End of a Wonderful Journey

With my Nelson Mandela Internship iTea presentation just a few days away, I felt it necessary to make one final blog post.

I want to again thank the following organizations/individuals for making this internship possible:
-Manulife Financial
-The Nelson Mandela Foundation (especially Verne Harris and Boniswa Nyati)
-The Faculty of Information at the University of Toronto (especially Dr. Wendy Duff, Adriana Rossini, and Kathleen O'Brien)

I had an incredible summer, full of invaluable work and cultural experiences.

Work-wise, I helped to organize and number Nelson Mandela's autographed books collection and to organize and sort the Resource Centre's book collection. The latter comprise the foundations of a future circulating library of materials about Mr. Mandela. My main task, however, was to create an internal database of Mr. Mandela's many awards for Foundation use. My physical and intellectual item level descriptions will allow one to quickly locate an award. I described approximately 400 awards. This is my desk, half way through the process:


Lastly, I leave you with a few pictures from July.

Mandela Day Volunteering at the Ebenezer Hannah House (Johannesburg):
I volunteered in the kitchen, peeling and chopping carrots, cabbage, and potatoes for the residents (both children and the elderly) for lunch.


Mandela Day Volunteering at the Itumeleng Children's Shelter (Sunnyside, Pretoria):
Foundation staff visited the shelter's 18 residents (all wonderful boys!) bringing cake and books to celebrate Nelson Mandela's birthday.


I met Nelson Mandela on his birthday. Words cannot describe the experience. I was so very privileged to be able to sing him "Happy Birthday." This was the best day of my life.


I was fortunate enough to be able to visit Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela spent 18 years of his prison sentence. I saw his cell while touring the prison.


Despite Robben Island's awful past, the island itself is beautiful, as is the view of Table Mountain.


I want to thank everyone for reading, and for following me on my incredible journey this summer. If you are a first year student at the iSchool, I strongly encourage you to apply for next summer. It will be the most incredible 3 months of your life.

-Lindsay

Back in North America! June Recap.

I've arrived back in North America. Truthfully, that was a week ago, but I think I've just finally overcome the jet lag.

Apologies for my absence for the last couple of months. Things at the Foundation were incredibly busy, as was life in South Africa. The next series of posts are an attempt to catch you up on June and July. Also, since I've had a chance to upload most of my photos, this will hopefully give you a better glimpse into my experience.

June Recap
June was incredibly busy at the NMF primarily due to the World Cup. There were many visitors to Johannesburg and a large number who were interested in Mr. Mandela and the NMF. A large number of people visited the Foundation, bringing beautiful gifts with them, which Boniswa (my immediate supervisor) and I accepted on Mr. Mandela's behalf. Below is just one example of the types of tributes presented.



Just prior to the start of the World Cup, the NMF hosted a meet and greet between the South African team (nicknamed Bafana Bafana 'The Boys') and Madiba. The team was hoping to be affected by the same 'Madiba Magic' that helped lead the Springboks to victory in the 1995 Rugby World Cup in Johannesburg. As you can tell by the photo, everyone was in good spirits. Foundation staff was able to observe and to cheer on the team. This was the first time I was in Madiba's presence.



Being in South Africa during the World Cup was incredibly exciting. The SABC (South African Broadcasting Company) broadcasted all of the matches, and after work, my colleague Wendy and I would head back to the guesthouse to watch. Occasionally we would head to Melrose Arch, a nice area with restaurants and shops, that was also home to a huge screen that showed the games. The highlight, however, was attending the USA vs. Slovenia match on the 18th at Ellis Park. We were sitting in Row A, which, as it turned out, did not stand for 'awesome.' Our seats were located at the very top, just off centre. We had a wonderful view of the entire field, though. The game was incredibly exciting, with the USA coming from behind to tie it 2-2, resulting in a draw.




Since I knew that July would be an extremely busy month at the Foundation, with Mandela Day on the 18th and the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture on the 31st, I decided to go on a safari in Kruger Park at the end of June, during the World Cup. Although my safari camp boasted no electricity, they did have a television hooked up to a generator so the campers could watch evening matches. I saw the USA exit the tournament, after losing to Ghana. The safari itself was incredible. We woke up each morning at 5:30, had biscuits and coffee/tea, then went on a morning game drive, watching the sun rise. I saw a large number of animals, including giraffes, elephants, impala, rhinos, and hippos. It was quite relaxing to get away from the busyness of Johannesburg for a couple of days and to just enjoy nature and homecooked food.




That's all for now. In my next post, I'll post a recap of the month of July, including Mandela Day activities and my trip to Cape Town and Robben Island. In July, I also experienced one of the most incredible moments of my life: the day I wished Nelson Mandela a 'happy birthday.'

Gearing up for the World Cup...

The atmosphere and excitement leading up to the World Cup is enough to turn any person indifferent to football/soccer into a fan. I already own a number of World Cup/SA Football items, including a Zakumi travel mug (to ensure my instant coffee follows me to work), a SA Football jersey (the cheap one, right Wendy?), a vuvuzela (which I can play...my years of playing the trumpet are paying off in unforeseen ways), a SA scarf and SA hat. I'm also still on a mission to find that Bafana Bafana jacket I've had my eye on at Woolworth (but they're always sold out). So, recap. In March, I was unaware that the World Cup was in South Africa this summer. On June 2, I am counting down the days and can name at least 2 players in the tournament. My indifference has vanished, as you can see.



Jozi and the rest of South Africa is definitely ready.

Every Friday is 'Football Friday.' This means at least 50% of the people you see on a Friday will be sporting some sort of Bafana Bafana related gear. I think this shows great unity...all races and genders participate.

Banners flood freeway overpasses and light posts reading "We're Ready," "Africa welcomes the world," "Ayoooba!" while others have images of the punk rock cheetah/leopard WC mascot, Zakumi. The median has flags from all competing countries flying.

My favourite soap opera here, Isidingo, makes reference to the World Cup in every episode.

I visited a school today in Lenasia that had a beautiful World Cup display outside, in front of the administrative offices. A mini-soccer field had been constructed with white stones, mini nets, and flags of all participating teams on the field. Inside, they had a small table set up with World Cup scarves and school sports trophies. I commented to the principal how wonderful their World Cup displays were.

Vuvuzelas are widely available in grocery stores and gas stations.

Ellis Park stadium is ready. The Gautrain is *almost* ready.

A large number of cars have rear-view mirror SA flag covers and SA car flags hanging from the window.

Every intersection, no matter how minor, has peddlers hawking the above goods, along with flags in every size from a large number of competing countries (although I must say, I'm disappointed that I've spotted only 2 USA flags.)

In conclusion, Jozi is ready and I am no longer indifferent to the World Cup. However, I am unprepared. My match is on June 18th and I have yet to collect my tickets. But, as the wise Mark Twain once said, "Never put off until tomorrow what you can do the day after tomorrow."

Visit to Tolstoy Farm

I always knew about Mohandas Gandhi. I knew that he was a peaceful man who championed peaceful protest called satyagraha. However, his physical presence in South Africa from 1893 until 1914 was lost on me. He originally came to South Africa to work for Dada Abdulla & Company, but stayed well past his intended return to India once it became clear that the colonial government planned to deny Indians some of their rights.

Yesterday I attended the 100 year celebration of Tolstoy Farm, a farm originally envisioned by Gandhi and his friend, Hermann Kallenbach, located just outside of Johannesburg. I was originally purchased with the intent of it being a communal farm for passive resisters and their families. Also, the simple style of living was intended to prepare passive resisters for prison.

A large number of people showed up for the celebrations despite the chilly weather (it's not always sunny in South Africa, unfortunately). Furthermore, since only the foundations of the farm remain (it is no longer a working farm), a large tent was set up. The program consisted of a number of different events, from lecturers to a dance group and a "youth" group singing Gandhi's favorite hymn. And by "youth," I mean teens and early 20s. The lecturers were amazing, especially Ela Gandhi, Mohandas Gandhi's granddaughter, who is also politically active and an advocate of peaceful struggle. She stressed the importance of education, peace, and leading a simple life. Within the latter topic, she explained that if you take less, more is available to others.

The program ended with the planting of a tree..followed by people getting into their cars and turning up the heat.

Is the World Cup good for South Africans?

Last week I toured some of the most desperate areas of Johannesburg. Areas of Soweto and Alexandra ('Alex') Township can best be described as situations of dire poverty. Alex is approximately 8 km² and population estimates are between 450,000 and just under 1 million. Some areas contain dwellings that are nothing more than tin shacks and unsuitable for habitation. In the whole of South Africa, 41% (a 2008 statistic) of the population lives below the poverty line (cited at R367/month, or approximately $45USD/mo. (*Statistics cited in the NMF's 'Community Conversations,' p.15).

The cost of hosting the World Cup in South Africa is around R9.8 billion or 1.3 billion USD (2008 estimates). See: http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/217096,2010-world-cup-to-cost-south-africa-much-more-than.html.
New stadiums have been built when many adequate structures already existed in the respective host cities.

Do you see the dilemma?

Hosting the World Cup is obviously an honor and a privilege, and a way to place South Africa on the world stage, but at what expense?

Arrival

I've arrived in Johannesburg! I arrived last evening around 6pm after a 15-hour flight from Atlanta. I was picked up from the airport by Verne Harris. Yes, the Verne Harris. Pretty incredible. All my fellow archives and records management students definitely should recognize this name thanks to Professors MacNeil and Duff. He's a really interesting guy and I cannot wait to learn more about archives and South Africa from him.

We also stopped in at the Foundation so that I could see where I would be working and meet a few of the employees who were still around. I met a nice woman (whose name I cannot remember...ugh, I'm so bad with names sometimes) who I will be working with, and Sello who was busy working on a CD-rom for Mandela day. I will be heading back to the Foundation today at 2, along with Wendy, the intern from the University of Manitoba, for a more formal introduction.

The bed and breakfast (Abbotsford House) is lovely. It's located in a northern suburb of Johannesburg and is so peaceful. It's also really close to the Mandela Foundation.

The one negative thing so far is that Delta lost one of my two bags. Thankfully, it was located and should arrive this afternoon. On the bright side, it was my small bag so at least I had a change of clothes.

That's all for now since I want to squeeze in a nap before 2.

-Lindsay

Departure: 5 Days!

The departure date keeps drawing nearer and nearer. I know that this is what usually happens with time, but I can't believe that it is coming up so soon! So, before that time comes, I want to ensure that I adequately cover the steps I took in preparation for this magnificent adventure.

I found out in mid-March that I was selected for the internship, and have been preparing ever since. Previous University of Toronto interns, including both Victoria and Juanita, have been an invaluable source of information in my preparation. Without them, I would have arrived in Johannesburg with a suitcase full of shorts (it's winter in Africa) and uncertainty.

Also, since I am an American student studying in Toronto, I faced a few unexpected challenges that I may not have encountered otherwise.

I would organize (because that's what information professionals do!) my pre-departure process into three categories:

1.) Visa
2.) Medical
3.) Other stuff

Visa:
The South African High Commission requires visitors to South Africa who are staying over 90 days to obtain a visa. All of the requirements, which can be found on the Toronto consulate's website, are straightforward and easily obtainable. For example, obtaining a Canadian police certificate demands only a trip to the Metro Toronto Police Headquarters and a week to process/ship. However, as an American citizen, I also needed to obtain an American police certificate. This process requires a mailed request and fingerprints to the FBI in West Virginia. The processing time was 13 weeks. So, roughly 3 months. This unfortunately ruled out a 90+ day stay for me. Fortunately, the Foundation approved an 89 day stay. I will now be staying in South Africa on a general tourist visa, obtained upon arrival in Johannesburg.

One more thing: you need 2 blank passport pages upon arrival in South Africa. One is for the arrival stamp and one is for departure. My passport had the required 2 pages. More specifically, I had 3. Obviously I am in fine shape to arrive in South Africa on May 6, but since my motto is 'always prepared,' I decided to get additional pages during my brief stay in the United States rather than wait to visit the U.S. consulate in Johannesburg. Today I made an appointment at the Detroit passport agency and dropped off my passport for pick-up on Monday. So, although it is difficult to get a get a police certificate quickly, it's nice to know that there is a face-to-face option to get passport pages added or to get a new, shiny passport quickly.

Medical:
I visited the travel clinic about a month ago. The doctor explained the type of vaccinations I needed for the area that I was going to live in (Johannesburg) and any additional medications needed for travel elsewhere. For Johannesburg, the doctor urged me to ensure I was up-to-date on all general vaccines, including DTaP (diptheria, tetanus, pertussis), and that I had received a recent Polio booster. He also recommended the Hepatitis A vaccine. I opted to also get the typhoid vaccine.

Since some areas of South Africa are malarious (ie: Kruger Park), the doctor advised me to get malaria medication...just in case I visited these areas. He also prescribed medications for another common ailment: traveler's diarrhea. These were optional, of course.

I chose to be overcautious by purchasing all of the 'optional' medication, because, as I said, I like to be prepared.

**Please keep in mind that the I am not prescribing the above as medical advice. Definitely visit a travel clinic before any visit to Africa.

Other Stuff:
This section is pretty much a hodgepodge of stuff that fits nowhere else.

Weather - Thanks to conversations with the lovely Victoria, I learned that May until August are winter months in Africa. Although an African winter does not equal snow and ice, it also does not equal sun and shorts. I am bringing a wool jacket and gloves for the cool mornings.

Banking - Canadian and American banks generally allow 4-8 digit PIN numbers on debit and credit cards. However, the accepted number in South Africa is 4-5 numbers. The UofT Safety Abroad seminar alerted me to this fact, and I adjusted my numbers accordingly.

For now, that is all I can think of.

Until next time,

-Lindsay

Beginnings.

To begin, I want to thank The Faculty of Information, Manulife Financial, and the Nelson Mandela Foundation for making such amazing opportunity available to students.

I was very fortunate to have been the individual selected by my Faculty from a pool of wonderful and qualified candidates to intern this summer with the Nelson Mandela Foundation's Centre of Memory in Johannesburg, South Africa. Although I was informed of the decision over a month ago, I admit that I am still in a state of disbelief.

As an archives and records management student, this internship is pretty much a dream come true. It will allow me to dabble in the many different areas of archives, including arrangement, description, preservation, and reference while promoting social justice and preserving the legacy of Nelson Mandela. My career goal is to work as a reference archivist in a repository of Holocaust records. I feel that this experience will provide me with invaluable knowledge that I can incorporate into my future profession.

From a personal standpoint, I cannot wait to learn more about South African history and culture. As an undergraduate history major, I took a couple African history classes and found them incredibly fascinating. I'm currently reading Mandela's autobiography, Long Walk to Freedom. While I'm realizing that I have a lot to learn, I'm also realizing that I will be in South Africa to learn it!

In the upcoming days, I will share more about my trip preparations over the past month. While this may be uninteresting to some, I think future applicants to the program may find it useful.

-Lindsay