Jonathan Field - Maker of Random Stuff

I’m not out of bed until 11AM, which is a new record. It’s Sunday, and since we’re not going to be visiting Zenzo’s church, I’ve got nothing to do. Until the Dundee Voices of Joy reunion tonight, at least.

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I wake up pretty late, probably around 10AM. Though on some days I work hard, I still think of this as a vacation, and I feel good lazing around. I don’t feel like getting up so I stay in bed and watch Hotel Rwanda. Wow, what an excellent film. As generally compassionate and world aware as I am, I think I must be picking up an extra connection by being on this continent, as this film brings me to tears more than once. The closing credits song which asks “Why can’t we be the United States of Africa” echoes a sentiment I’ve felt myself here several times. We may feel deep divisions at home, but we are lucky as hell to be as together as we are. On the positive side, South African Zulus, Sotho, and Xhosa people seem to get along with each other, as well as the Indians and Afrikaners too. I mean, there are little tensions at times, but in comparison to the Hutu and Tutsi of Rwanda, it’s a rainbow paradise.

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In addition to the two white guys who were here last night, there was a Zulu truck driver. When I wake up and go to the kitchen he is sitting there and he greets me. I wonder if he heard the other guys complaining last night as he fell asleep. But he seems in good spirits in any case. His name is Joseph, he’s a driver from Johannesburg and is here to pick up a truck.

I have some leftover cheesy stew from last night, so I heat that up for breakfast. We chat a bit as he waits for a friend. He asks how I like South Africa and what I’m doing, I tell him, and he says “that is wonderful, thank you.” He also mentions the crime problem, perhaps it is the item he most feels he should apologize for to visitors.

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Hop in a packed car at 7:30 and the fab four head off to the Ikhwezi school. On the way there Alan tells us it’s a sad little farm school. They only have six machines. They have no security or furniture and so they’ve never been able to set up a proper lab. They just keep the machines in a locked cabinet, and take them out when they want to use them. He doubts the computers are being used at all. He estimates we’ll be there for just a brief time, and almost seems to question the point of going.

But today is a day of little surprises.

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Since I was a little bummed about forgetting my camera yesterday, I made a point of bringing it today and taking pictures. And a good day for it, too.

First thing in the morning we four pack in one car, along with a sizable load of Mac SE’s. It’s always the days I choose not to shower that I end up nearly sitting in Zenzo’s lap. We head over to the school we visited on my first Friday here; Hlonipa (hlon-EE-pa). It’s the one where they only just got electricity, and had no idea how they were going to get countertops or chairs.

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I should have brought my camera today, but for some reason I didn’t. Picked up Zenzo just a little after 7:30 and headed to the warehouse where we were to meet Alan and Donna. I more or less found the way myself; I’m slowly learning the streets. On the way while at a stop light, Thabani walked in front of us. We waved. I’m starting to feel like a local.

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I awake before the alarm, a good sign that I’m getting enough sleep now. But when it goes off and I actually have to get out of bed, I still resent it. Zenzo and I are heading to Ncome today, to follow up with the teachers from last week. I pick him up and we drive over the hills and far away.

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Last night after I was into bed, a group of ladies came to stay at the backpackers. The were speaking a language I couldn’t identify; it reminded me of Zulu but I didn’t hear any clicks so perhaps it was some other African language. I was already tucked in so I didn’t go out to say hi. They seemed to be having a load of fun, chatting and laughing for about 30 minutes or so. Then they went to bed and I fell asleep.

I awoke this morning to the same sound of chatting and laughing. And again after about 30 minutes it stopped. I eventually dragged myself out of bed at around 10AM and nobody was around. The rooms were already cleaned, so I guess I’ll never know who they were. Seems like most people stay at this place for only one night. I’m here for two months straight, so now I see why Evan gave me a good deal.

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I like the weekends here. There’s really nothing to do and nothing to distract you from that fact. I slept in big time today, waking up sometime after 10. I decided to just relax. I popped online and caught up with folks. I read a bunch of Wikipedia stuff on South African history and politics. Checked in on Google for some recent world news. I couldn’t tell the difference from any of the news I read last month. Or last year for that matter. They could just recycle the stuff and I wouldn’t know.

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