Prompt 1: Whatever you thought about South Africa, think again

When people think of Africa, they conjure specific images that reduce the world’s second largest continent,filled with fifty-four countries,to roaming lions and poverty. Moreover, our class has spent a semester studying South Africa, and have heard stories from friends that have lived or visited the country, so many of us did have certain ideas for what to expect. However,we did end up having a few of our conceptions of South Africa disproved. 

What we found to be so surprising was the widespread influence of Western culture. While we knew that South Africa was developed and had modern technology and Western influence, we were surprised to see Western products heavily advertised and Western beauty heavily perpetuated in storefronts and fashion. We were expecting African culture to be much more popular. What we have noted is the fact that we have heard more American music in South Africa than we normally listen to in America! American pop music is very popular and is highly consumed by South Africans. We were also surprised to learn that South African cuisine in Claremont was not as popular around the area; we found many restaurants catering to American,Mexican and Asian cuisine. We are disappointed that so far we've had a lot of American food and have had difficulty in finding South African cuisine; we hope to find and experience real South African food with no American influence.

We also expected people to have negative perceptions of us as Americans, but we have found people to be very friendly or indifferent towards us. Most people do not question our accents or stare rudely. We have had waiters or waitresses ask us questions about specific things but no one has treated us extremely different. Cape Town residents seem to be well adjusted to visitors and diversity. We all feel that we fit in here because we reflect the city phenotypically. While walking in small groups or in duos and not speaking, we’ve noticed that we do not draw much attention. Some of us desire more conversation with the locals and are surprised that we do not have more candid conversations. Overall, many people have been really friendly, curious and open. Additionally, we are very surprised that no one in our group has been catcalled by men. Most men have ignored us or been respectful in the streets. Some of the women have been approached or touched in clubs/bars, but on the streets of Cape Town the men seem to know how to respect a women's space.

 Overall, South Africa has been really wonderful and an eye opening experience. The people, culture and atmosphere have been very enjoyable and in only three days we have learned so many things.Most of all, we are grateful that we can walk outside as women and not have to worry about men approaching us disrespectfully, so far. We are slightly disappointed in the high-consumption of American music; it is almost overwhelming. The indifference of locals to our American-ness is surprising, as we were warned many people would approach us for different reasons. We cannot wait to learn more and have our other expectations interrupted as we delve into the culture and become closer to the locals.

WK 12: Service Learning Related Article: Women and Children of South Africa

         Our project, Bethel, mainly focuses on feeding and caring for the children and women who have been surrounded by abusive environments and have dealt with domestic violence. The program is able to facilitate various resources for the women and children by making and selling jewelry to the locals in South Africa. One of our main goals it to empower the women to become independent and stand strong despite what they have endured and help the children lead a normal life. The article I have chosen focuses on the difficulties women and children of South Africa face and the obstacles they overcome on a daily basis. According to the article, women and child abuse is still a big problem in South Africa as "thousands of women and children fall victims every year". Furthermore, various factors such as homelessness and hunger lead women and children to stay with their abusers because they see no other helpful options. The project, Bethel, is a terrific project because it takes in women and children so they can no longer be abused and still have a roof over their heads and food to eat. Not to mention, the women are trained in different fields so they can earn an income and be proud of their accomplishments. I believe that the media can be a strong tool in portraying the struggles of women in South Africa, bringing attention to the problem, help progress women's rights and  help end the abuse.

http://journalismiziko.dut.ac.za/feature-review/women-and-child-abuse-a-menace-in-south-africa/

WK 11: Service Learning Project

       This past week, I received my service learning project that I will be conducting with my group in South Africa (Very excited!). The project is titled Bethel, a social entrepreneurship program that conducts a bead jewelry business and are sold to local businesses to benefit previously abused women and young children. Our main goals are to empower the women, expand their market to a larger scale, and enlarge their business model. Interestingly, there are other programs that are similar in regard to the fact that they create jewelry to benefit a certain cause. For example, the Butterfly Project, a non profit, sells jewelry created by individuals all over the world to raise awareness and support those that have been affected by the sex trafficking industry. The program runs a well-crafted website and shares various jewelry pieces along with the stories behind the different designs. The website also showcases the different social media handles that help spread their project name to a large audience. Not to mention, they also attend different conferences around the world to raise awareness about the sex traffic industry and share the news with individuals that encounter the website. The Butterfly Project is a tremendous success and they hold many sponsors to help support their cause. This project can help give us ideas on how to successfully accomplish our goals towards Bethel and create something that will leave a positive impact.

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Blog 9: Powerful Impact of the Top Ten

TOP 10 READINGS & VIDEOS

Maymester 2015, South Africa  
1.Power and Privilege Definitions
2.Apartheid Timeline
3.Not White Enough, Not Black Enough
4.South Africa Progressive on LGBT Rights but Gays Still Battle for Social Reform
5.Cape Town: Gangs, Race and Poverty 20 years after Apartheid
6.Realizing Women's Rights in South Africa
7.Here's how South African students talk about race and gender
8.Winnie’ fails to capture the essence of Mrs. Mandela
9. Bucket list to visiting South Africa 
10. Culture in South Africa

        The top ten list combined various aspects that helped me better understand the present and past of South Africa and relate to many issues faced in the United States. The Power and Privilege Definitions form was useful in simplifying complex terms of race,power, and privilege pertaining to social issues in South Africa. Moreover,the Apartheid Timeline was a beneficial tool in showing the past and present of South Africa and various aspects that created and destroyed the Apartheid era. The article "Not White Enough, Not Black Enough" highlights the struggles of the colored community as they receive less benefits, opportunities, and attention compared to their black and white counterparts. The article "South Africa Progressive on LBGT Rights"showcased a tremendous,positive change for LGBT members,however many LBGTQ members still face conflict in terms of hate crimes and homophobia in South Africa.
      In addition, the video "Cape Town: Gangs, Race and Poverty" was a eye-opener as it depicts those living in the slums and facing crime, unemployment and poverty issues while living in a post-apartheid era. The article on "Realizing Women's right" is a powerful reflection of the life of many South African women and how they are treated as second class citizens in a male-dominated society.Not to mention, the poor representation of Winnie Mandela in the film Winnie, where it focuses mainly on her relationship with Mandela instead of the significant role she played in the anti-apartheid movement.The next article based on South African student's opinions,delves into the social issues of race, class, and gender and how they are coping in a new generation.  
     Additionally, the articles "Bucket List of South Africa" and "Culture in South Africa" are interesting and promote the diversity and unique items that make South Africa a popular tourist destination rich with history and tradition.To conclude, the top ten list gave insight into understanding the political, economic, and social objectives that created South Africa.
        



 

Wk 8:Top Ten Recommendations

       After reviewing all of my peer's blog posts, I have managed to narrow it down to ten must-reads that pertain to our trip to South Africa.*These are not in order.
1.The Backlash Against African Women 
Centers around the challenges African women face in public and in office.
2.Here's how South African students talk about race and gender
Interviews Cape Town University students and their opinions on Race,Class, and Gender.
3.Slum Tourism: Shanty Town Tours In Brazil, India, South Africa Give Travelers Glimpse At Poverty; Raise Ethical Questions
 The controversy of tourists visiting slums and relating it to the act of making tourists feel good about themselves, a form of entertainment,and if it benefits the locals.
4.Factbox: South Africa since apartheid
 The reality and hardships many South Africans still face post-apartheid.
5.Opinion: In South Africa, it’s often said that being gay is a ‘western’ thing 
 Discusses the treatment of the South African LGBTQ community and hate crimes.
6.Postapartheid Generation, Discontent Grows
 Centers around the young generation born post-apartheid and overcoming struggles and looking toward the future.
7.Say It Loud, I'm Coloured and I'm Proud 
Explains the struggles of the Coloured community and being proud of who they are, despite not fitting into the black or white community. 
8. The Freedom to Learn A Look at South African Education 
 Examines the education young South African girls lack and how one can help give poor communities a chance at receiving an education.
9.Why is crime and violence so high in South Africa?
The effects of history that have contributed to high crime rates among the South African community. 
10.Power & Privilege Definitions
Terms and definitions that help relate to the discussion of race,class, and gender etc. in South Africa.

Wk 7: Peer's Research

        After visiting several of my peers' blogs, I have narrowed it down to three articles.The first article is titled "South Africans Reflect on Mandela's 'Rainbow Nation' ",suggested by Larisa. The article was a great read and I was able to see an individual's perspective on living at the height of apartheid and post apartheid era. The individual, named Justice Malala, understood the significance of Mandela's campaign and after Mandela was sworn in, Malala felt like he finally belonged. Originally, he was afraid to go to certain parts of South Africa; now he feels more comfortable in his country. However, those born after 1994 and in post-apartheid era are said to be 'color-blind' and focusing more or economics and lack of opportunities. South Africa may have moved progressed into a new era, however the economics and opportunities for the black community is still lacking ad negatively affecting them. Although, many do see the changes that are still occurring and understand that it will take more than a new government for equality in all scopes to become a reality.
 http://www.npr.org/2013/12/13/250734816/south-africans-reflect-on-mandela-s-rainbow-nation
        The second article is titled "The Freedom to Learn" suggested by Denice. This was a wonderful article! I wish there were more celebrities that funded charities such as these, especially regarding education. Oprah Winfrey started Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls (OWLAG), a project to get South African girls an education despite having a poor living situation and low income. These projects give young South Africans opportunities to receive an education and attend universities and receive jobs to better their life.Of course, there are obstacles for many of these children in passing tests and keeping them engaged in school.It may take more than a few years, but projects such as OWLAG give the younger generation hope in generating more opportunities and reaching a stepping stone to better education and their lives.
 http://www.freedomtolearn.co.za/education-today
        The third article focuses on "The 1956 Women's March" and was suggested by Courtney. The article depicts the conflicting situation in where black men were required to carry passes at all times, yet this law didn't concern women until 1950 and they weren't even allowed to live in towns unless they were employed there. This was difficult for women who had children and expenses, therefore they held protests against the pass laws. In 1956, thousands of women of different backgrounds and races came out to protest and stood united, while petitions were delivered to the Prime Minister's Office. This movement contributed greatly for the right to freedom and impacted the history of South Africa.
 http://overcomingapartheid.msu.edu/multimedia.php?id=65-259-C

Wk 6:Post Apartheid, Race, and Gender of South Africa Research

        Generating independent research, I focused mainly on the topics of the effects of Post-Apartheid South Africa and the mindset on gender, race and class. I had a deep interest on how people are coping with change and how they are living in a different era that changed roughly about 2 decades ago once Mandela became President of South Africa.
        The first article focuses on unemployment and the economic aspect and the effects it has on the  different groups post-apartheid. The women in the article describes her life and shows that most black people in Africa still do domestic work for white people and that many are still separated in terms of race, class, income, education and privilege. The article depicts a graph that shows that the most affected are black women living in South Africa, since they are the only group that has showed a increase in unemployment. Progress for black women is moving at a slow pace and shows that conditions are not so different from times in apartheid South Africa, however it is a stepping stone.
   http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-01-16/south-africas-tradition-domestic-work-continues-post-apartheid
       The second article focuses on the modern generation of students from Cape Town University and their opinions on race and gender. A graduate female student,Carolyn Le Tang, discusses the issue of being a black female and how in the constitution women are considered equal, yet in reality that is not the case. Similarly, she states cases where white females will dress like black, female domestic workers with black makeup and think it's is fine, such as cases in the United States.Another student named Robin Molteno states that women and men are not seen equally, however women are more equal now then before.Another student gives insight that there is a whole system of power where white men will oppress black men and then, in turn, will oppress their wives. If you continue reading, many of the students account that women and men are not equal, many focus on the topic of race more than gender, the act of white privilege and more.    
http://www.pri.org/stories/2015-01-16/heres-how-south-african-students-talk-about-race-and-gender
        The third article delves into the continued struggles South Africa still faces, despite being freed from apartheid, such as the lack of trust in the country’s leadership, limited opportunity for the people of the black community and political corruption.A quote that I found in the article can summarize what most people feel about how the government works “We have democracy in South Africa but [government] leaders are like: They eat first and then they leave what is left for the people,” by Moreki, a local that lives in a shantytown.Another concern is the disproportionate wealth and lack of opportunity among the black community. The white community still holds a majority of the money, land, and power despite being in post-apartheid and this negatively affects the black community that are still in the same place where they were when apartheid was in effect. Reading the article brings up interesting points of how people are living in post-apartheid. 
  http://www.theroot.com/articles/culture/2015/02/south_africa_s_born_frees_demand_more.html