To be honest, as I started to pack my bags and prepare for the South Africa trip, there were a few apprehensions going through my mind. I was most concerned then about doing well on the internship and fitting in with the other members of the group. But soon, when the date of the flight began to draw closer, I revised these fears. After all, I said to myself, I am going to Cape Town to not do resume building, but to push myself outside my normal comfort zone and experience and absorb a different culture. At the same time I had made up my mind not to be a tourist but an explorer and a participant in South African ways for the next couple of weeks. I have never been to the country before and have only studied, read and heard about it in various forms of media. In a way my goal is to observe the country, or at least Cape Town and Johannesburg, and form an opinion for myself. But I am also going to be frank by saying that I intend to observe myself and how well am I able to adjust and work in an environment that is not too strongly influenced by Western culture. It is important for me to assess myself whether as a journalist I am able to adapt to the news culture here and deliver the truth to people here in a way that they are comfortable with.
I look forward to the program changing any previous misconceptions I had about the region and also educating me about it. There is nothing like firsthand experience to help form a perspective and as a journalist it is my duty to not rely completely on written accounts. So in a way this program will make me a better journalist. Since I am an international student, being among different cultures is not something new to me. I also reside in a country, the United Arab Emirates that has mostly expatriates as the general population. But South Africa is special because of the various communities that are present, whether brought by force or choice. I think relating the history of these communities to their present situation will also give me a chance to question myself about my belief and sense of community. The program has been designed in a way that all of us will work in groups, live, share and experience the country together, so we do not feel lost in an unknown country and can rely on some support in case of mistakes. But at the same time I think I will have some freedom to sense and settle ourselves into the city.
In terms of Bush Radio, where I will be doing my internship, there are a few things I hope to achieve. One is a bit of experimentation with the field of broadcast journalism. When I first signed up for the program I was very tempted to choose something I am more familiar with, which is the newspaper track, the Cape Times. But as I thought about it more and after some research, I felt that by working with Bush Radio, I could at least gain some experience in the area. While I have learnt the ropes of audio editing and broadcast writing and did do a little freelance work with Sagal Radio in Atlanta, I am more than eager to put into practice what I have learnt and maybe learn something that I did not learn in class. Coming to South Africa itself is an unconventional trip, so why not take an unconventional and unexpected approach to our internships as well? And as all journalists are aware, the convergence of the field now requires that everyone should be in some ways adept in all mediums. I am also looking forward to understanding and comparing the structure of media creation in the company and the differences between how print and broadcast newsrooms, community and commercial stations function.
Somehow I feel more at ease knowing that I am experiencing this country and doing the internships as a group, just because in my opinion travelling together is always more fulfilling. I do know a few of the attendees but I am excited to meet some new people and have some interesting company on this journey. While being part of a group can mean it is easier to move around and visit new places without fearing about our safety, if we don’t get along with each other then the trip becomes more unpleasant. But the fact that we are all from Emory University automatically proves that we will have a sense of bonding and commonality between us. I think apart from the planned activities it is important to go in groups to other spots around Cape Town and even socialize by going out at night and having some fun. Another possible way of bringing the group closer is to share and help each other out. If we have joint dinners or visit restaurants in groups it will give us the chance to talk, interact and learn more about each other. I do not foresee many conflicts among the group because I feel most of us would be mature, intelligent and open-minded people for even coming to this non-traditional location. However, if it does happen I see myself simply talking it out with the person. We will all be living together for more than a month and so we are literally going to be like a family. And so we are going to have to be honest with each other if we all want to have a pleasant stay.
As I was leaving many people, friends and relatives, cautioned me endlessly about my safety. While it is a priority, it is not what I fear the most. More than anything, the only thing I fear would be not doing well in internship. But as I sit here on the flight, thinking about my response to that question, I sometimes think that it’s not only academic or career success that I am concerned about but about this personal test which I am giving myself. This trip is a test to see how I do here in South Africa in terms of adjusting to the place, interacting with people and respecting the way of life here. And sometimes I fear that I may not meet my own expectations. But I think that by observing and not jumping headlong into anything without thinking thrice about it would be my best approach. I will make mistakes but at least I will have the opportunity to be corrected and to learn from those very mistakes.
First of all, working with Bush Radio is in my eyes a privilege and will add to my training as a journalist because it is not only one of oldest and respected stations in Africa, but as a medium took part in abolishing the Apartheid system. Nothing could be more rewarding than working with a station which has the ability to influence people, which I am sure other journalists and interviewers, with whom I will work in the future, will recognize. Also, another important benefit which I mentioned earlier is the changing requirements of journalism where one needs to be comfortable with delivering news in all mediums and Bush Radio will assist me in that. And finally I believe that the experience of South Africa itself will be an eye-opener to what I can expect in the future as a correspondent. The career I plan to have, beside its competitiveness and stress also requires well-rounded and broad-minded personality who is willing to go beyond and above to get a story and so being here in South Africa and how I fare will be an attestation to that.
May 17th 2009: Journal Entry 2- Expectations and and First Impressions of Cape Town
Cape Town is a mixture of my expectations and some surprises. Having never visited the country, let alone any part of the African continent, I actually did not know what to expect. I have seen movies, read books, reviewed news and taken courses regarding the present situation of the country and people. I also have a few friends and relatives who have resided and who are currently residing in the country and even from their description and account I could not get a very clear sense except for the city being more like a quaint port town and a well-developed commercial area. After doing some more research I gauged that the city had many European influences and so in many ways would reflect that through the architecture. With the mountain backdrop and sea front I assumed it would be less of a strictly urban area and a more peaceful countryside area. And I also expected to see less impoverished areas and larger white dominance around, in a way mirroring European cities. I was partially correct. Indeed in terms of layout Cape Town has breathtaking scenery with fantastic views all around. The entire city starts from the foot of Table Mountain and eventually cascades down into the Atlantic Ocean. In many ways the city setup reminds me a lot of San Francisco where a lot of the streets and houses alternate between being uphill or downhill and the terrain overall is not at all flat or plateau-like. The urban part of the city, which seems to be centrally-located, is not dominant and is minimal compared to the more flat-roofed houses and cottages, which sprinkle a majority of the city. Houses and building seem to continue on with interruptions of urban structures like skyscrapers and stadiums, till the beach front making it appear to a person flying in on a plane as more of a town.
The city is actually quite well-equipped with modern amenities like tar roads. But what makes Cape Town so unique is that government has decided to keep the old elements such as castles dating back to the Dutch East India Company while incorporating high-rises. In the deep parts of some of the areas like Bo-Kaap, the tar road suddenly ends to reveal cobbled paths. It in a way gives the city its sense of history and culture and lets visitors and residents not forget how Cape Town once was. Communities that seem to live together are subtly sectioned and focused around the religious places of worship like mosques and churches. Each community has its own style of building construction, with many Muslim communities painting their houses in bright colors. But there are some structures which are integrated in terms of style. We saw one mosque, which instead of having a typical think minaret, had a spiraling tower with turrets that seemed to reflect Gothic architecture and was located on Church Street.
The Western Cape is according to sources known for having the most Coluored population and I have noticed this as well. Black Africans are the second largest group followed by whites and then Indians. In terms of distribution it seemed that Cape Flats as township has the most Coloured people and Khayelitsha consists of mostly black people. The area where we lived seemed to be mostly white-populated. Keeping this in mind I think the socio-economic disparities are extremely vast within Cape Town even though it is considered to be by itself a major economic center in the country. You have areas like Stellenbosch where mostly the affluent reside thanks to the booming wine industry and then you have townships like Khayelitsha where people live minimalistic lifestyles and are struggling in terms of resources. In many ways it is the huge economic differences that act as a base to the disparities in education, society etc. We have been warned about the problem of crime which is also a result of the frustration of low income. While we do see it around us daily as we travel to our workplaces I personally don’t see any other way with dealing with it except to blend in with the crowd.
The city is actually quite well-equipped with modern amenities like tar roads. But what makes Cape Town so unique is that government has decided to keep the old elements such as castles dating back to the Dutch East India Company while incorporating high-rises. In the deep parts of some of the areas like Bo-Kaap, the tar road suddenly ends to reveal cobbled paths. It in a way gives the city its sense of history and culture and lets visitors and residents not forget how Cape Town once was. Communities that seem to live together are subtly sectioned and focused around the religious places of worship like mosques and churches. Each community has its own style of building construction, with many Muslim communities painting their houses in bright colors. But there are some structures which are integrated in terms of style. We saw one mosque, which instead of having a typical think minaret, had a spiraling tower with turrets that seemed to reflect Gothic architecture and was located on Church Street.
The Western Cape is according to sources known for having the most Coluored population and I have noticed this as well. Black Africans are the second largest group followed by whites and then Indians. In terms of distribution it seemed that Cape Flats as township has the most Coloured people and Khayelitsha consists of mostly black people. The area where we lived seemed to be mostly white-populated. Keeping this in mind I think the socio-economic disparities are extremely vast within Cape Town even though it is considered to be by itself a major economic center in the country. You have areas like Stellenbosch where mostly the affluent reside thanks to the booming wine industry and then you have townships like Khayelitsha where people live minimalistic lifestyles and are struggling in terms of resources. In many ways it is the huge economic differences that act as a base to the disparities in education, society etc. We have been warned about the problem of crime which is also a result of the frustration of low income. While we do see it around us daily as we travel to our workplaces I personally don’t see any other way with dealing with it except to blend in with the crowd.
May 18th 2009: Journal Entry 3- Reflection on first internship site visit
All I knew of Bush Radio when I chose to intern there that it was a more a community-based and community-organized station. I think I also expected it to be a smaller-scale version of National Public Radio but definitely a serious radio station. Clearly I had no idea what Bush Radio was truly about. The moment I stepped into the reception area the first word that popped into my mind was “indie”. All the décor and wallpaper had quirky bits like painted bricks and old transistor sets. The entrance had a sign with the a life size cut-out of the founder Zane Ibrahim by the words Building Democracy Brick by Brick. Memorabilia from the past such as awards and the original logos and transmission devices of the station are displayed proudly. In that way it gave me a sense of how non-commercial Bush Radio was by recognizing and celebrating its shaky roots. When one walks inside they will be surrounded by pale yellow and lime green walls. There are speakers all around the office with the shows playing on full volume as per schedule.The first person to walk in to greet us was one of the RJs Shiraz/ Shaz who was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, something that surprised me for second because I expected a super-professional attire code for a station that considered its members to conduct themselves as journalists. But people were not sloppy about their dressing either. A lot of the people and interns I saw as I walked around wore skinny jeans and nice boots, trendy yet not too casual for the workplace and definitely perfect for the office atmosphere. At one point I found myself feeling not as nicely dressed as everyone else. I guess it was partly the paranoia that many people put into my head regarding conservative dressing style and my own fear and assumption that the way I dress in the US may be “too much” for Cape Town. I was definitely wrong. It was very relaxed even during the weekly staff meetings where everyone joked in-between or passionately criticized something or even swear profusely. And I don’t know if I was expecting it or not but the fact that the staff and interns came from various backgrounds was a nice addition. I am also somehow confident that it won’t take me too long to understand the accents here because I myself have an odd accent of my own.
Everything in general about Bush Radio’s office setup just speaks unconventional. There are some mismatching futons and furniture around that actually add a bit of flair rather than make it seem tacky. Chairs for the staff are not the most comfortable and some even have worn out so much that the padding beneath the chair covers could be seen but somehow it just seem to add to the down-to-earth kind of nature of the station. But one thing the station does not compromise on is equipment. While they may not be state-of-the art by so-called US standards the two production rooms with two huge editing dashboards are really efficient and well-maintained. I feel with enough funding Bush will be able to upgrade some of its computers and field recorders, which I think is extremely important for a community radio station. After looking and using some of the equipment here I feel that at times we have been spoilt in terms of technology access back at Emory and here I feel like I will learn to make the best use of what is available.
May 24th 2009: Journal Entry 4- Reflections on thoughts on flight over and expectations
As I look back on what I wrote on my flight over I can see that I was a bit unsure of how journalism works in South Africa. I was also not confident of what to expect of seeing South Africa because of the idea of “impoverished Africa” that most people commonly hold. It has been more than two weeks since I have been here in Cape Town and in my internship. While some of initial concerns have been eased there are some thoughts that have been confirmed.
In terms of my experience moving around Cape Town and going to places I have fortunately not had any threatening or dangerous encounters with anyone. While I remain alert and confident I don’t walk feeling anxious anymore like I did for the first two to three days. I have learnt how one is supposed to talk and walk when in the city.
Another thing that I was extremely impressed by was the level of awareness around HIV/AIDS and the kind of grassroots movements that are taking place. Almost every single day at my internship, Bush Radio there are some activities and programs related to improving the community or spreading the word about something. So far it seems that most people in South Africa, as cliché as this might sound, are geared in being involved and social upliftment. The number of organizations, events and fundraisers that are occurring daily are proof of that.
Cape Town is a really vibrant city in terms of people. I initially thought in many ways that it would remind me of how Dubai is. In this case it would seem I was right except for a few things. The people living here are so completely different from each other racially, culturally and even on language terms. In Dubai most of the population are made up of expatriates and very few are of Arab nationality. In Cape Town while the native blacks are the majority, there are still many more communities like Malay, Indian, white and Coloured. In terms of interactions, in Dubai most people stick to and grow up in their own community groups and now and then interact with people of different ethnicities, but not consciously. Here in Cape Town interactions seem pretty varied, but again this is based on my experience. But even though the country in general is still recovering from the wounds of apartheid, I find that communication and contact with people not only racially different but speaking very different languages is quite common.
I seemed to have also been worried about how well I would adjust to the workplace atmosphere in our internships. The concept of orientation or adjustment is clearly not a necessity. As soon as we were shown around the studio we were thrown into work. The work culture seemed much more casual than what I am used to and maybe a bit less structured. There was this one time during my first few days when I arranged for an interview for one of the shows but I had no idea that I was required to get a landline for that and 15 minutes before we went on air someone informed me and I immediately scrambled. Had I known about this policy I would have definitely done it, but I was simply not told and I just had to find out for myself. The kind of sink or swim mentality here is a bit surprising but at the same time a nice challenge.
In terms of my experience moving around Cape Town and going to places I have fortunately not had any threatening or dangerous encounters with anyone. While I remain alert and confident I don’t walk feeling anxious anymore like I did for the first two to three days. I have learnt how one is supposed to talk and walk when in the city.
Another thing that I was extremely impressed by was the level of awareness around HIV/AIDS and the kind of grassroots movements that are taking place. Almost every single day at my internship, Bush Radio there are some activities and programs related to improving the community or spreading the word about something. So far it seems that most people in South Africa, as cliché as this might sound, are geared in being involved and social upliftment. The number of organizations, events and fundraisers that are occurring daily are proof of that.
Cape Town is a really vibrant city in terms of people. I initially thought in many ways that it would remind me of how Dubai is. In this case it would seem I was right except for a few things. The people living here are so completely different from each other racially, culturally and even on language terms. In Dubai most of the population are made up of expatriates and very few are of Arab nationality. In Cape Town while the native blacks are the majority, there are still many more communities like Malay, Indian, white and Coloured. In terms of interactions, in Dubai most people stick to and grow up in their own community groups and now and then interact with people of different ethnicities, but not consciously. Here in Cape Town interactions seem pretty varied, but again this is based on my experience. But even though the country in general is still recovering from the wounds of apartheid, I find that communication and contact with people not only racially different but speaking very different languages is quite common.
I seemed to have also been worried about how well I would adjust to the workplace atmosphere in our internships. The concept of orientation or adjustment is clearly not a necessity. As soon as we were shown around the studio we were thrown into work. The work culture seemed much more casual than what I am used to and maybe a bit less structured. There was this one time during my first few days when I arranged for an interview for one of the shows but I had no idea that I was required to get a landline for that and 15 minutes before we went on air someone informed me and I immediately scrambled. Had I known about this policy I would have definitely done it, but I was simply not told and I just had to find out for myself. The kind of sink or swim mentality here is a bit surprising but at the same time a nice challenge.
May 28th 2009: Journal Entry 5- The Shebeen
Images: (right) Artists impression of the inside of a shebeen in the 1960s
(left) The shebeen we visited in Imizamo Yethu
Thursday evening; so close to the weekend, yet so far. If I had been in Dubai I would have already been kicking off my shoes to welcome those two glorious days of a week (the weekend in the UAE starts on Thursday). This one Thursday though, Magister invited us for a trip to a township where we would get a chance to interact with the people and revel in the night with them. Now I had no idea then as to what a party in a township would entail. All I was told is that we would be given a tour about the people and the township’s history. Oh and we would be visiting a shebeen. They were local gathering places or bars where illicit alcohol was distributed during apartheid as blacks then were barred from most pubs. Shebeens are now legal and very popular in most townships as a way to relax. Well, partying traditional South African style would indeed be interesting was my reaction.
Our buses to take us came, into which we gladly climbed in to escape the cold and rain. We drove and drove and eventually came to a stop at somewhere outside the city. We were briefed on what we would be doing. And then we drove into Hout Bay into the township Imizamo Yethu. Apparently it name means “Together we struggle” after the people in the township refused to move to make way for white residents in the area.
We passed by many tin shacks. I thought our presence would bring a lot of attention to ourselves, but surprisingly none of the people walking by even batted an eyelid. Clearly, they were used to this. Then we finally pulled up by a larger tin house perched on a raised surface. People in the shebeen greeted us like we were long-time friends and we did this regularly. It takes a lot of openness to allow strangers into your house with such warmth and I really appreciated that. On first glances of the interior of the shebeen once can see that it is simple and earthy. Wooden poles and wooden planks supported the structure. There are no long bar tables or stacks of glasses or fancy lights. Just a few seats lined up against the wall in a circle and tables in a corner. It then hit me; these were places where people frustrated by the ills of apartheid could come and relax and vent about the social and political issues of the country. This in its own way was a historic site, a sign of a community. As we sat there, the residents of the township came and greeted us and asked about us. I felt like they were offering us a piece of their culture as if to say this is how it was, a safe haven from our oppressors where we are free. As long as you don't take away this from us you are welcome. We all talked for a while with some of the people about the township and their lives there, with kwaito music playing in the background. Suddenly we were told to quiet down and turn our attention to the center of the room. Five small boys stepped in and starting dancing in a style called “Pantsula”. It was a kind of freestyle that seemed pretty hard to do but the children did it effortlesslu. My first reaction was, why are they forcing these kids to dance in front of strangers especially where there is alcohol present. Later, I thought maybe they wanted to do it and maybe this was quite normal in the community. After all music was an important part of shebeens. A capella performances followed and other dancers came up, all very talented artists fit for any professional arena. Finally we were asked to join in the revelry and were taught a few dance moves.
It was indeed a night to remember. People we did not know or had not even interacted with before now became our friends as we all danced the night away. I don’t know where the people at Imizamo Yethu were actually glad to see us or treated us just like any other tourists, but all I knew was that I felt one with that gathering. I could see how this place become an escape from what happened outside. We all meshed in together, black, white, and brown in that tiny room. Music and thought thrived here. In many ways these shebeens are symbols of struggle by opposing authority and demonstrating freedom of expression. They are a necessary part of the community and have to remain as they are an important part of South African history. In their own way the people in shebeens fought against apartheid by going against the government. Visiting the shebeen was crucial for us to understand this part of the country, away from the museums and the usual sights. Banned places where condemned minds convened.
May 30th 2009: Journal Entry 6- Getting HIV Tested
Center Image: Standing in line to get HIV tested at Vredenburg
It was a Saturday in Cape Town like any other. Another of our Saturday group trips that on this particular day required us to get ready at eight in morning drive to a mobile HIV/TB clinic in Vredenburg that was four hours away. To be honest, I would not describe myself as being ecstatic at that point. The previous night I had stayed late at Bush Radio to finish up my show and then as soon as I came home, I was hounded by my friends to go out. Not the best decision. So anyway, we were all off– bleary-eyed yes, but on our way – in our trusted white van while Phoebe Gribble, the main clinic coordinator and our guide for the day talked to us about their work and the ailments they deal with. As she explained, I somehow was transported back to 8th grade in an Indian school classroom where my biology teacher dictated in her nasal, droning voice about the symptoms of AIDS, pausing and staring at us sternly every time our class giggled at the word “intercourse”. I thought to myself then, well I kind of already know this. I anyway forced myself back to reality and paid more attention to what Phoebe was saying. Soon I realized that no, I didn’t know all of this and began to feel sheepish for letting my ego get the better of me and thinking that I did. At that time, I felt that we let our educated backgrounds go to our heads and immediately block ourselves from learning more about a familiar topic because we feel we already know about it.
It was a spectacularly lovely drive that day and the clear skies were breathtaking. I decided not to take the opportunity to catch a few winks to view the surrounding scenery. I started to daydream and think about what to expect at the clinic? I had never been to one before. What would we be doing exactly? Would we get the chance to interact with patients? My encounters with people who are HIV positive had only began in South Africa during interviews for the show that I co-produce at Bush Radio, Sakhisizwe, so meeting people with HIV was a novelty to me.
When we arrived, we were briefed a bit about the clinic and given demonstrations about protection during sex. It was like I was back in the classroom again. As soon as one of the health professionals pulled out the female and male condoms and we were shown how to use them, all of us turned red and had huge grins around our faces. My friend next to me began to cough violently, obviously trying to stifle her laughter. Suddenly everyone in the entire Emory group was wide awake. We were then herded to a tent and got a chance to ask questions. Questions like the difference between HIV and AIDS. I learnt that everyone gets the two confused and most people who are diagnosed as HIV positive think they have AIDS as well and think they are going to die soon. That is not true. While AIDS may be caused by the virus, it is not an inevitable result. Some of the treatments and testing methods that they mentioned were some I had never heard of before. The ladies talked with such authority about the complexity of the ailment that the enormity of the entire situation hit me like a brick wall. We have become so immune to advertisements and announcements about HIV that rather than thinking about it or doing something about it we take it in through one ear and immediately let it out through the other. But this here in South Africa felt so real. I was definitely impressed by how well the clinic was organized and in general by the awareness being raised and the action taken. This was a national priority among the people and the whole country seemed to be mobilizing and rallying around this point, in my opinion.
While I was mulling all this over, Phoebe made an announcement.
“So who want to get tested for HIV?,” she said.
I assure you I was not expecting that at all. In fact, I was taken aback a little. I thought to myself, I don’t need to because I do not engage in any of the activities that can lead to an infection. It’s not necessary. Then immediately I thought, Oh Umika, you hypocrite! We constantly talk about raising awareness, doing good and helping people, but how do can we expect people listen to us if we consider ourselves above them and less likely to get HIV. Getting tested is our duty and important, just as it is important to do routine health check-ups and get vaccinations. One can never be completely confident that they will not get sick because of their lifestyle. It can happen to anyone.
So a couple of us gathered inside a small tent, waiting to be called. I guess I was nervous and the fact that it suddenly became cold and cloudy did not help at all. And then I went next. The nurse who was doing my test welcomed me and began to fire away a few questions about my life and habits. Because the RV in which the test was being done was parked at a slant, it was a little difficult to answer her as I tried to avoid slipping from my seat. She finally asked me if I had ever been tested before. I said no. In the US every time I have tried to donate blood I always get rejected because I travel to India often and therefore my blood is “at risk” of being infected with malaria. Then without another word, she grabbed my hand and pricked it with a needle. She then squeezed the blood onto a strip which she then immediately poured into a vertically long stick the size of a forefinger and then we wait. As we waited she talked to me more about HIV and the forms of infections. Of course, this was all to keep my eyes and attention averted from the little stick. But nothing can be wrong with me, I thought. Right?
I saw a little trail of blood flowing through the stick and pass by a small viewing window. It then moved on to the next window and suddenly a tiny line formed. I thought, oh no. A line? What does that mean? The nurse glanced at the stick and quickly jotted down something and said I was fine and I was HIV negative. She said if I was HIV positive then the blood flow would have stopped in the first window and the line would have formed there. They usually don’t tell patients what the lines mean until after the result just in case the blood flow does stop in the first window and they need to verify the information. Wow, I thought to myself. Those few minutes in the room made it feel like everything else around me had frozen except for the slowly flowing drop of blood. And once it was over, I felt proud. Proud that I had done it and in my own small way tried to get rid of the stigma of being tested. I stepped out of the room feeling like a new person. I looked at the tiny dot on the tip of finger thinking even though I felt confident about my result it was just the action of doing it that made me think about it and the feel the reality of HIV. That one prick changed my entire perspective of the trip.
It was a spectacularly lovely drive that day and the clear skies were breathtaking. I decided not to take the opportunity to catch a few winks to view the surrounding scenery. I started to daydream and think about what to expect at the clinic? I had never been to one before. What would we be doing exactly? Would we get the chance to interact with patients? My encounters with people who are HIV positive had only began in South Africa during interviews for the show that I co-produce at Bush Radio, Sakhisizwe, so meeting people with HIV was a novelty to me.
When we arrived, we were briefed a bit about the clinic and given demonstrations about protection during sex. It was like I was back in the classroom again. As soon as one of the health professionals pulled out the female and male condoms and we were shown how to use them, all of us turned red and had huge grins around our faces. My friend next to me began to cough violently, obviously trying to stifle her laughter. Suddenly everyone in the entire Emory group was wide awake. We were then herded to a tent and got a chance to ask questions. Questions like the difference between HIV and AIDS. I learnt that everyone gets the two confused and most people who are diagnosed as HIV positive think they have AIDS as well and think they are going to die soon. That is not true. While AIDS may be caused by the virus, it is not an inevitable result. Some of the treatments and testing methods that they mentioned were some I had never heard of before. The ladies talked with such authority about the complexity of the ailment that the enormity of the entire situation hit me like a brick wall. We have become so immune to advertisements and announcements about HIV that rather than thinking about it or doing something about it we take it in through one ear and immediately let it out through the other. But this here in South Africa felt so real. I was definitely impressed by how well the clinic was organized and in general by the awareness being raised and the action taken. This was a national priority among the people and the whole country seemed to be mobilizing and rallying around this point, in my opinion.
While I was mulling all this over, Phoebe made an announcement.
“So who want to get tested for HIV?,” she said.
I assure you I was not expecting that at all. In fact, I was taken aback a little. I thought to myself, I don’t need to because I do not engage in any of the activities that can lead to an infection. It’s not necessary. Then immediately I thought, Oh Umika, you hypocrite! We constantly talk about raising awareness, doing good and helping people, but how do can we expect people listen to us if we consider ourselves above them and less likely to get HIV. Getting tested is our duty and important, just as it is important to do routine health check-ups and get vaccinations. One can never be completely confident that they will not get sick because of their lifestyle. It can happen to anyone.
So a couple of us gathered inside a small tent, waiting to be called. I guess I was nervous and the fact that it suddenly became cold and cloudy did not help at all. And then I went next. The nurse who was doing my test welcomed me and began to fire away a few questions about my life and habits. Because the RV in which the test was being done was parked at a slant, it was a little difficult to answer her as I tried to avoid slipping from my seat. She finally asked me if I had ever been tested before. I said no. In the US every time I have tried to donate blood I always get rejected because I travel to India often and therefore my blood is “at risk” of being infected with malaria. Then without another word, she grabbed my hand and pricked it with a needle. She then squeezed the blood onto a strip which she then immediately poured into a vertically long stick the size of a forefinger and then we wait. As we waited she talked to me more about HIV and the forms of infections. Of course, this was all to keep my eyes and attention averted from the little stick. But nothing can be wrong with me, I thought. Right?
I saw a little trail of blood flowing through the stick and pass by a small viewing window. It then moved on to the next window and suddenly a tiny line formed. I thought, oh no. A line? What does that mean? The nurse glanced at the stick and quickly jotted down something and said I was fine and I was HIV negative. She said if I was HIV positive then the blood flow would have stopped in the first window and the line would have formed there. They usually don’t tell patients what the lines mean until after the result just in case the blood flow does stop in the first window and they need to verify the information. Wow, I thought to myself. Those few minutes in the room made it feel like everything else around me had frozen except for the slowly flowing drop of blood. And once it was over, I felt proud. Proud that I had done it and in my own small way tried to get rid of the stigma of being tested. I stepped out of the room feeling like a new person. I looked at the tiny dot on the tip of finger thinking even though I felt confident about my result it was just the action of doing it that made me think about it and the feel the reality of HIV. That one prick changed my entire perspective of the trip.
June 3rd 2009: Journal Entry 7- Part of something historic in South Africa
Nine A.M. in the morning at Bush Radio is usually when everyone is slowly arriving and getting into the routine of things. People joke around and chat while sipping coffee or going through the morning newspaper.
But on June 3rd 2009 everything moved at a quicker and more brisk pace. People were barking orders back and forth and many ran back and forth between production rooms and the programming office. After all the first State of the Nation speech by President Jacob Zuma, to a recession-ridden country, did not happen every day.
We had two other news interns already camped outside the House of Parliaments in order to get the best footage and audio and to also set up the live feed to the station. When we finally were connected and President Zuma began his speech, the whole office went silent. Someone increased the volume of the speakers and all of us settled at our respective work desks to listen. Now and then someone would interject with a comment or a joke on something Zuma said. But most of the time we just sat there listening and analyzing the speech for its content as any journalist would. At the same time I felt like I was a part of something very historic happening at that moment. The State of the Nation speech is a declaration of what the new or re-elected government will do in the next five years and is the mark of some change. I felt like I was a part of that change and all that was to come; a new beginning. That feeling was so overwhelming that in that room with all the other staff and interns I felt like I was a South African for a brief moment. I thought later that maybe it was just a reaction to the excitement and importance of the event. But I also think that being here for a while has made me accept this life and place as my home. I am that kind of person who can adjust really quickly to any place without a fuss, largely because I was at boarding school for my last two years of high school. I find myself at ease here and act as if this is my home. South Africa issues, events and news are now extremely important for me to know more about because I feel that those are my issues as well. They affect me because I am a part of this country now.
Whether or not President Zuma will deliver the promises made in the speech was not what I was concerned about. I just felt so united and as one nation with all the Xhosa and Afrikaans speakers in the room even though I have no connection and have never had one with South Africa. Odd feeling, but I liked it.
Link to full speech:
http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=iol1244017375536Z516
(Creative) Journal Entry 8- The Woman in the painting
When the first morning rays dawn on Flower Street Villa
And I tumble out of bed to start another day at the station
I think to myself as I rub my eyes
How routine things have become unlike a vacation
Like always we wait for our noble steed Excite Cab to pull up
It arrives late, we climb in, stuff our bags in and it races away
Weaving in between traffic, honking at unruly drivers
And then it comes to my favorite part of the day
The ride goes by a bridge that glides over the glittering city
Over the blue bay, with the mountains towering above
But no it’s not the view that I look forward to
There is this picture, art I have come to love
This painting adorns the side of a large building
And must have taken a very very long time to do
It shows a black woman in a long flowing dress
With a television in one hand and in the other, children; two
She carries an air of simplicity that cannot be called ignorance
But strong and confident, a steady gaze and a small smile
You can tell she is a modern woman in touch with her roots
African beads, large hoop earrings, wavy patterns, a frizzy hair style
Her stance would seem a cliché pose of a village woman
But on her head in place of a pot is a television set
and on her opened palm stand two miniature children
Both backs turned, they belong to her, I bet
She has only eyes for them, only them
And they for her, the girl and boy
Or they could have eyes for the television
Seeming mesmerized by this entertaining toy
Somehow I see her as embodiment of the nation
That the children are the South Africans
And the television could be the different media
Guiding or corrupting through communication
Or the woman can be the media itself, nurturing South Africans
Whatever it may mean or be
I feel inspired renewed and changed
Every time it rises, by what I see
It’s like that picture is meant for me
To remind me about why I am doing this
Why I am a journalist, why I am in South Africa
The picture’s point is not easy to miss
She keeps her gaze on her children but leans over the city
Her appearance every morning wakes me to reality
Brightens my day and drives me along
To do a good job at Bush Radio and serve the community
Who the artist is a mystery to me and maybe I won’t know
I don’t want to ask and find out or understand
The true meaning of the painting for I fear
It may not seem the same to me and less grand
But I do know that weeks after I leave
That picture will stay in thoughts with me
In all its pink, blue and yellow hues
Looking lovingly down on Cape Town and sea
And I tumble out of bed to start another day at the station
I think to myself as I rub my eyes
How routine things have become unlike a vacation
Like always we wait for our noble steed Excite Cab to pull up
It arrives late, we climb in, stuff our bags in and it races away
Weaving in between traffic, honking at unruly drivers
And then it comes to my favorite part of the day
The ride goes by a bridge that glides over the glittering city
Over the blue bay, with the mountains towering above
But no it’s not the view that I look forward to
There is this picture, art I have come to love
This painting adorns the side of a large building
And must have taken a very very long time to do
It shows a black woman in a long flowing dress
With a television in one hand and in the other, children; two
She carries an air of simplicity that cannot be called ignorance
But strong and confident, a steady gaze and a small smile
You can tell she is a modern woman in touch with her roots
African beads, large hoop earrings, wavy patterns, a frizzy hair style
Her stance would seem a cliché pose of a village woman
But on her head in place of a pot is a television set
and on her opened palm stand two miniature children
Both backs turned, they belong to her, I bet
She has only eyes for them, only them
And they for her, the girl and boy
Or they could have eyes for the television
Seeming mesmerized by this entertaining toy
Somehow I see her as embodiment of the nation
That the children are the South Africans
And the television could be the different media
Guiding or corrupting through communication
Or the woman can be the media itself, nurturing South Africans
Whatever it may mean or be
I feel inspired renewed and changed
Every time it rises, by what I see
It’s like that picture is meant for me
To remind me about why I am doing this
Why I am a journalist, why I am in South Africa
The picture’s point is not easy to miss
She keeps her gaze on her children but leans over the city
Her appearance every morning wakes me to reality
Brightens my day and drives me along
To do a good job at Bush Radio and serve the community
Who the artist is a mystery to me and maybe I won’t know
I don’t want to ask and find out or understand
The true meaning of the painting for I fear
It may not seem the same to me and less grand
But I do know that weeks after I leave
That picture will stay in thoughts with me
In all its pink, blue and yellow hues
Looking lovingly down on Cape Town and sea
(Creative) Journal Entry 9- A Collage of Experiences
The schedule for the day at Bush Radio showing Animal Hour, Tech Talk and Boombox Generation; At the Cape of Good Hope; The group at Stellenbosch; Looking on at Table Mountain and Devil's Peak; African penguins (a mother and baby); Our first group outing together; Bo-Kaap; A township by a fiery sunset; Thandi and Nonsi singing on their first trip to Table Mountain; Robin and Natasha playing with children by the HIV/TB clinic
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