LAST IMAGE FOR 2006...FEATURING BEETHOVEN, MARLEY, AND MANDELA!!

Why would I end my 2006 Fulbright exchange experience with a photograph like this on my blog? Read this posting to the end and you'll learn the answer to that question. The photo is from a large studio located near the amphitheatre in Cape Town. The vibrant colors reflect magnificent weaving accomplished by local black women who sell their art to (wealthy) tourists. We were tourists who could not afford their work (yes, we're not wealthy). The manager of the craftshop liked to challenge potential customers with an identity quiz on these three world-famous persons. I guessed them all with only a bit of hesitation on the fellow in the background. He's Ludwig van Beethoven, of course. The fellow in the center is a favorite of my daughter, Erin--that would be reggae-maestro, Bob Marley. I still have difficulty in understanding his legacy in terms of music (perhaps his real legacy pertains to what they call "dagga" in South Africa = marijuana). The question arises, for me at least: will Marley have the lasting appeal of a Beethoven? I think not, but what the heck do I know about music...or folks that are attracted to him?
The closest weaving featured in the photograph is none other than Nelson R. Mandela...better known as "Madiba" in South Africa. The title refers to his leadership of his particular clan, but just about every person in S.A. and beyond recognizes it as a title of leadership for the nation. I chose this photograph to close out my blog for 2006 because it features Mandela. One of my goals while in South Africa was to somehow meet him...if successful, then receiving permission to have some Norkem Park H.S. learners along-- for the chance of a lifetime. We came close, but it just wasn't to be.
My eighth-graders won a national writing contest sponsored by The Nelson Mandela Foundation. They won a computer for the school and some of them were given a wonderful memento--a cap from the foundation. The award gave me, and our assistant principal, Mr. Thomas Tervit, a chance to ask foundation officials if we could acquire a quote on peace from Mandela for our Peace Wall-Garden area in the school. Eventually, we received the quote and it will be incorporated on the wall, alongside the quotes by Dr. M.L.King Jr. and Mohandas Gandhi. Three down, one to go: We're expecting a peace quote from Archbishop Desmond Tutu. With my "foot in the door" at the Mandela Foundation, I also (boldly) asked them if I, along with several of our kids, could meet Mandela. Despite several requests, I never did receive an answer. Close, but so far...
With all of this in mind, I shall end this blog and this entry with a quote from Nelson Mandela. The quote is taken from his presidential inaugural address, 10 May 1994. It is well-known by South Africans of every ethnic persuasion/color. It is only ONE of the reasons why Mandela is, and always will be, a hero of mine. The quote:

"Out of the experience of an extraordinary human disaster that lasted too long, must
be born a society which all humanity will be proud...Never, never, and never again
shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another."

WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO ONCE AGAIN TRY TO LEAVE THE BLOG WITH THIS ENTRY OPEN FOR COMMENTS. THIS TRUST HAS BEEN BROKEN MANY TIMES WITH NASTY PERSONAL ATTACKS ON ME, JOHN DAVIDEK, BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE NOTHING BETTER TO DO THAN TRY TO DEMEAN ME. IF YOU DON'T HAVE SOMETHING POSITIVE TO SAY, THEN PLEASE DO NOT DEPOSIT YOUR TRASH IN THE COMMENT SECTION. AGAIN, IF YOU DO, I WILL SIMPLY ELIMINATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR ANYONE TO RESPOND. PLEASE REMEMBER THAT IF YOU LEAVE NEGATIVE COMMENTS THEY, ALONG WITH THE GOOD ONES, WILL BE IMMEDIATELY ELIMINATED...

BRAVING THE UNUSUALLY COLD WEATHER, IVAN AND NEW-FOUND MUSICIAN FRIEND STRIKE A POSE WHILE TRYING TO STRIKE A TUNE ON THE BOAT FROM ROBBEN ISLAND!

Ivan looks like a kid in the middle of a Michigan winter! Not so. He's on a passenger ship returning from a most memorable four hours on Robben Island. We hit it lucky (see following posting), so the college-age musicians made the choppy ride back to Cape Town a lot more enjoyable. The horns were blaring and the drums, along with various percussion instruments, were rocking--as we rode those waves back to harbour! Yet another example of African peoples wanting to share their culture with others--we were very, very fortunate!

CLOUDY, COLD DAY ON ROBBEN ISLAND/WARMTH AND FRIENDSHIP ON THE PASSENGER SHIP RETURNING TO CAPE TOWN!

The young woman was a member of a group of musicians who performed for school-age youngsters on Robben Island. We missed their performance on the island, but were treated to an informal concert of singing/dancing on the return trip back to the mainland. The group of young men and women were from a college and WOW did they have the boat rocking! We felt so fortunate to have been able to join them on the deck--just about everyone tried to sing and dance with them! It was a most memorable way to ride the water back to Cape Town, especially following the Robben Island experience!

TWO LOVELY ZULU COLLEAGUES AT NORKEM PARK H.S. = ONE DELIGHTED FULBRIGHT TEACHER FROM AMERICA...

Yep, that would be me! I'm not gonna post names because permission wasn't granted to have their names associated with mine and then sent out to the worldwideweb. Regardless, their images go out there to intrigue and have people wonder how in heck an older fellow like me can cause such havoc amongst the ladies. Just kidding, of course! It's just a photograph taken in the staff lounge at NPHS during the last days of school. Everyone was finished with grades and the learners were long gone...we were having fun and being frivilous. My t-shirt reads "Spirit of Africa" and this picture represents the friendliness of some of my teacher-colleagues. Gosh, I miss you already!

FARM KIDS NEAR KRUGERSDORP...ONE OF MY FAVORITE PHOTOGRAPHS!

We were getting ready to take off with Ron and Andrea...from their "out in the country" home near Krugersdorp. The youngsters next door were attempting to get a peek of us while we were piling in our cars. Playful and perhaps looking for a piece of candy/bubblegum, I coaxed them into posing for this photo. Then, of course, they received a couple of candy bars from us. I think they were fascinated with Ivan more than anything else. The little fellow on the right could barely get a glimpse of us. The older guys tried to muscle the younger tike out, but we made sure he received a chunk of the candy bars too. Kids are kids anywhere in the world!

CHRISTMAS SURVIVAL STORY...2006

Well, it's not exactly a "survival" story. I suppose the only reason for the survival reference is the fact that Svetlana, as usual, has cooked up a storm and when there's food around the house I just can't seem to resist! She learned a dessert recipe while in South Africa and the cake has been thrust before me more than once since my arrival back in Flint. The doggone thing is s-o-o-o-o delicious!

Mary Ann, my sister, is here (from Boca Raton, Florida). Actually, Dan, her son-in-law, came with her--they drove up with two (large) dogs, along with a rather large cat by the name of "bulls-eye." Bulls-eye is the fattest cat I've ever seen. I'm told they acquired him from the pound down there, rescuing him from certain death. I thought the animal was the "victim" of too much food from them, but was informed he was that way when they picked him up. Not only is the cat huge, he's much like a dog--preferring to lap around your feet, begging for a human touch. I swear the critter understands English! He sits there and kind of bobs his head when one "talks" to him. It's uncanny.

Everyone else has arrived from Florida. The patriarch of the family, Pete, has arrived. Maria came with him: she broke away from her endless work with the produce firm she works for. Suzanne is here (wife of Dan). And then Danny arrived. He's Kristen's son. Oh, Kristen also arrived with Pete and Maria! Wow, what a crew... Next, it's gonna be Michelle and her two adopted kids. They arrive from Hollywood, California (yes, people actually call that place home!).

We gave everyone something from South Africa. Thank goodness we were smart enough to do the Christmas shopping while in southern Africa...everyone seems really pleased with their gifts we chose for them. Oh. And my twin brother, Jim, is also with us. He was very happy with the two hand-made, wooden canes we gave him. One cane, a black ebony, sculpted beauty, we bought from a fellow on the beaches of Mozambique. It's a heavy one and we're gonna keep it at our home for his use when he visits with us. The other cane is much lighter in weight, is also sculpted with an intricate design, and was bought somewhere in South Africa (I think). Gosh, it might have been purchased in Swaziland...I'm just not sure. He really, really likes it too. It is now his "regular" cane.

Ivan received the usual assortment of goodies, most of which are more educational than entertaining. Svetlana wouldn't have it any other way. He got a keyboard (piano) from his godfather, Mikhail. We gave him a ("real") guitar, which he also practices on quite often. Ivan is going to be proficient with musical instruments, one way or the other!

It's so good to be back in Flint...and with family. Even though there is a nip in the air and snow can't be too far behind, we're enjoying being back in more familiar surroundings. We had a tremendous time in South Africa, but home is home. Flint never looked so good! Here, folks talk about crime. All they have to do is go to South Africa...then they'll receive an education on crime. I've written about it and nothing has changed: it's the one factor that will lead South Africa to dramatic change if the leaders there don't bring it under control.

South Africa is losing approximately 30,000 people yearly to out-country migration. Most of the folks leaving are going to New Zealand, Australia, Britain, Canada, the USA, and other countries. It's mostly "white-flight" in my estimation. People just can't take the crime rate there any longer--and those people leaving are mostly professionals that the country can't afford to lose. It will continue unabated as long as the South African leadership ignores the crime issue.

So, there it is! We had a very Merry Christmas and hopefully our friends in South Africa had one too. There will be few more additions to this blog, mostly photographs (some of my favorites). The New Year will bring an end to this 2006 Fulbright blog...I'm going to miss it!

ALMOST CHRISTMAS, 2006...WOW, WHAT A YEAR THIS HAS BEEN!!

Dear Blogger,

This has been an unbelievable year! Who would have ever imagined all of the adventures and experiences we enjoyed during 2006. We were tremendously challenged in so many ways--some were wonderful, enduring challenges, while others were best to be forgotten. If you've followed this Blog, then you surely know the events/circumstances that we hold dear. And the forgettable events/circumstances are probably fairly easy to determine.

The question arises, would we do it all over again? Absolutely! Would we have done some things differently? Absolutely. I went diving into this thing with reckless abandon...and we paid for that kind of enthusiasm, no doubt. They say experience is the best teacher, so given the chance to do this again, there would be some things we would change.

Importantly, I should have listened to our (then) Fulbright Commission mentor, Monica Joi, when she advised me and my family to make different housing arrangements. It was a recommendation that we should have followed. The advice was given to us early on in the exchange and if followed, our time in South Africa would have been much more enjoyable and far less stressful. Hindsight, right?

The school I was assigned to was more than adequate for the exchange. It had technologies that were surely lacking in two out of three of the other exchange schools. As it turned out, my colleagues in those technology-lacking institutions had good, solid experiences at their respective places of work. Perhaps my main complaint was the fact that I was given mostly 8th-graders to teach...a daunting challenge for someone accustomed to upper-grade kids.

No, I take that back. My biggest gripe is that my school's administration did not use my experiences, talents, and abilities to their best advantage. Then again, one might say that I should have gleefully taken what was given to me and turn those 8th-graders into voracious learners, willing to devour my lesson plans for their learning. I tried. Was I successful? No, not on a regular basis. There were, no doubt, some successes...not as many as desired.

Blogger, you know what this Fulbright exchange was all about. You featured many wonderful, exciting photographs during the past year. By no means were you "fed" all of my best photos, but folks knew we had experiences that will never be forgotten. You also know that some folks who read the Blog were less than pleased with my choice of words, etc. I can readily accept that fact; I can not accept the manner in which they personally attacked me.

Anyway, I might have one or two more postings before ending Joburg Journal forever. It has been a lot of fun/it has been stressful too. Would I have changed anything about the Blog? Well, as some of you know, I did just that--change my criticism of that person who singlehandedly caused us so much anguish, pain, and stress. We'll pray for the dude.

So, that's it. Have a terrific Christmas Blogger! And for all of you folks who have tuned in during the past year, have a wonderful, safe, healthy, prosperous New Year!! Yes, ALL of you...

Sincerely,

John C. Davidek
Fulbright South Africa-2006

IVAN'S SEVENTH BIRTHDAY BASH CELEBRATED IN VICTORIA FALLS, ZIMBABWE!

Ivan is the recipient of a birthday party at a restaurant in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe called The Boma. He's all smiles because the group that played music and sang that evening was nice enough to sing the birthday song...in a Zimbabwean language (I think it was Shona). Needless to say, Ivan was very pleased. He was also very happy to receive some nice gifts, including a lion's claw from his father. Sadly, the gift was later stolen in a burglary of our living quarters while we away on yet another mini-vacation in Durban, South Africa. We cherish the memory of his seventh birthday in Africa, but the loss of his lion's claw necklace in a later burglary will also never be forgotten. A few months later the stolen necklace was replaced by another one purchased by his father, John Davidek. I made a special trip back up to Zimbabwe just to replace the stolen item...Ivan cried over the loss of it and I was determined to replace it with another one.

KIDS WILL BE KIDS WHEREVER YOU FIND THEM...I FOUND THESE YOUNGSTERS AT PATRICK MCHUGH'S SCHOOL...

I really like this photograph. It took every bit of one second as I prompted these youngsters to pose and smile for the camera. Like kids anywhere, they instantly struck this particular pose and I responded by clicking my shutter. Their smiles and spontaneous reaction to my request make for a nice photo...at least that's my opinion. Leave a comment if you agree or disagree with me on this one. And if you are leaving a comment to project your hatred or animosity toward me, then forget it (because, even though I'm generous in giving you an opportunity to express yourself, I will not be targeted by any negative comments. In other words, your printed remarks will be removed before anyone has the opportunity to read them...).

AWARDS NIGHT AT NORKEM PARK H.S.: MIKE MUTOMBO'S MOTHER AND YOURS TRULY ENJOY A MOMENT TOGETHER...

Yeah, Michael (Bola) Mutombo's mother was something else--an African queen, in my eyes! The family came to South Africa from the Democratic Republic of Congo. I believe his mom had four sons--all handsome, intelligent, and able to overcome adversity. I met many folks in S.A. from the D.R.C. I saw Mike as a "project." He had looks, smarts, and an athletic build--and the maturity of a fifth-grader in a body of an eighth-grader. And his voice was as large as his frame: BIG! I could look at him and see him as a defensive end on Michigan State's football team. They could take him and mold him into a star athlete. M.S.U. will be hearing from me, so remember that name: MIKE MUTOMBO! And remember you saw the prediction here first...

ALMOST THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL AT MATOBO H.S./I GET TO CELEBRATE WITH THE LEARNERS!

Kids, like kids anywhere, willingly gather to have a picture taken...even if it's with me. I'm not sure if they were done with final exams or if they had just finished testing. It didn't matter. Just about everyone was in a "party mood" because school was over. This photograph was taken in early November--classes won't start up again until early January. The seasons are reversed, of course, and our cold January will be their hot, summer January. Friendly, nice children and a school that was fun to visit. Well done, Patrick McHugh, fellow Fulbrighter! They're hugging their books/assignments...you must have done something right! This is the village school without running water. Who needs resources like water when you have human resources like these eager learners?

WHERE'S THE BALL? GO AHEAD...TRY PLAYING SOCCER WITH A TENNIS BALL/AND IN STREET SHOES!

LET'S GET IT RIGHT...THE TWENTY (20) THINGS WE'LL MISS ABOUT SOUTH AFRICA!

Clearly, the time is now to put forth the 20 things we are going to miss about our year in South Africa. The "we", of course, refers to myself, my wife, Svetlana, and our little guy, Ivan J.J. Hopefully, no one will be offended by this list. It is our personal list, so go easy on us if there is something here that doesn't meet your approval. The list:

(1) We will miss the friendships gained as a result of our time in S.A. There are dozens of folks
that helped us when we were in need. Simple acts of kindness were evident throughout our
stay. Certainly, Carol Wise's generosity/kindness toward us has to be recognized. Her town-
house was so appreciated when we were forced to "evacuate" our previous living quarters.
(2) We're gonna miss all that sunshine! Good grief, South Africa must be the most sun-drench-
country in the world. Can sunshine ever be boring? Almost...but not for folks like us (from
Flint, Michigan).
(3) Believe it or not, I'm going to miss those little 8th-graders! Yep. You heard me right. They
are unlike any grade up the scale to the "know-it-all" seniors. For various reasons, I'm
going to miss many of them...and I know they will miss me.
(4) We will miss the fresh fruit and veggies. Is there any land anywhere that is more blessed
with such a variety of delicious fruits and vegetables? Israel is the only place I've been to
that comes close (my opinion, of course).
(5) Not only will we miss the people, but we are going to miss the diversity of the people of
South Africa. No doubt about it...the rich fabric of the many peoples makes South Africa
one of the most unusual, attractive places on earth for anyone who admires diversity.
(6) We're gonna miss the availaibility of such interesting countries near S.A. We had the
opportunity to visit Swaziland, Mozambique, Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Lesotho. Well,
actually I was the only one to visit Lesotho. Nevertheless, the countries and their
peoples were fascinating, captivating, and unforgettable.
(7) Overall, we're going to miss the cheaper prices of foods in the marketplace. That means
we're will miss Pic N' Pay...where we picked and paid less than in American. Maybe some
folks would disagree with us, but that is/was our experience.
(8) We're going to miss the fine highway system. Yep, you heard it here! Michigan has high-
ways that are subject to the destructive forces of winter...leaving potholes that compare
to the big hole in Kimberley, S.A. On the other side, the traffic engineers in S.A. could
work a bit harder on figuring out how to make the highway traffic signs easier to under-
stand for ordinary mortals.
(9) There is no doubt I'll miss the morning, daily meetings we had at school(!). No kidding.
When I first learned that Norkem Park H.S. had staff meetings daily I thought it was a
cruel joke. As time passed, the daily meetings made more and more sense to me. And
an added benefit was being able to greet and be with friends every day. There seemed
to be little cliques, but that's just human nature (evident anywhere).
(10) Heck, I'm even gonna miss the guys that became my friends in the parking lots. Yeah,
I have been critical of them before, but realistically, there were many of them whom I
will miss. There's a fellow working the lots at Heritage Mall who is a Hutu from Rwanda.
I'm going to try to help him. He told me he was a medical doctor. I promised him that
upon my return to America, I would try to help his quest for a better life. How can a
fellow trained in the medical field be a parking lot attendant?
(11.) We are going to sorely miss all the friends we made at the Family Fitness Center. They
were so kind and considerate toward my wife and our son.
(12.) I am going to miss the friendly bantering that went on between me and my Zimbabwean
buddy, Samuel Binduko. I joked with him often about wanting to be a member of the
Shona tribe...if they are all like Samuel, then anyone would want to be like him. Samuel
and his friendly warmth, honesty, and laughter will be missed very much.
(13.) I will miss the professional manner, the caring attitudes of some staff members at our
school. They labour so hard and do it for such little wages...they are to be admired forever
for their dedication to young people.
(14.) We will miss those closeby trips we made to places such as the Cradle of Humankind,
Lesebi Village, and Maropeng. People in and around Johannesburg are so lucky to have
such family treasures nearby.
(15.) We will miss the treasures of Johannesburg. Places such as the Africa Museum, Newtown,
and the Joburg Zoo were wonderful venues for us. The depth and variety of things to do
and see are going to be missed.
(16.) We will definitely miss Cape Town! Goodness, what a beautiful, wonderful city for folks
who love to see and do. We had such an enriching visit to Robben Island...we'll never for-
get the presentation made in the prison by one of the former inmates and friend of
Nelson Mandela.
(17.) My family and I will never forget the truly great time we had in Durban. ShakaZuluWorld
is something Ivan J.J. still talks about. The local Indian foods are most memorable! And
who can forget the Indian Ocean?
(18.) We will never forget, indeed we are going to miss, the good times we had traveling with
Ron and Andrea Reese. The laughs we had together were precious to us. From the
fortress of the Great Zimbabwe to the beaches of Durban...guys we are gonna miss ya!
(19.) And for that matter, we will miss the times we got together with the other Fulbrighters.
We all shared so much in common, most of all, we shared a love for the kids we had in
our respective classrooms. I will personally miss witnessing their dedication to our goal
in being in S.A. That goal, was of course, being the best we could be for our learners.
(20.) Lastly, and by no means last in terms of what I will miss, will be the daily challenges we
faced in living and working in South Africa. It was a struggle at times...and said struggle
made life there interesting and kept us "on our toes." It was NEVER boring, that's for
sure! Heck, at times even a trip to the store would be an adventure. Not so in Michigan.
That sense of excitement made each day an adventure. We WILL miss it!