Group Blog Prompt 1: Whatever you thought about South Africa, think again

Whatever you thought about South Africa, think again.

Elizabeth Vineyard, Tiasha Ullah, Hashem Shokravi

            Elizabeth: I felt that I had a pretty good idea of what South Africa would be like, after copious research in addition to our semester spent learning about South Africa’s culture and history. However, upon arriving and truly experiencing life on the ground in South Africa, I found that I had many misconceptions. One of the things that really stood out to me was the touching hospitality and true friendliness of South Africans, from the incredible leaders of this program, to even strangers on the street—everyone I’ve come into contact with has been extremely genuine and welcoming to foreigners, and the stunning diversity of the population contributes to their accepting tolerance of others.   

Tiasha: South Africa, even only after being here for only three days, is a lot more complex than I thought it would be. Living in the states, everything seems so simple and everyone seems so “American” and homogenous...or maybe Americans just don’t like talking about their roots as much as people do here, where every person has a different story to tell. You can tell that the people here have a lot of pride in their roots and where they come from, which is awesome. I remember Errol talking about how he was “pure colored,” which made no sense to me. But then he explained that he is a mix of just about everything and can’t pinpoint what his exact heritage is. And then there are people that have sought refuge in Cape Town, and their stories are so interesting as well. Talking to the people here is an interesting event all in itself.

Hashem: South Africa is a land of contrasts. Rich, poor. White, Black. I always knew it was filled with diversity but seeing hundreds of tin shacks and beautiful seaside restaurants existing in the same city of Cape Town has still been jarring for me. I thought that most people here were of African descent, and they are, but there are still so many more ethnicities that I did not expect. Asians, Middle Easterners, Zimbabweans. South Africa seems so similar to the U.S. in so many ways. Riding in the taxis you hear American music. Walking in the mall you see American brands and even unfamiliar stores look modern and Western. There seem to be many South Africas: American South Africa, Muslim South Africa, Poor South Africa, Zulu South Africa. I hope to continue exploring these South Africas in the next month.

Blog Prompt Week 11: Bethel

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2010/12/20101210175411335878.html

I found this article to be extremely enlightening on the topic of domestic violence in South Africa. I feel that I need to work toward a better understanding of the issue of domestic violence, as one of the most important, yet potentially challenging and rewarding aspects of the Bethel Project will be the empowerment of battered women who have fallen victim to violence in their homes.

The article highlights many frightening statistics, for example, in study “…conducted in 1,000 homes across Gauteng, South Africa's most prosperous and populated province, 78.3 per cent of men admitted to perpetrating some form of violence - whether emotional, physical or sexual - against women”.

However, the piece also points to some of the believed reasons behind the rash of domestic abuse among South African communities, such as the history of apartheid, as well as poverty, gender inequality, and a consistently patriarchal society.

Researching more on violence against South African women will prepare me to work with and empower the women of the Bethel project who are facing similar circumstances.

Blog Prompt Week 10: Article Related to Bethel

Jewelry Created By Trafficking Survivors Is Beautifully Empowering

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/10/jewelry-trafficking-survivors-_n_4229244.html

I really enjoyed this this article in the style section of the Huffington Post, as it showcases a beautifully empowering brand praised for being as stylish as it is supporting a great cause. The company focuses on providing jobs and purpose for women who have been victims of sex trafficking. Although our project, Bethel, is working with women of slightly different circumstances, I believe they have very similar goals in giving women in difficult conditions an opportunity to learn a skill and make money for themselves. The Kwagala Project featured in this article gives women a real, marketable skill and a source of income, which is the same basic idea of Bethel.

Week 9 Blog Prompt: Applying the Top Ten List

I found this compilation of our top ten research sources to be immensely helpful in my personal preparation for traveling as well as composing myself while in Cape Town in just a few short months. I appreciated the diverse subject matter of the pieces, and expanded upon my knowledge on subjects we have not discussed as deeply in class, such as gender roles and the inequalities of gender and sexual orientation, in addition to the obvious inequalities of race. I gained important insight on the current state of affairs within South Africa, and the various issues that have arisen in the transition to a post-apartheid state, many of which are similar to key issues faced by United States as well. I have a better sense of the culture of modern South Africa—what is and is not accepted, and feel inclined to research further on the interesting tie of old and new cultural practices within South African society today.

Blog Prompt Week 8: Top 10 Resources

MY TOP 10:

1. Rachel Maddow talks about the history of apartheid in South Africa (Josh)

2. Apartheid Timeline (Josh)

3.  South Africa's Post Apartheid Generation (Amanda)

4. “Here’s How South African Students Talk About Race and Gender” (Maria)

5. “South Africa’s Ticking Time Bomb” (Nestor)

6. “Poverty and Inequality After Apartheid” (Sarah)

7. “What is It Like to be Homosexual in South Africa” (Ignacio)

8. “Jacob Zuma, South Africa's unsavory next president” (Hashem)

9. “Orania: South Africa's whites only town” (Elisa)

10.”Power and Privelege Definitions (Josh)

Week 7 Blog Prompt: Peer Review

This week I read “Say It Loud, I'm Coloured and I'm Proud” on The Root. It was a great news report suggested by Kristen in her blog last week.  I really appreciated the information about the difference between South Africans who identify as colored and those who are considered black. It gave important insight on the fact that colored South Africans are still marginalized in society, and given less opportunities than blacks sometimes.

I also read “The Backlash Against African Women” suggested by Joanna in her blog. I found the information sad but necessary to know, especially before traveling to South Africa. I gained new knowledge on the state of gender inequality in post-apartheid South Africa. The article describes how men have responded to women’s uprising in status in South Africa with backlash and violence. While dismaying, the article gave me new insight on the current status of inequality not only in race but in gender as well.

In addition, I enjoyed reading “The Role of Women in the Struggle against Apartheid” suggested by Denise on her blog. It was a great news report that I really appreciated, as it gave more detail on the integral role of South African women in the fight against apartheid. I only wish more light was shed on the inspiring fight of South African women during one of the most important battles for racial inequality in history.

Overall, I gained very helpful insight on the current status of gender and racial inequality, and the fight for justice in all aspects of life in South Africa.