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March 10th, 2005, UWC Library 2:23 pm
Mar. 10th, 2005 | 02:23 pm
I received I package yesterday from my mom! It was an exciting array of comfort foods from home, which was much appreciated.
In other news, Roger-drama strikes again!! He’s been canceling scheduled trips on us if there are 3 or less students going on them. This directly contradicts his contractual obligations, and finds us again less than pleased with his service. He has been paid to deliver now 3 trips into Cape Town on both Friday and Saturday and he’s cutting corners and being generally grouchy about coming through for just a few students. Apparently Dunbar has again spoken to him and clarified he must take any students who show up at the appropriate time.
We went to the mall/grocery store yesterday to pick up necessary items and I've taken notice of an interesting South African parenting phenomenon. While killing time in this extravagant center amphitheater sort of place within the mall, we’re watching 3 boys not much older than 6 or 7 run around screaming and fighting and falling and crashing into other people, while the mother sits undisturbed 50 feet away reading. Either kidnapping isn’t prevalent here, or parenting’s essentially qualities are different in South Africa because supervision and responsibility over your children seem drastically under employed.
Monique told me a story from Sunday that while strolling through the mall she came across a little baby girl (what year do they crawl at, 1? 2?) crawling on the granite floor of the mall in the foodcourt coming precariously close to the (again granite) stairs. She was understandably alarmed and looked around for potential parents, and found them, 20 feet away sitting in a café. When they realized she was concerned for their child, they snapped, “Get away from her, she’s ours and she’s fine!” Which shocked Monique, as it shocks me – the seeming neglect on behalf of parents of their children who are not near old enough to be wandering on their own.
We’ve made new friends! Two girls who study at a University in Holland (but who are from Portugal and Kenya) are staying on campus and are here through the time we are. They’re lovely people who are not all for the barn (finally some with sense) and who like theater and live music and (here’s the kicker) have a CAR! Woo. We’ll see how that develops. (They keep inviting us over but we’ve been swamped with work the past week or so)
There's a sickness going through our group - sore throats, runny noses, coughing and I've avoided it so far except for the nose issues so send me well-wishes to stay without any bugs
I know this hasn’t been the most interesting week of my life in SA – but here are some “Day in the Life of” pictures to keep you full until my weekend report (which should be bursting at the seams with exciting tales)
typical state my bed is in
choosing from my not-so-wide variety of clothes from my closet
the hallway (bear with me here...)
the bathroom (note the condom machine!)
quality showers
payphones (and me!)
cage restricting access to all-girls floors (the code to which everyone knows)
my dorm (my window is the top floor, last window on the right)
the pool (open next friday =( )
walking to spar.
the rail line through bellville we are forbidden to take (there was a stabbing there the other week!!)
mangoes!
main hall on campus
student center/other side of main hall
inside of library (it's a spiral!)
that's it for now - sorry to everyone who has a slow connection =(
In other news, Roger-drama strikes again!! He’s been canceling scheduled trips on us if there are 3 or less students going on them. This directly contradicts his contractual obligations, and finds us again less than pleased with his service. He has been paid to deliver now 3 trips into Cape Town on both Friday and Saturday and he’s cutting corners and being generally grouchy about coming through for just a few students. Apparently Dunbar has again spoken to him and clarified he must take any students who show up at the appropriate time.
We went to the mall/grocery store yesterday to pick up necessary items and I've taken notice of an interesting South African parenting phenomenon. While killing time in this extravagant center amphitheater sort of place within the mall, we’re watching 3 boys not much older than 6 or 7 run around screaming and fighting and falling and crashing into other people, while the mother sits undisturbed 50 feet away reading. Either kidnapping isn’t prevalent here, or parenting’s essentially qualities are different in South Africa because supervision and responsibility over your children seem drastically under employed.
Monique told me a story from Sunday that while strolling through the mall she came across a little baby girl (what year do they crawl at, 1? 2?) crawling on the granite floor of the mall in the foodcourt coming precariously close to the (again granite) stairs. She was understandably alarmed and looked around for potential parents, and found them, 20 feet away sitting in a café. When they realized she was concerned for their child, they snapped, “Get away from her, she’s ours and she’s fine!” Which shocked Monique, as it shocks me – the seeming neglect on behalf of parents of their children who are not near old enough to be wandering on their own.
We’ve made new friends! Two girls who study at a University in Holland (but who are from Portugal and Kenya) are staying on campus and are here through the time we are. They’re lovely people who are not all for the barn (finally some with sense) and who like theater and live music and (here’s the kicker) have a CAR! Woo. We’ll see how that develops. (They keep inviting us over but we’ve been swamped with work the past week or so)
There's a sickness going through our group - sore throats, runny noses, coughing and I've avoided it so far except for the nose issues so send me well-wishes to stay without any bugs
I know this hasn’t been the most interesting week of my life in SA – but here are some “Day in the Life of” pictures to keep you full until my weekend report (which should be bursting at the seams with exciting tales)
typical state my bed is in
choosing from my not-so-wide variety of clothes from my closet
the hallway (bear with me here...)
the bathroom (note the condom machine!)
quality showers
payphones (and me!)
cage restricting access to all-girls floors (the code to which everyone knows)
my dorm (my window is the top floor, last window on the right)
the pool (open next friday =( )
walking to spar.
the rail line through bellville we are forbidden to take (there was a stabbing there the other week!!)
mangoes!
main hall on campus
student center/other side of main hall
inside of library (it's a spiral!)
that's it for now - sorry to everyone who has a slow connection =(
