The President, is it?

Hello all,
 
What a week it has been!! In some ways I feel like I've been in Pretoria forever, as the transition has been so incredibly smooth settling in here. This is mainly to do with the wonderful people I've met who have helped me out over the past 7 days and also having my friend, Emma, still with me. In other ways, however, my mind is being expanded tremendously and so every, single moment feels unique and new. I guess this one of the many blessings of travel.
 
I survived my first week of practicum! You'll find me most days on the 6th floor of a large, curvy, pink and green office tower in downtown Pretoria - where taxis honk (or 'hoot' as they say here), people bustle and drivers whistle out their windows on the busy streets below. The core  is definitely dirtier and more chaotic than my neighborhood. I have spent this week getting used to my new set up (slooooooooow internet and LOTS of security as I enter the building) and attending meetings in order to be 'briefed' on things happening in the Department. It's a bit overwhelming right now but I'm sure things will improve as time goes on. I am slowly getting a picture painted for me as to what my specific role will be and it sounds like I will be conducting some baseline research with child protection social workers in all of the 9 provinces. This means travel throughout South Africa and I couldn't be more chuffed about this. 

Aside: I can't quite get used to the noises here. During both the days and the nights.  At night time it is more obvious, when the world is quiet and loud car engines, gun shots (according to Emma), alarms, sirens, dogs, and crickets (I think) keep me wide awake. Even when I walk out of my house in the morning and take a pause, the sounds are so very intruding.
 
There was a big event in our Department yesterday and it's quite comical that I was a part of it. It was the Official Launch of Child Protection Week and the proclamation of the Children's Act which was done in an address by the President of South Africa, Jacob Zuma (or Jay-Z as the locals call him). I attended a planning meeting for it during the week and my mind was cataloguing all of the different preparations necessary to pull such a thing off. There were also many, many departments involved in pulling this together. Talk about cross-sectoral collaboration. The event itself was held in a township community hall just outside of Pretoria, with 1500 children and carers present along with the necessary dignitaries. It was pretty cool to see the President and hear him speak. However, I was more moved by the children who were there, all in their South African Fifa jerseys and waving their South African flags. When the national anthem was being played the children were, in unison, singing at the top of their lungs, I was really emotional and had to really take a moment to think and notice where I was standing. (I also learned that the Sesame Street characters in this country have HIV. Very interesting.) Read the story here: http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=105&art_id=nw20100521163308251C377799

It was also "Football Friday" whereby all government staff wear their Bafana Bafana (Boys, Boys) jerseys. Bafana Bafana is the name of the South African football team. They are in the World Cup and obviously the local favourite. Apparently it's like this for all Fridays from now on leading up to the kick off. It's kinda like causal Fridays' at home I guess, with a twist. My colleague, Carmen, was kind enough to get me a jersey so I won't stick out like a sore thumb (although, regardless of that, I sorta already do!) I also found out the country's winter school holidays are being extended because of the World Cup.  If only Canada had given us all a vacation during the Olympics! :)

Anyway, that's all I'll say for right this moment. I was in Soweto today and at a Rugby match but that deserves another blog altogether. Thanks for reading.
 
Brianna

Pretoria

I am in my new 'home'. I arrived late Saturday night in a wind storm. I was greeted by Asnath - my landlady's housekeeper who lives next door in her own separate quarters (her grandson and husband also live there). She went over the security measures for the house in great detail after we stepped foot inside. My mind was racing and I couldn't keep track of what key went where, which button meant what, etc. I was just preoccupied with my own thoughts about how different it is here - a society based on mistrust? I DO get why but it will take some getting used to on my part!

The house I am in has gates, barbwire, outdoor beams which detect movement, an indoor alarm system, bars on the doors and windows, as well as individual keys which lock each room. I sleep beside a device that has a panic button on it in case. There are also two dogs here which bark very loudly whenever anyone walks by. (I am an extremely light sleeper so need to get used to this!)

The neighborhood I am in is very nice. A lot of bureaucrats live here apparently. It's quite close to the city centre as well as popular areas such as Hatfield and Brooklyn.  I have done a bit of exploring nearby (there is a gym close yay!!) and feel a bit better since Saturday. The plants and trees are so lush and large, I love it. The sun has been shining everyday too. I will post pictures soon.

There has been no shortage of things to do - I have met some wonderfully social and friendly people. My landlady's son (Jed) is stranded in SA until his passport comes through so he took us around on Sunday and organized a Braai for us tonight. Also, a friend's cousin lives just up the road and we met for dinner last night. He is having a party on Friday so I look forward to going to that and meeting more locals. Also, my colleague at work is super and has offered to introduce me to her friends and take me places to tour on the weekends. I have definitely landed upon some fantastic people that will make this experience even more enriching.

I did start my practicum today which was GREAT. HIGHLIGHT: That I will likely get to travel to other parts of South Africa to conduct some research. Can you believe it?! I need to write a whole other separate blog for that. Stay tuned.

Brianna 

Between

I'm beginning to realize the irony of my title: 'In Between Bars' as this could also refer to the security bars which are covering all windows and doors in my new home. I literally live in between the bars. And behind them.

The word 'between' is becoming noticeably everywhere. It's hard for me not to notice. I saw the following sign up in a winery on Tuesday:

Also, the quote of the day delivered to my inbox yesterday was: "If you enter this world knowing you are loved and you leave this world knowing the same, then everything that happens in between can be dealt with." - Michael Jackson, 1958-2009

And, THEN walking through Pretoria today, a sign beside a block of flats which read: 'In Between'!

(I take these 'signs' as flag posts which tell me I'm on the right path. This familiarity gives me faith and a sense of affirmation.)

This got me thinking about Cape Town's in 'betweens'. It was quite obvious to me who the elites were bustling about the city - those driving fancy cars in their fancy clothes with their fancy accent drinking wine spritzers...very Parisian. Men with their sweaters wrapped around their shoulders and women in their high riding boots. I also noticed those who were at the opposite end of the spectrum - those who live on the fringes of society. Those men and women who desperately beg on street corners and followed me a few blocks, those who watch over parked cars on the street ('job creation' the locals call it), those who live in shacks along with highway, electricity poles (a recent addition) openly draping above. Yet what about those in between? What about those South Africans? Your average working class South African citizen? Who are they? How do they live? Are they happy? Do they believe their society has improved since Apartheid ended? Do they have pride? They often are not as noticeable, going about their own business, yet they do make up the dominant group of people I will meet and come across in the next few months. I will be asking them these questions, among others. And where, more importantly, do I fit in? Am I in between all of this?
 
I was on a very crowded plane headed for Johannesburg last night. I believed it could be an accurate representation of what is on the ground below. Loud. Mix or colours and ethnicities. Languages galore. Aggression. The pilot kept coming on the intercom updating us on a rugby score. Reminded me of what might happen on a WestJet flight during a gold medal hockey match. The flight was incredibly rocky actually and I was terrified for a few minutes.

 Our last few days in Cape Town were excellent. Hard not to fall in love with that city - even in the rain. We visited a museum called District Six on Thursday. It is a tribute to the area of Central Cape Town that was declared a 'White Group Area' in 1966. By 1982, over 60 000 African people were forcibly removed, their houses flattened by bulldozers, to a barren outlying area known as the Cape Flats. The museum is a tribute to those who were affected by the forced removals and is a good example of community development. The community museum was organized by and for the people it is paying tribute to - a good example of how intimate stories of personal lives can uplift spirit, bring people together to triumph in overcoming marginalization. There was nothing fake about that place whatsoever - all the artifacts, the people working, the art, etc. were all donated by those who suffered the most. I left feeling incredibly moved. The land of district six, to this day, remains barren.

Saturday was spent driving along the coast...embracing the sun that had finally graced us with its presence. They week ended all too soon. Cape Town is magnificent.

I have a lot to say about my first impressions of Pretoria and how I feel about living here. I've done a lot of processing in the past 24 hours and still trying to make sense of it all. Let's just say I am feeling a bit like I live in a prison cell. I know it's for my own benefit but feels over dramatic right now.

I have to get up very early for the start of my practicum tomorrow so I really have to get to bed despite my longing to write forever. More about this later.

Brianna (along with an obnoxious cricket which sounds like it's in my room)