Hi again, I many eventful days behind me and only now can publish again what about it because our Internet is down for a few days. Quite annoying, but now it's all wieder.So we are in any case last Saturday evening, for example, Marumo gone to a party in Mendlyn, a richer suburb of Pretoria. The party was thrown by embassy interns, in a really crass house with pool, etc. live. Accordingly, it was the audience - young people from the various embassies (German, Italians, Danes, etc.) and employees of the GTZ, a high-gloss-development organization. Direct contrast we had on Sunday, as we have done it again with Marumo, in the bed of his pickup truck, a smaller city tour and went to Marabastad, a innerstaedtischen Township Pretoria. There are also shelters, home to Nicholas from Mozambique (who is also a bit PCM at work) and many of the SOCA boys. For me, these two contrasting places quite significant for the one hand is so interesting, on the other hand, so sad contradiction in this country. So most probably I have not felt in Mendlyn party, it was somehow so very different world ... One must however realize that I have the special lucky, by both the PCM one, but to also experience the other South Africa.
Marabastad 
In our city tour we also went to the Union Buildings, relatively impressive government building on a hill overlooking Pretoria, from where you have a great view over the city. However, I can not understand this at all, why there is still a huge statue of one of the co-inventor of apartheid. Since this system is actually no longer exists (at least officially), I find it rather perverse to devote to the despot is still a monument. 
Marumo and views from the Union Buildings
I also have intense that the death of a quite different role in everyday life in Germany. Since my arrival, had already found several burials take place around me and somehow, it confronts us all the time with it. I now use just Gladwin, one of the SOCA helper, as an example, for he told to me recently that "again," a cousin had died and therefore he can not for the meeting - but he was trying to suppress because he did not "just another" want a funeral. I am now trying not to explain why this is so, but that is somehow struck me totally, not only in Gladwin.
The abortion advertisements in the City are also very beautiful strange, because it is advertised for "100% safe" abortions that do not hurt, and quickly go from estates with names like "Dr. Miracle" or " Dr. Gift is performed "- cost: about 15 €. The same "doctors" often provide relief from the evil spirits who sent one of his enemies have the effect of test results or Penisverlaengerungen ("We make your penis strong and powerful!") to Kraeuterbasis. Since I'll probably stop by sometime soon;) No longer funny, but bad, I think, however, that these so-called "Herbalists" treat AIDS / HIV and is promised to the leaflets healing. By the way: In Pretoria every fifth HIV-infected, the true figure is probably higher. No wonder that people try to make capital of it ...
The Feast workshops in the last week were indeed very good, which is primarily directed at the expert speakers, but this time I'm on several occasions been short in front of disengagement; a few examples? According to some of the SOCA helpers work "African time" as follows: If I think I was too late, I'm too early. Clock 12 is also 11 or clock. works in practice, the "African time" then so that we set a meeting on 10 clock and Given (my boss!) eintrudelt by 12 clock. Another time we had to urgently meet with clock by 13 competition venues, I was at the hairdresser's before and since has taken so long, I only came at half past one out there. Then I am still running and I arrived at about 13.45 clock with a totally bad conscience - only to discover that I was the first. If one then realized that somehow nobody has any idea what's going on, the People not deny each other or just chill and all exaggerated much emphasis on discussion and evaluation will be realized by the results but only a fraction ... then one wishes but sometimes the German "smugness" back, because there simply can take strength and nerves, and slows down the morale of my colleagues, my initial SOCA (also a bit naive) euphoria. In part, it is also very relaxed, working like this. With an emphasis on part!
The actual Feast on Saturday was quite funny, it was musikbuehne, performances of traditional African dance groups from the townships of Pretoria, many Essensstaende and the March of the clowns in the we all in Clownskostuem and makeup (I looked so ridiculous!) have moved through the city, dancing and singing and have made with the people party. The chaos of the previous days I'm just escaped, as I am much hung out with my homies from the SOCA and easy as possible have worked little. But since we already 6 clock in the morning as had to be to build and have come about by 9 clock home in the evening, I was already quite dead
Nevertheless, we went then to a black private party of HBee, has informed the type of Pantsula Dance. I've driven the car since I've already made my PCM internal driving test and must borrow the available car. Save is he who can Fabi in the left. The party was fun, a tiny apartment with about 40 people in it (which I knew almost all of the SOCA), there was much dancing and drinking and a little ghetto was it. From the surroundings and if you stop looking out the window, you could see cars where people have rumgetanzt, they heard police sirens and I'm feeling kinda in a completely foreign environment. Geil wars but in any case.
After that we then went to a bar two blocks away, where the first time I've experienced racism in their own body. We were only three white (me and two of the new Volunteerinnen), otherwise only blacks. Many of them drunk, many anti-social. Then, when our companions had disappeared at once (they would get money - without telling us in advance notice), a few lousy comments came from the guy. Among other things, "I'm more educated than your father," I still can take with humor, but when I wanted to pennant a babbling type, the bar / area is "for black people only" and has made abundantly clear that we are not welcome in that it is pseudo-threat running around behind us, my situation was not relaxed significantly. In any case, I now know how to feel racism. Pretty shit namely!
Then something to solo (the boy, about whom I've written in the last long post): I recently by accident its speed Tattowierung - BTF for "Bone Thugs Familee" - seen and when I approached him on it, he still has a little bit about what this tells time. That he was drogenahaengig and criminal, I knew already, but that it was properly organized in an armed gang and shot several times at people (!!!), was new to me. While he may have killed anyone because he has the people, "only" injured, but a potential murderer because he is so still. But as he simultaneously looks so soft and balanced, it is funny to hear such things from him. But apparently he has been able to actually change in recent months as far as he was doing. A crazy story I think it is in any case.
solos (center)
Back to more pleasant things: About the lack of social contacts, I can not complain, constantly I get to know new people and it's usually really funny, for example, last Sunday, "Braaien", ie crickets in our house in the Salvokop German girl from Oppikoppi and some of our black friends. The only problem is that many friendships are usually very superficial and sometimes you have the feeling that the foreign origin / skin color under circumstances so many barriers in respect of the right is getting to know. So people simply imply here with white skin color, that one has a bit more money and therefore often scrounge a total embarrassment. My Pali Stoles constantly as do all have, not "I could please," but "give me". This can be quite annoying, but it could not be generalized. So I have such as Zee (Zizile), which made the poetry workshop for the SOCA, someone acquaintance with whom I can talk really well. So it's only ... 
Sven is from Zee and I re-designed
I also got from the SOCA girls now missed an African name, "Kabelo", that is about a gift. Of which I am actually called so, my assimilation proceeds inexorably away so! Generally, there are quite a few topics that I can still "at home" feel as at home, for example, the constant dancing and singing, the fact that hip-hop (among other African Kwaito and stuff) is most heard, so I was now stated many times that I "a black man trapped in a white man's body "and that I can dance better than most guys - even if you're a white boy" As I said, the assimilation
About my work I can only report that it is now!.. really go. The last few weeks have been so completely dedicated to the Feast preparation and were therefore hectic and "abnormal". I've already talked to my boss Kathy and long term it will probably look like that I have two mornings a week at Inkululeko ( Kindergarten / Preschool and support of kids in Salvokop work), two mornings in Akanani (the Homeless Street Centre in Pretoria Central) and is otherwise primarily responsible for the SOCA. So Promotion, teach and especially the Infrastructure, manage the non Given luxus. This all sounds very good because I getting out beautiful then in the projects and in the evening can make the Outreaching. I just hope that it will go as planned ...
In PEN, a partner organization of PCM, one can allegedly prove Sesotho courses, I think I will do so. Because only words to learn in the long run not very productive, especially when you learn Sesotho and Zulu, and possibly other languages mixed up. I get mixed up in any case already a little bit and I have therefore to decide what I'm learning slowly. As I said, Sesotho will organize probably the easiest, most people also speak in Sesotho Pretoria. But this whole tribe is tooting really quite confusing because there is no visual difference, but if you listen to the people here so we noticed there already a nasty tribal pride. I feel as Bayer me of course in this local patriotism felt well;) 
Salvokop (here I am living currently) 
On Homesickness is not to think anyway, but there is far too much to do. However, it is a bit weird, the developments at home - thank you Jo for the info - mitzubekommen from a distance. And in the case of the case, I'll give me a round of "We Are Who We Stay." U know what I mean ... 
The kids from Salvokop
Finally, a greeting to my dear sister. Wanted to bring only a short expression, that it all sounds pretty interesting what you reported about your English test adopted country and I am glad that you are up there so well feel like I am here! greeting and kisses from the far south,
Fabi
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