South African Culture My Brew!

So at the urging of Obi Won Kenea Obi, I am starting a new blog. I do not know how this will work out but I do have some inspiration from a friend who is currently writing from the Island of Tonga. Before I start telling stories and sharing about the experiences I am having, I must try to explain the culture and my having to adapt. So here it starts... Whoever reads, enjoy!

Africa. It is said that Africa changes you. It is true. But it is God through Africa that changes you.

Everything here is just bigger and more raw than the US. The culture is western to an extent but it is still behind the times. The culture is also very rustic at times. A good example would be our training. The kids have coaches who know what they are doing but they still don't even pretend to pay attention. They train in clothes that are a step above rags. They have been wearing the same cleats for 5-6 years which are barely holding on to a thread! Many of the "pro" players get royally screwed by the managers of the club who take the majority of the money from sponsors and sales and don't pay their players, who run through walls for them. Players are always coming up to me saying that "I must give them my 'cocks' (soccer boots) or my training top" even though it is simply a T-Shirt. Then what I think is absolutely hilarious is when the players pick up the big cones from training and run to fill it with water to drink out of. Bringing a water bottle just isn't thought of. There is no point to it. Just use cones. The fields we train on are rock hard and the only grass, most of the time, is on the outside of the field. Oh and do not even get me started on Africa time. Africa time means late... really late. If someone says they will pick you up at 9 am, it probably means that you will get picked up anywhere from 930-10. That is fine and is definitely something I can deal with. But when someone says they will pick you up at 9 am and they show up at 8 in the morning... that isn't cool! Training always starts late. Discipline is pretty much non existent. They are absolutely the most skilled players just behind Brazilians and are probably the most athletic players I have ever played with and against. However, they really struggle, especially from the 1st Division down to the youth levels, with the idea of a team. It seems to me to be a very selfish country. Players will pass up the opportunity for a scoring chance in order to meg an opponent or make someone look stupid. I tried to use soccer as an analogy to the culture. The parallels between the two are very obvious. But it can be very difficult to explain unless you actually experience it.

This might sound bad.. but at the same time, I don't view it as negative. I think it is perfect! It is a blessing in disguise! Ever since APU's Business school, I have learned to see every opportunity in every difficulty. Plus, with God, nothing is impossible!

We have been able to train with two different teams at two different levels. At both of the levels, we have been accepted very well. The guys like to have us around. They are very supportive of us and encourage us when we make mistakes. The thing that we have to try and understand is that since there are two different styles of play from two different cultures, we are probably as frustrating to them as they are to us. Yet, we are seeming to get along great. It is just new into the fold. (A funny side note: I have never seen a group of people both black and white get so religious when it comes to sports. Whether it be Rugby or Soccer, they are very dedicated and love their teams. As I watch a championship soccer game, all I see as the camera spans the crowd is people praying, looking up to heaven, and wearing huge, stupid, ridiculous looking glasses made of tin foil! But that passion is what makes this country great!)

Ever since the Apartheid, this country has been healing. Slowly but surely, God is taking over this country. The people's faith here is incredible! Most of the time, it is all they have! The churches here are very charismatic, loyal, and supportive of each other. There is a very distinct difference between churches here and in the states. Also, there is a big difference between the black churches and the white churches here. Speaking of which, as I said before, everything here is healing however everything is still split black and white. It is probably the most racism that I have ever had to deal with. For example, when we are training at the high school next to where we live, the guards, who are black, come over and love to talk to us about football and try and teach us sotho (sUtU). But one day, there was a group of white guys that asked us to play rugby with them and we accepted. We learned how to play and when we left, the guards were not as open or as accepting as they normally would be. It was like they took it personally! It was like we betrayed them! Rugby is the white sport and soccer is the black sport. The blacks like us because we play soccer. The whites like us because we are white. When South Africa won the Rugby World Cup, it was a fantastic step in unifying the country on a color level. Everybody was celebrating! I was happy to have experienced it... even though I didn't get any sleep because of how loud it was!

The one thing that everyone notices is that regardless of skin color, we try and love on everyone. And that has made all the difference. Our goal here is to play soccer but to show the love of God through the game of soccer. So far, I think we have been very successful. Please be praying for us as we continue to try and break down the race/color barrier! Be back later...