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!
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!
posted by JOBURG JOURNAL at 1:07 AM
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