Transport Tales

Culture for Bruce

This morning I woke up and read for a few hours, worked out, and then went to Green Acres Mall.  We took the bus to Green Acres, and it reminded me a bit of my Megabus trip to Chicago with my sister in December, except the vibrant conversationists were a motley crew of teenagers rather than robust African-American women.  It was impossible not to overhear stories from at least one side from a disgruntled Indian boy. “You embarrassed me in front of her!.. (other boy talking who was a bit quieter)…. No! Of course you knew; I was cherry red because you embarrassed me.”  There were other stories of teenage drama which helped to distract from the vomit-inducing ride for those not so fond of bus transport (It came very close for some of my flatmates).

With an atmosphere like the bottom level of a parking garage, the transfer station could put a novice bus-rider on edge (ahem- my flatmate who flanked my right side).  But, I was keen to use the resources around us by asking the verbose Indian boy about the procedure.  Apparently, we just sat tight for a few minutes until the bus in front of us moved.  In the meantime, I watched the women selling long rows of chips, suave-looking business people, and people of all ages waiting for their bus.  After sitting for about five minutes, we continued on our way.

After many more stops to let people on and off and zigzagging in the area of the mall, we arrived at Green Acres.  We entered and shopped for a few hours, finally finding a store where people buy all of their toiletries, as there are no department stores like Target, ShopKo or Wal-Mart.  We also found a little bakery shop where I got a muffin and some pastry appetizers each with meat, herbs, or cheese to make a savory start to my soup and salad dinner back at the flat.  We also got to stop in the food-section of Woolworth’s which is a very pleasant experience!  They have a whole wall of food, decorating, and gardening magazines that always tempts me terribly.  Someday I will get one, for the cultural experience of course, but I can’t give in too early or I will want one every time I go.  We tired of Green Acres far earlier than Walmer Shopping Center, and Laura and I went to the bus stop and the other ladies called a cab.

Laura and I waited for bus #3 for about thirty minutes before we decided we’d try a kombi.  We were reluctant because it is often hard to communicate with kombi-boys in English, and we didn’t want to be stuck in “Central” a hub of activity which is the launching point and check point of every kombi in the city.  However, we spoke with the man before we got in and he explained to us in perfect English that we need to ride with him to Central and then hop on a kombi headed for Summerstrand (the location we live in).  He was kind enough to tell us when to get off and point us in the direction of the Summerstrand kombis.  When we sat waiting for the kombi to fill at Central it had been an hour since the other girls left in the car.  They had been home for 45 minutes already, but at least we were paying much less for our form of transportation.  And, we had great tunes, “I Can See Clearly Now, the Rain is Gone” and “I Believe in Love.” 

It is interesting to consider what a privilege it is for us to ride on kombis.  It hit me the other day that we are always the only white people in kombi’s.  Although white people make up only 10% of South Africa’s population, that is not the case in Summerstrand, it’s just that white people own their own cars.  The kombi system, referred to by most black South  Africans as taxis (which is totally different than a cab—so that is confusing for us to remember), were developed to transport people into their domestic worker jobs after they were moved to townships on the edge of cities.  It is a cool way to see a diverse group of people interacting, and, as I think more about it, it is the most contact we have with South Africans in a day considering we don’t have any classes with or live with South Africans.  I think the kombi might be my ticket to meeting South Africans to hang out with, so stay tuned to find out more ;)

When we arrived back home, I spoke with Katy Bockhaus, and we are going to live together this summer in St. Joe!!!!!  I am very excited!  I also got to Skype with Michelle and hear about her adventures in Spain.  I watched a South African movie called “Discrete,” which was a great examination of faith and the church’s place in our lives through the discussions of a pastor’s son with a prostitute.  It was a really fascinating movie.  Then I packed for our trip to Hogsback tomorrow and I am about to write out directions to our backpacker (a.k.a. hostile) and the hiking trails.

Peace out.