Sunday, March 11, 2012

Overall impressions in Africa

With Jon and my time coming to an end here in Africa I wanted to talk a bit about how we have been traveling and some of the not-so-happy things we have seen.  While I could ramble on forever I will try to be direct.

First, our travels have all been by public transit with the exception of renting a car for one week in northern South Africa to visit Kruger National Park and the Drakensburg.  Public transit here is cheap, fairly easy to use, and allows a traveler an opportunity to meet locals and experience local life.  The primary form of transit are mini-vans that are registered to carry 14 passengers but more often carry around 20.  One might ask how - answer: people are crammed everywhere and there is no aisle.  Where the aisle was they have seats that flip down and people sit.  It is hot and uncomfortable and at times very wearing on one's patience.  Additionally, because Jon and I are obviously travelers they often try to over charge us.  We fight.  They give in.  They laugh, because they see it as a game, and we try to not have chip on our shoulder.  The "stations" are pure chaos most of the time.  People try to drag you to their van despite you wanting a different destination and you must really watch your things.  However, the most startiling thing we have discovered is how fast/ reckless people drive here.  It is breathtaking - in the worst way.  And by far the most dangerous aspect of travelling in Africa.

Second, corruption.  The corruption of the governments here is obvious.  At home our corruption is somewhat hidden, while here it is in your face.  By far the worst country was Zimbabwe, but we have seen it everywhere.  Traffic cops stop the minivans often, recieve their bribe and then we continue.  It happens mutliple times on a trip over an hour and at times the cops delay us for 30 minutes or so.  However, in Zimbabwe they actually made us turn-around, go back to the police station, wait for over two hours, and then let us drive.  At this point we had to drive in the dark which makes the reckless driving more intense.   There are billboards and propoganda encouraging citizens to refuse to pay bribes, report abuses, ect.  From what I can tell, these resources aren't used.  The citizens talk openly about how corrupt it is, how it should change, but feel helpless at making progress.  The exception again is Zimbabwe, where citizens do not speak openly and less directly refer to "better times".  Insulting President Mugabe and therefore his pawns could lead to intense punishment and the citizens are well aware the risk. 

Poverty is everwhere.  We have not posted many pictures of the people here because often times the moments we feeled moved by someone is because their strength is so apparent through their struggle.  It simply feels wrong to photograph. That being said, shanty towns surround every major city and are vast.  While we were in Nairobi, one was being bulldozed as they are considered "illegal dwellings" and the city had plans for building.  In reality that meant thousands of people being displaced who are already in a dire situation.  Other than the shanty towns, there are other daily reminders of our fortunes.  Clean water is a luxury.  The schools here often have wells out front where the kids (if their lucky) use a lever to pump water, or a bucket to dip into the water.  Of course those are the lucky schools, many do not have water and even more true is the lack of children attending school at all.   Children are required to wear uniforms to school and pay school dues.  As a result, many do not go.  There are children living on the streets in the city or working in the markets everwhere.  If a child is sent to school it is almost always the male child despite their age among the other children.  Its assumed the girl will marry and live with her husbands family so will be little benefit to her own.  Whereas a male will bring his wife to his home and is therefore a better "investment".   The homes here are often built from the natural surrounding materials.  Mud, bamboo, metal scraps, and leaves are the most common building materials.  Houses are often decrepit and are always very small. 

Racism.  People have asked what it is like to be white and traveling here.  In the north children, and some adults, would yell "mzungu" everywhere.  This translates to white person or rich person depending on who you ask.  Kids would run out of schools and at times just burst into tears.  However, we felt very little prejudice on a whole against us.  More common we felt we were treated like royalty when in actually we are just dirty backpackers travelling people thought of us as "wealthy Americans".  I guess to them its fair to say both are true.  White privelage was apparent and at times embarrassing.  However, here in South Africa the feeling is very different.  Apartheid may legally be over but its effect is like a punch in the face.  The seperation is distinct, repressive and racism on both sides obvious.  As whites we feel more vulnerable because we percieve ourselves as being viewed as the oppressor.  I told a white south African that we were traveling with the minibuses and it took him several minutes to understand.  Then he clarified "with the blacks? and your not dead yet".  However, that being said we have met nothing but nice people here, with the exception of the occassional white, racist piece of poop.   

More later....

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