ubuntu

Today we had the lecture that made this whole semester of semi-mediocre classes and general unorganized studies worth it. Sonja Kruse (theubuntugirl.co.za) came to speak and share her story with us today. Sonja is an Afrikanner, 40 year old women who has lived her dream. Her dream was to travel the country of South Africa with a backpack, camera and 100Rand (equilivant to $12.00) in search of “ubuntuli”. She hitchhiked, walked, and slept in stranger’s homes for just under a year. She did 114 home stays. Side note: I am on my fourth and exhausted and overwhelmed by the variety of culture. I cannot imagine more than 10. Anyway she traveled around, met people, shared her mission and story and changed her life. The entire three-hour speech was so inspiring I literally professed my love for her during the q and a. I had like 10,000 questions so picking one was hard, but I asked what was in her backpack. She said she left with one change of clothes, toiletries and a notebook. She collected gifts along the way, but literally had no possessions with her and told me I would be surprised with how little you need to live. Amongst many, one of the things that stuck out to me about her story was her emphasis on the lack of value in a monetary system. She made no income, spent virtually no money for a year and survived. Yes she was lucky to find a home to welcome her and feed her every night, but that’s possible. She explained how so many people would try to give her money and that she wouldn’t take it because she didn’t need it, she would rather gave a gift that matters- like a piece of art, music or meal. Something you will remember because of who gave it to you, not something you will spend and never see again.

The next big thing that stuck with me, and will forever was ubuntu. Ubuntu is a zulu word that has many definitions and no real English translation. It is a word that represents what Sonje found on her “African” journey- I say African in this case because she saw the incalculable amount of African cultures. South Africa has 11 official languages, but an immeasurable amount of cultures. Ubuntu means hospitality, plus love, plus open-mindness, plus sharing, plus caring, plus hosting, plus welcoming, plus learning. It is the concept that people cannot exist without other people so why not learn and accept the other people that exist because we do all coexist. This concept is so representative of how I believe I was raised in many aspects. I don’t know how many of you readers have met my parents, but they are notorious for opening our home to friends, family members, tour guides in Botswana, taxi drivers in France, people in a bar who share a sports team support, the list goes on and on. I grew up in an unofficial hostel and with the concept that taxi drivers know the best restaurants in foreign cities and that you can never have enough friends. Ubuntu. A word to what I believed was a wordless concept.

Ubuntu, I can’t stop saying it and loving it and being shocked by its existence.

So today was inspirational in that I boggled my mind with wondering whether I could live out of a backpack and go without the possessions and money I have depended on for the past 20 years and just fuel and fund myself from human interaction….still not sure.

Ubuntu is my past in that I believe I have seen it in some small way before, it is my present in that I am currently practicing opening myself to a new family each week and it is my future in that I strive to achieve it to the maximum level in my lifetime and world travels.

Also! After this great lecture I met with a lady and got an internship! Basically I will a photographer and journalist for ShowMe Cape Town (showme.co.za), similar to our Time Out NY. I will be going to events of my choice and taking pics and handing out flyers for people to check their picture online. I will also be doing write ups of the awesome events I attend, which can be anything from markets to concerts to beach days full of tourists. I am basically spreading the word about some of the things to do in this wonderful city and how you can be a part of that and who was at that today with me! I have my first events tomorrow and I’ll attach links to my website that they are setting me up with asap.

Party on cadets. i am bloated with inspiration

some of Sonja's most epic quotes:

"I am because you are because we are"

"Ubuntu = Exist, Extend, Expand"

"A person is a person through other people"

"My life is irrevocably tied up with yours"