As I anticipated and began my travels to South Africa I did my best to assume and expect as little as possible. Knowing I could not possibly predict what I was going to see or experience, the only real expectation I had was that things would be different. And different they are.
Each day I find my self observing and trying to absorb all that is going on around me. At times I can relate things that are universal and similar at home, but most of the time, the difference is overwhelming. I've witnessed something new every day, if not every hour, that I have been traveling. This week, I felt particularly present and aware of my surroundings. I tried to take note when I could in attempt to remember everything (not possible) but found 5 things in particular that stood out.
I found these to be particularly impactful, provocative, and eye opening each in their own way.
1. Over fifty children under the age of 4 lie down, row by row, and take a nap next to each other.
So I moved over to Naced.... Educare (nursery) center this week. There are over 50 toddlers there and their staff was down to three carers as opposed to the normal 6 or 7. Would be an understatement that 3:50 is an unfair ratio.
We arrived at the nursery Monday morning while all of the kids were having their breakfast (porridge, looks and smells more like cement). The best way I have come up with to describe the nursery is: zoo-like, with the noise level of 1,000 screaming 8th grade girls at a Justin Beiber concert. And all 50 kids jump on you like you are Justin Beiber.
My initial reaction: a. Get. me.out.of.here.now. And b. if that can't happen, where can I hide?
Luckily for me my only option was C. None of the above. The bus was gone and when there's 50 kids in a building of 3 rooms, there's no such thing as hiding.
But as I observed and began to settle into the day, I realized that what seemed at first like absolute mayhem was actually very organized chaos. The children respected their carers as well as their daily routine. After a morning of "organized play" each of the kids sat quietly (I swear) waiting for lunch, ate, took their shoes off outside, and went inside and laid down in rows of about 20 to take a nap. Almost every child was silent and still (always a few token squirmers). I was in complete awe. And then they stayed there for an hour.
From one extreme to another, just wild.
2. Multiple children's story books on AIDS displayed in a classroom.
When you pick up a book off the shelf in a children's classroom you expect it to be a nice fairy tale, have some cute animals, and maybe a lesson on sharing or being nice to your sibling (at least that's what I expect). You don't expect it to be about AIDS.
Call me ignorant, but it had never crossed my mind that AIDS would have such a presence that it needed to be explained on a child's level through a story book. I read stories about ballerinas, hungry catippillers, and if it was something with depth it was most likely about potty training.
Opening that first book unknowinglyand figuring out what it was about by page 3 was my biggest culture shock this week. Maybe even thus far.
3. A high schooler (in a kilt and knee socks) pick up her 2 year old son from nursery school.
In America we use teenage pregnancy as a hit topic or theme for reality tv, a statistic to frown upon, a scare tactic for health education, and as a wrong.
Here, it is the norm.
4. Two billboards for "safe and pain-free" abortions in a 3 block span.
Pro- life? Non exsistant. Especially in a place where rape is as common as a Starbucks in the U.S.
A truth so raw, you almost don't want to admit it in silence, let alone outloud.
5. Seven Great White Sharks. Up close.
While Humans may be the most evolved creatures on the planet by most standards, they are certainly not the most powerful.
Reality check: we are little. Sharks are big. iPhones, a good job, or a hot new pair of shoes can't help you if a shark wants you for lunch. Even with our intelligence and material loves, we're still powerless over nature. Chomp chomp.
And just a few other noteworthy sightings this week that I probably would not have seen walking the battery: - a kid on the side of the road wearing one timberland boot and one roller blade (he's got his shit figured out) - a south African highway police chase - the big dipper upside down (since I'm in the southern hemisphere) - a mother and a baby whale -a set of class rules, for 4th graders, that included not bringing pornography to school - and a Curves (no men, no mirrors is global... Thank goodness).
Much love to you all!
Xoxoxoox
Chels
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