The Jo'burg Log

Two days in a busy city… Although I think we were busier than the city.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Our morning started with an introduction to the program- what we’ll being doing, where we’ll be going, etc. It was long, and afterwards we had an intro lesson in the Zulu Language, or isiZulu. Since learning the intro click sounds (on ‘c’, ‘q’, and ‘x’), all of us frequently break into practicing our clicks, which sounds as funny as you’d think. If we have down time at a museum or in the vans, we click clack away.

Around 12:30, we packed up in the vans (we drive around in these adorable, and very new VW vans that seem to be popular in SA) and headed to the Apartheid Museum. The museum is very interesting, especially the layout. You enter the museum as a “white” or “non-white” (indicated randomly on entrance ticket), and the entire thing is amazing. Filled with video, info, open air spaces leading seamlessly indoors and back out again, the museum attempts to tackle the history of apartheid and the ANC’s overcome of it. Many of the exhibits are difficult to explain, hopefully the posted pictures below give you an idea… Although the horrors of apartheid remain at least a bit distant to those (including me) who have never experienced it.

After 4 hours at the museum, we returned home for 2 hours of ‘free time’ before dinner. I took a nap and slept so hard I missed dinner and another student had to come knock on my door so I’d come to the evening session (which we all fell asleep during).

Sunday, January 30, 2011

This morning featured another Zulu lesson after breakfast- we worked on greetings and common things. Sawubona! (Hello!) Unjani? (How are you?)

At 9:30, we loaded in the vans again and headed to the Constitutional Court. There are only four countries in the world that have a constitutional court- the US is not one of them. The court only hears cases related to the constitution. The building is new and beautiful and FULL of symbolism. The building was originally a prison, and old material from the prison has been used to symbolize the nation’s triumph over apartheid. All 11 official languages say “Constitutional Court” at the entrance, and the inside is filled with similar symbols of national unity. There is an art walk/gallery featuring pieces that emanate the pain the country has experienced. Pieces deal with the torture of apartheid, the pain and humility of HIV/AIDS, rape, imprisonment, etc., etc. I don’t know if the US could or would address the brokenness of our past within the Supreme Court building, and the honesty South Africa vulnerable embraces is striking.

From the court (after a lecture) we headed to Soweto. 25 minutes from Jo’burg, Soweto was an influential turning point in 1976 during the student uprisings. Police opened fire during a demonstration, killing over 30 black people that day and many more in the days to come. We toured the local museum about the Soweto uprising, and it was also powerful. Afterwards we drove for lunch at “Robby’s Place”, which really looked a lot like a home. Driving with us in our van was a man who gave us a tour of Soweto, including one of Mandela’s former homes, and he also shared a lot of his personal experience with South Africa’s history and his hope for the future within the next generation.

After lunch we went to a musical downtown. After we took our seats for what was supposed to be 2 hours and 45 traditional African songs in different languages, a woman got on stage and told us the main singer was sick and the show was cancelled. Bummer. We ended up in a different show that was odd- not what I’d call good- but they sang sometimes and that was good. I kept nodding off- but I think I wasn’t alone in that…

And after a session on our fears and hopes for the semester, I am beat. Tomorrow we leave for Durban- a 6 hour drive through the Drakensburg Mountains, and we leave at 6 am! I’m excited to be in Durban, where we’ll be primarily, but I’ll miss our little home here. It is secluded, but so beautiful.