tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8771456.post414054423318828379..comments2023-09-24T10:54:49.356-05:00Comments on Singing South African-ness: A brittle democracychoirgirlhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07298814601047612467noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8771456.post-11761488632107041092007-04-15T20:40:00.000-05:002007-04-15T20:40:00.000-05:00It certainly helps to know that someone is reading...It certainly helps to know that someone is reading this, and dealing with the same issues. I really hope that by writing about it we all manage to keep people aware of the problems, and hopefully create something better.<BR/><BR/>I only have one brother, who, as I mentioned before, is in the UK, but my parents are in SA, and I certainly intend to return. As tempting as New York is, particularly in a well-resourced university like this one, I really do want to work in and for and with South Africa.<BR/><BR/>How much longer do you think you'll stay in the UK?choirgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07298814601047612467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8771456.post-5206862223008448082007-04-15T14:37:00.000-05:002007-04-15T14:37:00.000-05:00By blogging about it, your already making a differ...By blogging about it, your already making a difference. Taking action is the best way to fight feelings of hopelessness. <BR/><BR/>The UK is not too bad, but I don't intend staying here.<BR/><BR/>Are all your siblings outside of SA?Wesselhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17822173778126767406noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8771456.post-51297577521517960132007-04-13T18:58:00.000-05:002007-04-13T18:58:00.000-05:00Thank you so much for your comment, Wessel. I'm re...Thank you so much for your comment, Wessel. I'm really glad you got the hope back. We should talk more about that, because I'm hoping to avoid reaching the point where I lose hope in the first place. My advisor is in a similar situation to us, living outside of her country, and struggling to deal with extreme acts of violence, corruption, and all sorts of things that make it difficult to trust in the future, and so while I don't wish that feeling on anyone, I am incredibly grateful to have her perspective on all of this. Perhaps if we build a network of support amongst us, and become as vocal as possible about all of this, we can prevent South Africa from going the direction of Colombia, or Zimbabwe, or any of those other sad places. There really is so much to be hopeful about....<BR/><BR/>By the way, my brother and my best friend are both living in the UK, now, and loving it, by all accounts.choirgirlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07298814601047612467noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8771456.post-76513724613488698632007-04-13T16:49:00.000-05:002007-04-13T16:49:00.000-05:00Hey Choir girl, been reading a few posts on your b...Hey Choir girl, been reading a few posts on your blog, and as an Afrikaner in London I can empathise with this sentiment:<BR/><BR/>"But when I read something like this, it makes me fearful, and leaves me feeling very much alone. Without the country I believe in, I'm just an alien, a foreigner in New York and the whole world. There is no place for me to call home, and there is no meaning in the work that I do. I'm not prepared to accept that."<BR/><BR/>Of course if you said that circa 1830 in South Africa, it would have made you an Afrikaner - weird hey.<BR/><BR/>I had actually come to think like what you describe, the work I did and life I lead lost meaning because I lost hope for South Africa. But I got it back.Wesselhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17822173778126767406noreply@blogger.com