The U.S. Is widely considered the land of the free, where dreams are made, and possibilities are endless, the American dream, and the list is endless. As a nation, it has led innovation is many aspects, and commands great, if not the most global influence, driven by its massive defense force, extensive aid programs and colossal multinational corporations. At the very least, the USA has an impressive profile as a nation.

As a man of Africa who has pledged his life to the development of the continent, my natural instinct is to draw parallels between the nation described above and those back home. Of course as nations of the mother continent, we are new to the game of democracy. We have the restrictive legacy of colonization to overturn which makes it extremely difficult to compete in a global environment with countries that have centuries head start, counties whose economies were built on the sweat of African labour and exploitation of African resources. However this is not a rant about colonization. This is me identifying a few areas in which the United States has succeeded in, which remain areas of development for us as a continent.

The environment in the US encourages and supports ambition. This in no way suggests that it is a country without problems. If anything, it may be a nation with the most issues to deal with but it remains a hub for the creative who dare to dream. The attitude of the government itself is one of ambition and extending the influence of the country. The attitude of industry is to be the world leader in innovation.

I find this is lacking in African countries. Our political leaders are better known for endless terms of office, coups, corruption than they are for creating effective institutions and aligning fiscal spending with innovative projects that bright minds may have. In South Africa, it continues to baffle me that an African diamond such as Siyabulela Xuza remains largely unknown in his home country but is widely respected in the US for his achievements in energy and science. Clem Sunter, a globally renowned scenario planning strategist has on many occasions alluded to this, jokingly saying the US rolled out the red carpet for Mr. Xuza and his innovations, and South Africa rolled out red tape!

It may seem like a little thing, but ambition, and ambition in the right environment and supportive climate, drives progress. What we need from public and private sector leadership is a supportive climate: easy access to credit and private capital, a regulatory environment that does not hold ideas hostage and media that places impact-makers on a pedestal. What we need from ourselves is an ambitious attitude. That’s the first missing link between where we are as a people and where we need to be.

My work placement during my stay in Washington DC is at Freedom House, an international non-governmental organization which monitors democracy and press freedom across the world. In addition to publishing these findings annually the INGO also runs a series of programmes across the world aimed at strengthening civil society and democracy globally.

As a Political Science student I have been taught a great deal about democracy as a subject over the past five years. Authors such as John Stuart Mill’s, Thomas Hobbs and Hans Morgenthau have shaped my academic understanding of democracy and what it entails. However various elements of democracy which were envisioned by these authors are sorely missing in our current conceptualization on the subject. Today, we use democracy as an allegory for elections however this oversimplification undermines the subject’s integrity as it dilutes the conceptualization of democracy which many theorist advocated which included concepts such as media freedom, equality and freedom of association.

Two incidences this week made me question my understanding of media freedom and democracy and highlighted to me just how complex these issues can be. The first example from the United States illustrated how unchecked media freedom can lead to an increase in racial division whilst the second example from Togo illustrates just how fine the line censorship and the greater good can be.

I recently watched the evening news covering the Charleston shooting and I was perplexed by how a senior anchor’s bias towards the issue of gun control in America dominated the narrative of the programming. The journalist, who in my view had fundamentally betrayed the vows of bipartisanship which we have come to expect from the profession, berated the President for turning the shooting into a political issue. During the programme he sided with one of the experts that shared his views on gun control whilst publically ridiculing the opposing expert.

On Tuesday, I sat in on a meeting with the Ambassador of Togo to the United States as he gave a presentation on the country’s democratic development. The ambassador shared some of the recent successes and failures in the country regarding democracy and media freedom but one specific element stood out for me, the Ambassador explained that the country’s fragile ethnic interaction meant that the government often had to intervene by limiting media houses reporting because it was inciting ethnic hatred.

I think the greatest lesson I learned from this is that any kind freedom whether it be civic or media will always be a complex issue regardless of the perceived integrity of the country involved!

One of the fundamental components of SAWIP is leadership development, throughout this journey we are encouraged to reflect on our own leadership experiences and challenge the status quo regarding leadership thinking in our own country and abroad. Within the SAWIP team we have shared a variety of different perspectives on the matter and will continue to do so for what I imagine to be a lifelong debate, as development is never a static concept but constantly evolving. So with that said here are five lessons which I believe are essential to building a successful team:

One- Make sure the team works on its strategic plan as early as possible. A written our plan will not only ensure that the team always knows what is expected of them and where the organization is heading but will also serve as a mechanism for checks and balances when conflict arises. It allows the team to hold each other accountable; members are able to ask each other whether or not specific behavior is in line with the strategic plan of the organization which reduces conflict. Thus ensuring that members are judged by their actions (in relation to an agreed upon mandate) rather than to an ambiguous hierarchy of standards.

Two- Leadership is a lonely place. It is impossible to please everyone and any team leader worth their salt shouldn’t be trying to because not only will it drain you emotionally but it will also damage your long term integrity; by constantly changing your approach to suit others you are reducing your ability to implement a coherent vision. Accept that you will have to make unpopular choices which will alienate some members however if you are consistent and stick to your strategic plan you will earn something far more valuable than being popular, you will earn respect.

Three- You are only as strong as your interpersonal relationships. People may not always like you but they will be loyal to you as long they feel valued. Having authentic relationships and finding out your team’s personal lives entail will allow you to empathize with them which allows you to create an environment in which the team feels valued. More often than not it is hard to build these relationships, people are often unapproachable or unwilling to build relationships however that shouldn’t hinder the process, you need to make use of structured meetings to build these relationships if they do not happen generically.

Four- You need to have a small group of colleagues and a mentor which you trust and are able to use as a sounding board. They will be able to tell you when you are on the right track or not. Often you will need to make difficult decisions and will have to build consensus to ensure that these decisions are a success. A good group of advisors and a mentor will allow you to question some of the details of these decisions without holding them against you thus allowing you to implement the best version of your plan.

Five- The best way to learn is by failing, it is not until you have lost a battle that you learn how to approach the next one. Failure also teaches us to pick our battles more strategically, which could turn short term losses into long term gains. Building any team is no small feat however the process teaches you more about yourself than any other process ever will! I think President Theodor Roosevelt illustrated this best in the following words:

“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

I, a black Ndebele young man have been welcomed into a lovely family home by a wonderful couple. Two of my colleagues on the Sawip team are also living under the same roof. I am having the time of my life! There are a few matters of interest here, matters which would typically prove divisive within both the South African context and around the globe. But these are matters of interest I will discuss at a later stage of this blog. Society, to this day, can be dissected along racial, religious, and with great relevance to South Africa in recent times with xenophobic violence, ethnic lines. History makes it extremely difficult not to. For centuries, racist-led structures maintained a system of white supremacy at the expense of black oppression, which has given birth to a reality today where vast economic inequalities exist. Generally, wealth and prosperity has a white face, with poverty having a black face. And with this economic divide comes a totally different experience of life depending on which end of the spectrum you find yourself, which beyond prejudice and discrimination, I find is this very reason there remains this racial divide in society. Religion is another can of worms altogether. Wars have been waged between people who worship differently, for that reason alone. We continue to see mass killings of Christians by Islamist extremist groups in some parts of the world, and discriminatory treatment of Muslims at airport security checks. The underlying issue here is the tendency to create the “other.” We do this because of what we perceive to be difference between “us” and “them” from whatever point of view you look at people. However I have come to learn what while difference, in beliefs, skin colour, cultural beliefs and identity may exist, these should not be the basis of no interaction with the “other.” The more relationships are built with those who are “different” to ourselves, the more appreciation we will have for the beauty of diversity. We begin to see the “other” through a new set of eyes. And so back to the matters of interest mentioned earlier…I, a black Christian Ndebele boy am living in a lovely family home with my white Christian English South African and our Indian Muslim colleague, hosted by a wonderful couple, which so happens to be two white Americans!!! And here I am, with all these so-called “others” and yet I feel right at home and blessed to be sharing my experience with everyone here. Through my new eyes, the divisive element of othering has fallen away.

Our Team Managers will be able to attest that it takes a great deal of patience and a certain amount of scorn to get a group of fifteen young South Africans from Johannesburg to Washington DC, but we have finally made it, we have arrived and now the real work starts.

Reflecting on a very busy first week I am reminded yet again what an amazing opportunity SAWIP is. However there has been this nagging feeling in my gut for the past week as well. During one of our sessions I found myself having a crisis of faith in this programme. We were discussing the challenges and opportunities facing the South African education sector and I started wondering what the value of these conversations were if they never leave Washington DC. The team comprises of some of the most talented individuals I have ever met and the solutions that we have come up with were phenomenal but what is the value of talent and good ideas if they never get implemented? There are a wealth of opportunities for young people in our country to participate in leadership programmes however what become of these conversations which we have in behind closed doors? And if we are to take up the baton regarding these issues are we all doomed to become politicians upon our return?

These questions plagued me for quite some time and the answers came from a seemingly unlikely place. I was sitting in our host parents’ house with one of my fellow SAWIPpers and we were discussing a variety of things ranging from land reform to Washington cuisine. As the night progressed we started to share more of our own stories, about our families, our history and our very different backgrounds. The SAWIPper in question and I were as different as chalk and cheese on the surface however the more I listened to his own personal story the more I realized that my perceptions of certain issues had been framed from my own personal narrative but listening to his story that narrative was challenged. Often when our personal narratives are challenged we go into fight or flight mode however I believe that by sharing his own personal story (building a relationship) rather than trying to debate my narrative I was more receptive to change and in that moment I realized the wealth and value of this programme.

By sharing each other’s stories with we are able to challenge each other’s narratives and regardless of what each SAWIPper does when we return to South Africa that change remains. The impact is thus not limited to what you become but rather how you disseminate that changed narrative amongst the people who share your story; and in realizing that I came to the conclusion that this programme might just be one the most valuable assets South Africa has.

The Washington Post, The New York Times, and any major publication in the US at the moment is filled with a very similar story line to the ones we were exposed to but a few weeks ago in South Africa. Of course this story much like the one back home have those both pro and against the issue we are confronted with. One thing is however certain, we need to ask ourselves who holds the pen.

The issue I am referring to is that of the Confederate Flag hanging in South Carolina. The flag has received somewhat of an unprecedented media coverage and many connections with Dylann Roof the young man who killed 9 individuals at a church in Charleston last week. Of particular relevance is him seen wearing both the Apartheid South African flag (a symbol of a prejudicial admininistration that plagued our nation for many years) and the old Rhodesia.

I have read many stories shared by members of the community and it is clear. There is still a lot of work to be done. This article on CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2015/06/21/us/charleston-shooting-race-wounds-exposed/) particularly touched me with the candidness of the lived experiences of residents within the community. It is a profound juxtaposition to see the pride of staying in a town that is as beautiful as Charleston and the fear, pain and sadness of being reminded through this tragic brutal killing of a history that was never to be repeated.

#RhodesMustFall & #TakeItDown

The use of social media in creating much needed awareness about shared experiences globally in relation to symbols that relate to some form of oppression speaks volumes of the way global barriers have been broken with a new found connectedness. What is of particular significance in these two cases is the momentum and influence young people have and more over the power they believe they have. This will inevitably help influence the way a society like the US progresses into the future. I must be honest when I add, I am not particularly convinced that young people in America are as politically engaged as we are back home and this could be because of a number of different reasons. I do believe it is often our consciousness of issues that help to activate our level of engagement as citizens in any country.

The dilemma the US is currently faced with is not very different to that of the one we face back home especially related to politics. Political game changers will become all the more evident with the upcoming elections in the US next year. With a voter population changing and the need to be able to appeal to this changing demographic it will be particularly interesting to see where politicians are positioning themselves on this issue and many other more controversial ones and how public they are about it.

I believe the answer to helping changing the story we tell is through solidarity and acceptance. One cannot simply sit back when the worlds we find ourselves in still bleeds, mourns and pains as a result of injustice, intolerance, segregation and hatred. We hold the pen as young people. We are the ones that will influence the history told 10, 20, 30 years from now.

It was Mandela that once said,

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

On my very first day to work in Washington, DC I took the Metro (for my South African friends, it’s like the Gautrain). While waiting for the Metro to arrive a man approached me, Jabulile and Mulanga-fellow SAWIPers. He politely introduced himself and told us he is originally from Botswana and that somehow he had recognized that we were also from Africa...which we, of course, confirmed to be true. He seemed so excited to see us that he started to speak to us in seTswana until he realized I had no idea what he was saying, although Mulanga and Jabulile seemed to catch on just fine. Our conversation continued even after the Metro arrived and I ended up taking a seat next to him on the train. In our conversation I learned that he worked for the Embassy of the Republic of Botswana, he had written a book and that he was passionate about education. After overhearing a little bit of our conversation, a lady sitting next to us who was also working in Washington soon joined our conversation telling us a little about herself and the educational organization for which she works. As our interests were similiar, they exchanged business cards and asked me if I had one (which I didn’t). It all happened so fast! Just like that, I realized a network was created and I almost missed it by being underprepared. I share this story with you because it was an important lesson for me: you never know where and when you will meet someone who could possibly open the door to a new opportunity for you and so you have to always be prepared.

When I went home after work and reflected on the day’s events, I came back to that moment. I realized that I needed to be better prepared for moments like that because they were sure to come and I didn’t want to mess them up. For one, I needed to have a business card (which I can now proudly say I have!). More importantly, however, I think it is important to know yourself. You should know your passions, interests and to where you would like to be some day. For me, it has now become crucial to learn how to clearly articulate these things about myself to someone else in a concise and enthusiastic manner. Slowly but surely, as I continue to meet and mingle with new people, I hope to move closer to achieving this goal.

Being prepared in this sense can go a long way in making good first impressions and building networks which could potentially develop into long lasting relationships.

Our plane landed on Monday the 15th June at around 6:30am, we were all exhausted after an 18 hour plane ride and after going through passport control we were warmly welcome by the beaming faces of our host families, Kim and Cheri. Everyone looked very excited, there were hugs (though we warned them that after sitting on a plane and not having showered we did not smell that great), they insisted. We were finally in AMERICA!!!!!! Concrete Jangle where dreams are made of? (No actually that would be New York). We were to go home with Jabu and Nardia’s host mom Linda, as our host parents were still at work. Linda was absolutely amazing and very clued up on the history of DC. On our drive to her house she was telling us important information about most of the important landmarks we passed along the way. The first weird thing about DC for me was the fact that people drive from the “passenger” seat. Jabu was the first to be confronted by this problem, as she was about to go and claim shot gun, she realized that she was looking at the driver’s seat. The whole way through the drive and a few days afterwards I had to constantly remind myself that the cars I saw parked on the side walk, or at stop signs actually had a driver inside and where not simply parked incorrectly. Another really big thing about DC is the humidity and the heat, it is like Durban humidity on steroids. They told us about the heat but I did not think it could possibly be as bad as they had said it was and guess what? It really is. Luckily all the work buildings and houses I have been to have air conditioning. Upon arrival Kim and Cheri gave us metro cards and a map of the routes that the metro takes and at that moment I had no idea that those two things would be really instrumental in my travels here. I spent the day two studying the metro map like it was a bible. The other thing I noticed about DC that I think is different from South Africa is how BIG everything is, from pizza slices that are bigger than my face, to sidewalks that could probably fit a whole car. I have watched my fair share of American television and because of that I thought I knew the American accent and I expected that to be the last thing that would surprise me. I was wrong, there are so many different variations of the accent, so many I had not heard and so many that send me flying into an episode of the Oprah Winfrey Show. It’s been a great first week, and even though it has been a week, I still have to pinch myself to get myself to believe that I am actually really here!

1 week in Capitol Hill and I feel almost settled! I have let go of my traditional Indian food and embraced the culture of food around me. I have had tacos, baked potatoes, gazpacho, bagels, pasta, pizza, subway and a hot dog. The tacos and pasta were among my favourites!

But now I miss my Indian dhar’s, veggies, curries, rice and rothli. So it’s time to explore the eastern food culture in DC. I found some Thai places and Indian places that I hope to try out this week. A colleague at my work placement also said she would bring me some Indian lentils which I cannot wait to cook!

I had great fun this weekend exploring the library of congress, the building of the Supreme Court, the Nationals park stadium and China town.

The art work and architecture of the library of congress is so far the most intriguing. The building is beautifully designed and the interior is equally aesthetic, if not more. The symbolism in the design adds to the value of the building and truly reflects the greatness of Jefferson’s personal library collection.

I also got my Library of Congress readers card, so I can now go into the private reading room where I hope to do some work on my mini-thesis.

The Supreme Court is built of marble. This was one of the hottest places I have been to. I found the grand entrance door to be especially interesting. It has a story of symbols engraved on it.

The next stop was the Nationals Park Stadium where I experienced a vibrancy of music and festivities.

I bought a nationals cap that I proudly wore throughout the game and waved it when my team won. I also enjoyed my first American veggie dog at the game  After the game the team stopped off at China Town to do some exploring. It was a relaxing afternoon filled with food and fun.

Imagine this: you’re working abroad (in Washington D.C. nonetheless) and you’re dying of the heat and humidity; you’re constantly surrounded by the most tantilising of American cuisine BUT…you can’t have a gulp of water to quench your thirst or dig into that burger or nachos, UNLESS…the sun has not yet risen or has already set.

One of our team members, Ebrahim Shaikh (and this blog is definitely dedicated to him), is currently not imagining this situation, but living it, seeing as he is fasting for Ramadan. Now, I’m not religious, so I’ve never needed to fast – in my culture withholding food is called a diet and I cannot imagine how difficult it must be for Ebrahim (even though he makes it look really simple). I have so much admiration and respect for the way in which he is handling the situation! In South Africa (where he would usually be fasting) the sun sets a lot earlier and rises a lot later at this time of year than it does here in D.C. (and trust me, when the sun does rise in D.C. it is with an intense fury that will burn you to infinity if you loiter in its unforgiving rays for more than 10 minutes), thus there is an even higher level of difficulty to fasting this year. I’m sure Ebrahim could easily think of a reason that would exempt him from fasting at this time (e.g. physical strain placed on the body by not drinking any fluids in this heat), but he is strong in his belief and does not seek any reason to complain or attract pity – whenever we go out to have a bite or a drink, Ebrahim would come along (think how difficult that must be). I guess it all comes down to making tough sacrifices for something you believe in.

Most people will be able to share a story of sacrifice, not necessarily religious, but we’ve all given up something at some stage, because we kept our eyes on the greater goal (although, giving up your social life during exams to achieve good results seems like a very small and insignificant sacrifice compared to giving up food and drink during the day for a whole month to commemorate the first revelation of the Quran to Muhammad according to Islamic belief). The point is this: all of us will need to make sacrifices in life to get to where we want to be or to achieve a certain goal – some sacrifices will be more difficult or last longer than others, but in the end we need to distinguish between what we want and what we need.

I’m sure every SAWIP team member can share something they have sacrificed in their SAWIP journey in order to participate and contribute fully to this program. So what have my own sacrifices been?
(Please note: these aren’t only due to SAWIP, but other factors in my life along with SAWIP) My academics have been placed under quite a bit of strain, seeing as time one would usually spend on preparation for the next day or on an assignment now goes into a SAWIP session or writing a blog or compiling a report or searching for possible funders. During selection camp (which is already a relatively stressful experience) I had to get up at 04:00 every morning to study for a Contract Law test that took place the day after Selection camp finished (needless to say, not my best test results yet). The second sacrifice has been on a more personal level and it involves my relationships with the important people in my life such as friends and family who I was not able to see as often as I normally would. I can admit that a lot of people have been neglected by me and for that I am sorry to them.

Naturally, these sacrifices were difficult, but when one has a fantastic, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity such as SAWIP, everything else becomes secondary. This program has given me so much – from the application process to where I now sit in my office in Washington D.C. gaining work exposure and experience at the US African Development Foundation that I gladly give up a few things for it!

So as the sun of my SAWIP experience is almost at midday level, I relish in knowing that short term sacrifice results in long term reward! And I am feasting on the opportunities, knowledge and experiences I am gaining every day!

Happy Ramadan, Ebrahim.

Power and oppression has been the topic of the week. There are many forms of oppression that sometimes manifest themselves under an invisible cloak. Engaging with the NSL and WIP teams on this topic brought to light many of these invisible oppressive actions.

For instance, I wasn’t aware of the concept of cisgenderism (I know, I struggled with the word for some time too). As defined by the infallible search engine Google, cisgenderism is a prejudice similar to racism and sexism. It denies, ignores, denigrates, or stigmatizes non-cisgender forms of expression, sexual activity, behaviour, relationship, or community. Cisgenderism exists in everyone I believe - transgender individuals as well as cisgender individuals alike. This is because almost everyone is brought up in a predominately cisgender society that has little or no positive recognition of non-cisgender behaviour, identity and/or experience. Of course I understood the concept of cisgenderism immediately, as I believe that I have subconsciously expressed it in some way or another. However, I can only see how it can be oppressive once I empathise with someone who is not cisgender. This is the nature of invisible oppression; it stems less from ignorance but rather from a lack of empathy.

On the other hand there are also many visible oppressions. These are the oppressive issues that we find many of a countries population rebelling against. Closely related to the concept of “rebellion” is a SAWIP session we had with Mr Martin Tremble (better known to me as dad. Mr Tremble and his family are hosting me for the summer). Mr Tremble came to speak to us on organising. So I got to the session ready with thoughts of my messy room and scattered university notes. I was set to employ some organisational change in my life. I soon found out that this was a very different type of organising.

Mr Tremble works for an organisation called the IAF. The main aim of the organisation is to create a new capacity for leadership development, citizen-led action and relationships across the lines that often divide communities. This is what organising is all about. It is simply about empowering a community to unite behind a single goal that is important to them. Using the methodology of organising, communities can persuade governments and big business to do right on a variety of issues. These issues could range from service delivery to housing and pollution of the environment.

Mr Tremble spoke of organising in an American context. However what was interesting to me, and what the team quickly caught on to, was how it applies to the South African context. One instance of this is that we live in a country with politicians that are not persuaded by the same techniques that American politicians are. For example, an American politician is very concerned about his/her image in the public eye; therefore public embarrassment is a very useful tool for organisers. However, in South Africa, one does not get the feel that the politicians worry too much about their public image (evidence of this haunts us on our Facebook timelines everyday).

It is up to us to critically think of ways that organising could be efficiently employed in a South African context. We need formal education in the art of organising. Similarly to the Americans, we need associations that are primarily geared toward training community organisers so as to get people in behind a single cause and achieve this goal in a peaceful efficient manner.

More power needs to be given to the people. This can only be achieved if we stand as one united body. We need to get organised.

I suppose, like most of my team mates, I have been looking forward to the Washington DC component of the SAWIP program for a while now. For me though, I think the excitement was somewhat more heightened as it would be my first time out of the country! Prior to the trip I spent many afternoons wondering what it would be like. Would it be like what I saw on TV? Would I cope with the adjustment of being in a different country for five weeks? Would I find it as incredible as the alumni have in the previous years?

I have been here for week now and I have thoroughly enjoyed my time here so far (the humidity is another story though).

There are many things I have noted based on my experiences from being this side of the sea…even though it has been a short period of time. I will share just two that have really struck me.

First, Americans are not afraid of hard work! From the people I have encountered, I have seen a culture of hard work that has really left an impression on me. I have been fortune enough to be offered a work placement opportunity at Freedom House, an organization that seeks to support the expansion of freedom around the world. Here, I have been exposed to high impact individuals who work incredibly hard to ensure that their missions are achieved. Through sitting in on meetings, reading some of the reports and talking to the staff in the organisation, I have found that people here take their work seriously and throw themselves whole heartedly even to seemingly mundane tasks. This has caused me reflect deeply on my work ethic and look for ways in which I can improve and be more productive.

Besides my colleagues at Freedom House, the people I have had conversations with share that they have two or more jobs! Perhaps it might be that the labour laws aren’t as protective as in South Africa? Even so, I think that the spirit of hard work I have seen from the Americans I have met is one I will take with me back home. There is a lot to been done to develop South Africa and few people willing to put up their hands and avail themselves. My attitude, thanks this Washington DC experience, is to roll up my sleeves and get to work.

Second, Americans are patriotic. In my host family's neighbourhood, every second house has the American flag on their front porch. On my way to work I am also greeted by the American flag…You will never forget where you are! At first I thought it was a bit strange but I have now come to think that there is something beautiful about it. In my view, America, like every other country is not perfect. Despite this, its people continue to support it, continue to wave their flags up high. This, I believe does something. It creates unity and a sense of pride in the people of America. This is a culture that is definitely needed in South Africa. Yes, we face some challenges but we have come a long way (which is something to be proud of) and there is still some way to go but it would be a better journey if we did it together. So yes, when I get home, I am totally getting a South African flag to hang outside our house!

To conclude, about a week ago, I came to America as a wide eyed-girl from a small town in the Eastern Cape. Now, I feel like I have been here for a month! I am having fun, I am learning, I am growing. For these things, I am truly grateful.

After a particularly eventful Sunday of Baseball watching and Chinatown traversing, our team parted ways to our host families homes for the night. As I rode the bus back 'home' I could not help but overhear a particularly loud conversation between the driver and a passenger.

The topics ranged from politics to food, but what stood out was a comment made by the passenger,"The corruption in this city is sickening". I smirked when I heard that, mostly because I could have closed my eyes, transported myself to a lunch-time Cafe in the Cape Town CBD and have heard identical sentiments from a number of people.

Our problems are not that different. Perhaps the context in South African and the U.S differs, but we face similar issues - race, corruption, the economy, employment and immigration issues. What stands out is that Americans engage extensively on these issues, especially in Congress where I work, but the effect of this engagement on American politics is questionable. Conversely South Africans don't tend to engage as much as we do complain. The effect of this, when it manifests itself in the form of strike-action, protests and the like, is that some change can be expected.

American politics also has a veneer of accountability. Any member of public can enter the Capitol, Senate or House buildings and set up a meeting with their Congressman - this is in part due to the somewhat constituency based electoral system of the country. In stark contrast, South African Parliament buildings are ringed by high-fences and strict access-control. Gaining access to a Member of Parliament (MP) is near impossible unless you are someone influential, and since MP's are chosen on a list basis rather than by constituency, one cannot hold a particular MP hailing from ones area accountable.

Despite the appearance of accountability in Congress, and the appearance of non-accountability in Parliament, it seems that accountability is merely a concept that is paid lip-service to by politicians of both states. In America lobby-groups rule, in South Africa the political elite rule. This raises questions as to whether the democratic system has been twisted into an unrecognizable form - whether 'power to the people' is just a distraction used by those who wield power to retain their power.

This blog entry represents bits and pieces of a long email that I sent to family and friends back in South Africa who flooded me with questions of my experience in DC thus far. After surviving the 16 hour flight, I first sent this email to my mother who wanted to know that I was okay, settled in and safe. Like all mothers , she wanted to know about how I am dealing with the weather, my work placement, the people in DC and my host family.

1. Weather

South Africans who have been to Washington before often compare the heat and humidity to that of the Kwa-Zulu Natal. Friends, this is not true. DC humidity is not at all like in Natal, in fact it is far more humid here and I sympathize daily with my male team mates who have to endure the heat in collared shirts and suits. I have come to appreciate (and love) the effects on indoor air conditioning. Washington also experiences a bit if rain in the summer. The occasional thunderstorm is much like those in the north of South Africa; striking lightening and usually at the end of a very warm day.

2. The vibe and heartbeat of Washington DC.

DC reminds me a lot of Johannesburg in the sense that feels like most people are on a purpose lead mission and everyone has a place to be. It especially feels that way in the city center. I have experienced this fast paced energy from the quick entries and exits on and off the metro (public train system) during peak hours. DC is not only a professional environment but also a city that is significant in American society, it home to the Washington monument and the White House .A good friend of mine, Greg Ricks, took myself and Wayde to parts of the city that are very different from the one I just described. We visit Howard University, a historically black institution that played an important role in American history and the civil rights movement.

I am hoping to experience and understand more of the city and this society during my professional work exposure .

It is incredibly exciting to be here after months of preparation. With the lead up to the US presidential elections in 2016, my work place and home are unique and insightful environments in which ordinary Americans are having conversations about the future. I am looking forward to my time of personal growth and development in a city that has a so much to offer!

My host mother Joyce and I

A week ago we arrived on American Soil. It has been a whirlwind of excitement, challenge and many emotions.

In the last few blogs I have reflected a lot on a variety of issues that have impacted me significantly as we prepared as a team for the Washington DC component of the program. This blog is just an update of the first week. I will highlight key issues that I think are relevant in the next few blogs.

This week in particular has been an interesting one. It is not my first time to the USA. I have been here before and on arrival day it brought back memories to a personal goal I set for myself a few years ago when I went back to South Africa. With a phrase inseparable from the legendary Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger) I was confident when I said "I'll be back."

I never knew why, when or how, but I knew I would come back again. And so this portion of my SAWIP chapter begins.

The past week has been good. I have come to terms with the humidity and even though I had initial struggles with my sleeping patterns, I have managed to successful make use of the metro and circulator.

Two significant events in the past week have been the AME shooting in Charleston (see my next blog) and how the media has responded to the Rachel Dolezel incident.

My job placement and professional work exposure at John Snow Inc. has also already impacted my understanding of how working cultures and environments contribute to the success of an organization. I am afforded the opportunity to continuously challenge myself and you are expected to navigate a fast paced working environment as efficiently and effectively as possible.

So for now, I am trying to remember to keep right if I choose to not move on the escalator, I ask for the check and not the bill and most importantly I suggest to people that they need not try to pronounce my surname.

I am generally a very quiet individual, yet one of the things South African culture has given me is the courage to stretch my comfort zone and speak to strangers that I come across. In South Africa I have noticed that it is mostly rude and unusual to walk, sit or be next to someone and not at least greet them.

Before we came to Washington the most predominant exposure we as a team have had to Americans is through media such as news, YouTube, hit singles and especially Hollywood blockbusters. In these forms of media I have found Americans (please pardon my gross generalizations) to be portrayed as very vocal, extroverted and generally “out there”.

This stereotype substantially faded when I started meeting Americans on the streets of Washington and especially on the Metro. I would greet every person and either get one word responses or just none at all. There would be no spontaneous dialogue about how “things” are going, not even an exchange of a name. A whole metro trip from Forrest Glen to Metro Center and the score on the conversation tally would be a big zero.

I am wondering if it is possible to sue the government for false advertising, since the national anthem states that America is the land of the free and the home of the brave, when their citizens are seemingly not free enough to loosen up and engage on the metro or brave enough to strike up a conversation with a random stranger sitting on the bench.

I must however be fair and state that I have met some great Americans who are very willing to have a wonderful conversation and know more about me as a person. So not all hope is lost. America might be very brave on the war lines but until they are brave enough on the metro, I will continue to be that awkward South African who greets everyone they meet.