Ok, so truth be told I’m going to Durban tonight, not tomorrow, but I just
wanted to show off my Zulu. Here is a mini lesson for ya: Kusasa means
tomorrow, the ngi is the I, the zo indicates future tense, the ya is the verb
for go, the e means to (as well as at and from), and Thekwini is Durban!
I have also interspersed some pictures from earlier in my trip since I couldn't upload them before. The scenic ones are from the drive to Durban from Jo-burg and the last one is a night scene of Durban from our apartment (the same view as the day time picture I posted a little while ago).
Other than that, the past couple of days have been filled with a lot of
learning and new experiences, so I’m going to try to consolidate the experience for you: but first.. a picture!!!
February 1, 2012
Today I had a deep conversation with my sister. Three years
ago she was burnt by a can of bug spray that caught on fire and exploded, so
she told me the tale of her hospital experience and recovery. She also told me
a lot about her family – why she lives with her Gogo, how her brothers share
the same mom as her but each have a different dad, and how her dad has 6 other
kids and makes her feel like she is last on her list. Smu is one of the bravest
and strongest girls I have ever met. I admire her so much. Talking to her has made me think about re-evaluating what I want to research for my independent research project.
February 3, 2012
Today was the first of our four clinic days! I spend the day
in the Cato Manor Clinic and go to get a first hand look into a government
funded clinic. Apparently Thursdays During the morning I got to take blood
pressures and the blood sugar of diabetic patients. After hearing all of the horror stories of the clinics I was actually surprised to see how efficiently our clinic was run. I was also surprised by the lack of privacy and confidentiality that there was. We were allowed to see things and hear things and do things that we would have never been able to experience in the united states. It was definitely a rewarding experience getting to know what the average South African deals with on a daily basis. Most have to walk long distances in the heat and humidity to access the health care and then have to wait in lines for at least 3 hours until they see a nurse (not even a doctor - the doctor comes in once a week). And these are people that have appointments. I will definitely never complain about waiting two hours in the emergency room again...
And finally, a few more points about my life in Cato Manor:
·
The stairs around town leading to houses are
treacherous. They are steep, narrow, crooked, uneven, you name it. But if you
think that’s bad, stone walls are also used as “stairs,” and dirt pathways are
just as steep but have poor traction, steep cliffs on their edges, and loose
dirt, making them even more difficult to maneuver.
·
It takes forever to walk anywhere. I guess it
goes with the saying “If you want to walk together, walk slow. If you want to
walk apart, walk fast.” Or something along those lines. Either way, what should
be a ten minute trip somehow turns into at least a half hour ordeal.
·
The bananagrams bag in my house is not used for
playing bananagrams. It is used for playing stones, which I’d say is like an
African, more complicated version of jacks. Smu taught me the other day, and
although I’m getting better, she still kicks my butt every time.
·
All meat, including fish, will come with at
least one bone in it. Meaning, chew well, and sometimes you have to accept not
knowing what part of an animal you are eating.
 |
| Durban coastline at night. |
Have a wonderful weekend, and most importantly... GO PATS!
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