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.

Say What?!

The news is riddled today, as it is everyday, with stories ranging from Train strikes, stranding thousands of commuters to Eskom stating that it will be under enormous pressure during the 2010 Football World Cup. I'm never really surprised by the news, I've read about all the violence that seems to seep into every society in every part of the world and as the rest of you, I have become desensitized. But just when I thought it couldn't get any worse, I came across a story that hits home for me, a story that from my own experience infuriates me and I can't help but blog about it. What else is there to do but vent in 300 to 500 words?

It's not a current story, in fact, it might have happened last week or the week before but as I was scouring the "Most Commented" on News24 and found a blog from a woman who was infuriated by a statement made by our Health Minister, Aaron Motsoaledi. He stated that Formula should be banned and that breastfeeding should be the only option.

Mothers from all over the world have been guilted into thinking they are failures, thanks to men (and women) like this. People who refuse to understand that sometimes formula is the only option. It could be for medical reasons however it could be just to make life a little easier for women who struggle to breastfeed. What's the difference? I am not for a second bashing breast feeding, but I happen to know for a fact that as a mother I tried to breastfeed and I struggled for a week to get my daughter to latch, I was milked like a cow by a machine in the breastfeeding room and the pain of an engorged breast is unbelievable.

When I go home at night, I am confronted with a great big hug and a smile that could light up a dark alley. I sit and read to my daughter, in her pink room, filled with stuffed teddies and toys and enjoy her screams of laughter at my animated faces. When she was on formula, she had a routine that suited both of us, she slept through at 3 months and weening her off the bottle and on to solids was a pleasure, now she has her nightly bottle before she goes to sleep. So you get my point of healthy and happy.

Every women is different, a woman who gave birth at the same time as I did, ironically her name was the same as mine, was breastfeeding as easily as brushing her teeth and to be honest I envied that and struggled to come to terms with the fact that I couldn't do that but people, like our health minister, make me realize that I have nothing to be ashamed of. What he stated, needs to be retracted and I choose to ignore it statements like that from this moment on.

The Cocoon

Would you stay in a cocoon? That's the latest question travelers are being asked as the latest concept in hotel rooms is being rolled out in South Africa. It's aimed at the frequent traveler or one that's just simply on a tight budget. This 12 square meter room fits everything you need including a double bed, shower, toilet, basin, hanging space and flat screen TV. Pretty unbelievable.

You're probably thinking that that is quite a snug fit and you would be right but at R449 per night, you're getting all modern conveniences in an super clean space with energy saving appliances and furnishings made from recyclable material, at a great rate. It's a double whammy, good price and you're helping the environment that, let's not forget, has recently become a hot topic.

Central to the clever cocoon design is the Totem, a floor to ceiling column which houses the basin and a work surface. Despite being functional it serves to divide facilities from the bed yet blends quite well into the room. The shower is water-efficient, the toilet is water-saving and the LED lighting and energy-efficient air-conditioning switches off automatically when you're not around.

The first cocoon rooms were competed at the OR Tambo Formula 1 Hotel last year, followed by the Hotel Formula 1 Durban. These are the first of their kind in Africa, quite an impressive title to have. Africa on the forefront of Eco friendly change. But we're not the only ones, the cocoon room has proved hugely popular in Europe, where space is at a premium, green consciousness is highest in the world and cleanliness a big priority, with many travelers averse to carpets in particular. A little quirk that most travelers seem to share.

In terms of frequent travel and a place to rest your head while you're dealing with the craziness of your trip, then the cocoon is the perfect solution and you get to score some Eco brownie points!

Girl Meets Boy

The great thing about blogs is that you don't really have to worry about whether what's been said is in bad taste or not. I'm not so sure how I feel about this next story. No, I do know how I feel, sad actually. Sad for a perfect stranger.

So Caster Semenya has been all over the news since her Gold Medal win in the women's 800 at the World Champions in Berlin, Germany. Its a pity that it was handled so poorly by all involved, and by everyone I mean everyone. Even the South Africans who lashed out in her defence, crying racism and jealously - dare them to have held their tongues before they played their hand?

Now, I am in complete defense of Miss Semenya, her pride, dignity and right to privacy. There really is no other way to describe the situation other than unfortunate. Testing by the International Association of Athletics Federation revealed that Caster is technically a hermaphrodite. With no ovaries, she has internal testes and a large amount of testosterone. Although its not deliberately cheating according to the IAAF, it might still mean that she'll be stripped of her gold.

What pains me is what else she'll be stripped of. Her dignity and the pride of her family are high on the list of things we lost in the gender fire, but here's what concerns me...an 18 year old girl, who runs like a warrior, from no money, a rural village in fact, might not have a career as an athlete - as planned. Now we all suffer disappointment, the swimmer who lost a limb in a car accident and manages to swim in world class sporting events against able bodied swimmers - that's a success story. It's inspiring. But where to for Caster?

Gender is gender. Its one of the only things that still divide us. Across cultures, continents and public bathrooms. Sexuality is flexible, gender is unavoidable. So if you can't perform as either a man or a woman, what then? Give up your athletics career? I just don't see a way out for Caster. Sure, she can forget the whole thing and study sports science and blah blah blah. But I mourn for her and her family. She who brought gold home to a village in Africa, in more ways than just one, is now on the corner of Embarrassing and West Sh*t Street with nothing but a previously promising future.

Man, that makes me sad. Although the matter is not yet resolved, and her situation doesn't call for immediate disqualification, it's still shocking. Athletics South Africa has my vote when they were quoted as saying that the matter has been dealt with appallingly and that first and foremost, Miss Semenya should have been consulted and counselled before the story made the news. But its done. The finish line has never been so blurred or so dissatisfying.

What to do? Need a life lesson out of it? Might not be great advice but when it's the only thing left to do...just keep on running.