Leaving Cape Town International
Airport, all the infrastructure and highways felt very familiar
except driving on the left side of the roads. Shortly after leaving
the airport, right along the highway there were multiple informal
settlements. I've spent time studying slums but seeing them in person
truly brings to light the conditions the residents are living in
every day. The slums were so dense and the structures felt so uneasy.
If the ground shifted a centimeter, it looked as if everything would
collapse. Getting a glimpse of them shook me to the core, I can't
imagine how I will feel after walking through them.. One of the first
things I spent time thinking about was the drastic inequality. When
we drove closer to Claremont, where we are staying, the area and city
life felt similar to the rough sides of San Antonio. The people,
languages, and business names are different but urban Cape Town is a
city center just like any other. Yet the slums and townships we
drove past show a completely different side of Cape Town and South
Africa.
Also in the shuttle from the airport I quickly realized how prominent American music is here in South Africa. Before leaving I tried to listen to 'South African music' now I laugh at that attempt because American music is the mainstream here. So far I've heard Drake, Ludacris, Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, Beyonce, A$AP Rocky, Pit Bull, Chris Brown, and more. In general, South African music is very similar to the American top 40, but most of the songs my classmates and I have heard is songs we were listening to ten years ago. I even heard “She Hates Me” by Puddle of Mudd, how is that for a throw back?
I was shocked to see how nice and 'American' our hostel is. It is called 'Off the Wall Backpackers' and I feel incredibly spoiled to be staying in such a nice, accommodating space. I feel very fortunate – thank you Dr. Gilbert and Arelis! After settling into our space and starting to focus on the locals, I realized quickly how many different languages are spoken. Afrikaans is prominent but everyone also speaks English, yet South African English is different than American English. They way we say water is so weird to them – they drop the 'r' and pronounce the 'a' as more of an 'o' sound. 'Hows it' is how people ask one another how are you. 'Robots' are traffic intersections and the traffic lights. Trash is not used and they use the more British terms of 'rubbish' and 'dirt bin.' Mail is called 'post.' Soda is 'pop.' Fries are 'chips' and chips are 'crisps.' We've learned some Afrikaans terms like 'Danke' which means thank you (similar to German) and 'Lekka' which is similar to fine, fun, or cool from what I've understood. South Africans do not understand us well and it very obvious when we open our mouths that we are Americans. Actually we don't even have to talk to be recognized as Americans. The way we dress, carry ourselves, move through the space, and interact with others is just a huge flashing sign over our heads screaming American. There is a lot of attention on us wherever we go, and to me personally I find it quite uncomfortable but I know it will get better over time.
So far in the areas I have visited I have seen very few Whites in Cape Town. Blacks, Whites, Asians, and Coloureds are the main demographic categories here in Cape Town. Before coming to South Africa I had a difficult time trying to understand what the Coloured population entailed. I could not imagine how they looked, what ethnicity they identified with, or their mixed roots. Within a few days I have a much better understanding. The Coloured demographic is like a whole new “type” of people. They aren't Black. They aren't White. They don't fit into any “box” that we, as Americans, already know. Coloureds represent the centuries of mixed cultures within South African history. From the Xhosas, Zulus, Africans, Dutch, British, Indians, Chinese, Malaysians, Europeans and more – these groups have been intermixing in South Africa for centuries. The result is the unique Coloured population, local to South Africa and reinforced by apartheid.
Most of the locals I have met are not from South Africa. Many are from Zimbabwe to the north, different cities in South Africa, or other African nations. I went to a salon and paid to get my hair braided yesterday - mostly to get my bangs out of my face for the trip and also so I don't have to deal with my hair and the high levels of humidity (read: lazy). I started talking to the woman braiding my hair since it took awhile. Her name is Dada. She's from Burundi, in sub-Saharan Africa, and fled to South Africa five years ago to escape the violence. Her parents were killed in the violence. She came to South Africa with hope for a better life, but xenophobia has left her still fearing for her life. Dada's sister was shot the day before while she was driving because she is not from South Africa. Xenophobia in South Africa is a huge, terrible and embarrassing problem to many South Africans. People from other African nations are coming to South Africa for a variety of reasons. South Africa is a democracy. South Africa is safer than most African nations. South Africa is the strongest African economy. The University of Cape Town is the best university in Africa. South Africa has the best medical care within Africa (the first heart transplant ever was conducted successfully here in South Africa). There are lots of pulls, and endless pushes – like war, dangerous conditions or a lack of economic opportunity - from other African nations. So lots of perceived “outsiders” are here in South Africa. The context of xenophobia is rooted in the effects of apartheid. Apartheid ended in 1994 with the election of the African National Congress, led by President Nelson Mandela. Apartheid crippled the education system and economy, amongst many other institutions. South Africa started all over only twenty years ago with the repeal of all apartheid policies. One could compare present-day South Africa to America in 1885 – twenty years after the end of the Civil War, or America in the 1985 – twenty years after LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act of 1965. It takes a very long time for a country to recover from public policies at that degree. Today in America, 150 years after the end of slavery, our nation still struggles with race relations, and if you think otherwise, think again. Only twenty years out in South Africa, the adults at working age grew up during apartheid. Around 40% of South African are unemployed and the rates are even higher in the townships. A lack of jobs as well as uneducated and under-qualified workers creates this extremely high level of unemployment. So.... back to xenophobia... the “outsiders” are coming to South Africa and taking the jobs South Africans feel they deserve. While other Africans are more educated and more qualified (having not gone under apartheid), South Africans fought for those jobs when protesting the apartheid government, and they feel entitled to them and every other right. Therefore, outsiders are taking not only their jobs, but their women, their land, even their air. So in response, South Africans are killing them. It is a tragedy and a disgrace to many South Africans. During apartheid, South Africans found refuge in neighboring African nations. The situation has reversed, and instead South Africans are killing those from the countries that once were their savior.
I asked Dada while she braided my hair, “Do you feel safe?” She replied quietly, “No.” I asked, “Where could you go?” Desperate for a safe place for not only herself and her husband, but to raise her son, Dieu Merci ('thank you God' – in French) she responded “I don't know.” Hearing her lack of hope and the heartbreak and desperation in her voice, also broke my heart. It was probably one of the saddest statements I have ever heard. I can't put it into words.
I am here in South Africa to study, to learn, to open my mind, to learn about another country and to learn about myself. I am so very fortunate to be here through the University of Texas. My road has not been easy. If you know me personally you know what it has taken for me to get here. You know what it took for me to be able to attend UT and to be able to afford UT, semester after semester. I am one of the oldest undergraduates in my program here in Cape Town. I am proud of that. It means I overcame obstacles and I succeeded. I never planned on studying abroad. My first year of college I ruled it out, knowing I could never afford it. I decided to apply to study abroad at the last minute because I knew I would regret it if I didn't. I applied with the “I'll figure out how I'm going to afford this later” mindset. I was shocked to be accepted into the Community and Social Development program offered by UT's School of Social Work in Cape Town, South Africa. I was even further shocked when I received the Gilman International Scholarship a few weeks ago.... Getting here has been such a roller coaster and I have felt so incredibly blessed and fortunate throughout this process.
Being here (...for only four days so far) and talking to locals has rocked my world. I felt fortunate and privileged to start with, but after hearing the few stories I have heard so far and hearing their voices shake as they tell me of their struggles, I realize my struggles mean nothing in comparison. Endless thanks to my parents, my family, my teachers, my professors, my friends, my colleagues, and my co-workers. I also want to thank the men and women who have served in the U.S. Military – for their sacrifices have secured the privileged lives we are able to live as Americans. I have always had a roof over my head, food to eat, and clean water to drink. I have never feared for my life, the lives of my family members, or the lives of my friends. I am fortunate enough to have a job, and at that, a job that pays me a fair wage. If I were to call the cops, they would show up and help me. I had the privilege of being able to do what I love as a dancer for fifteen years of my life. Not only did I graduate high school, but I have the opportunity to go to college. I live in America. I am safe. I have freedoms and I have opportunities. If you get anything from this, I ask that you think twice. Don't take anything for granted because we could all have it so much worse.. First world problems are first world problems. Any locals here can't even fathom the worries and complaints we have back home. Start challenging your perspectives. Take the time to try to understand someone different than you. Just say hi, smile, ask someone where they are from. Everyone has something to offer that could help you grow as a person. You don't have to go abroad to get this experience. There are people who differ from you in your lives every day. The opportunity is there. In every situation there is something to be thankful for. Thanks for reading.
KL
Also in the shuttle from the airport I quickly realized how prominent American music is here in South Africa. Before leaving I tried to listen to 'South African music' now I laugh at that attempt because American music is the mainstream here. So far I've heard Drake, Ludacris, Linkin Park, Fall Out Boy, Beyonce, A$AP Rocky, Pit Bull, Chris Brown, and more. In general, South African music is very similar to the American top 40, but most of the songs my classmates and I have heard is songs we were listening to ten years ago. I even heard “She Hates Me” by Puddle of Mudd, how is that for a throw back?
I was shocked to see how nice and 'American' our hostel is. It is called 'Off the Wall Backpackers' and I feel incredibly spoiled to be staying in such a nice, accommodating space. I feel very fortunate – thank you Dr. Gilbert and Arelis! After settling into our space and starting to focus on the locals, I realized quickly how many different languages are spoken. Afrikaans is prominent but everyone also speaks English, yet South African English is different than American English. They way we say water is so weird to them – they drop the 'r' and pronounce the 'a' as more of an 'o' sound. 'Hows it' is how people ask one another how are you. 'Robots' are traffic intersections and the traffic lights. Trash is not used and they use the more British terms of 'rubbish' and 'dirt bin.' Mail is called 'post.' Soda is 'pop.' Fries are 'chips' and chips are 'crisps.' We've learned some Afrikaans terms like 'Danke' which means thank you (similar to German) and 'Lekka' which is similar to fine, fun, or cool from what I've understood. South Africans do not understand us well and it very obvious when we open our mouths that we are Americans. Actually we don't even have to talk to be recognized as Americans. The way we dress, carry ourselves, move through the space, and interact with others is just a huge flashing sign over our heads screaming American. There is a lot of attention on us wherever we go, and to me personally I find it quite uncomfortable but I know it will get better over time.
So far in the areas I have visited I have seen very few Whites in Cape Town. Blacks, Whites, Asians, and Coloureds are the main demographic categories here in Cape Town. Before coming to South Africa I had a difficult time trying to understand what the Coloured population entailed. I could not imagine how they looked, what ethnicity they identified with, or their mixed roots. Within a few days I have a much better understanding. The Coloured demographic is like a whole new “type” of people. They aren't Black. They aren't White. They don't fit into any “box” that we, as Americans, already know. Coloureds represent the centuries of mixed cultures within South African history. From the Xhosas, Zulus, Africans, Dutch, British, Indians, Chinese, Malaysians, Europeans and more – these groups have been intermixing in South Africa for centuries. The result is the unique Coloured population, local to South Africa and reinforced by apartheid.
Most of the locals I have met are not from South Africa. Many are from Zimbabwe to the north, different cities in South Africa, or other African nations. I went to a salon and paid to get my hair braided yesterday - mostly to get my bangs out of my face for the trip and also so I don't have to deal with my hair and the high levels of humidity (read: lazy). I started talking to the woman braiding my hair since it took awhile. Her name is Dada. She's from Burundi, in sub-Saharan Africa, and fled to South Africa five years ago to escape the violence. Her parents were killed in the violence. She came to South Africa with hope for a better life, but xenophobia has left her still fearing for her life. Dada's sister was shot the day before while she was driving because she is not from South Africa. Xenophobia in South Africa is a huge, terrible and embarrassing problem to many South Africans. People from other African nations are coming to South Africa for a variety of reasons. South Africa is a democracy. South Africa is safer than most African nations. South Africa is the strongest African economy. The University of Cape Town is the best university in Africa. South Africa has the best medical care within Africa (the first heart transplant ever was conducted successfully here in South Africa). There are lots of pulls, and endless pushes – like war, dangerous conditions or a lack of economic opportunity - from other African nations. So lots of perceived “outsiders” are here in South Africa. The context of xenophobia is rooted in the effects of apartheid. Apartheid ended in 1994 with the election of the African National Congress, led by President Nelson Mandela. Apartheid crippled the education system and economy, amongst many other institutions. South Africa started all over only twenty years ago with the repeal of all apartheid policies. One could compare present-day South Africa to America in 1885 – twenty years after the end of the Civil War, or America in the 1985 – twenty years after LBJ signed the Civil Rights Act of 1965. It takes a very long time for a country to recover from public policies at that degree. Today in America, 150 years after the end of slavery, our nation still struggles with race relations, and if you think otherwise, think again. Only twenty years out in South Africa, the adults at working age grew up during apartheid. Around 40% of South African are unemployed and the rates are even higher in the townships. A lack of jobs as well as uneducated and under-qualified workers creates this extremely high level of unemployment. So.... back to xenophobia... the “outsiders” are coming to South Africa and taking the jobs South Africans feel they deserve. While other Africans are more educated and more qualified (having not gone under apartheid), South Africans fought for those jobs when protesting the apartheid government, and they feel entitled to them and every other right. Therefore, outsiders are taking not only their jobs, but their women, their land, even their air. So in response, South Africans are killing them. It is a tragedy and a disgrace to many South Africans. During apartheid, South Africans found refuge in neighboring African nations. The situation has reversed, and instead South Africans are killing those from the countries that once were their savior.
I asked Dada while she braided my hair, “Do you feel safe?” She replied quietly, “No.” I asked, “Where could you go?” Desperate for a safe place for not only herself and her husband, but to raise her son, Dieu Merci ('thank you God' – in French) she responded “I don't know.” Hearing her lack of hope and the heartbreak and desperation in her voice, also broke my heart. It was probably one of the saddest statements I have ever heard. I can't put it into words.
I am here in South Africa to study, to learn, to open my mind, to learn about another country and to learn about myself. I am so very fortunate to be here through the University of Texas. My road has not been easy. If you know me personally you know what it has taken for me to get here. You know what it took for me to be able to attend UT and to be able to afford UT, semester after semester. I am one of the oldest undergraduates in my program here in Cape Town. I am proud of that. It means I overcame obstacles and I succeeded. I never planned on studying abroad. My first year of college I ruled it out, knowing I could never afford it. I decided to apply to study abroad at the last minute because I knew I would regret it if I didn't. I applied with the “I'll figure out how I'm going to afford this later” mindset. I was shocked to be accepted into the Community and Social Development program offered by UT's School of Social Work in Cape Town, South Africa. I was even further shocked when I received the Gilman International Scholarship a few weeks ago.... Getting here has been such a roller coaster and I have felt so incredibly blessed and fortunate throughout this process.
Being here (...for only four days so far) and talking to locals has rocked my world. I felt fortunate and privileged to start with, but after hearing the few stories I have heard so far and hearing their voices shake as they tell me of their struggles, I realize my struggles mean nothing in comparison. Endless thanks to my parents, my family, my teachers, my professors, my friends, my colleagues, and my co-workers. I also want to thank the men and women who have served in the U.S. Military – for their sacrifices have secured the privileged lives we are able to live as Americans. I have always had a roof over my head, food to eat, and clean water to drink. I have never feared for my life, the lives of my family members, or the lives of my friends. I am fortunate enough to have a job, and at that, a job that pays me a fair wage. If I were to call the cops, they would show up and help me. I had the privilege of being able to do what I love as a dancer for fifteen years of my life. Not only did I graduate high school, but I have the opportunity to go to college. I live in America. I am safe. I have freedoms and I have opportunities. If you get anything from this, I ask that you think twice. Don't take anything for granted because we could all have it so much worse.. First world problems are first world problems. Any locals here can't even fathom the worries and complaints we have back home. Start challenging your perspectives. Take the time to try to understand someone different than you. Just say hi, smile, ask someone where they are from. Everyone has something to offer that could help you grow as a person. You don't have to go abroad to get this experience. There are people who differ from you in your lives every day. The opportunity is there. In every situation there is something to be thankful for. Thanks for reading.
KL
