juma asked me before if it would be possible to spend the nite in khayelitsha. the workshop started at around 6pm and by the time it would end it be 8ish and for willard and juma to drop me off in town and for them to go back would be too late and time consuming. it was one thing to spend a few hours in khayelitsha but to spend the nite in the township kind of caught me off guard.
juma and willard understood and reassured me that they'd be able to make arrangements with the woman who ran the community centre. they said it be more than ok to stay at her place overnight and to just make any donation. this woman's name is vicki and she was interested in the idea of having foreigners stay over at her home so that people could get a feel of township life. they said the area was more than safe...and her home was just minutes away from the community centre.
what got me was when juma said, "you've only experienced the real south africa if you spend a nite in the township." i had some reservations about it at first but i really trusted my friends so i agreed. i figure, i survived this country so far from the late nite shebeen runs in joburg, jumping out of a plane, already visiting a few townships..what's one nite in one?
i pack my overnite bag and im on the train to khayelitsha. normally, when tourists go to the townships it's usually by bus or car arranged by some tour company and not so much by train. the train is usually for the locals. so when juma got our train tickets, he was telling me afterwards that the ticket agent had to ask him twice if i was really going to khayelitsha...i nervously laughed it off. what else was i to do? i was already en route...
we get off the train, and khayelitsha is buzzing with venders selling everything under the sun from plumped-out chickens to braai meats to nailcutters. in a township everything is so picturesque, i asked juma if it was okay to snap some photos and he told me it was ok to take as many as i wanted. the kind of thing i would never do if i was on my own.
so we get to the community centre, already there are kids waiting. we set up our materials and i introduce myself to the kids one-by-one. i felt like such a geek because i told them my name, shook their hand and tried to repeat their name. the thing is these kids are xhosa speaking. and xhosa is the dialect that has the clicks in it, therefore a lot of their names are pronounced with a click. i could not for the life of me say their names properly no matter how hard i tried. so i stopped repeating their name and just said 'hello! later on, i asked juma if he could write down their names for me :s
there was an equal amount of girls and boys that come voluntarily and its not part of any school curriculum. these workshops set up by juma and willard are a great way for kids to learn and also pre-occupy their time by doing something productive. juma tells me a lot of township kids go to the shebeens and get into drugs among other things, so these kids that come to the workshops really come to stray away from all of that. so, i know off-the-bat these kids are level-headed since they come out on their own so they could learn.
i explain to them the assignment group-by-group and they get into creative mode. as they're working more kids drop in, so we help them get started. i was a little intimidated at first because some of the boys had this hard-looking image and even had some gold grills..hehe. but overall these kids were all cool kids. they were very respectful and seemed to enjoy this collage project. observing them was interesting to me because they were all speaking in xhosa..so all of them were clicking away. it's such a fascinating language to listen to.
..anyhow, these kids were being super innovative. one kid wanted to be a soccer star when he gets older so he drew a soccer field with paint but with the end of a crayon because there were no paint brushes. he did an awesome job. i was like, 'crap, i really need to get this kid a paintbrush!'
some made mosaics with the wooden clothes pins that juma supplied..it was "WOW!" a lot of them drew huts as their homes with huge water supply tanks beside them, as well as livestock for those who lived in rural areas.
the part that got to me was when one of the kids was explaining his drawing of UCT (Univ. of Cape Town) of how that's where he sees himself in the future. i loved it and told him that im sure it was going to happen...it was great to see everyone was into this and some more kids kept on coming in. even some babies would randomly stroll into the room on their own. i was like "juma, where are these babies coming from?" i found out some of these babies belonged to some of the kids in the workshop or were a little sibling. these babies were very snotty-nosed hehe, but they were still really cute.
at the end of the workshop, we got each group to present their piece. i was impressed and learned quite a bit. these kids are awesome and it was definitely the highlight of my trip! i know for a long time i'll be thinking about them and i really hope each of them succeeds in whatever it is they want to pursue...i have a feeling they will!
we close up shop and it's nightime..willard and juma take me around the township at nite by foot..they tell me it's safe but when you're passing by shacks when it's dark, you can't help but feel a 'lil scared shitless. i appear calm knowing im in good company..
they take me to a friend's shack, as i enter..their friend is surprised to see me. clearly because...and it's late at nite. he kind of looked at me like i was crazy for being there. anyway, i smile and introduce myself. it was fascinating being there because you literally see a sheet of corrugated metal that's the roof supported by chunky panels of plywood. it's one thing to see one on the outside but to be in one was an experience. his place had no plumbing so his washroom was an outhouse a few metres outside. i was in awe and wanted to thoroughly scan his home but didn't want to make it obvious. it was my first time in a shack. what made it even more fascinating was that this guy had a suped up large-screened TV..i was amazed! so, juma, willard and myself all took a seat to watch this old school jodie foster movie. i can't remember the title..
we hang out for a bit and say good-bye. we get to vicki's place and her home in the township is anything but a shack, it's a modest brick house. one of the nicest homes in khayelitsha. when you're inside you dont feel like you're in an impoverished township. vicki had a big screened TV too, where i got to watch my favourite SA soap called, generations. she prepared dinner of pap and beef and had a cozy room for me to sleep in. she apologized for there not being a TV in my room hehe. that was the last thing on my mind! vicki and her family were very accomodating and genuinely kind..in the morning she even drove willard, juma and i back into town. she's a really sweet lady who likes a lot of gospel music and likes to drive on the shoulder of the highway to beat traffic. love it!
..so, that sums up my nite in the township, it was an interesting and safe experience. nothing beats working with the kids though!
i could've stayed in a shack but it wasn't the case..to me, i would've slept wherever i had to and accepted it. so i guess according to juma since i did spend the nite, i've experienced the real south africa.
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