Orientation Week

What a long week! Friday afternoon we left for Tsitsikamma National Forest with all the other international students at NMMU for bush camp orientation. We stayed in a tourist hostel/ backpacking lodge called tsitsikamma adventures. The area was stunning, with many farms surrounded by mountains. The weekend proved to be a forum for all of the students to get to know each other. We met students from Germany, Finland, the Netherlands and more. Unfortunately, St. Cloud State has an existing program at NMMU as well and 45 of the 90 students at the event go to school in St. Cloud, MN. Ironic I know. The feel was very different from typical orientation weekends here in the states. We had tons of down time because there was very little structure. That said, we ziplined and hiked for most of Saturday.

A few things about bush camp: the ziplining was awesome. The hiking was better. The company was better still, especially when the bar was open. The landscape in the countryside of South Africa is remarkably diverse. While driving we saw the richest neighborhoods, the poorest, farms, mountains, pasture, and near Tsitsikamma is a European Fir farming area, and I swear it looked just like the Northwoods of Minnesota. Great weekend, but enough about bush camp. 

Monday we visited NMMU for the first time. Ryan Fuchs and I met with the soccer coach and earned a tryout starting next Monday. Although, we also learned this team won the national championship in December... it's ok, they have a reserve team. 

Our home stadium has a bar and an ocean view, not bad!

Tuesday just so happened to be my birthday. And what a day it was! In the morning we had a short introduction to our service learning and then had the rest of the day off! We went to the beach, hung out, and planned for the evening. At about 4:30 I got a wonderful invitation from my neighbors (a flat of 6 young women) to eat a formal birthday dinner with them. I got dressed up and walked down the hall to find a candle-lit multiple course meal waiting, not to mention the girls, wearing their favorite sun dresses. It was a great way to get the night started, it reminds me how easy it has been away from home so far. After dinner the party got started. Everyone came including a group of South African friends we had met over the weekend. A great time was had by all, that I am certain of!

Wednesday we had more orientation--incredibly boring in the morning, unbearably boring (maybe had something to do with the fact that it was my 21st the night before, but still). The afternoon was much better because we took a bus into the townships for the first time and visited our service sites. This was quite an experience of mixed emotions. To be completely honest, my first impression of the poverty was "this is it? It's not nearly as bad as I thought." That, however, was just one of the townships which had received government housing and appeared relatively close to middle-class. Two of the three service sites are in this neighborhood, including Pendla Primary school and the House of Resurrection. When we visited, students were not in session at Pendla, so it's hard to know what that site would be like. However, the impact SJU has made there is noticeable to say the least. House of Resurrection is an AIDS orphanage, for youth up to 12 years old. House appeared slightly disorganized, but the kids were frickin cute and it would be a fun place to serve.

On Thursday we took an all day tour of Port Elizabeth with our tour guide Bradley Lawack. Bradley has worked with our group for 7 years and grew up in the townships. He will take our group on outings all semester long, and I can't wait to get to know him better, he is one of the most interesting people I have ever met. He took us to his childhood home, and then showed us the worst of the worst poverty. This is where I realized the poverty here really is THAT bad. This was a slum, houses were not built, they were tied and taped together. This is where Missionvale, the last of the three service sites, and the site that I will be working at is. Missionvale is well funded, and well established. They give food, medical care, clothes, and even christmas presents to hundreds of locals. As of last year, they also have a nearly free private school for children k-3. This is where I will spend my time for service learning. The principal has an amazing vision, and I look forward to learning as much from him as I can. 

We left Missionvale and visited the Red Location Apartheid Museum. Turns out Bradley also curates different exhibitions at museums. He taught us all about the massacre of 1970 and brought many if not most of us to tears. The museum is internationally renowned, and maybe my favorite place I have visited since arriving here. 

 Michelle and me drumming at Bush Camp

 The library at Pendla, a tiny building CSB/SJU built.

 Port Elizabeth's public library in the city center, guarded by Queen Elizabeth herself.

 Typical township home, maybe a bit on the lower end. 

The front homes are among the toughest we saw, the painted homes beyond are government built, and our home is along the beach off in the distance in the former white district called summerstrand.

We are spending the weekend finishing up homework for our first classes this week, and sunning at the beach. But like I said, It was a week to remember.

First Impressions

24 hours of travel is so long. And jetlag is real. Anywho, travel was safe and efficient. We arrived in Port Elizabeth last night at 9 pm. Unfortunately, it was already dark and we hardly got to see the town. That said, 9 pm here is 1pm back home, and we stayed up late getting settled and soaking everything in.  Well, when we finally did go to bed, it was 1ish here. I went to bed sleepy, and excited to get a full nights rest after all the travel... And then we all woke up at 430 am and couldn't fall back asleep! Turns out our body thought that was just a nice afternoon nap. After trying to read, and make the most of the early morning hours, we (my five flatmates) went to the beach and swam! Nothing like a polar bear plunge to get things started on day one in Africa. The waves are HUGE, and the water is warm. Not to mention it was already 75 degrees out. Although, it was raining. At 8 we walked about a mile down the beach to go shopping at the mall, we bought food, and other necessities. We bought lunch at the internet cafe at 9, and without thinking (because it felt like afternoon considering we got up at 430) Pat tried to order a beer and received a wonderful puzzled look from our waitress, "are you kidding, it's not even 10 o'clock!" She didn't serve him. In sum, the place here is beautiful. The apartment is comfortable, the company is great. We have only scratched the surface of South African culture, but to be certain, living in the flats across from the beach with my classmates will be very comfortable. 

Sitting on the Plane, pensieve

Our living room

Ryan moving into our bedroom

Fears and Goals

As I sit at home hopelessly bored and still over a week away from leaving, I decided to reflect a little bit on my fears and my goals for the upcoming adventure. While I have many fears, I realize many of them are not entirely justified. First, I worry a little bit about flying over an ocean--seeing as I haven't done that before. Fortunately my roommate Pat was quick to put that one to rest- "If we crash we are going to die whether we are over the ocean or land, so don't even worry about it." A bit morbid but probably true nonetheless. Other irrational fears include, but are not limited to: Black Mambas, (most poisonous and aggressive snake in the world), great white sharks and any other sea creature that could harm me, accidentally eating seafood that I am allergic to, and in the most extreme case getting mugged or robbed while traveling the country. I assume none of these things things will happen to me, and the odds tend to be in my favor, but thinking about Black Mambas still makes me want to pee my pants. I think my most rational fear may be finding myself too far out of my comfort zone. Which is funny, because if you ask me why I chose to go to South Africa, that is probably the first reason I would share. Which brings me to my goals. Following a conversation with my friend Maddie who just spent the fall in Chile, I came to the conclusion that I am probably going to become rather frustrated with American society and our social norms while abroad. This may be what I look forward to most, because it's easy to say "we are so apathetic here in America, there are so many people out there suffering, and we do nothing about it," but it's entirely different to understand and mean it. The truth is, I haven't been exposed to the extreme poverty and challenges many African people face. I am sheltered. I am a white, middle-class, male, who grew up with everything he needed and more. I want to see the world for what it really is, the good, bad, and ugly. I want to be frustrated with America, and funnel that frustration as motivation that will lead to me actually doing something about it. And hopefully in the end, making a difference.

In Preparation

My list is still remarkably long. Backpack, camera, money, books, and most importantly mental preparation. I don't know if I will ever feel ready, but January 31st isn't getting any farther away. I thought I would create a blog knowing full well I will not update it as frequently as any of my followers would like.  That said, I hope anyone who reads this will find my writing entertaining enough to continue following, and maybe even to comment (I won't hold my breath). And now that I got all excited, I will get back to working 8 hours a day at Hoigaards for minimum wage. *Sigh*


Andrew