a first glimpse: zonke

The next few entries will be a bit back logged since I have now been in South Africa for over 2 weeks. Many of the next entries will deal with issues and topic areas that I have encountered as opposed to the day to day happenings

We woke up at 9am the next day to find our car nicely cooled down. I slept like a rock that night off the plane. We missed the breakfast at City Lodge and headed to Zonkiziwe. Rachel’s left-side driving is getting better. We were able to see more of Joburg in the light. It is like many African capital cities that I have visited – except wild driving is to a minimum (only on the shoulders), traffic lights work and road signs are followed, and there is the ever-present distinct smell of burning oil and gas. There were even police watching for speeders.

The informal settlements outside of Johannesburg are numerous and scenes from the Tsotsi movie were replicated in reality in an expansive wonder before my eyes. The South Africa seen by the majority of the population was nothing incredibly beautiful to behold – or was it? This would be my home for the next 3 months.

We finally found the correct, rock strewn street and arrived at the center. We met the director, Celumusa (Nomusa to those who cannot pronounce the click) and Phindile, China, and a whole group of excited youngsters. My introduction to the children was a lifting workout that included spinning one after another. China, not his real name, was very knowledgable and loved history. He likes to assert his dominance in repeating little remembered names and dates. We also later went shopping at a shopping center, very developed, but happened to almost take the wrong lane into head-on traffic.

It seems pictures will not work here either, wait a little bit longer.

Pictures Update: 29 December 2008
Sorry this is update is so late in coming, enjoy the newly posted pictures.