Randy Stevens
August 9, 2009

Saturday, August 8  marked Day 14 of our South African Sojourn, and it is was also our final day.  While most of us awoke feeling a bit melancholy about the reality that our time together in South Africa was coming to an end, we did not really have time for processing it.  We still had one last task to accomplish before we could depart South Africa.  We needed to see the lion.  So after we had a quick breakfast, we departed the Lodge at 7:00am for our last journey into the bush. 

We quickly passed hippopotamus, elephants, zebras, giraffes, warthogs, impalas, wildebeest, springboks and rhinos in search of the lions.  These were the creatures that in the previous two days we had spent hours watching their every movement with amazement and wonder.  But on this day, it was almost as if nature had lined up all of these incredible animals in a row so that we could quickly see them one last time and still find our lion.  There was almost something magical about riding in our Land Rover through the bush as we combed the landscape in search of the lion.  It could not have been a more spectacular day as the sun came up over the horizon.  With pure determination and perseverance, the moment finally came when the lion was spotted by our guide, Rintia, with the help of Lisa and Ali Campbell. 

There was incredible excitement and joy as each of us was able to see that the large beige spot under a beautiful tree was not a rock but indeed a lion stretched out underneath it, enjoying the cool winter breeze.  It was only a matter of seconds until the lion decided to get up from underneath the tree and walk off into the morning sunrise.  So, we returned to the lodge to collect our baggage and make our journey to the airport.  We stopped at one last craft shop en route to the airport for those seeking a final gift for a friend or relative.  We then embarked on our 18 hour airplane ride home with a 6:08 am arrival back at Dulles Airport.  The turbulence during the first 7 hours of the trip actually made the second leg from Dakar, Senegal (11 hours), seem short.  As wonderful as our journey was, it is always great to hear the immigration officer say, "Welcome Home" when you return to the US.   

I could think of no better way to end our trip together than to see the lion walk off into the sunrise, and not a sunset.  For me, that visual imagery was a perfect ending to a remarkable trip with some incredible people.  The visual imagery seemed to suggest that the time we had shared together was more about a new dawning for us and not merely a happy ending – although it was that as well.

If the history of South Africa is in large part one of increasing racial divisiveness, today it can also be seen as the story of - eventually - a journey through massive obstacles toward the creation, from tremendous diversity, of a single nation whose dream of unity and common purpose is now capable of realization.  South Africa's motto is "A World in One Country."  Once sequestered because of its politics of apartheid, it is a country that now struggles with how to make sense out of it all.

There is no question that South Africa is a world in one country.  Its stunning diversity of peoples, landscapes, wildlife, flora and fauna are unmatched by any other place on the planet.  It is a place that offers a blend of sophistication and warm hospitality.  We are indebted to Naomi Tutu for helping us see the incredible diversity and richness of South Africa, her home.  We departed knowing that it is a place with many challenges but also a place of incredible hope and possibility.  It is a place where the triumph of tenacity over adversity is brought to life.

“Madame Tutu” (as we lovingly referred to her) really helped us to better understand the impact of the years of apartheid rule as well as the incredible rich history and diversity of this remarkable country.  She was most insightful in crafting opportunities for us to experience the many paradoxes of South Africa.  While we visited many of the normal tourist sites, the time we spent visiting the townships afforded us the opportunity to see the lives of people who are disadvantaged but determined, previously oppressed, but presently overcoming adversity.  We found in the dusty streets of the townships that while the residents obviously don't take pleasure in the poverty they live in, they stand proud in the face of it.  We found that pure happiness and joy could actually be found in places where there was great need and that in giving to others we are the ones that actually receive.

We met many people who are doing the best they can with the little they have and, in the process, have much to offer the world as they have souls that appear full of joy and kindness.   We saw firsthand that houses are built on foundations with walls and a roof, but homes are built with things much deeper and less concrete.  As Nelson Mandela once said, "It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another."

At the end of our journey, I came to the ancient African maxim that I have heard Archbishop Tutu and Naomi Tutu use many times, "U muntu ngu muntu ngabantu."  The literal meaning is a person is a person because of other people.  In other words, you are who you are because of others.  Expressed variously as "Botho" in Sotho and Twana and "Ubuntu" in the Nguni languages, this concept is about a strong sense of community where people co-exist in a mutually supportive lifestyle.  Neighbors avail themselves to mind your children while you are out looking for work.  They will call in a personal favor or incur a debt on your behalf by organizing a lift with someone they barely know through a "cousin" to take your ill grandmother/spouse/child to the hospital.  They will take up a monetary offering in the neighborhood or at their job in the city to help you pay your bus fare to the funeral of a distant uncle.  They will even attend the funeral of someone in the area, no matter how little they knew him or her, as a show of support to the deceased’s family.  The larger the gathering at your passing, the greater significance your life gains.  At the end of the day, it is not as much about your status, power or monetary gains as it is about the impact you had on others.  Irrespective of blood ties, for purposes of maintaining social order, security, communion, financial and moral support, you "choose" people as your family and they choose you.  In the end, this is the most prized feature of life. 

As an educator, there is nothing more exciting or rewarding than having the opportunity to see humankind through the eyes of young people.  It is in the students' optimism and enthusiasm for humankind that affords me such hope for the future of our world.  It is their ability to appreciate the richness of diversity and at the same time the oneness of humankind.   It is our students' insightfulness and thoughtfulness that inspires me.  It is their willingness to appreciate that we are interconnected and that without seeing the value of every other human we are not human ourselves. 

This trip provided me countless opportunities to see “ubuntu” firsthand with both the students and adults traveling with me on this journey.   I saw it in the interactions of Mungi, Delaney and Georgie with the students at the P. J. Simelane Secondary School.  It was present with Carla, Carrie and Julie at the Fikelela Orphanage in Khayelithsa.  "Ubuntu" was present as Moriah, Patrice and Caroline participated in the Truth and Reconciliation Workshop with students from St. Cyprians School.  It was present as Leslie, Mary and Regan played with the children we met at a pre-school that receives support from the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. You could also feel it watching Palmer, Eileen, Emma, Ali, Erin and Sekoalne interact with the students at SKY in Kliptown.  I witnessed it as Marsha, Lisa, Tiki and Ohemaa danced for the children in Langa, and I found it during my five hours of church.  And we were all blessed with it as we listened to Archbishop Tutu speak with us.

I am not capable of appropriately or adequately summarizing the power of this experience to South Africa for me at this moment.  It is going to take some time and perspective to process all that I have seen and experienced.  I do know for certain that you cannot have the type of experience that we have had together over the past 14 days and not have your life changed by it.  It will not only be the experiences we had in South Africa that will provide that change.   It will also be because of the 24 other individuals whom we had the privilege of experiencing South Africa with that will hopefully change us for the better, and for that I am forever grateful.

Moriah Ray
August  5, 2009
Cape Town, South Africa

Today was our last day in Cape Town because tomorrow we will be heading back to Johannesburg to end our trip with game drives in Pilanesburg and a trip to Sun City!  As always, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast served by the kind staff members at District 6.  Shortly after breakfast, we said our goodbyes to Mungi  and Ms. Tutu as they departed for their trip back to the States.  Around 10:00 am our guests from the Black Sash arrived and we gathered in the conference room.  The Black Sash is a human rights organization that was originally founded in 1955 by a group of white women who were fighting against the laws and policies of apartheid.  Specifically, the founders were protesting in response to an attempt by the government to remove coloureds from the voters’ roll.  We began our discussion by talking to them about the many places we have been during our time in South Africa, which made me realize how much we have been able to see and learn in such a short time. I feel very lucky to have had this experience.

 After sharing highlights of our trip, one of the Black Sash members gave a PowerPoint presentation that outlined the history, mission and current activities of the organization. The Black Sash got its name from the early days of the organization when its members would wear black sashes to symboliz “the death of civil rights and the constitution.”  Society members would protest against apartheid by wearing black sashes and marching with lit candles as a sign of mourning.   Nelson Mandela called the Black Sash Society “the conscience of white South Africa.”   Black Sash members were often threatened by white South Africans because they felt like they were traitors for supporting blacks, but the members remained peaceful.  

Today, the Black Sash is an NGO that focuses on “making human rights real.”  The society wants to make sure the human rights that their organization has worked so hard to gain for blacks are recognized, not forgotten, and that they are acknowledged and practiced by the South African government.  The Black Sash also focuses on issues dealing with health, social security, education, housing, poverty, insurance and consumer protection.  The organization is geared to ending “extreme poverty.”   Members in the society are now men and women, both black and white.

Recently the Black Sash were active in aiding individuals who found themselves without homes after the 2008 xenophobic  attacks.  Because of the economic recession, many South Africans are angry with foreigners who they feel are taking their jobs. As a result, people from Zimbabwe and other parts of the Africa were targeted, run out of their townships, and some were viciously attacked and murdered. The Black Sash took an active role in building refugee camps for these victims and monitoring them to be sure they are safe for the people living there.  

The Black Sash has seven district offices throughout South Africa, and their objective is to make sure that the South African people are aware of the rights that they have.  The organization has created advice clinics and paralegal manuals which illustrate these rights. The Black Sash is also active in the media through newspapers, DVDS, their website, and posters.  The organization is doing everything it can to make sure the government is following the constitution.  They are constantly fighting for new legislation and policies to support the South African people, especially the less fortunate.  The Black Sash considers themselves “the voice of the people.”  One of the members of the Black Sash Society, Philisha, was asked to describe the party in one word.  She felt the one word to describe the group was “education.”  She stated that she believes the role of the group is to inform blacks about the rights they have.  I feel that the Black Sash is an extremely powerful organization with excellent leadership and goals. The program began with women who were not even allowed to publicly gather without being arrested and has grown into a well-respected human rights activist group that is helping and supporting thousands of South Africans.

After our insightful meeting with the Black Sash, we quickly departed to go to the South African Parliament building for a tour.  Our tour guide was Mr. Z., who explained to us the two houses of Parliament and the role that each plays. He also showed us the beautiful Victorian styled rooms in which the two branches of the house meet to vote and discuss legislation. The party that currently dominates Parliament is the ANC (African National Congress), which has been in power since the end of the apartheid era. There are 400 members in Parliament which is made up of many different parties. Unlike the U.S., the National Assembly is the group of people who vote for the president.  In South Africa the members of the National Assembly are voted in by the people.  In order to become the president of South Africa you must be a member of Parliament. The Parliament was housed in a beautiful and spacious building that reminded me a little of the house of Parliament in England.

Following our tour we gathered outside for a quick group photo and then we hopped on the van and headed to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden.  When we arrived we were greeted by a beautiful vista of Table Mountain. The garden included a variety of different plants. Everyone was allowed to venture off to explore the gardens and eat lunch at one of the cafes. The garden includes a section full of flowers that are known for their textures and scents, as well as an area with over  450 different South African tree species.

 “To me the most interesting section of the botanical garden was the section that included flowers that are soon to be extinct and can only be grown in this part of South Africa.” (Linda Stansbury)

 The garden also included many beautiful stone and wooden sculptures. We also saw many varieties of the Protea, the national flower, including the King Protea, the largest flower in the world.  Due to its beauty and variety, Kirstenbosch is world renowned.

We ended our day with one last trip to the Waterfront where people were able to finish up their shopping and enjoy dinner at a restaurant of their choice.  Finally, we headed back to District Six to finish packing and prepare to leave Capetown in the morning.  Next stop: Pilanesburg!

Georgie Chiamulera

Monday, August 03, 2009

Our Monday morning began with a wonderful breakfast at the District Six Guesthouse with a departure time of 8:30 to St.Cyprian’s School. Founded by Bishop Robert Gray in 1871, St.Cyprian’s School is one of the top independent girls’ schools in Cape Town.  Once we arrived at the beautiful campus located at the base of Table Mountain, we were paired with one of their students currently in our grade. I thought it was interesting that the 12^th graders at St. Cyp’s are referred to as “matrics.” Our seniors, including myself, attended a history class which included conversations on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Once this forty-five minute class ended we accompanied the whole school to assembly.  This reminded me of our Morning Meetings at St. Tim’s, except their meetings are started with a prayer, led by the school principal, and the singing of the national anthem, which is sung in 5 different languages.  The assembly also included student announcements and a brief Power Point presentation about the new leadership roles for the class of 2010. Tea and sandwiches were served promptly after the dismissal of assembly for the senior class and boarding students. We all enjoyed the morning break, which they call “tea time.” Our morning at St.Cyprian’s concluded with a visit to two more classes. Then, 14 of their students were able to join us back at the District Six Guesthouse for lunch and afternoon activities. As I chatted with the St.Cyprian’s girls on the van I was surprised to learn how much we have in common.

 As we approached the guesthouse, I could sense that everyone was getting nervous, as we did not know what to expect. One by one, all 26 of us were greeted at the door with a high five from Archbishop Desmond Tutu!  After the excitement died down, we enjoyed another amazing meal served by the wonderful staff at the District Six Guesthouse.  After lunch a group photo was taken with Archbishop and Mrs. Tutu, and then everyone gathered in the conference room of the guesthouse. Archbishop Tutu welcomed us with inspiring words about women as leaders.  He also shared his own version of the Adam and Eve story, stating that God was just practicing when She created Adam! The rest of the afternoon consisted of a Truth and Reconciliation workshop with our new friends from St.Cyprian’s School. Our workshop was led by Nomfundo Walaza, a fascinating woman who is the chief executive officer at the Desmond Tutu Peace Centre. Her experiences and knowledge about apartheid helped in our student discussion and reflection about truth and reconciliation. It was important for me to hear Ms. Walaza’s personal stories, as it allowed me to step into her shoes for a brief moment, and to better understand what it felt like to be a youth caught in the midst of apartheid.  We divided into four small groups to discuss the issues of slavery and racism, including the legacy that the apartheid era has left on our generation. The group found it important not to place judgments based on stereotypes, but to treat each person as an individual.

 After exchanging email addresses and phone numbers, we said farewell to the girls of St.Cyprian’s with the hope of getting a new friend request on Facebook as soon as we arrive home. The day finished on a relaxing note at the waterfront with shopping and dining.

Meeting Archbishop Desmond Tutu was the highlight of the day!  Also, the St. Tim’s and St. Cyp’s girls realized that we have much more in common than we do differences. Despite our cultural and geographic differences, we learned that no matter where one travels, people are fundamentally very much the same.

Regan Lichtenberg – Day 7
August  1, 2009

                Today we got an early start, departing the guest house at 7:00am so we could catch the early ferry to Robben Island.   The ferry left at 8:00am, and it took us approximately 20 to 30 minutes to reach the island.  The ride was a bit rocky, especially since I was on the middle deck, and we had to find our sea legs quickly in order to avoid being thrown overboard.  When we arrived on the island the first thing we saw was the visitor’s center, but even from the dock I could tell that the island was pretty barren.  Then we piled onto coach buses along with the rest of the passengers and headed off on our 45 minute bus tour around the island. 

Our guide pointed out the different sections of the prison, A through F, and the village where former warden houses, a market and school are located.  The school and market are still in use because now museum workers and ex-prisoners’ families live in the houses.  Also, on the island are guinea hens, bunnies, penguins and wild blooming calla lilies.  After we saw the sights, the bus pulled up in front of the prison entrance to section F and we were turned over to a former political prisoner who was serving as our tour guide.  This simple fact that a former prisoner had the courage to return to the place where he was imprisoned for 7.5 years is amazing to me.  If I had gone through the same demoralizing experience as him, being denied basic human rights, I would never have been able to go back, much less talk about it.  However, having an ex-prisoner serve as our tour guide was beneficial because we were able to relive the experience through him.  In addition to being able to describe the difference in diets between coloreds and blacks, what kind of prisoner was kept in each section, and the daily routine, he was also able to describe his own personal experience.  For instance, he told us how he worked in the kitchen, which was considered a good job because he was among the last prisoners to be locked in his cell at night.  Most prisoners were back in their cells by 4:00pm, but he was able to stay working in the kitchen until 6:00 pm.  This was considered a privilege among the inmates.  Also, the kitchen workers were in charge of distributing the banned political news, which they did by hiding newspaper clippings in between slices of bread which were then distributed to all the prisoners at meals.  I found this fascinating that even though many of the prisoners were imprisoned because of their political actions, they never stopped fighting for what they believed in and continued to do what they could to make a difference.  This is just a small example of the resilient spirit found in all of these prisoners, especially Nelson Mandela and Walter Sisulu, both of whom spent time on Robben Island.  We got to see the miniscule cell of Mandela where he served 17 of his 27 years in prison.  Our guide also showed us the spot in the section B courtyard where “Madiba,” as South Africans affectionately refer to him, hid the manuscripts of his now famous book,  The Long Walk to Freedom.  At the end of the tour, we took a quick photo and hurried back to the buses in order to catch the first ferry back.

We arrived back at the Victoria and Albert Waterfront, where we ate lunch.  The waterfront shops are a very commercialized and upscale area that somewhat reminded me of Baltimore’s Inner Harbor.  I ate lunch with some other students at a delicious German Brewery, and the rest of the group ate at a Pancake House.  I was struck by the stark contrast between this cosmopolitan area in downtown Cape Town and the poverty-ridden areas in other townships and in Johannesburg and Soweto.

Next on our agenda was a visit to Boulders Beach.  This tourist site is known for its population of African Penguins which we enjoyed watching interact in their natural habitat.  I was initially shocked to hear that Penguins lived in South Africa, and then to learn that they mated for life.  By the entrance to the beach we shopped for local jewelry and wood crafts, which were a big hit among our group of shoppers.

On our two hour bus ride to the Cape of Good Hope, our next destination, we were thrilled to come across what appeared to be a family of Baboons along the side of the road.  Seeing the wild baboons just lounging in the street was a true sight, especially after learning that human beings share 99.6% of their genes with these incredible creatures.  After snapping countless photos, we drove on to the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point, the southernmost tip of the continent of Africa.  The sights along the way were absolutely breathtaking.   I was shocked to see such white sand beaches, clear blue waters, and lush green mountains.   I didn’t think it could get any more beautiful, but then we arrived.  At first, we stopped at the bottom, Cape of Good Hope, for five minutes and snapped pictures in front of the Cape of Good Hope sign and along the rocky shores of the Atlantic Ocean.  We had to hurry in order to catch the last cable car (called a “funicular”) up to Cape Point because the walk on foot is difficult due to the high winds and steep terrain.  Once we reached the top we took in the view, and then proceeded to take a number of crazy pictures posing in front of the famous sign, which points in all directions and states the distance of a few world cities, such as New York, Tokyo, Prague and Paris.  It started to get dark and cold so we headed down the mountain, back into the vans, and off to dinner.

We ate dinner at a nice African restaurant, Marco’s, which serves African delicacies such as oxtail and tripe, in addition to a few dishes like pasta and steak that cater to tourists.  There was live music by a local marimba band called “Bambanani” – it was really fun to enjoy a Saturday night dinner in what is considered to be a favorite restaurant among the locals.  After a speedy ride home we all retired to bed for a good night’s sleep.  Our adventure-filled day in Cape Town made me contemplate the idea of freedom from two very different perspectives: a real life encounter with a former political prisoner, and a breathtaking view of the stunning open landscape where wildlife runs free.   

Delaney Lackey

Dumelang (Hello) from South Africa!

Today’s journey began on another bus ride to Johannesburg. We soon arrived at the Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund. As soon as we entered the room, the people working there made us feel right at home. After some brief introductions and a few ice-breakers, we began to learn about the work that the NMCF has done in the past. The event that was the most stand out to me was a project called 67 Minutes. During this project the NMCF went to Alexandra, one of the poorest townships in South Africa, to give help to the needy. The part that struck me the most about all of the stories they shared was that in many homes in Alexandra there are up to eight people living in a one-room shack.  We learned that despite the fact that these people have nothing, they live happy and fulfilled lives. I found this very moving.  There were several other stories and experiences about how the people working for the fund are trying to change the way society treats children and youth. One message I heard at the NMCF that really struck me was that "it is better to die for an idea that is going to live than live for an idea that is going to die."

Moving on from the NMCF, we continued our journey to Diepsloot, South Africa. Here we visited a small day care center. The ages here ranged from one and a half to about 6. We arrived to many singing and happy faces. It was so fun to see the joy on the kids' faces when we began to play with them. Bringing joy to the children was one of the main highlights of my day. Even though they might not have much in life, they still manage to be happy, play, and have a good time with those around them.

After a sad goodbye at the day care center, we headed to Lesedi, a place where we were able to experience the culture of the main South African tribes. We started our walk through the Zulu village. Here we learned that this tribe was known for their excellent fighting skills and warrior action against the British. Soon we moved onto the Basotho tribe, who were mainly known for their colorful blankets and skillful horsemanship. The ironic part about this is the fact that they not only used their horses as transport, but also used them for food. The third village was the Xhosa tribe. It is interesting to me that the “X” in Xhosa is actually pronounced as a click. This clicking is a unique characteristic about the tribe's language. The Xhosa tribe is very proud of the fact that South Africa’s hero, Nelson Mandela, was born in this village. The fourth and final village was the Pedi. The Pedi tribe came to South Africa with their unusual architecture and loud drums. The clothing that is worn by this tribe was developed from the Scottish. The main reason Scottish people were in South Africa was because they were fighting against the South African tribes with the British. The British decided to line the Scotts up in the front. When the tribes saw them, they believed they were women and decided not to kill them. Therefore, this traditional Scottish kilt was developed by the Pedi tribe. Going through all these tribes and villages made me feel more a part of the experience than I would if I was reading about them in a text book. This is what is making my South Africa trip so special. It’s not only learning, but actually being a part of the learning.

The evening ended with a spectacular performance of drumming and traditional dance from each tribe. After we were able to participate in the dance performance ourselves, we headed to dinner where we ate chicken, lamb, and ostrich. After we got back on the bus, no one could stop talking about the absolutely amazing performance and incredible food that we had just eaten!