"Children of Fire"

Last week I visited Africa’s first burn charity, Children of Fire, located in Melville. Siena actually was covering Children of Fire for one of her stories, and I went along to take pictures.

It was, yet again, another eye-opening experience.

Children of Fire is an organization that houses children who have been caught in fires in their homes and can’t afford health care necessities.

Fires are extremely common in South Africa. The country is dry and because electricity isn’t commonly used the same as it is in the states, it prompts the use of candles, kerosene lamps, and other fire-prone devices.

Siena and I talked with several volunteers (one was from Texas!) and learned more about the charity and its purpose.

We visited The Johannesburg School for Blind Children afterwards, where the children attend school, and got to meet some of the kids. And boy, were they full of energy!

The most adorable, friendly little boys ever.

The school is very small. It is probably the same size as our B&B - and about 15-18 kids are usually there at one time. There are approximately 10 faculty members, who seem to really bust their butts for these kids. They spoke of waking up at 5 or 6 AM every day and working until midnight.

The school has an outdoor play facility, provides meals and has a few different rooms where classes take place. Most of the kids range between 2-17 years old.

Gardening in tires outside.

Braille in one of the classrooms.

When Siena and I were leaving, one of the boys kept asking us when we were coming back. I felt bad for stopping in and just chatting, and not really doing anything to help the kids. I really wish I had more time to go back and just hangout with them - maybe even cook a meal or two.

It is a really great charity that needs to be recognized not only in Africa, but everywhere else. I only hope that it can expand as an organization and be able to help more burned kids in need.

“Es-Cape Town”

This past weekend, nine of us traveled to Cape Town for a little getaway from Joburg. The flight was only an hour and a half, which is very comparable to a flight from Pennsylvania to Florida.

We all had interviews Friday morning, so we didn’t get to Cape Town until later that evening. We all stayed at a hostel on Long Street, which is the main street in Cape Town for bars and clubs.

We enjoyed our time on Friday night socializing, but the night didn’t end well when one of the men from the hostel demonstrated racial remarks that really offended Shanell - which, naturally, really offended the rest of us. To say the least, we experienced, yet again, the post-apartheid mindset of some white South Africans.

On Saturday, after sleeping in, we woke to a beautiful warm day without a cloud in the sky. It was refreshing considering the brutal cold front we had been experiencing in Joburg the week before.

Siena, Lucas, Shanell, and I went to Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and other ANC members were isolated and imprisoned for their fight against apartheid.

Robben Island was also a training and defense station in World War II and a dumping ground for people with leprosy.

We had to take a half hour ferry ride out to the island, which was breathtaking. Looking out and seeing the beautiful scenery of Cape Town was an incredible experience. The rumors are true - it is a place you have to see to believe. Yet, I couldn’t help to think of what Nelson Mandela felt when he was being taken to Robben Island, only to be locked into a small cell for nearly 1/3 of his life.

We first toured the prison. Our tour guide had actually been imprisoned for a few years, because of his contribution to student protests during the apartheid era.

The prison was a shocking experience. I thought I saw it all in the Apartheid Museum, but I was wrong. It was a whole different feeling to see the actual cell Mandela was in and hear about the frightening stories that the prisoners went through.

We proceeded to take a bus ride around the island, where we saw World War II monuments and graves of former lepers on the island. People who died from leprosy were buried on the island, but many of their gravestones were torn down for the building of the prison. Virtually the whole establishment was built over numerous dead corpses.

On Sunday, most of the girls and I spent a few hours shopping at a very cool African market.

We then made our way to Table Mountain, the landmark of Cape Town. It is the first thing I saw when I arrived in Cape Town on Friday, and the last thing I saw from the plane when we left on Monday morning.

We made it about half way up the mountain and the view was amazing. We made our way down as the sun set, which was such a pleasant, beautiful and relaxing experience.

I love the beauty Cape Town possesses, and I hope to return again sometime soon!

"Comfort Food"

Since I have been in South Africa, I have had intense cravings for the sweetest of foods. Cupcakes, chocolate bars, and ice cream are in the top 3 of my list of must-haves, pretty much every day. Don’t get me wrong - I do sometimes crave sweets at home, but not like I do here. Chocolate, for me, has a nostalgic appeal to my senses. I feel at ease when I eat it, as I feel when I am at home.

While on the topic of foods, in particular junk foods, I have found myself craving fast food here too, which I rarely even eat in the states. But yesterday, after a depressing flight back to Joburg from a weekend away in Cape Town and a day full of homework, a few of us ordered McDonald’s delivery. Yes, McDonald’s delivers here - it is quite scary.

It is incredibly remarkable to me that the McDonald’s burger I guiltily ate - although the meat was organic - tasted exactly the same as the McDonald’s burger I ate in Philadelphia over a month ago.

The fries were still as salty, crispy and mouth watering as I remembered too.

I understand that this is all in the McDonald’s corporation’s plan to promote a well-known and approved product for consumers that, no matter what, provides a sense of comfort.

Consumers have the comfort in knowing exactly what the McDonald’s meal will taste like before ordering, that the price will be low, and that the meal will indeed be in your mouth within ten minutes after ordering - No matter where you are in the world.

I wish I didn’t crave such comfort foods, but I will admit they have been a major factor in de-stressing while abroad.

Why couldn’t I just stick to yoga instead?

"Durban is Lekker - for the most part"

 Here are some pictures from my trip to Durban this past weekend:

Spending time on the pier, looking out onto the Indian Ocean, was very relaxing.

Masks made and carved from wood sold by the street venders.

Bunny Chow at My Diner Indian restaurant. 1/4 loaf of bread with chicken curry inside. Delicious.

Coolest DJ ever!

Becky, me, and Dana at Origins in Durban.

Enjoying ice cream after the club.

International Society for Krishna Consciousness -

The biggest Hare Krishna temple in the southern hemisphere.

We spent an hour or so in this beautiful Temple.

Lauren W getting a foot detox - by the end of the 30 minutes, the water was brown!

"Detox Foot Bath ionizes water to detoxify the body and recreate the 

therapeutic experience. The Detox Foot Bath reduces acidosis 

throughout the body allowing it to regain a natural balance. Detox Foot 

Bath is an all natural way to detox the inside of your body through your 

foot in a relaxing bath." 

This was a really cool detox place that Dr. Bhayroo introduced us to. I plan to continue doing the detoxes in the states if possible - it was absolutely amazing!

Shanell enjoying spa day! (fish pedicure)

Prejan took us to Blue Lagoon. Me and Shanell had delicious mielies. 

Not another plane ride! It's OK - it only took 45 minutes :)

An Interesting Interaction:

I have constantly been learning something new since I have been in South Africa, even in my free time.

While we were in Durban this past weekend, I encountered a really interesting, yet eye-opening experience, while I was at a dance club.

Joe Cools, a club located on North Beach right outside of our hotel, gave me a real live experience with white Afrikaans, most probably the children of those who supported the apartheid era.

Once I paid the expensive cover charge, I became surrounded by high school girls in tight skirts and small tops, wearing very expensive shoes. Perfectly dyed hair and professional make-up worn, it was definitely a different sight than what I saw in the Soweto high schools earlier that same day.

Everyone was very accepting of me, in fact, most people were exceptionally friendly, but to those who weren’t white - was a different story.

There were far and few people actually in the club who weren’t white, while dozens of black kids begged outside for spare change to buy some food.

It wasn’t until I left the club that I noticed a few white boys throwing change at the starving, more-than-likely homeless, boys from the top floor balcony of the club.

I have never witnessed humans treat other humans this way.

I was grabbing some food with Nick P and Lauren W, and we saw some of the wealthy Afrikaans throwing change at the begging kids and laughing hysterically. One of them even took a video of it on his iPhone and boasted to the cashier at Steers of his behavior.

As I stared, contemplated, and actually began to become sickened by what was happening, I couldn’t really say anything except, “Why?” Why, after more than a decade of apartheid ending, are white people treating blacks this way?

Although it was a hard scene to watch, it was an experience that greatly contributed to this trip. Racism is still tremendously apparent in South Africa - more than I would have guessed while living in Joburg.

I look back on what I encountered, and wish there was something that I could have done. I understand that racism needs time to be fully eliminated, and you can easily see that even in the states, but it is just so unfortunate that it takes so long.

I witnessed something that will go down in history - I just hope next time I visit South Africa I never have to witness it again.

"The teacher didn't show up, again..."

On Friday we visited Nghunghunyani, and today we went to Seana-Marena, both secondary schools in Soweto.

For a few hours, we were able to completely immerse ourselves in the lives of some of the learners, mostly grades 11 and 12. The faculty, although very small, was very accepting to our visit.

Inside of the cold sheds where they have class, broken windows and doors that barely closed surrounded us. There were no text books or lap tops on the desks, which were crammed together, and graffiti covered every piece of furniture. Some classrooms were packed with students, but the teacher was no where to be found.

We talked to the learners mostly about Temple University, journalism, Philadelphia, and what it’s like to live in the states. Some of the questions they had for us were pretty wild and out there, but I am sure some of ours were too. Group and one-on-one conversations with the students made for an exceptional learning experience, and downright awesome time, for all of us.

American students rarely visit the inside of the classrooms, so us being there was a pretty cool surprise for the learners. They took lots of pictures and seemed so grateful that we took time out to visit them. Many even asked when we were coming back!

I look forward to staying in touch with all the students who are interested, hopefully motivating them to go to a university and pursue a career that they love instead of just focusing on traditional jobs.

Although we all encountered different types of experiences during the school visits, one thing we all had in common when we left was a huge ear-to-ear grin on our faces.

I plan to make it back to both schools this week, and I couldn’t be more excited!

PS: Check out my Hairdressers of the World Against AIDS story!

"Nie-Blankes, Non-whites"

Today we visited the Apartheid Museum. 

As I rolled out of bed this morning and headed down for breakfast, I never once thought about the freedom I have to study whatever I want, wear what I want, sit by who I want to sit next to, or even eat whatever I feel like eating. 

The Apartheid Museum was, hands down, the best museum I have ever been to. We spent about 2 and a half hours in it, and I know I could’ve easily spent at least 2 more journeying through the rise and fall of apartheid in South Africa. 

I entered the museum as a “non-white,” and first saw how someone of color during apartheid would have been treated. 

Apartheid allowed legal segregation between blacks and whites in South Africa between 1948 and 1994. It is shocking to think about it ending only less than two decades ago. 

Apartheid hardened into its most racist form during the 1960s. Ernest Cole was a documentary photographer during this time, producing astonishing photos of what it was like to be black in Verwoerd’s white republic. Cole’s photos were published in his book House of Bondage, which was banned in apartheid South Africa. Now Cole’s work is publicly displayed in the museum.

Cole’s photos and writings really got to me. It is really a feeling that can’t be explained - seeing photos of people so vulnerable to sicknesses and diseases and just downright treated like crap. The unbelievable visions I would get when reading about apartheid became even more real and disturbing while I looked at Cole’s work. He didn’t hold back, he just showed the truth. The black majority was tortured by the white minority of South Africa, for no real reason than the color of their skin. 

The museum had an area that showed what was going on with the rest of the world, while the most devastating issues were continuing in South Africa. Although most people skipped past this area, I stayed to watch Neil Armstrong land on the moon, Martin Luther King give his famous “I have a dream” speech, and much more. It makes me wonder what I would have done back then. I wonder if people in the states really knew what was going on in South Africa at the time? Why didn’t anyone help? Why did apartheid last 46 long, dark years - while everyone else just continued on?

One part of the museum gave visitors the opportunity to walk into a detention cell, illustrating the size and layout of Nelson Mandela’s prison cell, or the one where Stephen Biko died in. Honestly, I was really freaked out at first to go inside. I walked around for a few minutes, tried to go inside again, but couldn’t do it. Finally the third time around, I went in. 

Immense feelings of claustrophobia set in after just a few seconds, but after taking a deep breath, I imagined what it would be like to be confined in such a space for a long period of time. Tears filled my eyes, as they do while I write this, and I walked out - not feeling scared - but liberated. 

The Apartheid Museum is one of those places where you really have to immerse yourself within each reading, each photo, and each video to get the full effect. 

As the museum’s brochure says, “Apartheid is exactly where it belongs - in a museum.”

"Organization is key."

I’ve definitely been lagging when it comes to my blog lately - It has been a pretty busy few days here in Joburg.

I also don’t even have any pictures to post today because something happened to my camera’s memory card and my pictures over the past few days got deleted, huge bummer! If they turn up, I will definitely add them. 

On Friday, we went to the Market Photo Workshop, which is a photography school in Newtown, Johannesburg. We met with other students and were able to network and share work with each other. 

For lunch, we went to Swaruchi, a vegetarian Indian restaurant in Fordsburg, which was delicious! I had a picture of my meal but, of course, it has gone missing with the rest. 

We stopped at the dojo, a training gym in Fordsburg, and found out that we can take kick boxing classes while we are here! I am so excited!

Friday night, we all enjoyed a night out in Melville together to celebrate our first week in South Africa. 

On Saturday, I had to finish up some interviews at the Maponya Mall for my hairdressers story, so we all loaded into the van and made our way to Soweto. 

Organization is key.

I realized (the hard way) how important and necessary it is to be organized while I am here. 

I was running late already, and since I am obviously not used to the mall, I had no idea where each salon was located. In a nutshell, I ended up going to the wrong salon for my first appointment, didn’t notice for 20 minutes, and in return - missed my interview at a different salon. This left me with only one store owner to interview for my story. 

I can’t even begin to fathom the immense feeling of stress I began to feel at this point.

Luckily, Nick C helped me with the video and Siena helped me not to lose my mind. I really couldn’t have done it without them. I’m happy to say I got through it though! Alive! and I can’t wait for the finished product.

As soon as I finished my hairdresser interviews, me and Nick C covered the U.S. NBA Nelson Mandela Day celebrations outside of Maponya Mall. I reported, Nick did the video work, and Dr. Bhayroo produced it. 

Here is our final product, and after about 10 hours of editing, we are pretty pleased with how it turned out: US NBA Celebrates Mandela's Birthday.

Saturday afternoon, Dr. Bhayroo invited us to his mother’s house for a meal. A delicious home-cooked meal with a family that just beams with love is exactly what I needed after such a hectic morning. 

I stayed in on Saturday night to work on my project. On Sunday, me and Nick C spent the day editing our NBA/Mandela story, while everyone else went out and covered more Mandela Day festivities. 

In the midst of everything, I now caught a bug, and having a cold in South Africa is way worse than having one in America. I just want to go out and enjoy the beautiful weather with everyone on Tata Madiba’s 93rd birthday! Luckily I have some granadilla flavored super-c candies and a whole box of tissues with calendula lotion to get me through the rest of the day.

That’s all for now! 

Don't forget to check out the rest of the crew’s Mandela Day stories.