September 26, 2008. TOUR of the TOWNSHIPS. I have never been on a more unusual tour in my life. Now, looking back and thinking about what I saw, I see everything differently. Listen, the amazing honesty of the Africans just stunned me today.

Okay, everything in order...

By the way, don't worry and don't be anxious if I suddenly disappear after this active week of posts. It's obvious: there were all kinds of tours, the road, many events. Sooner or later, the daily routine will begin. Do I hope for it?.. It's just that it might happen. I'll be busy looking for housing and work.

To the point: in the morning we were picked up at «Ashanti» — our hostel — and taken on an excursion. First, we stopped by the museum of the city's history and the apartheid years, and then... Ooh! We drove through some... so to speak... city slums. And we saw the reverse side of civilization. It's interesting to remember, but it wasn't particularly interesting to see, smell, understand, and... something else and... Of course, I've long been used to our sheds behind the bathhouse and don't notice their shabbiness at all. Sometimes I even forget that they exist (although my own dwelling doesn't shine either...) In short – there's all sorts of things. People live differently. And here there is enough shabbiness, poverty, and lack of love for people. Well, judge for yourself: fifteen years have passed since the end of apartheid. We still can't forgive and fully accept the Germans after the Great Patriotic War and still look at them askance. And here... But still, guys! I have never seen such sweet (no, really!) black people in my life. In America, most of them look like they just climbed down from a palm tree. But here there are plenty of well-bred and absolutely adequate people. You can't help but notice this. Just as, on the other hand, you can't help but notice the mass of beggars, homeless people, and, accordingly, hooligans. Olga, a friend, told me shortly before the trip: «Since childhood, I've somehow been used to the words from the song 'Children, don't go for a walk in Africa!'» Today in the townships, I remembered that. But then we stopped by a local kindergarten. And we had fun with the children. And it was like a wordless: «There is life here too! And joy. And children!» True, I didn't want to play with them or pick them up. I can't do that right away, especially when there's a screaming cloud of them. I need to get to know and get used to a child a little, or for them to like me immediately and very much. But when there's a crowd of them, everyone jumping on you, squealing – it's hard to choose. It's a different matter with the children of friends and relatives. I'm used to them, and I love them. It's the same with adults: we won't throw ourselves into the arms of the first person we meet just because we felt like it!

HOORAY! FOUND RUSSIANS!

The news is just mega, right? It's one thing when you find them in England or America (where they are swarming), and quite another when you're in Cape Town, where there are only four other people besides you. Katya and Liza from Magnitogorsk, Irina from Volzhsky (a city across the river from Volgograd), and Lena from Kazakhstan.

So far, I've only met and talked with Katya. I liked Katya. Alexey was here too, but he has already left (maybe he'll come again) — he is from Magnitogorsk, he was the first Russian of those I managed to contact who lived here and worked under the same program as me.

EVERY DAY YOU LIVE AND ARE SURPRISED

It's interesting to be a pioneer (or a pioneer ???). Who would you surprise today that some student just got ready and went to America? Or to England? Or even to France, Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic? Someone will be surprised, someone won't. But to Africa?! Everyone was surprised, whoever I told about my desire to go. Although, actually, not everyone. Those who weren't surprised – were amazed!

LOOKING FOR WORK

I walk around all day (until recently I thought I would get a job as a bartender) and look. To tell the truth, I can hardly imagine myself as a bartender. I'm trying out as a sysadmin in an Internet cafe, and I have thoughts about being a photographer. I leave my resumes everywhere.

I listened to «sunny» bards on my laptop in the morning. I sang along. I had a desire to sing myself. It would be cool to go out to «Victoria Wharf» — this is the local, biggest shopping and entertainment complex on the Waterfront (from water and front) (in the spirit of some of ours, in Chelyabinsk) and sing. Maybe I wouldn't even be too shy. Someone performs there periodically. It's a pity my friend Roma isn't nearby. We would definitely have performed something with him!

In the evening, we went to a karaoke bar with Irina (who is from Volzhsky) and Brad (an acquaintance of hers). I have never been to such places before. Some comrades sang quite decently. But in all likelihood, they were invited and paid to warm up the audience.

No, we're actually having a cool time. Liza has returned from Russia. She has been living here for a year already, she went home to Magnitogorsk for a month. She is the best friend of that same Alexey I mentioned above. There have already been four students from Magnitogorsk here under our «Work in South Africa» program. There was one girl from St. Petersburg — Dasha. Lena, who is from Kazakhstan, is at home now, planning to return. And before Alexey, there were two other Russians here. In short, I am about the eighth Russian in this program! Cool, right? Even being the two-hundredth wouldn't be bad...

I haven't met Liza yet. Must definitely fix that!

My laptop (notebook) crashed (broke) the day before yesterday. It wouldn't start at all. I repaired it for two days, a bunch of extra parts were discovered. I threw everything to hell, it got lighter by two kilograms! No joke, people, I'm really saying it! Can you imagine?! But now it works like a human. I threw out the dead keyboard (I had taken a normal, external one from Russia with me), the floppy, the drive, the battery. Cool, right?! The main thing is that now this «lightweight version» works!

The internet at SASTS is reaLLY crappy. And their office only works until five in the evening, five days a week. And I, as it happens, am busy all day until seven or eight in the evening (as they say here). And only after that — I'm freer (law of meanness, when the net is already gone!)

October 03, 2008