Some other MCC workers and I drove to South Africa for a weekend trip, primarily to attend a Regional Peace Network (RPN) meeting, but also to squeeze in a few of the historic sites from the apartheid era. We arrived on a Friday afternoon full of beautiful weather, so what better way to spend the night than in one of Johannesburg’s shopping malls! I’m joking of course…about it being the optimal choice, not about actually going there. Thankfully, there was a movie theater in the mall, and I was able to see the excellent film Atonement. (Very emotional, quite depressing, but an especially good portrayal of the importance of forgiveness in people’s lives.)

Saturday morning and afternoon was spent at the RPN meeting. I have to admit that I was somewhat disappointed in the agenda put forward, considering the fact that the events in Zimbabwe were rarely discussed. Part of the problem was simply the lack of representation from that country. Most likely there were logistic reasons for this glaring absence. That being said, though, there was a very articulate young South African who is coordinating some peace initiatives in Zimbabwe, so I of course took the opportunity to pick his brains about what’s going on in the former bread-basket of Southern Africa (unfortunately still being controlled by the basket-case Robert Mugabe). There was another gentleman from DR-Congo who was extremely friendly and impressed me by his breadth of knowledge concerning the African continent. These two fellas were actually the first African “intellectuals” I had the pleasure of talking to since arriving here. Ironically, only a few days after I returned to Swaziland, I met a university professor who wants me to edit some of his papers on politics and religion. He says he previously published a paper with Georgetown, so he must be legit.

Going back to the RPN for a sec. They house a small MCC “peace library,” which is essentially a collection of books dealing with the issue of pacifism, or more specifically how Christians are to live in a world rife with violence. Obviously, I couldn’t stop myself from checking out half the titles, even though I still have some of my own books to read in the short time I am still here. So there goes what little social life I currently have! Maybe this explains why I completely forgot about Valentine’s Day this year.

After the meeting, the director of RPN took us on an insider tour of Soweto, the historic black township made famous by the events which took place during apartheid. Considering my interest in African politics, this was my favorite activity of the entire trip. On Sunday morning, we completed our history lesson by visiting the Apartheid Museum, which in my opinion rivals the Holocaust Museum in DC. Unfortunately, the exhibit on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission was not open. I guess I’ll just have to find a good book to read about it.

P.S. During the trip, I was able to pick up two music albums from incredible artists. One is the quintessential African sound of Jabu Khanyile, who unfortunately passed away a few years back. His last album is called Hiyo Lento, and I think it might also be sold in America. The other music I bought is from OneRepublic, popularized by the amazing single “Apologize.” I’m sure this group is probably breaking through in the West, so I’m most likely late in jumping on the bandwagon, but I can describe this style of music as the evolution of the boy-band sound. Similar to Kenna. Great beats and a bit more rock sounding. Makes me really miss having a girlfriend to enjoy this stuff with. *sigh*

So I have some bad news for you, my beloved blog readers. From here on out, I will rarely be posting pictures due to the fact that my digital camera is broken. Major bummer, I know. Hopefully I’ll still be able to steal a few shots from my friends here, so every once in a while you’ll get a dose of pictorial excitement thrown in with my boring writing.

Some other news from my adventures in the Kingdom of Swaziland is that I am now staying a few nights during the week at my place of work, Cheshire Homes. This is neither good nor bad news, it’s just new news. It allows me to play tennis after work, and then work more after playing tennis. I’m not sure, though, if working overtime as a volunteer sets a good precedent for my future career patterns of time-management. Anyways, at least I have the night guard to keep me company, including a frisky feline that acts as the office pet.

Speaking of pets, or actually just animals in general, it really is interesting how I’m surrounded by them here in Swaziland. In addition to the office cat, my homestead has two adult dogs, five baby puppies, and a bunch of chickens that are locked in a garage. That’s a pretty stark contrast to my life in the States, in which the only pet I ever had was a hamster named Bobby. (Good ‘ole Bobby. He ran that wheel like a pro. Ran so much he had a heart-attack on it. Cryin’ shame.)

Whereas the past month in America everybody is watching the NFL playoffs, here in Swaziland it’s all about soccer and the Africa Cup of Nations. Since I’m an American living in Swaziland, I watched a little bit of both. The Super Bowl was quite a thriller this time around, but I couldn’t help but thinking that my Washington Redskins (led by the spirit of Sean Taylor) should have been in the place of the Giants. The Africa Cup was interesting up until the semifinals, where Ghana and Ivory Coast lost to Cameroon and Egypt, respectively. South Africa’s national team, Bafana Bafana, couldn’t make it past the first round. Not really a good indicator for the World Cup in 2010. That country is also having major problems with power outages, which probably gives a boost to the ridiculous crime rate. Car jackings are practically a sporting event in Johannesburg. So what better time than for me to go to a Regional Peace Network meeting in Jo’Burg this coming weekend. Don’t worry, though, I’ll let you know if the car makes it back in one piece (or even me for that matter).

It’s been a while since I’ve written about books, movies, and music. So in order to keep me on my critical toes, the following are my rantings about mostly mediocre items, probably of little interest to most of you.

Ironically, the last two books that I have read were both recommended to me by my older brother Matt. One is called Africa Unchained: The Blueprint for Africa’s Future. The only reason I was interested in this book is because it is written by a native of Ghana, George Ayittey, who offers a unique perspective which differs from the normal Western- frame of thought. Unfortunately, even when the author offers some creative advice, such as encouraging African countries to modernize and improve their indigenous institutions, it is all but muted by his constant barrage of newspaper-style fact telling. The page count clocks in at around 450, but I estimate that only one-fifth of that total is actually original ideas. The rest contains stories about corrupt politicians who have ego problems. If you’re interested in the topic of African development, I suggest skipping this book and simply following current events on BBC news. At least that way you won’t get the added commentary of a disgruntled African expatriate.

The second book, Dostoevsky’s Idiot, should have been a joy for me to read. Instead, it turned out to be a burden and ultimately a colossal disappointment. The reason why I was initially so excited about this novel is that Dostoevsky is one of my favorite authors. Probably the most interesting course I took during college was solely focused on this Russian genius and his work. Added to all this, The Idiot is my brother’s favorite novel. Believe me, Matt, I tried very hard to like it. I can’t even explain why I disliked it, so maybe that’s a good sign that it will grow on me over time. Or maybe my brother Matt is just an idiot! (Not likely, though, since he attended Oxford and is now getting his PhD in Business Ethics from Vanderbilt University)

With regard to movie-films (as Borat would call them), there is a particular theme found in most of my critiques: not enough comedy in films that are supposed to be funny. I think it would be easier to just do a list.

- Hot Fuzz: too much violence, not enough laughs
- Aqua Teen Hunger Force Movie: too much weirdness, not enough laughs
- Shrek the Third: too many jokes, not enough laughs
- Epic Movie: all of the above

I also saw Ratatouille, which was awesome of course. For some reason, though, I’ve always had nostalgia for the original Toy Story which can never be topped. I also watched the movie Breach, which is about the FBI traitor Rober Hanssen who lived in my home town. It was a good movie, but I’m always biased about films that are set in DC and Northern Virginia, since I’m familiar with all the settings and events. The same goes for a movie I saw a few months back about the DC sniper case. Things were crazy when that happened, back in my high school days. Ahhh, high school, the time when stress levels were manageable, and when my biggest worry was how girls would respond when asked out on a date. Sheesh, I really need a vacation…maybe back in time.

Oh, and I’m about to go crazy not being able to see U23D and LOST. If you live in an area where you can view these two masterpieces and are not using that privilege, I’m gonna suckerpunch you in the face when I get home.