5 Apr 09
Songs for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKYWOwWAguk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKYWOwWAguk
What make SA so great is that it is filled with everything you can possibly imagine. Great land, food, gold diamonds. But the true gem is its wine!
Today Amy and I went on a wine tour! As most wine tours go, the bus was filled of fun people who like to drink. Can't beat that combo at 9am. In our van we had our driver bruce from SA, Rob from Cananda living in Saudi Arabia and an undercover wine maker, several girls that were in the Peace Corp from the US and Germany and then there was Matt. Oh matty, he was a strapping english man living in SAy for 10 years now with a great tan, killer smile and a body to match. He like me had a different outlook on life. He believed it is important to go where life takes you and make a career out of the hobbies you like in life. He has taken up surfing, horses, corporate world, travel and leisure and even was a manny (male nanny) for Bradgelina in UK , Namibia and SA. He boasts that Angelina pecked him on the cheek goodbye in thanks for teaching maddox "footieball". He mentions several time how soft her lips wer as I watch his. ha ha.
The day started off getting to know everyone on the bus. Of course since Amy and I and the girls from the peace corps all just got out of the bush (what they call the farm lands in Africa) we had deep conversations about Africa, poverty, etc. All light wine tasting banter, yeah? The girls had us beat for they worked in Zambia for 3 years. There was one girl who just left Zambia. She was one of those young gals who was brought up in Manhattan, never had a real job, lived off of mommy and daddy but decided to help the world and come back with a greater sense of growth form the bush. Beside the large growth of bush under her arms, she definitely had gained a lot of life experience that I can't begin to try and understand. (However when I told her that I work with kids who are HIV positive in the States she said "they have that there?" - so you know what I am dealing with)
One of the things she said really got me ready for a debate. She was having trouble allowing the community she was in the idea of advancement. Sure she wanted them to have education, but she felt that even though they were poor they were still happy. Her point was that our "advanced" worlds and money are not the answer --- money does not = happiness. For me coming from Malugeni where although happy (in a way), are they leading life to their full potential? I just taught over 130 kids who all have the potential to be bright inventors, lawyers, doctors, writers, poets, actors but without opportunity (money = opportunity) they may not live that life. She countered by saying give them education so they have that but teach them how to sustain thier farms so they don't have to use money. My reaction is what if they do not wish to be farmers. I know I had more people than I can count ask me to take them with me to the US. Because you are born randomly in a town, country, continent you are bound to do what your parents did. Hello that is the foundation of America. Hell if that was the case i am sure she would not be sending 3 years in a bush, rather she would be in NY surrounded by technology and be either a lawyer or a doctor.
Again, why are we trying to oppress the Africans. I understand that nothing brings happiness but rather that comes from within. I do believe that the pursuit of a dream brings inner peace and fulfillment. It is food for your soul and it broke my heart to see the Malungeni's not even have those dreams but rather resign to the life they have. To not recognize that the lack of the dream is problematic - is immature, even if her world view is coming from 3 years in the bush. I think the next 3 years in Manhattan will change her view quickly when she takes a taxi 15 mins instead of a 3 hour bike ride to take her friend to the hospital for an HIV test.
Back to the wine--- I guess I don't have much to say after all of that.
It was lovely - the scenery both of the land and matt..ha ha
We ate, drank and were very merry.
An opportunity we would not all have if we couldn't pay the 450 Rand each. I will just say I am thankful and happy for the opportunity.
Songs for this post: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKYWOwWAguk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKYWOwWAguk
What make SA so great is that it is filled with everything you can possibly imagine. Great land, food, gold diamonds. But the true gem is its wine!
Today Amy and I went on a wine tour! As most wine tours go, the bus was filled of fun people who like to drink. Can't beat that combo at 9am. In our van we had our driver bruce from SA, Rob from Cananda living in Saudi Arabia and an undercover wine maker, several girls that were in the Peace Corp from the US and Germany and then there was Matt. Oh matty, he was a strapping english man living in SAy for 10 years now with a great tan, killer smile and a body to match. He like me had a different outlook on life. He believed it is important to go where life takes you and make a career out of the hobbies you like in life. He has taken up surfing, horses, corporate world, travel and leisure and even was a manny (male nanny) for Bradgelina in UK , Namibia and SA. He boasts that Angelina pecked him on the cheek goodbye in thanks for teaching maddox "footieball". He mentions several time how soft her lips wer as I watch his. ha ha.
The day started off getting to know everyone on the bus. Of course since Amy and I and the girls from the peace corps all just got out of the bush (what they call the farm lands in Africa) we had deep conversations about Africa, poverty, etc. All light wine tasting banter, yeah? The girls had us beat for they worked in Zambia for 3 years. There was one girl who just left Zambia. She was one of those young gals who was brought up in Manhattan, never had a real job, lived off of mommy and daddy but decided to help the world and come back with a greater sense of growth form the bush. Beside the large growth of bush under her arms, she definitely had gained a lot of life experience that I can't begin to try and understand. (However when I told her that I work with kids who are HIV positive in the States she said "they have that there?" - so you know what I am dealing with)
One of the things she said really got me ready for a debate. She was having trouble allowing the community she was in the idea of advancement. Sure she wanted them to have education, but she felt that even though they were poor they were still happy. Her point was that our "advanced" worlds and money are not the answer --- money does not = happiness. For me coming from Malugeni where although happy (in a way), are they leading life to their full potential? I just taught over 130 kids who all have the potential to be bright inventors, lawyers, doctors, writers, poets, actors but without opportunity (money = opportunity) they may not live that life. She countered by saying give them education so they have that but teach them how to sustain thier farms so they don't have to use money. My reaction is what if they do not wish to be farmers. I know I had more people than I can count ask me to take them with me to the US. Because you are born randomly in a town, country, continent you are bound to do what your parents did. Hello that is the foundation of America. Hell if that was the case i am sure she would not be sending 3 years in a bush, rather she would be in NY surrounded by technology and be either a lawyer or a doctor.
Again, why are we trying to oppress the Africans. I understand that nothing brings happiness but rather that comes from within. I do believe that the pursuit of a dream brings inner peace and fulfillment. It is food for your soul and it broke my heart to see the Malungeni's not even have those dreams but rather resign to the life they have. To not recognize that the lack of the dream is problematic - is immature, even if her world view is coming from 3 years in the bush. I think the next 3 years in Manhattan will change her view quickly when she takes a taxi 15 mins instead of a 3 hour bike ride to take her friend to the hospital for an HIV test.
Back to the wine--- I guess I don't have much to say after all of that.
It was lovely - the scenery both of the land and matt..ha ha
We ate, drank and were very merry.
An opportunity we would not all have if we couldn't pay the 450 Rand each. I will just say I am thankful and happy for the opportunity.
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