I am currently sitting in the smoking lounge at the Oliver Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, as this is the only place that has internet at the airport. (not smoking...don't worry mom). Beside me I have a massive carry on bag filled with random books, a sleeping bag, crocs, granola bars, and tied onto the outside of it, a massive pair of galoshes. I am on my way to Kenya for three weeks which will be Phase V. For now though, I would like to reflect on the last week I've had in South Africa.
For those of you who don't know, my family is from SA and I was born in Johannesburg. Though we left when I was just 1.5, I still feel a very strong connection to this country, and although there are so many problems here, SO MANY, I still love coming here to see the family, observe the people, eat some biltong, and try not to get hijacked. Thankfully, this week has been amazing and nothing has gone wrong and have just had the best time.
I arrived on Monday the 21st and was able to spend some time with my family. Didn't do all that much, but just got to relax and settle in.
Tuesday was my birthday, the first birthday I've had in SA since I turned 1. Was nice to be here, and even then I vowed I'd be back. Just didn't realize how long it would take. I was able to go out for a bit with my Gran to go shopping and see a little bit of Joburg.
Now for someone that isn't too comfortable with Joburg and what it looks like, I will try to explain the feeling you get driving through the neighbourhoods around here. Basically, it looks a bit like I would imagine Baghdad looking like. Every house is surrounded by a 12 ft wall, with spikes on top, sometimes broken glass, with electric fencing and barbed wire on top of that. If the street is a crescent, often one side is totally blocked off, and an armed guard stands watch at the other entrance. People don't drive with their windows open, despite whatever heat there is, as anyone can just jump in and hijack you, and you make sure your doors are locked at all times.
Driving to the shopping centre with my Gran, I was also treated to an extra adventure because of her car. I love this car, and think it should be in a museum. and whenever I get in it, I just have the biggest smile on my face. Its a 1981 Toyota Corolla, that is painted a colour of teal that doesn't exist anymore, totally basic, that doesn't even need security features because no one would touch it, even here. I have the utmost respect for my grandmother for being able to drive this car, and am so impressed when we arrive at our destination alive and most often, laughing.
My birthday was great, was nice spending time with family. and went out for dinner with cousins to a fish place which was delicious. They also decided to play happy birthday for me over the entire speaker system, to make sure that every Jew in Johannesburg eating fish that night was sure to know that Adam, had, in fact, returned to Joburg for #23.
The next day, my cousin Dana and I set off for Sodwana, which is on the Eastern coast of SA, about a 7 hour drive from Joburg. I have just received my scuba qualification, and she dives a lot, so we figured we'd go for a dive trip.
The journey to Sodwana was long, but amazing. Once you get out of Johannesburg, everything changes. Now this doesn't necessarily mean that its safer there, although it definitely is to a certain degree, but there is just so much to see. So many rural townships, farming communities and villages, and the Afrikaaners that speak EXACTLY the way we sound when we mock their accents. Despite a bit of car trouble, we made it to Sodwana and checked into the camp we were staying at.
The place we were staying was called Adventure Mania, run by the sweetest people in the world. It is very basic, everything is outdoors, and we each had our own little hut to sleep in. The showers are completely under the sky in a wooden sort of cubicle, and the toilets are also in stalls that are out in the open, where you just put a piece of wood across the entrance to let people know you're in there. At night they light a big fire and everyone sits around cooking their own food and chatting about their diving experiences.
I've realized that there is a sort of secret society of divers. If you scuba dive, you have something in common with someone else, and they want to talk about their experiences, qualifications, anything they have questions about, stuff like that, and everyone is just really friendly. Its like instant friends and people you can rely on, and the dives themselves operate in a sort of way that you can just rely on each other if you need help.
Over two days, we did three dives, to about 18 m each, about 50 feet. We saw such amazing corals and sea life, beautiful fish, spotted stingrays, and even humpback whales, massive turtles, and a manta ray of some kind that jumped out of the water. Under the water is just an incredible feeling, like you're flying, and being so deep you can just go anywhere and explore a totally different world.
The whole trip was just an eye opener. Met some interesting people, saw the most beautiful parts of nature, swam in the Indian Ocean, and ate so much Boerwoers.
The drive home on Friday, though LONG, was also great. Took lots of pictures of what you can see on the sides of the road. So many different kinds of people just walking, and you are always wondering where they are coming from, where they are going to, and how long they have been walking. We also saw cows along the road, sometimes in the middle of the road, sometimes dead on the side of the road, and a variety of different animals. Also watched the sunset on Friday night, which was stunning.
The rest of my time here has just been spent soaking it all in, enjoying time with family I unfortunately don't get to see that often, and observing life in SA.
An amazing thing that has happened here is what the people have done to Nelson Mandela. Arguably the most important figure of the 20th century, Nelson Mandela is a living legend. He saved the white population of South Africa, and taught people that taking revenge is not the answer. On the 18th of July he turned 90, and is extremely frail and old. Because there simply is not much to be proud of in South Africa, people have taken Mandela and turned him into a living god. They have done things to him that is usually only done to someone after they die. There are Mandela shopping centres, coins with his picture on them, roads named after him, statues of him, EVERYTHING. It is just amazing how people feel about this man, how he has been able to touch so many lives, and how they feel they must show their appreciation to him while he is still able to see it.
I must just add one funny thing. Mandela's number in prison was 46664, and is now the name of his charity organization. We found a tshirt yesterday that said "46665: Nelson's Neighbour". Hilarious.
Though there are so many terrible things that happen here, people live here. Often in fear, but they live full and happy lives, bring up their children, and fulfill their dreams. There are many people that are leaving now because the crime is getting worse, the political situation doesn't look very promising, and the country is totally backwards, but I have so much respect for those people who live here. Often they don't have a choice, and they can't simply pack up and leave, and those who make the most of their time here really do get to see that they live in a beautiful country. Though Johannesburg is ofen referred to as 'Paradise in Hell', there is so much that South Africa has to offer, and it is proven in the number of tourists that come to see the country side, the game reserves and the coast every year. Although my connection here isn't all that strong, I do feel somewhat at home here, and love the little things that I can pick up on every time I come to visit here.
Must now run to catch my plane to fly to Kenya, and will hopefully update this when I get back to Israel on the 17th of August.
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