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I originally was supposed to write this posting about how volunteers and people from outside South Africa serve this country. However, after being here, what stands out even more is the drastic measures that South Africans are taking themselves in creating lasting change for their communities. While many of these NPOs and schools might seek funding from outside sources and countries, it is quite evident that the heart, soul, and passion of the organizations come from within their own communities. As we read in Charlayne Hunter-Gault’s New News Out of Africa, “On a daily basis, South Africans from all walks of life are showing a positive commitment to making their country work. (p.66)” Individuals and leaders from within the community, who saw a need, have started nearly all of the agencies and schools we have visited. The HIV and Aids Hospice Special Life Care Center was started by a politician in Cape Town, who was asked to take action by a local minister. I greatly admire these individuals and their leadership in the community. They did not wait for the government to take action to solve their people’s problems, but saw the critical need and took it upon themselves to find a way to help.

In the article that we read Chasing the Rainbow, the President, Thabo Mbeki, quotes the present time as South Africa’s “age of hope”. I agree that progress and change is being made, but should be greatly credited to local leaders and communities. All of us were impressed with how the leaders in the community were empowering their people and giving them true reason for hope. I am also in awe with how impelled people feel to solve their own problems, rather than asking for outside help.

There are clearly many problems throughout the country and many are being dealt with on the individual level. I hope that one day the nation as a whole can come together to help further solve South Africa’s devastating problems.

As we travel city to city and see firsthand individuals suffering from poverty, AIDs, and other problems, it seems overwhelming. I can definitely see how there is no easy solution to solve each problem. In visiting these groups in need and going directly into townships, it did not seem as though people wanted charity. I think, more so, awareness of such problems is even more important to them. I know that our class is coming back with knowledge, stories, and experiences that will change the way that we view the world. We all left the safe Elon “bubble”, and exposed ourselves to a world completely different than our own.


]]> http://idd.elon.edu/sasa/index.php?entry=entry080128-113928 We began our afternoon with lunch at the Biesmillah Restaurant in the Malay Quarters of Bo-Kaap. This unique lunch allowed us to sample some of the traditional Muslim dishes, such as curried chicken and beef, rice, and a vast array of fried egg-roll type appetizers. While at the restaurant, our tour guide gave us a brief history of Bo-Kaap. We learned that when the Dutch East India Trading Company first arrived to colonize what is now South Africa, they would actually burn down the villages of the natives, stripping them of their names, religions, and essentially their identities. The Company also enslaved many of the natives and forced them to convert to the Islamic faith. Throughout the imperialistic rule of the Dutch and the British, the Muslim population began to grow and thrive, with today’s Muslim population in the Bo-Kaap community estimated to be around 300,000.
After lunch we visited a small museum dedicated to the many “faces of Bo-Kaap” where we learned even more about the community’s history. Our tour guide stressed the fact that apartheid is often seen as only affecting 2 populations: whites versus blacks; in actuality, there were a total of 17 groups affected by apartheid, including Muslims. She also pointed out that the Muslim community is not necessarily comprised of those of Arabic or Middle Eastern descent, but rather of a diverse group of backgrounds. We viewed an exhibit in the museum which further emphasized the diversity of Bo-Kaap. The exhibit consisted of photographs by a man whose work was previously banned during apartheid, due to his skin being “coloured.” The theme of his work was the diversity found within the Muslim communities of Cape Town. There were countless photos capturing important events in the Islamic faith- marriages, funerals, people worshipping at mosques, etc. But most of his work consisted of Muslim men, women, and children of all ages doing everyday things (such as working, hugging, or sharing a laugh.) One wall in the back of the exhibit, entitled “The Many Faces of Bo-Kaap”, was simply a montage of head shots of individuals… as if to remind us of the diversity within the Muslim community.
Our last stop of the day was to the oldest mosque in the Southern Hemisphere. It was a pleasant surprise when we were told we would be able to enter the mosque (as tourists, especially females, are rarely allowed to enter this sacred place of worship.) After removing our shoes, we sat in the middle of the worshipping space, surrounded by beautiful inscriptions of lines from the Qur’an on all of the walls- a staple of the artwork of mosques around the world. Here, our tour guide talked to us about the function of the mosque and a little more about Islam. One of the more impressive things we learned is that children as young as 6 or 7 are able to recite lines from the Quar’an, which is obviously quite a feat for someone that young, and reflects the discipline of the faith.
In all, our experience at the Muslim community of Bo-Kaap was both interesting and informative. I think many of us found it to be a change of pace, in that it allowed us to see another side of apartheid. Though the Muslims living in Cape Town were forced to attain new identities following colonization, became enslaved, and later suffered during the apartheid rule, they still retain a strong sense of identity and faith as we saw in our experience today at Bo-Kaap.
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Tourism is a huge part of the economy in South Africa, representing the 3rd largest business in the country. The one thing that I did not expect to see in South Africa were the mountains. The mountains in South Africa have provided multiple tourist opportunities including Table Mountain, Cape of Good Hope, and God's Window. All of these places have amazing views that I in particular never expected to see.

Due to the struggle of the Apartheid, South Africa has a lot of history to share with tourist. The District Six museum told the story of a community of all races being torn apart due to the Apartheid Regime. We also were fortunate enough to visit the Apartheid Museum which showed the struggle from all angles in detail. In addition to the other museums and activities it is my opinion that the most valuable part of our trip, in relation to the history of South Africa, has been the visits to the townships and interaction with individuals. Hearing individuals share their personal stories about their struggle under the Apartheid Regime has been an invaluable experience.

People from local communities are able to sell goods at markets and other areas that are attractive to tourist. The profits from these goods benefit the people and communities that are still struggling financially. With advances being made in the skill training area opportunities are increasing as well, such as the pottery center in Langa which teaches people to make pottery and then sell it for profit.

The last area of tourism that I have noticed is an awareness sector. It is my opinion this is the biggest difference between American and South African Tourism. South Africa does not try and hide the major issues facing their country but instead try to generate awareness and explain the steps they are taking as a country to improve these issues. After visiting different organizations in South Africa ,including the AIDS hospital and the Ons Plec Project a home for street girls, it became obvious that South Africa is very active in their own struggle. During our trip we have been told multiple times South Africa is not trying to build a nation of beggars. People in the local communities are putting their beliefs into action to make a difference. As a group from the United States we were welcomed into these communities and made aware of the issues in the positive light. Lelupa, a restaurant in the Langa township, welcomes tourist groups to come and experience the culture of a township while making people aware of the conditions that people are still living in post-apartheid. The biggest lesson learned throughout our time in these facilities and communities was not to assume the help that is needed but to ask what is truly needed.

After experiencing the different types of tourism in South Africa I hope to be able to share my experiences with friends and family and break down the false perceptions keeping people from visiting this incredible country.

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Some of the obvious influences are ones that you can most likely find all over the world, so it wasnt a suprise to see them here. Beverages like CocaCola, Pepsi, and Jack Daniels are widely available and heavily advertised. The strange thing is, though, when you open a Coke can that looks exactly the same on the outside there is a different taste to the acutual drink. It's as if Coke has taken a taste that South Africans propably already likes, and they just call it Coke, even though its not what we would call Coke. Along with the same beverages comes a host of familar fast food chains. McDonalds is obviously going to be here, but one fast food chain that suprised me by how many there were wherever you looked in urban settings was KFC. It was almost like there was a KFC at every corner. One day while we were driving through Cape Town a number of us noticed a resturant called "O'lympie". The design of the logo and the name were almost identical to the sandwhich resturaunt chain "Blimpie" in America.

Popular Culture is also another area where one can see the influence of American ideas. Towards the begining of the trip we visited a home for street children near Cape Town. In the room of some of the girls that lived there were a number of magazine cut-outs of the actress Angelina Jolie. There were even some drawings of her that the girls had made. Later on in the trip when we visited a primary school in Alexandra we got a chance to interview some of the kids from the Township. Most all of the ones we talked to knew a great deal about American movies and music. The boy I talked to said his favorite actors were Chuck Norris and Steven Segal. It also seemed like wherever we went people were talking about the next presidential election in America. They knew of most of the candidates and seemed to have pretty strong opinons on who they though should win. You really can get an idea of how big our influence as americans is when people talk about politics.

When you listen to music in South Africa you could see that America has really influenced this part of culture too. One night while visited a local pub in Hermanus we noted that every single band that was played was an American band. The odd thing about this was that this was not a touristy pub at all. It was very much a place where the locals went to get away from tourists spots. Had we not been told about it we would not have even found it. But they only listened to American music, despite the fact that most of the people there were speaking Afrikaans. When we ate lunch in the Township of Langa a local band came in and played music on African instruments for us. They played several traditional African songs, but the more they played on, the more their music turned into music that Americans would want to hear; songs like "Somewhere Over the Rainbow", "In The Jungle", and even some Al Green.

When one watches television you can also see how America sometimes influences South Africa. Every hotel we were in had movie channels similar to HBO that played American Movies. South Africa is getting ready to have their own verison of "Are You Smarter Than A Fifith Grader?" in the next month or so. One day my roommate and I even watched "The Daily Show" which was being broadcast on CNN. I think that was the last show I would expect to be played here because it is very american. There are soap opras on during the day and one morning we watched some of the children's show "Barney". But the most prevolent area of American culture in television is in wrestling. Almost everyday there is some form of the WWF on tv. We talked to several people who said people here love to watch wrestling. I don't know if that is what they think America is really like, but it seemed very odd to me because the type of person who watched the WWF in america doesn't seem liket he type of person who would travel to South Africa.

After spending the past few weeks here in Africa I've really seen how cultures mesh in a global society. Some things that we found here that related to American life were probably just around to make tourists feel more comfortable in this foreign place. However a number of the things we saw like KFC, music, and the WFF are generally enjoyed by South Africans and are not here to gear towards tourists.

]]> http://idd.elon.edu/sasa/index.php?entry=entry080124-033056 Upon arrival to Lesedi, we were able to explore the market and accommodations that are available to visitors. The market contained many of the goods we have seen throughout our journey in South Africa, although there was a significant amount of unique bead work offered by the women. Many of the cultural outfits that the women wore from the different tribes are intricately designed with colorful beads. The accommodations that are available are in the traditional architectural style. The walls are made of stone and are painted in bright colors and fantastic designs. The paint that is used was introduced by the missionaries, which replaced the traditional use of dung and pigment.
We were able to tour the Lesedi Cultural Village and visit each individual tribe. The Village was separated so that each tribe had their own land and distinctive space. The villages were set up to mimic the traditional villages of the Zulu, Xhosa, Pedi, and Basotho people. Each tribe had an entry gate that required permission to enter the village. Our guide taught us how to ask for entry into each of the villages. We were able to learn about some customs and traditions in each of the four villages. The layout of the huts, the weapons used, the roles of the family, and the ways of life for each of the cultures varied.
The common thread I found throughout the different villages was the role that men and women played. Our guide made it a point in each village to announce how much it cost to buy a wife. There was a definite disparity between the status of men and women, and this hierarchy was culturally accepted. Often times men would buy more than one wife if he could afford them. In addition, wives were desirable if they were hard workers, beauty was just an added bonus.
As a class, we have read about the role of women in South Africa during apartheid. In the book entitled Kaffir Boy, by Mark Mathabane, Mark's parents are an example of this family dynamic. Problems arise when Marks' mother disagrees with her husband's ideas of what is important. Mark's mother stresses the importance of education to enable him to leave the township, while Mark's father believes that education is useless. The father is constantly reminding his wife that he bought her, and that she is acting out of line. Although Mark's mother ends up being right about the importance of education, by challenging this predetermined role, she puts a strain on the entire family.
Tor further our cultural understanding at Lesedi, we watched the traditional dances of the villages. Each village wore different clothing and practiced varying techniques. They all danced to the beat of the drum, although the meanings of each dance varied. After the dancing, we went to the Lesedi Restaurant where we enjoyed a buffet of traditional African foods. Some of the dishes offered were Nguni beef, Bushveld lamb, African fowl, and homegrown maize. As we have traveled throughout South Africa, we have continued to experience new foods.
One very important recurring theme that we have experienced throughout this trip is the importance of tourism for cultural survival. Lesedi Cultural Village is a fantastic way to continue educating and making people aware of the origins and traditions that many South Africans derive from. Without a place like Lesedi, many people would only have the opportunity to see the here and the now; the townships and the Waterfront in Cape Town. Lesedi Cultural Village is a way to preserve the history and also keep it alive. Without tourism though, a place like Lesedi would not survive. By visiting the Village, buying goods from the market, and enjoying lunch, we have helped preserve he amazing culture of Africa. As the Lesedi brochure says, “A man without culture is like a zebra without stripes.” - Old African proverb]]> http://idd.elon.edu/sasa/index.php?entry=entry080124-010726
Still, once we arrived at the Hector Pieterson Museum, I was once again at a loss of words over the images in front of me. The photograph of Hector Pieterson, thirteen years old at the time, having been shot and killed during the first of the many riots to follow in Soweto, being carried in the arms of Mbuyisa Makhubo, an older child participating in the protest, was as moving as anything we have seen on our trip through South Africa thus far. It really made me reflect upon all the examples of bravery and heroism involved in the movement to end apartheid we have come across so far. Attached to the image, however, was a quote from Makhubo's mother, which read “Mbuyisa is or was my son. But he is not a hero. In my culture, picking up Hector is not an act of heroism. It was his job as a brother. If he left him on the ground and somebody saw him jumping over Hector, he would never be able to live there.” Whether she wants to recognize it or not, I believe that Hector and Mbuyisa were both heroes in the movement, but I had not looked at it from the perspective of the actions being a responsibility or a job until I saw this image. Yet, it was this same brotherhood, this same determination, this unyielding care, that eventually led oppressed to their freedom in South Africa.

I left the Hector Pieterson Museum with many questions. Primarily, I wondered why it took so long for the students to rebel and what finally broke down the gates and caused the students to protest. Again, I thought back to Kaffir Boy, remembering Mark Mathabane's reflection of his life during these times as a student. One of the main motivators was the mandatory use of Afrikaans, the white man's language, in black schools, although this was simply one problem along with a much greater, long term frustration. “The World” magazine, on February 25, 1976, noted that the true cause of the protests was the students anger because “God like decisions by white officials- even cabinet members- on matters of ultimate importance are just not enough. The old dictum that whites know what is best for blacks is no longer acceptable.” Quite simply, the black students, as a microcosm of the entire black population, were finally ready to fight back to regain the freedom that had alluded them for their entire lives.

The riots were brutal, to say the least. Other than Hector Pieterson, according to Mark Mathabane, about 800 students were murdered during the riots. The police officers retaliated with what could be considered guerilla tactics, opening fire and emitting tear gas in all parts of the ghettos. The modern weaponry was simply too much for the black students to physically overcome, but there was no doubt that the rallies had made an impact towards the future. While the riots continued, the government used the media, which it had full control over, to downplay the intensity of the havoc in the ghettos, so as to hide their own murderous sins. As we have learned throughout this class, not all whites in South Africa during Apartheid were racist, however, because whites were so attached from the blacks at the time, the white citizens who did not stand for Apartheid had no idea how bad the treatment of non-whites really was. These riots opened the eyes of many whites in South Africa as well as throughout the world, and although freedom would not be granted for more than a decade longer, the determination shown by the black students, beginning in 1976, would open the doors for the final push which eventually led to a free South Africa.

Naturally, my reflection on our visit to the Hector Pieterson Museum forced me to relate these incidents to everything I have seen in the past three weeks. I must admit that before I came to South Africa, I was blind in a sense because I had no real notion of how horrible the treatment of non-whites during Apartheid was. Having witnessed the effects of Apartheid, I feel as though it should be remembered as another Holocaust. I am dumbfounded as to why we are not educated more in America on the history of this country. My high school had an exchange program with another high school from Cape Town and I was good friends with one of the exchange students, yet I knew nothing of the intensity of Apartheid. Why did I not know of this? Why do we not look at the plight of the oppressed in South Africa and see how hard the community has worked to overcome their past? Why can we not show the same forgiveness that Modise spoke to us about? Why had I never heard of Steve Biko, a true hero and a Martin Luther King, Jr. type figure in his own right, before this trip? Why is a majority of the poor population dying because of HIV-AIDS, when everyone knows there is a problem? Why am I in one of the most beautiful places in the entire world, but I feel like people here are too depressed because of their oppression to even recognize the beauty we were so lucky to see during the past three weeks?

I do not have answers to these questions, but I do feel like my eyes have been opened to a problem that I never would have recognized if it were not for this trip. Maybe it is best that we leave with our eyes open, yet still wondering what can be done. I would love to come back to South Africa sometime in the future and witness the continued progress toward the empowerment of all of its citizens. It breaks your heart to see the hope on the faces of children, only to be outweighed by the face of hopelessness on the faces of their parents, knowing that it may be a long time before the happiness of youth is maintained for an entire lifetime for too many South Africans. The pieces are not yet in place for everyone here, but I hope they continue to come into formation. Education is being pushed, but the supplies, teachers and funding simply are not in sight. Children aspire to achieve great dreams, but the necessary steps are not yet in reach. Still, I will leave South Africa this evening knowing that there is still a chance and that this is a very young movement. The progress that has been made in the brief time since the end of Apartheid reassures me that the determination to overcome is still present. South Africa is truly a beautiful place, as are its people, and although it will surely be a struggle for many more years, I am confident that true freedom for all people will exist in the future.]]> http://idd.elon.edu/sasa/index.php?entry=entry080123-151406
However, we were unable to try some of the more traditional, distinctive South African dishes during our time spent here. Certain traditional South African dishes such as pap fvleis (porridge and meat) and pap and sour milk (porridge and sour milk), are very popular. Another popular, distinctive South African dish is tribe, which is cow intestines and is considered to be a delicacy. Accompanying many of the meat and seafood dishes is Samp (maize), which is corn cooked in water and salt for approximately three hours. Maize has also been the basis of South African cuisine for many years and each community, whether it is Zulu, Sotho, Tswana, or Xhosa, has a different preference for eating it. Another distinctive South African dish, which is favored by African men, is Skop, which is the head of a cow, goat, or sheep. The head is first scrubbed to remove the skin and unwanted parts like the ears and nose, which are cut off before the head is boiled and simmered. Although we never dined at a restaurant that offered that particular dish, we did see several sheep heads lined up along the street for sale while driving through the township of Langa. Chutney is also extremely popular and is a condiment that is offered in all of the restaurants, plus it was offered by the family at our home stay. Chutney is a sweet sauce that is made from fruit that is usually poured on top of some sort of meat. Lastly, biltong, which is dried and salted ostrich can be another distintive South African food, similar to beef jerky.

Another variety of popular African food stems from the Cape Malay population, South Africa's Muslim community. We had lunch at Biesmillah Restaurant in Malay Quarters, where the majority of the food was curry (curried fish, chicken, beef, and vegetables). The curried dishes were served with rice and salad.

From our eating experiences on this trip, I was a little surprised at how similar the majority of the food was that was served at the restaurants we ate at to our own "normal American" cuisine. One can find anything from a hamburger, to sushi, to crocodile. Also South Africans, like Americans, are very passionate about braai's (barbeque's). A typically American BBQ consists of chicken, steak, hotdogs, and hamburgers, while a typical South African braai consists of boerewors (hand-made farm sausage), among other meats such as chicken and beef. Although we were exposed to some different cuisines through out the time we spent traveling the country, plus through research and conversation with several locals, South Africa definitely has several distinctive dishes.
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When we first arrived at Eukhannyisweni, we were briefed on the daily challenges the school faces. Overcrowding is a major issue for the school, in which approximately 25 teachers are responsible for 1,090 students. Alexandra does not have a sufficient water supply, in which the school had to dismiss the students early for lack of running water. Certainly, public schools in the United States face similar issues when it comes to overcrowding. However, simple necessities such as running water are not thought twice about. American students do not have to fetch buckets of water up hills so that they can wash their hands after they go out to play in the schoolyard.

A highlight of our experience at the primary school was our opportunity to spend recess with the children. Our digital cameras were a hot commodity in the schoolyard. Swarms of children surrounded each of us that had a visible camera begging for their pictures to be taken. Meanwhile, a soccer ball was kicked around, in which hundreds of children followed the same ball! What we witnessed was that amidst the poverty and social stressors in each of the children's lives, these children were, afterall, just children. They embraced our presence with hugs and were excited that Americans came to visit their school.

A great accomplishment was made at Eukhannyisweni on our behalf that benefitted the children of Alexandra. We completed the process for our newfound Adopt-A-Student program, in which selected children received needed school materials in Elon University bags and shirts to attend school. We also met with the children so that their photograph could be taken for their sponsors and a biography could be written. Through this process, we learned how education impacts the dreams of young children, especially in a developing nation. For example, one Eukhannyisweni student wanted to be a social worker at the age of 12 so that she could help people. Many other students in the school had the same dream. This goes to show that these children want to make a difference in their community and by helping people, they can do so. Furthermore, they also have more tangible dreams than the typical famous soccer or football player that many young boys want to be. Education shows young black boys, in particular, that they can be more than an athlete. In conducting the interviews with the children, the realities of the nation's hardships were also visible. Many children shared that they had relatives ill or dying of AIDS. At the age of 11 or 12, they would go home after school and do the cooking and cleaning. In hearing this, I reflected on my own childhood and thought, "What did I do after school?" I came home, practiced my spelling words, and went out to play until I was called for dinner. This just puts it all into perspective.

Mark Mathabane stated in Kaffir Boy, "They, like myself, had grown up in an environment where the value of an education was never emphasized, where the first thing a child learned was not how to read and write and spell, but how to fight and steal and rebel; where the money to send children to school was grossly lacking, for survival was first priority." This shows that South Africa's view towards education has changed, as literacy is valued and made a priority. Mark Mathabane's main goal in life was to learn English and now English is taught in South African primary schools such as Eukhannyisweni. As told in Kaffir Boy, he did not want to grow up to be his father, an alcoholic and constantly jailed for not hanving his pass book in order. South African children see the struggles of their parents and the devastation that AIDS has caused many of their families, and they too want something better, something more.
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This afternoon we visited the Regina Mundi Church in Soweto, South Africa. As we pulled into the church, we were greeted by the faces of many school children running around on the lawn of the church, all dressed in matching school uniforms. As we entered the brick church, I was immediately surprised by the sheer size of the building. From the outside, the church didn’t look too large, but upon entering, the high ceilings and vast amount of space was breathtaking. The architecture was actually much different than the other two churches that we visited on this trip. The first two churches, although in much smaller townships, were much smaller and simpler in design. There was minimal artwork, which was mostly done by members of the church, and stained glass windows were nowhere to be seen. The Regina Mundi Church on the other hand, had things such as a marble alter, hand-painted artwork, and stained glass windows.

The Regina Mundi Church was built in 1961 and was opened in 1962. It is one of eighteen Catholic churches in Soweto as well as is the largest Catholic Church in the township. It comfortably seats 2,000 people and is almost completely filled every Sunday for Mass. But this church is much more than just a Catholic church in; it actually played a central role in the apartheid struggle. This church acted as a gathering place for students and liberals during the struggle. It was a place for meetings and was almost like the engine room for the Soweto riots of 1976.

This involvement in the struggle naturally made the church a “hot spot” for police during the apartheid regime, and the walls, windows, and ceilings still have bullet holes to prove this. Our tour guide said that most of the bullets holes had been repaired, but the church decided to leave some of the holes unplugged so they could remember the struggles the church went through. He also showed us two window pieces that had been salvaged to show that police shots were fired from both outside the church as well as from inside of it. The window pieces also proved that the bullets used by the police weren’t rubber bullets but that they were live ammunition. He said that if they were rubber, they would have bounced off the windows, but it was quite clear that they penetrated the windows.

Another piece of visible damage done to the church during the 1976 uprisings was to the marble altar. The altar was made of solid black and white marble but it had a huge chunk taken out of the corner. Our guide told us that the damage was from the base of a police officers’ rifle and he had smashed his gun on the altar, ordering everyone to disassemble and leave. The force he used behind this action was so great, that it caused the solid marble altar to break off.

The other thing that stood out in the church was a piece of artwork painted by Laurence Scully which depicted the Virgin Mary cradling the baby Jesus in her arms. But the picture was much more abstract then simply a picture of the Virgin Mary. It was titled “Madonna and Child of Soweto” and she was depicted as a black woman. In the top right-hand corner of the picture were two hands shaking, which were meant to symbolize solidarity. Then there is the baby Jesus who is holding a cross in one hand, and is showing a peace sign with the other. This is meant to symbolize the coming together of the people. At the bottom of the picture, there is a large abstract painting of a human eye. This eye is meant to be the eye of the Virgin Mary looking over Soweto. At the bottom of the eye is the skyline of Soweto and then in the eye you can see many other images. There are images of soccer fields, which are arranged geographically in relation to the township. The church is situated in the center of the eye because the church is centrally located. Then there are little zigzag lines in the eye which are meant to be the rooftops of the tin houses situated all throughout Soweto.

To conclude our tour, we were asked to sign the guest book. While looking through the guest book though, we saw many famous names throughout it such as Bill and Hillary Clinton, Jacob Zuma, Nelson Mandela, and Chris Rock. The presence of these names just goes to show how influential this church has been over the last 40 years. Many times, a church can be a central edifice in a community. But this church really acted as a key player in a huge power struggle during the terrible years of the apartheid regime. Religion plays such a huge role in the South African society and it was really interesting to see how it can not only play a spiritual role in a community, but it can play a tangible and political role as well. They used the church as not only a place of worship, but as a place to hold meetings to achieve some political advancement during the apartheid years.

Looking at American society, I see the church solely as a place where families go to worship. But in South Africa, the church is so much more than that. Religion is so much a part of their everyday lives that their spiritual lives overlap their political lives much more than I think it does in our society. I can’t imagine a church in the States ever being put in a situation where police officers would be forced to open fire within. But here, issues are so intertwined that it is not so much a rarity. But overall, I thought it was really interesting to see the place where so many powerful decisions were made. Part of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was held there, meetings about how to overthrow the apartheid regime occurred there, and amazing people who fought against the government during horrible times attend church there weekly. It really was a perfect end to an incredible trip to South Africa.
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Yesterday afternoon we visited the Eukhannyisweni primary school in the township of Alexandra and played with the children during their recess. I particularly found the number of children who attended what appeared to be a fairly small-sized school alarming. According to the principal at Eukhannyisweni, approximately 1,090 kids are enrolled in their schooling program with only 26 teachers to go around. This means that the classrooms in this primary school are significantly overcrowded, with up to 60 students per class in extreme cases. I imagine that this must make it difficult for the youngsters to focus while class is in session and also decreasing the amount of one-on-one student/teacher attention. I find this hard to relate to.. when I was in elementary school the average class size was around 25-30 students, which is less than half the size of a class at Eukhannyisweni. The problem of overcrowded classrooms in the South African education system appears to be a large one and one that has been around for a while. Education in South Africa is still not equal in all parts of the country and I find this to be significantly disappointing. Not all classrooms are mixed between the races and those that are compromised of all black children are absurdly overcrowded. Due to such circumstances, the educational system is failing students and these students become more susceptible to committing juvenile crimes. In connection, they are not learning and grasping onto the skills that they can use to help them be productive and keep them out of crime. Because of this, juvenile detention centers are being erected around schools with black children who are failing out and not succeeding.

However, there is increasing hope and effort to help better the educational system in South Africa. As the principle of Eukhannyisweni stated, there are several attending students who have a plethora of problems- ranging from emotional to behavioral, whom the teachers have to deal with on a daily basis. The teachers do their best to help these children cope with their problems so they can excel in a better learning environment. We, as a class, also meet with 69 previously selected students to interview and learn more about. Even with the overcrowded classrooms and lack of sufficient learning materials, I was amazed at some of the students' yearning to succeed in the future. For example, when I interviewed Sharon, an 11-year-old girl whose first language is Zulu, I asked her what she wanted to be when she grew up. She did not hesitate to respond and enthusiastically said "a lawyer." I later learned that Sharon's uncle is a lawyer who has proven to be successful and has since moved out of the Alexandra township. Sharon's determination to obtain a bright future was evident through her smile and eagerness to talk about her enjoyment of school with me. Young girls such as Sharon who exhibit such motivation to escape the poverty cycle gives me hope that such boundaries can be overcome by simply receiving an education.

The importance of education has been a common thread throughout this course, as it is evident in the books that were required reading. Mark Mathabane's book Kaffir Boy and Charlayne Hunter-Gault's book In My Place both describe the power of education- as well as the obstacles that the characters were forced to overcome in order to obtain an education. Both Mathabane and Hunter-Gault were able to overcome stereotypes and receive college degrees. I remember seeing a statement quoting "education is the key to life" written on a mural in the township of Langa in Cape Town and after participating in this course, I definitely believe that such a powerful statement can make an impact on a person's life for the better.
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