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...