Khayelitsha

Hey Everyone!! Sorry it is taking me so long to update my blog. I am very busy here and I do not have access to internet, unless I walk to an internet cafe. Wish I could keep you all updated more, but its impossible!

So far South Africa is amazing! At the moment, I am staying at a bed in breakfast in Capetown. For the past couple of days, I have just been getting used to the country. Starting this Thurs. I am going to be heading to an organic farm and then to a township.

My first assignment in South Africa was to take "the plunge" our program directors dropped me and 2 other students off in the middle of Capetown. They gave us R100 ( $15) and just told us to make it back to the bed and breakfast by 5:30pm. We had no GPS, no map, just a set of instructions . Our first instruction was to head to Khayelitsha (Ky-lisha) a black township in Capetown. We were told to take a Kombi to the township So we headed to the Grand Parade, which is the main public transportation hub in Capetown. We asked people to help us get to Khayelitsha. People were 100% shocked that we were going to a black township. Don't go there they responded! Why would you wanna go there? Do you know where you are going they laughed? It is not safe!

At that point, I was mortified! I had no idea where I was going or what I was getting into! I was so overwhelmed! After a quick prayer which consisted of "Jesus Help!" I got into the Kombi and headed toward the township. A kombi is a microbus, which can seat 12 plus passengers. Myself and two other students squished into the kombi. The kombi was old and had no air conditioning; as you can imagine the bus smelled fabulous! The kombi has a sign posted that said "Stop the spread of TB by opening the windows." With that being said, every window in the bus was open. Once the kombi began to move, people started to pass up their fare money to the front. I acted like I knew what I was doing and passed up my fare too. Whichever person sat up front was in charge of the money and making change for the rest of the passengers.

On my way to the township, I met Peli. Peli is a 23 yr old girl that lives in Khayelitsha and she speaks Xhosa (Cosa) and English. She asked me where I was going, it was pretty clear that we were out of place! When I said Khayelitsha, she said that I should not go there by myself! I replied, "why not?" She said, " You can not go. You need at least one black person with you." I laughed and said, " Well, what about me?" She giggled and responded, " You do not count!" At that point, I realized that the blacks in South Africa do not consider me black. Based on my skin tone and hair textured I would be considered coloured (Even though I hate that term, coloured is an appropriate term they use here to describe bi-racial people. However, coloured people are a lot lighter than I am). I was shocked by that response, even though I was expecting it.

After that, Peli offered to show us around her township. Before she took us around, we stopped by here shack. Before we entered her house, she apologized and said that she was sorry that she lived in a shack. She wanted to warn me. I was so sad that she felt she had to apologize to me for living in a shack. Her house was made of found objects. Wood, metal, pieces of wood, trash, dirt, etc. She introduced us to her family. 9 people lived in one tiny house. They all shared two beds. She introduced me to her baby boy Phelo, which means "the first and the last" The first and the last child that she would ever have before she got married. She hurried home to bring him a Bafana Bafana baby jersey that she just brought for him. She wanted to get him ready for the world cup. She also introduced me to her adopted son. After her cousin died she decided to take him so he would not become an orphan.

The shacks in the township do not have running water. Throughout the townships, they have water faucets. So the families will fill up jugs for the house. That water will be used for bathing, drinking, and washing dishes. The house also do not have indoor plumbing. In each section of Khayelitsha they have tin porta potties or outhouses. The bathrooms do not have toilet paper, which I found out the hard way and the toilets are well a lot different than ours. They do not have seats on them. It is really hard to explain. They do not shower, you just wash in a large tub outside or in your house.

After we left Peli's house, we walked around the township. My friends and I stuck out like a sore thumb for many many reasons. I clearly was not a Xhosa and the two other students were white. 95% of white South African have never visited a black township, even though the black townships are 20 minutes from the city. Blacks are completely segregated from the cities. ( I will explain later) So to see me and other white students was a surprise. Everyone stopped and stared. Even though they stared, people were very friendly. Some shouted, "Money, money everywhere!" Apparently the Xhosa people knew that we were Americans. We talk like, act like, and walk like Americans. So they assumed that we had money.

As I walked around the township, I was awestruck. I could not imagine the amount of poverty we saw. The most beautiful babies did not have shoes. Shacks were built out of rubbish, and many of them were doing their laundry by hand. Despite their situation, no one was bitter. Everyone was very happy and welcoming. they were dancing to Justin Timberlake, Rhianna, and other local artists. Mammas were braiding hair, people were butchering, plucking, and grilling chickens outside. Children were playing soccer outside barefoot with a ball made out of garbage.

Despite the poverty, there was so much peace and beauty. I felt at home with the Xhosa people and I am so glad that I will have a chance to live with them next week. To be honest, I wanted to take home every single baby! They have the biggest brown eyes, and the prettiest smiles. It breaks my heart to know that some of the babies walking around do not have parents; it breaks my heart.

Before we left the township, Peli bought us her favorite meal Smiley. Smiley is sheep's head. I walked into a corner shack and a man uncovered a table that had sheep and pigs head just laying there on the table. I thought to myself, "this can not be sanitary!" On the other hand, I knew I had to eat it. I did not want to be rude. Peli spent R17 on sheeps head. R17 that she could of spent on her baby. So we walked into the house, and the man plopped the sheep's head on a plate and gave the 4 of us 2 sharp, very large, knives and said enjoy. Before I even tried it I thought I was going to barf! This is FEAR FACTOR STUFF! Peli grabbed the knife and cut me off the ear of the sheep and sprinkled some seasoning salt on it and gave it to me. The ear was slimy, chewy, and fatty! It was awful, but I lied and said that it was good. I know, I know I lied. What else was I suppose to do say it was the worst thing ever?

After Smiley, I headed back to town. Many people thanked us for coming and not being afraid of them. Many white South Africans never go to the townships. They depict blacks as being violent, unsafe, filthy, and dirty. Imagine if I would not have went, I would of thought that too. They thanked us for treating them like humans. It is hard to explain, but whites and blacks do not mix here. Sometimes they do not even make eye contact. Most of the blacks and the colored people live in the townships while the whites live in the cities. It used to be legal for blacks to even enter the cities. Even though the law has changed, the segregation still continues. It is very hard for me to see. Needless to say it has been a very hard couple of days for me here!

Well that was a glimpse of my first Saturday in Capetown! It has definitely been a rough couple of days for me here! It is so hard for me to see so many people in poverty and to experience the racism & segregation. I love it here though. People are so loving and the country is beautiful.

I have so much more to tell you about. But I am exhausted it is 11:34pm here( I am 9 hours ahead). I will keep you updated. I am climbing table mountain tomorrow(google image it; its gorgeous!) and I will be moving into the townships to volunteer on Thursday. After my 7 weeks stay here, I will head to Durban and partner with Focus on the Family and work at an orphanage. I will work with the babies and teach vacation bible study. I am so excited! I miss you all and I will see you soon. Feel free to post. I would love to chat.

Ashlei