Last Days in South Africa

The students we worked with in South Africa were really amazing. One group came from a high school in Cape Town’s middle class suburb of Pinelands.

Students enrolled here come from all over the city, from the wealthy neighborhoods, to the poorest Township. During Apartheid it was an all white school, and now it’s mostly black. Ms Baron, our contact at Pinelands, explained that after Apartheid many “white” schools increased their enrollment costs to essentially exclude blacks from entering. Pinelands did just the opposite and adopted a strong policy of integration. Everyone (white, black, or “colored”) seemed to get along just fine while we were there. It’s difficult to fathom that the mingling we saw here would have been unthinkable, perhaps even illegal, just 15 years ago.

The Pinelands students gave us a good sense of what it’s like to live in South Africa today, and they were so excited to be able to share their stories with their American peers. The also shed a lot of light on some problems relating to HIV/AIDS in South Africa. For example, while many people are aware of the modes of transmission of the virus, some myths still endure in poorer or rural areas. A disturbing myth says that having sex with a virgin will cure HIV/AIDS. In many townships, where a third of the women there will be raped in their lifetime, this is a major issue…

We also worked with young volunteers at a youth clinic in the black township of Khayelitsha (Townships are settlements divided by “race” that were built during Apartheid to separate different racial groups). Two girls were our guides during our stay in Khayelitsha: they showed us around the clinic, where young people can get tested for HIV and get counseling (in Khayelitsha, one in 4 people is HIV positive, hence the need for this type of center). They also took us around to many different places, including a traditional herbalist (or witch doctor), where I was given a special cream to put on my face for good luck, and Chris purchased herbs against evil spirits. Webumentary on this coming soon!

After our last broadcast the students at Pinelands invited us to a Sunday Braai, which is the South African version of a BBQ, and something people here seem to do quite often!

My, what a feast we had: lamb chops, Boewors (a typical South African coiled sausage that would beat hot dogs ANY day), chicken, salad, and much more…a great way to end our program in South Africa.

We were all really touched by the students’ warmth and hospitality. I hope to make it back to South Africa one day!

Comments

[anita]

hi there DAvid...
this msg if 4rom anita and the rest of the Cape Town crew..we would like to thnk u, ckris, jason, byron and chrissy for making it a fun "vacation" for us down here.We really enjoyed ur guys company and The American Youngsters... thank you again and just to warn u that u guys will probably get a whole lot of email from the others coz we are bored again..newayz greet the other for us...

Nime nemini emnandi..
anita

[Samantha Maxwell-Hafen]

Hey David!
GNG visit was great!thank-you so much for such a great opportunity. It was a big shock to log onto GNG website and see my dad and i giving the lowdown on South African braai's. Feel free to come back and join us all again some Sunday afternoon. Hope you, Chris, Jason and Byron are well and having fun adventuring.
God Bless, your SA friend, Sam