Today we got to Johannesburg, South Africa. This is our first time in the continent of Africa and we are excited to experience it in the new two weeks.
Getting here was tough for I was recovering from first a hamstring strain and then a neck strain. As always my body has something up its sleeve and lob while I got a head cold on our way from Chicago to London and now in the process of having sneezing fits and headaches. Wasn’t even sure how I’d be able to do a day tour of Johannesburg which we had planned months ago.
But I pulled through some now.
Going to see the Mandela house, apartheid museum were two of the highlights of the day. Although we could barely keep our eyes opened during the first half of the day we still managed to get a feel for the turbulent history of South Africa and it’s path towards a more equal and unified country.
It is indeed disturbing to say the least to see how the local communities were treated by the Dutch, the British and the French. They came for the gold and diamonds. But used the locals as slaves and never shared the profits of what they took from the locals and their inheritance. Almost 30 years after apartheid was abolished, I still feel the oppression of a bygone era lingering in Johannesburg.
Our guide was a while English man who has turned into a local. He speaks 7 languages out of which 4 are local African languages. He’s pretty much at home here. We had a good lesson in history as he drove us through the streets of the city. Also we got to ask many questions. It was interesting to learn how the society and laws have moved to give the local black communities more right and freedoms. It was very interesting to note that most blacks get their education free while the white are made to pay for their education. Anyone who earns below a particular wage also gets free healthcare while all others have to pay for it. Listening to my guide I felt that there is a feeling of reverse discrimination taking place. Priority for jobs are given to blacks. But partly because they are cheaper than hiring highly qualifies white.
There is much poverty despite these efforts and the governments that have been in power have not been in service of the people, unlike the visions set forth by their great Nelson Mandela.
It was interesting going through the museum. I felt Mandela’s presence in all aspects of its quest for freedom. He felt like a man who had a visions and went for it. He fought for what he believed and made it his mission to remove apartheid. But I am no longer sure if that vision was passed down to later generations. Or perhaps in the struggle for power, greed obscured what was a hard fought battle over decades with much sacrifice. One thing I found fascinating was that Mandela remained on the list of CIAs most wanted terrorists list until he died (or was it two years before he died anyways) I was shocked at that. I mean the man won the Noble peace prize?! Apparently Mandela was friends with Fidel Castro and Castro helped ANC movement. So that didn’t bode well with the Americans!! Such narrow minded hypocrisy. I mean the whites oppressed and suppressed the blacks and use them for slavery. Some were tortured and killed. But none of them were taken to task by the Americans but boy did they declare the guy who fought for his right to be free, his people’s right to be free, a terrorist. What a joke. And oh so typical.
Anyways it was interesting.
We also ate some local foods. Corn (pap) is a staple diet amongst Africans. It’s a substitute for rice which is an expensive items apparently.
Soweto (south western townships) was also interesting. It’s mostly developed for the miners as lodging. What’s most interesting is that right across from them is an area called the “Beverly hills of Joburg”. What a contrast going from single storey dwellings to mansions.
It was a day for much discussion for both of us. The history here is dark and brutal. Unemployment is at around 30%. Apparently when apartheid was in force the unemployment was around 7%. Mostly because the international community imposed sanctions on South Africa and as a result made the local manufacture their own stuff but once apartheid was removed the sanctions lifted and everything started to flood in from outside that the inside manufacturing was lost and along with it the jobs. Sometimes it’s such an irony how life gives but also takes. It’s difficult to say something is good without looking at the long term interplay of things and their outcomes.
Day 1 has been interesting but also exhausting. We got back around 3 and slept for a couple of hours only to get up to have dinner so we could take our malaria pills. Oh the delights of travelling to Africa....malaria, Hep A and typhoid....and now a full blown cold. As a I said life has a way of balancing things out.
Tomorrow we are off to Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls. Let’s hope all goes smooth. We catch a flight in the morning.
Getting here was tough for I was recovering from first a hamstring strain and then a neck strain. As always my body has something up its sleeve and lob while I got a head cold on our way from Chicago to London and now in the process of having sneezing fits and headaches. Wasn’t even sure how I’d be able to do a day tour of Johannesburg which we had planned months ago.
But I pulled through some now.
Going to see the Mandela house, apartheid museum were two of the highlights of the day. Although we could barely keep our eyes opened during the first half of the day we still managed to get a feel for the turbulent history of South Africa and it’s path towards a more equal and unified country.
It is indeed disturbing to say the least to see how the local communities were treated by the Dutch, the British and the French. They came for the gold and diamonds. But used the locals as slaves and never shared the profits of what they took from the locals and their inheritance. Almost 30 years after apartheid was abolished, I still feel the oppression of a bygone era lingering in Johannesburg.
Our guide was a while English man who has turned into a local. He speaks 7 languages out of which 4 are local African languages. He’s pretty much at home here. We had a good lesson in history as he drove us through the streets of the city. Also we got to ask many questions. It was interesting to learn how the society and laws have moved to give the local black communities more right and freedoms. It was very interesting to note that most blacks get their education free while the white are made to pay for their education. Anyone who earns below a particular wage also gets free healthcare while all others have to pay for it. Listening to my guide I felt that there is a feeling of reverse discrimination taking place. Priority for jobs are given to blacks. But partly because they are cheaper than hiring highly qualifies white.
There is much poverty despite these efforts and the governments that have been in power have not been in service of the people, unlike the visions set forth by their great Nelson Mandela.
It was interesting going through the museum. I felt Mandela’s presence in all aspects of its quest for freedom. He felt like a man who had a visions and went for it. He fought for what he believed and made it his mission to remove apartheid. But I am no longer sure if that vision was passed down to later generations. Or perhaps in the struggle for power, greed obscured what was a hard fought battle over decades with much sacrifice. One thing I found fascinating was that Mandela remained on the list of CIAs most wanted terrorists list until he died (or was it two years before he died anyways) I was shocked at that. I mean the man won the Noble peace prize?! Apparently Mandela was friends with Fidel Castro and Castro helped ANC movement. So that didn’t bode well with the Americans!! Such narrow minded hypocrisy. I mean the whites oppressed and suppressed the blacks and use them for slavery. Some were tortured and killed. But none of them were taken to task by the Americans but boy did they declare the guy who fought for his right to be free, his people’s right to be free, a terrorist. What a joke. And oh so typical.
Anyways it was interesting.
We also ate some local foods. Corn (pap) is a staple diet amongst Africans. It’s a substitute for rice which is an expensive items apparently.
Soweto (south western townships) was also interesting. It’s mostly developed for the miners as lodging. What’s most interesting is that right across from them is an area called the “Beverly hills of Joburg”. What a contrast going from single storey dwellings to mansions.
It was a day for much discussion for both of us. The history here is dark and brutal. Unemployment is at around 30%. Apparently when apartheid was in force the unemployment was around 7%. Mostly because the international community imposed sanctions on South Africa and as a result made the local manufacture their own stuff but once apartheid was removed the sanctions lifted and everything started to flood in from outside that the inside manufacturing was lost and along with it the jobs. Sometimes it’s such an irony how life gives but also takes. It’s difficult to say something is good without looking at the long term interplay of things and their outcomes.
Day 1 has been interesting but also exhausting. We got back around 3 and slept for a couple of hours only to get up to have dinner so we could take our malaria pills. Oh the delights of travelling to Africa....malaria, Hep A and typhoid....and now a full blown cold. As a I said life has a way of balancing things out.
Tomorrow we are off to Zimbabwe, Victoria Falls. Let’s hope all goes smooth. We catch a flight in the morning.
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