How are you all? Sorry for not writing here for a while. I have gotten back from my World Cup trip and am pretty happy to be back at my site. I was able to attend a game on the 10th of July--the one game between Germany and Uruguay.
The game was held in a city called Port Elizabeth and it was really cold there! It was also raining. I have gotten used to the whole opposite season thing here in SA but it is still strange to say that it's cold and raining in July. The country really has prepared for the games and there were many services for people watching the games. First of all, there are designated fan parks where people can go watch the game on a big screen. These are sometimes located at cricket or rugby fields. There are also many buses and taxis that are there for the tourists. My friends and I were able to walk from our backpacker to a point where the bus would pick us up and take us to the stadium.
It is difficult to describe the atmosphere at the game. During this whole WC there has been a huge amount of excitement and pride in SA. While there was no African team playing in this game, there were still many German and Uruguayan fans. We were able to get really good seats for the game and saw all the players and coaches. I'm sure that if you have kept up with WC news that you have heard about the "Hand of the Devil." This is the guy who ruined Ghana's chance of going to the finals by blocking a goal with his hands. Well, this guy was playing at the game I was at and whenever he got the ball the entire crowd (except for the Uruguayan fans) booed. When you sat in your seat the stadium was not too loud. However, if you went back into the outer part of the stadium, the vuvuzelas made a really loud echoing noise! The German fans went berserk whenever Germany scored. It really was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
I have seen a lot of SA now and it really reminds me of California. There are parts of the coast that we drove on that remind me of Big Sur and the coastline between San Luis Obispo and San Francisco. I also stayed for a bit in Durban, the capital of the Kwa-Zulu Natal province. It reminded me a lot of San Diego, if you substitute Indian food for Mexican food. If you were a tourist and went to any of these cities, you would go away with the impression that SA is just like any other Western city. The poverty in the villages is not readily visible in these cities.
Well, now that I am back I have to get back to work! The school year has started and I will be going back to Rooikoppies to teach and help out. My organization has applied for many grants and it hoping to hold events and campaigns to raise awareness about human rights. After being on the road and traveling it feels good to come back to Tzaneen.
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Time of the WC
How are you all? I hope that you have watched at least one World Cup game and heard the constant blaring of the vuvuzelas. People in South Africa are now obsessed with the games, and, since the national team has been eliminated, are rooting for Ghana to win the cup. It was pretty sad when the US lost but Ghana really did play well.
On the 16th I was able to participate in a really fun concert put on by a non-profit group run by classical musicians! A woman named Sally is the director of an organization that runs music programs in rural schools. She and her husband both play piano very well, and Sally can also play many of the wind instruments. I was fortunate enough to play with her and her friends one day and it was just like being back at school in a chamber ensemble. This concert was scheduled for the 16th of June, which is a national holiday in South Africa.
That day I arrived at the school where the concert was going to be held as was amazed to see so many people, especially children. There must have been at least 100 students in the choir; these children had been provided special transportation from the villages to come and perform. The program was extremely varied—it included choir pieces, instrumental pieces, drumming, and monologues. It was really amazing that an organization could put on such a program. And, it was all about music! The children had a great time and it was all due to the efforts of this musical organization. I got some pretty strange looks when I pulled out my clarinet but I have gotten used to being stared at here in South Africa.
I do have a ticket for a World Cup game and will be able to see everything live. I must admit that I have watched more soccer over these last two weeks than I have ever watched in my lifetime and it has slowly grown on me. I’ll be sure to take a lot of pictures and write about my experiences when I return!
On the 16th I was able to participate in a really fun concert put on by a non-profit group run by classical musicians! A woman named Sally is the director of an organization that runs music programs in rural schools. She and her husband both play piano very well, and Sally can also play many of the wind instruments. I was fortunate enough to play with her and her friends one day and it was just like being back at school in a chamber ensemble. This concert was scheduled for the 16th of June, which is a national holiday in South Africa.
That day I arrived at the school where the concert was going to be held as was amazed to see so many people, especially children. There must have been at least 100 students in the choir; these children had been provided special transportation from the villages to come and perform. The program was extremely varied—it included choir pieces, instrumental pieces, drumming, and monologues. It was really amazing that an organization could put on such a program. And, it was all about music! The children had a great time and it was all due to the efforts of this musical organization. I got some pretty strange looks when I pulled out my clarinet but I have gotten used to being stared at here in South Africa.
I do have a ticket for a World Cup game and will be able to see everything live. I must admit that I have watched more soccer over these last two weeks than I have ever watched in my lifetime and it has slowly grown on me. I’ll be sure to take a lot of pictures and write about my experiences when I return!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)