Right Your Wrongs

I'm pretty certain that everybody has a story or experience in which they offended someone, but for whatever reason has yet to apologize for their actions. Perhaps you didn't realize the effect you had until it was too late. Perhaps you think too much time has passed for your apology to sound sincere. Maybe you're struggling with that guilt everyday but have no idea, or are too ashamed, to make things right. Perhaps you feel that the gap between you and the people you've hurt is too great to mend.

My advice is simple: just do it. Even if it's been years and years, just do it. Often we don't realize just how far reaching our actions can be--they have to power to influence people for years and years. Even if you can't be there in person to express your contrition, make a phone call, write a letter, hire a skywriter--do something. Perhaps that simple action will make all the difference. And even if it doesn't, maybe you'll even sleep a little better at night knowing that you've done your best. Part of growing, I believe, is not only learning how your mistakes affect you, but realizing their effects on others, and humbling yourself enough to admit your imperfections. Imagine how much more fulfilling our relationships with each other would be if everyone was willing to admit their faults. Or how much more we would respect each other if we were willing to do whatever it takes to make things right. So, do it! You have the power!

I guarantee you that you'll be a much happier person if you do. By showing others enough respect to admit what you've done wrong, you'll be better able to respect yourself.

A Day in the Life, Pt. 3

Shopping

Yes, this is important, so wipe that look off your face.

Shopping is very interesting here. It starts from the most basic of levels, some of which I'd never even seen before, to levels which I honestly thought I wouldn't see until I became a multi-billionaire. Here you will find everything.

One thing to get used to is the "hawkers," people selling their wares on the side of the road. Come to almost any intersection, and you'll find a man/group of men trying to sell various items. If my camera hadn't decided to retire (grrr), I'd have pictures for you, but instead I'll just list some of the things I've seen for sale, roadside: coat hangers, sunglasses, water bottles, tires, wicker furniture, baskets, candy, fruit, cell phone chargers, garbage bags, toys...just to name a few. This is also where a lot of advertising takes place, as companies or small businesses will often place people at various intersections to pass out fliers or coupons. I can't imagine having to be out there, standing amidst crazy traffic, trying to sell things to motorists who for the most part, ignore you, but I'm told that for these people, it's either stand there and sell, or, well, starve. Some of them can't get jobs for whatever reason and are forced to find some way to provide for themselves and their families. I must say I comment their courage, because the way people drive around here...

That being said, there are, of course, more "traditional" methods of purchasing items. There are many shopping centers/complexes, just like any other country, I suppose. If you've seen one supermarket/hardware store/whatever, you've basically seen them all.

There are of course the mainstream department/specialty stores that you'd find in any mall (occasionally I'm surprised to see what I thought was exclusively a US store, i.e., the Body Shop). I do, however, miss some of my favorites: H&M, and Express Men. I liked these stores because they always had something that catered to my needs/wants/size. Clothing there was classy, refined, and elegant, while still being fresh and youthful, and best of all, AFFORDABLE. Their T-shirts don't double as wearable billboards, and thankfully aren't full of crass sexual innuendos. I've found similar stores here, though, so on that front I can rest easy and won't become a fashion disaster anytime soon. You don't really see traditional African articles of clothing in those types of stores though; for those you would probably need to find some sort of open-air market, or find somebody who knows somebody who knows somebody, etc.

One thing that puzzles me is that I've seen quite a few people wearing Abercrombie & Fitch/American Eagle clothes, which is somewhat confusing considering I haven't seen one of those stores here, although it's possible they're imported. A lot of that happens here, which is both a blessing and a curse. A blessing in the sense that, if you can't find what you want here, you can have it imported, but a curse in the sense that it's probably going to be more expensive than it would be if you were to purchase the item in its country of origin. I suppose that has something to do with avoiding the fluctuations in currency, as well as covering import/export/customs fees and taxes, but still, annoying. (Anybody want to buy me a MacBook Pro? Kthanks.)

And then there are the stores that come as a sort of surprise. Technically, they shouldn't be, since many companies are international, and obviously for these companies to stay in business here, people would have to be purchasing their various products, but it still is a surprise sometimes. I went to a mall in Hyde Park (north of Johannesburg) a few weeks ago, for instance, and saw an Audemar-Piguet store. In case you don't know, Audemar-Piguet is a Swiss luxury brand of fine jewellery and watches, with prices for watches averaging in the $20,000 zone. They are some beautiful watches, not gonna lie. In the same general area, there was a Lamborghini/Aston Martin dealership, and we were behind a Bentley or two in the afternoon traffic. We all know that the people who can afford such things usually get them, and I'm certainly not demonizing brands like these or the people who enjoy them (my birthday is in 10 months). I think it was just jarring for me to see that kind of luxury brand, thriving in a country where, just a few miles away from the store, you'd surely find someone offering a quick window wash so they could feed their families, or a family walking around barefoot, and not by choice. It's quite a contrast.

Paying for things can also be weird at first, because of the differences in currency--sometimes it's a slight shock to hear and see what things cost here. If my dad and I go out to eat, we average about R150 for the two of us. At first glance, I think, "A hundred and fifty bucks?! For two entrees and drinks? WTH?!" But then I remember to do my conversions, only to realize that R120 equals about $25 or so (at least, it did before the global economy imploded). Perhaps the good thing about that sort of thinking is that I'll be more keen to spend as little as possible.

The "nice" thing is that, coming into this country with dollars, I kinda feel like one of the disciples must have felt as Jesus was feeding the 5,000: you start off with a certain amount, change it over, an it multiplies! What fun. You can be sure I'm going to ride that wave for as long as I can.



Listen: "Damn, I Said It First" - Nikka Costa

Note to Cameraman: Strike While You Have the Chance!

Honestly. I need to find the people who took this picture, specifically the person holding the video camera, and find out why he didn't hit when he had the chance. He was already standing that close to Robert Mugabe (center), so why would he hesistate?! I'm sure that camera is heavy enough to do some serious cranial damage!

Now before you start calling me a homicidal maniac, slow down. Unless you're an insect and have come into my home/vehicle/ general 10-mile-radius without an invitation, you will probably never see my violent side.

And I'm assuming by now that you know who Robert Mugabe is (President of Zimbabwe for the last 28 years); if you don't, now is a good time to come out from under that rock. Long story short, his behavior is tyrannical, and it's alleged that he uses fear, intimidation, threats and often, actual incidences of violence to fix voting to ensure he stays in power (even though he lost the March election, he's holding the presidency in a death-grip, literally). Under his "leadership," Zimbabwe's economy continues to spiral downward, and experiences hyperinflation (1 US Dollar = 505 Zimbabwean Dollars; even Monopoly money is worth more!); the people who can actually afford the food suffer from food shortages (shortages meaning no food, no where); and the nations infrastructure seems to be crumbling. Even while facing international ridicule, sanctions, and pressures, he refuses to resign, even after so long in office.

He and the main opposition party in Zimbabwe, the Movement for Democratic Change (the party that actually won the Election), signed a power-sharing agreement back in September, but of course, any positive results from that event have yet to materialize. Zimbabweans--those that survive, anyway--are leaving the country in droves, fleeing to the nearest borders, not to defect, or emigrate, or protest--simply to live.

This is why we need people like Jason Bourne to be real, and not fictional. There is WORK to be done! Come on, CIA! Or they could use Daniel Craig to knock him out, and then put it in the next Bond film.

But even THEY are taking too long. That's why I'm upset with those camera men. Those cameras aren't light. A good thwack or two.... They had the perfect opportunity and they blew it!


On a serious note, though, something needs to be done. I wish there was some way to convince Mr. Mugabe of how badly his country is really suffering, since he obviously can't recognize. I see TV reports everyday of how people there are starving, being forced to sustain themselves on contaminated water, as they become more and more to ill. It's a shame to see that he is more concerned with his status as president than the people he's actually presiding over. I don't understand how you can ride around in government-owned motorcades (consisting of only Benzes and BMWs) while your people die. I love my German cars, but when you are a leader of a country whose people face extinction due to your policies, I believe there are far better things on which to spend your money.


...If nothing changes within Zimbabwe's government soon, there will be nobody left in the country to govern.

Excited!

Ok, building off the last post--

I'm excited to go back to school! I mean, really excited. Finally doing what I want to do!

I've realized that sometimes, when you've dealt with so many painful situations, there's the danger of becoming so used to those situations, that you never really let yourself enjoy the good things in your life. The yoke has already been unlocked, and yet you can still be carrying it around your neck because you don't think you deserve to be happy. But the past is the past for a reason--it's over and done! It doesn't have to dictate who you are or who you will be. If God opened the door, why are you still standing outside?! Go in, take your shoes off and relax! Like mom always said, you can be bitter, or you can be better.

And I'm so much more prepared. This time around, there's a much smaller chance of the financial problems I had previously with school creeping back up again. This time around, I'm better prepared to handle the stresses of an academic, social, and working life. I've learned how to properly manage my time, and when to say no and spend the night in doing work instead. I know how to deal with crazy roommates. I know that all nighters make you look more worn out than a Ford Pinto and should be avoided at all costs (the last time I did that, by 6 AM I was typing and dozing off at the same time and drooling onto the keyboard; not cool, especially when you're in a computer lab). I know that sleeping in too long on Sunday mornings cuts down on available study time. I know the importance of saving money, especially when in college. I know what works and what doesn't work in a dorm room setting (desktop computers are the devil), and I know how to organize and pack things efficiently. I've been able to use this time off to sharpen my cooking and food shopping skills, so that I can make cheap, healthy meals on my own and avoid meal plan costs (and I can even entertain!). I know what type of "friends" to avoid, and what kind of friends to keep, how to handle different situations as an adult, and I know I'm mature enough to let the drama-prone chicken heads do their clucking far, far away from me!

And I'm excited to able to stretch my academic and intellectual muscles again! It's been too long!

And besides, Cape Town is gorgeous!

Listen: "Encourage Yourself" - Donald Lawrence & the Tri-City Singers

Dilemma.

So I got a job. And I got into the University of Cape Town, rated to be the best on the continent..

My problem is this: I'd love to go to school now, but who's going to pay for it? I don't have much money, and my dad's planning on retiring very soon, so any contributions he would be able to make would be minimal. There are scholarships and grants which I'm definitely applying for, but they might not cover all expenses. I can get loans, of course. Contributions would be great lol, but it's unfair of me to expect them, and thus unwise to plan on receiving them.

Or I could work for a few years. But then I'd be even more years behind as far as education. By the time I would return, the price would have gone up even more. (But then I will have had enough time to establish a good credit rating and get a good interest rate.) I'll also have some money saved up by then, but will I really want to return to school full time, at, say, 25? Then again, why not? My sister's done it and is doing well. I know I can make it work, but still...

OR I could work while in school, which might be the best option. That way I'd be making money, hopefully enough to defray loan repayments; building good credit, gaining practical workplace experience (especially if I'm doing a paid internship), and accomplishing two of my goals at once. (As I'm writing this I'm realizing that A) this is most likely my best option and B) writing helps me answer my own questions haha.)

I also want a car, and I'd have to finance it myself, but then again first year students aren't allowed to have cars on campus. I could just get a really cheap car, and find a secure place to park it near campus, but then there's the risk of high maintenance costs associated with owning an older car.

Things to think about...

What about you? How did you juggle your education and the rest of your life?



Listen - "Listen" - Beyoncé

Flying Cars

My dad told this funny story the other day; not sure if it's true, but it's hilarious.

Most people get trackers installed in their cars so that, in the event of theft, the car can be located.

Some poor guy--let's call him Joe--got his car stolen by some group of professional thieves. He was at home at the time of the theft. Apparently, the theives loaded the car into some sort of frieght plane or helicopter and took off, intending to resell/disassemble it in another country.

The tracking company, vigilant as ever, noticed that the car was traveling at an unusually high speed, and proceeded to call Joe to see what was going on.

Can you imagine the conversation?

"Hello?"
"Hello, this is Adam with ABC Tracking Services, am I speaking to Joe?"
"Yes..."
"Joe, we noticed some unusual activity with your vehicle, registration number mw3 h46 GP."
"What kind of activity?"
"Well sir, our system shows your car as having a current speed of over 600 miles per hour.....what's going on?"
"WHAT?! What are you talking about?!"
"Sir, our computers show that your car is currently travelling at over 600 miles per hour! May I ask exactly WHAT you are doing, or WHERE you are going?!"

Poor Joe, and hopefully he was able to get his car back, but HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA !

A Day in the Life, Pt. 2

Transportation

Today, we’ll be looking at how people get around down here. Aviation and rail travel are pretty standard worldwide, so I won’t cover those here; instead I’ll be concentrating mainly on road traffic.

Like many other countries in the world, the rule of the South African road is to drive on the left hand side of the road. Coming from the States or another place where drivers keep right, it can be quite jarring to keep left. When I first got here, riding in the car was a bit scary: I’d be looking out the side window, admiring the scenery, and then happen to glance back at the road in shock and fear and think, “omg OMG OMG we are going to hit someone!!!! What is going on?!?!” It takes a bit of mental adjustment and practice, but soon you realize that almost everything is a mirror-image to what you would do in the US. Since I’ve been here, I’ve gotten more used to it, but every now and then I’ll have a moment of panic until I remember where I am. One thing working in my favor is that I didn’t do a lot of driving in the States, so I should be able to adjust with minimal issues.

One part of this left-side driving that isn’t as obvious—but definitely deserves to be mentioned because the adjustment one must make in this case is almost more difficult than driving the car--is crossing the street.

We all learn the proper procedure for crossing the street at a young age. I used to walk home from school with my sister from as early as first grade, and by age eight I was walking myself to and from school every day. So the practice of looking a certain way before crossing has been practically etched in my brain for years.

When you want to cross a US street, you’ll follow a Left-Right-Left procedure:

(Like my artwork?)

Makes sense, right? Easy enough. I’ve been doing this for years.

Which is what makes it that much harder to cross the street in a country where the roads are reversed. Instead of Left-Right-Left, I now have to program myself to look Right-Left-Right. Let me tell you, it’s a lot harder than it sounds. I’ve had at least 10 experiences by now where I’ve almost been hit crossing the street, and I actually got mad at the oncoming traffic because they were on the “wrong” side of the road. Then the realization that the driver is, in fact, correct, kicks in, and I feel more stupid than a box of hair.

Another fun part of driving down here is the abundance of things to hit! There’s the obvious—animals, who, in their minds, basically own the entire country, including the roads. They don’t care how fast you’re going or how loud you honk—if they want to be in your way, they will be in your way. Oh, and if they want to hit you, they will.

Then there are the more scary obstacles. You’ll often find street vendors standing in the middle of the road selling their wares. They often walk in between lanes while there is moving traffic, which is really quite dangerous. It’s easy for them to get hit—I wonder what in the world they do when there are large trucks coming. Scary!

Then there are the motorcycles. In normal traffic, they ride within lanes, just like any other motor vehicle. But when traffic is heavy, especially around rush hour, cyclists often ride the dividing lines, in between other cars, because, well, they can fit. It’s not uncommon to be stuck in traffic and see a motorcycle whizzing by, darting in between cars. This is VERY dangerous though, since people often change lanes in stop and go traffic; you’re more inclined to look for a slow-moving car in your blind spot than you are a speeding motorcycle. I don’t even want to think about what would happen if a car and a bike moving like this were to collide. I understand the cool-factor of a motorcycle, but I am very happy in my four-wheeled cocoon, thank you very much. On a bike, if somebody hits you, they hit you, not just the bike. At least in a car, there are a few crumple zones and airbags to cushion the blow.

And now, the cars themselves. The interior is, of course, something to get used to, as the cars here are right-hand drive: (And every now and then, I'll head to the wrong side of the car)

The strange thing is, the only thing that’s really right-justified is the steering wheel, driver’s seat, and instrument panel. For instance, in the this picture, the volume knob is still on the left hand side of the radio, which is nice if you’re in a left-hand drive car, because you can quickly adjust the volume. To me, in a right-hand drive car, this should be reversed, so that you don’t have to reach so far to adjust the volume. But it’s not! Also, the layout of the pedals is exactly the same, no matter which side of the car the steering is on, which is nice, because it makes it easier to operate a car no matter what country you’re in. And, in cars with manual transmissions, the shift layout pattern is exactly the same, which to me is a bit awkward, having to reach all the way over to the left to put it into first gear. But again, knowing that the gears are placed exactly the same eases the transition from right- to left-hand drive, and I’m sure that it reduces manufacturing costs as well.

There are a few differences in the way cars look, too. Auto companies often make different variants of their cars for different markets. Not all companies do this, apparently (most European cars—Porsche, VW, Audi, BMW, Mercedes, and others—are the same no matter where you are), but it’s kind of funny to spot the differences:

2008 Ford Focus (US)

2008 Ford Focus (SA-which looks a lot better if you ask me.)

Another example: General Motors is a worldwide company, but here, you’ll only find a few Chevrolets; most of them (as well as Saturns, Pontiacs, and Saabs) are instead branded as Opels or Vauxhalls.

Then there are some companies that offer models that aren’t available in the US:

Mercedes-Benz A-Class

And then there are auto companies that don’t presently sell in the US:

-Renault, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Peugot: they used to sell in the US market, and apparently are considering returning in the near future. (Good luck, y’all, cuz some of your cars are not cute!)

-Daihatsu

-Ssangyong

-Proton

-Seat

As a lifelong auto enthusiast, it’s funny for me to see a car and think, “WHAT is that?!” Sometimes it’s a good funny, but sometimes the cars are just plain ugly.

Ugly enough that I’d rather ride an elephant.

Maybe that day will come soon?

Listen: Joss Stone - "Don't Cha Wanna Ride"