Christmas, Birthday and New Year to Come

I spent Christmas day with Dizzy. Imagine my surprise when she woke me at 6am w/ coffee and champagne. (For the record, there were no children in the house -- 6AM AND NO CHILDREN!!!).

We opened our presents together, sipping coffee and catching up on our last few days. With David staying with his father over the holidays since the divorce, it was the first time Diz had anyone at the house on Christmas morning. I went a bit over the top trying to make it a special morning for her. I did one of Ruth Ann's famous stockings (while I had to use one of David's gym socks, the inards were the same. I became quite teary eyed shopping for everything, thinking of my mom and the lovely Christmases she had always organized for my brothers and I.). I also found a few gifts that Diz would both love and need (including the baking equipment that had disappeared from her stocks during all of her moves over the years).

The day was spent preparing a typical Canadian christmas dinner: turkey, potatoes, butternut, broc/cauliflower, carrots. I was rather stressed out about the whole procedure so I was so pleased when Dizzy's boyfriend Dave showed up w/ some presents for me that included a bottle of "Reckless Red" wine from Woolies. It was delicious, and I enjoyed the humour.

The only major disastour was the white sacue. Thank goodness Diz's cousin, a chef, showed up to save the day. The meal was lovely. We chatted, ate and laughed. A game of 30 Seconds later and the evening was done.

I left on the 27th for George with Rae, Katherine, and Tash. The drive was lovely, with frequent stops for Wimpy coffee. Mmmmm... coffee (I'm on my way to pick some up for Rae and I now, so this will not be spell checked, edited or in any way censored... priorities don't you know).

Rae and I drove from George to Knysna for my birthday. We looked in the shops, walked to the waterfront, had pedis and massages. Dinner was at Harry B's, a lovely pub in the oldest residence in Knysna. Pip and Lisa drove in from Plett to meet us for desert. It was so lovely seeing Pip! Even the thought of having to go back to the pirate's house wasn't enough to spoil the lovely visit. (More on the pirate at a later date...).

Rae and I left George yesterday and drove to Cape Town. We had done much of the coast (Mossel Bay being my favourite), and it was time to move on. We're staying in her sister's flat in Cape Town, near the University. I got up this morning on a mission to buy some groceries and coffee. Cape Town, especially this area, is one of those places where the whites take taxis. It was a huge adjustment getting used to having each taxi hoot and yell at me as I drove by (seeing if I wanted a ride).

I saw this internet cafe and couldn't resist checking my email. Thanks to everyone for the Xmas and Birthday wishes. It really means a lot to me.

Must get that coffee though -- Rae will be climbing the walls! ;)

Will let you know how my New Year's Eve pans out. Pip, Lisa, Jeremy, Mayra and others are all in Cape Town, so I'm sure it will be lovely.

Happy New Year Everyone!!

PHOTOS!

I haven't finished with the captions, but about 1/2 of my photos are now up on the net. Feel free to take a look via the link above.

Beginning Again

The cast of characters has changed, as has the setting. I moved in with Dizzy and her son David last night. I'm now living 2 suburbs over in Sunninghill. My postal address has now changed. Please email me for the new contact information as required. I can now be telephoned either at work 011-27-11-274-5600 (from Canada), or on my cell phone 011-27-76-180-8919 (from Canada). Do remember that Johannesburg is seven hours ahead of Toronto time (and that I keep farmer's hours - in bed at 9:30 and up at 5:30).

Recent Happenings

November 6: Cricket - South Africa vs New Zealand

I drove to Pretoria (Centurion) with Richard, Justin and Rae to watch the South African team play New Zealand. Rae and I (not exactly avid cricket fans) had a great time sitting in the grass, people watching and beer drinking. In many ways, it felt like being at a summer concert at the Amphitheatre in Toronto. Suddenly, the sky turned black and people began RUNNING back to their cars. In a matter of minutes, huge pieces of hail began to pelt down on us. The four of us grabbed our stuff and took shelter under the cabins that serve as box seats. After the rain and the thunder and lightening stopped, we waited for the game to resume. With the stadium half cleared, Rich and Justin went in search of proper seats. Moving across the stadium grounds to our seats, I ran into some of the other Jo'burg interns who were keen to give me big hugs after they had been mud sliding down the grass. Thanks guys!! :P

For the record (Derrilynn), the South Africans won. :)

Photos of the day can be viewed at http://ca.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/yellow_jan/my_photos under the cricket album.

November 11-13: Swaziland - Malolotja Nature Reserve

I had met Pip at the High Commissioner's residence in Pretoria. He's from BC and working for an environmental organization in Pretoria. He is keen to travel, and I have been desperate to get out of Joburg. So, we packed up my little tazz (http://www.toyota.co.za/models/viewrange.aspx?id=5), picked up a Swedish couple he knows in Pretoria (Camilla and Peter) and we drove to Swaziland on Friday night. We arrived just after 11, pitched our tents and called it a night. In the morning, Pip and I awoke early to a clear day. By the time the four of us had finished breakfast, the mist had settled in. Swaziland is known for it's mist.

We began our hike from a lookout point, but couldn't see more than a metre in front of our faces. It was a steep hike down the hill, coming out next to a stream. Standing next to the stream, we took a quick break. The mist had settled in everyone's hair and on their eyelashes in little drops. I want to forever remember the way the three of them looked covered in the tiny droplets. By the time we crossed to the other side of the hill, the mist had finally cleared up. We were able to see zebra and buck running at the bottom of the hill. Baboons were walking not far ahead of us. Peter and I watched dung beetles working for the good part of a 1/2 hour.

After a lunch break next to a water fall, and having to find our way back onto the trail via a brief rock climb, we made our way back to camp. Peter and Camilla started a roaring fire and we grilled up some dinner and chatted. I felt so close to Peter and Camilla when we discovered that they too were raised on Fraggle Rock. :)

Sunday was spent in the capital city of Mbabane, and a little further a field in Ekwezi, shopping. Pip out shopped us all.

November 17, 21-25: On the Road Again

I was back on the road with Farah to collect data for the Q4 period. On the 17th we flew into Polokwane (the capital of the North West Province). We drove through some beautiful landscape to Tzaneen where Choice is located. Choice is a Goelama Home Based Care (HBC) project. After visiting their offices in town, we drove out to a rural church where the care-workers were gathered. The church had a tin roof that was loose on one corner. The wind rattled the tin around, creating quite the ambiance. As the care-workers completed their forms, Farah and I walked through the town.

This was a township-type location with dirt roads, and little infrastructure. There were mango, avocado and papaya trees everywhere. In this part of the world, it is bizarre to see a White and an Indian woman walking and we were given many stares and even more hellos from the townspeople. Interestingly, even in a town with dirt, not gravel, roads, no running water and long drop toilets, there was a child on the side of the road with a fruit stand with a machine to sell cell phone air time. As land-line phones were not provided in these locations, cell phones are the norm. But it was still startling to see this sort of technological option in the middle of an underdeveloped township. Again, the contradictions of South Africa.

From the 21 to 25 I travelled to White River, Schoemansdal, Jane Furse, Burgersfort and Witbank. I stayed at some lovely places along the way. I met some new care-workers and visited with those I had met before. I had never been to Burgersfort before, and the town was startling. It was angry and chaotic. The church that housed the HBC project we were working at was watering their lawns when we arrived. Considering that the town was facing severe water restrictions due to draught and Jane Furse, not 50 kilometres away was w/out water altogether, it at first seemed wasteful. But that the green grass and trees created an oasis in the middle of such pressure was a blessing. [Because the church had its own bore hole, it was able to water in spite of the restrictions]. The care-workers at Kingdom Trust in Burgersfort were lovely. They were lively and active and dedicated to their work. On a break, we sat under a tree together. They asked the typical questions that I am asked in rural areas:
1. How old are you?
2. Are you married?
3. Do you have children?
4. What is your last name?
I love that telling people my last name is "Shoemaker" gets as many laughs in Burgersfort, Limpopo as it does in Moncton, New Brunswick. The girls cried with laughter in such a welcoming way.

Though many of the workers struggled with English (I can just imagine what their education as like during apartheid), we managed to share some wonderful conversations. I picked up some new words in Burgersfort. With all of us quite hungry, I picked up the word "Tlala" which has more clicks in it than one would imagine. It caused great hilarity as it stumbled off my tongue. (Tlala means hungry).

The entire trip was largely without incident. White River was SO hot (over 40), and I couldn't help but miss snow. I came across some remnants of the apartheid racism in Middleburg when I went to a pub w/ Noma one night. The ladies at SEP in Jane Furse were as welcoming as ever (and I will publish my post about their struggle soon -- it seems highly political, mildly disturbing, and requires editing before I will feel comfortable with it).


To post soon: Jana visits the Sangoma, Walk-abouts in Jo'burg, and the long-promised Struggle in Jane Furse.