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.'
