Becky and I go to the Cape

From history lessons and shopping and soccer games, we traveled to the Eastern Cape to a lovely little town of Danabay near George. My friend Miemsie was already there on leave with her children and we accepted her gracious hospitality to join them. Here we awoke to the sun coming up over the ocean and went to sleep to the sound of the waves on the beach. Becky made new friends her own age, going out to watch a soccer match with the group, walking through yet another market (this time in Sedgefield), and generally hanging out while Miemsie and I worked on our second article and outlined the next 2 in our series.

We finally made time to see African animals as well. On one day, we took a game drive in an open vehicle where we got to see white rhino, kudu, wildebeestes, water buffalo, giraffes, lions, different kinds of deer, and some ostrich. The ranger knew so many interesting things about each animal and made the entire drive entertaining and educational. We took advantage of an opportunity to Cango to see animals up close and personal and learn about issues related to endangerment. Here we were most excited about our time to pet the 9-week-old cheetahs, the older cheetahs, and the tigers. Then we went to a series of conservation sites where we took a hand-in-trunk walk with the elephants; saw lemurs, cappuchin monkeys, and a number of other primates; then had a wild cat experience to see cheetah, leopard, and several of the "lesser cats" as we learned about the challenges of preserving these animals in the wild.

Our last evening at the cape was celebrated with Miemsie, her son and his friends, and our colleague Hanlie at a great seafood restaurant where the special for the evening was the sushi bar! We had a lively evening talking and laughing and yet another research project emerged for the 3 UP folks who couldn't help but talk shop. With goodbyes said before we went to bed and one more set of hugs with Miemsie on Tuesday morning, Becky and I were off the airport for a quick flight back to J'burg and our final round of packing her up before we returned to the airport for her final send off. She managed to have her first pizza since leaving the states as her "last lunch" in South Africa and over chicken wraps as our supper, we talked about her solo flight home, changing flights in Atlanta, and then arriving in Washington to meet her dad.

While reading through the blog, it's pretty clear where the time went, but actually writing the words, thinking about her impending landing, and looking at all the brochures from our trip and the dirty laundry in the closet and the empty refrigerator, I can't believe her visit is over. We had our occasional moments of tension. After all, how many times can you really get lost?! What happens when you are tired, or having a bumpy day because you forgot your camera, or you aren't sure what's going to happen next and who you'll be doing it with? But compared to all of the rest of the time - snuggling under our world cup blanket at home as we tried to stay warm while we watched soccer on tv, or trying to figure out what's going on with the characters of Isidingo (Becky's favorite soap) and Generations (my favorite soap), or deciding what to order when we went out to eat or when we stayed home for supper, or just hanging out along the way to somewhere - we had a pretty wonderful time together. The part of my heart that's labeled Rebecca expanded a little more to take in the precious young woman she's becoming and I look at her with such amazement and wonder for the person she is and for the gift of her time with me.

A visit with Rebecca

After returning to South Africa from 2 weeks of graduations with Suzy and Abbey and a quick visit with Rachel before her trip to The Netherlands, I settled back into my routine of the single scholar. There's nothing like a long list of projects that are incredibly different to keep me on my toes! The list of papers to write and articles to read seems unending but it's the kind of challenge I enjoy. And, of course, I work with some amazing people who make all of the time in front of a computer worthwhile. But one of the best parts of this experience has been able to share my South African friends and family and country with my children. Not only do they get to experience why I love to be here (even when it's really cold!), but I get to enjoy the one-on-one time I rarely have at home. So it was Becky's turn to visit me after her two weeks in Zambia with Caroline, and I was thrilled to have her good company for a while.

Rebecca is a soccer player and has developed her skills and love for the game from the time she was about 7, playing in rec leagues, for travel teams, through high school and adult leagues. After coaching a girls school team in Zambia, she came to South Africa to enjoy the World Cup, affectionately known here in South Africa as "2010". We had tickets to Netherlands v. Denmark and matching orange shirts to support the Netherlands. After all, Rachel was visiting there !
Then there was Argentina v. Korea Republic. Rebecca had her jersey and a warm hat to show her support while I maintained my ability to avoid asking the Korean fans sitting nearby if they knew my friends JD and Shin Ji. Then there was the Brazil v. Cote d'Ivoire game where Brazil was clearly the favorite to win but we couldn't help but cheer on the African team. Armed with scarves supporting Brazil and an Ivory Coast shirt, Rebecca and I cheered with everyone through that game. The Ghana v. Germany game put us close to the field and all the excitement on the field and a fight that broke out in the section next to us. Beach balls came and went throughout the game, providing a much different experience than any we had had from our perch near the top of Soccer City. Rebecca was responsible for capturing our experiences at the games with her camera while I was responsible for securing the game-wear, hot dogs, chips, chocolate bars, and drinks.

In addition to the World Cup games at Soccer City, we also watched some games at our local Hatfield fan park. Here, an entertainment area during the year for UP students, had been enhanced with a huge screen tv and local, live entertainment. We had a good time watching the crowd and the games, especially given the international nature of the viewers who came out to enjoy the afternoon or evening. This is one place I may visit again as the games move to their conclusions!

Besides all the time we spent watching soccer, we found time to fit in some shopping. Living in the small town of Harrisonburg, we dream of major malls and places to find things out of the ordinary. I had been to several of the malls in Pretoria and Johannesburg thanks to prior visits with groups of students and through my adventures with fairies who magically appear on Saturdays in Pretoria malls. So Becky and I made multiple visits to Atterbury Shopping Center where she made her final purchase, a black jacket that she had been considering for quite a while; Menlyn Mall where vuvuzelas heralded the start of the World Cup games and supported Bafana Bafana on their game days. On our last visit to Menlyn, we were not disappointed to see a sign prohibiting the blowing of vuvuzelas throughout the mall! Then there was Brooklyn Mall, the one I pass every day on my way to work. I feel confident that I have done my part to support South Africa's economy during the last several weeks.

But shopping for us was not limited to the big shops. We frequented the smaller markets like the one hosted each Sunday at Hatfield Shopping Center, just a few blocks from my flat. Each Sunday craftsmen bring their work and other folks bring African artifacts to sell to the public. The parking lot is closed off and I enjoy picking up somosas (pronounced "sa-moo-sas") to nibble on with my extra large cappachino from Wimpy's. There are a couple of craftsmen from whom I regularly buy my souvenirs and I look forward to seeing what new things they'll have each week. It's really their fault that I have so much stuff that needs to be shipped back to the states, but they are laughing all the way to the bank, while I've still got to figure out how to pack their stuff up! Another market held bi-monthly is the Irene market. This one is much larger and the offerings are more diverse. On my first trip there, I found several things and spent way too much money. With Becky along, I spent less money than she did, but it was fun to walk through and watch the people as well as the things that were for sale.

Another reason I wanted Becky to come along was to share some of the history of this ancient continent. Of course, there was a little sugar to coat the scholarly stuff as well. For example, we visited Maropeng's Cradle of Humankind. This interactive museum allows visitors to learn about the beginnings of time through the modern day with a focus on our responsibility as humans to care for one another and our world. She really enjoyed the museum enough to keep us both sane as we managed to get lost coming home that evening. At that point, she began to understand how precious Annalie and Nico are as they try to figure out exactly where I am and how to get me back home again. Then there was the Lesedi Cultural Museum where we visited recreated homesteads or bomas for 5 different cultural groups, watched the singing and dancing, and then ate a feast of traditional foods. During the break between the tour and the dancing, we were invited to refresh ourselves at the bar, but like most of the people who were there, we were glued to the big screen tv to watch the soccer match that was going on. On yet another day, prior to our visit to the Gold Reef Theme Park for an afternoon of rides and junk food, Becky and our friends Nick and Andiswa and Andiswa's niece toured the Apartheid Museum to gain insight into how an area so rich in culture, language, and natural resources could change into a place of priviledge for a few and powerlessness for many. The horrors of the apartheid era have been replaced with the promise of a rainbow nation where "Never, never and never again shall it be that this beautiful land will again experience the oppression of one by another."

The visit continues...

Lessons from the Side of the Road

I've been really busy since my last post and hope to correct that soon to fill you in on the wonderful travels that I've had with friends in the Drakensburg Mountains and at the Cape in a lovely place near George. But those stories involve posting photos that let you see the wonderful people and the beautiful country. Then there's the World Cup excitement to share and we're at the half-way point in our attendance with the Denmark and Argentina games completed and Brazil and Ghana for next week. Becky has taken incredible pictures and I get to share some of them here, but again, all that takes time and we're so busy living it up here in South Africa and trying to fit in my work that it's hard to find time to breathe.

But this morning, over a cup of hot, foamy coffee (a recipe to which I've become addicted and will be happy to share), I did take some time to reflect on a few interesting encounters I've had with people I met along the side of the road.

Lesson 1: Live generously.
I'm still smarting over this one and I think the lessons we may learn the most from are the times we were not at our best. Walking home from the neighborhood fan park one evening, Becky and I were approached by a grandmother and her little granddaughter. They didn't have enough money for the bus to get home. I gave her all the change I had, but it still wasn't enough, so I suggested that she head in the direction of the fan park telling her, "There are lots of people there who can also help." I held on to the 100 rand note that I had, even though it's really less that $10 and it would have gone a long way to help her out. I still don't know why I seemed to think it was so important for me to keep that money, especially in light of how much I've spent at markets and at the games. Even though I feel the pinch of credit card debt, my small gift to this woman would have made the evening so much warmer for her. I'm keeping my eyes open wider and trying to listen more carefully to others as I remember the generosity I've experienced from others while I have been here.

Lesson 2: See the person with whom you are speaking first.
Driving to new places in foreign lands can be a daunting experience. But when you are trying to maintain American time in Africa, find a parking place without a parking pass because you didn't realize you had to have one, and then fearful of getting lost, sometimes you think only of solving your problem. Becky and I had been redirected through the traffic circle near our final destination to go to another lot to park for our first soccer match. Of course, finding signs that clearly pointed to where to go seemed impossible so at the first intersection I pulled over beside several police officers, Becky rolled down her window, and I anxiously asked, "Where do we go to find parking for the game?" The officer looked at me and replied, "Dumela M'am. How are you?" I responded, "Fine thank you. And you?" Then he said, "That's how we do it here. Now, go straight, straight, and you will come to the parking." Of course, he was right. Look at the person to whom you are speaking and greet them. It only takes a moment to be gracious. And in the offering of recognition and respect, you may be able to find your way in a strange (or familiar) place.

Lesson 3: A kind word lightens the way.
This time we actually knew how to get home from our day of shopping in markets. Becky and I had purchased lots of gifts for friends and family, had a lovely lunch with leftovers for supper, and generally enjoyed ourselves. On the way home, we had to stop at toll booths to pay for the opportunity to drive on the superhighway that led us back to Pretoria. At our last tollbooth, we had our money ready, greeted the toll booth operator, a gentleman about my age, with the standard "Hello, how are you" exchange and when he replied, "I'm too young to complain!" we both smiled back, thanked him for our change, and rode away laughing. What a perfect ending to a lovely day. His kind smile and joy continued to stay with us on the way home.

To really see the people with whom we live; to listen to what another person says and doesn't say; to be present in the moment with someone else - all of that makes the busy-ness slip back where it belongs, into a place that's second to the relationships and people-times that stay with us longer than the multiple tasks we try to manage.

And now, for that recipe. One of the reasons I'm sure it tastes so good is because I first had this while staying with my friend Miemsie at her beautiful place a Danabae near George. Each morning she got up early to mark papers while I slept in. Since we were there to work on an article, she came in to wake me at 7 with a cup of this coffee so I could start my day ready to work. Every time I drink this, I think of that lovely gesture! Here's my love for my friend and for you. I hope you'll come to visit and let me make this for you just like Miemsie did for me (but it's fine if you come later than 7 a.m.!).

1. Fill your mug up about 1/3 of the way with full fat vanilla flavored milk.
2. Heat in the microwave for about 1 minute on high.
3. Remove from microwave and beat with frother for about 30-60 seconds.
4. Add sugar.
(I use 2 tsp. sugar; Miemsie drinks hers with 1 sweetener and 1 tsp. sugar).
5. In SA we use 1 tsp instant coffee and fill the cup with hot water. In America you can just add hot coffee.
6. Use the frother again to mix it up well and enjoy!