Adventures in Africa: Day of Reconciliation

Joburg Day 1:

So after a year of planning and 35 hours of travel, the Bromley clan have arrived in Africa. This trip started as an idea in my head when my awesome parents made Shaun and I a deal that, after we graduate from university, we could pick anywhere in the world to go and we will go on a family vacation. So in 2006, when Shaun graduated from BCIT, we went to Bali and Singapore for 3 wonderful weeks. So here we are now, 5 years since I graduated from undergrad, and 2 years since I graduated from OT, (and with multitudes of other worldly experiences under my belt), the little idea in my head became reality. Africa is a place I've wanted to adventure to my whole life. To go on a safari, see animals in the wild, visit the people and learn about their culture and history fascinates me. I always have been curious to the vast amount of struggle and inequality the people of Africa have faced (and continue to face), yet continue to carry on with hope and promise for tomorrow. Now I understand Africa is a big continent, and we are only catching a glimps of it's wonderment, but I'm so excited for the adventures to begin.

So the exciting thing is that the 4 of us traveled in close proximity to one another for what seems like an inhumanly amount of time, and we haven't killed each other, not even a fight, despite the minimal sleep, fatigue, hunger at times, and confined spaces. I guess we can be thankful the wine on the flight was free.

So we have arrived in Johannesburg where we will spend the next 3 days exploring the city and all it has to offer, as well as catch up on some sleep and adjust to the time change. We have arrived in South Africa on a public holiday, called the Day of Reconciliation. I can only imagine it to be something similar to Canada's Remembrance Day, but it occurred in 1994 at the end of the Apartheid. The intention was to foster reconciliation and national unity. So tomorrow we are heading to Soweto, where there is a strong political history linked the the apartheid, particularly in 1976 when 10,000 students were protesting their educational and human rights when police open fire, killing 200 students that day alone, the first being a 12 year old boy. So incredibly sad. We are so lucky in Canada to have never bad to experience such devastating events.

So today we didn't do a ton. We were all pretty exhausted from traveling for son long with minimal sleep. We arrived at our hotel at 745am, then checked I'm and hit the pool for a couple hours, had lunch, then had the most glorious and much needed nap. We all cleaned up, had some drinks, then headed for dinner at a restaurant specializing in African cuisine. It was unbelievably delicious! We had antelope, lamb, cous cous and other great dishes. Wine of the day was a Cabernet Sauvignon from Springfield estate. It was also delish. But now it is bedtime! A busy day awaits tomorrow.

Mom and I with our faces painted at dinner

Wine of the Night-- Springfield Estate Cab Sav. Awesome!

Joburg Day 2-

Today we woke up early due to nothing but jet lag, but excited to explore Joburg. We made arrangements after breakfast to get a tour of Soweto, a district of Joburg where the blacks were forced to during the apartheid, as the Afrikaans no longer allowed blacks in downtown Joburg. After the blacks were forced out, some blacks were granted passbooks, essentially a pass that allowed them to go into downtown for a restricted number of hours for working purposes only. If they were caught downtown outside of their allotted hours, they were subject to imprisonment, violence or otherwise. Soweto is also where Nelson Mandela lived with Winnie Mandela before he was imprisoned.

So we were picked up by Jabo, our tour guide. It isn't recommended that you go to Soweto without a guide, as parts are still considered unsafe. As we entered the Soweto region, it is apparent that a great degree of poetry that exists. Many people were out in the streets, as yesterday was a national holiday, which gave them a long weekend. Some houses didn't appear to have electricity, and questionable plumbing. Some were no more than shacks and tarps, while there were some homes that were considerably nicer with yards and fences.

Soweto

Soweto business

Soweto

Surgery or Dental Work anyone?!?

We started by visiting the Hector Pieterson museum. Hector was the first child to be killed in the educational protest on June 16, 1976. He was 13 years old. In the 70's, 63% of Soweto's population was under the age of 25. The educational inequality between whites and blacks was sickening. For every 660 African rand spent on a white child, 42 rand was sent on a black child. Classrooms had minimal funding, often having 100+ kids to a teacher, sometimes rotating so each child only got 2-3 hours of education per day and often the teacher wasn't even fully qualified. In 1976, the government enforced that education be taught in Afrikaans, rather than English or their mother tongue. Kids started struggling and failing, as they couldn't understand. Students started holding meetings after parents and teachers seemed defeated after fighting this. Students had several walk outdo, but decided that on June 16, 1976 that they would have a march to protest equality and educational rights. They organized all the major schools in Soweto to form together and congregate to march to the stadium. They met up with police, who threw tear gas then open fire. There are a variety of versions of the events that led up to this point, so it's hard to determine exact truth. Bottom line is that it was devastating. I couldn't imagine at the age of 13, organizing a protest for my educational rights, never mind being shotnfor fighting for my freedom. Many students, if they weren't dead or injured, were arrested, or fled the country in fear of imprisonment. It really makes you think about the strength and determination of the youth at this time. Or the youth of anytime for that matter.

Hector Pieterson Memorial

We then headed to the famous Vilakazi street, home of 2 noble peace prize winners: Nelson Mandela and Bishop Tutu. We visited the home of Nelson Mandela prior to his imprisonment. It was where he lived with Winnie Mandela and her daughters. We are going to be learning more about him tomorrow in downtown Johannesburg and at the Apartheid museum. He is one fascinating man with one incredible story. We had lunch at a restaurant on Vilakazi street. It was definitely lively with a fun atmosphere surrounded by locals, but the food was... Interesting to say the least. It was a buffet style with options including: chicken feet, "inside cow", animal necks, chicken livers, and other interesting delights. This meal made us appreciate last night and tonights dinners! Although, I definitely had no issues with portion control.

Locals use these hand signals for catching buses.

Goat Crossing in Soweto

Electricity Towers doubling as a bungee jumping sight!

The Mandela House

Mandela Quote

Tonight we went to the Grillhouse for dinner. It was delightful and the wine was fantastic as always, and goes highly recommended by the Bromley clan! Tomorrow will be another exciting, but last day in Joburg before we take off to Botswana!!!