Another warm day...

Another wonderful day…

A lot can happen in one week. We started classes on Monday and it will probably be an interesting semester.

First, the big news in the taxi strike here in PE. The taxi drivers (or combis as they are called here) are angry about the potential reform of the transportation system here for the 2010 world cup. The government promised FIFA an upgrade to the transportation infrastructure and the drivers are not to happy about it. Basically the city doesn’t want any of the combis around the stadium, so the vehicles would bring the passengers to a designated area and they would take a bus to the stadium to keep the roads clean. The drivers decided to strike in protest and everyone has been affected. Thousands of workers from the townships can’t get to work, so it’s been a hassle for us to get to school every day. Drivers are getting harassed and evidently three people were killed (we’re safe though). They also tore up the train tracks and so even more people can’t get to work. Our housekeeper Daphnie had to stay in another flat close by so she could get to work. Many people think the strike is totally unnecessary and it will probably end up backfiring.

On a lighter note, we’ve been doing some awesome stuff. We went to a cricket match last Friday. It took me a while to understand, but it’s actually a pretty exciting game. The PE Warriors had a come from behind victory over the Joburg Lions. Suprisingly though, I got to meet a player from the Joburg Lions. He is friends with a friend of someone on our trip. He’s also kind of a big deal. It was basically the equivalent of going to a bar with Joe Mauer. He was a real nice and down to earth guy. That seems to be the prevailing theme of everyone I have met here so far.

Our classes are going to be interesting. I am taking a SA music course, literature, political science as well as my senior seminar. I am most excited for the political science class because the political scene here is getting crazy. They are having elections in about two months. The ANC (African National Congress) which has been in power since 1994 (also the party of Mandela) is losing its support from many people. The new party COPE (Congress of the People) has attracted a lot of support from people angry with the ANC. The probable new president Jacob Zuma is a huge sleazebag (has 5 wives, on trial for rape and corruption charges). It will be an interesting time to be here.

I’m still getting used to the fact that we have a maid clean up after us. It’s in my nature to be a helpful person (the Scout Law), but I was sort of torn this morning when our housekeeper Daphnie needed someone to help carry our sheets up to the washer. Usually I would be more than happy to offer my services, but is that really my role here? This housekeeping job gives her work, which in turn gives money and a sense of dignity. In the end she got someone else to come help and I’m still pondering over it.

We also start volunteering on Monday. I decided to go to the House of Resurrection AIDS haven to work with the little kids. I figure Andrew and Melanie have given me great practice with my peek-a-boo skills and I could really put them to good use there. There are also adult patients at the haven and I had an idea come to me. I am going to try and do some oral histories of the patients. AIDS is still a stigmatized disease here, so I thought it would be interesting and possibly even therapeutic to have someone just listen to their story for a while. I asked Gary and Vilma about it and they both thought it was a good idea. I’ll keep everyone posted.
Otherwise, this weekend will be fun. Most of the crew is going to Jeffery’s bay, but I am going to stick around and hang out with the few people who aren’t going. We’re going to go to Seaview where you can pet Lion cubs. Again, my apologies for not posting pictures yet, but we have to pay for internet access at our flat and the school net is really slow.
Stay Warm.