so much southafrikeal

Hello all!

 

So it’s been another week of placement and many cultural activities here in Cape Town. I can’t believe how fast time is flying. I will be home in about a week and a half!

Luthando has been going well. Sophie and I have really bonded with the kids (they are all adorable, but I have a few favorites…shhh, don’t tell) and we’ve gotten the schedule down, so we’ve been able to do a lot of our own preparation for crafts and activities to do with the kids.  I also read aloud a book in Xhosa! How well I read it, well, that’s another story.  It’s still really difficult when the teacher is absent. She was absent on Wednesday and that day was a struggle. Sophie and I are left for the most part to fend for ourselves with the kids. We use our limited Xhosa- For instance, “Hala phansi” (sit down!) and “Tulani” (Quiet) to establish some order, but it doesn’t often work. Once we call another teacher in to explain activities or rotations, and the kids are in the midst of something, it’s better until one or two very active ones get the others riled up and then a bit of chaos ensues. I’m really happy I got placed here, though, because I like the challenge. I’ve sustained a few injuries during the chaos including a head butting to the crotch, but I’ll surviveJ Unfortunately, I developed a cold on Sunday that’s been progressively getting worse, so I had to stay home from placement today and probably tomorrow tooL.. Missing my babies and can’t believe it is the last week with them next week!

On Monday, we travelled to Scalabrini, a refugee center in Cape Town. For many people particularly in other areas of Africa looking to escape their own country due to things like war and discrimination, South Africa is the place to go because of the easy travel and more stable government and economic system in place. There are about 60,000 refugees currently. However, there are about 350,000 asylum seekers, which means people who are looking to begin the process of becoming a refugee in the country. The workers at the centre spoke to the very difficult, long, and backlogged process of becoming an asylum seeker and refugee. The centre helps people with this process, provides English lesson, and helps people to look for jobs and child care, among other things.

On Tuesday we had our second Xhosa lesson. There are 11 official languages in South Africa and Xhosa is one of those languages. Approximately 18 percent of South Africa’s population speaks the language, mostly within the townships.  One of the most distinctive features of this language is the consonant clicks, which are used for X, C, and Q. We learned how to make the three different clicks and practice them with words.  Because our mouths aren’t really used to these movements, it is difficult to practice this language, but it definitely makes for an entertaining hour session!

Today we went into the town of Bo-Kaap, a township in Cape Town situated high up near Signal Hill. This town was originally settled by freed slaves brought over by the Dutch in the 17th and 18th Century. They originated from different parts of Southeast Asia, but were collectively referred to as "Cape Malay". The town is filled with cobblestone streets and brightly colored houses. It is here that the Afrikaans language first began as a way for slaves and slave masters speaking different languages to communicate. Afterwards, we traveled into the downtown area to visit the old slave lodge where many slaves were kept. It is now a museum filled with artifacts, information, and memorials regarding slavery. The museum was about remembering the history of slavery, rather than pretending it did not exist, and embracing all of the cultures that came together during this time and continue to exist today. One quote that was featured in an exhibit stood out to me….In the light of memory and remembering. Through the streams of our senses. Reconnecting. Recollecting. We find our way home. -from Slave Dream, by Malika Ndlovu

I meant to do this in an earlier post, but haven’t had the time to get my thoughts together until now. Last week, we had an HIV/Aids in South Africa information session. It was very thought-provoking. We learned a little bit about the devastation of the virus in South Africa. In South Africa, 6 million people are diagnosed with HIV. This is the highest number in any country. There is a huge impact on the young-mid adult population, so in many cases older South Africans are called on to raise young children. This loss of a middle age population has impacts socially and economically.

They went into some information about why this is so prevalent in South Africa. Some things that were discussed were the crime and violence in the area (there is one rape every three minutes), lack of prevention methods due to cost and access, and cultural/religious beliefs in regards to birth control. In the past few years, there has been a widespread HIV testing and counselling campaign, with many centers that cater directly to support for the infected.

I found it particularly sad and interesting that in South Africa, often the people most at risk for HIV are married women. This is due to a dynamic that developed over the years. In the past, many men travelled throughout the county for migrant labor. They could be away from wives and families for 2-3 years at a time. It became culturally permissible for men to have multiple partners outside the marriage and in some areas this continues today. When a married woman finds out she is infected, often she is not able to confront her husband or say anything about it all for fear of being kicked out or beaten.

One other important thing to remember is the reality of the lives of many in the townships here. Many people are focused on the simple act of surviving day to day due to lack of food, unemployment, violence, etc. A virus that may or may not develop into something that can make them sick 10 years from now is not of the same concern that it is to someone living a different lifestyle. Because of this, the current HIV campaign is not always as effective as expected.

Despite all of this, the fact that there is so much more knowledge, access to help, and access to the anti retro viral drugs does make a huge difference in the lives of many. There are so many people working hard to ensure people have protection from this disease or health care to deal with it as much as possible.

Phew….that was quite a lot about the history and culture of SA! We are learning so much during this program, which is so cool because it adds much more the sightseeing and work in the township that we do. We are traveling on the Garden Route this week, which includes some awesome activites I am more than excited about! (ELEPHANTS) Again, lots of love from me. Thanks for reading!