American students experience Alex

Despite an 18-hour non-stop flight, 15 American students and two professors still had the energy to traverse Alexandra the whole day in search of intercultural knowledge.

The group, comprised of creative writing and communications students from Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania, are in the country on a 15-day mission and challenge to understand the magic of Africa, in the hope of opening the minds of participants to the greater world around them.

One of the professors, South African-born Glen Retief said cross-cultural immersion was a requirement for the students’ studies.

“They are expected to navigate different cultural diversities, engage with people and write creatively about their cultural discoveries, but in the process understand global oneness,” he said.

“Other groups have been to China and Australia, and we come to South Africa every two years.”

Two of the students, Matt McGugan and Stephanie Heinz who are majoring in communications and creative writing respectively, said they were expecting a wonderful experience.

“We have seen a distinction in the lifestyles and social patterns between Alex residents and those in Sandton. Despite overcrowding, people in Alex are close-knit, know each other and are welcoming,” McGugan said.

“I am here to interact, not as a tourist, but as someone from a different culture interested to know how to live in a complimentary way with others,” said Heinz.

“People here are friendly and seem not to worry that I am a stranger. I hope to come back again.”

To maximise on time, the group split into four sub-groups which visited men’s hostels where they learnt of the pre- and post-1994 history of the area, the riverside home of an ex-Mkhonto weSizwe activist, a family of 10 sharing one room and shack dwellers behind the Helen Joseph women’s hostel.

They will also visit villages in Swaziland, St Lucia in Kwazulu-Natal, the Kruger National Park and surrounding homes to learn Venda and Tsonga cultures, the Voortrekker Museum in Pretoria and the University of Pretoria to learn Afrikaans culture, Hillbrow and Yeoville to learn the inter-linkages of the diverse African cultures in one community, and also Soweto, considered the epitome of the struggle against apartheid.

Details: Cedric de la Harpe 082 565 2520; twitter:@EcoFreeCharter

What are your thoughts on foreigners exploring Alexandra?

Tell us by posting on our timeline, Alex News or tweet us @AlexNewsZA

Add Alex News on BBM for the latest hard hitting news in your community. PIN: 29CA3017