July 16, 2011

I am sitting in JOHANNESBURG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT!!! I am going back home and I can say that I am not the same PERSON that left 6 weeks ago. I have been hugging and crying all morning as I plan to leave my SIT FAMILY.


Our last week was in a backpackers lodge called Hippo Hide. We had to complete our 10 page paper at this time and mine was on Soweto: 16 June 1976. We gave presentation on Thursday and that night we decided to unwind and go out the local club....(take a seat because this is going to be a bumpy ride!!).


Out of respect for privacy I will not mention any names..but we went absolutly AMERICAN on they asses!!  (sorry I had to cuss). It was 8 of us who walked in but only 4 walked out...the others were either picked up or drugged out. I have no idea what everyone drunk but it took all of 90 MINUTES to get to the club, get to the bathroom and get kicked out!!!


I was the MOMMA HEN, of course, I didnt even get to drink but I made sure that my chicks were safe and secure. I'd like to think that we got extremly close during this time ( brushing someone's vomit out of their hair will do it everytime..) It was the perfect ending to an AFRICA WILD story and I can't wait for our reunion trip (No alcohol please...lol).

July 8, 2011

I GREATLY APOLOGIZE...that had to be TORTURE waiting for me to come back to the STAGE! But I'm here and can't wait to FILL you IN...Let's GO!!!

June 20-July 1: This was the LAST week at Menzi High School and everyone was getting ready for the MATRIC DANCE FESTIVAL on Friday. We, the SIT students, were singing "We are the World" and the Menzi students were doing traditional dance, poetry and song. In the mist of all of this I believe I made a GREAT mark at this school, I felt like such a star every time I passed a classroom or entered a classroom, it was as if they had never seen a African American! Boys AND girls were trying to take me home to Momma. (Apparently there was a female who liked me just a little TOO much, but either way...) The FESTIVAL was priceless and I cried the WHOLE TIME.

I had a date later that night with a wonderful young ZULU PRINCE who took me out for a night on the town! On Saturday we had a BRIEFING on our rural stay which was in Dokodweni. We were to facilitate a camp for 5 days and DISCUSS the Gender, Racial and Social constraints on the young people of SA. We arrived on Sunday and started our program that following Monday. It was such a humbling feeling to wake up at 6AM, heat my water and pour it in a basin, wash, eat what the chicken laid for us and finally WALK for 30 minutes towards the beach to a camp full of village children.

We had an itinerary for each day and it involved heated discussions and debates in Zulu and English every day. On our last day Jack brought out his guitar and we played musical games until 12pm, which is when we left for our SAFARI!!

July 2-8: We arrived at INSINKWE Lodge on Friday evening and had a braai (barbecue) of chicken, sausage links and lamb. Everyone (but me) got SLOPPY DRUNK and I almost choked about 3 and HALF people (don't ask where the half comes from). We crawled to bed and awoke at 5AM to travel to the game park. When we arrived, FROZEN from the open jeep ride on the highway, we were greeted by a family of Giraffes, Zebras and Buffalo's. It was awesome to see them in their natural habitat. We headed back for breakfast and then off to Durban to go back to our home stays. We had Saturday night and Sunday off to relax and get ready for our next trip: GRAHAMSTOWN!

Grahamstown is supposedly the World Largest Festival and we were staying at one of the World’s Best Universities: Rhodes University. So EXCUSE ME if I have never heard of neither!! (Rolling my eyes...HARD) The ride there was 15 HOURS in a van; I wish that on NO ONE!! We were staying with numerous students from all over SA and we soon began to hang out and party together. The festival didn't go as PLANNED because of all the rain but we made it worth our WILD!

We headed home on Thursday morning at...you guessed it...5AM (Sheesh, you guys!!) We arrived at our home stays at 6PM and I took IT straight to the BED. Today I walked around downtown Durban with my home stay sisi, being that I'm leaving on Monday. Another date is planned on Saturday with the Prince of Zamunda then we are headed into our last week where we are staying in HOTELS (they are really high class LODGES but will definitely feel like hotels to us).

I have appreciated EVERY SINGLE MOMENT and I have no idea how I am going to remember every single event to tell all my people...oh hold up I am telling you, in this blog, Duh, Joanna...so best believe a NEW WOMAN is stepping off that plan on July 17th. I will try to continue to stay in contact WITH YOU until the end...LOVE YOU

June 19, 2011

Today is Sunday and we have had a full WEEK! Every morning we AWOKE at 6am, met at the TOP of the hill at 7am, we were in MENZI Secondary School by 8am and observed or taught a classroom till 1230pm. SIT lectures where then from 2pm to 430pm…WHOOO…I have never been on such a tight schedule that actually WORKED.

This past Thursday was JUNE 16 which is the anniversary of the MARCH in SOWETO which consisted of students protesting against the educational system which decided to CHANGE the official language from MOTHER TONGUE to AFRICAAN which originates from the Dutch. The students, UNARMED, were confronted with police officers who OPENED FIRE and killed several students. One students name was Hecter Peterson and he was only 13 YEARS OLD. A museum was built in the Soweto Township in HONOR of him and we were given a tour on one of the FIRST days of our arrival. But on the anniversary we visited the FIFA Stadium and were given time to reflect on the sacrifices that were made for education 35 YEARS AGO. 

This weekend we took a mini-vacation to the Wild Coast Sun beaches on the SOUTH COAST of Durban.  We went hiking across the beach and up into the mountains along this coast.  I ALMOST DIDN’T MAKE…It had to be the tallest mountain in the world (by the way I’ve never hiked before so I could be exaggerating) but I felt like I was walking for DAYS!! Once we arrived to our destination we were driven to a village where the house mother served us lunch. We ate in a dome shaped house that seemed to be ONLY used as the kitchen for the whole village.

We soon left and traveled on to an exotic bed and breakfast on the coast named KU-BOBOYI where we relaxed from the day’s events. We DANCED and LAUGHED till we were completely wiped out. The ride home was quiet and refreshing.

Papers are coming up and readings are being assigned. Internet is not readily available but please stay tuned…something AWESOME is bound to happen…ttyl

June 12, 2011(Sunday)

SAWBONA!!...I moved in with my home stay family this weekend in an area called Bonella in a township called Cato Manor. I live with a wholesome African family. The Mother is a SCHOOL TEACHER, the Father is a 3^RD SHIFT WORKER and the daughter is in her FIRST YEAR IN COLLEGE. I have my own room and I am surrounded by family and friends of my host family all the time.

This weekend the WOLFPAKERS (everyone included) and I went to Florida Road which is the night spot for all American Students. We met at Cappellos and started with a warm up round of drinks. We decided that we would split and do our own thing and meet back at Cappellos at 11pm. While spending time on the most AMERICAN soil in South Africa I ran in my AFRICAN PRINCE OF ZAMUNDA!! He is over 6 feet TALL, BALD and BEAUTIFUL. We introduced ourselves and hung out at COCO’s till midnight then like CINDERELLA I had to get home and left my LIP GLOSS behind…lol…don’t worry, I don’t think he went all over town testing it out on the other girls…I hope…lol.

Today (Sunday) my family chilled at home and watched WWE SMACKDOWN…really, my people? Afterwards my SISI and I hung out till suppertime and now we are in for the night. This weekend is the only free weekend for a while. I will be traveling for the next two weekends and the internet will not be available but I will definitely catch you up when I see you. Until then SALA KAHLE (goodbye)!

June 9, 2011

So today it has been 7 years since I lost my grandmother, Lorraine Spinks, to natural causes. Even though she passed in the PHYSICAL she has been with me SPIRITUALLY all the way. I wonder what she would say if she knew that I traveled all the way to South Africa, VOLUNTARILY (daydreaming a little)...


We woke up early today and are now in the SIT office where we have daily lessons and lectures everyday from 7am-4pm. Today we talked about the health of South Africa and had our second lesson on ZULU. Sad Fact: South Africa is .6% of the WORLD population but is home to 17% of the worlds HIV/AIDS cases. Being informed and taking care of our sexual health is pertinent to a healthy and long life. People aren't dying of AIDS as much as they use to because of the advancement in medicine but it would be nice to SAVE all that heartache and just say WRAP IT UP!!


(Ok...Being Serious Now) In my group there are 4 girls who identify with the African American race and 14 boys/girls who identify with the Caucasian race. I must say that in only 5 days I have been offended more than once in this group by the remarks that have been made in observation of the South African culture. Even though I have not yet found my ancestral tribe I still identify with locals. I actually had a local man come up to me and speak Zulu for at least a full minute before I informed him I was american. I already knew I would possibly be offended on this trip and it is has forced me to think before I SPEAK when it comes to other cultures. I see parts of me that I need to change by observing them. By the end of this trip I WILL be a better person, I guarantee it! 

June 8, 2011

OMG, you guys!!! I have been without the INTERNET since Saturday June 4^th…I have truly MISSED you but don’t worry I’m going to catch you up real quick.

So I came into the airport on Saturday and got some lunch a Cappello where the servers dressed a little like MICHAEL JACKSON from Smooth Criminal, you know, the hat cocked to the side and the suspenders…it was cute, trust me. I paid R113.00 (that’s only $16.94) for a CHICKEN SANDWICH, FRIES AND A GREEK SALAD, what a deal! Then I was able to get on the internet, check facebook, and noticed that two of my group members were in the airport waiting downstairs. I searched all over looking for someone who looked a little lost and found my two FUTURE BESTIES in a coffee shop typing away on their laptops.

I recognized Jordan right away from facebook and called her name and then was introduced to Alyssa R who was sitting beside her. I was so RELIEVED to be with a portion of my group and my fears IMMEDIATLEY left me. We chatted normally until Kathy D showed up from a delayed flight and completed what would be known in the future as the “WOLF PACK”!! We clicked so well and laughed so hard at all the same things. I blamed it on the oxygen deprivation, being that Johannesburg was reportedly the highest point in South Africa, which made us laugh even HARDER. We eventually met the whole group at 6pm and were introduced to our residing professors and SIT associates. Everyone is a BEAUTIFUL MIXTURE OF CULTURE. We have Jamaican heritage, Dutch, Puerto Rican, Biracial backgrounds and these wonderful people are a great representation of AMERICA.

So our days are PACKED!!! We have been staying in various BED AND BREAKFAST (TRAVELERS LODGES) until we reach our home stays on June 10^th. We start at 7am with breakfast and then a lecture or group trip till 12pm, lunch is served then we have a group activity till 6pm. Our dinner is at 6pm then we are free for the evening.  I have been THE LIFE OF PARTY since we began and it has just come natural for me to embrace everyone. We have 4 boys and 14 girls, I am the oldest (of course) and the associates are very laid back. I’m just trying to keep in mind that school work is coming SOON (7-10 page papers!!!) so I’m trying to not get too relax.

Right now I am in Durban, SA sitting on my twin sized bed beside a ceiling high window that looks down into an exotic garden of trees and flowers. The air here is so light (remember oxygen deprivation…lol) and I am on my journey of self-evaluation and reconstruction. I miss you all but I’ve missed JOANNA the most and can’t wait to find her…here in the African Sun.

June 4, 2011

Its 3:25am and I have YET to fall asleep. I arrived in Johannesburg at 5:33pm (my time) 11:33am (your time)...Im doing WELL just can't sleep. 


I will talk more tomorrow!