Before I get to my post, I wanted to let you know that I've added 2 things at the bottom of my blog. The first is a "Follow By Email" option. All you have to do is submit your email address and then confirm that you want to get an email from my blog every time I update. The second thing is a countdown to the end of my service with the Peace Corps. This was inspired by more than one friend back home, who invariably asked when I would be back State-side. So now you can see (down to the second) how much longer I have left. Also, if you're one of those smart phone users who accesses my blog from your mobile device, you will now be pleased to know that I've launched a mobile version of my site. Please enjoy!
The topic this month that I have chosen to address this month is race in South Africa. If you think that Africa is only filled with black people, you are a very disillusioned soul. While I am the only white person in my deep rural communities, certain areas of South Africa are filled with Afrikaners, British and Coloured people (a socially acceptable term here, meaning light-skinned Indians, mixes and asians). There is just as much diversity here in the larger cities as there is in America. No joke, it's weird transitioning between the fast-paced, diverse first world and the slow-paced, rigidly homogenous third world.
As you have probably noticed (only because you're most likely American, I will assure you of that), I have no problem writing "black," "coloured" or "white." These are all terms that are very commonplace... here in South Africa. During the days of Apartheid, when race meant everything from the difference between where you could live in South Africa and what language you were allowed to speak, people were classified by the color of their skin. Since Apartheid ended in '94, the classification was deinstitutionalized but the terminology has persisted in the vernacular of all South Africans. When I first arrived, I was subjected to being called "uMlungu" which is semi-slang for "white person" in IsiZulu. Coming from a culture where acknowledging race is very taboo, this was difficult for me to deal with. I thought "Why do they have to call me by the color of my skin? Am I not just a human being?" After being here for so long, however, I have gained a enhanced appreciation of this practice of recognizing skin color.
Here in South Africa, instead of pretending that everyone is the same, I have noticed that people instinctively allow for there to be a difference. Instead of denying that there are different cultures and different people, South Africans choose to celebrate the differences that come with different skin. Additionally, the Apartheid policies and past-leaders are still fresh in the memories of the people. I feel that the way South Africa has unconsciously chosen to address the issue of racism to ensure that something like Apartheid never happens again is by allowing race to be an issue of debate. Make no mistake, there are still violent scars of the Apartheid regime rife within the souls and skins of this country. Please don't get me wrong. As a white person, I still sometimes feel that people are more accommodating to me simply because the color of my skin. As a white person, I still sometimes feel unduly discriminated against by blacks who probably have a valid reason for disliking my pigmentation. As a white person, I still sometimes feel the racial tension of being white in black South Africa.
However, as a white person, I also feel like people see me for who I am. I am white. I do have a weird name that doesn't have a meaning behind it. I certainly come from a starkly different culture from black South Africa - a different culture from other cultures. It's just nice to come to terms with those facts face-to-face, mono y mono. And, after we come to terms with ourselves and others, we are able to understand people more fully.
The main reason that I have written about race in South Africa is because I, along with 2 other Peace Corps Volunteers Christian Stillson & Katie Petersen, recently organized an educator partnership program between our rural area schools and one of the primer private schools in Johannesburg called Kingsmead College over spring break. The program consisted of injecting our educators into the daily life of a very advantaged school and seeing how everything operated to enhance our educators' capacities to teach. The program also served to facilitate a cross-cultural understanding between South Africans, specifically between our Zulu educators and the British educators of Kingsmead College. Our educators spent several nights with Kingsmead College educators who volunteered to host them throughout the duration of the program. It turned out to be a very insightful experience for everyone, all around. We talked about race quite a bit during and after the conference, hence some of my thoughts contained in this post. Below are some of the pictures of the program and a few other things that have happened this past month or so. Enjoy!
