Observations and thoughts about South Africa

If I had to choose one word to describe South Africa, it would be "divided". I'll try to open that up a bit in the following chapters. (Please, keep in mind that I only was there as a tourist for 3 weeks; I might be wrong about many things, and many things that seemed "black and white" to me, are not necessarily so black and white.)

Social statuses

The culture of having housemaids is still alive and kicking in SA. I know that it isn't that long ago since we used to have housemaids in Finland, but it had beem long enough to make me at first feel that it is a bit too much if someone's job is to come to your house and clean it up for you: you could do that yoursefl too, you know. When I gave it a second thought, I realized that it is a good thing that there is such strong service culture there. Otherwisw there wold be so many people without any work. Although, some of the work that people do, seems anyway, hmmm, unnecessary. For example: I went to a public toilet, the cleaning lady guided me to the door, wiped the floor before me and showed me where I can hang my bag. Can you imagine that? Or maybe that is just it, that as a Finnish person I am not used to beeing (over)served, and I am definitely not used to beeing called "mam" as they call you where ever you go there. But why does the existence of strong service culture make the coutry divided? Because it is the black people who serve the white people.

Rich and poor

The country doesn't have a proper system to take care of its citizens in need of help. That's why there are people who are very rich and people who are very poor while the middle class seems to face extinction soon. It is not only the people who are divided into rich and poor, but also the areas. I saw places, where money clearly lies. The places which are really poor, I was only told about, because it wouldn't have been safe to go there. From this we get to the next subject.

Dangerous places and safer (but not safe) places.

I really bugged me that I couldn't go anywhere I felt like going in SA. I couldn't just go wondering around and see places, because I might have ended up in a place where I would've too easily been mugged or even killed. Because of that I didn't feel free in South Africa. In Port Elizabeth me and my aunt couldn't go walking in the city center because two white ladies walking there are very likely to get mugged. In Cape Town I wasn't allowed to take a train because I would have been "eaten alive and thrown out of the window". Shannon is a paramedic, and og my god (!!!) the stories he told me what actually happens in CT. I knew that Cape Town is a dangerous place, but I wouldn't even have been able to make up stories that horrible in my head - and my imagination is pretty wild. It seems like you really have to know SA to be able to keep yourself somewhat safe there. If you don't, you have to ask first, if it is safe and then do it, whatever it is that you want to do. And where is the dividedness in safety? It is the white women who are the people most in danger in SA, especially if they walk alone, i.e. when it comes to safety, it makes a difference who it is that lives or travels in SA.

People

I don't know if it is because of the insecurity of the country or what, but the people are honest, are very honest and they seem to have this "we have to stock together" attitude. I experienced that every time when I needed to ask for advice from people. As I was a tourist, the people who I asked for advice gave me so much more information that I had asked for. For example, if I asked where to find a taxi, yes, they told me where to get a taxi, but they also told me not to let the taxi driver rob me, told me to agree the price of the lift beforehand and told me what would be an appropriat price to pay for the lift. These valuable pieces of information kept coming whatever it was that I asked. On the other hand, there are sao m any people who - for one reaon or another - try to benefit from other people either by criminal actions or just by taking advantage of the occurring situation, whatever it is at that very moment. Being so, I - sadly - have to say that the people in South Africa seem to be divided into good and bad - or at least into fotunate and less fortunate, which leads to different ways of coping in life within the less fortunate people.

One thing that was not divided there was the nature. South Africa's nature is amazingly beautiful and absolutely worth seeing. The beaches are stunning, the animals are absolute heart breakers and the vegetation is just beautiful. It is a pity that one can't travel in that coutry without having to worry about his/her safety. There were two things that made it possible for me to explore South Africa somewhat safely: having a car in which to drive around and knowing people with who to go to places they knew would be safe.