Fushmutzled!
So, I haven't really been writing much, here or in my journal. I guess I have a bit of writer's block. We have been busy doing interesting things and having lots of time to relax too. I was trying to think of funny anecdotes that have occurred recently, but I'm strugling with how to recount them. The worldwide political and natural disasters also seem to play into my stuckness. When the response to the effects of Katrina are described as "similar to a third world country" I yearn to understand what that means. I mean I understand that no country, regardless of money, can be prepared for such a disaster and the only main difference between the flooding that occurred in the southern US and the floods that occur in countries like India is that there are more people in a smaller space, so possibly more causalities. But, like someone said today, unlike in Western countries where there are laws to protect patients in hospitals, here, if someone dies it's no big deal- at least not for the doctor. I sat there wondering how a human life could be no bing deal. "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson, yes I am STILL reading it, helps to give some perspective, but it also can make you feel very small. We are very tiny, but we are all important to someone or several someones.
Blah, blah, blah...
South Africa is a complex country. We went to a fun music festival last night and will join the free festivities today after which we will head to a dance performance. I am curious to see the people who come to the free activities as compared to those who are able to pay for the other performances. Last night's performance was not nearly as packed as I expected until we bought the tickets (160R, almost $30). People certainly mingle together here, across race lines, but here in Jo'berg it seems a bit more pressured than in Cape Town where people seem to feel more comfortable with one another.
We just found out that Kelly is going to join us in Africa for our trip to Namibia and we are SUPER excited!!!!!!! She might even convince Tammy to come too and it will be like a Bali reunion, but in Africa. I'm getting more excited about the next bits of our trip. We have decided to visit Swaziland at Trudi's suggestion and then we are going to Madagascar! I haven't really looked at the guidebook so all of my expectations are from childhood imaginings of what it must be like. We will be able to stay with a Servas family when we arrive and then who knows. A friend of a friend is in the PeaceCorps there and we are hoping to join here for an annual tomb exhumation which should be interested.
I can't believe that we are still going to do so much, even though we only have about 2 months left.
Servas US along with MoveOn sent out an e-mail requesting people to open their homes to the thousands of people left homeless after Katrina. What a wonderful way of helping out!
Blah, blah, blah...
South Africa is a complex country. We went to a fun music festival last night and will join the free festivities today after which we will head to a dance performance. I am curious to see the people who come to the free activities as compared to those who are able to pay for the other performances. Last night's performance was not nearly as packed as I expected until we bought the tickets (160R, almost $30). People certainly mingle together here, across race lines, but here in Jo'berg it seems a bit more pressured than in Cape Town where people seem to feel more comfortable with one another.
We just found out that Kelly is going to join us in Africa for our trip to Namibia and we are SUPER excited!!!!!!! She might even convince Tammy to come too and it will be like a Bali reunion, but in Africa. I'm getting more excited about the next bits of our trip. We have decided to visit Swaziland at Trudi's suggestion and then we are going to Madagascar! I haven't really looked at the guidebook so all of my expectations are from childhood imaginings of what it must be like. We will be able to stay with a Servas family when we arrive and then who knows. A friend of a friend is in the PeaceCorps there and we are hoping to join here for an annual tomb exhumation which should be interested.
I can't believe that we are still going to do so much, even though we only have about 2 months left.
Servas US along with MoveOn sent out an e-mail requesting people to open their homes to the thousands of people left homeless after Katrina. What a wonderful way of helping out!