debbieann

Found a few books in the used bookstore in Melville today - hope I can finish them before we leave:

We Think the World of You - Ackerley
Phantom Prey- Sandford
A Sinless Season- Galgut
The October Killings-Wessel Ebersohn
Kitchen Casualties - Willemien de Villiers


and I had already started a book on my tablet/kindle called Sacrifices by Roger Smith.

Having a relaxing day - went to Croft&Co for breakfast, having some time on the internet and drinking Schweppes Dry Lemon, which is my favorite soda. Later today we will visit Sanza in Yeoville (also visited by the show Parts Unknown - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HKjVF-r2X-s)

Saturday is a fun day in Braamfontein, but then Sunday it is very quiet and everything is closed.

We finally got the id numbers we need to do the Australian med exam, so hopefully we will do that before we leave here (Dec 22)

I've been living out of the same carry on luggage since Sept 22.

Back to South Africa for a bit - here is what I've been doing - today we say an art show called Making Way - Contemporary Art from South Africa and China. It was excellent. lots of video art. I really like a lot of contemporary Chinese Art. Then we had high tea at the Westcliff hotel, which is very nice, and the high tea was fun. We went w some of C's co-workers.

On Friday I saw two short dance pieces at Wits University - one was good and one was really great - and only 10 rand which is about $1! Not going to find that in Perth (we will arrive there March 5). My only complaint is that it is almost impossible to get in to the university campus. The guard had to make an exception for me and use his card key to get me in - and then you can't get out either without a special card! I don't know any University in the US that is locked down as much as that. I want to go to some more dance performances next week, but not sure I want to deal w getting in and out. If the guard doesn't take pity on me then I have to go a few more blocks and sign in and get a guest pass.

Next week we will go see Mies Julie at Market Theatre - it has been getting rave reviews.

My other new found joy is going to Constitutional Court (free!) - I have now been twice, it is walking distance from our hotel. The first case is fascinating - a woman refused to pay her property taxes because the municipality was not delivering services, and her electricity was cut off, even though she had paid her electric bill, because the municipality can bundle it all together. I'm sure there are other details - like there is an electricity act that says you can't turn it off if the bill is paid, but there is a Systems act that authorizes termination of services. Anyway, I thought the justices asked GREAT questions of both sides - they asked the municipality how an ordinary citizen can remedy the situation if services aren't provided, and the municipality was unable to come up w a better answer than protest in the streets! but then the justices asked if people can pick and choose what they pay for - if you have no car, you still pay for roads.

I'm thinking of also going to South Gauteng High Court, but for now, Constitutional Court is easy. You can read about forthcoming cases here:

http://www.constitutionalcourt.org.za/site/home.htm

I also watched a lot of African countries play soccer and read a few books, and went to the library.Also heard live music at Lucky Bean - Derek Gripper and Tony Cox.

I'm reading up a storm - all South African writers -

Welcome to Our Hillbrow-Mpe
Young Blood - Mzobe
Bitches' Brew - Khumalo
My Brother's Keeper- Mackenzie

and just now I'm starting Till We Can Keep an Animal by Voysey-Braig. I hope to also read a book of essays that Charles bought by Rian Malan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rian_Malan). I'm trying to read Joburg writers. If you were to read only one of the above, I would say read Welcome to Our Hillbrow.

Life improved greatly once we got out of Sandton and Rosebank, and if any of you ever gets here, I would suggest getting out of those areas. Also, a car is pretty much essential here. I like the guest house we moved to:
http://www.12stars.co.za/
It is in a great neighborhood called Melville. During the day it is pretty comfortable to walk around Melville. I found a great little bookstore, some wonderful cafes, and a place to do laundry.

I've been reading a lot, just to try and learn about South Africa. I finished a book called Young Blood
http://www.argief.litnet.co.za/cgi-bin/giga.cgi?cmd=cause_dir_news_item&cause_id=1270&news_id=91110

and now I am reading Welcome to Our Hillbrow
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welcome_to_Our_Hillbrow

We also spent a half day at the Apartheid Museum and will definitely going back. It does a great job of telling a complicated story - I've already learned a lot.
http://www.apartheidmuseum.org/

I also saw a film that takes place in an area of Johannesburg called Fordsburg. The title of the movie is Material and it is about a family of Indian Muslims. I enjoyed it - in part just because it has a different context than most films I see. I was happy there was at least one SA film being shown in the cinemas - otherwise it is mostly mainstream US films like 21 Jump Street.

This easter wkend we are going to drive to Kruger Natl Park.

and I'm typing this in a great little cafe called Love&Revolution. Free wifi and a pot of rooibos tea. Other people are sitting here typing away on laptops. Yesterday there was someone struggling through turbotax. It feels hard to remember our Australia life - but we are still working on perm residency and even had a 6 am call about it this morning. We have a deadline of trying to get our paperwork in by the end of June. I've done most of the parts that are under my control. The US seems so far away too.

Most of what I have seen of J'burg seems very different than any other place I've been. There are high walls and electric fences everywhere. Day time rules and night rules are very different.