TOO MUCH TO DO...TOO LITTLE TIME!

We've all heard that trite phrase before, right? My South African experience is proving to be the place where the phrase was created! The past week could not be captured in a book let alone a posting in this blog.

We told Ivan we were going to visit an orphanage in Tembisa, a black township not far from where I teach. It was an "ordinary", bright and sunny day...but there was nothing ordinary about what we were going to experience that day!

I'm back at this again...after about a week break. I had to compose my second column for The Flint Journal. The orphanage experience was the topic of the column--it's really more of an essay/editorial-type writing. I was able to get some things off my chest about visiting such places. It makes no difference where the orphanage is located; the faces are always the same.

Before we left that day, I asked Ivan if he knew what an orphan was. He said no. Svetlana and I explained, as well as we could, what circumstances determined an orphan. His knowledge of an orphan was completed when the day ended--after he had played with the kids, eaten lunch with them, and prayed with them. All the while, Ivan had a wonderful time. They say learning by doing is the best way to learn something, so we know he learned much that Saturday morning.

The column was sent to The Journal yesterday; the best photographs went out this morning. My favorite photograph is of a little girl, she told me she was eleven years of age, with a baby sister strapped to her back. I think I captured her youthful innocence combined with the burden of adulthood--the sibling on her back. There were other photographs just as captivating. I'll try to post them on this blog sometime in the future. When you see them I would appreciate a comment below the photograph (negative or positive, okay?).

That weekend included a day at Gold Reef City. It's a Disney-like, theme park experience, complete with petting zoo, high-flying, gravity-defying, stomach-churning rides. I detest them. Ivan loves them. Guess who wins?

Accompanying us to the park just south of Johannesburg was fellow Fulbrighter Ron Reese and his lovely wife, Andrea. They are from San Diego, California. Like the other Fulbrighters, Ron is a science/math teacher. Unlike the others, including me, Ron has a keen sense of humor. Best of all, he commands a sense of timing with his quips. He's one cool California dude. His diminutive wife is originally from Cambodia. She draws stares everywhere she goes--she's very cute, I might add. An older brother of mine, after viewing a photo of Andrea on this very blog, affectionally described her as a "knockout." Way to go Bill...we finally agree on something! They are a fun couple and Svetlana and I enjoy their company very much. And so does Ivan.

Since I began this posting there has been enough happening in my life to add about ten postings! Indeed, there is so much to see and do on the weekends. And when we're lucky enough to have a three-day weekend, well the ATM machines begin to purr...they seem to know the Americans are coming!

Last weekend the four Fulbrighters were asked to "report" to a guest house in Pretoria for an official meeting with American embassy officials. We had fun reporting on our respective experiences. Perhaps it was revealing for the new embassy person, a woman who will assume the duties of Monica Joyi, the head of the Fulbright Commission in South Africa. We will sincerely miss Monica...she was the first South African we knew as we stepped off that huge, impersonal plane at Joburg International. Monica's warm personality shown through to us on that hot, sunny January (8th) day of this year. She will always be the face of South Africa to me: someone sincerely smiling and friendly-- plus she is someone with an inner beauty that is so willing to help those in need. The four of us will miss her dearly...

Well, I will have another posting detailing events of the past week. The visit to the cultural village was most noteworthy...entertaining, educational, astonishingly brash with authentic African dancing. I should say, authentic South African dancing! We had a wonderful, soulful, joyful time...next posting, please!

EVERY BALL NEEDS A PRINCESS...I FOUND TWO!!

 

IT'S PHANTOM OF THE OPERA AT NORKEM PARK H.S. THESE 11TH-GRADERS WORKED AS SERVERS FOR THE PRESTIGE BALL...

 

BIBLE DISTRIBUTION BY THE GIDEONS...READ MY POSTING ON PRAYER IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS!!

 

SPECIAL GUESTS (SVETLANA & IVAN DAVIDEK) INTRODUCE THEMSELVES TO SOME OF MY 8TH-GRADE LEARNERS!

 

TSOTSI...THE FILM VERSUS REALITY IN S.A.

Sitting on the edge of my seat and being terrified by the shocking violence on the big screen, I was puzzled why others in the audience were not so quietly laughing. Izak had explained what a "tsotsi" was, so I thought that was preparation enough to buffet the harshness of criminal life in Soweto, South Africa's black township of note. It was not.

A tsotsi is both admired and despised in South African society. Indeed, such an individual is a criminal, thug, gangster (or is it "gangsta?"), all in the same breath. My learners affectionately called me a tsotsi the other day because I made reference to rearranging a person's dental work if said person tried to hijack my Toyota Corolla. Interesting, huh? Suddenly I'm the "bad guy" because some character is in need of transportation and decides I look like an easy mark.

Hijacking cars seems to be a cottage industry around here. The Kempton Park Express newspaper recently told of a major chopshop right here in good 'ole K.P. The accompanying photo revealed Benz's, Beemers, and Volvos, in various stages of being disassembled. My Toyota is an older model, so I'm figuring they won't covet my wheels.

Now you would think folks wouldn't be driving around in luxury cars, right? Wrong! People, in particular single women, end up being hijacked here quite often...sadly, some are murdered and thrown in the trunk of their own vehicle, or simply discarded along the highway. The Tsotsi movie played off of that theme: the tough, smooth-faced guy unknowingly hijacked a luxury car with a baby in it. That was only after he shot the woman driving the car, of course. He left her for dead.

The Oscar-winning film obviously has some redeeming qualities. First of all, the acting of lead star Presley Chweneyagae (that's ch-oo-wee-nay-yeah-gay-e), is stunning. Forget the dialogue, which is Zulu, Presley dictates the action with his menacing, yet strangely tender looks, and his gangster swagger. Then, you are suddenly turned around in your seat by his warmth and child-like affection toward the accidently kidnapped baby. Said baby is wrapped in swaddling clothes--no accident there it seems. The director, Gavin Hood, throws in a dash of humor here and there, which lightens the load of the life of a young fellow who seems to be victimized by the circumstances of his life in the "hood."

Yes, the film deserved an Oscar for "Best Foreign Language Film" of the past year. Before the film, young Chweneyagae had never been on an airplane--he was whisked away on his first flight, of course, to Hollywood for all the Oscar hoopla/after-glow parties. Terry Pheto, the female lead, has received multiple offers for new films; ditto for Presley. The celluloid possibilities are endless for these two new stars and that is the way it should be, right?

The film and its stars are celebrities in South Africa. Cries of "here comes Mzansi!" are being heard (Mzansi is a Zulu word for South...meaning South Africa). A featured advertisement in the Johannesburg newspaper, The Star, screamed the Afrikaaner phrase, "IS LEKKER, PRESLEY!", which roughly translated means well-done, Presley! South African pride over the accomplishment of winning the prestigious Oscar is as deep as the famed Kimberley diamond mines.

There seems to be another side to all the celebrating. Radio talk show hosts feature nervous citizens who worry over the lionizing of criminals as a result of the film. They are fearful that a "Robin Hood" mentality will surface, thus glorifying the pernicious deeds of gangsters and thugs in South Africa. It's a very real fear because all one has to do is pick up a newspaper or watch/listen to news, and it is obvious South Africa has a very serious crime problem.

Like American teens, youngsters here probably won't pay too much attention to the scene at the end of the Tsotsi film--when the lead actor is confronted by police following the safe transfer of the baby to his wheelchair-bound mother, in the same driveway where the misadventure began. Kids often get caught up in the language and demeanor of the violators of decency. Rebellion is nature to young people everywhere and the "wilding" of people like this featured tsotsi, leaves some howling with delight.

Enough of the amateur psycholoanalyzing here! If you haven't seen the film, take the time to see it soon. I feel very fortunate to have been in South Africa when the accolades came cascading in for this captivating movie. No, I feel a certain human pride for all South Africans because of the redemptive nature of the visual story-telling of Gavin Hood--Amandla, viva South Africa!

AFRICAN ANIMAL MOSAIC IN LUSH GRASSY AREA...

 

ALERT AND READY TO TAKE OFF: TWO IMPALA...

 

"BAMBI" IMPALA BEFORE SHE BECOMES A BUFFET!

 

A COUPLE OF AFRICAN "KITTENS" TAKING A WELL-DESERVED REST!

 

BACK TO KRUGERSDORP GAME RESERVE...WITH GREAT CARE!

 

DEPUTY PRINCIPAL, MR. THOMAS TERVIT, GREETS I.D.C. MEMBERS AT LEADERSHIP CAMP...

 

HEADMASTER, MR. A. "TUBBY" WELCH, CONGRATULATES TWO I.D.C. LEADERS!

 

I.D.C. SCHOOL LEADERS KNOW PRAYER TO START THEIR DAY...

 

JUST ANOTHER BRIGHT, SUNNY DAY AT SCHOOL...

 

Norkem Park High School Assembly--EVERYONE!

 

MARCH 1, 2006...PARTY OF APARTHEID ENDS

I'm told it has been 93 years since the inception of the once-powerful National Party in South Africa. The political party is now known as the New National Party (NNP)--and yes, that is the party that brought the legacy of apartheid to what is now called "The Rainbow Nation." The results of yesterday's national municipal elections should put to rest what has been deemed "the party of apartheid."

That legacy and its historical ramifications remains to be assessed by the citizenry of today. This is a young nation, comprised of a large percentage of youth under the age of eighteen. Like American youngsters, they only know the period of apartheid from a history text. And like their American peers, they do not interact enough with the generations that suffered under the boot of apartheid (the American kids not learning from first-person accounts of Jim Crow segregation in the South and the "polite" tactics of Northerners in maintaining the status quo in the America of the 1950's and 1960's.

At the risk of sermonizing, it seems as though both groups are ensnared in a net of petty materialism. Owning a cell phone is a requirement of young people in South Africa--it signals their entry into the world of adulthood. I read somewhere that China has the largest number of cell phones in the world. The gargantuan figure given was approximately 377 million(!). I'm absolutely convinced South Africa isn't far behind (not really, but I swear every learner in my classroom has one of those bothersome things!).

Anyway, no doubt cell phones played a huge part in the national elections yesterday. If this is the way to go, then so be it. If cell phones improve communication and democracy is facilitated here, then wonderful! But if cell phones are used for malicious activity, then damn them--and their users!

I visited a voting place yesterday. It was an elementary school, used much the same way they are in the United States for voting purposes. The school, Van Riebeeck Primary, is located about a minute's walk from our home. It was very noticeable, the long line of folks quietly shuffling their feet, waiting patiently to do what is necessary to exercise their right to vote. I took a couple of photographs (hope to get some assistance to get them in this blog). Also, just like in the States, no photos or journalists are allowed in the voting area of the school. It was a bright, sunny day...the photographs I took outside captured a moment of people determined to speak their minds with a ballot that did just that. In a strange way, I felt honored to witness and document the proceedings.

For some, the demise of the NNP won't come too soon. For others, there is always the perverse will in attempting to bring it back to life. Those who want to keep a foot firmly entrenched in the past are doomed to total failure. I'm trying to teach my little 8th-grade learners my definition of learning. It goes something like this: "Learning is when you take new knowledge and add it to already aquired knowledge." Simple, huh? The NNP crowd needs to hear and understand those words. The new knowledge of today's South Africa has nothing to do with their antiquated perceptions of the human order. Their time has come to step aside and collectively shake themselves into the reality of present-day life in this vibrant country. The new South Africa is a non-racial democracy that is a leader on the continent. This nation is beginning to flex its political muscles and participate in an international circle of players that are listening to and understanding it.

Within that context, I am also attempting to have my learners understand that the history of yesterday impacts the history of today. "Listen to it", I prod them. Yes, they must listen and understand it within the realm of their own lives. And perhaps they should take a little time and discuss it with adults in their household. We all must communicate better with those we come in contact with on a daily basis--no matter the age, status, ethnicity, or economic group. As thinking, feeling human beings, we must work toward the ideal of better communication and understanding of each other.

Communication is flowing in the media today--one day following municipal elections across this vast, beautiful land. "So many people paid with blood for this right," read one headline in a Johannesburg newspaper. Another banner headline blared, "ANC fears low voter turnout." With a low turnout of voters, ANC officials and candidates might find themselves in trouble. There are sharks out there vis-a-vis the multiple parties of this infant democracy. Power is fluid and minority political parties understand the nature of power--so does the ANC, of course.

These developments are very exciting; peoples' lives are at stake here. Jobs hang in the balance. American politics are similar in that the nature of politics has an ebb and flow here that has the same dynamic. Different camps are screaming about voter fraud, the rainy weather around Joburg, saboteurs who struck voting areas with fires, and the very real concern about low voter turnout. The ANC has valid concerns about losing several municipalities, especially Cape Town. They're talking anything below 45% would be a disaster for their party. Municipal, off-year elections in the U.S. that would garner a percentage that high would probably set a new standard.

The past speaks for itself here. The majority black, older population was denied the right to vote for so many years and now they are deeply saddened by indifference they see in the new generation. An elderly woman, 74 years old, collapsed and died on the way to vote in Soweto today. She encouraged her daughter to register and vote...and she did so. It was with reluctance though. The daughter is unemployed and she complained of the African National Congress not delivering on their promises. Now that daughter has to live with the knowledge that her mother died trying to vote. Quite a lesson.

It's not politics as usual here. Apartheid has left its mark, but the people must pick up the pieces and carry on in the best way they can. Obviously, carrying on includes registering to vote and then actually taking the time to do so. It works the same way in the U. S. People everywhere have to realize that democracy is what it is: the Greek demos, for the people and Kratia for rule. With very few exceptions, that definition points to giving time and effort to excercise a precious right that people have fought and died for. The alternative is not worthy of consideration, especially in this day and age of international terrorists and criminals who would impose their will on others.

NEWS UPDATE!

The Star, Ekurhuleni Edition, Friday, March 3: The bold-face, front-page, banner headline reads, "ANC'S CRUSHING WIN." In seven of South Africa's nine provinces, the ANC roared and left the opposing political parties in shambles. Apparently, inroads were established in KwaZulu Natal and Western Cape by other parties, particularily the Democratic Alliance (DA), led by Tony Leon.

Voter turnout hovered around the 49% mark, which is still remarkable considering the nature of municipal elections. Nationally, ANC's support was approximately 67%; in 2002 it polled almost 61%. Indeed, it was a crushing win for the party of Mandela and Mbeki--and more of a crushing defeat for opposition parties. Decisions now must be made on powersharing.

The people have spoken loud and clear in South Africa. It is also clear that the ANC must improve on service delivery, anti-crime measures, employment and housing for disadvantaged citizens. ANC leaders should not dwell on this stunning victory. From what I've seen, the time is now to answer the questions put forth by the electorate--with strong, assertive action at the grassroots level.