Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Friday, July 2, 2010
The Art of Bargaining
Friday July 2
Early in the morning on July 2nd Professor John Daniel brought me to Warwick Junction to go to a bead market. Let me first explain the incredibleness (yes that's a word) of that simple sentence.
John Daniel is a South African citizen and holds a B.A. (1964) in political science from the University of Natal, South Africa and an M.A. and Ph.D. (1975) in political science from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He has taught at universities in the United States, Swaziland, the Netherlands, and South Africa. He was active in student politics in South Africa and served two terms as president of the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS). ... blah blah blah same old boring bio right... NOPE- let me finish his bio
Dr. Daniel went into exile in 1968 and returned in 1991 to head the International Studies Unit at Rhodes University. In 1993, he assumed the chair (headship) in political science at the University of Durban-Westville. From 1997 to 1999, he was seconded to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as a senior researcher responsible for documenting the South African state's gross human rights violations outside South Africa. In 2001, he joined the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), South Africa's national social science council, as a researcher in governance and democracy and as the head of its publishing arm, the HSRC Press. From 2002 to 2006, he co-edited and contributed to four volumes in the HSRC's State of the Nation series.
Yeah thats right- exile- and not from one country but 2.... This man has been termed the "premier political scientist in all of South Africa" by his comrades. His life story - simply incredible and his role in post apartheid South Africa- amazing. Someone was telling me that they were walking through the airport with John and the president of South Africa yelled across the airport- Hey John! How are you!... the president of the country.
Okay so you get the idea... John Daniel is kind of a big deal
So now Warwick Junction.
Durban.gov describes Warwick like this:
Warwick Junction is seen as the main transport hub and gateway into the city and more than 400 000 people who rely on public transport pass through this area on a daily basis.
The rejuvenation of the Warwick Junction area is long overdue. This area is over populated with traders, pedestrians and vehicles. Because of this and other factors, this area is home to one of the country’s worst intersections for fatalities. With hundreds of accidents occurring in the area annually, rampant crime, overcrowding, and other ills concentrated in this area, the revamp is critical for the safety of the commuters, residents and business and all who pass through the area on a daily basis.
Alright...so now the the actual day...on Friday morning's women begin walking from a rural area for hours to be to the bead market by 6am- for the opening. They sell and trade their goods throughout the day before making the long journey back to their homes.
As we approached the market John and I were discussing bargaining for prices inside.
He mentioned that you could bargain- something I've always considered a bit of a sport- walking away proud at how I talked them down from R40 to R30 (the difference is just over $1). As I started growing excited for the upcoming "contest" - John said something so simple yet so powerful. I do not recall his exact words yet t was something to the effect of: "you can bargain here but really for what... the difference in R10 to them is food while to you it is pocket change". What a naive oversight I've had- bargain to get a price lower for the personal satisfaction of a challenge- yet never thinking critically about the consequence of my challenge on the life of another human being. I certainly manage my budget tightly and have to watch costs but John was so right on this one... Why bargain someone from R40 to R30 when financially it is really no difference to me...
Suddenly I thought back to another situation when I was down the coast on an overnight excursion with the students. I was looking at a pair of sunglasses sold on the beach and in a fierce negotiation with the lady selling them. After I purchased them she asked my Zulu speaking friend I was with where I was from. When she heard America she began laughing and then said something to the effect of "Americans- I don't get them- they come hear and bargain for everything down to the very last Rand yet they are rich and me... I'm hungry- *sigh*... Americans..."
Perhaps I am not being as articulate as I would hope. While I believe there is room to bargain to get a fair price the ignorance and stupidity of "walking away" to get that last R10 knocked off the price suddenly seemed absurd, niave, ignorant, careless, selfish- and oh so many other things-
Early in the morning on July 2nd Professor John Daniel brought me to Warwick Junction to go to a bead market. Let me first explain the incredibleness (yes that's a word) of that simple sentence.
John Daniel is a South African citizen and holds a B.A. (1964) in political science from the University of Natal, South Africa and an M.A. and Ph.D. (1975) in political science from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He has taught at universities in the United States, Swaziland, the Netherlands, and South Africa. He was active in student politics in South Africa and served two terms as president of the National Union of South African Students (NUSAS). ... blah blah blah same old boring bio right... NOPE- let me finish his bio
Dr. Daniel went into exile in 1968 and returned in 1991 to head the International Studies Unit at Rhodes University. In 1993, he assumed the chair (headship) in political science at the University of Durban-Westville. From 1997 to 1999, he was seconded to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) as a senior researcher responsible for documenting the South African state's gross human rights violations outside South Africa. In 2001, he joined the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), South Africa's national social science council, as a researcher in governance and democracy and as the head of its publishing arm, the HSRC Press. From 2002 to 2006, he co-edited and contributed to four volumes in the HSRC's State of the Nation series.
Yeah thats right- exile- and not from one country but 2.... This man has been termed the "premier political scientist in all of South Africa" by his comrades. His life story - simply incredible and his role in post apartheid South Africa- amazing. Someone was telling me that they were walking through the airport with John and the president of South Africa yelled across the airport- Hey John! How are you!... the president of the country.
Okay so you get the idea... John Daniel is kind of a big deal
So now Warwick Junction.
Durban.gov describes Warwick like this:
Warwick Junction is seen as the main transport hub and gateway into the city and more than 400 000 people who rely on public transport pass through this area on a daily basis.
The rejuvenation of the Warwick Junction area is long overdue. This area is over populated with traders, pedestrians and vehicles. Because of this and other factors, this area is home to one of the country’s worst intersections for fatalities. With hundreds of accidents occurring in the area annually, rampant crime, overcrowding, and other ills concentrated in this area, the revamp is critical for the safety of the commuters, residents and business and all who pass through the area on a daily basis.
Alright...so now the the actual day...on Friday morning's women begin walking from a rural area for hours to be to the bead market by 6am- for the opening. They sell and trade their goods throughout the day before making the long journey back to their homes.
As we approached the market John and I were discussing bargaining for prices inside.
He mentioned that you could bargain- something I've always considered a bit of a sport- walking away proud at how I talked them down from R40 to R30 (the difference is just over $1). As I started growing excited for the upcoming "contest" - John said something so simple yet so powerful. I do not recall his exact words yet t was something to the effect of: "you can bargain here but really for what... the difference in R10 to them is food while to you it is pocket change". What a naive oversight I've had- bargain to get a price lower for the personal satisfaction of a challenge- yet never thinking critically about the consequence of my challenge on the life of another human being. I certainly manage my budget tightly and have to watch costs but John was so right on this one... Why bargain someone from R40 to R30 when financially it is really no difference to me...
Suddenly I thought back to another situation when I was down the coast on an overnight excursion with the students. I was looking at a pair of sunglasses sold on the beach and in a fierce negotiation with the lady selling them. After I purchased them she asked my Zulu speaking friend I was with where I was from. When she heard America she began laughing and then said something to the effect of "Americans- I don't get them- they come hear and bargain for everything down to the very last Rand yet they are rich and me... I'm hungry- *sigh*... Americans..."
Perhaps I am not being as articulate as I would hope. While I believe there is room to bargain to get a fair price the ignorance and stupidity of "walking away" to get that last R10 knocked off the price suddenly seemed absurd, niave, ignorant, careless, selfish- and oh so many other things-
Friday, June 11, 2010
June 11: South Africa v. Mexico
It is nearly impossible to be able to attach words to the experience here. For the opening match I found myself sitting on the beach listening to the waves crashing and watching South Africa play Mexico in the opening match with 25,000 other vuvuzela blowing fans all dressed in their Bafana Bafana gear- yes 25,000- and no I didn't add a few zeros. As everyone knows now South Africa played incredibly and despite having some opportunities to win ended up tieing Mexico in a huge game- much to the credit of their keeper Khune who played incredibly. Well only a few days earlier I was less than 3 feet away from Khune when I was in Soweto on Vilikazi street (the only street in the world where two Nobel Peace Prize winners live-more on this experience in a different post) and he was in his car leaving church.
Well the real experience encompassed so much more than just watching a soccer match. Walking into the viewing park you are greeted by hundreds of police who are searching your bag and patting you down-if you fit a certain racial profile. Needless to say the 5'0" small white american girl did not fit that profile.
I found myself watching person after person go through and the same groups of people receiving the same security check. I can't say that I am necessarily surprised but to see the racial profiling so bluntly and obviously right in front of my face was incomprehendable.
Once inside you enter this massive fan city with food vendors, soda and beer vendors, and a huge tv all on the Durban beach. You can sit in cement bleachers on the one side or stand directly in front of the tv on the sand. On the way to find my confortable overcrowded standing place for the next few hours I saw thousands of fans interacting.
The most interesting of these interactions was the white south africans forming circles with the Zulu South Africans and learning a traditional Zulu dance and dancing together. This was not just an isolated group either but many different sections of this same interaction was happening. I saw people of all races contesting who could blow their vuvuzela louder. The cross cultural interaction between South Africans of different races but also between foreigners and locals was exciting to say the least.
One example and definitely one of the funniest quotes so far: While I was in line this older Australian guy and I were chatting about soccer and Australia. I was mentioning being at the VB cricket final in Brisbane and seeing Ponting hit a century. Well this man looked at me stunned grabbed his friends together and said "this American is telling me about the VB cricket finals and seeing Ponting hit a century- bloody hell what kind of American are you?"
Well the real experience encompassed so much more than just watching a soccer match. Walking into the viewing park you are greeted by hundreds of police who are searching your bag and patting you down-if you fit a certain racial profile. Needless to say the 5'0" small white american girl did not fit that profile.
I found myself watching person after person go through and the same groups of people receiving the same security check. I can't say that I am necessarily surprised but to see the racial profiling so bluntly and obviously right in front of my face was incomprehendable.
Once inside you enter this massive fan city with food vendors, soda and beer vendors, and a huge tv all on the Durban beach. You can sit in cement bleachers on the one side or stand directly in front of the tv on the sand. On the way to find my confortable overcrowded standing place for the next few hours I saw thousands of fans interacting.
The most interesting of these interactions was the white south africans forming circles with the Zulu South Africans and learning a traditional Zulu dance and dancing together. This was not just an isolated group either but many different sections of this same interaction was happening. I saw people of all races contesting who could blow their vuvuzela louder. The cross cultural interaction between South Africans of different races but also between foreigners and locals was exciting to say the least.
One example and definitely one of the funniest quotes so far: While I was in line this older Australian guy and I were chatting about soccer and Australia. I was mentioning being at the VB cricket final in Brisbane and seeing Ponting hit a century. Well this man looked at me stunned grabbed his friends together and said "this American is telling me about the VB cricket finals and seeing Ponting hit a century- bloody hell what kind of American are you?"
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
The Plan and Schedule
So last month I got hired as the Assistant Academic Director for a U.S. based study abroad program traveling to Durban South Africa to study the World Cup and South Africa. The organization that is running the program focuses on international education of primarily US college students through field based experiential learning. I am working with the Durban staff to help run and coordinate all aspects of the program including the academic side of the program through advising the students on their research, the logistics of planning or organizing the days, and some of the student affair issues such as check-ins and being available as needed.
Here is my tentative schedule:
June 1: arrive in Durban
June 4-7: Orientation with students in Johannesburg
June 7-9: Orientation in Durban
June 10: Opening Kickoff Concert (watching at a viewing park-not attending)
June 11: Opening Ceremony and Match: South Africa v. Mexico (watching at a viewing park-not attending)
June 12: USA v. England (watching at a viewing park-not attending)
June 18: USA v. Slovenia game in Jo'burg (attending game)
June 27: Round 16: 1D v 2C in Bloemfontein
July 3-July 10: Rural Practicum (in a rural community outside Durban)
July 17: Students depart
July 23: Depart back home
More info to come (including pictures!)
Here is my tentative schedule:
June 1: arrive in Durban
June 4-7: Orientation with students in Johannesburg
June 7-9: Orientation in Durban
June 10: Opening Kickoff Concert (watching at a viewing park-not attending)
June 11: Opening Ceremony and Match: South Africa v. Mexico (watching at a viewing park-not attending)
June 12: USA v. England (watching at a viewing park-not attending)
June 18: USA v. Slovenia game in Jo'burg (attending game)
June 27: Round 16: 1D v 2C in Bloemfontein
July 3-July 10: Rural Practicum (in a rural community outside Durban)
July 17: Students depart
July 23: Depart back home
More info to come (including pictures!)
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