Study abroad is like breathing in life. Does that make sense? Every minute is an adventure, and every day a lesson. SO many wonderful people. I've had dance lessons with the girls from my floor, had braai (barbeque) with Afrikaaner friends, tea with a cab driver, chatted with an HIV nurse in class, laughed at myself trying to learn the clicks used in Zulu and Xhosa (and had a good number of school friends rolling laughing too) and danced the night away. What a wonderful time its been, and so many wonderful people to make it all such a blast! We celebrated a birthday this week at Roma revolving (the restaurant actually turns around, 360 degrees an hour). Also went to buy a visa for Mozambique where I'll be headed on spring break (the varsity schedule here is opposite ours, they begin in Feb and end in November), which means spring break is coming up. I'm so excited!!

Just wanted to answer the question someone asked about safety and crime here in SA. Yes, I've had plenty of time to reflect on it, plenty of time to be scared and plenty of time to sort things out in my head. When I first got here I was tense all the time, without even realizing it. The more time I spend here the more I know I have a false sense of security, but I am taking precautions to stay out of harm's way. South Africa has the world's highest crime rate, and of that Durban and Johannesburg are the worst (mostly because of population density in the large cities). Crime here is a result of mass poverty and desperation, and being a foreigner puts me at risk. But I have two things going for me. First I've learned to dress like a South African (says a friend who wouldn't believe that I'm American and thought I was faking an accent), and I have friends here who help me avoid the bad areas. There's a place called Pointe road in Durban...let me just say its a land of no return and I'll be avoiding it at all costs. Its a strange thing to have people living behind large electric fences with barbed wire at the top, security guards and vicious dogs. I spent a weekend at a friend's house, where the gate out front has a picture of a dog with the words, "I can make it to the gate in 5 seconds, can you?" my friend is afraid of her own dogs. Her dad got held up at gun point and won't let her drive after dark anymore. The shops (even the grocery store) close here at 4 pm for the same reason. Its just not safe after dark. There is a particular cab driver that we take everywhere because he is reliable and helpful to students. Sure enough, he locks the doors when we're in bad neighborhoods, rolls up the windows in certain places even on the hottest of days. He showed me the shanty town he has to drive past to get home; where he can't drive between midnight and 5 am or hijacking is a certainty. Anyway there are times here when I'm much more fearful than a local would be, simply because blonde hair and white skin makes me stick out like a ghost in the night. But that's only in certain neighborhoods; sticking out is kind of fun at times, like in res where I'm the only white person in a building of about 100 students. Because I am careful and aware, being a foreigner only puts me at risk since I do things a typical white South African would not (like take a mini bus taxi or go to a Kenyan bar, or live in res). But I really enjoy those things and they make my experience here that much richer. In terms of my camera though, it makes me really nervous at times to have it. When most people from here find out I have it, the usuaal comment is, "I hope it makes it back with you." Thank goodness for a certain Canadian friend who has made sure a couple of times that it stays with me. Enternal gratitude to my makeshift camera crew here especially Matty, Amy, Christina, Clarie and Ali. You guys rock!! Safety in South Africa is always a concern, no matter who you are. It is a different world, that is certain. And though I can understand why many people are fearful to visit, the benefits far exceed the danger. Its a risk you have to take. I have a South African friend who is Israeli, he says 2 years he lived in Israel were the safest he has ever felt. But simultaneously, he says the danger here makes you more aware and helps you enjoy your life more because you can't take it for granted. I agree.

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Posted by: Terry | September 29, 2006 04:54 AM