive like they are the only people on the road. I get car sick every single time. *actually recently in the news one guy ( the attendant that takes the money) was sticking his head out of the window trying to attack customers and the driver ran to close to a street sign and left the attendants head on the side of the street. You see what I mean?? And you know what he probably didn’t notice for a while because the music is deftly loud!! But I have to take these buses because…that’s the only way to get around besides walking and sometimes you just can’t walk another step. Check out this video…I took it on a night ride on one of the buses notice all of the bumping around on a smooth paved road. I had to end the video because the attendant got into a fight with another attendant……ha…..

Diamond in the Rough!

Shopping here is beautiful of course I love to go to the free market on Sunday and just look at all the handmade work from the people. Very talented people. Beautiful artwork that really blows my mind…because they didn’t have four years of art training you know? There art comes directly from the heart, from their environment, and that’s what makes it remarkable. These artisans are so talented….i mean museum talented. And they don’t use machines or computer graphics. This is blood sweat and tears put into this. And talent like this sits on the side of the streets hoping to get a buyer. In America anyone with money can be famous regardless of his talents you know (I’ve seen a lot of artwork that has proven this point)? But they have some seriously talented people that can’t get a break. Painting, sculpturing, beadwork, sewing…they can do it all. That makes me want to work even harder, because I do have the opportunity to make something of my life and I don’t want to waste a chance, a chance that could have been given to one of them. I have to take advantage of ever y opportunity God places before me! Not letting anything go untried, unadventured, unexperienced, unsaid, undone. Doing all that I am capable of in Gods name. Because I’m not a diamond in the rough, but I’m a gem in a pretty decent life and I am going to live it up. What’s worse being a diamond in the rough trying to make it? Being so good at something and not having the resources to make it. Or being a diamond or even a pretty descent gem in America and sitting on it…..you get the picture.

Perspective

The Indian ocean on this side is magnificent, I walk there at least three times a week. It’s a very short walk from my neighborhood. As you see in this picture you can barely see me. I’m so small compared to that massive body of water. I’ve attempted to walk out as far as I could stand ( the water is freezing because Antarctica is south of us). When you walk in you feel this powerless feeling, you feel that the waves could knock you down at any moment and although there are people on the beach they would probably not even notice because I was just a little speck in the distance. You know until you have seen yourself in comparison to the grandness of an ocean you don’t realize how much bigger life is than just you and your little situations. You know? You start to have a deeper prospective that the world has so much more to offer than just to you and that you only play a very very minute role in this world. It’s a scary but a humbling experience. Humbleness is a word that I would like to ponder on for a while because I feel that that is what I have gained during this journey thus far. Coming to a new place feeling like a fish out of water will give you that feeling, whether you want to or not. It’s like learning to walk again. But nevertheless this chance to start a new me is brilliant. And I would like to thank the Indian Ocean for giving that perspective.

My Digs

So this is my “digs”. I am actually pretty happy with my room because it’s a decent size for all my stuff. But a few weeks in I shared this room with someone….ugh! That wasn’t good but thankfully I got a single room somehow and now it’s a lot easier to cope. I have a pretty descent closet and a table so again my room is ok. However, it’s the kitchen and the restroom that really get to me. The kitchen is very small. I could touch everything in it standing in the middle of it. And of course there are no up to date kitchen supplies so it’s hard to make a real meal. And the restroom is infested with some type of mold and stuff. So ANTIBACTERIAL soap is what I use everyday and shower shoes…room shoes…kitchen shoes..you get me.