Township Stay

The following are thoughts I wrote down during my nights in Gugulethu. I needed a way to remember everything and the thoughts I had while I was in the moment:

Tuesday Night

Tonight was incredible. All of my expectations have been smashed into pieces. I don't know why I thought my home stay would be so difficult to get through. And that's exactly the thought I had coming to Gugulethu - Alright, I have 3 nights I need to "get through" and then we can go back to Mowbrey and UCT. Ridiculous. I came into tonight expecting my home to be a two bed max, somewhat dilapidated excuse for a house. I associated a home in Gugulethu to be nothing greater than that. Today and yesterday while we were driving through the township I witnessed the biggest slum I have ever seen. Literally, some of the places these people are living in aren't any bigger than the bathroom in my apartment in the states. And what's more - 4 people are living in it - not to mention there's only one bed and the flooring is non-existant. So you can see how shocked and even more confused I was tonight when I walked into Lisiwe's home which consisted of all woood flooring, tiled kitchen and bathroom, an entertainment system, clear glass huge shower with a whirl pool tub next to it, and three bedrooms. This house is way nicer than my apartment and most houses in the states. Have I been formed to think everyone living in the townships is struggling to put food on the table - granite countertops in Lisiwe's case - and completely overlook that Gugulethu is just as diverse as any other town in America? The only difference is that those living in Gugs haven't so much chosen to live there but rather forced by a crazy ass law to be isolated from the Afrikaaners... It's amazing - I'm in my own room hand writing this blog in a notebook because we were warned not to bring our computers; I couldn't feel safer right now.

But then I'll walk by the kitchen and look out the window only to see two tin corrugated-roof shacks which probably house a couple families or perhaps a 17 year old girl forced to take care of her siblings because her parents died. Either way - they'll be going to sleep hungry and cold. The blut differences not even 10 feet away from me...but somehow it's just accepted here. So I have to accept it as well, as morbid as it sounds...