South Africa's Triumph

Courtesy of The Huffington Post
Shari Cohen
International development worker in the public health sector
Posted: June 15, 2010 11:35 AM

South Africa Rolls Out the Ubuntu in Abundance

I went on a rant the other day regarding the cost of the 2010 World Cup versus all the critical needs South Africa is facing and whether or not the most vulnerable of this country would gain anything from having the World Cup hosted in their country. At that time, I also had some very positive things to say about our hosts for the 2010 World Cup and I wanted to share that side of the coin as well, because it is equally important.

To say that I have been blown away at the hospitality South Africa has shown the rest of the world would be an understatement. I think back on recent Olympics and struggle to remember much reporting in the USA of athletes from other countries. I remember when a Togolese guy won a bronze medal in kayaking and NBC reported it and I thought to myself, "where are all the other fascinating stories like this one...like the Jamaican bobsledding team." In today's America, sadly, we have drifted so far towards being so US-centric that we only seem to root for the Americans.

Not so here in South Africa. I've been here since early May and each week I have become more and more impressed with the global embrace that South Africans have offered up to the world. On the way to the airport a couple of weeks ago, I heard a radio program that said each day they would focus on one country that would be coming to South Africa for the World Cup, and they would explore not only that sport's history in soccer, but also their politics, religion, and socio-cultural practices.

On the television, I've seen numerous programs that focus on a particular country and it's history of soccer and how the history of that country is intertwined with their soccer history. I've seen programs on India, exploring why India enjoys soccer but hasn't really excelled at the global level... yet. And I've seen shows on soccer in Muslim countries. Maybe it's planned, maybe it's unplanned, maybe it's by chance, but it is happening. It's not just about South Africans showing off their varied and multifaceted culture to their global guests, it's also about using this opportunity to educate South Africa on the rest of Planet Earth's inhabitants.

As I moved through my work here in the provinces over the last six weeks, I had a pivotal meeting with the Board members of a rural NGO. They were explaining their guiding program philosophy of Ubuntu. No, not the Linux program. I'm talking about the traditional African philosophy of Ubuntu that essentially says, "No man is an island."

I found a better explanation from Wikipedia:
Archbishop Desmond Tutu further explained Ubuntu in 2008:
One of the sayings in our country is Ubuntu - the essence of being human. Ubuntu speaks particularly about the fact that you can't exist as a human being in isolation. It speaks about our interconnectedness. You can't be human all by yourself, and when you have this quality -- Ubuntu -- you are known for your generosity.

We think of ourselves far too frequently as just individuals, separated from one another, whereas you are connected and what you do affects the whole world. When you do well, it spreads out; it is for the whole of humanity.

To me, Ubuntu is the acceptance of others as parts of the sum total of each of us. And that is exactly what I have experienced during the lead up to, and the initial days of this World Cup. There is nary a South African citizen that I've met on the street, or in shops or restaurants or hotels, that hasn't gone out of their way to greet me and make me feel like I am home. And I don't mean that in the trivial, "Oh, aren't they nice, homey people here... " sort of way. I mean real, genuine interest and questions. People seriously want to know where I come from. What it's like where I live. How does it compare to where I am now. What do I think of South Africa. Oh yes, and what do I think of Bafana Bafana... The questions and conversations are in earnest. They are honest. And they are had with enthusiasm and a thirst to know more. South Africans are drinking deeply from the cup of humanity that has been brought to their doorstep.

I would never imagine that an American World Cup or Olympics would ever be this welcoming to the rest of the world. And that saddens me for the state of my home country, but it also makes me feel the pride of the South African people.
I have been truly humbled on this trip. And while I have my gripes regarding development here, I cannot say one negative thing about how South Africa has handled its duties as host and hostess to the world. If I could say one thing to sum up being here during this once-in-a-lifetime experience, it would be that I've learned the value of Ubuntu, and that when found and offered in abundance, the world is indeed a better place to live in.

So, if South Africa accomplishes nothing more on the playing field, it will still have won as a host country. I am a cynic, no doubt about that. And yet I have to admit, I'm a little teary just writing this because I leave for home next weekend and I will be leaving a little piece of myself here in South Africa. I just hope I have learned enough to bring back a little piece of Ubuntu to my homeland, where perhaps with a little caring and a little water, it will take root as naturally as it does here, in the cradle of civilization. It's funny, many people in America still ask me, "are the people in Africa very primitive?" Yes, I know, amazing someone could ask that but they do. And when they do, I usually explain that living in a mud hut does not make one primitive, however, allowing kids to sell drugs to other kids and engage in drive-by killings -- isn't that primitive behavior? I think it is. When I think of Ubuntu and my recent experiences here, I think America has much to learn from Africa in general, in terms of living as a larger village; and as human beings who are all interconnected with each other, each of us having an affect on our brothers and sisters.


As the 2010 Cup slogan goes, "Feel it. It is here." Well, I have felt it, because I am here. Thank you South Africa, for giving me this unexpected gift. I am humbled.

It Starts....

This story is courtesy of News24:

Cape Town - Hundreds of people across the country left their offices on Wednesday to blow their vuvuzelas as the 2010 FIFA World Cup draws nearer.

Ex Survivor contestant Danielle Vukic and South African Sports Illustrated’s first editor Richard Whittingdale were part of a large crowd gathered in Somerset Street, Cape Town.

“This is fantastic,” they told News24. “We’re now really looking forward to the World Cup.

“I think this is what Cape Town needed because up until now, it's been asleep. Cape Town has finally woken up,” said Vukic.

“It also means no one will do any work until July 12,” added Whittingdale.

Great day

Eric Voyi said he thought the spirit in Cape Town was great. “I can’t wait for the opening match, today is a great day, everyone is happy.

He said he was rooting for Bafana Bafana and that they will not disappoint.

“I think that we are going to win the World Cup.

Another soccer fan shared Voyi’s sentiments. “I am very happy with this. Everyone is blowing their vuvuzelas and people in the country are happy.

He added that he will be watching the games at the FIFA Fan Fest at Grand Parade in Cape Town.

Streets lined with people

Englishman Joe Crann was also part of the festivities.

“I just came out and the streets are line with people, it’s fantastic,” he said.

“I’ve got tickets to see the England-Algeria game and also Holland-Cameroon. I’ve never been so excited in my life.”

However, his friend Sthembiso Mntambo, who also referred to himself as Crann’s “bodyguard”, said that although it was a good initiative, a lot of people quickly went back to their offices.

“It still doesn’t compare to Joburg.”

No Madiba Magic?

You would think with the 2010 Football World Cup just around the corner, the talk of the day would be football. However the topic on everyone's lips this morning is who might or might not be present at the games. The mighty Madiba, icon to all South Africans, is 91 years old, this may not be new news to you but let's think about that for a second. 91. Enduring the struggle, being in prison for 27 years and leading this country into a democracy is more than most us will ever experience in a lifetime. That's bound to make someone 91 years old tired. The ANC says Nelson Mandela will be at the World Cup opening game, his family says he won't, and his foundation won't comment.

I understand that with an event like this a little Madiba Magic would be more than welcomed but his grandson has stated that what people need to consider now is his health and I agree. We cant expect him to be everywhere, at everything, all the time. I say, give the guy a rest, set him up in the TV room in front of the enormous flat screen , ensure that his every need is catered for and let him enjoy the games from the comfort of his own home. He supports Bafana Bafana wholeheartedly I'm sure, so whether he's there or not, the Madiba magic will still be there.

On a good note though, our brand ambassador Matthew Booth met with Madiba yesterday and has posted some exclusive content on Hummba about his time at the Mandela Foundation. He must have been honored! And we're honored to get an inside look!
Check it out, you won't want to miss it!

As for the 2010 Football World Cup, the whole of South Africa is behind Bafana Bafana and even though some of us can't be there in person, don't doubt for a second that we wont be there in spirit!

A Dating Dilemna

Dating is as tricky as a rubik's cube. That's the reason people stay in going-nowhere-slowly relationships. Jumping back into the dating world can be as scary as cliff diving or bungee jumping without the expectations. A colleague of mine and I were talking about this twilight zone of single souls and how we would handle it if we were thrown back into the swing of things. To say we were confused is an understatement, what had changed? What are the current expectations? What are the do's and dont's? and more importantly, where do we find the Dating for Dummies manual?

As it turns out, we didn't have to look too far and even more interestingly is that the game seems to have changed very little. People are still running around with the "9 dating deal breakers to watch out for", "10 Ways you're preventing guys from approaching you" and "10 first date mistakes" stories. As witty and funny as these stories are, they reek of confusion and a desperation for the real answers. But the sad truth is that there are no real answers. It's a maze of people that you are trying to connect with and our status as being as unique as snowflakes, makes that search as hard as the proverbial needle in a haystack.

Besides the common rules of decent behavior and etiquette, there really are no rules and the guidelines are biased. What you're reading about, in hopes for the light at the end of the tunnel, is a personal experience that may, but probably won't, apply to you in any way. But they're a great read. I don't deny that men and women have commonalities that can be somewhat explained and possibly used in the greater good of dating, but every circumstance is different, every experience you encounter in the dating world from this moment on is your own.

You could meet a man (just in this instance) and find that he hates the way you laugh, even though every article you've read clearly states that you should laugh at everything he says, if you stopped laughing wouldn't you be breaking the rule? Would that mean that a second date would be null and void, read the fine print. Attraction is what connects people initially, love at first sight is really only lust at first sight. Once the chemistry is taken care of, naturally of course, I advice that you be open and show your true colors, however dull you might find them to be. Let fate have a little role, if that's what you believe in.

The Capetonians and the Johannesburgers

I wasn't born in Cape Town, I was born in Johannesburg. Up until the age of 13, all I knew was the City of Gold. The financial hub, the place were money is made and people are on the move, constantly. I have some amazing memories of a time that admittedly was a lot safer than today. The one thing I love about Johannesburg are the people. A population of friendly and approachable human beings. So when it was decided that we would be moving to Cape Town, I was unsure.....The common perception for a Johannesburger is that a Capetonian is lazy, laid back and most likely smokes weed and enjoys the "hippie" life of free love and the earth. There are also the snobbish kinds of Capetonians, the ones that enjoy their world renowned city status.

Stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason, there is a fair amount of a certain type of people that create these stereotypical judgments. So when we arrived, I was confronted by unfriendly people that made fun of my accent, if you've ever heard a Johannesburger speak, you'll know what I'm talking about. But after a while I realized that Capetonians weren't unfriendly, they are clicky. There are millions of groups of people, diverse groups from the hippie collection to society's elite and it wasn't an unfriendliness I was encountering, it was a trust issue I was facing as an outsider.

I know it may seem that I am Capetonian bashing and I could spend all day talking about the stereotypical traits of a Johannesburger and a Capetonian but after 10 years, I managed to get myself into many clicks. And develop lasting friendships. I have friends I can behave like a child with, I have friends I can talk to about my ambitions and scheme ways to become a millionaire before 30, I have friends who are mothers and I have friends who I can be very hoitty toitty with. It's the variety that is so amazing. This city is.... dare I say it.... a melting pot of people and cultures.

People still ask me where I'm from and I answer, "I'm originally from Johannesburg but I've been here for almost ten years, I think that officially makes me a Capetonian." It's the best of both worlds, a childhood in the City of Gold and an adulthood in the best city in the world. So enough with the rivalry, let's all have a good laugh at our stereotypes and enjoy the cities that make South Africa so unique.