Umngane

65 Days in the Rainbow Nation

JULY 28, 2014 / REISTHEBAULT /
Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of
arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to
skid in broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally
worn out, and loudly proclaiming Wow! What a Ride!'
Hunter S. Thompson
PIETERMARITZBURG As a college freshman, I really liked my
dorm room. It was a good size, I had great roommates, but I was
ready to live alone. The day I moved out, however, I didnt want
to leave. I was looking at the old bunk bed, my desk and my
drawers and I was sad. I didnt want to let go of all the fun Id
had there.
Heres the point: I dont think Ive felt more at home in South
Africa than I have the past few days. Perhaps its early onset
nostalgia or something, but it feels like, after 60 some days, Ive
really become part of the country.
So please reader, allow me to indulge in my urge to recap these
last two months.
We arrived in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa two exhausted
Americans on May 28. We met Mike Cuthbert then the acting
General Manager at the PMB Y for the rst time in person at
the Durban airport.
Mike and his wife Pauline deserve the utmost credit for
welcoming me and Emily with a kindness that helped us
transition from panicked travelers to comfortable members of the
A summer of service, exploration and friendship in South
Africa
staff.
Our initial three week stint in PMB brought many rsts. We had
our rst encounter with street kids. Most of them were younger
than me but their time on the street had hardened and aged them.
Many inhaled glue, some abused alcohol or other drugs. But a
few were working, ghting tooth and nail for a chance at college
or technical school. For a more permanent escape than drugs
could ever bring. Never in my life have I been more humbled and
felt so fortunate to have a good home and a good school.
Those weeks brought our rst computer lessons and, with them, a
larger purpose to our being here. We had never seen 16-year olds
who didnt know how to turn on a computer. This was something
we could change and Emily and I threw ourselves into it.
It was also the rst time we met our hiking-guide-turned-friend
Ian. He led us up the treacherous and wild Drakensberg
Mountains. It was one of the most grueling things Ive ever done.
We battled blisters and wind that would literally blow us over.
But those mountains are damn beautiful.
We had adventures and a lot of fun, but in PMB and in Durban
we were also witness to the widespread inequality that plagues
the country.
While our time in Cape Town brought more of those three things,
the weeks we spent there were decidedly different from the rest of
our trip. Cape Town is certainly a different side of South Africa.
Its big, modern and fast-paced. Also, you cant take a bad picture
there. Walk outside and you either have the mountains or the
ocean as a backdrop.
We met a lot of people at the hostels there. They were travelers
mostly, like us, who just wanted to see the city and have a bit of
fun. That we did. Cape Town certainly is one of the worlds most
incredible cities.
We returned to PMB July 12 and found that a little bit had
changed. Having successfully hired a long term General Manager,
Mike returned to his position at the Ys national ofce. The new
GM Clinton George is a young guy with a history at the YMCA
and other nonprots. We arrived on his rst day and in these last
two weeks, he has made his presence and attitude felt. He and his
wife Allison have been open, honest and gracious and, in doing
so, have won the trust and respect of the Y staff. With their faith
and dedication, I have no doubt that the Y is in good hands.
Since our return to PMB, Emily and I have worked to make a
lasting impression on the computer lab and the computer classes.
We developed a curriculum for our successor and we did a lot to
brighten the room. The YMCA South Africa logo and YMCA USA
logo are now displayed side by side on the previously blank walls
a symbol of our time here and of future partnership. The
YMCAs four pillars are scrawled above the logos because, hey,
who can argue with those values?
(https://umnganeymca.les.wordpress.com/2014/07/img_4301.jpg)
Its kind of like my roommates and I leaving some of the years
mementos in the ceiling (only less vandalism-y) even if no one
knows where it came from, we can leave knowing we made the
room a better place.
So, Ill be gone in two days. Im headed to that travel purgatory
that accompanies long journeys. The time in between South
Africa and home will give me plenty of time to think (and to
digest some rubbery airplane food). And, like my rst college
home, I wont forget what happened here.
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3 thoughts on 65 Days in the
Rainbow Nation
1. marybstrassel
JULY 28, 2014 AT 1:07 PM
You wont be the same after this summer. Bravo!
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2. rthebault
JULY 28, 2014 AT 1:09 PM
I really enjoyed reading this article and the thoughts you
expressed therein.See you soon.Love,Dad
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3. Catherine Duchon
JULY 28, 2014 AT 2:19 PM
Love the quote! And, of course, all of the work you are doing
with the Y and all of the adventures you are having too!
FYI: 3 days, 10 hours, 11 minutes until the plane touches down
in Chicago!
Cant wait for the rst hand stories and photos.
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