Success!

Well as most of you know South Africa just finished hosting it's first major event, the world cup.

I know a lot of people were worried about an African nation hosting the biggest sporting event in the world...but it's safe to now say they pulled it off!

I was lucky to visit some fan parks and go to a couple games and it was amazing. The transport, the hospitality, the kindness.....it was fantastic!

I saw a real unity in the days coming and during the games. It was like Johannesburg turned into a completely different place.

Let's hope that the world cup will set in motion a new mentality for South Africa and the positivity that came from June and July will continue.

As they say Africa is like a tsetse fly, once it bites you, it never leaves you.

I understand why they say Africa is so addicting, as I believe I have been bitten. It may be crime ridden, but it is truly a beautiful country. I just wish that more people around the world didn't have such false views about it.

I say if you have something to rant about, you have no right to your argument until you come see it for yourself!

Canada will always be my home, and I believe that I will move back, but for now, South Africa is doing well at making me feel like I have found my second home.

I Believe!

I believe in the good of South Africa

I believe that the South African government will sort itself out.

I believe that the murder of Terre d'Blanche has nothing to do with Julius Malema's hate songs.

I believe that soon Julius Malema will be removed from his post as leader of the ANC youth league.

I believe that South Africa is NOT going down the drain like many European South Africans are thinking.

I believe in the good of South Africa.

General Update

Although I am usually just writing to myself and my mom (hi mom!) I have been feeling a responsibility lately to post a new blog. If there is the slightest change that someone out there in cyber space enjoys my rants and stories, this is for you.

More than anything this will be an update.

It's funny how a year in a completely foreign place has changed me, or just allowed me to grow in a new direction. I feel older and more understanding towards a country, or I could even say a continent that I would never have understood if I hadn't moved here. I feel so very fortunate to have the background I do to stay strong in a place where judgement and preconceptions rule over people. While I do find it hard to trust your average stranger here, I haven't lost that love for the world and the people in it and I just hope and pray everyday that that won't fade or go away.

Over a year ago there was an awful blogger that read my posts and constantly told me that my mind would change after a few months of living in Johannesburg. He said that I would realize there is in fact a difference in race and that being born one colour can mean that you are naturally better or worse at this or that you are more supieror or inferior to another race. After a year in South Africa I can understand why he would think this way, because i've met many people that share his ideas, and I think finally after a year of being angry with these people I have tried and allowed myself to understand them. Thankfully my boyfriend and I do not and will never share these ideas, but he has taught me to just listen. I have, and the more I do the more I thank my lucky stars that I grew up in Canada, or even more, in the home that I did where colour and race was never even a conversation peice. People were what they were, I saw and learned that there were no differences or traits in those that looked different from me. They were just another kid in my class or another neighbour that could cook really good exotic food. Never once did I think differently of these people as my parents and my surroundings never taught me that I needed to. Growing older, the race jokes started to come out and I started to learn about this thing called "racism". It wasn't really until University and travelling where my eyes started to open to the outside world and I began to understand that some people are really angry with other people just because of the way they look and act. Then I met my boyfriend, fell in love and moved to South Africa where I was so horrified to hear this race slang that was all around me. I couldn't believe that I was in a place where race was the main topic. After a year of living here, I have thrown myself in head first, trying to fit in and understand why people think the way they do. My conclusion for South Africa thus far is this.

Being the baby democracy that it is, and going through something like apartheid, these ideas and judgements people hold about the English, Afrikaans, or Zulus (not to mentions all the other cultures that exist in this country) have been built into their heads since birth. Only in the last 10 plus years since races have been forced to work side by side and learn one another are things starting to change. I dont think my generation that is South African will change their views anytime soon, but their childrens views will certainly be different, as well as their childrens children and so on. My friend asked me, "when do you think racism will truly end", I said "only when we all look the same". And I believe that, if it's not South Africa it's Spain, if it's not Spain it's the US, if its not the US than its Australia, if its not Australia then it's Canada. When you have a country with a population that is indigenous to the country and another population that come from those that colonized the country there are problems. There is also the evergrowing situation of the immigration influx, and all the problems that are arising from that. It is all around, and South Africa is a prime example. When will it actually stop? Not in my lifetime, probably not in my kids. It's really just a vicious, sad circle and people don't realize that by saying that slang to be funny or by passing that comment really just keeps the circle going around and around.

So what is the answer? What more can I say? I'm just living my life here in Johannesburg, learning and hoping that by loving and understanding maybe the attitude will rub off on others, maybe just maybe if they listen to me like I listen to them we can learn from one another and help the world get better a little faster.

Proud to be.....?

It's a regular Saturday morning, I just finish my breakfast and sit down at the computer with my coffee to do the routine check on my emails. A girl that I have recently befriended loves to send forwards to everyone, not being a "forward person" I usually delete them and carry on. I was suprised when I saw the title "Fw:Proud to be white" sitting in MY inbox this lovely Saturday morning. This girl and I have had close arguments about our differing views, she is a jaded South African while I tend to take the "peace on earth, liberal Canadian view". I decide to take a look, knowing well that this little "forward" could ruin my peaceful Saturday morning and, as I expected, it did its job. I didn't know just how mad this peice of "literature" made me until the tears started streaming down my face. I was frustrated that a so-called friend could have the audacity to send me this and I was upset that so many people in this country and around the world use tools like this to empower their ignorance and complete naiivity to history. Not wanting to cause waves, I have decided to take my anger out on my blog. Maybe it would be easier if I copied and pasted the email:

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"WHITE" Pride"
This is great. I have been wondering about why Whites are racists, and no other race is.....
Proud to be White

Michael Richards makes his point.....................Michael Richards better known as Kramer from20TVs Seinfeld does make a good point.

This was his defense speech in court after making racial comments in his comedy act.. He makes some very interesting points...

Someone finally said it... How many are actually paying attention to this? There are African Americans, Mexican Americans, AsianAmericans, Arab Americans, etc.
And then there are just Americans. You pass me on the street and sneer in my direction. You call me 'White boy,' 'Cracker,' 'Honkey,' 'Whitey,' 'Caveman'... and that's OK.

But when I call you, Nigger, Kike, Towel head, Sand-nigger, Camel Jockey, Beaner, Gook, or Chink .. You call me a racist.

You say that whites commit a lot of violence against you... so why are the ghettos the most dangerous places to live?

You have the United Negro College Fund. You have Martin Luther King Day.

You have Black History Month. You have Cesar Chavez Day.

You have Yom Hashoah. You20have Ma'uled Al-Nabi..

You have the NAACP. You have BET... If we had WET (White Entertainment Television), we'd be racists. If we had a White Pride Day, you would call us racists.

If we had White History Month, we'd be racists.

If we had any organization for only whites to 'advance' OUR, lives we'd be racists.

We have a Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, a Black Chamber of Commerce, and then we just have the plain Chamber of Commerce. Wonder who pays for that ??

A white woman could not be in the Miss Black American pageant but any color can be in the Miss America pageant.

If we had a college fund that only gave white students scholarships ...You know we'd be racists.
There are over 60 openly proclaimed Black Colleges in the US . Yet if there were 'White colleges' That would be a racist college.

In the Million Man March, you believed that you were marching for your race and rights. If we marched for our race and rights, you would call us racists.

You are proud to be black, brown, yellow and orange, and you're not afraid to announce it. But when we announce our white pride, you call us racists.

You rob us, carjack us, and shoot at us. But, when a white police officer shoots a black gang member or beats up a black drug dealer running from the law and posing a threat to society, you call him a racist.

I am proud.... But you call me a racist.

Why is it that only whites can be racists??

There is nothing improper about this e-mail. Let's see which of you are proud enough to send it on. I sadly don't think many will. That's why we have lost most of OUR RIGHTS in this country. We won't stand up for ourselves!

BE PROUD TO BE WHITE!

It's not a crime yet ... but getting very close!
It is estimated that only 5% of those reaching this point in this e-mail will pass it on.
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First of all, it terrifies me to know that this kind of literature is circulating around the internet and empowering people who don't know better then to take a step towards the re-emergence of neo-natzism and white supremecy. Sadly they are making a scary come back around the world. As globalization takes its course and various races move countries looking for a better life racism against all types of people is showing its evil face again, have we not learnt?

In a scary way you see how these people have come to this conclusion, yes it would seem to the small minded strange that there are Black history months and Martin Luther King days etc. and there is still nothing for the "whites" but they are clearly forgetting recent history. The emancipation of blacks in the U.S. only came to an end in the mid 60's. Apartheid in South Africa only came to an end in......1994!!!!!!!!!!!!!! In order to overcome the tough obstacles of reintegration into society and racist slang towards themselves they needed strong leaders to empower them and make them feel as though, yes they are equal. Martin Luther King did that, black Universitys have given them a feeling of self worth through burserys and scholerships. What was Martin Luthers main message? It wasn't to be proud to be black it was that bodies only exist as homes and transport systems for brains, and what matters is not the colour of your skin, but the content of your character! He wasn't saying be proud to be black, he was saying, let your character shine, because colour is NOT the issue. Cocasions have to live with the fact that chances are, our ancestors were the colonisers, the ones that made indigenous all over the world feel like they were worthless savages, that we were the superior race. No, it's not my fault now that my ancestors did this, but yes, there has to be some form of reconcilliation, someone has to say sorry and our generation has to deal with mistakes made in the past. Who do you think invented race? The colonisers! It just so happens that during the days of colonialism it was expedient to classify people into groups based on the colour of their skin - and thus the unfortunate group identifier, 'race', was born.

It's the bitterness in this email that isn't solving anything, it's taking the same issue and carrying it forward. Suck it up and move on, we need to realize the terrible misfortunes that racist attitudes have caused in the past and learn from that history. We need to work together and realize that colour is only skin deep. Emails like this do make me cry because after all that has been said and done, especially here in South Africa post Apartheid it is still a white-black issue. As long as emails like this are circulating, nothing is going to happen, the world is going to get worse. Terrorism will continue to rise and race crimes will thrive. So today I am crying, I am crying because this world that I put so much faith in continues to let me down as do my new South African friends. They often say to me: "Katie, you don't just get racism in South Africa, you get it all over the world." I know you do, but stop making out that just because they do it too, it makes it okay for you. Racism starts with small things, don't forget that. In order to get beyond racism, we must first take account of race. There is no other way. And in order to treat some persons equally, we must treat them differently...

"Racism isn't born, folks, it's taught. I have a two-year-old son. You know what he hates? Naps!" - Denis Leary

"I look at an ant and I see myself; a native South African, endowed by nature with a strength much greater than my size so I might cope with the weight of a racism that crushes my spirit." - Miriam Makeba

"Racism is man's gravest threat to man - the maximum of hatred for a minimum of reason." - Abraham J. Heschel

The little things...

What seemed interesting and amusing at first has turned into pure frustration. Oh the little differences between a third world country and a first world one that can really deplete one's sense of humor!

Everyday I am astonished at the lack of sensitivity and kindness that exists in a city like this, whether it's driving down the road or enquiring about parcel over the phone...people could honestly care less! "Jo'burgers" are driven by money and things, it's all about squashing the underdogs and stepping on their heads to climb up to the top. You can never make enough money here to be happy....everything must be extravagant and have some foreign label attached...everyone must know YOU have made it and they have not.

Maybe its a vibe that can be found in any massive major city, maybe I'm just a small town Canadian girl that's been thrown head first into the big city unprepared for the greed that comes with it...who knows. Regardless, it's deeply frustrating....

What gets to me the most is the lack of kindness...it's very rare you have someone give you the right of way on the road, and very VERY rare that you encounter someone at a store or on the street that wants to help you out. Everyone is so paranoid of trusting the wrong person that their noses are rather thrown in the air with no eye contact and no conversation. Sadly, I'm being forced to become one of these people as well....

What one takes for granted in a country such as Canada (stability, random acts of kindness, etc.) comes back to your memory pretty quick when dealing with a cold, slow city like this.

The sad thing is, you can't really blame the people here for keeping to themselves...it's really just an outside front to an internal fear everyone has in their guts of becoming another daily statistic.

The problems of Africa and a crime-ridden city such as Johannesburg are not easily solvable...in fact I'd say they are impossible. No one wants to give their money to an organization that they know is ultimately corrupt and dishonest. No one wants to be the person to take a chance with that beggar on the side of the street by rolling down their window and passing them their change...no one wants to get hurt. So what is the answer? It's all so frustrating and upsetting...I almost wish I could be that ignorant Canadian university student again that thought the organizations of this world were out to change things for the better believing with all of my heart that people are inherently good. It's hard not to lose that faith in a concrete jungle like this...

I've got a bone to pick!

The other day I had lunch with some of my boyfriends relatives who have now relocated to Canada.

Seeming to be big advocates of my home country they encouraged us to think about going back. After the encouragement subsided we moved onto a discussion about the country of Canada itself. Around the table everyone started discussing what they didn't like about Canada...the crappy tourism industry, the boring people, etc. I smiled and nodded not wanting to debate with a table of South Africans. The problem was I couldn't help but feel a little bit offended and confused. The next day we met up again and the conversation seemed to continue between my boyfriend and the South African turned Canadian. He said he didn't really like Canada but it was the best option for the kids, if he could stay in South Africa he would.

On our way home bokke and I started to discuss it, I suddenly got a bit angry and erked. I mean I do understand why a family would move out of a place like Johannesburg in the name of safety and a brighter future for their kids I completely do. But what really REALLY gets me is that you see these South Africans doing everything they can to get out of South Africa only to relocate to places such as Australia, Canada and England and COMPLAIN! First of all, I am very patriotic when it comes to my country which may explain why i'm bothered so much and secondly I dont think its fair for South Africans to pick Canada apart once they've arrived. After all, they have gotten a successful job, a nice home and a great future for their kids. They are accepted and treated very well. If Canada isn't all that great and South Africa is better, please go and dedicate your energy and your time back in your home country...make it a better place...because leaving and taking your education and money with is only making the country worse. Canada accepts anyone with the education and finances with open arms into it. It's these very people that are taking those finances and smarts directly out of their country that desperately needs it and putting it into a country reaping with it. I understand when you have a family you do what's best for your kids...but I just find it extremely unfair that these people who are fighting so hard to get into a country like Canada feel as though they can bash it.

I am appreciating and falling in love with South Africa more and more every day but at the end of the day I know where I want to call home for the rest of my life. Canada has it's problems but they're problems I want to invest my money and time into because it's a country I appreciate and love so much. Those that come from South Africa should do the same for their country if they love it so much...move back if you adore it so much, if not then don't go bashing my Canada after you have decided to call it home! Make up your mind people!

A day in Hillbrow

Yesturday I ventured out of my "safe-haven" aka Bryanston to the depths of Hillbrow to Home Affairs for the collection of my common-law visa...talk about a reality check in the worst way.

Venturing down the N1 with two of my boyfriends labourers in the back of the bucky we made our way down towards central Hillbrow, also known and the Central Business District. We first stopped at the Refugee center to drop off one of the labourers, a Zimbawean looking for refugee status here in South Africa. There wasn't a single white person in sight...all you could see for kilometers was a line up of hopeful foreigners waiting not so patiently to get their stamp. Disappointed and frustrated our young friend knew he would have to come back in the morning and camp for a few days with everyone else. It was disturbing and sad to think of what these people are going through...no home from the Xenophobic attacks, no place to go except a line-up where hopefully they would be lucky to get the correct paperwork that allows them to stay.

Hopping back into the bucky we went to the other Home Affiars office where the more priviledged and wealthy get to go and stand in a smaller, less frustrating line under a roof. After an hour we discovered that the lawyer we payed a very ridiculous price to was not only overcharging us to stand in this line up, but the whole trip was pointless...the lawyer had to be there in order for me to collect my stamp. I left empty handed and very angry. I had to remind myself that I was lucky because: a) I had the money to pay someone to take care of my troubles and b) I didn't have to camp out in a line up because I had no home and no money and no country that wanted me.

Needless to say Hillbrow was an experience. Let's hope that the SA government decides to help these foreign individuals out that have no home because of the closure of refugee camps and the hate crimes they will find against them if they go back to their previous townships.