[Reading some of this stuff in retrospect is eerie and enlightening.]
May 31, 2004
I think I've said before that I try not to have any expectations when I go abroad simply because I know it's futile. Things will never be the way you expect them to be, ever. For as much as I profess to be free of expectations, however, it would be impossible for that to be completely true, and this actually gives me some satisfaction since whatever mild expectations I do possess seem always to be exceeded wildly. I can already tell this will be the case with South Africa, just as it was the case with Hong Kong. The more I hear about things to come, the more excited I get. I was already excited about the HIV/AIDS unit in Durban and the trip to Kruger, but now I can also look forward to skydiving or swimming with sharks in Cape Town, getting a feel for what the rest of Africa is like in St. Lucia, and watching the Atlantic and Indian Oceans crash into one another. I feel like I am getting a rare opportunity to experience a lot of amazing things and I feel genuinely lucky to get the chance.
Monday 23 May 2011
Swaziland and Kruger - June 2004
Sunday, June 20
I really like Swaziland. It's funny how different it feels from South Africa. You can definitely get the sense that you're in a different country. I really like the Swazi people as well. They seem very friendly and helpful. And they're all so attractive! Today we kicked off the day at a Baptist church in Mbabane, which wasn't too exciting since I may as well have been back in the States. The service was just like those I attended my whole life. The trip into town afterwards, though, was neat because we were able to see just what makes Swaziland different from South Africa. It was clear that the country is a little more prosperous overall; there were houses everywhere and not a shantytown in sight. It was certainly more integrated as well. I saw multiple interracial couples walking around and many white, black, and coloured children all playing together. Much safer too. Much much better than Shady D. Plus our hotel rocks! It's so nice! All in all, liking Swaziland quite a lot.
I really like Swaziland. It's funny how different it feels from South Africa. You can definitely get the sense that you're in a different country. I really like the Swazi people as well. They seem very friendly and helpful. And they're all so attractive! Today we kicked off the day at a Baptist church in Mbabane, which wasn't too exciting since I may as well have been back in the States. The service was just like those I attended my whole life. The trip into town afterwards, though, was neat because we were able to see just what makes Swaziland different from South Africa. It was clear that the country is a little more prosperous overall; there were houses everywhere and not a shantytown in sight. It was certainly more integrated as well. I saw multiple interracial couples walking around and many white, black, and coloured children all playing together. Much safer too. Much much better than Shady D. Plus our hotel rocks! It's so nice! All in all, liking Swaziland quite a lot.
Monday 9 May 2011
Durban - June 2004
Sunday, June 13
Hmmm... this morning was our visit to the Durban Christian Centre. Certainly the most interesting church I've ever been to. By about 5,000 miles. I mean, we got it all in today's service. Speaking in tongues, healing by laying on of hands, people really feeling the Holy Spirit, even an exorcism (or something of the like). I was actually really enjoying the service for a while. The music was awesome and the people all seemed so happy and Pastor Nel Roberts was quite funny and enjoyable. I was able to really understand how Christianity has gained so many followers in Africa. I'd never realized just how much hope and joy people who probably have next to nothing could get from their faith. Poverty was no longer important, the service was almost like a release. Of course, me being the cynic, I felt slightly bad that these people were being given what I consider to be a false hope that by simply having faith they will be rewarded. Come on now, maybe in the next life, but in this world, the majority of these people will never get richer or better off, materially speaking, just by being pious and righteous. Not gonna happen. Then of course the service lost me when Pastor Fred Roberts went into his whole rant on Islam and the "healings" started occurring. Gimme a freaking break. About the Islam thing I mean. After that I was watching the clock. 2-hour service. Shoot me. Anyway, tour of Durban later on. Not much to say. It's a city. Then bowling at night, actually quite fun. Hadn't done that in a while, I ended with a 104. Broke 100! Yes! Love our group. Mark and Holly and Laura in particular crack me up. Great kids. Tomorrow is the beginning of the AIDS unit. Prepare to be depressed.
Hmmm... this morning was our visit to the Durban Christian Centre. Certainly the most interesting church I've ever been to. By about 5,000 miles. I mean, we got it all in today's service. Speaking in tongues, healing by laying on of hands, people really feeling the Holy Spirit, even an exorcism (or something of the like). I was actually really enjoying the service for a while. The music was awesome and the people all seemed so happy and Pastor Nel Roberts was quite funny and enjoyable. I was able to really understand how Christianity has gained so many followers in Africa. I'd never realized just how much hope and joy people who probably have next to nothing could get from their faith. Poverty was no longer important, the service was almost like a release. Of course, me being the cynic, I felt slightly bad that these people were being given what I consider to be a false hope that by simply having faith they will be rewarded. Come on now, maybe in the next life, but in this world, the majority of these people will never get richer or better off, materially speaking, just by being pious and righteous. Not gonna happen. Then of course the service lost me when Pastor Fred Roberts went into his whole rant on Islam and the "healings" started occurring. Gimme a freaking break. About the Islam thing I mean. After that I was watching the clock. 2-hour service. Shoot me. Anyway, tour of Durban later on. Not much to say. It's a city. Then bowling at night, actually quite fun. Hadn't done that in a while, I ended with a 104. Broke 100! Yes! Love our group. Mark and Holly and Laura in particular crack me up. Great kids. Tomorrow is the beginning of the AIDS unit. Prepare to be depressed.
Cape Town - June 2004
Sunday, June 6
Cape Town rocks. At least, I think it does. Obviously, it's a Sunday in South Africa so the town was pretty dead our entire first day here, but it already feels so much nicer than Johannesburg. Mountain scenery, the ocean, fresh air; the atmosphere of this city just feels so much more pleasant. Didn't do too much today besides read and eat, but tomorrow is our first city tour and a trip to Table Mountain! Sounds exciting! Hopefully Cape Town will live up to its promise.
Cape Town rocks. At least, I think it does. Obviously, it's a Sunday in South Africa so the town was pretty dead our entire first day here, but it already feels so much nicer than Johannesburg. Mountain scenery, the ocean, fresh air; the atmosphere of this city just feels so much more pleasant. Didn't do too much today besides read and eat, but tomorrow is our first city tour and a trip to Table Mountain! Sounds exciting! Hopefully Cape Town will live up to its promise.
Sunday 8 May 2011
Johannesburg - June 2004
Wow. So I was digging through some of my old crap today now that I am back at my parents' place in Redding for the summer, and I found the journal entries I was required to write during my trip to South Africa in 2004. Since that trip planted the seed for my interest in international development, which I will finally start studying for my masters in this year (only six years later!) I thought it'd be kinda cool to copy them into a blog entry, one city at a time, starting with Johannesburg. Ahh, nostalgia.
Sunday, May 30
Well, I'm not sure I could be much more exhausted right now. Today was our first day in Johannesburg. We arrived this morning at 7 AM after a 10-hour flight, a 7-hour layover in London, and another 11-hour flight. And I still haven't gone to sleep yet! I know that the best way to get over jet lag is to get yourself used to the new time immediately and not to go to sleep till it's time, but right now I'm kicking myself because I'm so tired. I didn't do too much today... after we got to the hotel in Sandton, I ate lunch at the mall in Nelson Mandela Square and walked around, used the Internet, etc. etc. We had an orientation meeting later in the afternoon, though, and Brooke and Susan were mentioning things that they had noticed about being in this foreign country that they would need to get used to, like cars driving on the left side of the road and stuff like that. I just thought it was funny that the things they brought up were things I didn't give a second thought to. That kind of stuff doesn't really seem foreign to me anymore. That realization struck me a little. I guess I am getting more used to living outside the US than I knew.
Sunday, May 30
Well, I'm not sure I could be much more exhausted right now. Today was our first day in Johannesburg. We arrived this morning at 7 AM after a 10-hour flight, a 7-hour layover in London, and another 11-hour flight. And I still haven't gone to sleep yet! I know that the best way to get over jet lag is to get yourself used to the new time immediately and not to go to sleep till it's time, but right now I'm kicking myself because I'm so tired. I didn't do too much today... after we got to the hotel in Sandton, I ate lunch at the mall in Nelson Mandela Square and walked around, used the Internet, etc. etc. We had an orientation meeting later in the afternoon, though, and Brooke and Susan were mentioning things that they had noticed about being in this foreign country that they would need to get used to, like cars driving on the left side of the road and stuff like that. I just thought it was funny that the things they brought up were things I didn't give a second thought to. That kind of stuff doesn't really seem foreign to me anymore. That realization struck me a little. I guess I am getting more used to living outside the US than I knew.
Wednesday 4 May 2011
Transitions
What a weird month. It's now been just over 3 weeks since my final day as an English teacher and the day that I left Haseong behind for good. I haven't missed it once. I'm sure a general longing for certain aspects of Korea will surface eventually, probably after I've settled in for the summer and stopped moving around long enough to process my departure. But Haseong specifically? I will not miss that crappy little village one bit.
My first week back in the land of unemployment was spent in Amy's apartment in Kyungnidan. It was quite refreshing to enjoy my last week in Korea by lounging around Seoul and spending time with friends. I wrapped up loose ends, went to visit the Korean War Memorial Museum, and had an almost-perfect farewell evening out on the town. When the time came to fly out of Incheon Airport, it was a cold rainy day... I didn't look back.
My first week back in the land of unemployment was spent in Amy's apartment in Kyungnidan. It was quite refreshing to enjoy my last week in Korea by lounging around Seoul and spending time with friends. I wrapped up loose ends, went to visit the Korean War Memorial Museum, and had an almost-perfect farewell evening out on the town. When the time came to fly out of Incheon Airport, it was a cold rainy day... I didn't look back.
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