Middle East: Explore

Free Travel Reflections

This week was our free travel week- our big group split into several smaller ones, traveling to various different places. I was a part of a group of five that went to Greece! We left very early Monday morning, drove to the airport and were in Athens by Monday morning.

We had a few big things we wanted to do and see, but no strict itinerary so that we could just explore freely. We visited the Acropolis and saw many ancient ruins there as well as scattered throughout the city. We got a chance to explore some beautiful neighborhoods at the base of the Acropolis, all with beautiful colors and plants, hidden in tiny winding alleyways. One of my favorite parts of the trip was visiting the Athens National Garden. There were beautiful flowers and trees everywhere, as well as a lot of ducks, turtles, and other wildlife.

It was wonderful to see the sights in Athens, but we also had a lot of fun exploring, relaxing, and seeing new things. Some fond memories were made navigating through the public transportation system every day, riding buses and trains to go everywhere. These bus rides gave us the opportunity to read signs and try and teach ourselves the Greek alphabet. Although we did eat out, we also made a lot of meals which gave us the opportunity to visit grocery stores, which is one of my favorite ways to be exposed to new cultures. We also just spent many hours sitting on the beach, sifting through rocks, pocketing our favorite ones or sorting them by color. A lot of joy came from little things like these.

Overall, the trip was a wonderful excursion, filled with a good amount of both adventure and rest!

–Iris A.

Free travel this past week was amazing. It had its ups and down as expected, but was so much more than I had thought it would be! Kristina, Greta, Afton and I, all traveled to Jordan for a few days. Our first day was spent traveling from Beit Sahour to Wadi Rum where we met with our guide that took us on a desert tour and showed us all the beautiful landmarks in the area. We walked through canyons, drove down sand dunes, tried learning stick shift and drank SO much tea! That night after we got to our camp we went star gazing with our guide and one of their friends. We sat around a fire, drank more tea, and shared riddles. Being in such a relaxed environment made it so easy to talk to the locals and get to know them, their culture, and general way of life. They live so differently than we do back in the US but yet there are so many similarities between us. I really enjoyed looking up at the stars and knowing that I would see the same ones when I got back home. The next 2 days were spent in Petra where we saw the ruins and made new friends (all animals). We spent a good amount of our time in Petra resting which was the best thing we could have done. After going through the checkpoint getting back into Israel we were all exhausted and shocked by how dehumanizing the experience was. Even though we were such a large group and went through faster than everyone else, it was monotonous and overwhelming. I am grateful for my American passport because it made my life 1,000 times easier than those with Palestinian identification, but my heart goes out to them all that much more. With every wonderful experience I have here in the Middle East, I am struck by the reminder of my privilege. It’s not easy, but if there is anything I have learned so far it is that knowledge is power, knowledge fights injustice, and we should all demand knowledge.

–Savannah S.

Digging Deeper

Our fifth week of the Middle East Intercultural offered an opportunity for free travel – a chance to “explore” countries and communities surrounding Palestine. Dreading the prospect of another plane ride and the nerves that come with leaving and re-entering Israel, I decided to stay put in our guest house in Beit Sahour. I was craving the chance to dig deeper into this place I’ve come to know as home over the past four weeks. At the end of our first week in Palestine, we traveled as a group to Jerusalem. The experience was jarring and unsettling as many of us struggled to reconcile the reality of being in the Holy Land while witnessing constant military presence at sacred sites. So when I had the opportunity to return, at a slower pace with a smaller group, I was ecstatic. My second trip to Jerusalem was difficult for the same reasons but also offered me many joyful experiences – experiences like getting tattoos with friends that had been designed centuries ago. After four weeks, our Arabic was significantly better as well (at least our confidence in it was) which was an easy bridge to new friendships in parts of the old city. I held a lot of gratitude for that do-over trip and a week of spaciousness.

–Jessica C.

Weeding Olive trees at Tent of Nations - Daher Nassar, Jess, Alexa, Abby

Middle East: Engage

On Saturday we were able to visit the Ayalon-Canada Park in what is, under international law, legally the West Bank, but is annexed by Israel. As we traveled to the park, we passed through the Bethlehem checkpoint where an Israeli soldier boarded our bus, checked our passports, and let us pass. That moment was one of many reminders that we, as Americans, can travel freely. Had we been Palestinians trying to visit a place that is legally Palestine, it would have been much more difficult.

Once we reached the park, we were met by Umar, who works with the organization Zochrot. Their mission is to spread knowledge pertaining to the Nakba and Palestinian history to Israelis. He led us through what looks like a typical park with stone pathways and picnic tables, but we soon learned that this had been the site of the ‘Imwas village until 1967 when the Israeli military forced residents from their homes and destroyed them. The stones lining the paths were rubble from bulldozed houses, and the large open areas had once been the center of the village. As we have learned about the Nakba these past four weeks, I still didn’t understand the scale or feel the impact of all the destruction. Even as I try to explain, I know I’m unable to capture how it felt. To know that Palestinian villages were destroyed is one thing. To trip over the partially-hidden remains of someone’s roof is something completely different.

Throughout the trip, we have been dealing with the idea of erasure. The reality of Ayalon-Canada Park is a reality of erased history. Umar and Zochrot advocate for signs marking the Palestinian villages that were destroying and honoring the people who have the legal right to return to their homes. As long as this history is erased, there cannot be justice.

–Greta S.

On Saturday evening this week, we stayed in Nazareth and heard from Bader Mansour at the Nazareth Center for Peace Studies. Bader is a Palestinian Christian but has an Israeli passport and these intersections can cause complications. One of the first things he said that stood out to me is “We (Palestinians) are citizens, but not equal citizens.”

He told us about his journey of going to university for computer science and being 1 of the 2 Arab students out of a class of 100, and how after college had difficulties finding a job because of the Israeli discrimination against Palestinians. What stood out to me about this discrimination is the similarities between Palestinian discrimination and racism in the U.S., where it is all too common that BIPOC individuals will not get job interviews, jobs, houses, and the list goes on and on. How can we fully understand and address the Palestine/Israel conflict without recognizing the own injustices within the U.S.?

Bader went on to talk about his experience working in the Silicon Valley in the U.S., and then deciding to move back to Israel because of his family’s feeling of obligation to be peacemakers. After working as a minority Arab in larger Israeli computer companies, he ended up creating his own software company and has been at it for 25 years!

His understanding of the Palestine/Israeli conflict stood out to me – he said that the only way for this to be solved is for people to be willing to understand the other side more and have fewer judgments, as well as go and experience life [walking in] someone else’s shoes rather than just hearing about it. These reflections inspire me to work towards better change in the U.S. as well as to advocate against injustices everywhere!

–Jenna W.

Middle East: Sumud and hope

We’ve officially made it to the halfway point of our trip! Our week started off with our 4 days of classes (Arabic and seminar). Although I do enjoy both of those classes, I was definitely more entertained with our travels this week. The first place we went to was Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem. Dr. Abdefattah Abusrour spoke to us about the history of the camp along with about Al Rowwad Culture and Arts Society and their work within the camp. One of the main reasons for having started the organization was for the reason of “beautiful resistance” as Abusrour put it. By showing kids different art forms to express themselves, the organization aims to give them hope and also “a chance to live for their country and not just die for it.” After hearing from him we were able to spend some time with some kids from the camp. A group of us played board games and did face painting while the other group did more movement-based games. In the movement group, the kids taught us games that they

play, a dance they love, and some even showed us their special talents (mostly cartwheels). Even though there was a language barrier, we still found ways to communicate and connect with each other. Although they have to live and grow up within a refugee camp, they still had so much joy in their hearts to share with us. Sharing smiles and laughter with them will definitely be one of the things I will not forget about this trip. On our trip the word sumud has been a common theme. It means steadfastness or steadfast perseverance. No matter where we have visited, the sumud of the people of Palestine is so prevalent. Their strength is a true inspiration and incredibly hope giving. I’m excited to continue to learn about the history and culture of Palestine and listen to the stories of people we meet in the next few weeks.

–Alexa L.

This week our theme was “Listen” and throughout our week we practiced that. We had speakers come and talk to us about their work and also the things they are facing due to the occupation. We also visited two refugee camps over our weekend, Aida and Balata camp. Aida camp is located in Bethlehem, and while we were at Aida camp we spent our time with Al Rowwad Culture and Arts Society. And Balata camp is located around Nablus and while we were there we visited Yafa Center.

During our visit to Al Rowwad Center, we had a chance to talk with the founder and director of the center Abdelfattah Abusrour who gave us a brief explanation of the center and also what they do there. After that we had a chance to look at their new building where they have a guest house and spaces for various studies. We went to the rooftop and we got to see the camp as a whole. From where we were standing we were able to see two other refugee camps and also the wall which was pretty close by. And we had time to play games with the children there and before we left we did a dance with them. This was a really impactful experience for our group, with everything that was around them the kids had a space for them to just be themselves. And from our conversations with the director it was clear to see Sumud (steadfastness) in the work that they do and also in their unwillingness to give up.

-Fiker Y.

مرحبا!

Week three brought with it new friends, new experiences, and new struggles as we continued our studies here in Beit Sahour. The pages of my little notebook are filling quickly with poetry, statistics, Arabic vocabulary, and notes from our daily reading assignments, and journaling became a welcome practice to name my thoughts and experiences. It’s been comforting to feel established in one place. We’re all growing familiar with the city around us and enjoy excursions to get ice cream and coffee after our studies! The walls of our guest house are plastered with lists of Arabic words and phrases and polls about pineapple on pizza (among other fun things). As we all practice mindfulness together, I’m noticing small things to appreciate like the writing callouses on my hand and the soft, spongy texture of the pita we eat with each meal. The days have a rhythm to them; meals are always spent together at the table with classes, four square, and (of course) befriending stray cats in between. This week’s great excursion was to two nearby cities: Ramallah and Nablus. Some of my highlights included searching for fossils and identifying local herbs, eating knafeh hot from a street vendor, and face painting for a group of kids!

It’s been fulfilling to grow into new relationships with this group of people. Each day we feel more comfortable with each other and we’re able to laugh and work and cry together in a way that I feel is unique to this experience. Even when we are exhausted, we find a way to support each other. We’ve grown close to our hosts here at the guest house and have also been establishing new relationships with local organizations and educators. The more connections we make, the more that many of us feel we will need to return someday for volunteer work or just to visit our newfound buddies.

I have deeply admired the widespread passion for beauty baked into the culture here. Everywhere we go, art covers the streets. Music plays from loudspeakers in boisterous and joyful celebration. Everyone enjoys eating together and laughing and sharing stories. There’s a care for the collective and a sense of togetherness that I’m growing to love! Not to mention everyone’s outstanding generosity, for which I am so grateful.

Many of us have tired minds and bodies as we prepare for week four. Nonetheless, we find ourselves doing good work. Each day, we are full of gratitude and there are many things to look forward to!

يعطيك العافيه!

-Afton R.-L.

Lithuania: Adjusting to a New Culture

Traveling to a new place can always be overwhelming. You are thrown into a new culture with hardly any background and have to adjust to new food, a different language, a new setting, and new people. One of the beautiful things about an intercultural experience is that everyone is experiencing the same things and therefore we can lean on each other when times are difficult. No one in our group had been to Lithuania before or experienced Baltic culture. When we left the United States on May 10th, a good majority of us did not know each other super well, but navigating a new place has required us to work together. We have collaborated when we get on the wrong bus and end up on the opposite side of town, or try to understand the menu at a Lithuanian restaurant. I’m sure that all of us have said, “Sorry, I don’t speak Lithuanian” or, “Do you speak English?” more times than we can count. During our time in Klaipeda, we have been staying at LCC International University and living with other college students who are also taking summer courses. Our roommates are from places such as Ukraine, Armenia, Belarus, Albania, Kazakhstan, Russia, and Pakistan. Even though we are thrown into Lithuanian culture, it has been a unique experience to interact with other students from so many cultures. In our living situations, most of us are with one other EMU student and two LCC students. There are also 7 LCC students who are taking our classes with us so it has been a good opportunity to get to know them and hear their stories and perspectives. I have never traveled outside of the United States so it has been easy for me to only see the world through my American perspective but these short weeks of being here have shown me that there are many important things that I have been neglecting. My daily issues seem trivial and I am humbled by the challenges that people from this area of the world have been through in recent history. While most of us probably wouldn’t have envisioned spending six weeks of our summer in a dorm, it has been a great learning experience to interact with people from other cultures and understand the world from a new perspective.

– Megan Miller

One of the coolest things about our intercultural is all of the new places we’re getting to see. We’re on our 9-day trip throughout Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia right now, but first I want to focus on where we’ve been spending our first few weeks. LCC is in Klaipeda, which is the third largest city in Lithuania. Most days after class we walk into the old part of the city, where there are lots of cafes or restaurants that we’ve gotten to try. Old Town is a really neat area to explore, and it’s fairly easy to navigate, although it was intimidating at first. Luckily, almost all of the people I’ve interacted with have been able to speak at least a little bit of English, so simple things like ordering food have not been a problem. The old part of town goes along the riverbank, and several students in the group have enjoyed meals by the water. We’re almost exactly halfway done, and have a lot of fun places left to see!

-Daisy Buller

While in Lithuania, our group has had the opportunity to try many different dishes that we can’t typically find back home in the United States. Potatoes are very common here, and I don’t think it is a stretch to say that the group has managed to eat what is likely dozens of potatoes already in the two short weeks that we have spent here in Lithuania. Potato pancakes stuffed with pork remain one of our favorite local dishes, known as bulvinai blynai in the Lithuanian language. Another local dish that many students tried is called šaltibarščių sriuba. Rising senior Lizzy Kirkton said about this dish, “I was looking forward to trying beet soup here because it is so popular here and it was definitely worth it. It was good and… [was] more of a dill dip for the hot potatoes that came on the side.” Overall, it has been very fun trying all of the different foods here, and we are all looking forward to trying even more dishes in all of the Baltic countries as the trip continues!

– Abby Kaufman

For our first few weeks of classes, we would have a lecture from Jerry from 9:00 AM -12:15 PM in an LCC classroom. Including the students at LCC we have 24 people in our class. Our lectures consist of learning about photography, religion, and the history of Lithuania, mainly focusing on the Holocaust and Soviet occupation. The majority of us had never used a camera aside from our phones before, so the last few weeks have definitely been a learning experience. In addition, many of the US students had no prior knowledge of the impact that the Holocaust and Soviet occupation had on Lithuania and Eastern Europe as a whole, due to traditional US history education. One of the most important things we have learned is that, by percentage, Lithuania lost the second most of its Jewish population with over 200 mass killing sites across the country. The first few weeks of classes served as a crash course on our intercultural focus in order to prepare us for our 9-day trip, so we have learned many new skills and knowledge that have broadened our worldview already.

-Lizzy Kirkton

Middle East: Complexities and pleasures of life in Beit Sahour

We are beginning to find our rhythm, waking up for breakfast at 7:30am, attending Arabic class, and then our seminar class after lunch with potential evening adventures. I have deeply enjoyed building new friendships and learning new things about amazing people in our group and locally in Beit Sahour.

The first excitement of the week was experiencing a sandstorm for the first time. Sandstorms are not like the movies, but they do kick up lots of dust and sand to where the air quality is much poorer. The same day, we welcomed the last three people of our group to Palestine. Afton, Iris, and Savannah were on tour with EMU Chamber Singers around Europe.

I am in the Arabic 1 class, and this week we learned the Arabic terms for the parts of the body, numbers, and identified alphabet letters within an Arabic word. I feel like I am learning a lot and faster than I normally would learn a language because I am so ingrained into the culture here and practicing Arabic daily.

The seminar topic for this week was connecting religion and the conflict of Palestine-Israel, specifically focusing on Christian Zionism. We enjoyed hearing from John Munayer, a professor at a nearby Bible college, and we enjoyed visiting WI’AM, a local organization known as the Palestinian Conflict Transformation Center. John provided insight into Christian Zionism and spoke about the struggle Christian Palestinians face between understanding what the Bible says and what the secular world says. Zoughbi Alzoughbi and Tarek Alzoughbi from WI’AM, on the other hand, provided each of us insight into peaceful conflict transformation within the local community we are living in for 6 weeks.

Last to mention, we recently have begun playing four-square in the front courtyard of our guest house. We have been engaged for hours!

-Karla H.

This Friday was probably my favorite day that we have had so far. I had a lovely breakfast with my roommate and host, Widad (who happens to also be my Arabic teacher). As we drove she waved to most people (it seems that she has taught at least 2/3 of the people in Beit Sahour). Next, we went on a hike in the Makhrour near Bethlehem. It was lovely. It was one of the few times on this trip in which I felt truly at peace. It was amazing to look at the terraces dressed with olive, pine, and oak trees and dusted with wildflowers and cacti. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Roman Watch tower and the small Roman Bath House along the way, since I took Latin for four years and generally have interest in all things Ancient Roman.

Next, we headed to our taxi driver’s house for tea, which I think is a fantastic example of how friendly the Palestinians are. His family was kind and welcoming, and the tea was great too. They also had a cat named Oscar! He was the first house cat we had come by, and he enjoyed being petted too, which is good because I consider petting cats one of my talents. Finally, we had a fantastic lunch, walked around Bethlehem, and then we rested.

I have come to the conclusion that Saturdays are going to be our emotionally taxing days, however, meaning full and worth it. We visited two amazing organizations, CPT (which documents the human rights violations Israeli soldiers commit, especially against children in Hebron) and Youth of Sumud (whose work includes building cave homes for Palestinians that would be difficult to destroy by Settlers and protecting Palestinian children on their way to school from them too). I have a lot of respect for them and the bravery and grit it must take to do this work.

-Kristina S.

Middle East: Bethlehem and Tent of Nations

On May 13th, at 10:33 pm we arrived at our guesthouse in Beit Sahour after 30 hours of traveling. We were immediately greeted with open arms by our hosts and a large array of Palestinian foods. The hospitality and welcome towards us has been a common theme during our time here.

Our first week in Palestine-Israel has been packed full of adventures, learning, and memorable experiences. On Sunday, our first day, we were introduced to the city of Bethlehem by our tour guide Edmond. We visited the Shepherd’s Field, Church of the Nativity, and the streets of both the Old and New cities. We also ate our first of many falafel sandwiches.

This first week has had it’s challenges as well. Through jet lag, covid impacting a few of our group members, and long days, this week has had its difficulties as we adjust to a new place and culture.

An ever-present topic throughout this trip in both the experiences and conversations we have is the occupation of Palestine by the Israeli government and military. Although we have been reading and talking about this in class, witnessing the effects of the occupation firsthand has been saddening and angering for many of the members of our group.

Despite this, the resilience and perseverance of the Palestinian people is ever-present. We saw this when we went to visit the Tent of Nations, where the Nassar family continues to fight a 33-year court battle for the rights to their land surrounded by Israeli settlements that are illegal under national law. Despite the Nassar family owning and having the papers for the land dating back to the Ottoman Empire, they are barred from building or creating waterlines on their own land. We were blessed with the opportunity to contribute to their fight by volunteering to weed around the newly planted olive trees that replace those destroyed by the Israeli military.

We also see the fight against injustice present in the many Palestinian organizations that are focused on nonviolent resistance. We had both Omar Haramy from the Sabeel organization and George Rishmawi from the Rapprochement Center speak to our group. Hearing their stories and their fight against injustice was something that our class was highly appreciative of.

Our visit to Jerusalem on the 20th shared similar difficulties. The tension within the city was apparent. The touristic appearance and military presence within what is considered a holy city made many feel uncomfortable. Despite this, it was incredible to see historical religious sites. The beauty and tranquility of the Mount of Olives was an experience for many of comfort and connection.

Two of the last nights of this week have been spent with our host families. The amount of love and care Alexa, Greta, and I received staying with our host family was overwhelming. From taking us out to get kanafa, a traditional (and delicious!) Palestinian dessert, to inviting us to spend time with their extended family, the love was apparent. With the English our host family knew and what little Arabic we knew, as well as some help from trusty google translate, being able to get to know each other was a blessing. At the end of this week, my host mom referred to the three of us as their daughters and that we are always welcome in their home if we ever return. This welcome was not an uncommon one. Every member of our group shared similar stories of the welcome and love they received. One common experience that we smiled and laughed about was the continued insistence that we eat more. Even when we stated we were full, our host parents continued to put food on our plates and insisted we had more room in our stomachs. It was clear to all of us that this was an act of hospitality and love.

Our first week in Palestine has also been filled with an incredible amount of joy. From learning the traditional Palestinian dance to sharing food and laughter, the love for this place and each other is apparent. Although we have only been here a week, both myself and others have already grown to love both the country and people of Palestine. We all look forward to many more experiences of adventure and learning that we have yet to experience in the coming weeks.

-Abby G.

A few photos from the first 10 days!

Lithuania – Klaipeda in photos

Around Klaipeda – scroll through the album to see a few moments from these first two weeks.

South Africa: Our Final Weeks

April 13-17

As we began to conclude our time in South Africa we spent three days in St. Lucia, to have a time of reflection. During this time we had the chance to sit as a group and engage with one another about our time in South Africa and what that means for our lives upon returning to the United States. This time was filled with many questions. Some were answered, but many were left for us to sit with and ponder. What are we bringing back with us? How has this country changed us? How does a South African context reflect that of the United States? What do we wish to share with others about this experience? This time allowed us to think imaginatively as we reflected through the creation of images, while speaking our own truths through them. As a group, we laughed and cried in the presence of each other as we thought back on the past few months. If one thing was clear through this process it is that this country has deeply impacted our lives in one way or another.

-Molly Piwonka

April 15

On one of our nights in St Lucia, about 16 of us in the group trekked out into the night on the back of a truck through the iSimangaliso game reserve. We were taken through the park by an experienced tour guide from the area whose name escapes me now. We started off the tour guide with a bang as several hippos crossed the road in front of us in the town of St. Lucia as we were loading into the truck. Through the tour we saw a variety of different animals including chameleons, some bush buck, several kudu, and a rhino. We also finished the night with a bang as we had a close encounter with several elephants that approached our truck closely and seemed to give us a piece of their mind for being in their space. Overall it was an awesome experience with lots of great sightseeing and experiences that we will all remember well for some time to come.

-Ben Alderfer

April 18-19

We spent two days at Kruger National Park doing game drives Tuesday and Wednesday. The first day started at 4:00 in the morning, with breakfast on the bus as we drove to the game park. The highlights of what we saw during our first day were wild spotted dogs, hyenas, and a leopard. The second day was a later start as we only had to leave at 5:00 in the morning. This day was a little less exciting but we still saw elephants, hippos and crocodiles, as well as many other more common animals along the way. Some of these more common animals were impalas, giraffes and elephants. Spending two full days on the bus was exhausting but a great experience as we got to see so many wonderful animals we don’t normally get the chance to see. It was also a time of bonding as we took turns keeping watch in the front seats of the bus, yelling out whatever we saw so everyone could wake up in time to see it. These two days were a great experience and something we were all glad we got the opportunity to do.

-Grant Leichty

April 20-22

Our last days in South Africa were exactly where we started. St. Benedict’s in Johannesburg. Friday morning we had a last service with Anabaptist Network in South Africa, ANiSA, who shaped our very first three weeks. This service included communion with various types of breads, symbolizing different people of the world and several traditional South African drinks. We also were gifted beautiful graduation stoles with traditional African patterns. (Come to graduation and see them for yourselves on our senior classmates) This final service helped us reflect back on the trip and appreciate all we had done together. That evening we had the chance to go back to our original host families for one last meal. There were mixed emotions being able to see our families again while realizing the trip was finally coming to an end. The next day we packed, had one last shopping trip for souvenirs and said goodbye to the country we’d gotten to know the past three months.

-Nathan Oostland

South Africa: Wrap-up in PMB & the Drakensberg mountains

On Monday, we had an “Easter egg hunt” similar to the one we had when we met together at the Suderman’s before this intercultural semester. The scavenger hunt includes six clues and we had to solve one to get to the next. The final clue that awaited us was to look for our Easter eggs also known as our candy bags the Sudermans put together for us. We split off into our committee groups and worked together to solve the clues. Each group got a reward also to go out to dinner with their committees when we got to St. Lucia.

On Wednesday morning, we wrapped up our time in Pietermaritzburg with a debrief session led by Graham of CLP. He asked us to think about three S’s that we observed in our last three weeks in PMB. What did we notice about soil, also thought of as land, society, and soul, otherwise thought of as the people? In thinking about this, we were tasked to think of these in “I no longer doubt…” statements. A few examples from the group were:

“I no longer doubt that there can be justice without land reform.”
“I no longer doubt that power is always corrupt.”
“I no longer doubt that the soul can only thrive in the presence of beauty.”
“I no longer doubt that communities can change the world.”
“I no longer doubt that all humanity is deeply intertwined.”

We had the opportunity to spend one night in the Drakensberg mountains on Wednesday. We left Pietermaritzburg in the morning and arrived at the backpacker that afternoon. A group of us then went for an evening hike up the mountain. We enjoyed some gorgeous views together and had fun watching a group of baboons play from afar. After a wonderful 3 course dinner provided by our backpacker, we went to bed only for half of us to wake up at 6:00 am to do the same hike, but at sunrise. Although the trail was the same, the sun and sky made it all the more beautiful. The one downfall of our stay consisted of freezing cold showers accompanied by much cooler weather. Despite this, we left the mountains with a greater appreciation of the natural beauty in South Africa, a feeling of rejuvenation, and for those of us who didn’t dare face the showers, a slight feeling of grunge.

-Mary Kate Bomberger

South Africa: Jeffreys Bay to Pietermaritzburg

Week 9, 10, & 11 (J-Bay, Mdumbi, PMB)

Spring break on the coasts of South Africa was a blast. We started off the week at Jeffreys Bay where we stayed at the Island Vibes backpacker just a stone’s throw away from the beach. The waves were wild but fun. We celebrated two birthdays there and had some time to relax and enjoy the beauty of South Africa. Early Friday morning we loaded up the bus. We drove through winding mountain roads till the asphalt turned to dirt. Then that dirt road disappeared and we had made it to Mdumbi. Mdumbi took some getting used to, especially for those who found Gecko droppings on their beds. Eventually, we all began to see the beauty of the space. It was there that we began to dig into and debrief all that we had learned and experienced so far. The mornings were a time of reflection and discussion. The evenings were a time to enjoy the beautiful rolling hills and sandy beaches.

Taken seconds before the frisbee’s fatal final flight. This hill overlooks African Enterprises, our home for the duration of our stay in PMB. Ben was the one who lost the frisbee but he didn’t pay for a new one.

We have two hosts here in Pietermaritzburg. Our “little while home” is at African Enterprise’s beautiful campus of cabins, chalets, forests, and waterfalls, while Church Land Program (CLP) coordinates and guides our time in the Pietermaritzburg/Durban area. An NGO dedicated to accompanying the landless poor in their struggle for justice and dignity, CLP created our schedule and is guiding us through our time in Pietermaritzburg. CLP welcomed us warmly and led us in reflecting on the journey we’ve been on so far. We received booklets with a collection of essays, reflections, encouragements, and tributes, part CLP’s “padkos” (“food for the journey”) program. This program also includes gatherings of the CLP community, one of which we were able to attend the following week. We enjoyed a lovely evening of tasty food, wonderful conversation, and an inspiring though a poignant film about the Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969 entitled, “Summer of Soul.”

So far, we have journeyed with CLP to Edendale/Georgetown, Bombayi, and eKhenana (eKhanani?). Georgetown is one of the many communities which make up Edendale, Pietermaritzburg’s black township. At the Georgetown Library we were introduced to members of the Georgetown History Project, which seeks to research and preserve the history of the community. Unfortunately, much of this history—especially pre-colonial history—has been erased or forgotten, but this amazing group is determined to reverse the world’s stubborn amnesia about their home.

We also visited Bombayi, a community within the city of Durban, with CLP. There we meet GOLDCO (“Glory of the Last Days Community Organization”), a grassroots organization dedicated to protecting the vulnerable and feeding the hungry within their neighborhood.

In addition to the learning experiences we had this week we also did some fun activities. Our first Saturday in Pietermaritzburg we went to an aquarium and waterpark. We saw a large variety of fish, from seahorses to sharks, to eels. Then we had the opportunity to go to the waterpark. There were all sorts of slides and a lazy river. The day was a big highlight for the group.

On our second Saturday, we went zip lining at Karkloof Canopy Tours. We flew over rivers and dodged rocks and trees as we made our way through ten zip lines to the bottom of the mountain.

Week 12 (PMB)

Scene from the toxic tour. Oil is piped into the refineries from the ocean.

On Monday, April 3rd, our group went on a toxic waste tour around Durban. The tour was led by the South Durban Community Environmental Alliance (SDCEA). The work of SDCEA deals with the intersectionality of environmental justice and social justice in oppressed communities. We drove around Durban looking at different oil refineries and storage units, noticing how proximate they are to residential communities. The development of the areas surrounding the refineries and plants (or lack thereof) connects directly to the legacy of apartheid, which included the forced relocation and separation of Black people, Colored people, and Indian people. These people were forced to live extremely close to the oil refineries, and the following generations are now direct recipients of an array of health implications caused by the chemicals that the plants leak underground as well as into the air. SDCEA helps surrounding communities to resist and actively fight against the toxic living environment that the refineries and pipelines create. SDCEA advocates for disparaged communities and empowers community members by educating them on hazardous chemicals and how to identify them with specialized equipment. The alliance has a vast network of people from different communities around Durban that notify leadership when something is wrong with the air or water in certain communities. The people work together to collect evidence of the toxic chemicals that were dumped into their living spaces, and they put pressure on authorities through the media and other forms of communication to hold the oil companies accountable in their waste management. SDCEA has been incredibly helpful in improving the living conditions of South Africans inside of Durban. The tour was a good opportunity for us EMU students to see some of the detrimental effects of oil plants on the surrounding land and its people, especially whenever there is a leak in the underground pipes. It was also a chance to witness some community organizing and environmental justice in action.

On Wednesday we paid a visit to CLP (Church Land Programs) at their offices and got a tour of their facilities in addition to the opportunity to meet and have conversations with all of their employees. After hearing about how individuals contributed to CLP as a whole, we came together as a full group for a processing session where we processed some of the questions that had arisen for us during our time with CLP, which covered a broad range of topics including funding for nonprofits, inequality, race, and gender.

On Thursday we attended our second contextual Bible study which was sponsored by CLP at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. We focused on 1 Kings 21, which is about King Ahab and Queen Jezebel killing Naboth in order to gain his vineyard. We unpacked the text by engaging with a series of questions, and then concluded with a discussion on the difference between racial inequality in the United States and South Africa.

On Friday our group took advantage of an extended weekend and went down to Durban for a beach day. After stocking up with some goggles we were excited to explore the ocean and the tidal pool that bordered it at the beach. Some of the group headed out to the beach to lay in the sand, while others went to the tidal pool to swim around. In the tidal pool, there were schools of fish, ranging in sizes, and some tropical. There were also coral, urchins, and many other types of sea life. Unfortunately, the coral was sharp enough that a handful of us went home with small battle scars. As the tide came in, waves would hit against the walls of the tidal pool causing huge sprays of water which was fun to play in as well. Others played in the ocean, although there was only a small flagged area that was safe, as the current and waves were pretty strong as they came into shore. After the day was over, we headed back to Pietermaritzburg to clean up, and have dinner together.

After worshiping throughout Lent with a variety of churches, we celebrated Easter this Sunday with Calvary Community Church in Pietermaritzburg. We got to be part of a joyful and creative worship service, including both English and Zulu songs that we’ve become familiar with in our time here and some familiar songs from home. The church youth put on an Easter play focusing on Jesus’ grace and healing power, which was appropriately reverent but still very joyful and funny! A small but stalwart group of us also braved the chilly fall morning to hold our own brief outdoor sunrise service. We spent the afternoon with new friends, the Philpots, learning to cook a proper South African Easter braai (cookout) and enjoying good fellowship and discussion.

-John, Caleb, Reah, and Laurel

EMU Intercultural Learning