The school that I am working at in South Africa had a bit of a problem about a month ago. The building owner decided not to renew their lease. This meant that the children would be out of a school. However, within a month’s time, the school was able to get some land and a builder told them they could have two round houses built by December. This however, would cost the school.
It is going to cost the school a total R30,000. They are also in need of desk which is a total of R6,000. The school has since raised a total of R27,000. Which they are short R9,000 which is about $1,900.00 US dollars. My way to help fundraise is to find at least 20 of my friends and family to donate at least $15 to the project. All you have to do is click here or on the link to the right and pay via credit /debit card or pay pal. That is all you have to do.
Now the school is to be finished by December, so it is important that if you do decide to help that you get your donations to the school. Like I said all you have to do is click here
If you can’t help out, please pass the word on to your friends.
Let’s help out this lovely school,
With my up most sincerity, thank you,
Domina
Sunday, October 11, 2009
The Village
Okay, so I am defiantly NOT a hippie!
So this place is nothing like I have ever experienced and whilst I am in it, it does not seem crazy. Until I go to bed and recall my day and I think, “what the hell?!”
Let us start with the building I am living in. The fridge makes these sounds as though it is frothing milk for a cappuccino. It was very unnerving at first. But the dozen or so geckos that are kick’n it on the walls doesn’t seem to mind, for they just hang out and eat the large mosquitoes.
Good thing there is no light in the bathroom otherwise, I would have to look at the fact that the damn hot water handle always falls off when I go to adjust the boiling water that pours out. The candle in the bathroom seems to do the trick, until the steam fills the room and loosens the wax from the plate that it sits on, falls and then “POOF” darkness again.
The aroma of soft, wet old wood fills all corners of the house and the only way to escape it is step into the tropical forest that is just on the door step. Not even Victoria Secrets “Love Spell” can cover it up. Yes, I brought one bottle of body spray.
But I never thought I was would be so happy to return to this place after a night in the “Village” where I got this grape seed oil massage from a local. I will get to her in a second…
All 7 of us plus overnight gear, piled in this red Nissan truck that needed to be push started. That was the fun part. Getting my eye almost poked out by the antenna that is still trying to get reception for a nonexistent radio as I hopped in the front passenger seat that had a broken down box for a seat cover was not so fun.
We had only brought food for dinner Friday and breakfast Saturday for we needed to return by noon to get ready for a party Saturday night. I did not bring a jacket to the village, little lone on this entire trip because it’s South Africa. It’s hot here during their summer. Wrong I was…
After dinner, we all took note as to who was going to sleep where. I decided not to share the bed with 4 others in a room where the door does not close all the way. This door, as all the doors in the homes of rural South Africa, goes to the outside. I decided to share a bed with the Pippa, the pregnant gal who started the school, in the house right next door. When I say, “right next door”, I mean a small bush separated the two.
I felt somewhat safe in the mud built hut house. It had electricity that worked sporadically but somehow managed to keep going after I fell asleep watching TV for I woke up to my earplugs being overtaken by the sounds of a woman’s moans of pleasure. There I was in bed with a pregnant white woman in a mud hut in the middle of rural South Africa listening to porn!!! I did not look from under my blanket for I was cold and I was unsure if the pregnant woman was still awake, so I had to listen to the whole damned thing! The best part was that the next show that came on after the porn was some kid movie from back in the day. That is when the pregnant woman woke up and turned off the TV. Needless to say, I got no sleep.
I woke up with my neck sore. It had rained all night which meant no electricity for the house or the truck. Furthermore, which meant we were cooking nothing and going nowhere. Very hungry we walked over to a friend of the pregnant lady. This place was really amazing. They started this thing they call the “Project” where they teach people to live a sustainable life style and provide for themselves. Ironically, we needed them to cook our food.
We stayed there for the morning and it was said that we may need to stay there one more night. This worried me for we had no food. The others were a bit uneasy as well. But I played my guitar and hoped that all would work out and we would get out of there. Four o’clock had past and still no word as to our fate for the night. We, including the friends at the “Project”, needed to be at a surprise party at 7:30. We were not going to make it.
All of a sudden, a lady from the village came by. She had heard about my kinked neck and her trade was massage therapy. I was so thrilled. I asked her how much she said “whatever”, which ended up being a lie but I went for it.
She told me to take off all my clothes. Now remember, it’s cold and I am in a mud hut with broken windows and translucent curtains. But also remember, I am down with anything! So there I was in my panties with village massage therapist pouring grape seed oil on a plate in the middle of rural South Africa. Surprisingly it was great. I had an hour massage for only 25 dollars. And the best part, when I was getting my clothes on, someone said that we had a ride into town and we were leaving just then! I was so relieved. We got back to the gecko filled house, took a shower and made it to the surprise party by 7:30!! As I have always learned, things always work out and that mentality has gotten me through some of the scariest, uneasy situations. So it makes me feel good when they do work out
So why am I not a hippie??? Well there were some people at this party with dreads, tie-die, and Pocahontas attire that danced around the fire to crappy high energy techno in a fog of doobie smoke. As our group soon found it was not our crowd we left and it began to rain. I guess the rain dance worked.
I am a hippie at heart, adventurer at the soul and I beat at my own drum.
So this place is nothing like I have ever experienced and whilst I am in it, it does not seem crazy. Until I go to bed and recall my day and I think, “what the hell?!”
Let us start with the building I am living in. The fridge makes these sounds as though it is frothing milk for a cappuccino. It was very unnerving at first. But the dozen or so geckos that are kick’n it on the walls doesn’t seem to mind, for they just hang out and eat the large mosquitoes.
Good thing there is no light in the bathroom otherwise, I would have to look at the fact that the damn hot water handle always falls off when I go to adjust the boiling water that pours out. The candle in the bathroom seems to do the trick, until the steam fills the room and loosens the wax from the plate that it sits on, falls and then “POOF” darkness again.
The aroma of soft, wet old wood fills all corners of the house and the only way to escape it is step into the tropical forest that is just on the door step. Not even Victoria Secrets “Love Spell” can cover it up. Yes, I brought one bottle of body spray.
But I never thought I was would be so happy to return to this place after a night in the “Village” where I got this grape seed oil massage from a local. I will get to her in a second…
All 7 of us plus overnight gear, piled in this red Nissan truck that needed to be push started. That was the fun part. Getting my eye almost poked out by the antenna that is still trying to get reception for a nonexistent radio as I hopped in the front passenger seat that had a broken down box for a seat cover was not so fun.
We had only brought food for dinner Friday and breakfast Saturday for we needed to return by noon to get ready for a party Saturday night. I did not bring a jacket to the village, little lone on this entire trip because it’s South Africa. It’s hot here during their summer. Wrong I was…
After dinner, we all took note as to who was going to sleep where. I decided not to share the bed with 4 others in a room where the door does not close all the way. This door, as all the doors in the homes of rural South Africa, goes to the outside. I decided to share a bed with the Pippa, the pregnant gal who started the school, in the house right next door. When I say, “right next door”, I mean a small bush separated the two.
I felt somewhat safe in the mud built hut house. It had electricity that worked sporadically but somehow managed to keep going after I fell asleep watching TV for I woke up to my earplugs being overtaken by the sounds of a woman’s moans of pleasure. There I was in bed with a pregnant white woman in a mud hut in the middle of rural South Africa listening to porn!!! I did not look from under my blanket for I was cold and I was unsure if the pregnant woman was still awake, so I had to listen to the whole damned thing! The best part was that the next show that came on after the porn was some kid movie from back in the day. That is when the pregnant woman woke up and turned off the TV. Needless to say, I got no sleep.
I woke up with my neck sore. It had rained all night which meant no electricity for the house or the truck. Furthermore, which meant we were cooking nothing and going nowhere. Very hungry we walked over to a friend of the pregnant lady. This place was really amazing. They started this thing they call the “Project” where they teach people to live a sustainable life style and provide for themselves. Ironically, we needed them to cook our food.
We stayed there for the morning and it was said that we may need to stay there one more night. This worried me for we had no food. The others were a bit uneasy as well. But I played my guitar and hoped that all would work out and we would get out of there. Four o’clock had past and still no word as to our fate for the night. We, including the friends at the “Project”, needed to be at a surprise party at 7:30. We were not going to make it.
All of a sudden, a lady from the village came by. She had heard about my kinked neck and her trade was massage therapy. I was so thrilled. I asked her how much she said “whatever”, which ended up being a lie but I went for it.
She told me to take off all my clothes. Now remember, it’s cold and I am in a mud hut with broken windows and translucent curtains. But also remember, I am down with anything! So there I was in my panties with village massage therapist pouring grape seed oil on a plate in the middle of rural South Africa. Surprisingly it was great. I had an hour massage for only 25 dollars. And the best part, when I was getting my clothes on, someone said that we had a ride into town and we were leaving just then! I was so relieved. We got back to the gecko filled house, took a shower and made it to the surprise party by 7:30!! As I have always learned, things always work out and that mentality has gotten me through some of the scariest, uneasy situations. So it makes me feel good when they do work out
So why am I not a hippie??? Well there were some people at this party with dreads, tie-die, and Pocahontas attire that danced around the fire to crappy high energy techno in a fog of doobie smoke. As our group soon found it was not our crowd we left and it began to rain. I guess the rain dance worked.
I am a hippie at heart, adventurer at the soul and I beat at my own drum.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Durban- Local food: Bunny Chow
For most travelers, we always set out to find that one food where we can't get anywhere else. That dish that we can take pictures of and blog about and feel like we have been cultured somehow. Well my friends, I have just done that. On my way to Durban, we stopped at a gas station where there were many things to eat, KFC, pizza, shawarmas and burgers. I noticed, as I was walking back to the bus with my spicy hot wings from KFC,a sign that said, "BUNNY CHOW" and thought "man, I should have tried the rabbit stew". When I got to Durban, my host brought me to a dinner party where I met up with some couchsurfing host. They asked me if I tried "bunny chow" before. I told them my bus stop story which amused them.
Twelve hours later I was in the home a lovely Indian family and there I was eating bunny chow.
Bunny chow is a hollowed out quarter loaf of bread filled with a curry. You can have lamb, chicken or vegetarian curry. There are toppings as well. Carrot shavings with a chile and onion type of salsa.
No rabbit was harmed in the making of a bunny chow.
There were many stories as to where the bunny chow came from. But here is the jist.
Back in the apartheid, a legal racial segregation which ended in 1994, blacks could not be served in Indian or white restaurants. So a restaurant here in Durban, came up with the idea to have their food to go, or what they call "take-a-ways", for the blacks. It is eaten with your fingers and not with a fork.
It is traditionally a cheep way to eat, about R15 which is just over a $1.00, but can range in price to about R40.
My opinion of the bunny chow? I loved it. I did eat it with a fork and I could not finish it because it was so filling. Some of you may call me out on the fact that I hate wet bread (it makes me gag), I still enjoyed it and recommend that you get one if you ever visit Durban.
Twelve hours later I was in the home a lovely Indian family and there I was eating bunny chow.
Bunny chow is a hollowed out quarter loaf of bread filled with a curry. You can have lamb, chicken or vegetarian curry. There are toppings as well. Carrot shavings with a chile and onion type of salsa.
No rabbit was harmed in the making of a bunny chow.
There were many stories as to where the bunny chow came from. But here is the jist.
Back in the apartheid, a legal racial segregation which ended in 1994, blacks could not be served in Indian or white restaurants. So a restaurant here in Durban, came up with the idea to have their food to go, or what they call "take-a-ways", for the blacks. It is eaten with your fingers and not with a fork.
It is traditionally a cheep way to eat, about R15 which is just over a $1.00, but can range in price to about R40.
My opinion of the bunny chow? I loved it. I did eat it with a fork and I could not finish it because it was so filling. Some of you may call me out on the fact that I hate wet bread (it makes me gag), I still enjoyed it and recommend that you get one if you ever visit Durban.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Transportation in Johannesburg
If you like a challenge, hit Johannesburg, South Africa. Public transportation is really hard to come by and is said to be not the safest.There are private taxis of which i did not use, they are very expensive and I am told that its better to be with a crowd than to be alone. There are the mini taxi buses with I found to be quite cheep and very easy to pick up once I asked around. 
There is an etiquette to the mini taxi bus. You can stand just about anywhere and point your finger in the direction you are going and if there is room, they will stop. Once you get in the mini bus, depending on where you sit would depend on how you pay. There are four rows in the mini bus. You pass your money to the front and you say what row you are in. If you sit next to the driver, you get the privilege to collect the money and pass out change. The cost is usually about R9, which is about $1.25.
Also, if you sit near a door, you are the one that needs to get out and let people on or off.
Traveling long distance with a bus company is comfortable and a great way to see South Africa.
There are several companies which include Greyhound and Intercape. I used Intercape to get from Jo'burg to Durban. My couch surfing host actually arranged for the bus to stop just outside of Durban so I can attend a couch surfer dinner so I could meet some locals.
It was a 6 hour bus ride and was very pleasant. They stop at truck stops so you can get food and stretch your legs. The cost was R210 and both lines offer a student discount ( i always bring my student id, even if I am not enrolled), so it cost me R199 which is about $20.
The highlight of my bus trip,I got to sit up with the drive for a bit :)
There is an etiquette to the mini taxi bus. You can stand just about anywhere and point your finger in the direction you are going and if there is room, they will stop. Once you get in the mini bus, depending on where you sit would depend on how you pay. There are four rows in the mini bus. You pass your money to the front and you say what row you are in. If you sit next to the driver, you get the privilege to collect the money and pass out change. The cost is usually about R9, which is about $1.25.
Also, if you sit near a door, you are the one that needs to get out and let people on or off.
Traveling long distance with a bus company is comfortable and a great way to see South Africa.
There are several companies which include Greyhound and Intercape. I used Intercape to get from Jo'burg to Durban. My couch surfing host actually arranged for the bus to stop just outside of Durban so I can attend a couch surfer dinner so I could meet some locals.
It was a 6 hour bus ride and was very pleasant. They stop at truck stops so you can get food and stretch your legs. The cost was R210 and both lines offer a student discount ( i always bring my student id, even if I am not enrolled), so it cost me R199 which is about $20.
The highlight of my bus trip,I got to sit up with the drive for a bit :)
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Here is a journal entry from the other day...
Wednesday September 30th 2009
So I went for a walk today, which was more like a suburb hike. I am not a separatist, by no means, but I have already begun to see how it is here in regards to racism and social status. ALL of those that work at fast food, manual labor, servers, cashiers etc, are all black. Every white person that I have come in contact with seems to be highly wealthy. I have yet to see a white person who seems to be of average wealth. When I was sitting in the café earlier, I was trying to figure out the internet crap. When I asked my server, she said “let me get the manager”. He ended up being white. Everyone else that worked there was black. It seems that the boss is the white and the employee is the black. Which, naturally, brings me to answer, how is this so? Well history is one of the obvious answers. But I feel like there is more to it. Some lack of human connection that keeps one group of people from merging into another. I believe that lack of connection singes us like live wires barley touching, waiting for that vulnerable moment to ignite and destroy.
When I decided to walk, I was advised not to talk to people and to keep to myself, which is the obvious mode of defense. I found this to be silly actually. I decided to do a little human experiment on my walk. I was going to say hello and strike up conversations with as many people as possible on my home.
Before I go any further, I do have to tell you that there are streets just like any suburb and there are a ton of people walking just as many as cars, and all those that walk, are black. Oh, and dare I say that before I decided to do this I read the local paper that said that the president was ordering criminals to be shot and killed if caught committing crimes? I think I will leave that part out, anyhow…
So, after talking to 3 different men and saying hello to about 15 folks, I made it home safe and nothing was stolen. Some folks were thrown back by me saying hello, though they always said hello back.
I talked with an artist whose paintings were amazing. I may go back and get some. Chatted with another fellow who was waiting for god knows what. He had met some people earlier from Washington DC and they were telling him how they hated Bush and he could not see why they hated Bush. I just let him talk. Another man asked me why I was walking. I said “why not” and he said “usually people take the taxi”. “Well I prefer to walk” I said. This was a little of lie. My cheap side was overridden by my lazy side. Taxis are expensive in Johannesburg. He then asked me to hang out with him, I said “no”. And that was that and we both said our “good days” and moved on.
I have been in some pretty scary parts of the world, including my own home town, and I truly feel that if you treat people as though they were on your level and vice versa, they are not going to harm you. You disengage someone with a “hello” lead by a smile. I would rather have something happen to me while being friendly and compassionate than to turn my head and close heart.
So I went for a walk today, which was more like a suburb hike. I am not a separatist, by no means, but I have already begun to see how it is here in regards to racism and social status. ALL of those that work at fast food, manual labor, servers, cashiers etc, are all black. Every white person that I have come in contact with seems to be highly wealthy. I have yet to see a white person who seems to be of average wealth. When I was sitting in the café earlier, I was trying to figure out the internet crap. When I asked my server, she said “let me get the manager”. He ended up being white. Everyone else that worked there was black. It seems that the boss is the white and the employee is the black. Which, naturally, brings me to answer, how is this so? Well history is one of the obvious answers. But I feel like there is more to it. Some lack of human connection that keeps one group of people from merging into another. I believe that lack of connection singes us like live wires barley touching, waiting for that vulnerable moment to ignite and destroy.
When I decided to walk, I was advised not to talk to people and to keep to myself, which is the obvious mode of defense. I found this to be silly actually. I decided to do a little human experiment on my walk. I was going to say hello and strike up conversations with as many people as possible on my home.
Before I go any further, I do have to tell you that there are streets just like any suburb and there are a ton of people walking just as many as cars, and all those that walk, are black. Oh, and dare I say that before I decided to do this I read the local paper that said that the president was ordering criminals to be shot and killed if caught committing crimes? I think I will leave that part out, anyhow…
So, after talking to 3 different men and saying hello to about 15 folks, I made it home safe and nothing was stolen. Some folks were thrown back by me saying hello, though they always said hello back.
I talked with an artist whose paintings were amazing. I may go back and get some. Chatted with another fellow who was waiting for god knows what. He had met some people earlier from Washington DC and they were telling him how they hated Bush and he could not see why they hated Bush. I just let him talk. Another man asked me why I was walking. I said “why not” and he said “usually people take the taxi”. “Well I prefer to walk” I said. This was a little of lie. My cheap side was overridden by my lazy side. Taxis are expensive in Johannesburg. He then asked me to hang out with him, I said “no”. And that was that and we both said our “good days” and moved on.
I have been in some pretty scary parts of the world, including my own home town, and I truly feel that if you treat people as though they were on your level and vice versa, they are not going to harm you. You disengage someone with a “hello” lead by a smile. I would rather have something happen to me while being friendly and compassionate than to turn my head and close heart.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Johannesburg
well, first off internet access is not as easy and cheep as the US or even South America. there is no such thing as free wi fi internet and if it does exist, its really hard to find. the cost is ridiculous. for example, it cost me $12 us dollars for 2 hours of wi fi service.
well enough about the little things.
Jo'burg is a sprawled city, mostly of suburbs. There are plenty of malls to go around. not a lot of vegetation. to my surprise they drive on the wrong side of the road! so when my couch surfing host took me around i had a lot of anxiety thinking he kept turning into on coming traffic.
My host is a funny character. His name is Leon and he is a 50 something land developer. His house is amazing. It is what you would find in Granite Bay, Cal. Of course i will post pictures!
I have arrived at the end of their "winter" and it is cloudy and no sun is out. in fact, it just might rain today. I am hoping it will get warmer as i get closer to the coast, mostly because i did not pack a jacket!
So, what do i plan to do while i am here?I plan to visit as much history as possible. The Johannesburg area is home to some 2.5 million year old hominids and for all you anthro geeks out there, I plan to visit Sterkfontein Cave!
I want to go check out the Nelson Mandela bridge. there are other things to do outside of the city but I plan to do a majority of "Africa" things when I get to Port Saint Johns.
I should be leaving Jo'burg on Sat by bus to Durban, where i will be in the same city as Gandhi when he began his fight for civil rights.
I tried to upload photos but, i guess the signal is not as strong as the cost!
well enough about the little things.
Jo'burg is a sprawled city, mostly of suburbs. There are plenty of malls to go around. not a lot of vegetation. to my surprise they drive on the wrong side of the road! so when my couch surfing host took me around i had a lot of anxiety thinking he kept turning into on coming traffic.
My host is a funny character. His name is Leon and he is a 50 something land developer. His house is amazing. It is what you would find in Granite Bay, Cal. Of course i will post pictures!
I have arrived at the end of their "winter" and it is cloudy and no sun is out. in fact, it just might rain today. I am hoping it will get warmer as i get closer to the coast, mostly because i did not pack a jacket!
So, what do i plan to do while i am here?I plan to visit as much history as possible. The Johannesburg area is home to some 2.5 million year old hominids and for all you anthro geeks out there, I plan to visit Sterkfontein Cave!
I want to go check out the Nelson Mandela bridge. there are other things to do outside of the city but I plan to do a majority of "Africa" things when I get to Port Saint Johns.
I should be leaving Jo'burg on Sat by bus to Durban, where i will be in the same city as Gandhi when he began his fight for civil rights.
I tried to upload photos but, i guess the signal is not as strong as the cost!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
I leave in less than 2 weeks...
Okay so, I bought my ticket today.
This trip has a much different tone attached than my trip to Peru.
The South American trip was more a "I gotta get out of her feeling". I felt like I was searching for something. Some clue that would guide me to where needed to be. I felt like I needed to flee this city and all that was growing and smothering around me. I needed purpose.
That is not where I am right now. I feel mighty secure with my heart and mind, and it scares me to walk away from that.
I spent the summer with my children. We pretty much just hung out and did little things here and I there, but I got so much more out this past summer than I did when I went to South America, and I am scared to leave again. I love my children and the relationship that we have. Its so much warmer than any other feeling I have ever had with anybody and I love every second of it.
So, why leave? Well, I have always wanted to feed the world with the beauty that I know and have always had a thirst for knowledge. This is who I am and always will be...But aside from that, I also feel that when we gain knew strength, we should always test it. We should always be aware that the knowledge and truth we have worked so hard to seek, is strong and we should have faith that when we make sacrifices, it will stick or grow.
I like that this is hard for me to leave, because I feel free of myself, and I am not running from anything. I am doing this for its stated purpose, go out and teach children and open the eyes of my own!
This trip has a much different tone attached than my trip to Peru.
The South American trip was more a "I gotta get out of her feeling". I felt like I was searching for something. Some clue that would guide me to where needed to be. I felt like I needed to flee this city and all that was growing and smothering around me. I needed purpose.
That is not where I am right now. I feel mighty secure with my heart and mind, and it scares me to walk away from that.
I spent the summer with my children. We pretty much just hung out and did little things here and I there, but I got so much more out this past summer than I did when I went to South America, and I am scared to leave again. I love my children and the relationship that we have. Its so much warmer than any other feeling I have ever had with anybody and I love every second of it.
So, why leave? Well, I have always wanted to feed the world with the beauty that I know and have always had a thirst for knowledge. This is who I am and always will be...But aside from that, I also feel that when we gain knew strength, we should always test it. We should always be aware that the knowledge and truth we have worked so hard to seek, is strong and we should have faith that when we make sacrifices, it will stick or grow.
I like that this is hard for me to leave, because I feel free of myself, and I am not running from anything. I am doing this for its stated purpose, go out and teach children and open the eyes of my own!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
