Dear President Rob,
I will send a real postcard soon, full of antics and excitement about finishing my research report! But for now, to suffice your queries for the next three days (31 Aug-2 Sept)…
Where I’m going: The little Karoo (“dry place”) near Nieu-Bethesda, about a 3.5 hour drive from Grahamstown.
What I’m doing: Checking out landscapes and sediments as a part of THIS FIELD TRIP.
How I’m feeling about it: I am going to learn A LOT. (That’s for sure!) And I am strangely excited about the desert. Should be a good time, eh?
Essentials I’ve packed: Lots of warm clothing layers for the cold desert evenings. And a light-up frisbee for those cold desert evenings too.
People I will be spending time with: Other Rhodes students, a group from the University of Cape Town, and professors from all over…Germany, the US and the UK.
Catch you on the flip side! Cheers, your dedicated Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar :)
Dear Robs,
Remember that one time you saw a frisbee hanging on my bedroom wall? And how that led to a beach ultimate frisbee tournament/Mozambican adventure that only the mad ones dream about? Channelling Jack Kerouac, I’d describe it as magical…like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding across the Maputo horizon. :)
Robs, you made my dreams come true in so many ways…
- “Prepping” for the tournament by playing a night game with the Durban players - what a fun, competitive group! I think I managed to meet everyone that was not going to the tournament! (haha) :)
- Driving 8 hours from Durban, up through Swaziland and east to Maputo, all the while jamming to tunes, dodging goats and munching on padkos.
- Participating in my *first* ultimate frisbee tournament, and a beach tourney at that! [Hosted by the lovely Mozambique Ultimate organization, the Xefina Hat tournament annually brings together 70 players from across Southern Africa to play in a weekend beach tournament.]
- Drinking coconut milk (as seen in the photo above) straight from the coconut, as prepared by a street vendor with a machete (yes, a huge knife blade!) :) I like this version of coconut milk better than any Zico.
- Playing LOTS of ultimate frisbee with the Orange Team (the shining stars in the above photo), which included a mix of Maputonians, Cape Towners, Durbanites, Johannesburgers, and 3 Americans! Thanks to our final/crucial/only win (whew!), we nabbed 5th place in the tourney. Ahem…I’ll just leave out how many teams participated in the tournament…70 people, 12 on a team…you can do the math.
- Eating bagels from Cafe Sol - the first time I’ve had (much less seen) bagels since I left the States!
- Making sweet friends, diving for frisbee catches, laughing lots, eating phenomenal seafood, swimming in the ocean and having a jol of a time. You know, the stuff that makes life rich.
The one Portuguese word that I got down was “obrigado” – thank you! Robs, thanks again for inviting me along on this adventure. I had a great time, and I am ready for more! And the moral of this story? Nobody puts Baby A FRISBEE in a corner. I will always display my frisbee for people to see when they enter a house that I dwell in – I don’t want to miss any opportunities to toss the disc!
Much love and we’ll see at the Durban Beach tourney in November…or should I say MOvember? :) -Jill
——-
P.S. For more photos from the tournament, check out the web galleries of Mike, as well as Tom and Blair.
Tags: beach, coconuts, maputo, ultimate frisbee
Dear Gabriella,
I LOVE YOUR CITY. In a trucker hat type way. Seriously though…thanks for the whirlwind (but substantial) tour of downtown Durban during my short visit last week! In a mere six hours, you were a fantastic guide for:
— The Dreams for Africa Chair Exhibition at the Durban Art Gallery: Absolute genius captured in photos – a fantastic display of “art-ing with purpose”! Here’s a link to another article about the project.
— Staying with the artsy theme, when we wandered around the Bat Centre along the harbor – wow! My eyes danced from paintings to handmade drums to bat mosaics - all locally crafted! What a happenin’ place for the Durban downtown community!
— Seeing the People Mover Bus drive through town…teehee. I know it’s just a bus, but the fact that it blatantly says “People Mover” on the side of it – well, I think that’s rather clever and to the point. :) Maybe all vehicles should have that written across their doors.
— And to top things off (literally), the ultimate tourist attraction in Durban these days – the Skycar at Moses Mabhida Stadium! On the perfect sunny day, we got a beautiful view of the coastline and cityscape atop Durban’s famous “Arch of Triumph.” I was especially entertained by our attempts to “drive” the Skycar and being scolded for doing so. (Photo evidence here and here.) Next time I visit, we’ll go for the big swing jumping, eh? :)
I squeezed in a few other Durban highlights with my friend Robin after we parted ways (Indian curry, the Vic Street Market, more of the harbor, and a bookstore at Oz/Pavilion).
But really…next time, we’re taking to the streets in a roadbiker sort of way. Deal? Deal. :) Much love, Jill
Dear Julie,
Because it was only a matter of time before I did a haiku postcard. Here goes nothing:
“from stiff stubborn twigs
color strikes without asking
and makes the house blush”
Ta-dah! Spring is almost here (in the Southern hemisphere). How do I know? Because the stick bush (my affectionate term for it) growing in our front yard has burst into color just recently and WOW! Don’t ask me why I am so gaga over this thing. Plants are plants…but man, this thing is ROCKIN’.
Every time I walk by this bush, it’s as though its twiggy limbs are lurching out and waving their jazz hands, desperate for attention.
And me? I’ve been duped. I’m like a bee, baby…totally and utterly attracted. :)
Spring. La primavera. Le woot.
Love, J
Dear Grandma and Grandpa,
If home is where the heart is…and if hospitality is where you’re welcomed into a home away from home…then a heart dwells in the hospitable home too.
And that’s a peek at the divine right there, a heaven on earth. Let me explain…
[Side note: If I was a mathematician, I would use those fancy symbols to make this into a mathematical proof or something. Maybe Lisa can do that later, once she’s started her studies in Mathematics at Truman State! :) ]
Hospitality Highlight #1: Brittany (the other Rotary scholar in Grahamstown) and I recently gave a joint presentation to the Rotary Club of Kenton-On-Sea, a seaside town just 45 minutes down the road. As a part of our scholarship, we are required to speak at Rotary Clubs about the Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship program, as well as our home country and our experiences as scholar. It was one of the most delightful presentations to give because it didn’t remain a presentation – it transformed into a conversation. Dialogue, rather than a stiff monologue, was the status quo for the group, and I felt so comfortable listening and answering questions about the scholar experience. South African hospitality truly has the same calibre as the Midwestern warmth that you’ve raised me with, Grandma and Grandpa. :) It felt like home from the moment we entered their presence and remained that way throughout the evening.
Hospitality Highlight #2: Roger and Bridget Carthew (Roger, Assistant Governor of the District and Bridget, President of the Kenton club) graciously welcomed us into their home for the evening following the presentation. When we saw the American flag waving to us from their house, “hospitable” seemed too weak a word to use. The Carthews created a true home for us….conversational warmth over dinner, lavender flowers on our pillows, and a wizened old dog running around the house. They were quick to put us at ease and share their traveling experiences as well, which made for a fun evening!
Hospitality Highlight #3: I know you might be thinking, “If Kenton-On-Sea is the name of the town, that means it’s along the ocean then, right?” BINGO! And any chance to get on the beach is made into a reality in Jill’s books. :) When reading my introduction at the presentation, the president of the club introduced me as calling “Mt. Pleasant home and Iowa heaven.” Now, most Iowans understand the pop culture reference of Iowa as “heaven” from the 1990’s flick Field of Dreams. However, I’m doubting that Kevin Costner ever got that popular in South Africa, and consequently, a Rotarian took my description literally. He bantered that I really hadn’t seen heaven until I walked on Kenton’s beach at sunrise.
Beach? Sunrise? DONE. Wild horses couldn’t drag me away.
Brittany and I stumbled into the dark that following morning and discovered Kenton’s slice of heaven with a Rotarian and his greyhound as our guides. Lee pointed out rock formations and offered historical facts that we never would have known, had we strolled the beach ourselves. More so than the beauty of the sun peaking through the clouds was, once again, the generosity and genuineness that we were shown in conversation with Lee.
Breathtaking sights are undeniably precious, but I’m convinced that real experiences of heaven are viewed in the hearts of people.
I love you very much! Say hi to everyone in Newhall for me! Your granddaughter, Jill
Dear Rotary International,
If you needed an uncertified but enthusiastic graphic designer hobbyist with an eye for straight lines and font matchmaking, here I am.
There’s no official portfolio to slide through yet, but here’s one piece I made for my Rotary host counselor, Caroline, to advertise her fundraising program for RYLA (Rotary Youth Leadership Awards). “Step by Step to the Top!” commemorates Caroline’s recent ascent of Mount Kilimanjaro and her passion to assist young people as they stride to be future leaders of South Africa. I had the chance to help out with one of District 9320’s RYLA leadership camp this past March, and it’s a phenomenal experience for high school-age participants!
I enjoyed making the pamphlet for Caroline’s program and have a few other graphic design plans in the bag for some upcoming Rotary initiatives here in South Africa. Just a bit of the stuff I’m doing here with Rotary in Grahamstown. Get excited! :)
Suggestions for an artist tagline? Here’s an initial thought: Jill Moeller: Drawing outside the lines and matchmaking fonts since 1991. (I think that’s when I first realized that I could put circles over my “i”s instead of dots.)
You’ve got my contact details, Jill :)
Dear Kater,
The above quote hangs on my bedroom door, recently posted there to honor Mandela Day 2010…and commemorate my halfway-through-the-year heart-to-heart with myself.
FIRST, ABOUT MANDELA DAY: It’s a campaign and celebration that encourages people to give 67 minutes of their time on that day to serve their community in some way.
My digsmate Brittany and I, who have been regularly visiting the local hospital to see a friend there (and sneak her cinnamon sugar crepes) (better than medicine, as far as I’m concerned), decided to share a bit of happiness with everyone at the hospital to celebrate Mandela Day. We took advantage of the fact that although the hospital has stringent visitor hours, they don’t have too many qualms about us bringing baked goods in to share. :)
So what did we do? Flooded the place with sweets, of course!
We bought some biscuits (cookies) and wrapped them in cellophane, creating a small “biscuit bundle of happiness!” Attached to each bundle was a Nelson Mandela quote. We managed to pass them out to hospital patients just in time for their afternoon tea. Though it was a small gesture, I enjoyed offering a little extra attention to the patients, some of which never had visitors, the nurses said.
SECOND, ABOUT THAT HEART-TO-HEART WITH MYSELF: One of the quotes that we attached to the biscuit bundles was the quote in the above picture, “We must use time creatively, and forever realize that the time is always ripe to do right.” When I read this, my mind focused on my fleeting time left in South Africa.
—
“Jill, this scholar year’s halfway over already: you’re not where you want to be just yet.”
—
(Gulp.)
—
What? Not exactly the feeling I wanted to face, but when queries like that slap you across the face, it’s hard to ignore the sting. So there I sat at my desk…surrounded by 67 biscuit bundles, sunlight streaming in the open window, red cheeks, and my mind’s motherboard running towards crisis mode.
“Am I supposed to have an answer to that?” I mumbled aloud. I tried to look at my situation objectively and took a deep breath: I know that I am really blessed to be in South Africa. I mean, I’m celebrating Mandela Day in the same province where Madiba grew up. Who does that? But my heart swings precariously between the certainty that I have been summoned to an exciting, fully experienced life…and the lurking sense of failure I feel when I think about what I haven’t done yet.
It’s a faulty part of my character – I interrogate my purpose with a most critical eye. If I sense that I haven’t reached a self-inflicted potential, BAM. Doubt steps in and wants to instigate a fencing game, taking stabs at my weakest points. Joust, dodge, joust, STAB.
I compare myself with silly standards, focusing on what the world marks as purposeful, successful, important. You know what help that provides? NONE. Yes, my mind knows that the toil and anxious striving is meaningless, but my heart has yet to accept that truth. Holla Solomon.
Right. So there I was, crying out for direction. And in the haze of the sunlit particles, I clearly realized what was being presented to me. With half of this year left, I’ve got exactly that: half a year left (wow!)…just now to live, laugh, research water stuffs, take a picture of that “No Hooting” sign, pray for mercy, serve large dishes of pasta to teeming crowds at our digs, dance in flash mobs, and use the next six months for a purpose beyond myself. What a gift! Solomon said there’s a Master Craftsman who has made everything beautiful in its time. And Mandela said to use it creatively.
I think I’ll take that advice and let you know how it goes.
I’m done being emo now, thanks for listening friend. :) Love, J
Tags: biscuit bundles, fencing, halftime, mandela, solomon
Dear Heidi,
Lucky you, the Germany national team gave you a great wedding gift – 3rd place at the 2010 Word Cup!
Thanks to an early birthday gift that I received from Caroline, my Rotary counselor, I got to see the 3rd/4th place match LIVE in Port Elizabeth – and it was incredible!
With faces painted and signs waving, we joined the throngs of German supporters and cheered for Die Mannschaft (The Team). After seeing such a poor match three weeks before [the Germany (0) v. Serbia (1) game], the battle for 3rd place held everyone’s attention from the beginning whistle to the 89th minute when Forlan’s final point attempt hit the crossbar. I admit every bias in saying that it was the best match of the World Cup!
Might I also note that our signs contained great relevance for the outcome of Germanny’s performance at the World Cup. “Can’t STOP Scoring” - Germany scored the most goals in the tournament, 16 goals over the course of seven matches; and “CAUTION: Germans At Play” – Thomas Muller (practically a relative of mine, right? Muller-Moeller? haha) was named the Best Young Player and received the Golden Boot Award! Caution indeed!
It was a great way to wrap up my experience of the World Cup as a semi-permanent resident in South Africa this year. Has the one-month tournament made South Africa a better place, proved that Africa is a capable continent, fixed the gap between the rich and the poor? No – and I don’t think it should be expected that a sporting tournament could ever do that much. But there were some great successes, and it’s up to the country to determine what to do with those successes.
One last note – your national anthem sounds like it belongs at the end of an epic movie. :) Hope all is well in Germany as you embark on married life! I will have to check out your wedding pictures soon! Cheers, Jill
Dear Cal and Rachel,
This cry rings throughout the Village Green at the National Arts Festival as patties sizzle on the Rotary grills: “Kudu-u-u-u-u burgers!”
If a festival goer is within hearing distance of the spoken advertisement, they usually smell the grill as they turn their gaze to the Grahamstown Rotary Clubs’ stall.
For R20, a purchase includes a burger the size of your hand (!) topped with lettuce, tomato, fried onions, and a special homemade “train smash” sauce.
“Just making my annual stop for the best food at Festival,” a customer says to me as he hands me his money for a burger. Another customer echoes his sentiments and tells me “This is the best burger I have all year!” During my day as a Rotary worker at the stall, I not only get to hear the good reviews about these infamous burgers, but I additionally pay my R20 and give the kudu burger a go during my lunch break. And…
WOW! A different taste from any other burger I’ve tried. What exactly is a kudu, you might ask? It’s a fairly common type of antelope in South Africa and especially the Eastern Cape. Feeling rather vegetarian? A common banter from the Rotarian grillers to such folks at the festival is “Don’t worry, the kudu are vegetarians too!” If the Iowa State Fair knew how good these burgers tasted, I think the Grahamstown Rotary stall could make an guest appearance!
You’ll have put “kudu burgers” on the list of things to do/try during your trip to South Africa this October! I think to experience it right, you’d have to get a group of Rotarians to do the grilling too – they know what they’re doing. :)
Cheers, Jill
Dear Dennis,
Before June 20, the last time I had been to a live theater performance was back in St. Louis at the Fabulous Fox Theatre (thanks to your generosity and amazing backstage access!)
I was recently re-introduced to the theater (in whirlwind fashion!) during the National Arts Festival that practially happened in my backyard here in South Africa! Marketed as “15 DAYS OF AMAZ!NG,” the festival is the second largest arts festival in the world, and Grahamstown is the proud host city every year! The festival schedule is packed with performances of all kind – theater, music, dance, and more. In the two weeks of craziness, I attempted to take it all in and the above pictures show a quick recap!
Row 1: After reviewing a telephone book-size program (literally!), I bought tickets for 12 shows which included a nice mix of physical theater, music, dinner theater, and classic drama. Some of my favorites included a mixed media production called “Tree Boy” and a local theater piece called “Breed.” Both shows provided interesting social commentaries on South Africa.
Row 2: The sidwalks even became stages during the festival! I saw Japanese butoh, a mime-like performance done by an actress dressed in white body makeup with slow, hyper-controlled motion. Another stand-out performer that I saw was Kesivan Naidoo, a South African percussionist with the most animated face I’ve ever seen! He played with a quintet of jazz musicians in a sold-out set called “The Lyricists.” My housemates and I were so inspired that we bought our own DRUMS at the downtown street market and had a little “drum circle” at our house one evening! :) [We'll figure out how to bring these home on a plane later...]
Row 3: The house where I’m living this year was one block away from the Village Green, the festival’s main craft and food tent area. My housemates and I made a habit to stroll there for coffee most mornings – pure delight! We read through the daily Cue, a newspaper that published reviews of the shows, and added to the commentary with our own “professional” opinions. I also thoroughly enjoyed my fill of massive kudu burgers (see next postcard, coming soon) at the Rotary boerie stall! Besides the boerie stall, there were six huge tents brimming with craft/art stalls, and I purchased some locally made crafts to bring back to the States!
All in all, it was a lovely experience. Though I didn’t get to slip backstage at the shows, I delighted in being an audience member! Grahamstown pulled off a great festival this year! :)
I truly miss being your neighbor. Hope you’re enjoying your St. Louis summer, and say hi to Marlene! Love, Jill
Dear Tyler,
Agh, the agony! It’s been hard not to let the shocking defeat of Germany to Serbia, 0-1, taint my view of the World Cup match I attended on Friday. I tell you, I really trudged out of the stadium after the flurry of yellow cards left the Germans with 10 players on the field for 70% of the game and their first missed penalty kick in 28 YEARS. In a positive light, I guess we got to see a major shift in the Germans’ World Cup stats history…?
Despite the game results, the event itself, a live World Cup match, was quite stunning! The Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is a beautiful venue, and we had great seats that put us near the bottom left of this picture. Security was tight but efficient, and we lamented that we hadn’t brought sunscreen for the bright sunshine and the 80-degree weather! The vuvuzelas weren’t too loud, and we were pleasantly entertained by the spirited fans. It was a great atmosphere! South Africa has a lot to be proud of with the smooth execution of the matches in these first two weeks.
Honestly, I think I was most distressed about the match for selfish reasons – see, Brittany and I…well, we really wanted to be on television. After the Germans’ shut-out performance against the Socceroos in their opening match, we were ready to see Germany school Serbia. Visions of 2-0, 4-0, and even 7-0 danced in our heads, and we made signs to match. (Clever, eh?)
Unfortunately, our 15 seconds of fame never came. Ach du lieber Himmel! (A phrase of frustration) No matter…let the games continue!
I wish you were here! Love, Jill
Dear T Maddy,
History is being made, and it’s a great month to be in South Africa! The 2010 FIFA World Cup (11 June – 11 July) is the biggest worldwide sporting event, and it’s the first time a tournament of this magnitude has been hosted on the African continent! To give a perspective for American fans out there, I was sent an entertaining article from a friend with the quote:
“To the rest of the world, this is as big as it gets. If you put March Madness and the Super Bowl together, this is as big, if not bigger, than that.” – “UWGB soccer coach: World Cup ‘biggest sporting event’“
It is estimated that 26 billion people watched the World Cup matches in 2006, translating to an average of “every person on earth watched three and half games.”
My viewings can be added to the tallies for this year’s matches: On opening game day, I grabbed a front seat at a local pub and joined the throngs of Bafana Bafana fans for the South Africa v. Mexico match. The atmosphere was electric, and I felt so proud for South Africa as the national anthem played! [See a video here: http://vimeo.com/12524756]
It’s time for South Africa, and I am fully confident in the country’s commitment to the event. Yes, there are critical issues buzzing about South Africa’s woes connected to the event - the price of development and the uncertainty about security, to name a few. But there is a unity unfolding that is offering hope, seen in the countless South African flags waving in the wind and the vuvuzelas honking in the streets. As an article from the NY Times put it, “The world is talking about South Africa, and South Africans themselves are using the tournament to imagine the country of their dreams. Can you put a price on that?”
Enjoy the beautiful game! Cheers, Jill
I woke up this morning, not to the sound of birds calling, but VUVUZELAS trumpeting! And that means…
IT’S TIME! The 2010 FIFA World Cup is here!
There’s a celebratory feeling in the air, the sun is shining, and I’m wearing my bright yellow South Africa tshirt!
I will write more soon after performing the diski dance (yes, I learned it!) and watching the opening match between South Africa and Mexico. Go Bafana Bafana! :)
In the meantime, how well do you know your country flags? At every grocery store in Grahamstown, there are World Cup participant country flags hanging from the ceiling, and I’ve been trying to identify a new one with each visit. Here’s an image of the flags – see how many you can identify:
For the answers, watch this flag slideshow set to the South Africa FIFA World Cup 2010 Official Theme Song, “Wavin’ Flag” by K’naan. Reporting live from SA, Jill
Dear Gretchen,
Through the grapevine, I heard you’re reading one of my favorite books. :) In response to my latest GIS post (in which I was mourning my lack of mornings), I give you a favorite excerpt from Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller, edits explaining my experience in orange:
“Here is one of the coolest most refreshing things I ever did do in Grahamstown: This past summer In the mornings I make a point to catch sunsets sunrises. I would ride my motorcycle up Mount Tabor run up to the Settlers Monument and sit on the steps of the reservoir trail overlooking Grahamstown to watch the sun put fire in the clouds that are always hanging over Portland. I never really want to make the trip; I would want to watch television stay in bed or make a sandwich make coffee, but I make myself go. And once I get up there I always love it. It always means something to me to see beauty right there over my city.
I think to myself, This is something that happens all the time. From the ridge on Tabor trail at the Monument where I plant myself, I can see the entire skyline, the home of more than a million 200,000 people. On most nights mornings there were no more than two or three people there with me is no one with me. All that beauty happens right above the heads of more than a million 200,000 people who never notice it.”
Grahamstown was designed for sunrises – the town’s highest point, at the Settlers Monument, gives a beautiful view of the streets and the eastern sky. And me, I think I’m designed for sunrises too…it’s the best version of me that takes time for these moments in the morning. Before the world awakes, I start my day with a smile that’s reflecting the glow of something greater than me. :)
Much love and happy summer in the States! -Jill
Dear Lisa,
In a few hours, you’ll be walking across the stage to receive your high school diploma – can you believe it? Though I’m an ocean away, know that I am with you in heart, sweet sister.
I offer a humble bit of wisdom from South Africa as you celebrate your big day surrounded by family, classmates, and educators. And this is it: UBUNTU.
It’s an entire philosophy packed into one word, and it is considered one of the foundational principles of South Africa’s new constitution. It roughly translates to mean “I am because you are,” but I’ll let Archbishop Desmond Tutu give a more thorough explaination:
“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. 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.”
There are so many people who have brought you to where you are today, Lisa, and I hope you get to see many of their smiling faces at the graduation ceremony. They have played a huge part in your story and your achievement as a high school graduate. Remember them today, tell them thank you, and hug them tightly if you can.
But don’t forget the interconnected nature of ubuntu – you, Babe, have also had an impact on the lives of others. You have made life richer and more beautiful for many, people who have been changed by your presence in their lives…and I am one of them.
You are a strong, beautiful redhead of a little sister and I’d be lacking much if you weren’t the vibrant presense in my life that you are right now. I love you and am proud to call you “sister.”
Have a great day of celebration! Smile, cry, laugh, and please please take a jumping-in-the-air picture in your cap and gown! :) The day and the world ahead belongs to you! Much love, Sister