Hello all, just a brief update:

South Africa is far from what I had envisioned. It is a very developed country and has challenged traditional views of "Africa." It is a land of contrast. The rich are RICH and the poor are poor. Although the apartheid government ended nearly twenty years ago, personal prejudice and economic disparities still exist.

I was warned me about lions, elephants, zebra, and hippo, but never warned me about the baboons. The baboons are the worst! We have been warned extensively about them. Yesterday, a baboon came into our camp, found the refrigerator, and stole bread from it. He proceeded to eat the loaf from the rooftop as we all watched. Two others were on the beach. One of them slapped a three-year-old girl in the hand to get her food out of it. They are CRAZY!

January 14, 2007
Moloweni!

As of this afternoon, we've been out of Seattle for a week. As many of us keep commenting to one another, it's hard to believe we've only been here--been living in South Africa with this group--for five days! It makes it easier when we feel as if we should know each other well to remember our trip has really only begun.

Hello All,

I am astonished by the extent to which the politicians, artists and activist that we've met have let us into their world of pain, reconciliation, and hope. Hearing there stories and songs have truly put our realities into perspective. Thus far, questions have come forth like...What will we do with the knowledge and stories we hear here? Or how have our lives impacted the lives of South Africans?

After meeting with Charles Villavicencio of the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation I was quite moved by his description of the southern African principle ubuntu. This life-guiding moral, although not easily translated to western thought (especially that of individualistic US), says that 'people find their being through other people.' As such, our interconnection with others is present when we are our most happy and most sad. Charles discussion of this topic came about when he described to us the state of SA following apartheid.

Africa has continued to amaze me. The scenery is amazing, the people are hospitable and warm, the sun is BLAZING! We travelled a couple days ago in 105 degree heat without air conditioning for six hours. I was in the back and felt a bout of nausea but tried my best not to complain because I AM IN FLIPP'N AFRICA!

The values of the SA culture are quite diverse to say the least. On January 18, 2007 this group got the privelege to see one side of African culture that is all too often miscontrued and abused throughout international media. In short, our view on the global community has changed.

I am currently staying at the "Tube n' Axe" backpakers resort somewhere on the south eastern coast of South Africa. Last wednesday we spent a night in Township known as a Khayitlisha. A township, for those unfamiliar is semi-temporary housing built by poor blacks moving in toward the cities to find work. The townships are basically shanty-town, where each house is crudely (but creatively) fashioned out of corrugated metal sheets, and any other building materials available.