Just wanted to update that I am currently at the Durban airport waiting for my flight back to Cape Town. We are just there until tomorrow. At 6pm, I board a flight back to the States. I have short layovers going home, so I do hope I make it. I had said that I didn't really care once I was in the states, but I am not sure that is true any longer. I am so ready to be home.
But for now, off to Cape Town. Patience.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The Workshop
After taking advantage of a free lunch at the conference, I went out on my own. This is not something that I am known for doing. As a matter of fact, I may have gone somewhere that my classmates haven’t been! You proud?
The Workshop is a “mall” in the center of the city. After having been to the Gateway “Theatre of Shopping!”, this was quite a stark contrast. It was full of seemingly locally owned shops with the exception of the cell phone places and a couple of what we would call anchor stores such as Pick-and-Pay, a local grocery store.
It was odd. All of a sudden and for the first time in my life, I realized that perhaps I was the only white person around. At that point, I looked around and could see no others. This didn’t affect my perception of my personal safety, but it caught me off guard. I think that what I found odd was that nobody around me seemed to care; that is I was not a spectacle to be looked at, I was just different and it seemed that only I was aware of it. That is not what I would have expected somehow.
I think that I must be shopped out because I bought nothing but a nail file (which I had previously been unable to fine in the small random stores around the hotel). This too is good.
Perhaps seeing the conditions at that “orphanage” has made it difficult to continue to seek out more “stuff.”
Who knows . . . .
The Workshop is a “mall” in the center of the city. After having been to the Gateway “Theatre of Shopping!”, this was quite a stark contrast. It was full of seemingly locally owned shops with the exception of the cell phone places and a couple of what we would call anchor stores such as Pick-and-Pay, a local grocery store.
It was odd. All of a sudden and for the first time in my life, I realized that perhaps I was the only white person around. At that point, I looked around and could see no others. This didn’t affect my perception of my personal safety, but it caught me off guard. I think that what I found odd was that nobody around me seemed to care; that is I was not a spectacle to be looked at, I was just different and it seemed that only I was aware of it. That is not what I would have expected somehow.
I think that I must be shopped out because I bought nothing but a nail file (which I had previously been unable to fine in the small random stores around the hotel). This too is good.
Perhaps seeing the conditions at that “orphanage” has made it difficult to continue to seek out more “stuff.”
Who knows . . . .
Day Two of the Conference
This morning, I again attended two sessions. The first was Recasting Social Work: Human rights and political activism and the second was a group of four speakers discussing a range of topics.
Linda Briskman describes hereself as an academic activist in the Austrailian context. She spoke quick passionately about the current state of respect for human rights around the world, particularly in in a post 9/11 context. Being from Austrailia, she used examples violations as it related to asylum seekers. It was a real eye-opener to hear the stories of asylum seekers who would be imprisoned for indefinite periods of time, often years for no real reason. Once again, it was clear that my world is so very small compared to the realities that are going on around me. Again, I was humbled by my ignorance.
The second session included a discussion of attachment disorder and Employee Assistance Programs. Let me explain the format of the conference. Apparently, people are invited to submit abstracts of research or articles and if selected are allotted 15 minutes to present. Generally there are four presenters, following by a time for questions. For this session, two presenters did not show up so were heard about attachment theory and a discussion of EAP programs vs. Wellness programs and the confusion that is created between the two. I am not yet sure how the presentations are grouped because these two did not seem to related at all. Both were interesting, but with only 15 minutes, neither could be adequately addressed. Such is the life of an international conference I suppose.
Linda Briskman describes hereself as an academic activist in the Austrailian context. She spoke quick passionately about the current state of respect for human rights around the world, particularly in in a post 9/11 context. Being from Austrailia, she used examples violations as it related to asylum seekers. It was a real eye-opener to hear the stories of asylum seekers who would be imprisoned for indefinite periods of time, often years for no real reason. Once again, it was clear that my world is so very small compared to the realities that are going on around me. Again, I was humbled by my ignorance.
The second session included a discussion of attachment disorder and Employee Assistance Programs. Let me explain the format of the conference. Apparently, people are invited to submit abstracts of research or articles and if selected are allotted 15 minutes to present. Generally there are four presenters, following by a time for questions. For this session, two presenters did not show up so were heard about attachment theory and a discussion of EAP programs vs. Wellness programs and the confusion that is created between the two. I am not yet sure how the presentations are grouped because these two did not seem to related at all. Both were interesting, but with only 15 minutes, neither could be adequately addressed. Such is the life of an international conference I suppose.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Roma Revolving Restaurant!
On Sunday, Dr. Mannie had offered to have dinner with the group of us. Dr. Noel and I were the only ones from Sunday who took him up on it and then Pat Lager and Sally Mathieson joined us as well. We went to Dr. Mannie’s favorite spot to take visitors, the Roma Revolving Restaurant. The Roma is one of just 37 revolving restaurants in the world. It is on the 32nd floor. The interesting thing about this restaurant is that it was small and round with all the seating around the perimeter. Only the outside 12 feet or so moved; the center circle stayed in the same place. It was totally cool.
Dr. Mannie was able to take us up the stairs marked as the fire escape to the roof. Amazingly, I didn’t have my camera but hope to get back there to take pictures to share; unfortunately, tonight is not a very clear night. You’ll have to trust me that Durban looked like a huge, beautiful, urban city from the 32nd floor at night. We walked around and could see where McCords hospital was (marked by a microwave tower), 10 KM away and we could see the harbor. Simply amazing perspective of the city.
Oddly enough, none of us had noticed that Dr. Mannie had a signed placed over the table which welcomed his friends from Florida. We had a great time talking as old friends.
Dr. Mannie was able to take us up the stairs marked as the fire escape to the roof. Amazingly, I didn’t have my camera but hope to get back there to take pictures to share; unfortunately, tonight is not a very clear night. You’ll have to trust me that Durban looked like a huge, beautiful, urban city from the 32nd floor at night. We walked around and could see where McCords hospital was (marked by a microwave tower), 10 KM away and we could see the harbor. Simply amazing perspective of the city.
Oddly enough, none of us had noticed that Dr. Mannie had a signed placed over the table which welcomed his friends from Florida. We had a great time talking as old friends.
First Full Day of the Conference
Monday was the first full day of the conference. I attended two sessions; I attended a session with the parents of our keynote speaker followed by a session with a Professor from Howard University who discussed the role of the African American church in providing social services.
The first session with the parents of Anfani Okosun was very interesting. The father was the primary presenter and made it clear that he does not accept that his sons are gifted, geniuses or prodigies. He believes that they are the result of a thorough education that began in uterus. At the beginning of the forth month of gestation, he attached to his wife’s stomach wireless speakers through which a wide range of information was provided. It was fascinating to hear his “model”. Truly he has two extraordinary sons; I look forward to seeing how they plays out throughout their lives.
The second speaker, Charles Lewis, I believe it was was quite interesting. He discussed the history of the church as it relates to providing social services to local communities. The role has changed through the years in response to the ebb and flow of services provided by the government. It was a lively discussion with many being strongly opposed due to the lack of training on the part of such people while others were open to the fact that churches often represent otherwise untapped resources. Good balance and lots of respect. It was most interesting to hear the very common issues being raised through a variety of accents!
The first session with the parents of Anfani Okosun was very interesting. The father was the primary presenter and made it clear that he does not accept that his sons are gifted, geniuses or prodigies. He believes that they are the result of a thorough education that began in uterus. At the beginning of the forth month of gestation, he attached to his wife’s stomach wireless speakers through which a wide range of information was provided. It was fascinating to hear his “model”. Truly he has two extraordinary sons; I look forward to seeing how they plays out throughout their lives.
The second speaker, Charles Lewis, I believe it was was quite interesting. He discussed the history of the church as it relates to providing social services to local communities. The role has changed through the years in response to the ebb and flow of services provided by the government. It was a lively discussion with many being strongly opposed due to the lack of training on the part of such people while others were open to the fact that churches often represent otherwise untapped resources. Good balance and lots of respect. It was most interesting to hear the very common issues being raised through a variety of accents!
Sunday, July 20, 2008
The Orphanage
When we arrived, I was introduced to Cindy, the one who had opened her home to the wounded children in the neighborhood. Currently, in her two bedroom home she lives with the 32 children for whom she cares. In 2004, she didn’t start out with the intention of opening her home to so many children, but as time went on, the need was so great.
This home was discovered by the daughter of a leader in the local church when she was interning giving immunizations in this community. Most of the children were running away from violently abusive homes. Today, I learned that there are over 500,000 rapes reported in South Africa each year. That is about 1 in 100 people, many children.
Cindy has been trying to support these children on her own. She cannot generally get a foster care grant for the children because she needs the "permission" of their parents who are often the perpetrators or or protecting the perpetrators. She can no longer work as she needs to be at home to care for the children and to protect them from predators who live very near to her house. As a matter of fact, one of the girls (her daughter, I think) was raped by the man next store; she is now infected with HIV.
This is a desperate situation, but not without hope. The church has committed to work with Cindy to help where possible. She is waiting to see if the government will provide a different home for her and the children, where they will be more safe from their predators.
Church is South Africa
This morning, I went to church here in Durban. When we visited McCords Hospital earlier in the week, I met Dr. Jay Mannie who is a Christian. When asked about a Christian church in Durban, he invited me to his church, which is part of the Reformed Church in Africa.
It was so good just to walk up to the service as the music was so familiar; it felt like home. There were a group of young people visiting the church who were on a mission trip from Ireland. The reality of the enormity of “the church” was simply wonderful to enjoy.
After Church, Dr. Mannie offered to bring us back to the hotel, take us out to lunch, or take us to a lunch at a rural orphanage. The social worker in all of us compelled us to go to the orphanage. it was an amazing experience
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