Soweto day 1

Today we went on a tour of the Soweto township, which was especially cool for me to see what it actually looks like after doing my final project on the 1976 Soweto uprising for my class last semester.  But I have to admit.  I felt really uncomfortable when we were on the tour bus driving around the township.  It just didn't feel right to be sitting in this bus taking pictures of people's homes like they were on display for an museum exhibit.  These are their homes, and the way they have to live.  It shouldn't be something that tourists come see for a day.  Because we saw such poverty it parts of the township.  I saw roofs that were made from patches of metal, cardboard, and in one case, the trunk of a car.  I much would've rather been on the ground talking to these people to hear their story, and to see what they believe is needed from their government to raise their standard of living.

But then we got to the Hector Pieterson museum, which was really emotional at times.  We started off by getting to hear from Antoinette Pieterson, Hector's sister who is seen running alongside him in the famous picture that has become iconic of the Soweto uprising.  It was an interesting experience to hear directly from her since I had previously watched interviews of her while researching for my final project for my class.  Then we were allowed to explore inside the museum.  Reading all of the personal accounts from the event, seeing videos, looking out the window where the students first met: it was extremely emotional.  The story really came alive for me.  I think the Soweto uprising really showcases how brutal the apartheid regime was when responding to resistance.  It made me think a lot about how many were affected by the violence during that uprising.  It's just a shame that we were only given 30 minutes because I wasn't able to see all of the exhibits.

Next we went to NELSON MANDELA's old house before he went to prison.  It was unbelievable to stand in the house where he had once lived.  We saw letters he had written, his chair that only he is allowed to sit in, his boxing championship belt that he took from Sugar Ray.  It was unbelievable!