A very eye-opening experience in Africa

Editor's Note: This is part II in a two part series about Jordan Beller's recent trip to Africa.

By Jack Elliott
Correspondent

In Pretoria we toured a Lion Park and had the opportunity to hold small lions. It was also the first of three ‘home stays’, this one with an Afrikaans family, descendants of the white Dutch settlers. We learned of their history and culture, the Boer Trekkers, their food and history, Beller related
“It was very eye opening to witness the richness there compared to the poverty of Soweto,”observed Beller.
From Pretoria the group completed a 20-hour bus ride to the Capetown area.
It was mostly desert and mountains until we approached Capetown where the valleys are covered with extensive vineyards, said Beller of the trip. Beller’s group met civil right activist Bishop Desmond Tutu and visited Robin Island where Nelson Mandela was imprisoned. He experienced his second home stay, this time with a coloured family, again a completely different culture experience. Service was practiced at an elementary school and a seminar on conflict resolution provided new insights on society.
“The food was amazing,” said Beller in typical teenage fashion remembering a ‘Gatsby’ sandwich that put to shame any submarine he had experienced to date.
Two hours from Capetown at Stellenbosch, the class split into seven groups providing community services again at crèches, painting buildings, erecting shelters, and working in gardens for the elderly.
Discussion groups and seminars were held on the plight of the poor and how to ‘fix’ their status as well as the impact of HIV/AIDS.
In Durban, Beller concluded his home stays with and an Indian family learning of their culture, immigration, apartheid, Ghandi, and yes, food. Once again it was amazing claims Beller professing his newfound appreciation of East Indian cuisine, even if the hot green peppers nearly burnt his palate to a crisp.
No tour of South Africa is complete without a safari into Kruger National Park.
“We saw every kind of animal including elephants within five metres,” enthused Beller recounting as well the cheetahs, leopards, giraffes, and rhinos.
“We were even charged twice by elephants and once by a rhino,” he added.
Beller regaled me for hours about his experiences during the program- people, places, activities, injuries, lessons learned, and FOOD. The only disappointment- no ketchup in South Africa
Most of his classmates enrolled in the program to better clarify where they wanted to go with their lives. Educationally most are going on to higher education in nursing, education, engineering and other professional fields. Beller will be entering college either in the Sault or Fleming College to study Fish and Wildlife Conservation, with a further step into Fish and Wildlife enforcement. He aspires to be a Conservation Officer or a Park Ranger. He still has his sights on winning the Rainy River Walleye Tournament. This summer he is heading for the lakes aiming to work at a tourist camp.
Of the lessons learned during his Outtatown experience Beller noted many, but pointed to: one, “How people can change”, two, “How friendly people can be,” and three, “People living in what we consider poverty, can still be happy.”
So if you are interested in an exciting conversation, invite this young man over. The promise of food and lots of ketchup should seal the deal.