SOUTH AFRICA

We have a sizable Indian population here and Bollywood films are popular here. Have you been to India? If you have or if you seen many Indians from various parts and families, you know the range of complexions is wide. Some might say that about the features as well. Do you ever notice the tendency for the women who play lead roles to look white or have white features? It is not every film or movie but many. And I wish the tendency wasn’t there to conform to a white aesthetic of beauty. But others have noticed this, so it’s definitely noticeable. I see it many of the films here. I want to start to watch more of the Bollywood films and follow it a bit more. The Bollywood film makers are starting to change the traditional style more as they make movies for wider audiences and new audiences and different film festivals.

We currently have an Iranian film festival playing, and a theatre festival Ikhezi (I think). I will tell you how both are. I found out about the Iranian film festival late, so it’s already been going for 5 days. So I can see something either Monday or Tuesday (10^th or 11^th of March). I’m also going to see Othello produced by the UCT drama department with some outside actor playing Othello. It’s directed by the UCT drama lecturer who (FINALLY answered and said his course (advanced acting for international students) is very full and he doesn’t have room for me. I asked way back in November, though. Maybe it doesn’t matter since I’m auditing (or wanting to audit). I’m trying to find the African dance lecturer and the photography lecturers who gave me hope. But I fear it will be the same. It’s ok, though.

I have a good friend named Terrell who is at the University of North Texas. He offered me a guitar. I’m not sure how useful that is, of course, but he knows that I want to have a keyboard or a guitar or something to have at home since I don’t have access to the music school after 5 and I’ve no instrument at home. That would help a lot.

Other than that, the normal things are in the news here. Remember that article to which I sent a link. It described the white students who did the Fear Factor with black university employees in which they unknowingly drank pet food with urine in it? Well, maybe you didn’t read that part nor click the link, but when I sent it I had heard nothing about it here in South Africa. Immediately when I return they are up in arms. And students are protesting around the country, and it’s discussed on the news. Honestly, I would not have thought anything of it (other than stupidity) if they hadn’t added the commentary at the end “This is what we think of integration.” I think that changed it all. But I don’t believe it’s indicative of the majority of students at Free State University. I do think it’s indicative of FF+ (Freedom Front Plus) a type of Afrikaners protectionist group that tends to stir up students at universities to protect Afrikaner interests.

Strange country, as I’ve said. Since apartheid ended, the Coloureds feel it is worse for them. The Whites feel it is worse for them. And the Blacks? Some of them think it’s worse as well. Strange. With all that’s going on including the power outages the rand keeps dropping relative to the pound/euro/dollar (dropping faster than dollar). So that helps incoming visitors from those places.