Books, Barack and Bugs

I am writing this from the brand new library at my higher primary school! Last week I was given the task of organizing and establishing the school’s library. So far we’ve got an unused classroom, a couple of shelves, and about 500 very dusty books. The kids have been so eager to help, so to start with we cleared out stuff from the room we didn’t need (i.e. Shovels, tiles, old window frames, broken pots, etc.) and swept the room clean. Next we have been trying to sort through all of the books to see what we’ve got. The majority of the books are very out dated textbooks, mostly from the previous government. I have mixed feelings about these books. I grew up in a house where we loved books; old, new, fiction, nonfiction, you name it. We’ve always been a household that loves to read (Joanna- no matter how hard to try to hide it, we all know you can read). But these books that are stacked 3’ deep around my desk, make me nervous. There are history books explaining why African people are not as smart as Whites, science books with experiments that these kids will never see because we don’t have the resources, and civics books laying out the Apartheid government. But mostly they are in Afrikaans; the language chosen by the previous government because it is spoken no where else in the world, there by isolating the people of South Africa even more. Now please understand that not all Afrikaaners are bad people. I have met so many wonderful people in Polokwane, who are doing great things for their community, speak several languages and are very proud to be a part of the new South Africa. But there are still so many major boundaries between the Black and White communities. Last week I met a white doctor who drives past my village twice a day and never knew it existed. He couldn’t believe that I was safe living here and didn’t know why I’d chose to stay in the village when Town is so close by. I don’t think he is a bad person, he just doesn’t know what life is really like in the Black communities. It is really just the unknown that all of us fear.

            Anyway back to the books. There are some good novels and reference books I think we will keep, but there are still going to be a lot of books to get rid of. As I don’t think they’d appreciate me burning them, I think we will make paper mache globes out of them!

            The other big event last week was the election of Barack Obama as President of the United States of America. On a personal note, I am so proud to be serving our country as we embark on a new chapter and I am so excited to see where the next four years will lead. I think everyone living abroad can attest to the fact that the US is seen as the example for the rest of the world. And here in Africa, especially South Africa, where race is a part of everyday life, the US electing a black President is tangible proof that the world is moving forward. So many people are excited about President-Elect Obama, they think of him as one of their own. The only draw back to this is that I think that many people expect him to use his position to benefit Africa. While I am sure President-Elect Obama will work to benefit the African economies, those infected and affected by HIV/AIDS and other global issues, I don’t see him handing out large bags of cash to everyone in Africa. So it will be interesting to see how the sentiments change and grow in Africa during his administration.

Finally, I had the BIGGEST bug ever in my room yesterday! I was just lying on my bed reading a book, when I started to hear a strange scratching noise. There was a 7” long, black millipede thing crawling out of my suitcase (where I keep all my clothes because we haven’t gotten furniture yet). Now, I don’t think of myself as a bug screamer type, but I jumped up and stood on my bed screaming for a solid 20 seconds before I could do anything. Finally, I got myself under control to flick it (using a magazine) on to the floor and out the door- all while still shrieking. My 16-year-old host sister came over to see what all the fuss was about and laughed at me while I took a picture of it. She told me they start out as little flying bugs (which people eat), and then she kicked it out into the yard and went back to work. I think the world was a better place before I knew that thing existed…. Needless to say, I now avidly shake out shoes, sheets, clothes, etc. before I get too close. Ick. I will post the picture soon.  But today I saw a Dung Beetle pushing a ball of dung around with its back legs, just like on the Discovery Channel!

 

Happy Birthday Allyson!! I thought of you all day!