Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Eastern Cape - People
Most South Africans live in houses, or shacks as they are called here, made of tin boards like these. Housing is a big problem here, with a majority of South Africans living in bad conditions.
Shop owner Ladies at QueenstownThe people of Queenstown are said to be very businessminded. When I asked if I could take their photos, these ladies thought I was going to sell their pictures and wanted to charge me for it!
Xhosa WomanThis lady is donned in traditional Xhosa clothing. She also wears Xhosa make up, very much like Thanatkar that Burmese people wear. Unlike Thanakar which is made from sandalwood bark, this make up is a type of soil.
From the Coffeeshop WindowI could see Lindeka with her kid.
OrangesThey are rather cheap in Cape Town. This is a photo of Phuywe and a lady packing oranges. One is sold for 0.50 rands (about 5 cents) and you can get a packet of 2kg for US 50 cents.
GuestsIn South Africa, Tea is served like Laphat, to guests. This is a photo of Lindeka being served by her niece at her cousin's place. It is also customary to bring meat as an offering when they visit other peoples' homes.
Xhosa Woman at the initiation ceremony
Monday, July 27, 2009
Journey to Eastern Cape
This weekend, I followed a local photographer, Lindeka Gloria Qampi to a village, Bolothwa in Eastern Cape. The whole trip, from the start to the end is filled with adventures...
On the day we were to leave, I was still doubtful that I would be going on this trip. Lindeka did not return my call and it was 3pm on Thursday afternoon. I tried ringing her but all I heard was her voicemail. Then at 5pm, she called. "Come to Camera Land on Long Street and we leave at 7 tonight." I said ok, and asked how much I should bring and if I should bring my bag. She didn't give me an answer. It worried me, that I wasn't told about the journey 2 hours before we left. But I dismissed it as photographers being -chill-. And I wondered if this spontaneous planning is just part of a photographers' profession.
When we got to the bus station, she wasn't able to buy her ticket. Lindeka is part of the organization called Ilsolo Labantu Group, an organization that allows members of community in Townships (usually lower income groups) to practice and sell photography. And Lindeka's organization had not deposited money for her for this trip, and hence, she wasn't able to buy a ticket there. So we made an agreement that I would pay for her ticket there and that she would fund my return journey.
And so, we took a 12 hour bus ride, from Cape Town to Queenstown. On the bus, everyone was Xhosa. I stood out among these people and I wasn't able to understand. But with Lindeka and Phuywe (another member of Ilsolo Labantu) around, I felt safe. We got to Queenstown the next day at 8am and had time to stretch our legs before we boarded a mini-taxi to take us to Bholothwa, a village 30 minutes away from the town.
I enjoyed this half hour journey. It was dusk and the mountains casted shadows on the vast, plain grasslands. The sky was unbelieably blue. And at night, it was just dotted with stars. It was one of the most amazing night skies I have ever seen. I swear I could see the milky way then.
That night, under the starry sky, I enjoyed meat cooked in open fire, and African beer (which is made of maize and yeast), as well as the natives, who tried hard to teach me Xhosa. We were all sitting around a fire because it was cold and there wasn't heating or electricity. That night, I shared a bed with 4 other people; Lindeka, her baby, Phuywe, and Zizipho (a kid at the house we were staying in). Crammped as it was, I was thankful because that number of people sleeping there kept us warm. It was a true rural experience.
The next day, we saw an initiation ceremony and headed back to Queenstown.
I was getting worried of getting back to Cape Town by Monday monring as planned because Lindeka still had not received money for our return tickets. And so we spent a night at her cousin's place, waiting to check for the money the next day.
In the morning, I was greeted by the sight of Lindeka getting dressed. I thought she was going into town to check for her money but she said, "I am going back to the village because I forgot something. I will be back in the afternoon." With that, she left me and Phuywe at her cousin's place. Phuywe had told me how Lindeka tends to be unorganized and her sense of time. And I was getting worried that I would have to spend another day there, especially at a house where I didn't know the people well.
And so, I insisted to Phuywe that we left Queenstown by ourselves. She agreed. But in total we had 500 Rands of cash. I needed 400 to get to Cape Town, she needed the 100 Rands to get to her home. We were short of 12 Rands for the taxi ride to the bus station. In all my travel expereinces, I have never faced this situation where I was this tight on money.
But I decided to take a risk, and just get a taxi to town, hoping to find a bus service that sold cheaper tickets to Cape Town. And as luck would have it, Phuywe and I met 2 locals who were also headed to the bus station. He took us to the station which sold tickets for 350 rands. I bought those, and gave 100 to Phuywe for her trip. Saving money for the Taxi Ride when I get back to Cape Town, I had 18 Rands (USD 2.3) for my 12 hour journey. But I was just relieved to know that I would be getting back soon.
Phuywe waited with me until the bus came at 4pm, before she left for her village. The wait was 3 hours and I enjoyed those times. We just goofed around town, going into shops, and browsing. And speaking to this lady at a KFC shop who, with 10 chicken wings and a packet of fries, sat with us. I think the fact that Phuywe and I were so familar with each other just after 2 days surprised her. And it seemed to me, she was rather suspicious of us.
At other times, people asked in Xhosa to Phuywe, if I was her boyfriend! When she explained that I was a girl, one person said, "That's too bad. You would have been lucky if she was a guy and your boyfriend." The next time we were asked the same question, I asked her to say yes, to see how the people would react and they smiled at her. I had short hair and I was wearing track pants with a T-Shirt and a big bag pack on my back. So I am not surprised that I was mistaken for a guy. In fact, I think it worked to my advantage.
The bus came at 4 and I was relieved that I was finally settled in my seat, thinking aobut being home 12 hours later. But that wasn't the end of the story. The bus didn't leave until 5pm. And I was asked to move to another bus. And when I boared a second bus, a lady came to sit beside me and asked, "Hi HOw are you?" I replied the usual I am fine, but then she asked if I knew Lindeka. It turned out that this lady was also a member of the organization Ilsolo Labantu, and Lindeka has phoned her earlier. Lindeka was worried that Phuywe and I left, and I explained our situation and told her that we couldn't contact Lindeka.
As luck would have it, I got to know this lady, Lulekwa on my 12 hour return journey and heard about her interesting life story . Like me, she has been blessed by a series of good luck. If you are keen, you can read her biography at this website.
To end off the exciting turn of events, I saw two car accidents along the highway back to Cape Town. Both were bad. The cars had been smashed and turned upside down. It was as if I was reminded of how lucky I am to be alive and be back safely in Cape Town.
Bholothwa: A village 30 minutes away from Queenstown in Eastern Cape.
The photographers: Me, Phuywe, and Lindeka
This is the bed which I spent a night. I shared it with 4 other people, as you can see in the photo (Lindeka, her baby, Zizipho, and Phuywe). It was crowded but at least it was warm.
Hitch Hiking is not uncommon in South Africa. You just have to hold up a cardboard with some code letters. And offer the driver some cash, usually 75% of what a normal ride would cost.
On the day we were to leave, I was still doubtful that I would be going on this trip. Lindeka did not return my call and it was 3pm on Thursday afternoon. I tried ringing her but all I heard was her voicemail. Then at 5pm, she called. "Come to Camera Land on Long Street and we leave at 7 tonight." I said ok, and asked how much I should bring and if I should bring my bag. She didn't give me an answer. It worried me, that I wasn't told about the journey 2 hours before we left. But I dismissed it as photographers being -chill-. And I wondered if this spontaneous planning is just part of a photographers' profession.
When we got to the bus station, she wasn't able to buy her ticket. Lindeka is part of the organization called Ilsolo Labantu Group, an organization that allows members of community in Townships (usually lower income groups) to practice and sell photography. And Lindeka's organization had not deposited money for her for this trip, and hence, she wasn't able to buy a ticket there. So we made an agreement that I would pay for her ticket there and that she would fund my return journey.
And so, we took a 12 hour bus ride, from Cape Town to Queenstown. On the bus, everyone was Xhosa. I stood out among these people and I wasn't able to understand. But with Lindeka and Phuywe (another member of Ilsolo Labantu) around, I felt safe. We got to Queenstown the next day at 8am and had time to stretch our legs before we boarded a mini-taxi to take us to Bholothwa, a village 30 minutes away from the town.
I enjoyed this half hour journey. It was dusk and the mountains casted shadows on the vast, plain grasslands. The sky was unbelieably blue. And at night, it was just dotted with stars. It was one of the most amazing night skies I have ever seen. I swear I could see the milky way then.
That night, under the starry sky, I enjoyed meat cooked in open fire, and African beer (which is made of maize and yeast), as well as the natives, who tried hard to teach me Xhosa. We were all sitting around a fire because it was cold and there wasn't heating or electricity. That night, I shared a bed with 4 other people; Lindeka, her baby, Phuywe, and Zizipho (a kid at the house we were staying in). Crammped as it was, I was thankful because that number of people sleeping there kept us warm. It was a true rural experience.
The next day, we saw an initiation ceremony and headed back to Queenstown.
I was getting worried of getting back to Cape Town by Monday monring as planned because Lindeka still had not received money for our return tickets. And so we spent a night at her cousin's place, waiting to check for the money the next day.
In the morning, I was greeted by the sight of Lindeka getting dressed. I thought she was going into town to check for her money but she said, "I am going back to the village because I forgot something. I will be back in the afternoon." With that, she left me and Phuywe at her cousin's place. Phuywe had told me how Lindeka tends to be unorganized and her sense of time. And I was getting worried that I would have to spend another day there, especially at a house where I didn't know the people well.
And so, I insisted to Phuywe that we left Queenstown by ourselves. She agreed. But in total we had 500 Rands of cash. I needed 400 to get to Cape Town, she needed the 100 Rands to get to her home. We were short of 12 Rands for the taxi ride to the bus station. In all my travel expereinces, I have never faced this situation where I was this tight on money.
But I decided to take a risk, and just get a taxi to town, hoping to find a bus service that sold cheaper tickets to Cape Town. And as luck would have it, Phuywe and I met 2 locals who were also headed to the bus station. He took us to the station which sold tickets for 350 rands. I bought those, and gave 100 to Phuywe for her trip. Saving money for the Taxi Ride when I get back to Cape Town, I had 18 Rands (USD 2.3) for my 12 hour journey. But I was just relieved to know that I would be getting back soon.
Phuywe waited with me until the bus came at 4pm, before she left for her village. The wait was 3 hours and I enjoyed those times. We just goofed around town, going into shops, and browsing. And speaking to this lady at a KFC shop who, with 10 chicken wings and a packet of fries, sat with us. I think the fact that Phuywe and I were so familar with each other just after 2 days surprised her. And it seemed to me, she was rather suspicious of us.
At other times, people asked in Xhosa to Phuywe, if I was her boyfriend! When she explained that I was a girl, one person said, "That's too bad. You would have been lucky if she was a guy and your boyfriend." The next time we were asked the same question, I asked her to say yes, to see how the people would react and they smiled at her. I had short hair and I was wearing track pants with a T-Shirt and a big bag pack on my back. So I am not surprised that I was mistaken for a guy. In fact, I think it worked to my advantage.
The bus came at 4 and I was relieved that I was finally settled in my seat, thinking aobut being home 12 hours later. But that wasn't the end of the story. The bus didn't leave until 5pm. And I was asked to move to another bus. And when I boared a second bus, a lady came to sit beside me and asked, "Hi HOw are you?" I replied the usual I am fine, but then she asked if I knew Lindeka. It turned out that this lady was also a member of the organization Ilsolo Labantu, and Lindeka has phoned her earlier. Lindeka was worried that Phuywe and I left, and I explained our situation and told her that we couldn't contact Lindeka.
As luck would have it, I got to know this lady, Lulekwa on my 12 hour return journey and heard about her interesting life story . Like me, she has been blessed by a series of good luck. If you are keen, you can read her biography at this website.
To end off the exciting turn of events, I saw two car accidents along the highway back to Cape Town. Both were bad. The cars had been smashed and turned upside down. It was as if I was reminded of how lucky I am to be alive and be back safely in Cape Town.
Bholothwa: A village 30 minutes away from Queenstown in Eastern Cape.
The photographers: Me, Phuywe, and Lindeka
This is the bed which I spent a night. I shared it with 4 other people, as you can see in the photo (Lindeka, her baby, Zizipho, and Phuywe). It was crowded but at least it was warm.
Hitch Hiking is not uncommon in South Africa. You just have to hold up a cardboard with some code letters. And offer the driver some cash, usually 75% of what a normal ride would cost.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Initiation Ceremony
Initiation of Boys is done in African communities to mark transition from childhood to menhood.
The process is done in a forest, away from the village and no girls/women are allowed to watch it. But the day following the initiation, the whole village would gather to celebrate. Here's what I saw:
A Job For Men
The men gathered early in the morning to butcher lambs. There must have been at least 3/4 whole lambs...
The women then marinate the lamb with spices and cook them over the fire for hours.
Meanwhile, the men gather round to drink. The liquid in the barrel and buckets in the foreground is African Beer, made out of maize fermented with yeast. There must have been at least 5 barrels of them.
The women were also drinking, but in a different corner. (It is interesting how the women has the privilege, like men to drink, but there is still a gender hierarchy).
The two boys who were initiated (in the blankets) then come to meet those who are celebrating for them. They first had to listen to the older men, who took turns, preaching (imparting words of wisdom) to them about menhood.
The boys then they list ned to another round of speeches that the women took turns. But this time, they also received gifts .
This is a photo of women waiting for their turns to speak to the boys.
Following that, they started eating the slow-cooked lamb.
The men were served first, followed by the older women, and then children. Young women ate last.
Men drinking african beer.
This photo is not part of initation ceremony.
In rural South Africa, the people brushed their teeth with coal.
The process is done in a forest, away from the village and no girls/women are allowed to watch it. But the day following the initiation, the whole village would gather to celebrate. Here's what I saw:
A Job For MenThe men gathered early in the morning to butcher lambs. There must have been at least 3/4 whole lambs...
The women then marinate the lamb with spices and cook them over the fire for hours.
Meanwhile, the men gather round to drink. The liquid in the barrel and buckets in the foreground is African Beer, made out of maize fermented with yeast. There must have been at least 5 barrels of them.The women were also drinking, but in a different corner. (It is interesting how the women has the privilege, like men to drink, but there is still a gender hierarchy).
The two boys who were initiated (in the blankets) then come to meet those who are celebrating for them. They first had to listen to the older men, who took turns, preaching (imparting words of wisdom) to them about menhood.
The boys then they list ned to another round of speeches that the women took turns. But this time, they also received gifts .
This is a photo of women waiting for their turns to speak to the boys.
Following that, they started eating the slow-cooked lamb.The men were served first, followed by the older women, and then children. Young women ate last.
Men drinking african beer.
This photo is not part of initation ceremony.In rural South Africa, the people brushed their teeth with coal.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Way too lucky
Earlier this evening, I was at the rooftop of my apartment and saw the stars and city lights that made the city scape of Cape Town bring. I won't be surprised if they happen to be my lucky stars, because I cannot stop counting the number of incidences I have been blessed in this city.
First there was the meeting of the Burmese friends at Cape Town that I wrote about in my earlier entry. And then, I got a chance to volunteer at the IAS conference and learn about the workings of such a large scale international conference and learn from it.
And then, there are many friends that I made through this and these I the friendships that I know I will be able to keep. And I found out that one of my local friends, Barry, does rockclimbing and I am hoping to go outdoor climbing sometime. (How sweet would it be to climb the rocks outside, in the city that was voted the msot beautiful in the world(2008) ?)
Just yesterday, I was going home from the conference and I asked the security guard who was guarding the street junction near the Convention Center (where the conference takes place) if there were many like him on the roads, so I could guage if it was safe enough to walk home. To my surprise, he stopped a police patrol over and the person who was driving (I found out that his name was Cid and that he loves traveling) sent me right back to my door step. I have some friend who have been here for about more than half a year and such has not happend before.
But the most exciting news of all was today. I was supposed to be doing regiration duty for the conference and since the event has kicked off, most of the delegates have registered and so the area was quiet. I asked to be transfered to another duty so that I could see more of the conference, and I got to learn about this campaign, where a photographer from New York takes pictures of people to raise awareness of HIV stigmatizaton. I was ushering the conference delegates around this photo booth and in between sessions, I struck a conversation with one of the local photographers. The conversation started with the standard lines of how beautiful cape town is and blah blah, but then I complained how frustrating it was that I couldn't take pictures of the beauties this city has to offer.
He then introduced me to a lady named, Lindeka.
Lindeka is a community photographer. She takes pictures of South Africans, in a way that best potray their social conditions and lifestyles. I was eager to know more about her, and to see Cape Town beyond the city centre lined with tall buildings. I explained to her, how my trip has been funded by my school and that I was hoping to do a photo exhibition. Then, I bombarded her with questions on her profession. She entertained my enthusiasm with a few short answers and left. I was hoping to ask if I would be able to shadow her on some of her shoots, but then, it seemed like that wasn't going to happen.
A few minutes later, she returned. She told me that she was going to eastern cape (apparently more beautiful than the western cape, which Cape Town is in), and that I could come with her!
You wouldn't think I am exaggerating, when I said I am way too lucky, would you?
The photographer of the campaign
Some of the participants of the campaign. My picture will be among these photos tomorrow.
First there was the meeting of the Burmese friends at Cape Town that I wrote about in my earlier entry. And then, I got a chance to volunteer at the IAS conference and learn about the workings of such a large scale international conference and learn from it.
And then, there are many friends that I made through this and these I the friendships that I know I will be able to keep. And I found out that one of my local friends, Barry, does rockclimbing and I am hoping to go outdoor climbing sometime. (How sweet would it be to climb the rocks outside, in the city that was voted the msot beautiful in the world(2008) ?)
Just yesterday, I was going home from the conference and I asked the security guard who was guarding the street junction near the Convention Center (where the conference takes place) if there were many like him on the roads, so I could guage if it was safe enough to walk home. To my surprise, he stopped a police patrol over and the person who was driving (I found out that his name was Cid and that he loves traveling) sent me right back to my door step. I have some friend who have been here for about more than half a year and such has not happend before.
But the most exciting news of all was today. I was supposed to be doing regiration duty for the conference and since the event has kicked off, most of the delegates have registered and so the area was quiet. I asked to be transfered to another duty so that I could see more of the conference, and I got to learn about this campaign, where a photographer from New York takes pictures of people to raise awareness of HIV stigmatizaton. I was ushering the conference delegates around this photo booth and in between sessions, I struck a conversation with one of the local photographers. The conversation started with the standard lines of how beautiful cape town is and blah blah, but then I complained how frustrating it was that I couldn't take pictures of the beauties this city has to offer.
He then introduced me to a lady named, Lindeka.
Lindeka is a community photographer. She takes pictures of South Africans, in a way that best potray their social conditions and lifestyles. I was eager to know more about her, and to see Cape Town beyond the city centre lined with tall buildings. I explained to her, how my trip has been funded by my school and that I was hoping to do a photo exhibition. Then, I bombarded her with questions on her profession. She entertained my enthusiasm with a few short answers and left. I was hoping to ask if I would be able to shadow her on some of her shoots, but then, it seemed like that wasn't going to happen.
A few minutes later, she returned. She told me that she was going to eastern cape (apparently more beautiful than the western cape, which Cape Town is in), and that I could come with her!
You wouldn't think I am exaggerating, when I said I am way too lucky, would you?
The photographer of the campaign
Some of the participants of the campaign. My picture will be among these photos tomorrow.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Languages of South Africa
ွSouth Africa is probably the country with the most number of national languages. There are 11 mother tongues in total, with English as the administrative language, bringing the number of national languages up to 12 in total.
I learnt a couple of words here and there...
molo= hello in Xhosa, the language with the "clicks" and "clocks", mostly used by the Black South Africans
unjani= How are you?
Hue-ya-mor-ra= good morning, in Afrikaans, a tongue spoken by mostly white South Africans.
But the words I learnt hard are the South African terms regarding meeting times. A friend of mine who was picking me up from my apartment to go for dinner texted me: "we are here just now." I was confused, and I called her to ask, "Do you mean you were here and you have left?"
She replied that she was just turning into Plein Street. (Plein Street turns into Roeland Street, where I live now).
Later, I found out the different translation for these English terms in South Africa:
Just now= In a while
Now= probably on the way
Now now= in about 5-30 minutes
On my way= I just woke up
I think I have solved just one of the many cultural diversities between South Africa and the places I have been; I am keeping open eyes and ears for more!
I learnt a couple of words here and there...
molo= hello in Xhosa, the language with the "clicks" and "clocks", mostly used by the Black South Africans
unjani= How are you?
Hue-ya-mor-ra= good morning, in Afrikaans, a tongue spoken by mostly white South Africans.
But the words I learnt hard are the South African terms regarding meeting times. A friend of mine who was picking me up from my apartment to go for dinner texted me: "we are here just now." I was confused, and I called her to ask, "Do you mean you were here and you have left?"
She replied that she was just turning into Plein Street. (Plein Street turns into Roeland Street, where I live now).
Later, I found out the different translation for these English terms in South Africa:
Just now= In a while
Now= probably on the way
Now now= in about 5-30 minutes
On my way= I just woke up
I think I have solved just one of the many cultural diversities between South Africa and the places I have been; I am keeping open eyes and ears for more!
Two Worlds
In the people of South Africans fit into three different categories of races, mainly "Whites," "Blacks," Coloured," (comprising mostly of Indians and Malays). When I first read about this, when I did my research on AIDS back in Carleton, I had thought that the terms are very racially charged. But after being here for 3 weeks, it seems like it is just a way of classification, just like there are Chinese, Malays and Indians in Singapore. A comedian at the Funny Festival I went to mentioned that the term "mixed blood" is even more offensive than the terms "blacks" or "coloured" here.
But the onset of apartheid law which started in the 1948 have polarised these racial distinctions within S.A. to socio-economic status of these groups of people. (If you want to know more, the autobiography of Nelson Mendela seems to be a good read.)
I talked to a few locals here and it seems like it has been changing, with the Constituion that requires that all these groups are employed in a certain proportaion (including disabled people) in any business or company. This is only on paper, and as with any policy changes, it would take time, and much effort to ensure that what is written on paper is practiced.
Even then, social mobility for the lower income groups seem to be difficult. I have also witnessed that certain places are patronized by only the whites, while some schools are predominantly black. One incident when I realised this is when my colleague, Angie and I boared the third class train cabin (yes, the subway/trains here are categorised into first class, second class and third class) and met with stares of people, mostly blacks.
Another incident was when I had lunch at a restaurant by the beach on 4th July. This is what I saw:
Two Worlds:
The girl was playing in the playground while the "black" boys watch over the fence. I have to admit I editted the photo to be a little more dramatic, and this racial and socio-economic distinction is not always present in South Africa. There are many "blacks" who live in my apartment, which is a very high-end accomodation in Cape Town by the local standards.
I am not sure if I am viewing this wealth divisions along the lines of pre-determined racial groups, but I can't help but notice.
But the onset of apartheid law which started in the 1948 have polarised these racial distinctions within S.A. to socio-economic status of these groups of people. (If you want to know more, the autobiography of Nelson Mendela seems to be a good read.)
I talked to a few locals here and it seems like it has been changing, with the Constituion that requires that all these groups are employed in a certain proportaion (including disabled people) in any business or company. This is only on paper, and as with any policy changes, it would take time, and much effort to ensure that what is written on paper is practiced.
Even then, social mobility for the lower income groups seem to be difficult. I have also witnessed that certain places are patronized by only the whites, while some schools are predominantly black. One incident when I realised this is when my colleague, Angie and I boared the third class train cabin (yes, the subway/trains here are categorised into first class, second class and third class) and met with stares of people, mostly blacks.
Another incident was when I had lunch at a restaurant by the beach on 4th July. This is what I saw:
Two Worlds:
The girl was playing in the playground while the "black" boys watch over the fence. I have to admit I editted the photo to be a little more dramatic, and this racial and socio-economic distinction is not always present in South Africa. There are many "blacks" who live in my apartment, which is a very high-end accomodation in Cape Town by the local standards.
I am not sure if I am viewing this wealth divisions along the lines of pre-determined racial groups, but I can't help but notice.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
2000+ and counting
2000 over bags. That is the number of goodie bags that the IAS volunteers packed today. A group of us (probably around 30 people of all age range and vocations) were at the Cape Town International Convention Centre today, helping the International AIDS Society get ready for its 5 day event.
I had volunteered for this conference because I didn't have the finanacial resources to register for the sessions; so a friend and a mentor of mine, at Carleton, suggested that volunteering might be a cheap way in. And so, I did my first shift, from 1pm to 8pm, packing bags for the attendees.
The job was simple. All the things that needed to go into the bags lined up on the long tables, while we collect them and place them into the IAS gunny bags. (I brought back the fibres from the bags stuck to my jacket as souvenirs home. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a hold of any of the bags that I packed.) Despite the monotony of the task, I enjoyed most of the time spent there.
I guess that in most of the things we do, the company we have make a huge difference. In retrospect, I should be thankful that the job was rather monotonous, because it allowed us to chat with other volunteers, and not disrupt the tasks we had to perform. I met many amazing people who share similar interest.
There was Bridget, a South African, studying at the University of Cape Town and one who is doing a master thesis research on HIV, migration and gender. (This is the title of my reserach paper I did for my Sociology Migration class).
Beryl, a community worker (I am not quite sure what that means) at the AFS, an organization that arranges exchange students from the US to and from S.A., was the first person I met. She is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. She literally knew everyone by their faces and name by the end of the first 2 hours! (Later I was surprised that she rides a moto bike. That changed my impression of bike riders as movies portray them to be).
I also met two bubbly korean girls, who were in Cape Town for 5 months, studying english. I am still puzzled by how/why they ended up in South Africa, but I guess they, like me, wanted to to travel. I will be sure to ask them about it tomorrow.
Guy Feng, Fidela, Richard and William are all university students from South Africa, Cameroon and Gabon, doing degrees in social sciences. This was the group I got along well with most, because they, like me are wack-heads. We just joked, laughed, and made fun of each other, as we performed our chores.
The person I worked most with today though, was Godfery, a 35 year old queer person, who was a social anthropologist but is now working as a project co-ordinator for an NGO that organizes activities with children with AIDS. It was funny, how we got to talking about the meaning of life, love and selflessness, in just a few hours of meeting each other.
And there were many other volunteers that I met, whose works inspire me to do the same. Knowing that I would see them tomorrow makes the task of packing 1600 more bags less daunting!
I had volunteered for this conference because I didn't have the finanacial resources to register for the sessions; so a friend and a mentor of mine, at Carleton, suggested that volunteering might be a cheap way in. And so, I did my first shift, from 1pm to 8pm, packing bags for the attendees.
The job was simple. All the things that needed to go into the bags lined up on the long tables, while we collect them and place them into the IAS gunny bags. (I brought back the fibres from the bags stuck to my jacket as souvenirs home. Unfortunately, I couldn't get a hold of any of the bags that I packed.) Despite the monotony of the task, I enjoyed most of the time spent there.
I guess that in most of the things we do, the company we have make a huge difference. In retrospect, I should be thankful that the job was rather monotonous, because it allowed us to chat with other volunteers, and not disrupt the tasks we had to perform. I met many amazing people who share similar interest.
There was Bridget, a South African, studying at the University of Cape Town and one who is doing a master thesis research on HIV, migration and gender. (This is the title of my reserach paper I did for my Sociology Migration class).
Beryl, a community worker (I am not quite sure what that means) at the AFS, an organization that arranges exchange students from the US to and from S.A., was the first person I met. She is one of the sweetest people I have ever met. She literally knew everyone by their faces and name by the end of the first 2 hours! (Later I was surprised that she rides a moto bike. That changed my impression of bike riders as movies portray them to be).
I also met two bubbly korean girls, who were in Cape Town for 5 months, studying english. I am still puzzled by how/why they ended up in South Africa, but I guess they, like me, wanted to to travel. I will be sure to ask them about it tomorrow.
Guy Feng, Fidela, Richard and William are all university students from South Africa, Cameroon and Gabon, doing degrees in social sciences. This was the group I got along well with most, because they, like me are wack-heads. We just joked, laughed, and made fun of each other, as we performed our chores.
The person I worked most with today though, was Godfery, a 35 year old queer person, who was a social anthropologist but is now working as a project co-ordinator for an NGO that organizes activities with children with AIDS. It was funny, how we got to talking about the meaning of life, love and selflessness, in just a few hours of meeting each other.
And there were many other volunteers that I met, whose works inspire me to do the same. Knowing that I would see them tomorrow makes the task of packing 1600 more bags less daunting!
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Myanmar..?.Is this a country?
The immigration officer at the Airport Immigration didn't believe that there was a country named "The Union of Myanmar."
I could understand his doubt. The information on my passport was handwritten, and the letters in the expiry date column said: 15 Jan 2007. So I told him to turn to page 9 (the page with new expiration date) and asked him, "Has no one from Myanmar been in South Africa?" His reply was a curt, "No."
When I tell the locals and other interns I am from Myanmar/BUrma, I have to add on two more sentences to say that 1. It is the country where Aung San Suu Kyi is put under house arrest, and 2. It neighbours China, India and Thailand.
That is why I got excited when my supervisor at Help2Read, Mandy, told me about Ma Khin Khin who has been here for more than 19 years. I just met up with her, and Ma Nhin, another BUrmese who is raised in Cape Town.
We went to the Funny Festival at Baxtr Theatre, a venue at the University of Cape Town. It was a great 2 hours that left my mouth cramped from laughing too hard. There were comedians from both local and international scenes. The show was a mix of light and witty humor, and I didn't get all the jokes and references, when they were making cultural jokes, but there was one comedian that poked fun of cultural differences of South Africa and the rest of the world... It was interesting how they were able to joke about racial issues (which I formerly thought were sensitive in this country). Whether people agree with what was being said is another matter, of course. Nonetheless, it was nice to see South African humor, a little more of the local scene here.
And speaking of local, when we went out for dinner after, I had a rather adventurous dining expereince. We went to a grill bar and they served "Chocolate Chilli Chicken on the grill," served with mashed potatoes. Proteins, carbs and desserts all on one plate!
I could understand his doubt. The information on my passport was handwritten, and the letters in the expiry date column said: 15 Jan 2007. So I told him to turn to page 9 (the page with new expiration date) and asked him, "Has no one from Myanmar been in South Africa?" His reply was a curt, "No."
When I tell the locals and other interns I am from Myanmar/BUrma, I have to add on two more sentences to say that 1. It is the country where Aung San Suu Kyi is put under house arrest, and 2. It neighbours China, India and Thailand.
That is why I got excited when my supervisor at Help2Read, Mandy, told me about Ma Khin Khin who has been here for more than 19 years. I just met up with her, and Ma Nhin, another BUrmese who is raised in Cape Town.
We went to the Funny Festival at Baxtr Theatre, a venue at the University of Cape Town. It was a great 2 hours that left my mouth cramped from laughing too hard. There were comedians from both local and international scenes. The show was a mix of light and witty humor, and I didn't get all the jokes and references, when they were making cultural jokes, but there was one comedian that poked fun of cultural differences of South Africa and the rest of the world... It was interesting how they were able to joke about racial issues (which I formerly thought were sensitive in this country). Whether people agree with what was being said is another matter, of course. Nonetheless, it was nice to see South African humor, a little more of the local scene here.
And speaking of local, when we went out for dinner after, I had a rather adventurous dining expereince. We went to a grill bar and they served "Chocolate Chilli Chicken on the grill," served with mashed potatoes. Proteins, carbs and desserts all on one plate!
Friday, July 10, 2009
Lunchbox Bullies
Encounters, South African Film Festival happens this month and today, a group of friends and I went to watch the documentary, "LunchBox Bullies."
This elegantly narrated film about the "naughty" children in school attributes poverty and lack of parental education as reason's for the children's decision to carry out theft and deviance in school.
They steal lunch boxes from other children because they are hungry.
They beat up others because they were beaten at home.
They tell lies because their mothers do the same to them.
One of the most memorable lines in the film for me was when an aunt (care taker) of this naught boy said, "He is lying when he said I used a knife to beat him. I just beat him using a wooden spoon until it broke. I am keeping it to show his children how I used to discipline him when he was younger... I am keeping it safely."
Another has separated parents and lives with his mom, who uses the money to drink all the time, leaving him hungry and astray. At the same time, his parents are also victims of this cascading social problem of poverty and lack of education.
We had a good Question and Answer session with the producers who said that one of the ways to lead this children back on track is to give them motivation and respect; the love and the care that they need.
This fits in with the objectives of Help2Read, and this film motivates me to do the volunteering with Help2Read as well. It was a very impactfull film for me, and I would encourage you to watch it, if you have a chance. Here's the excerpt of the film:
LUNCHBOX BULLIES
South Africa
Despite comprehensive guidelines (Section 28 of the Bill of Rights), children in South Africa face more challenges to their health and well-being today than ever before. Through frank and often heartbreaking interviews with children, Lunchbox Bullies
highlights the difficulties that often lead to children bullying each other. A selection of bullies’ lives are chosen and examined, going beneath the surface of abuse, malnourishment and tragedy to starkly show the roots of violence in our society.
Yet despite the socialist leaning, the film commendably tackles the breadth of reasons
behind why a child may go bad, asking startling questions about inherent psychology
as well as society’s role.
-------------------------------------------------------
This elegantly narrated film about the "naughty" children in school attributes poverty and lack of parental education as reason's for the children's decision to carry out theft and deviance in school.
They steal lunch boxes from other children because they are hungry.
They beat up others because they were beaten at home.
They tell lies because their mothers do the same to them.
One of the most memorable lines in the film for me was when an aunt (care taker) of this naught boy said, "He is lying when he said I used a knife to beat him. I just beat him using a wooden spoon until it broke. I am keeping it to show his children how I used to discipline him when he was younger... I am keeping it safely."
Another has separated parents and lives with his mom, who uses the money to drink all the time, leaving him hungry and astray. At the same time, his parents are also victims of this cascading social problem of poverty and lack of education.
We had a good Question and Answer session with the producers who said that one of the ways to lead this children back on track is to give them motivation and respect; the love and the care that they need.
This fits in with the objectives of Help2Read, and this film motivates me to do the volunteering with Help2Read as well. It was a very impactfull film for me, and I would encourage you to watch it, if you have a chance. Here's the excerpt of the film:
LUNCHBOX BULLIES
South Africa
Despite comprehensive guidelines (Section 28 of the Bill of Rights), children in South Africa face more challenges to their health and well-being today than ever before. Through frank and often heartbreaking interviews with children, Lunchbox Bullies
highlights the difficulties that often lead to children bullying each other. A selection of bullies’ lives are chosen and examined, going beneath the surface of abuse, malnourishment and tragedy to starkly show the roots of violence in our society.
Yet despite the socialist leaning, the film commendably tackles the breadth of reasons
behind why a child may go bad, asking startling questions about inherent psychology
as well as society’s role.
-------------------------------------------------------
Help2Read
This is the second organization I am interning with. Help2Read trains volunteers to do one-on-one reading sessions with children who need assistance with English reading skills. The one-on-one doesn't just ensure that the children aquires reading skills, but also boosts the morale when these students are given the attention and the repsect of the volunteers.
We had training yesterday, and out of the 15 or so participants, my fellow intern, Angie and I were the only ones in their 20s. Most of them were retired grannies or school teachers, who were absolutely shocked that these two girls are staying in Cape Town, and working. They told us to be careful and gave us generous hugs and peks on the cheeks at the end of the training session.
It was good fun, going through the 5 hour session, not just because of the good people I get to know, but also because of the interactive format.
First, we were presented with Three sentences of symbols and a picture of a ship. We were to decipher what those sentences mean, and that looked something like this:
.
It was a frustrating 5mins, trying to decipher the code, and as hard as I tried, I was reading it slower than I would otherwise have wanted.
The second activity we did was to play some paper games like hangman, boxes, categories, and grapes. (I will not explain how they are played, but if ever you want to know, I could play it with you, the next time I see you!) And that got us to redicover a glimpse of childhood again. All of us were excited and we hardly wanted to stop when the time is up. We share laughs and felt comfortable enough that by lunch time, we were talking about our most embarrassing moments!
)ne of the women told us a story of how she wore her pants inside out, when she went to a school and it was her students that noticed it! She was telling it in Afrikans (one of the 11 languages in South Africa) and the others around us translated bits and pieces of it for Angie and I.
[Books for Africa]
We had training yesterday, and out of the 15 or so participants, my fellow intern, Angie and I were the only ones in their 20s. Most of them were retired grannies or school teachers, who were absolutely shocked that these two girls are staying in Cape Town, and working. They told us to be careful and gave us generous hugs and peks on the cheeks at the end of the training session.
It was good fun, going through the 5 hour session, not just because of the good people I get to know, but also because of the interactive format.
First, we were presented with Three sentences of symbols and a picture of a ship. We were to decipher what those sentences mean, and that looked something like this:
.
It was a frustrating 5mins, trying to decipher the code, and as hard as I tried, I was reading it slower than I would otherwise have wanted.
The second activity we did was to play some paper games like hangman, boxes, categories, and grapes. (I will not explain how they are played, but if ever you want to know, I could play it with you, the next time I see you!) And that got us to redicover a glimpse of childhood again. All of us were excited and we hardly wanted to stop when the time is up. We share laughs and felt comfortable enough that by lunch time, we were talking about our most embarrassing moments!
)ne of the women told us a story of how she wore her pants inside out, when she went to a school and it was her students that noticed it! She was telling it in Afrikans (one of the 11 languages in South Africa) and the others around us translated bits and pieces of it for Angie and I.
[Books for Africa]
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
A day in Town with Colleagues
Today, Juliet brought Angie and I out to see Cape Town, the local way. We took the Mini Taxi, public transporation that works like buses, expect they stop anywhere you want them to, along the way.
We got to water front, which is like the Clark Quay of Singapore. Mostly Tourist-y things but here's an acitivity that I thought was interesting:
There was a school choir singing at a restaurant. The boys and girls took a refreshing arrangement, where one is on the upper level and the other at the lower level. They sang songs in different languages and danced to the tunes.
Girls in the Choir.
------------------------------------------------------
This is Juliet.
Juliet is my fellow colleague at Think Twice. Angie and I adore her for being her silly, 23-year-old self!
Juliet and Angie being silly in the "Cleanergy" dome at Water front. Apparently, these portable structures can with stand tornados and extreme weathers. We couldn;t tell that was true, but it withstood our voices inside, getting louder as we got amused by our echoes.
Angie, me and Juliet- Do you see the gradient?
We got to water front, which is like the Clark Quay of Singapore. Mostly Tourist-y things but here's an acitivity that I thought was interesting:
There was a school choir singing at a restaurant. The boys and girls took a refreshing arrangement, where one is on the upper level and the other at the lower level. They sang songs in different languages and danced to the tunes.
Girls in the Choir.------------------------------------------------------
This is Juliet.
Juliet is my fellow colleague at Think Twice. Angie and I adore her for being her silly, 23-year-old self!
Juliet and Angie being silly in the "Cleanergy" dome at Water front. Apparently, these portable structures can with stand tornados and extreme weathers. We couldn;t tell that was true, but it withstood our voices inside, getting louder as we got amused by our echoes.
Angie, me and Juliet- Do you see the gradient?
Monday, July 6, 2009
Undiluted LIfe Skills Program
That is the syllabus title of the Workshops that Think Twice, one of the Organizations I am interning this summer, does. The organization is a small NPO that conducts Sex Education and HIV/AIDS awareness workshops to teenagers aged 14-16 in schools.
Today was the first day of work and we were greeted by very friendly staff and I was thankful to go through a structured orientation/training. ( Because of the nature of the non-profit work, a lot of the NGOs/NPOs have a shortfall of staff and sometimes, they cannot afford resources to put into intern trainings. A friend of mine who works at a refugee center said his first day was spent sitting around; all the other staff were busy doing something else.) Although I was to play the role of a "teacher" when I help facilitate these programs in schools (next week), I feel like I am still a student, learning these issues.
To my surprise, South Africa is not as conservative as the Asian countries when it comes to sexuality (at least from what we discussed today, but perhaps it was the role of us, facilitators, to speak openly about these issues). People do discuss these and teenage pregnancies are the "norm" here. And unlike asian countries, or the research I had done before, gender dynamics were not discussed when it comes to sexually infected HIV transmissions. Instead, the trainers at Think Twice cite myths (it is believed that having sex with a virgin would cure HIV) and poverty as being responsible for HIV transmissions (and we didn't discuss transmission through needles either).
The syllabus looks comprehensive; covering the issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS i.e. how it is contracted, different stages, and the consequences of getting the infection on the victim and those around. But at the same time, I wonder how it would play out in the classroom situation with South African students. There are challenges I foresee in the classroom setting; the cultural barrier, the skills of a facilitator, the difficult and sometimes awkward questions that students may ask, and mostly, how I, as a foreigner who speaks these issues perhaps unsurely, with a different accent could affect the quality of these life skill lessons.
At least I would be doing it together with the permanent staff who have done this for several years. And they also suggest that I could bring up some practices in the places I have lived in before, so they know that this is not happening only in South Africa. (That could be my contribution. (: )
Statistics on HIV AIDS in South Africa
Highest in the World
24% infections (equal number of males and females infected)
1 in 4 men has confessed to raping ( I heard this from my roommate)
[Photo of my wonderful colleagues; Angie and Juliet coming up here]
Today was the first day of work and we were greeted by very friendly staff and I was thankful to go through a structured orientation/training. ( Because of the nature of the non-profit work, a lot of the NGOs/NPOs have a shortfall of staff and sometimes, they cannot afford resources to put into intern trainings. A friend of mine who works at a refugee center said his first day was spent sitting around; all the other staff were busy doing something else.) Although I was to play the role of a "teacher" when I help facilitate these programs in schools (next week), I feel like I am still a student, learning these issues.
To my surprise, South Africa is not as conservative as the Asian countries when it comes to sexuality (at least from what we discussed today, but perhaps it was the role of us, facilitators, to speak openly about these issues). People do discuss these and teenage pregnancies are the "norm" here. And unlike asian countries, or the research I had done before, gender dynamics were not discussed when it comes to sexually infected HIV transmissions. Instead, the trainers at Think Twice cite myths (it is believed that having sex with a virgin would cure HIV) and poverty as being responsible for HIV transmissions (and we didn't discuss transmission through needles either).
The syllabus looks comprehensive; covering the issues pertaining to HIV/AIDS i.e. how it is contracted, different stages, and the consequences of getting the infection on the victim and those around. But at the same time, I wonder how it would play out in the classroom situation with South African students. There are challenges I foresee in the classroom setting; the cultural barrier, the skills of a facilitator, the difficult and sometimes awkward questions that students may ask, and mostly, how I, as a foreigner who speaks these issues perhaps unsurely, with a different accent could affect the quality of these life skill lessons.
At least I would be doing it together with the permanent staff who have done this for several years. And they also suggest that I could bring up some practices in the places I have lived in before, so they know that this is not happening only in South Africa. (That could be my contribution. (: )
Statistics on HIV AIDS in South Africa
Highest in the World
24% infections (equal number of males and females infected)
1 in 4 men has confessed to raping ( I heard this from my roommate)
[Photo of my wonderful colleagues; Angie and Juliet coming up here]
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Hout Bay and Seal Island
On the drive way to Hout Bay. Do you get why Cape Town is such a beautiful city, now? Mountains, oceans and beaches!
Before departure to Seal Island. (An Island full of seals)
@ The Seal Island.
Welcome back to the Shore, on 4th July.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
The journey (30 July 09)
“Are you ready for an exciting adventure ahead?” I received this message as I was waiting in line to check my baggage in, at the MSP international airport. Ahead of me lies a 24 hour journey to the southern tip of the African continent.
“With an apple in my bag and a credit card in my wallet? Absoluetly yes,” I replied, “I just have to mentally prep myself on the 24 hour journey ahead.” The day of travel was tiring, but I was thankful for the movie service on both flights (MSP to Amsterdam and then onto Cape Town). On the flight to Amsterdam, I sat beside an Italian woman, who was rather quiet, so I spent my time watching movies instead.
On the second flight, I felt more self-conscious, because almost everyone there looked like… a European. The plane was boeing 777 and it was full; perhaps close to 400 passengers. But there was one East Asian, an African and an Indian couple. That was it.
Those around me spoke either Dutch or German. I couldn’t tell. The dominance of whites that have the privilege to travel to and from the land of black origins made me wonder if this is a prelude to the many socio-economic disparities along racial lines. These would become more apparent as I spend the next 2 months in this country.
The snowflakes that formed on the window by my seat. (Flight from MSP to Amsterdam).
At the Amsterdam Airport where I had a 3.5 hour Lay Over
37 Roeland Street
That is where I am residing for the next two months; at 37 Roeland Street, Cape Town 8001. A great location and a great view.
From my living room window.
Night View from the rooftop.
From my living room window.
Night View from the rooftop.
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