I’ve never seen like South African that they are so kind to me ever. Most of them open their door to me and let me sleep inside of house. Why there are so kind to me unlike other country?
12thJan2013
The area where I am cycling is called Karoo. It is like desert that there is not much plant.
The town in where I slept yesterday was quite a big that I bought a ham, cheese, jam, bread and etc. I make a banana ham peanut butter sandwich which is the best in the world!
I think I eat too low nutritive value of food so that I buy carrot. I think it would be good for my hearth. It is my first try!
Last week there were no animals so that to see animal is very interesting.
Some of South African houses are like North American houses that it is nice.
Two days ago one car stopped and waited me on the road. He asked me many things about cycling and invited me at his house which is on my way so that today I don’t need to worry to find the place to stay because of his kindness. As arriving Victoria West town, I can see bike on the top.
Their small farm is 3 km (2 mi) away from the town. As looking at amazing night sky few days ago, I wish to stay at the farm! My dream now comes true!
He and his wife have 4 dogs and over 10 cats! When I arrive at their house, there is another guest, kind of his co-worker.
When I talk with his co-worker, I hear some strange thing. Since Apartheid was abolished in 1994, many farmers have been killed. It is hard to understand to me who grows up in Korea, because the farmer means very hard job and kind of poor job in Korea. Then why poor farmers are being killed in South Africa?
But I realize that farmers in South Africa can mean white people. Since 1994, over 3,000 white farmers have been murdered. I think it is weird that during Apartheid all over the world fought against wrong law, but now they don’t fight against GENOCIDE of South Africa. In my opinion nobody can kill anybody. It is really sad that anybody doesn’t care about Genocide of South Africa.
Many lives have been killed by such an iron(not by hitting, but by burning) and many farmers’ wife and daughter were raped. I really hope peace is coming to South Africa.
Finally I look at gorgeous night sky. The upper right on the picture there are two Magellan galaxies which look like cloud. It can be seen only at the Southern Hemisphere. Some people feel sorry about me that I only cycle at the desert. But I love Karoo so much because I can see amazing night sky and meet kind people.
13thJan2013
Finally I know what this is. This is a wind pump that when wind blows then pump is working and get water from the deep ground. When wind stops, and then also pump stop working to get water.
Last few days wind blows from the back, but today it blows from the front. It is too hard. I think today is the hottest day since I came to South Africa. I guess it is around 36c~38c. (Of course, it is not much hotter than Central America)
It is beautiful scenery. People say karoo has nothing to see, but I think if there is nothing to see, then I can see everything. That’s why I love desert.
Today also I don’t need worry about sleeping place, because the last host introduces me his friend at the other farm. I think the white house over there is the place in where I sleep tonight. I am excited to see another beautiful night later.
Thanks to Pieter & Annare, I can have a nice dinner. The meat is sheep that smell is strange to me.
14thJan2013
Pieter and Annare are going to Pretoria, Capital to sell Garlic. Although they are gone, they let me stay another night at their cottage. I couldn’t have day off for nine days. Now finally I will have the rest.
What is this? Yeah! This is the neck of sheep. Annare cooks for me to have nice dinner tonight.
She even prepares many foods for the riding tomorrow.
Also there are many things to eat. The right one is jerked Springbok.
I feel lonely after they are gone. They are so kind to me that Annare gave me a lot of hug when they left. They are really warmly and kindly.
They have a game that this place at where I stay is a cottage for hunters. Jerked Springbok is also animal they hunted.
As looking around, I chat with children whose parents work on the farm. They study in Victoria west in where I stayed. They stay at hostel on the week and come home on the weekend.
There are some horses.
There are people working on the farm. They wear blue clothes. I think hard worker in South Africa wear the same clothes.
I have had sheep at Last night, today lunch and tonight dinner. I feel a bit sorry to them.
It is really quiet farm that I love here.
Around sunset, I feel lonelier. Yesterday as I arrived, she asked me to give her my laundry. It is really grateful that people do laundry these days for me although we just know each other. I had done laundry by my hand most of time in Latin America. But now I don’t need to do laundry by my hand. When I went out to get my laundry today morning, she already did and even she sewed one of my clothes which had problem! Unbelievable!
Ah! Yeah. The taste of sheep’s neck is good. I am not used to eat sheep so that the smell is strange to me. But as keeping eating, I forgot smell and enjoyed so much! I wish I had this nice meal with them.
There are Magellan galaxies. If somebody asks me what the best sky is that I’ve ever seen, I will answer “In Karoo!”.
15thJan2013
Thanks to Annare’s food, I have a nice breakfast before starting. Last week I couldn’t see any animal, but now I start seeing some of animal.
During cycling, I see some truck is already fallen. I am really scared to see accident.
These days I got one thing that if there are trees; it means people are living at there and giving water to them, because here is desert that trees can’t survive by themselves.
Actually I already knew that it is Guesthouse over there, because Pieter and Annare told me I could set up my tent at guest house for free. But owner of guesthouse tells me that it is business that she can’t give me the place pitching my tent for free. I ask to her about the farm around here. She says to me that nobody lets me allow putting my tent at their yard.
Actually I am a bit embraced, because most people are very friendly to me so far. But when I think again about it, she is totally right that it is society.
It is around 4 pm. If I want to go back to last town, I have to go back 20 km (12.5 mi). There is no choice that I cycle my best forward to find other farm.
Around 5:30 pm I find one house, but unfortunately there is no people. The next town is 30 or 40 km (18 ~ 25 mi) that I can’t make it. I make a big mistake today.
Being nervous, I see one car around the road. I talk with him who is named Thys and he decides to give me a ride to the next town. We talk about the politic and the other things.
He says ‘South Africa has too corruption that many politicians put people’s money on their pocket and buy BMW, Benz or nice house with steeling money. Then what people can learn from them? People will also steal money from other people like politician. ‘
I have other opinion. How they became Politicians? It is easy! People made them Politicians by voting! It means people vote wrong person almost every time although they knows one is wrong. It is the worst problem in democracy that people vote without thinking. Democracy is not the best solution that we must be careful. Unfortunately, people don’t do it. If there is corruption in politic, there is not only politicians’ problem, but also citizens’ problem which votes without thinking. I think they must pay what made wrong decision.
The next story I hear from him is terrible that two old married couple farmers were killed and hidden on a big freezer. Oh. It is too terrible that people were killed. I hope genocide is stopped in South Africa.
Thys gives me the ride to the next town. He is worried about me that he wants to find Guesthouse for me. I don’t want to find it, because I have already denied. But he didn’t stop helping me and finally he found the guest house and talked with owner for me.
This time is different that they let me put my tent at their garden. As saying “You make me remind of my daughter”, Thys gives me hug carefully. I really hold my tear at that moment. South African treats me their family that it makes me so sad sometimes.
Kindly, the owner of Guesthouse (Upstairs Gastehuis) feed me dinner and breakfast.
16thJan2013
It is head strong wind that I am tired to cycle.
So many ants;
Around 4 pm I arrive in Hopetown. It seems that the town is quite busy so that I get out of the town to see some place to stay. As getting out of the town, I see a big farm. They have office that I ask to them. One of them introduces me chairman’s house. It is really unbelievable that they are smiling at me and tell me “Sleep at the inside!”. I can’t believe that how they open their door for stranger? Even their house is so nice. It is totally abnormal that I’ve never seen this kind thing in other country. If someone has many things more than other people, then they don’t like stranger and look at me very strangely ‘What the hell are you asking, you stranger?’.
I though Latin people are very friendly because many people let me set up my tent at their garden. Then how I can explain about South Africa? South African doesn’t let me set up my tent at their yard, but let me sleep at inside of house.
17thJan2013
Koos and Daleen let me stay another night at their house. South African school is like also Latin American continent that they start around 7 am and finish around 2 pm. When she picks up his son, I follow her. This school is run by the government.
South African school is divided by a primary school (grade 1 to grade 7) and a high school (grade 8 to grade 12). His son is just freshman in the high school today so that he costumes. It is said that this is their funny culture.
We have sheep for lunch. I hear that meat of sheep is more expensive than other meat. Thanks to local people, I eat sheep every day these days. Now I am used to eating meat of sheep. Koos has cows so that even I can drink fresh milk.
18thJan2013
This is my host, Koos and Daleen. Their son was staying during school vacation. Today they will drive to his son’s school to drop him. I think I am gonna see them soon on the road that I say “see ya!”
Actually they want to give me a ride, but I decide to ride a bike. I didn’t ride much in South America so that I want to cycle more in Africa. These days many people ask me that I want to get a lift, but all the time I say ‘no’. I want to ‘cycle’ around the world and feel stronger.
I was worried about raining, because last night it was heavy raining. Today morning is cloud so that it is easy to cycle. There are beautiful red birds. I wish I knew many name of birds or had partner who knows about nature very well.
There are sheep and ostriches. A skin of ostrich is used as making bag, because their skin is very different from others.
When they are passing, I ask them to take picture. She holds her daughter to show me and greet to me.
Now I can see cow and other animals. I think I am getting out of Karoo. I was waiting to meet Koos and Daleen during cycling, but after 12pm I couldn’t still see them. I think they already passed me. Maybe one of honk was theirs.
After 12 pm during taking rest, one car stops! Yeah! There you are! They were busy so that they start driving late. I am super excited to see them again although it is very short time to chat!
I feel lonely after they are gone. Nobody whom I know is on the road.
Daleen is kind as much as last host that she gives me lunch with fresh milk. Daleen is really warm person. In the morning after drinking coffee, I was being ready to leave. At that moment, she asked me “would like to drink coffee or tea?” she said. “You know I already drank. Oh, but thank you!” I said.
I mean I just finish coffee, but she asks as if she didn’t know I drink something. I feel something special kind from their family.
This area is covered by nest of ants. I think it would be hard to keep farming.
Going to the north, I can see more green.
Always if there is water, then there are many lives. Around 4 pm when I passed Richie, one car stops and asks me about cycling. Then something which is incredible and unbelievable happens.
“When I cycled in Europe, many people helped me. Now I want to give it back to you. I have a golf club that I want to give you a free room.” He said! What an amazing! He is too busy so that as I get to a golf club a manger shows me a super nice room. (Name of Golf Club is Magersfontein Golf course)
When she shows a bathroom, I feel super happy! What a nice! It was my dream to sleep in a nice hotel. Now my dream comes true! The maximum budget for hotel was 20$ so far during trip so that I can never sleep in this kind of nice place in my budget. Man… Awesome today!
When I take the shower, a worker gives me food and tells me that the manger wants to have breakfast with me tomorrow. Oh! Good! It means nobody will come to my room after this time that I can have my time! Yeah!
This hamburger is super nice tasty. It is the best I’ve ever eaten! I am SURE that it is not sheep! Haha. I know smell of sheep!
Oh.. lovely place!
I am so happy that I can see much different kind of birds in South Africa. Although my hobby is not watching bird, I love just looking at them. Here are also many nests of ants that I think it would be hard to manage ground.
I can’t believe how I can sleep at a luxury place.
As I look around, the sunset reminds me of something.
Cycling at over altitude of 3,000 m (10,000 ft) in Bolivia, I saw an aboriginal people who built sand house with rubber shoes with barefoot and without glove. I was sure that she might be very cold, because it was highland! I talked with her for the place to pitch my tent.
“I am gonna work until late” she said
“How can you work until late? Here is no light that it would be too dark to work!”
“There is light, the moon.”
I don’t know why I think of her this time in which I sleep at the most expensive place.
19thJan2013
It seems that the boss is busy so that I can only meet manager in the morning. It is really nice to talk with her as if I meet my high school friend. Although we only talk over two hours, it will remain as nice memory. When I leave Golf Club, one car stops. It is the boss who gave me a free room. Fortunately I can have a chance to tell him ‘thank you’!
I see some animals on my way. Animals are on my photo!
I don’t have a nice telephoto lens so that I crop photo. It is Springboks which I eat as Biltong, jerked meat!
I feel so lonely and sad. There is nobody on my way who gave me a hug and warm greet. Everybody is gone. Or… I left from them. Tearing is like raining. When cloud is heavier, then it rains as if sorrow is deeper, and then tears flow. Sometimes I can’t stand sorrow.
I arrive in Kimberly which is a big city. I need some bike gears that I go into a shopping mall with a bike, because the hall is big enough. But it is really hard to keep move, because many people ask me about cycling so many times as I move. It is the hardest part that people ask me same questions so many times in one time. I can’t ignore them that my energy is gone after answering same question at tons of times in one place.
Here is an example. You are going to Macdonald. One people stops you and asks ‘where you are from, how old you are, why you are going to Macdonald, what you will buy, why you will buy, why you don’t bring your friend, why you don’t cook by yourself, why you don’t go to a nice restaurant’. You answer your best at that moment. And then that person is gone so that you try keeping going. But another people stops you and asks ‘how old you are, where you are going, where you are from, why you are going to Macdonald, what you will buy, why you will buy, why you don’t bring your friend, why you don’t cook by yourself, why you don’t go to a nice restaurant’. Anyway you answer again. You are really hungry now that you want to run to Macdonald!!! But that person’s friend comes to you and asks ‘who you are, how old you are, where you are going, where you are from, why you are going to Macdonald, what you will buy, why you will buy, why you don’t bring your friend, why you don’t cook by yourself, why you don’t go to a nice restaurant’. Now you are really tired, but you have to answer. Because they think you are very unique person that you should share your life. Now you start starving that you don’t even have any energy. But friend of friend of another people comes to you and asks ‘where you are from, how old you are, why you are going to Macdonald, what you will buy, why you will buy, why you don’t bring your friend, why you don’t cook by yourself, why you don’t go to a nice restaurant’.. It is endless. After tons of same question, you arrive in Macdonald! You are really hungry that you try to order a hamburger, but worker asks you ‘who you are, how old you are, where you are going next, where you are from, why you come to Macdonald, what you will buy, why you will buy, why you don’t bring your friend, why you don’t cook by yourself, why you don’t go to a nice restaurant’. Although you are going to die with being hungry, you answer to him. But another co-worker comes to you and asks ‘who you are, how old you are, where you are going next, where you are from, why you come to Macdonald, what you will buy, why you will buy, why you don’t bring your friend, why you don’t cook by yourself, why you don’t go to a nice restaurant’. You answer at least four times to workers because they are working separate that they didn’t hear what you say every time. Finally Finally Finally when you open a box of your hamburger, some people comes to you and asks ‘who you are, how old you are, where you are going, where you are from, why you came to Macdonald, what you eat hamburger, why you drink cola, why you don’t bring your friend, why you don’t cook by yourself, why you don’t go to a nice restaurant’. And another person comes and asks and another person,, and another person, and another person… and another person and another person and…
I love to talk with people; especially I enjoy talking with people whom I stay with.
But it is really hard to answer to ALL of people who are just Passing road. Oh.. I don’t want to be rude to people, but sometimes it is really hard.
I get lost, because Kimberly is too big city. Following one car who wants to show me the road, I make mistake that I didn’t see other car coming from the side. That driver shouts very bad word at me in English which I’ve never heard in my life. Oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am sorry, but you don’t need to say that bad world!!! It is just mistake!!!!!
In the front the driver is an angel, and in the side the driver is a devil.
Anyhow I get out of the city, but I am really upset. I’ve never heard that bad word!
I try to calm down with thinking kind people whom I’ve met. But suddenly tear comes. I think today my mind is out of control.
From the morning, just tear..
South Africa is the easiest country to cycle, because most of people are incredible kind. But South Africa is actually the hardest country to cycle, because I have to leave those incredible kind people.
To calm down, I eat sandwich I got from the today. The apples are also given from other people.
There are a plenty of colorful grasshopper in a shoulder. The problem is I must drive carefully not to kill them.
The weather is weird that a thunder storm is on my back, but blue sky is on my head. I cycle my best not to be caught by back thunder.
I make another mistake today that I should have stopped in Kimberly and sleep over night. I can’t find the place to set up my tent now and the next town is 40 km (25 mi) from here. Now it is over 6 pm. It is an emergency that I don’t have choice. I hitchhike! I ask to driver to stop at Police Station, because it is too late to find the place to stay.
I have slept over three times at the police station in South Africa. But today they said ‘no’. Actually they said ‘Yes’ at the first time. But they changed their answer, because the boss didn’t allow me. The police officer said ‘just wait a moment’
I almost wait for over one and half hour with bitten by mosquitoes. I cried much today so that I really don’t have any energy. How long do I have to wait? Around 9pm they find the place to set up my tent. But it rains too much that I move into the inside. Huh.. The place to sleep is too different from yesterday. I am too tired to do anything except sleeping.
20thJanuary2013
Today I am gonna take longer way, because some host introduced me his friend in last week. I don’t know address, but only phone number. I borrow phone a few times, but his friend’s phone is off. Oh.. I should have not come this long way?
I start asking people as showing his name. It seems that it is not possible to find with this way. In Korea there is some proverb. “It is like to find Kim in Seoul.” Kim is surname and millions people use the same surname as Kim in Korea and Seoul is the too big and busy city. It is like you are finding a needle in the sand.
I give up finding his house. Where can I sleep tonight?
Before I get into the town, there is a squatter camp. In fact I can never go to there by myself. Also, South Africans mind going there by themselves. I hope I have the chance to volunteer at a squatter camp, and then I can reach to them.
Entering to gas station, I try asking again to find his friend as showing worker his name. But everybody doesn’t know him. At that moment one big guy comes to me and says ‘Hey I will give you a free room.’ ‘What?’ I say. ‘I have a free room for you.’ While I was looking at him with being scared, he says ‘Here is my daughter and she will show you our house.’ Oh… man.. I feel peaceful when I find his daughter. I must be careful. That’s why I was scared until I found his daughter.
21stJan2013
Albert and Augusta say that if I am tired, I can stay more days at their house. So, I decide to stay two days more because it is hard to keep cycling.
It is a big dam around town, Bloemhof.
22ndJan2013
Albert shows me the factory in where he works.
In fact now workers are on a strike. Their salary for a month is 4500 Rand (562$). Workers are asking 800 R (100$) more, but company wants to give them only 290 Rand (36$) more. They will reach an agreement on 300 R(37$) more soon and people will come back to work next week.
Right now many workers on everywhere are on a strike. One of Botswana where is the next country tells me that South African economy will go down, because of too much strike.
In Korea, also there is some strike. I usually support (understand) striker more than company, because they don’t strike without reason.
But I think here has some problem that striker on his company fired a big building of the company that the company lost one million dollar. Some of striker fired other worker who didn’t join on strike because she is solo mom.
The company also hires people from the other town, but strikers want to kick them out so that workers from other town sleep in buildings. Women and men sleep at separated buildings, but there is weird story. Many babies are made in this time. It is hard to understand why they don’t think carefully. Right now HIV/AIDS are over 5 million that people must be careful in South Africa.
I wish I have the time to talk with strikers to hear from other side, because I want to sit on the fence.
Anyhow my mind is complicating. It reminds me of one Korean book which is story about poor people who were kicked out from the land by government and worked too hard but got too small money. It was written in 1980s. I think my blood closes more revolutionary. (I admire people who are like Che Guevara). I am really sad that this book is still read and understood by many Korean people. It means the society is not much changed about wrong and unfair thing.
I want to translate some of word from the book.
“Have you done any work in your life?” Young boy asked to poor old boy.
-“Haven’t I worked? I work really hard. I do my best. All of our family work hard.” Poor old boy said.
“Have you done too bad thing? Have you done against the law?”
-“Never”
“I am sure that you never pray. Have you prayed with being faithful?
-“I also pray”
“Then what is this? Something must be wrong? Isn’t it unfair? It is time to leave this dead land.”
-“Leave? Where?”
“To the moon”
『The Dwarf (novel)』- Sehui Cho
Thank to Albert, he share how much he get money. He worked for 10 years in the factory. He has a nice camera, TV, maid and gardener that I thought he got lots of money. But hearing from him, I got shocked.
The salary is too low. If he works in Korea, definitely he will get twice more money. If he works in Canada, he will get three times more money.
Let’s think more about it. The salary by law is 70 Rands (9$) per day in South Africa. It would be not expensive to have maid and gardener three times a week to them because his wife works in a hospital as nurse as well so that it would be not hard to live.
But still I can’t understand something. Why goods are not cheap in South Africa???? Salary is very low but a goods is not much cheaper than Korea. Then who holds that big gap of money?????????????????
Do I misunderstand??? South African company can’t afford to give more money?? Or they just don’t want to give and want to put all of money on their pocket?
There is another thing I can’t understand that 70 Rands (9$) per day is the best law? Actually it is not only South African problem. Many Latin America is not much different. Just can’t understand. Price is not much different, but salary is too much different!
People of 99% are sacrificing for only people of 1% or people of 100% are sacrificing together?
Albert treats me his family that he introduces his friends my traveling and website. One thing he complains about my website is I don’t have beautiful dog pictures that I must upload his dog on my website.
This is his lovely dog!
The right is Albert and the left is his wife. They are so kind that they treat me I am one of their families. His wife is a nurse that I got some information of HIV/AIDS. The government gives HIV/AIDS free medicine which patients must take. Always she gives patients of HIV/AIDS advice that they must use condom and take medicine regularly. But the problem is people don’t use condom and even they don’t take medicine that they just die. Another big problem is abandoned children after their parents died.
One of friend says it is government problem that they don’t take care of HIV/AIDS carefully.
I think at least the government must give people good education. There is no free in South Africa that people must pay for the school even from a primary school.
I think the problem is education that if there are many educated people, and then it would be not worse like now.
23rdJan2013
I love morning so much. Every day I feel fresh in the morning. Everything is so lovely in the morning.
I see really unique bird that a tail is longer than body. It is called The Long-tailed Widowbird. I heard that tail is longer when they are on mating.
This bird is so funny that it seems that they don’t like to fly. When I close to them, they always run away, but not fly. The bird’s name is crowned Guineafowl. Their body is too tough that if car hit them, their car will have serious problem.
I’ve seen so many dead snakes that I though it is already dead. Passing with a bike, I am too scared ever because it jumps suddenly. I think it is poisonous. Oh.. Thanks that I didn’t hurt.
There are many cows. I guess I am not gonna eat sheep anymore, but eat cow.
One big bus stops. It seems the people in bus want to talk with me. Closing to bus, I can see sports player on the drawing. Maybe I am gonna see handsome nice guys? YEAH? hahahaha
This bus is for national cricket player!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Cricket is the most popular sport in South Africa.
Oh.. man.. what a unlucky! Players are already gone by flight from Cape Town to capital. There is only bus driver. I mean I wish I can share South African popular culture with you! Hahaha
It thanks that the bus driver gives me energy drinks and water! Oh!! Thank you!!!!
My South African stamp’s expired date is 31st Jan. Today is 23rdJan. I think I cycled hard in Jan that I really didn’t’t get a lift. It is totally not like in South America. I almost close to North part of South Africa. When I also cycle hard today, one car stops and asks from opposite site. It is very normal in South Africa that everyday some car stops and asks me.
“Do you need any help?” he said.
-“No, I am fine.” I said
“Are you sure? Tell me if you need anything.”
-“No, I am good. Thanks!”
“Our house is 20 km (12.5 mi) from here. I am here for my children. Don’t you need any help?”
-“Can I set up my tent around your house?”
The car turns around and the driver draws the map about their house. YEAH!!! Today I also don’t need worried about the place to sleep! AWESOME!!!
After giving me his number, he doesn’t turn around but he keeps going. I realize that he turned around to help me. That’s why he was coming from opposite side. He already picked up his children from school and was going home. Oh.. what a kind!
Actually he wants to give me a ride, but I say no thanks, because I want to cycle as long as I can do. Maybe there will be someplace I can’t ride a bike. I will save my lift for someday or some point.
I thought Colombia people are most kind. But true thing is Colombian can’t be compared to South African. South African is the most hospitality people in the world in my experience!!! I feel like I am in the heaven!!!
The photo for congratulation of 13,000 km!! Yeah! Good job! Doing well in South Africa!
I am really doing well more than when I was in South America!
I arrive in their house a bit late. They let me sleep at inside of house. He has his own business and also some sheep. It is almost 70 sheep. In the day time, he lets them go out. Before sunset, he lets them come home. I ask how he can bring them to cage. It is really easy that he just stands at the back of sheep and walks to cage. So I try and it works! It is my first time to drive animal to cage!
Their body is shaken.
“Is something wrong with sheep?” I ask
“No. They are just hot. You know their wool. They don’t breath like that way in the winter.” He answers.
(South Africa has winter. In the morning it is under the zero, but afternoon it goes around 10 to 20 Celsius)
They do bbq in the night. It is typical food which is called Boerewars. I feel so peaceful today. I forgot to take a photo of their house which is more than 100 years old. His grandfather built it. His son room was his room. I feel his house is really historic.
His wife, Catherine, works as Fund raiser. South African company should spend some percent of profit for donating. It is not mandatory. Anyhow she calls to companies and asks support. She works for two companies. One is for orphanage for children whose parents died for HIV/AIDS. The other is for helping black farmer.
I am wondering that it seems farmer means rich, but why they need supporting?
The story is here. When the black people can prove the territory is theirs, then government take the land from white people and give them back. The problem is the black people don’t know how to farm. It takes over 10 years to become an excellent farmer. It costs a lot to train a farmer for a year.
Herman’s family!
The white soup thing is African food which is called Mielie pap.
I forgot to take picture of dry bread so that I just take a photo in a grocery. It is another African food that they baked and dried. When they drink coffee or tea, they have it together.
24thJan2013
Today I am invited in their children’s school.
In South Africa there are eleven official languages. But most of school is divided in English or African. This school is African school that Catherine translates for me who can’t speak African.
Most of white people speak African and most of black people speak English so that there are more black people in English school.
What eleven official languages means is the race is like rainbow. Many different cultures are mixed in South Africa.
It is my big pleasure to stand in front of children.
Today is special day to Herman and Catherine, because his son will run against other school.
Their daughter hand and my hand;
She is like a model that she can make many different faces even I didn’t ask.
Catherine tells me some interesting thing that when they have a race, in the front there are black people and in the back there are white people.
Of course there is exception like their son! Their son runs in the front! There is some interesting that South African children love barefoot. It doesn’t matter whether they are white people or black people. All of them are walking with barefoot. Especially their son’s feet are very stronger that he doesn’t have pain with thorn or too much hot stone.
It is what I’ve gotten from people. It is called Biltong (Jerked meat). Long time ago farmers moved to the north. At that time it was hard to keep fresh meat that they started eating biltong. The left one on the picture is Springbok’s meat which I got from Pieter and Annare who fed me sheep’s neck. The second and third from the left is I got from Albert who treated me his family. It is really hard and different from the first one. The first one is very soft. The third one is ground jerked meat that I can eat with sandwich. The last one is from Herman that it is similar to first one. I am kind of shocked when I see price in the front of last biltong. It is too expensive! Hu! I think I can never afford to buy it by myself.
Thanks to South African, I’ve slept inside of house and had nice meal at the most of night.
Just I can’t understand why people are so kind ever? They are not scared of me? How come they let me sleep at inside as soon as see me?
In my experience, people who live in nice and rich house usually don’t open the door to me who am strange traveler. So I usually didn’t ask to rich house before. But South Africa? Wow. They are exception. It is really hard to understand why they are so warm hospitality to stranger so that I asked one time.
“Why you guys are so kind?”
“We are the Christian.”
“I’ve seen many Christian, but you guys are really different from other people.”
“It is also our culture that when I was child my mother put one more plate just in case for somebody coming.”
I think their culture is similar to Korean culture. My mother always put something to drink in refrigerator like orange Juice for guest who might come.
But I don’t think that if I am traveling in Korea, people will not open the door and let me sleep at their house, because I am stranger and Stranger is dangerous in city’s life! I don’t think there is more kind hospitality country than South Africa.
Anyway every day I feel so thankful to local people, but the time I have to leave is coming.