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.