"Gimme Hope Joanna"

This was the final week for classes, a bittersweet ending to a valuable experience teaching at Wits. I truly enjoyed the interaction with my colleagues and helping my students in both formal settings and more casual interactions around campus. I feel as if I have made an impact on my students' lives and hopefully shaped their perspective on teaching. They handed their last second semester assignment on Thursday and have their final research report due on 5 November…after I grade and the enter marks I'm done!

Things are gradually coming together as I close out the year, get ready to go home for the holidays, and move to Rome. I was able to sell my car to one of the Fulbrighters who will be at Wits next year and he is going to take my room in my house. I think that he'll enjoy living off of campus, interacting with my roommates, and having more freedom to explore the city and country. As I offer advice and insight into my experience at Wits and in Johannesburg, I think back to January - Mariann and I didn't have the luxury of talking to Fulbrighter because we were the first in Johannesburg. I think back to the experiences I had, both frustrating (e.g. registering car, speeding tickets, "Africa time") and the exhilarating (e.g. teaching, traveling, spending time with family). I've grown a lot and feel that I have a different perspective on the world… Not to say that my perspective was incorrect before, I just feel that I have new insights/experiences that have shaped my outlook.

On Thursday, Nick and Andrew - the Fulbrighters from Bloemfontein - packed up their rental car and drove to Johannesburg. Although they are done teaching, they are not allowed to go back to the US, as the Fulbright contract stipulates a certain time period on the grant. So, they decided to go to India and Nepal for two weeks. It was great to spend time with them before the left and before we all leave South Africa. Crazy enough, when they get back on the 9th, John will be on his way to South Africa, I will be done at Wits and then we will travel before I leave!

On Friday, one of the Fulbrighters from Port Elizabeth came into town and Mariann and I went out to dinner with her in Melville. As she had never been to Johannesburg, we went to Soweto and through the city center in the morning, meeting up with Rob and Ben (from Pretoria). We went to the "Neighborgoods Market" which is a local market, with local food, food shops, and artwork in an abandon parking garage in the city. It is a really cool event - very unique and a "diamond in the rough" so to speak, because it's not in the nicest part of town. They had international foods - French, Italian, Mexican, German, Indian, et cetera. We got lunch, talked, and then decided to go to the Koppies (park) before the rain came. It was a beautiful day and we watched the storm roll in leaving right before it started to downpour (and hail). Not too motivated to go out to dinner, we decided to make dinner at my house and then I dropped Ben/Rob at the train station and Alice at her B+B. It was great to spend time with the Fulbrighters … there are not going to be too many more opportunities!

And last but not least here is some anti-Apartheid reggae…("Joanna" = "Johannesburg")

Eddy Grant "Gimme Hope Joanna"

"Well Jo'anna she runs a country

She runs in Durban and the Transvaal

She makes a few of her people happy, oh

She don't care about the rest at all

She's got a system they call apartheid

It keeps a brother in a subjection

But maybe pressure can make Jo'anna see

How everybody could a live as one

[chorus:]

Gimme hope, Jo'anna

Hope, Jo'anna

Gimme hope, Jo'anna

'Fore the morning come

Gimme hope, Jo'anna

Hope, Jo'anna

Hope before the morning come

I hear she make all the golden money

To buy new weapons, any shape of guns

While every mother in black Soweto fears

The killing of another son

Sneakin' across all the neighbours' borders

Now and again having little fun

She doesn't care if the fun and games she play

Is dang'rous to ev'ryone

[chorus]

She's got supporters in high up places

Who turn their heads to the city sun

Jo'anna give them the fancy money

Oh to tempt anyone who'd come

She even knows how to swing opinion

In every magazine and the journals

For every bad move that this Jo'anna makes

They got a good explanation

[chorus]

Even the preacher who works for Jesus

The Archbishop who's a peaceful man

Together say that the freedom fighters

Will overcome the very strong

I wanna know if you're blind Jo'anna

If you wanna hear the sound of drums

Can't you see that the tide is turning

Oh don't make me wait till the morning come

[chorus]

Senzeni Na?

Another week! This week my students finished up with their presentations on research they were conducting during teaching experience. Before leaving for teaching experience, the broke into teams and come up with a research question based on literacy. For example, "what literacy modes are used in Grade R - 5 maths classes?" They then each interviewed their supervising teacher, observed him/her teaching, and analyzed the course textbook. When they came back on campus they brought their data with them to compare/contrast with their group - the presentations were the results of their findings. On Monday, I have my last class; I'll just tie a lot of loose ends (administrative surveys, explaining final projects, et cetera). They turn in an assignment this week and then their final report on 5 November … that's all that I have left to do, grade!

On Wednesday, I led a training session for the teachers from the two schools for mobile literacies research project. As you may recall, I went to the township schools a few weeks ago to give an initial training. I think the teachers enjoyed getting out of school, away from the township, and for many of them, back to their alma mater (Wits) for training. I went over navigating through specific apps that require internet connection (they don’t have internet at their school yet). I've enjoyed seeing this project take shape; I remember in February during our first research meetings talking about which schools we would select and helping Wits lecturers with their own technological-learning pains.

I was surprised to come home this week and find many pieces of mail for me - all political ads. With so many issues on the ballot, Senate seats, House of Representative seats, and of course, the Presidency, mailers are in full swing. I thought to myself "they must really want my vote" as I flipped through them. The winner: $1.06 postage for a mailer in favor of a levy. Fun reminder too, incumbent politicians have free mailing privileges - I guess they didn't look at the country code before sending them out. Too bad I already sent in my absentee ballot!

As an avid reader of The Economist - my weekly homework - I was surprised to see this weeks' cover story: "Cry the Beloved Country: South Africa's Sad Decline". Not that it is shocking to read about the lack of leadership, corruption, and inequality that is rampant in South Africa, I just hope that it makes a societal impact (doubtful). A few interesting points:

• "Persistent inequality is in part down to the government's failure to educate young South Africans, particularly black ones. In the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Report, South Africa ranks 132nd out of 144 countries for its primary education and 143rd for the quality of its science and maths…"
• "Schools suffer from poor equipment. Only 20% have libraries, and only 7.5% actually have any books. Almost of all schools rely on pit latrines instead of proper toilets. In July textbooks that pupils should have received in January were found tossed into rivers in an effort to hide the failure to deliver them."
• "The standard of teaching is low, too. Training is inadequate. South Africa needs 25,000 new teachers a year but only around 10,000 qualify. Maths and science teachers are in particularly short supply. Many arrive late to school and leave early, spending barely half their allotted time in class. Many fail to turn up at all on Fridays."
• "The starkest measure of South Africa's failure is the yawning gap between rich and poor. Under apartheid, such inequality was by design. Since apartheid came to an end, a tiny black elite has accrued great fortunes. But that has only widened the wealth gap. South Africa's Gini coefficient - the best-known measure of inequality, in which 0 is the most equal and 1 the least - was 0.63 in 2009. In 1993, it was 0.59. After 18 years of full democracy, South Africa is one of the most unequal countries in the world." 

A beautiful isiZulu/isiXhosa song: Senzeni Na?

Tying Loose Ends

It's hard to believe that it's already mid-October. This week was my last week of classes (not officially) and I helped my students prepare for their group presentations this upcoming week. The last week of October is a "tying loose ends" sort of week, with students working on their digital projects and their final research paper.

After driving through the Northern Cape, Botswana, and Namibia, my windshield was speckled with small chips from rocks. As the weather has warmed and I've gone over bumps, the chips have started to crack. Unlike in the US, the insurance will not cover for filling in cracks (preventative) or replacing the windshield. You may recall that I replaced my windshield in March, when a huge rock cracked my window on my way to Gaborone. In any event, I had to replace the windshield before selling my car - it's not aesthetically pleasing and well, the car would not pass the "roadworthy test" when the future buyer tries to register the car. I found a company in March that I was able to negotiate with and called them again. No problem, they would be to my office by 12:00 on Tuesday. 12:30 rolled around and I received a call from the secretary who said that they were running late (no kidding!) - the job they were at was taking longer than expected. They told me that they would be there between 2:30 - 3:00. Fine, I had the afternoon free. Not fine, I receive another call at 3:05, they are stuck in traffic, but would be there by 3:30…African time kicked in and they arrived at 5:00 to replace my windshield (only 5 hours late!).

I've started to advertise selling my car, as I don’t anticipate having it for more than a month more (of course, because I'm leaving). In any event, I've put up advertisements on South Africa's version of Craig's List and signs on my car. One of the lecturers at Wits put me in contact with a family friend (an American) who was interested in my car. We organized a viewing…which to her surprise, she saw that my car is a two door. I guess sending pictures and information about the car didn't clarify that (ironic). The selling continues! It's just a anxious process because I still need my car for a month and I have an odd schedule with traveling around before leaving… plus, who wants to buy a car and have to wait a month to get it?

One of the Fulbrighter's posted this video on Facebook and I found it to be very powerful. Just for some background, it's common for people who are trying to be "clever" to post something on a social media site and then write #firstworldproblems. For example, "I hate when I have 500 television channels, but nothing good is on to watch #firstworldproblems." The point being that the person realizes what they're saying is ridiculous, however, it's typically said in a sarcastic tone (not always the best intentioned). Anyway, a non-profit organization took this idea and applied it to their attempt to bring fresh water to Haiti: Video

Teachers Day and Et Cetera

This was the first week back with the students after their three-week teaching experience and a spring break the first week of September. It was nice to see students back and feel the "buzz" of the campus again. It's incredible that I have three more weeks of classes! I'll grade exams the first week or so of November, then John comes to visit, we travel around southern Africa before heading back to the US.

I spent a large part of my week preparing for Friday's "World Teacher's Day Celebration". I was asked by the head of the School of Education to help coordinate the events for the day. I, along with four other lecturers, planned a morning session for students of the School of Education and prospective teachers (high school students). The morning event was held on campus at the Linder Auditorium and we had the school's choir perform before the event, three exemplary teachers from the community speak, and had prizes to give away.  The auditorium was surprisingly packed full of students and the speakers were really inspiring. After the event, the prospective students were taken on a tour of campus, sat in on a few classes, and saw the residence halls. In the afternoon, we organized a teacher's appreciation tea and roundtable discussion for teachers in the community. The event was really positive - we had three speakers from the School of Education and student teachers talk about why they want to be teachers. With more than 75 teachers from the community and a dozen more staff members from Wits, the event was a success. We gave them all 'teacher packs' - full of items that they will use in the classroom (pens, pencils, highlighters, correction fluid, erasers, et cetera). There was a lot that goes into planning an event of this magnitude - a lot of things done in the background to make sure the event runs smoothly (and a lot of bureaucracy to get through). Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with how well the day went yet glad it is over!

On Sunday, I went to Gerhard and Marlize's for a potjie ("poh-oy-key" literally "small pot"), a swim, and a relaxing afternoon. A potjie is a Dutch oven stew with lamb (Karoo - from the Kalahari!), vegetables, potatoes, et cetera served over rice. It was so nice to spend time with them, a perfect afternoon really. I got some work done, finished a book (in the sun!), swam, ate good food with good company… what more can a guy ask for? 

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Wits Choir

Morning Speakers

Teacher's Day Tea and Roundtable