Hello Gaborone, Botswana! Why here?? Rog went to the same school with Hannah Hardy from K to EMU Masters Degree...and her daughter Em is here. We couldn't be this close & not stop in to spend a bit of time with her. She is part of Youth for Christ and does a variety of ministries. Em lined us up with an Airbnb near her & we quickly settled in, picked up a few groceries & made plans to help at a day care. The day care/preschool is for orphans in foster settings & disadvantaged kids. When we arrived, the 40+ kids swarmed us and after a quick tour, we were the newest attraction on the playground. When recess was over, we each joined one of their classes. I got the opportunity to read aloud...twisted my arm...so I read Hands, Hands, Fingers, Thumbs which was on their library shelf. Kids & I loved drum, ditty, drumming!!
On the way back to our Airbnb, we made plans to meet up with Em to go to the movie theater we noticed nearby. After getting (rather bland) popcorn, we sat down in a modern theater empty except for us and thoroughly enjoyed Little Women.
Day 2 we hopped in the car with Em and another Youth for Christ gal fro US, Kelsey. We visited a couple patients who'd suffer spinal injuries, then co-led an Alpha discussion group and finally helped at a tutoring session. All great opportunities to spend time with the locals.
We treated the girls to dinner at the restaurant of their choice, Simply Asian.
Throughout the day, we did lots of reminiscing about experiences we had with Em's parents and her life in Dexter.
Pretty cool day!
Sent from my iPhone
Thursday, March 5, 2020
Viewpoints of two white South Africans-Roger
(1) Every white South African that we have met so far likes President Trump. One even said that he would welcome Trump to lead their country if we don't want him.
He also said that their current all black government is led by incapable leaders who cannot be educated. He said that the blacks are not intelligent and cannot learn because they are descended from monkeys/apes. Whites are not like them because we are descended from Adam and Eve.
He continued...
The government ignores maintenance of infrastructure leading to load shedding and poor roads. Load shedding is the scheduled shut off of electric power to entire sections of the country for hours at a time (a major inconvenience as well potential cover for criminals).
Good jobs are scarce and available positions go to unqualified blacks while young whites remain unemployed. Older whites have almost no chance of finding jobs.
At school, black students pass with 30% correct.
Reverse discrimination on many fronts.
The blacks only want to do what they have to do for today.
There is no effort to make something for the future.
If given some land they will only work a small area close to their home and leave the rest or rent it to a white farmer.
Trash is becoming a problem because "they" are not taught to pick up after themselves. So they leave bottles, cans, papers, etc. wherever.
This is not the way South Africa used to be.
Blacks would tell you that they were better off under Apartheid.
Most young whites plan to leave the country. There is no future here for them.
The country is getting worse every day. Many thousands of South Africans have moved to Australia or America to escape the downward spiral of their country.
He went on to say that if his home is given to blacks , he will meet them at the door with a gun and take out as many of them as possible before he dies.
I asked if there is any way he could foresee a solution to the problems here.
He then said that he does not expect any improvement in the situation.
(2) Our hostess in Bethlehem (of all places!) expressed her anger over the current situation in S.A. At one point she caught herself and said, " It is horrible to talk this way but they just breed and breed...it's the one pleasure they have."
As guests in her home, it would have been rude for us to express our feelings as that would have, without a doubt, led to a political discussion leaving all involved feeling at odds.
We had been wondering how the white South Africans were feeling about the changes in their country since the end of Apartheid and had planned to bring up the topic at an opportune time. We welcomed her feelings as a learning opportunity, but do not agree with her.
He also said that their current all black government is led by incapable leaders who cannot be educated. He said that the blacks are not intelligent and cannot learn because they are descended from monkeys/apes. Whites are not like them because we are descended from Adam and Eve.
He continued...
The government ignores maintenance of infrastructure leading to load shedding and poor roads. Load shedding is the scheduled shut off of electric power to entire sections of the country for hours at a time (a major inconvenience as well potential cover for criminals).
Good jobs are scarce and available positions go to unqualified blacks while young whites remain unemployed. Older whites have almost no chance of finding jobs.
At school, black students pass with 30% correct.
Reverse discrimination on many fronts.
The blacks only want to do what they have to do for today.
There is no effort to make something for the future.
If given some land they will only work a small area close to their home and leave the rest or rent it to a white farmer.
Trash is becoming a problem because "they" are not taught to pick up after themselves. So they leave bottles, cans, papers, etc. wherever.
This is not the way South Africa used to be.
Blacks would tell you that they were better off under Apartheid.
Most young whites plan to leave the country. There is no future here for them.
The country is getting worse every day. Many thousands of South Africans have moved to Australia or America to escape the downward spiral of their country.
He went on to say that if his home is given to blacks , he will meet them at the door with a gun and take out as many of them as possible before he dies.
I asked if there is any way he could foresee a solution to the problems here.
He then said that he does not expect any improvement in the situation.
(2) Our hostess in Bethlehem (of all places!) expressed her anger over the current situation in S.A. At one point she caught herself and said, " It is horrible to talk this way but they just breed and breed...it's the one pleasure they have."
As guests in her home, it would have been rude for us to express our feelings as that would have, without a doubt, led to a political discussion leaving all involved feeling at odds.
We had been wondering how the white South Africans were feeling about the changes in their country since the end of Apartheid and had planned to bring up the topic at an opportune time. We welcomed her feelings as a learning opportunity, but do not agree with her.
Cape Town pics
Sent from my iPhoneCape Town & tray mat at McD...note the picture of field workers gathering potatoes.
Update 36
After spending one more day at a "proper beach" (as the locals call a gorgeous beach), we spent our very last day in South Africa in Cape Town visiting the Mandela Museum, Cape Town fort found while digging a foundation & soaking up the energetic feel of Cape Town.
Rog & I leave SA having marveled at the beauty & loved the people but also turned with feelings about the poverty & obvious difference between the blacks & whites...and SA's future. We feel guilty knowing we were only part of the white's world as all our Airbnbs have been owned by the whites & cleaned by the blacks. As hard as we tried, we didn't find a way to be part of the blacks ' world.
Ironically, when I needed to swap out the book I'd finished reading at one of our Airbnbs, The Help by Stockett was staring me in the face. It's about the black/white situation in Mississippi in the early 60's...or it could of been in SA in 2020. It is written from the blacks' point of view. Reading The Help opens a window to how the blacks might be feeling here.
Rog has been writing lots about this subject so I'll let him go in depth and try to capture our experiences and struggles to be a tourist here.
Sent from my iPhone
Rog & I leave SA having marveled at the beauty & loved the people but also turned with feelings about the poverty & obvious difference between the blacks & whites...and SA's future. We feel guilty knowing we were only part of the white's world as all our Airbnbs have been owned by the whites & cleaned by the blacks. As hard as we tried, we didn't find a way to be part of the blacks ' world.
Ironically, when I needed to swap out the book I'd finished reading at one of our Airbnbs, The Help by Stockett was staring me in the face. It's about the black/white situation in Mississippi in the early 60's...or it could of been in SA in 2020. It is written from the blacks' point of view. Reading The Help opens a window to how the blacks might be feeling here.
Rog has been writing lots about this subject so I'll let him go in depth and try to capture our experiences and struggles to be a tourist here.
Sent from my iPhone
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