Two Worlds in One: Reflections on South Africa

Before coming to South Africa, the only prior knowledge I had of this country, even the continent, are images from textbooks, stories from newspapers, and stereotypes of the continent that were created by a population of people in which most of us have never visited the land itself.  Poverty is the first thing that comes to mind when imagining the continent. I even wondered if I would be able to drink the tap water when I arrived (if tap water was a reality) or if I would be able to access simple medications during my time here (Yes, they do have Advil! Crazy stuff). I was fortunate enough to visit this country with the lead of not only someone who grew up in South Africa, but someone who was a leader in creating the South Africa that is in existence today.  I’m grateful to have been a part of a program designed to see South Africa with a critical lens as we learned about the education and social reforms of the country, which need much more than a month to ever fully learn everything in that context, but I’m confident this will not be my last time on South African soil.

Image that I thought personified me entering South Africa naive (poorly). Also, this is my hotel room.

Me and a few colleagues in Robben Island Prison
(Photo Cred: Elizabeth Patterson)

In looking back on the experiences of the trip and the program, I think about how different the country would seem from the lens of a tourist, compared to the lens of a student seeing the country with the knowledge and experiences that my Professor has empowered us with.  By being exposed to the many experiences that the program includes, such as visits to Cape Town, the apartheid museum, poor townships, Nelson Mandela’s hospital, a homestay with a family in Soweto, discussions and lectures with government officials, visits to several Universities, elementary schools, high schools, discussions with NGO’s battling AIDS/HIV and helping build better schools, and hearing the stories and viewpoints of local South Africans, including the plethora of knowledge from my Professor, helped me to shape a new image of South Africa; one that is not just poverty but one that is much more complex than my previous stereotyped image led me on to believe.

Student leadership panel discussion at University of South Africa

 I made the mistake of stereotyping an entire country, even worse, an entire continent.  Instead, I discovered a country of two worlds co-existing in one.  I see this on a daily basis as I live in comfort of my hotel room then leave the doors to a daily occurrence of men approaching me asking for change.  These are men who do not have jobs, but are there every day, directing cars into parking spots and then asking for change from the drivers- a common thing to see in South Africa.  (Side note: The South Africans are able to see the humanity in these people and they are treated with respect and dignity, for the most part.  Some colleagues of mine have even befriended some of them. Ubuntu. This will make me think to not “see” next homeless person I see on the subway next---but man will I be overwhelmed after the 10th one in 1 day, but I’ll try my best.) I saw the South Africa of two worlds in the different schools I visited.  The starkest contrast is that the schools with the least amount of money and the schools that had the least, gave the most.  It was at these schools that we were welcomed with a warm greeting of song and open arms, coffee and tea, and even the poorest school we visited with a minimal library and not enough supplies and books for the school, fed us lunch prepared for us by the community. 

 

Students singing and giving us an incredibly warm welcome at an elementary school

Visiting a Kindergarten Class. Great teacher who made the most of the little resources she had.

Book donation ceremony. A past student from this program found a way to get all of these books from NYC Public schools delivered to various schools in South Africa.  Inspiring, for sure.

Then there were schools that were established during apartheid that were given the best of the land, infrastructure, and funding.  These felt like college campuses and at times, felt like Hogwarth’s.  It was here that we stood outside of the office awaiting the Principal, who did not have the most genuine welcome and were given the least in terms of spirit and things that money can buy- such as coffee and food.  

Painting at one of the schools that was predominantly an Afrikaner school during apartheid

Principal speaking at the once-Afrikaner school.  Imagine Elizabeth Banks from Hunger Games.

 

These little differences demonstrate a question discussed in an indaba of “How and why is Ubuntu lost?” It seems to me that when people share a common struggle, they give the most, which is the foundation of Ubuntu.  It is disheartening to think that once a person has what they need or want, that sense of Ubuntu deteriorates and they no longer feel a need or desire to give back to those in need.  Why is that sense of humanity lost? Shouldn’t it be the other way? Is this a natural human condition or has this been developed over time?  To further emphasize this idea, studies show that people who give to those in need in subways are those who are “struggling” themselves- whether financially or emotionally.  This seems to be a norm, but that is the most disheartening part.  Imagine a world where that sense of Ubuntu and giving back was not lost.  Perhaps this perspective would help bridge the gaps of unequal opportunities, of the rich and poor, of the have and have nots.  When and why is that sense of humanity lost and furthermore, how does one carry that sense of Ubuntu wherever they go to help fix this?  

Children playing outside one of the first townships we visited

These contrasts were seen in Kaffir Boy when Mark went to visit his grandma’s white family whom she worked with for the first time.  These two worlds are not a new thing, as portrayed in the book, but what seems to be changing is the perceptions of each group and how the two groups treat one another.  For example, in Kaffir Boy it was always mentioned that a white person could never be good hearted toward a black person or family.  This changed with the introduction of the grandma’s work family and Mark, but this was the exception.  I do believe this is the way to change the world---be that change.  The very act of the white family treating Mark and his family well, even though they were Black changed the perception of Mark and his family, the white family, and possibly neighbors and other friends and family. 

While I am glad I was able to grasp a more true, in depth, understanding of the diverse, complex, country of South Africa, I cannot help but find parallels with that of the United States.  These two worlds exist every day in every part of the United States.  There is just less world attention on it because our period of legal segregation passed during the 1960’s.  While the same disparities exist today, it is not because of an official system explicitly created to oppress (like apartheid), it is a result of the design of the system (whether it be attributed to the cycle of poverty or the inequities of education to name a few). 

While I came to South Africa with the narrow minded, stereotypical, image of a country in poverty (some images which did match up, but of course not a blanket image for everyone in South Africa), it is interesting to see the people of South Africa do the same to the United States.  Whenever I ask South Africans how they view America, it is one described as a land of “no struggle”, everything is “bigger and better”, “everyone has everything they need”, “safe and rich”, which is exactly what I did to the people of South Africa.  While there is some truth to these statements, in terms of economics, since the Rand (South African currency) is 1/10 the power of the dollar, it is natural to see that America is a land of power and wealth.  While Americans come to South Africa and experience a great increase in power of the dollar, the opposite exchange makes it nearly impossible for someone from South Africa to come and live a comfortable life in America.  Imagine someone in South Africa leaving with what’s 1 million Rand here and it automatically converts to $100,000 instead of 1 million.  Or in simpler terms, their equivalent to $100 dollars (1000 Rand), becomes $10.  Also, in terms of safety, there is much more to worry about in South Africa.  This can be seen in the fences, borders, and walls that every single house or development has in the country.  Also, when my friends and I got to our hostel in Durban, we were about to go to the beach around 4:00 and they looked at us like we were crazy because the beaches are unsafe at night.  There is a bridge to the beach and people are known to be robbed and/or raped.  This again, shows the contrast of two worlds living in one.  I wonder the psychological implications of these two worlds living in one—in which one has to hide within the safe walls of their home once the sun goes down to ensure safety.  Even more so, I have heard from so many people who find out I am from America or see my “Bank of America” debit card, “Can you take me back with you?”, including young children at the elementary school we visited.  

Talking to some boys at one of the high schools

 

Kids playing outside the elementary school.

The bigger picture I saw in this is the danger of stereotyping a group of people, as I did to South Africa.  Yes, it’s natural to categorize and group things—it’s just science and psychology of the brain; people do this in order to better understand and comprehend the world around them, but how could one think that an entire country of people has NO struggle? In order to evolve I think it’s important to consciously be aware of this, because in doing so, myself and the people I encounter who see blanket images of Americans, we lose that sense of seeing the humanity in one another. Never again.