on understanding, Afrikaans and Afrikaners

These past weeks I have been more and more introduced to the Afrikaans culture of South Africa. Stellenbosch is an Afrikaans town, where most people speak Afrikaans as their mother language. The first few words you learn are baie dankie (thank you), sakkie?(plastic bag?) and lekker (basically anything good is lekker). Jammer can be very useful too, especially when things go wrong or you bump into someone in a shop. That has happened to me a few times and it has been a practical and effective way of learning new words... But all in all Afrikaans is not the most difficult language and I find myself fitting in quite smoothly even if I don't understand everything that is being said to me.

Stellenbosch is and old town, known because of its University but I guess more commonly because its wine. And it is great. For a student being able to afford wine with normal meals is quite a luxury, but I don't think I will ever be able to live closer to some of the best wines made in the world, so I may as well enjoy it.

The University of Stellenbosch is Afrikaans, which means that most of my courses are partly taught in Afrikaans. Usually the lecturer speaks English for a while and then just switches to Afrikaans and so forth. After a while you get used to it, and you are able to follow it reasonably well (thanks to our great Afrikaans intensive course). Still there are moments when I realise I am thinking about weekend plans instead of concentrating on the theory of Sociology, but that's ok. Our weekends have been worth the planning.

This weekend we went to a music festival at Kam'Bati River Resort near Swellendam. It was very relaxed and intimate for a music festival, which was refreshing after seeing the music festivals in Finland. This one was about serious camping with braais and seats around the campfires. The music was acoustic and suited well for the atmosphere. Despite the odd rain showers we had clear night skies and the stars were absolutely beautiful because of the surrounding darkness.

The festival was about Afrikaans music, as most of the bands were Afrikaans. It was a great chance to get to know young Afrikaners and their lifestyle. It is amazing, how many different lifestyles you get in this country. It is a positive thing and makes it a culturally rich place, but it does make you ask why the lifestyles sometimes seem worlds apart.
I ended up having random conversations with a few local people about the Afrikaans culture and history and one guy told me how Afrikaans music was not really popular among young people a while ago, but it sort of became popular again and now you have lots of new Afrikaans bands. The bands were really good at the festival and the people seemed to know them well. I guess it gives them something of their own and a tradition that they want to hold on to. One guy was nice enough to translate me some of the lyrics of the songs and they were about, (besides naturally falling in love and difficulties in loving), how it feels to be in Afrika and some songs seemed to mix well the history of the Boers and the traditional Afrikaans folk music into modern style with catchy lines and rhythms. Maybe it is just what is needed to bring the Afrikaaner culture alive and going. And the young seem to be doing well in that. It is not easy to be a small minority in this country, carry a burden of the past, especially for the new generation, while trying to identify both to European roots and to an African identity. And some of them feel like they are not wanted here by the majority of people. Doesn't it make you want to hold on to your own culture and identity even stronger? Maybe Africa has seen enough battles over who was where when and who owns what and why. Maybe it is not worth it to try and go back as far as possible to see who actually originally owned this land, who are the true South Africans. When you look far back enough, you realise that the black people originally immigrated from the North, and South Africa was empty besides the few herding Khoikhois and hunter-gatherer Sans.
I wish all the energy would be put into understanding differences and respecting cultural diversity instead of highlighting the negative conflicts and rights to the ownership of land and South African identity.
There are only a few million Afrikaners in this country as well as English speaking South Africans, and no matter how much I love the Xhosa and Zulu cultures among other African cultures, I don't want to see any of those cultures and lifestyles disappear. It is what I love about South Africa, the incredible variety and strong identity that people have. I guess it is what is necessary for survival here. But for the survival of the nation it is necessary to have the understanding for others. And can you have that without compromising something of your own?

And in the end South Africans are all throughoutly wonderful and friendly. It is so overwhelming considering the crime statistics and everyday struggles that we are facing, and still people trust each other and help each other. We asked a few Xhosa men to take photos of us on our way to Cape Town as the smoke from the forestfires was making the sunset sky beautifully red, and they were really loving the photos and we took photos of them. Small things, but the friendliness is huge. We could have just driven by, and now we have photos of beautiful people next to a beautiful sky.

Same with English. The English people I have been lucky to meet are the nicest people I happen to know. I have huge respect for them.

And Afrikaners. I cannot say yet that I know them well, but this weekend at the festival made me understand a lot more. And they are very friendly. Some were open enough to tell about the difficulties they are facing as Afrikaners, and it is not easy.

And we got offered some lekker boerewors at braai and this morning, I woke up to this guy next to our tent offering chocolate cake for breakfast. South African hospitality, lekker and fun.




'N vuurvliegie flikker hier en daar
Iewers tussen my en die ewenaar
En my hart is lig, my gemoed is swaar
Ek's in Afrika en dis donker daar

Dis jammer ek is nie nou op my beste nie
Wat is die Afrikaanse woord vir destiny?

on making South Africa home for a while

So it took me 6 weeks to finally start this blog. Maybe I was afraid it would end up being just one of those blogs people write where ever they go whatever they do, and nobody seems to be reading them and it becomes just another page in the endless internet...
But then what. I want to write this for my friends and family whom I do miss and cannot communicate with as much as I would like to. I hope for those who are interested in my doings this will be fun and interesting. And for those who don't really know me but end up reading my blog anyway (curiosity or boredom!?), I hope you do remember that whatever I end up writing here are only my personal opinions and even though I may have strong views on certain topics, I hope you will not try and use them against me or take them personally, even if you disagree.
And please comment, I hope that especially with those who share the same passion for this continent we could have interesting discussions...
So let's start. I am currently in Stellenbosch, South Africa. I am living here for a year as an international student studying Sociology and isiXhosa. I am also volunteering at a nearby township called Kayamandi. Besides that I try to move around as much as possible, see places and get to know people both international and local. I am very very lucky to have this opportunity to do this. I have come to realise that the education system in Finland is very priviledged, even though we tend to still have plenty of things to complain about ... but recently I had a good conversation, that made me realise how much freedom and independence it has given me. To be able to study what you want and are interested in and not be dependent on my parents for example has given me opportunities to take control over my life and a chance to work and travel besides my studies for example. Maybe that is why I enjoy this time of my life so much and don't really seem to have much of a hurry to graduate and get into the working life.
And yes, I have the possibility to come and Study in South Africa. My university actually pays me to do so. That is something. And for the first time in my life as a student I don't need to work besides my studies, so I get a chance to do volunteer work and just enjoy my time here.
Applying for the exchange wasn't a piece of cake though, I don't think I have ever filled that many official papers in a year's time. But it was definitely worth going through all that trouble.

In the 6 weeks I have been here I have managed to settle in well in my residence. I have a beautiful view over the Stellenbosch mountain and three lovely girls to share this flat with. And I have my own bathroom with a bathtub, oh the luxury.
I have taken an intensive Afrikaans course, I made some really great friends during that course and I don't think studying has ever been that much fun at University. Maybe it was because of the wine tastings and picnics... or maybe because I happened to have such a good time with my classmates. I go for both.

South Africa is not a new place for me. I lived here in 2004-2005, in Port Elizabeth, where I did volunteer work at Ramaphosa, Kwazakhele township. I helped around at a pre-school and got to know the Xhosa culture a bit better. It helps now when I am finally studying the language at University. At least I can say Hlalaphantsi (Sit down!), mamelani (listen to me), thula (quiet) and Hayi (no!). Something we got around repeating quite a lot!!
I was also helping around at an Oceanarium, where I was looking after sick penguins. I still have a huge compassion and love for African penguins. They have such character and personality.
I am lucky to know some wonderful people in Port Elizabeth, who are like my own family to me. So I guess I don't know how to separate myself totally from the South Africans, I partly feel like a South African. It may sound naive but I honestly feel like I know this country much better than Finland and even though I love to be Finnish I cannot lose interest in this place or stop myself from coming back over and over again. It sort of grows to be a part of you and there is no going back.

However I do find myself questioning many things every day. Like me being here as a fairly well off white girl from Europe. I am used to seeing myself as a poor student studying all these hippyish subjects, working at a flower shop and not really knowing what to do with my life, and suddenly it is turned upside down. It is very confusing. But all is relative.
The South African students seem very determined and positive about their career choices and future plans. Maybe they feel like they have to know, maybe you cannot be too uncertain about things in South Africa. Everybody seems to want to graduate as soon as possible and have more independence and security in their lives. I honestly don't know how they manage to do that with all the partying, beautiful nature, beaches and hot hot weather that you get here.

South Africa has a lot of contrast. Sometimes it is too frustrating, but sometimes it makes it all worthwhile. I have not been homesick once. I miss my family, dog, and friends terribly, but I know that I will end up missing South Africa too much when I eventually have to get on the plane towards the North. I guess I will never stop coming back. I guess this place will never make enough sense for me so I have to keep on finding out more and exploring. And that is what I love to do.