On
Monday I got to step out of my usual routine at the GEU and help out the
organization on campus called, Differently Abled Students Association (DASA). I
spent the day gathering signatures for a petition to make the college campus
environment safer and more accessible for the differently abled students. Many
of the ramps on campus are too steep for wheelchairs and some places, like
residence halls, don’t even have ramps. Then there are many potholes, unmarked
and unblocked construction, and unpainted steps that the visually impaired
wouldn’t be able to see. These are things I would never think of as much of a
problem, but that’s because I have never been differently abled or known anyone
personally that was. Again, another privilege we don’t even realize, but these
problems are huge for those that are in a wheel chair or are visually impaired.
While the overwhelming majority of people were more than willing to sign the
petition, some responses of others surprised me. After explaining the purpose
of the petition- to get funding from administration for these fixes- a man just
nodded and walked away without signing with an attitude that seemed like he
didn’t trust me. When I think about it now, I think perhaps he heard my accent
and felt I really shouldn’t be representing the black and coloured South
African community that dominates the campus. Perhaps he is right, if that is
what he thought. Why should I be the one to ask for a change on a campus that
is so obviously not mine? Is this an instance of white privilege to assume my
voice will be heard and found reasonable and accepted? Even though I didn’t
really choose to help out with DASA, the actions can still be interpreted as a
white person trying to put her foot in something that is not hers to do. One
other response that surprised and disappointed me was when a man said he wasn’t
disabled and then walked away. The purpose of the petition is not to get
signatures from only people that are disabled, but signatures to support the disabled.
I very much hope that he did not understand this distinction, rather than just
using it as an excuse not to support a noble and worth venture. Lastly, I
realize now how many people walk away from petitions like this that take a
minute or less to sign. I also realize that I do this all the time at UConn
because I can’t be bothered on my way to class. How ignorant and self-centered
is this, though? When your signature can make a difference for the better, you
should take advantage and do it- at least for the sake of those benefitting. By
experiencing being the one behind the petition, I will never again walk past a
petition on Fairfield Way without knowing what the petition is going to help.
My week
didn’t continue as smoothly after Wednesday, though. On Thursday at UCT my
computer crashed. Not only is my 12 page paper for Vincent on there, but also
my documentary clips. Right now I am a little more worried about the final, but
there are so many things on that computer I need and want. My brother’s pictures
are on there, my own pictures from Honduras, Kenya, and South Africa, and
documents. Hopefully all of this, besides the South Africa pictures are on my
external hard drive at home. I’m just thankful I kept up with uploading South
African pictures onto Facebook. When this first happened I was a wreck. The
iStore here doesn’t actually fix Macs if they were bought in the US, so I had
to go to another store called iFix. Then since it’s on a first come, first
serve basis, mine couldn’t be looked at immediately. Plus, it’s a holiday
weekend so I won’t hear officially about the computer until Tuesday. So I cried
in the back of the UCT jammie on the way back to UCT to finish all the
assignments I had left to do considering I would probably spend the rest of my
time doing another final or studying. I at least have a few more weeks in South
Africa to scrounge up more interviews, and I went to Ocean View Friday since
Chantel got her younger cousins for me to interview. My mom helped me find out
that the problem I have with the computer, a faulty hard drive SATA cable, may
be fixable and still help me save my files. I am hoping this is what the iFix
store also tells me on Tuesday. Vincent also was very understanding and said I
could take a written exam, shorter than the twelve pages, but still open notes
as if I was writing an essay like everyone else. So, if anything, I am happy
that I don’t have to rewrite twelve pages because I take days to write just a
three page paper. This is not how I planned to spend my last week in the
program. I was done with nearly everything and now I have to redo something
that I took so much time to do in the first place. Some sort of karma must be
in the air for me. I know this isn’t the worst thing possible- I’ve already
been through that, but it’s still a devastating situation for me to have at the
end of my time in Cape Town when I am trying to fit everything in before
leaving.
Happier
news: I stopped totally sulking and went to see the Firefighters play in
Khayelitsha today with Bernie, Christina, and Maria who did their activist
project with them. Despite struggles with transportation and missing the first
game, we still got to see the older boys play and completely dominate. Their
skills and passion for soccer are amazing for how young they are. I know I was
never really excited for soccer when I played, so it’s good to see that they
actually love what they are doing and come without their parents forcing them.
In fact, sadly, their parents don’t even come to the game to see their children
play. We were really the only outside people, aside from coaches, that were
there to watch. I wouldn’t think playing games like that would be so much fun
without support and cheering, but the kids had fun. One more thing that was
rather upsetting about the game was that the uniforms are shared between both
the younger kids and older kids. So once the younger kids finished their game,
they took off their uniform and gave them to the older kids to wear for their
game. Maria, Christina, and Bernie had a Go Fund Me account that raised money
for more uniforms for the boys.
Being
in Khayelitsha was really interesting for me because I actually read a book
about a white man that went to live in Khayelitsha. So I asked our taxi drivers
about all sorts of places that I read about in the book like where iLitha Park
is and where Vovo Cash Store is and Site B. I was so excited to see some of the
things I read about; it makes the story so real. Aside from amazement of the
sights a reality, we also had a quite a fun time in the taxi. I showed them
Koze Kuze, a very popular South African Kwaito song and from there another
Kwaito song came on. This type of music is just beats with very little lyrics
and can only be enjoyably listened to when in the taxis (in my opinion),
nevertheless we found ways to dance to the music and the gotchi and driver
found it very funny. We also got to practice our Xhosa clicks. This is why I
love taxis- you get to see all types of things, practice Xhosa, and listen to
music you would never hear or listen to anywhere else.
Tonight
I am especially excited because a few of us are going to a gay burger joint
called Beef Cakes for a drag show. I’ve been wanting to go to one for so long,
especially since I work at the GEU and know Miss Gay Western Cape.
Despite
a tragic (exaggerating) few days, I am managing to still have a good time and
enjoy the last bit of Cape Town with everyone before my parents come. You can’t
let one thing ruin everything. Cape Town is too beautiful and exciting to stay
inside and cry. I honestly can’t believe my four months is almost up. I am
almost certain I will cry when I have to leave. I’ve been pretty close to
crying when just thinking about it. If anything, though, I talked to Chantel on
Friday about getting an internship in a clinic with a dietician during December
and January. I am hoping this will happen because all I think about is how I
don’t want to leave. Rather than think about leaving, I am going to think about coming
back.
