yesterday i realised, i'm in africa! i did a tour of soweto, a township on joburg's outskirts, where black people were forced to live under apartheid. i was moved and emotional, nothing in australia can prepare you for that kind of poverty. it was like soemthing out of a world vision ad. kliptown is where the poorest of the poor live, the photos say it all i think. but its not all doom and gloom either. the people are so unbelievably hopful and positive, quick to laugh and smile and invite you in. there's also this amazing organisation called the Soweto Kliptown youth (SKY) Centre doing really positive things in the towship, providing the basic neccesities, HIV education and training programs for young people. if you can find a website for it, please donate to these guys, they really are doing amazing work.
there's so much to say about soweto and the feelings it brings out in you, but i'm not sure if i can find the right words to describe it. the conditions that human beings can survive in are simply astounding, i've honsetly never seen anything like it before in my life. but the children are so beautiful, following you around holding your hand and singing you songs, they're happy you know, and they have nothing in material terms. i think we in the west have a lot to learn about happiness.
there are heaps of amazing people here at the hostel, lots of strong independent women in particular. there are more female single travellers than males, its really inspiring and encouraging. when i first got here, there were moments of 'what the hell am i doing?!' but seeing so many other ladies doing it on their own and actually being here and seeing that its not as big and bad as i thought it would be, i feel heaps more confident. sisters are doin it for themselves!!
