Please note that if you want to see other posts, in the lower right hand section of this blog you can click on any of the dates in the archives. I am posting most of these blogs in groups of days even though though they show up as one day. It's challenging to get Internet time on the ship so this is the best way to put up a bunch of writing at once! I have left South Africa, toured India and am now in Viet Nam. I'll catch up on the updates later. Let me know your thoughts! Aundrea
Operation Hunger
9-29-08
On Monday morning I went with an SAS trip to help an organization called Operation Hunger. They measure malnutrition in children and provide meals for as many townships as they can. To start off their program in a township they weigh and measure all of the kids. They then plot it all on charts to compare their measurements with what a healthy child should be. The leader told us he actually waited a while to do this township so that all of us students could help him with it. He said what he and a few of his workers can do in an entire day, all of us could help him do in an hour. So I was glad to be able to provide that assistance. We went to the school in the township, since that’s where all the kids would be. Their teacher told us it was difficult because she wants to be able to help them and feed them, but she does not have the resources to do so. She has to see them everyday knowing that they are malnourished.
So some of us played with the children (including me) while others took measurements and plotted the numbers on charts. Once they have the information on which children are malnourished, the organization then goes and talks with each individual’s parents. They ask if they need help, or even try to educate them about how to better care for their child’s health. It was reassuring to know that there are organizations out there like Operation Hunger that are making a difference and trying to create change. Yet there is still an overwhelming amount of work that needs to be done.
The ship had made us box lunches to take with us, but the leader told us that if we wanted to save any of it the kids in the village would appreciate it. So when we got to the next village, where we were supposed to help serve a meal to the community, we found out the kitchen was not open that day. That kitchen is usually run by the volunteers of this organization, and our leader wasn’t sure why they didn’t show up that day. So when they aren’t there, the community is not fed. Luckily, almost all of us had saved parts of our boxed lunches, so we had food to give the kids. It made me realize how much we actually waste. I did not need the whole ham and cheese sandwich, hard boiled egg, cookie, chips, juice box and apple. Once we gathered all of our leftover food it was more than enough to feed a meal to the 30 or so kids in the township. We would have thrown all of that away. And for most of those children, our leftovers was their only meal that day.
Table Mountain
9-28-08
Just in case you were wondering, the conversion for U.S. dollars to the South African rand was one dollar to every 8 rands. So that worked out well for us. The next day, Sunday we climbed the famous Table Mountain! The top of it looks flat like a table top, hence its fitting name. We began the hike around 10:30 AM, with a small bag of snacks, plenty of water and sunscreen. The hike took us about two hours and was actually quite strenuous! Much of the path was rocks to climb over and up and parts of the trek were very steep. We wanted to stop every couple of minutes to look at the view anyways, so those were always nice resting breaks! On one of the rocks we saw someone had written “only 5 minutes left until the top!”. Although a little skeptical, I still had some hope because I was getting so tired! Alas, in reality it was quite a bit further from that supposed 5 minutes left point. Once we got to the top we ate lunch at the restaurant there and walked around and took lots of pictures! It was absolutely breathtaking to see the city and water from up above like that. That is definitely within the top 3 most beautiful places I’ve seen. And seeing as how I haven’t been to too many places, I’m looking forward to adding many more beautiful places to my list!
Robben Island, District 6 Museum and Khayelitsha Township
9-27-08
On Saturday morning we got on a bus and headed to the Khayelitsha Township. Once we got there, a woman from the town got on the bus and thanked us for coming to visit their community. She said she knew we were not coming there to see the poverty or how horrible their conditions were. She thanked us for coming to meet the people of their community and to familiarize ourselves with their culture. Some of the community members didn’t understand why a bunch of white students would want to come walk around their community. It is out of their frame of reference because during apartheid they were forced into these areas to be separated, and no one wanted to come into these areas. She encouraged us to play with the children, but to not give them money because that would encourage them to become beggars or even stealers. Their goal for the community is to arise above all of that and to educate their kids and teach them to be good people. Her final line struck me deep when she said we may be poor, but we have pride. With that, we stepped off the bus and into a world that was very different than I was used to.
I had been waving to a little girl from the bus as we drove into the community. She ran along side the bus and was waiting at the door as we were exiting. Once our eyes met in person rather than through the glare of the bus window, she immediately grabbed my hand. We began chatting as we walked with the herd of the rest of us students and children. We exchanged information about our names, siblings, ages and then she mentioned that her birthday had been the day before. My friend Matt was walking nearby so he grabbed her other hand and he suggested we sing happy birthday to her! As we started singing, greg the camera man was walking in front of us filming while the rest of the students and children joined in the song! We walked about two blocks away where we then stopped at the bed and breakfast of the woman who had welcomed us from the bus. She told us that having that tiny tourist attraction helps the entire community. She can buy foods from her neighbors for the inn and then tourists buy the artwork in the community and everyone wins. Matt and I also chatted with an artist selling his art made from banana leaves and then each ended up buying a piece. A little later we said goodbye to the children. We stepped back into our comfort zone of our air conditioned America on wheels and headed to our next destination
We traveled back into the industrialized area of the city where we then got to walk around a neighborhood which consisted of bright colored houses. Since blacks were not able to own property for a period of time under apartheid nor could they paint their houses if they had one, they painted them once Apartheid had ended. They were colors that would brighten anyone’s day-bright purple, pink, turquoise, blue, yellow, orange. It was a lovely sight to see. Our guide gave us some free time, and most of the kids went into a little food shop on the street corner, but Matt and I decided to continue walking around and exploring. We walked up a couple of streets and as we did, we observed quite a bit of trash and even some jeans lying in the street gutters. The streets reminded me of San Francisco with the outdated architecture, and large rolling hills and to add to it the weather was overcast that day. We ran into a little children’s playground, where I got on the swings and Matt rode the merry-go-round. This was up on a hill, so we had a gorgeous view of the buildings in the city against the water background. We snapped some photos and then headed back down in time to once again step onto the wheels of our American world. These buses were basically luxury buses, with cushioned and reclining seats, a microphone for the guide to talk and air conditioning.
We then made our way to another village for lunch. A tiny restaurant had prepared a meal for us. They had three men playing large xylophone type instruments. The music was gorgeous as they all played and sang along. The meal they served us was delicious! It was rice, vegetables and different sauces and meats. I even tried ostrich meat! It was a little chewy but kind of tasted like chicken! Many of us had not finished our sodas or bottles of water, so we carried them out with us. As we passed by little children on the street, we figured they needed the liquids more then we did, so many of us passed the drinks to the kids. They seemed to appreciate it.
We also went to the District 6 museum which was all about the Apartheid. They had a huge map as on the floor showing all the different townships and districts where people had been removed from their homes. Families from all the areas had signed their names on the streets where they used to live. There were so many photographs and displays to read about all the discrimination that occurred. It was very eye opening. Before learning about the Apartheid in my classes on the ship and before visiting Africa I had no idea about all the separations and discrimination that went on. It is hard to believe it was only institutionally put to an end in 1990. However, some separation is still present.
The next part of our journey was to Robben Island. The boat ride was over an hour, but it flew by so fast! I sat at the very front of the boat, where the wind could blow in my face and where I had a perfect view of the city and all the water! When we got to the island we took a bus to the prison where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were held. The guide on the bus was quite the character as he began by asking what countries everyone was from. With every country someone named, he explained how that country had some influence on South Africa at some point in history. It was quite fascinating. He also told us that Nelson Mandela himself had come back to visit the island and was on one of his tours!
Once we arrived at the prison, we met up with a guide who was a former political prisoner. Almost all of the guides on for the prison are past prisoners. So getting that firsthand knowledge and set of experiences was amazing. All 40 or 50 of us went into one of the sleeping barracks and sat down on benches to listen to our guide. He explained how their windows had no glass, so in the winter months when it rained they would all get wet. They had no blankets and had minimal clothing. The blacks were actually treated differently from the coloreds in prison. The blacks received less food at meals and had to wear shorts and t-shirts while others could wear pants and long sleeves. We got to look at Nelson Mandela’s prison cell and hear more stories from our guide. It was a very fascinating place to see and I was so glad to learn more about the history of Mandela and Apartheid.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Monday, October 20, 2008
New Photos From India!
Here are some shots of India. More details to come but I have classes to attend while we're on our way to Malaysia!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Namibia and Cape Town
Horseback Riding!
9-21-08
The next morning we woke up bright and early so we would make it in time for the hotel’s complimentary breakfast. We then called a number my friend Lizzy had taken down from the travel guide at the ship’s library for horseback riding! The company came and picked us up from the hotel and we went horseback riding for two hours in the Namib desert! Once again it was such a beautiful sight to see with nothing but miles and miles of sand. Our guide’s name was Leon and he said he had been working for this horse ranch for fifteen years. He asked us if we wanted to learn how to trot, so we tried it! It was quite bouncy and little scary to go faster than casually strolling through the desert but it was fun! We would only do it for about thirty seconds at a time, so our bouncing booties had a little time in between trots!
We then got a ride back to Swakopmund and had lunch at a restaurant called the Lighthouse which was right on the water. After lunch we went to a museum nearby which had everything from the city’s history and racial divides, to culture, to technology, to animals and so much more. We spent close to two hours in it. Although it was quite small in size, it was packed with exhibits and things to read. We then ran into a group of our SAS friends. It was exciting because we didn’t have a hotel room reserved for that night and wanted to find people to stay with, so it worked out perfectly.
The next morning we went to the market on the street where all the locals were selling their art and jewelery. Bargaining is definitely a new skill for me, and I’m learning how to be increasingly firm in each country we go to. I’ve discovered on average one should pay at least 40% less than their original asking price. It’s so funny because they are so friendly and say “sista come into my shop! I give you special price today!” And by shop they mean the 6x6 old blanket lying on the dirt road with their crafts neatly spread on top of it. I managaged to spend a few Namibian dollars on gifts for family and friends and hopefully made the days of some of those salesmen. After that we took a taxi back to Walvis Bay, and had dinner on the boat. We then went out for dinner and a night on the town. I ate some really great banana pizza!
Township
9-23-08
The next morning we went on an SAS trip to a Township. Our first stop was at an educational center where the group of children welcomed us with singing. They were all probably under six years old and had the biggest smiles on their faces as they sang a butterfly song and a “welcome visitors” song. Their accents were darling! The woman who runs the center showed us around and told us they only have two computers. She was glad that people like us were coming to visit them because she said our awareness of their situation gave her hope for the future. She stressed how important education was and how it is not always available to the children. We gave them a donation and then hesitantly got back on the bus. My roommate and I were the last ones on the bus, as it was so hard to pull away from the children jumping and hugging all over us. They were jumping up and climbing the fence to wave goodbye as our bus drove away.
We stopped for a snack break at a small restaurant where they had prepared some traditional Namibian food for us. There was a dough type food that is in a big glob on the plate and it is eaten with the hands. Once you pull a piece of it off, it is dipped in a spinach sauce. It was different but quite tasty. Then there were bugs to eat...fried millipedes of some sort! I was one of the few that decided I had to try one...when in Africa right?! It actually had a nice spicy flavor but a little more crunch than I would normally enjoy. I was proud of myself for trying it!
The next place we went was an organization called New Start. It is a counseling and disease testing center. The woman who runs it said they have limited computers but they are teaching technology and computer classes to as many people as they can. She said it has been especially important to educate women about their health and AIDS so that they understand the realities of what can occur. Many of them enter into prostitution, or their husbands who travel at sea are with prostitutes. By raising awareness they can teach these women to make smart and safe decisions for themselves and in turn reduce the number of people with AIDS in Africa. Our tour guide said he even volunteered at this center when he was younger. The original founder of the organization was not there because she was traveling to other parts of Africa to open up more branches in different Townships. Their presence within these poor communities really can make a difference and begin to create change through education.
Cape Town, South Africa!
9-26-08
The night before arriving in Cape Town my roommate Andrea and I decided to attempt sleeping out on the deck. This is somewhat of a tradition to sleep on the deck the night before arriving in port so that you can see the ship pull in. We even pulled out the lawn chairs to sleep on with our sleeping bags! However our plan failed miserably when it started to rain in the middle of the night!
Our first morning in Cape Town I went on a city orientation tour. It was by bus and our first stop was the Castle of Good Hope. It was basically a fort built around a large courtyard of grass. There was a museum inside of it of historical furniture, artwork, clothing and weapons. We climbed some stairs to the top of it and could see a wonderful view of the city and of the famous Table Mountain. We then went to a garden and park area in the middle of the city. We stopped at a small café and had tea and crumpets with jam which were delicious and melted in my mouth! Right outside the gardens was a government building where the new temporary president of South Africa was just sworn in the day before we arrived! The former president Mbeki resigned about a week before we arrived in Cape Town. It was interesting to be there during a time of change for them. We asked some students from the University of Cape Town what they thought about it and what all they knew about the political situation. They were aware that something was changing within the presidency but didn’t really know much about the details of it which was interesting. I am so much more interested in global news and global politics now after experiencing all these different countries. For my business management class we are required to come to class each day with a current event, so that is keeping me informed about world news as well.
Also, right outside the gardens were benches that the city had left in remembrance of Apartheid. One said “whites only” and the other said “non-whites only”. I suddenly felt closer to the reality of segregation and all the terrible things that came with it. It was also crazy to see that although racism and apartheid and segregation is considered a thing of the past, many aspects of it all are still very present in Africa.
As we were taking pictures of the benches all the sudden we see a man running towards us with police officers running after him. There was yelling and commotion and all the sudden the guy crouches on a nearby bench as the police start beating him with their baton. The hitting was fairly brief but still seemed unnecessary to use that much force. We were not sure of what all the situation entailed but it was a little nerve-racking! We then went to a natural history museum which was interesting as well.
That evening me and some Santa Clara friends from the ship met up with two of our Santa Clara friends that are studying at Cape Town University for this semester. We went out to dinner at a wonderful restaurant where I had sushi as well as a delicious cream of mushroom soup. It was nice to see some familiar faces from school and home, as one of the girls I went to high school with as well. I'll continue with the rest of my Cape Town adventures soon!
9-21-08
The next morning we woke up bright and early so we would make it in time for the hotel’s complimentary breakfast. We then called a number my friend Lizzy had taken down from the travel guide at the ship’s library for horseback riding! The company came and picked us up from the hotel and we went horseback riding for two hours in the Namib desert! Once again it was such a beautiful sight to see with nothing but miles and miles of sand. Our guide’s name was Leon and he said he had been working for this horse ranch for fifteen years. He asked us if we wanted to learn how to trot, so we tried it! It was quite bouncy and little scary to go faster than casually strolling through the desert but it was fun! We would only do it for about thirty seconds at a time, so our bouncing booties had a little time in between trots!
We then got a ride back to Swakopmund and had lunch at a restaurant called the Lighthouse which was right on the water. After lunch we went to a museum nearby which had everything from the city’s history and racial divides, to culture, to technology, to animals and so much more. We spent close to two hours in it. Although it was quite small in size, it was packed with exhibits and things to read. We then ran into a group of our SAS friends. It was exciting because we didn’t have a hotel room reserved for that night and wanted to find people to stay with, so it worked out perfectly.
The next morning we went to the market on the street where all the locals were selling their art and jewelery. Bargaining is definitely a new skill for me, and I’m learning how to be increasingly firm in each country we go to. I’ve discovered on average one should pay at least 40% less than their original asking price. It’s so funny because they are so friendly and say “sista come into my shop! I give you special price today!” And by shop they mean the 6x6 old blanket lying on the dirt road with their crafts neatly spread on top of it. I managaged to spend a few Namibian dollars on gifts for family and friends and hopefully made the days of some of those salesmen. After that we took a taxi back to Walvis Bay, and had dinner on the boat. We then went out for dinner and a night on the town. I ate some really great banana pizza!
Township
9-23-08
The next morning we went on an SAS trip to a Township. Our first stop was at an educational center where the group of children welcomed us with singing. They were all probably under six years old and had the biggest smiles on their faces as they sang a butterfly song and a “welcome visitors” song. Their accents were darling! The woman who runs the center showed us around and told us they only have two computers. She was glad that people like us were coming to visit them because she said our awareness of their situation gave her hope for the future. She stressed how important education was and how it is not always available to the children. We gave them a donation and then hesitantly got back on the bus. My roommate and I were the last ones on the bus, as it was so hard to pull away from the children jumping and hugging all over us. They were jumping up and climbing the fence to wave goodbye as our bus drove away.
We stopped for a snack break at a small restaurant where they had prepared some traditional Namibian food for us. There was a dough type food that is in a big glob on the plate and it is eaten with the hands. Once you pull a piece of it off, it is dipped in a spinach sauce. It was different but quite tasty. Then there were bugs to eat...fried millipedes of some sort! I was one of the few that decided I had to try one...when in Africa right?! It actually had a nice spicy flavor but a little more crunch than I would normally enjoy. I was proud of myself for trying it!
The next place we went was an organization called New Start. It is a counseling and disease testing center. The woman who runs it said they have limited computers but they are teaching technology and computer classes to as many people as they can. She said it has been especially important to educate women about their health and AIDS so that they understand the realities of what can occur. Many of them enter into prostitution, or their husbands who travel at sea are with prostitutes. By raising awareness they can teach these women to make smart and safe decisions for themselves and in turn reduce the number of people with AIDS in Africa. Our tour guide said he even volunteered at this center when he was younger. The original founder of the organization was not there because she was traveling to other parts of Africa to open up more branches in different Townships. Their presence within these poor communities really can make a difference and begin to create change through education.
Cape Town, South Africa!
9-26-08
The night before arriving in Cape Town my roommate Andrea and I decided to attempt sleeping out on the deck. This is somewhat of a tradition to sleep on the deck the night before arriving in port so that you can see the ship pull in. We even pulled out the lawn chairs to sleep on with our sleeping bags! However our plan failed miserably when it started to rain in the middle of the night!
Our first morning in Cape Town I went on a city orientation tour. It was by bus and our first stop was the Castle of Good Hope. It was basically a fort built around a large courtyard of grass. There was a museum inside of it of historical furniture, artwork, clothing and weapons. We climbed some stairs to the top of it and could see a wonderful view of the city and of the famous Table Mountain. We then went to a garden and park area in the middle of the city. We stopped at a small café and had tea and crumpets with jam which were delicious and melted in my mouth! Right outside the gardens was a government building where the new temporary president of South Africa was just sworn in the day before we arrived! The former president Mbeki resigned about a week before we arrived in Cape Town. It was interesting to be there during a time of change for them. We asked some students from the University of Cape Town what they thought about it and what all they knew about the political situation. They were aware that something was changing within the presidency but didn’t really know much about the details of it which was interesting. I am so much more interested in global news and global politics now after experiencing all these different countries. For my business management class we are required to come to class each day with a current event, so that is keeping me informed about world news as well.
Also, right outside the gardens were benches that the city had left in remembrance of Apartheid. One said “whites only” and the other said “non-whites only”. I suddenly felt closer to the reality of segregation and all the terrible things that came with it. It was also crazy to see that although racism and apartheid and segregation is considered a thing of the past, many aspects of it all are still very present in Africa.
As we were taking pictures of the benches all the sudden we see a man running towards us with police officers running after him. There was yelling and commotion and all the sudden the guy crouches on a nearby bench as the police start beating him with their baton. The hitting was fairly brief but still seemed unnecessary to use that much force. We were not sure of what all the situation entailed but it was a little nerve-racking! We then went to a natural history museum which was interesting as well.
That evening me and some Santa Clara friends from the ship met up with two of our Santa Clara friends that are studying at Cape Town University for this semester. We went out to dinner at a wonderful restaurant where I had sushi as well as a delicious cream of mushroom soup. It was nice to see some familiar faces from school and home, as one of the girls I went to high school with as well. I'll continue with the rest of my Cape Town adventures soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
