South Africa: Getting Organized and an honest-to-goodness Witch Hunt!

From an email message I sent on August 8, 2003:

I have accomplished my goal..of demonstrating what a school library can look like and how students would use it. They are so amazed that the students are using it; students promise me they will demand to have such a place. I have not completed the teacher committees goal of cataloging 1,700 wormy dirty 20-60 year old books, discarded by Britain, USA and the regional library. All of the donated/discarded books were delivered in 1985 when the building was built and have been waiting for me to arrive! Keep in mind that nobody discard books that are very useful! It is even harder to convince these folks that we should burn about 100 of the books. I have such moved them to one section. I wonder what next summer’s volunteers will find! I think I will write a report to be forwarded to them.

Margaret, a teacher nearby, stopped in for dinner again. She reported on her “satanic” hearing! It appears several of her learners (there are no students in South Africa…only learners) and their parents reported to her principal that she rides a broom at night and drinks the blood from the patients at the local hospital! Her principal reported it to the superintendent. There was a meeting yesterday and the superintendent, a policeman and a social worker said this was impossible. The staff is divided; has not come to consensus to withdraw the allegation upon the committee recommendation. Margaret has the support of her union, and may sue for slander. She says she can’t transfer now. “People will say, Here comes the witch!“

Still haven’t seen hippos..going to Hluhluewe Game Park tomorrow..I can’t pronounce it but I have learned to spell it!

It will be a good time. We are leaving from the neighboring town at 8:30 American time??..we’ll see about that. Two hour delays in start times are not uncommon….

One of our members is going home tomorrow…I just heard from a SA teacher who arrived here to use the computer..Her husband who was here in SA traveling with her for 3 weeks before the program is missing?? Will hear all tomorrow.

I am really quite pleased with myself..again I am confirming that I would not be a good Peace Corps person, but this is the perfect kind of immersion for me. Wish you could hear the gorgeous acapella rehearsal upstairs in the community center.. wedding tomorrow..

My love to all who read this, special xxx and thanks, A, for passing this on…

South Africa: Computers and Cockroaches

From an email message I sent on August 8, 2003:

I am enjoying my favorite passions, helping people see some possibilities and making connections, as well as encouraging young people. At the lab today the staff greeted me by name as I arrived. I asked how they knew. they said the students from the high school were flocking in to sign up for classes, because Barbara told them to come!

My idea is that they have to be familiar with a keyboard before graduation and we can’t just whine and wait for Zenzeleni high school to get computers. None of the teachers have come over here. I hope they will after I leave. They will design classes for the staff after hours. These folks should be bored to death in the evenings. It has got to be the most rested community in the world Every one gets at least 9 hours of sleep a night, unless they stay up to watch TV.

We have some students who say they can’t study because their parents don’t want them to waste candles studying. I average 45 students in the library each hour and a group of about 10 stays until 4:00. School is out at 2:15. the kids are always hungry and thirsty. I bring “biscuits” everyday to feed the library gang. It is really like loaves and fishes..I always seem to have enough. the kids are a good source for the questionable snacks that Auntie packs for me. The teachers made me very good spinach, potatoes and mushrooms covered with a slice of individually wrapped American cheese for tea (lunch) today. People are happy to eat leftovers from your plate, using the same silver and glassware.

The health inspector is coming soon. The students dug ditches yesterday to extend the only source of school water from a spigot at the front entrance up behind the school. the purpose is so they don’t have so long to carry water to clean the latrines. I guess that’s why students were fumigating the principals office with something with a smell reminiscent of my childhood..think it was DDT..killing the roaches before the inspector arrives. When we opened the computer box last week to set up the new one, 2 inch roaches lasted out. The key board and cords were covered with their droppings. We allowed the principal to clean it up.

South Africa: Village meets Internet Cafe

From an email message I sent on August 8, 2003:

It is Friday afternoon, 7:30 am your time. I have just walked the 3K home from school along a beautiful blue African sky. I was joined by various groups of students from the five schools in the area. I am beginning to recognize faces and even remember a few Zulu names. Everyone remembers mine and I am ever so surprised when strangers call out to me! Duh! I am the only pale face GoGo (grandmother) for miles.

The handsomest young man ever came up to me along the road and shyly said, “I need your advice.” He wants to go to medical school; I just happened to get a book on all the universities, technical schools, etc at the little town library yesterday so Monday morning he will come in to see me. I am working on a collaboration with the town librarians who are wonderful men, both black and well educated. They want to work in collaboration with the teachers, but the teachers who live in the cottages across the street are not readers, though they have become aware of the necessity of modeling it through my pep talks at staff/committee meeting.

They are teaching the kids chess, starting a drama club and have set up the “internet cafe”: A refrigerator with cold drinks and chocolate bars, a hot plate for tea and instant coffee, 9 computers, with internet access on one. This is the only public access for about a hundred miles…and I live across the street. My colleagues take a taxi 15k to get here; they stop to use my flush toilet and wash their hands in our sometimes hot water, have a real cup of coffee ( a brilliant idea, from the WPL listserv, to bring ground Dunn Bros. and a filter ) and join me under the trees in my front yard, where I still haven’t tired of watching the world go by.

South Africa: day trips and hot water

From an email I wrote on August 5, 2003:

I am  doing very well, but the length of time is plenty for me to size up the community and culture. I organized two events this weekend, including one to the Indian Ocean in a Wild life Center called St. Lucia’s about 2 hours away. We rented a taxi for $14 a day and the driver stayed with the 10 of us all day. We drove through grassland to the beach and saw beautiful zebras !!!, warthogs, elegant Kudus, various kind of bok [?? -ed.], and warthogs. the beach was endless and beautiful, very few folks around, because it is winter there. We ate dinner at a pizza place and introduced our 3 Zulu men to pizza.

Saturday we went to meet the Enkosi, or head man for the village where most of  the folks are teaching. It is a big deal, with all of his tribal counselors sitting around him and about 20 folks waiting to speak to him. the tribes own the land, and anyone who wished to settle, build a house or do much of anything, has to see the Enkosi who then discusses it with the Induna, the chief. the chief interfaces with the mayor, who is my host. I have determined that the mayor is now convalescing in Richard’s Bay, about 5 hours from here, at the house of another son. Things are not always revealed immediately.

I am going to Kruger Park Aug  20-22 with 6 from this group to see the “Big Five” game animals..I’m still not sure what they are; I hope it includes hippos. They have alluded me so far.

When I left here on Thursday, I discovered our house got hot water. I can’t tell if the heater was not working or if  they just had it installed. simplifies some things, like being assigned a bath time whether one wants a bath or not. Time to go..Love!!!

South Africa: One pair of shoes

From an email I wrote on August 5, 2003:

It’s five in the afternoon on Monday, August 5 [2003]. I walked home from school today, taking my time to look at what was happening in fields and gardens along the way. Lots of chickens and goats, people walking home from their jobs at the hospital and clinic near my house; students from my school returning from a trip to the center of the village. It is about a mile between my house and the school. There are three elementary schools along the way. There are also many children. They are required to wear shoes to school but never wear them otherwise, since they need to save them for school.

Many students don’t go to school because the don’t have the money to afford their “free” education..about $20 a term and uniforms. There are many 20+ year olds in our grade 12 because of inconsistent attendance due to money. You have never seen such frayed collars. Woman buy bales of used clothing from the USA for about $160 and can sell the stuff for 3 times that. A boy standing in front of me during the morning assembly was feeling pretty spiffy; he was wearing the snap out lining  of someone’s all-purpose coat from colder climes,  with the furry side out.

South Africa: On Books, School, and Polygamy

From an email sent to friends on July 31, 2003:

Library is mainly storage for floor to ceiling stacks of old mealy worm-eaten text books; We have rounded up some tables and some periods we have chairs. I bought some mats for the floor so students can sit if they like. I have some serious students who are so grateful for the new materials we bought in Pretoria, and they come during their free periods and after school. School has electricity in one wing, a copy machine that teachers can’t use (used for tests and administration) and an overhead on order. They have one computer that the secretary can use for word processing, but she does all of the bookkeeping by hand..hasn’t learned the other programs. There are training resources very near by that the school has not tapped. There is a new computer in the box, that they are waiting for me to assemble. One of the techy types in our group will come and help me if I can’t install the software. I am working to develop a plan for a career day..Futures Day” might be better for the school to implement after I leave. They seem to want to be engineers or work in security and have no idea how to go about all this. I think we can have students from here who have gone away to various kinds of school come in and give talks of encouragement.

School is canceled for everything…funerals, too many teachers absent..the concept of substitutes hasn’t crossed any one’s mind. the elementary school across the street has had a full day of school 2 out of 6 days. Tomorrow is a short day so the teachers have more time to drive to their homes. There are many dark and dreary motel like rooms where the teachers sty during the week. Every one goes home the last week of the month with pay day money for their extended family. Everyone seems to be waiting for something…a ride, a khombi (taxi), a job, a paycheck, someone to come home or the government to develop a program to take care of things..like trash, which is a huge problem.

Also did not know that polygamy is regularly still practiced. The Chief/king may have up to 10 wives, most others have 3. Makes for complicated family structures. I am weary of telling about you all and our school…everyone comes in to see my photos. They love the new picture of my sister’s family, too. All those blonds. They can’t believe my grandson doesn’t live with me..Everybody else seems to live with their grandmother; their mothers are off working somewhere or living with another set of kids. Life is hard, chaotic. Unemployment is 38%..maybe more in Zulu areas like this. Rape is huge as is HIV; lots of angry unemployed men.

I am having a lot of fun at my house; they call me Super Gogo (grandmother) because I don’t use sugar in my tea..unheard of. They drink the same sweet orangey drink that they serve at the Somali restaurants at home. I try to substitute water. Can drink the water here..the hospital pumps it up from Lake Sabaya, the largest Lake in SA and filters it. Tomorrow Jeffrey, my cultural broker in the house ( he speaks English!?) is leading a group of us to see the hippos and crocodiles to the lake. They , the village fathers don’t want us going their alone.

The role of tribal elders in a democracy, interfaced with a mayor and councilor system has not been revealed yet; we are invited to me the king of head man on Saturday. The men still walk on their knees to greet him. Jeffery was astounded that we don’t have a chief.

My librarian group calls me the Zulu princess because I have a flush toilet and a bedroom set with a matching dresser and lots of pillows. It was the former bedroom of the recently married couple who have just moved to a cottage on the property they are building. Her lobola (dowery) was 11 cows; I learned that is standard if you are not a virgin.

Italy this ain’t, it’s more Guatemala than Java, but an amazing experience. I feel privileged to be here to learn from these courageous, beautiful people. (840 kids in my school..all standing in uniform and standing in rows, singing outside in four part harmony for 10 minutes each morning. Late ones get hit on the hand or bottom with a stick by one of five teachers. (That’s another topic; I was stunned.)

Love to you.

South Africa: Introducing Astronauts and Settling In

From an email sent to friends on July 31, 2003:

I am living in a household of 10. The head of the house is the mayor and known by everyone for miles around. I have never met him because he is in the hospital in Richard’s Bay, which must be about 3 hours away, but might as well be on the other side of the moon.

Transportation is much more difficult than we anticipated. The travel every weekend we were determined to do seems to be but a dream; we can only hope to rondezvouz with some of our gang of 17 at a place called Captain Lee’s in Sodhana Bay, very near a beautiful beach on the Indian Ocean. The ocean is beautiful…a student asked me yesterday what does it look like on the other side of the ocean? i explained some places are sandy, but she wanted to know what was on the other side of the horizon. I explained that all we could see was the horizon, too. I said only the astronauts could see it all. Questions on faces…so I got my chance to introduce this small group to the wonders of Britannica. “Oh, deep sea divers”, “no, astronauts”…

Anyway,  took me a while to figure out he was there with “diabetes”. I thought he was there on “business”. I have talked to him on the phone 3 times and he is most apologetic  about his absence. Now it turns out, I think, that he has contracted TB. I have just returned from the hospital complex in this village where I went to get materials on TB for a science/health teacher who want her students to do research! hooray! on TB. I did get some materials , but am somewhat deflated because I thought I could garner a speaker to come to school. They,  two black men, said they were too busy to come. I talked to them a little more and they warmed up..talked about my friend Jane and her work with HIVAids and TB (Jane knows how much I know;-) and then I asked if there was any chance of my contracting TB when he comes home. They said 2 out of 10 people have it. I should get an X ray when I get home. As I left, they said maybe they would send someone to the school . Date and time don’t really matter, so I didn’t try to  pin them down. Maybe they will show up some day. Maybe the teacher will teach the unit.

I am living alone because my  partner didn’t ever get a flight from Paris to Jo’burg. I really don’t mind it because my past experience has me feeling quite comfortable. There are two others in the village nearby. I hadn’t counted on not being able to go out after dark, travel around the village without an escort,  and the constant prayer..beginning of school, teachers tea break, before and after staff meetings. Our family gathers for prayer in the living room at  8:30 after Zulu new and the favorite soap. Then they “put me to bed” and settle down to watch wresting. Questions about American professional wresting are the parallel to questions Chinese students asked about Michael Jordan.

I guess I need to get ready to leave here..I can sit on an old foundation in my front yard and watch the world go by. I was not ready for the realization that the connection between Black American culture and African culture is much stronger than I had ever imagined..I understand the Cameroonian culture so much better. So many of the mysteries Sidney tried to explain to me have been revealed.

Food is not bad, (serve me huge portions)I have a flush toilet, pour water  over myself in a bathtub, the music is unbelievable beautiful..this is life in four part harmony…the harmony eases the struggle of daily living. My library colleagues are very good, the staff at my school is supportive and come to me one by one, whispering requests to help plan lessons or books they would like me to put on out list for the book fair on August 18.. The kids flock in to learn to play scrabble, chess, read maps..they have never seen the is area on a map..neither have the teachers. I have been reading picture books to 10th graders. I have also been helping with college applications. The app fee 140 rand about $20 is very difficult for them to raise.

Giving “The World” a reality check

A letter I wrote to Lisa Mullen’s insensitive comment on a story at aired July 18, 2006:

I do enjoy [PRI's "The World"] and was listening during my workout at the YWCA tonight. I was disheartened to hear your comment, suggesting that if Mandela remembered the speaker by his glasses from long ago, it was time to do something about those presumably outdated glasses.

Your comment sounded out of touch with this man’s reality and the work he has done and most likely continues to do. If his glasses are still serviceable, why shouldn’t he be wearing them today?

Ms. Mullen, I don’t know if you have been as lucky as I have to spend time in South Africa. In 2003 I was part of a program called the World Library Partnership program; I helped to develop and organize a library in a Zulu highschool, in Kwa Zulu Natal. I was amazed to see how many of the adults in the community, including teachers didn’t have glasses and couldn’t see to read. They were amazed with my $14 reading glasses and borrowed them so that they could read the newspapers and books that I brought.

They loved the thin as a credit card plastic magnifier I brought to make map-reading easier. I vowed to send some of these magnifiers to a group of women I came to know-they only cost a dollar or two in the States.. However, it is practically impossible to get mail through without it being stolen, and my packages have never reached them.

Going back to the man you were interviewing-I imagine he is still very much involved in issues of justice. If so, he is fighting for decent housing, clean water and bring safe water close to homes, as well as electricity. Living conditions for black South Africans are horrendous in the townships, and the townships continue to grow. I observed tremendous poverty in the village where I lived (for only 5 weeks) Stylish up-to date optical wear is not on his to-do list. Particularly in a community where having glasses to wear is a luxury.

A reply three days later:

Thank you for your e-mail. And thank you for your comments about our interview with South African poet Morakabe Seakhoa.

We appreciate your taking the time to share your thoughts with us and we may include an excerpt from your e-mail in the Listener Mailbag Segment of our broadcast.

Thanks for listening to the show.

Sincerely,

Ann F. Lopez
Associate Producer