2010 - South Africa's International image in the Media

Hey!

I'm interested in how the world sees South Africa - especially with the oncoming soccer world cup in 2010. Whether you're a local watching international news, a South African abroad, a foreigner who has visited SA or is just interested in visiting us - what do you see of SA in international news? Please share your experiences with me and where possible, give me a link to the photo/blog/website/video/article where you got the information from. I'd love to hear your stories and opinions


An interesting article to read is: The Media and Africa: who is failing whom, by Ian MacDonald.

http://www.sagoodnews.co.za/newsletter_archive/the_media_and_africa_who_is_failing_whom_.html


A segment from the article:

The media and Africa: who is failing whom? Does South Africa and Africa as a whole only receive negative international news coverage and, if so, is the international media is failing us? Although it is clear that South Africa and Africa as a whole don't only receive negative press, I was interested in exploring the second part of the viewpoint - whether the international media was perhaps failing the continent. Perhaps, then, local media is failing South Africa? (The debate whether South African media have a role, or even an obligation, for nation-building over and above their responsibility to keep citizens informed, is one for another day.) So who is failing whom? I think that Africa is actually failing itself. Africans, African Governments and African businesses should take the lead in presenting to the World a different face of Africa, one that highlights the successes, ingenuity and progress of the continent. The responsibility lies with us. As Tina van der Heyden of Rhodes University says "As long as bad news sells (and it most certainly will for a long time to come), we shouldn't hold our breath waiting for the Western media to realise that their images are not an accurate portrayal of Africa's reality. As Africans, we need to stop seeing ourselves through the eyes of the Western media and find a way to make them see us as we see ourselves." By Ian Macdonald

Please feel free to pass the link on to someone you know who may be interested.


Thanks for your time.

Cheers

My hart se punt...terug in Afrika

'n Jaar het weggespring met tonne avontuur en nuwe verwikkelinge...familie en vriende wat my glimlag reflekteer, lank beloofde drukkies, inhaal kuiers en vele meer. Om terug te wees in Suid Afrika na 'n jaar in die verre, verre Ooste is strelend op die sintuie...o, ja...mens mis baie dinge en waardeer dit net soveel meer terug in jou tuisland.
Deur al die warboel van hallo's en hoe ganit's, was ek min te wete dat die grootste ontdekking oomblikke van ontdek af was...meer hiervan later!


Die akademiese sfeer was uitdagend om weer by in te skakel, om die minste te se! So het my reistog voortgesit (meestal staan!) so hikkende die bulte uit...yip...dis nogal 'n aanpassing gewees.
Kort voor lank het die akademie in rat geskuif om plek te maak vir 'n baie noodsaaklike sosiale fasset van 'n sinvolle bestaan - die klimskoene afgestof, flieks wat kyk nodig gehad het gekyk, my dansskoene laat swaai soos nog nooit tevore, guitar snare voel vibreer onder my vingers en so ook klawers gestreel wat effe vals geword het van die lank staan...geurige disse waardeer saam met vrinde wat jouse hart en siel verstaan - min dinge kom daarby! (natuurlik met 'n uitmuntende wyntjie)


So met my intree in die land was ek bevoorreg om 'n vriendin en vriend op hul pragdag te ondersteun en 'n heildronk in te stel om hul huwelik te vier. Blommie&Iwan, dit was amazing!!! Julle het pragtig gelyk en is pragtig saam...alles van die beste met julle reistog saam :)

So met die trou-klokke wat nog in my ore sing, betrap my hart my in 'n wip - een wat sewe jaar lank dreig en finaal vrygelaat is...so herontmoet ek 'n kosbare vriend, reisgennoot, mede-liefhebber van die kunste, koffie, kosse, klimme en kie. Heinrich - jy's my hart se punt...en beslis die awesomeste ontdekking met die skof in my lewensreistog!!!!

Yip - ons is verloof!!!! En vier dit met 'n ekspidisie om ons toekomstige woonplek te ontdetk - yip, yip....eendag as ons groot is, trek ons Kaap toe!!! Ons het Tafelberg uitgehyg - wel, ek het...Heinrich en Gosia het flink-flink die berg uitgemission - fantastiese roetes geklim, die panorama waardeer en die ongelooflikste koffie bo-op die berg geniet...die volgende dag het ons bietjie by Muizeberg se kant geklim en klouter, terug gehaas na die V&A en 'n fantastiese dansles gehad....sug....my laaste vir die volgende 6 maande...



Tragedie het my die oggend ontwaak toe ek op 8 April nie kon opstaan nie van te veel pyn.
Lang storie kort: 'n jaar tevore in Suid Korea het ek geval en met my rug op 'n trap geland (trauma 1), met 'n belay in April die jaar swaai ek toe rotswaarts teen 'n tempo (trauma 2), met die impakte het my pedicles op L5 (sulke armpies waarop die werwels teen mekaar steun - die wat op die laagste rugwerwel net voor die stuitjie) gekraak en die dat ek nie geweet het daarvan nie en steeds met baie uitdagende aktiwiteite aangehou het (trauma 3), het finaal my rug laat skeef trek met ontwrigte SI gewrigte (waar die heup en rug aansluit)...


Nou ja, dit het 'n reuse impak op my lewe gehad - meer as wat ek wou besef...my akademie, dans, klim, spontaan rondbeweeg, het tot 'n drastiese stilstand gekom...so deur dit alles het Heinrich en my familie en vriende my gedra - in dade, gebede en gedagtes. Vir my was dit moeilik om hulpeloos te wees en hulp te aanvaar waar ek altyd dit uitdeel. Ons Hemelse Vader was geduldig met my en het my ontvanklik gemaak daarvoor. Deur Genade en geduld is ek steeds besig met behandelings en herstel...dis 'n paadjie wat ons aanhou loop - in 'n vaste hoop op herstel.

Hoewel die gekraakte beentjies nie teruggroei nie, kan mens sonder 'n operasie steeds voluit leef - mits ek 'n super-sterk core het (yip - 6 pack hier kom ons!) en 'n getroue oefen program volg...nou die van julle wat ons de Bruyns ken, sal weet dit gebeur geensins spontaan nie....














My eerste tekens van herstel het ons as familie (yip - met 'n ingevoerde sussie van Korea) Botswana verken - die westelike pad noordwaarts gevang tot by die beste geheim in Botswana - Tshodilo Hills...wie't geweet, Botswana het kranse!!!!! (Met San tekeninge waar mens nie mag klim nie:( )




Verder op reis, by Mohembovaar ons met 'n 'ferry' tot noord van die Okavango Delta, kamp met seekoei-koor in die agtergrond en probeer om so na as moontlik aan die water te bly :) Dit was asemrowend...ons vier my verjaasdag met melktert langs die rivier - heeeeerlik!!!

Terug by die realiteite van die akademie, is dit maar eelte op die kniee en eelte op die alie...baie is al bereik, maar baie mylpale le nog onvoltooid...
Oktober maand mag ek weer begin dans!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Nou moet ek nog net die malligheid van die akademie te oorleef! Maar Genadiglik is dit 3 eksamens, 1 opdrag en 'n skripsie ver....en 60 dae om dit in reg te kry!!!!

Hou maar steeds aan met die gebede en gedagtes...dit dra my sover deur die jaar...dinge kan net beter raak!

Masquerade de Andong

"One of the last living vestiges of old Korea" ~ Korea Travel Guide


Yip - quite a good summary of this charming town which was host to Queen Elizabeth's 73rd birthday during her visit in April, 1999. And a good site out of the way of everything else! But, this isolated spot explodes once a year showing a different face to each visitor during the Mask Festival.

http://www.maskdance.com/2007/english/main.asp

Among crowds of masked dancers one is blended in colors and music that paint a smile of excitement on the scene. So much to do...so little time...it's truly a feast for the eyes. But, let the eyes not be so isolated in their enthusiasm and be joined by the sense of touch as you can soak up the festival with making crafts and participating in some of the events and photo opportunities.






The town itself boasts with numerous festival sites and stages where one could see lovely performances - or even be ze performancee'...yip...random actors and actresses dazzle visitors with their self-proclaimed, often quite entertaining shows and interesting talents. Some you may wish to appreciate, while others allow you to glance by and join another stage.

At Hahoe Folk Village we managed to be swept away along a flamed waterfall crossing the river in sizzling sparks and drops of gold to reach the cliff yonder from which fire balls were launched into the river down below...this traditional fireworks festival, Seonyujulbulnori (선유불노리), was absolutely spectacular! "At Buyong cliff overlooking the Nakdong river a spectacular fire show is performed with blazing pine needle gently falling down to the river in a rain of fire. On the beach, poets recite while boats play behind him amidst the fires burning nearby. The effects of fire and water here are extremely memorable."



But alas, let me stop blabbering and let the photos do the talking!

Go to Andong Album


Cheers!

Namgang Expedition - 29 August 2008

Awesome trip down Nam River in Jinju, South Korea...what better to do at 4:30am than to glide gracefully down this beautiful river as Korea awakens with a stunning sunrise to greet a new day...in a plastic toyboat...
A day filled with laughter and forgetting...bidding a dear friend farewell as her journey continues in her homeland ~ leaving future adventures behind and facing new ones.
Tamara - it's been SOOOOO awesome getting to know you!!!! God bless you warrior princess. You are absolutely one in a million...well...1 in 999,999...(it has to include crazy moi!)
Here are a few pics to commemorate the morning of August, 29.
As two 외국의's ("we-gugi's" = foreigners) make their way down Namriver in the wee hours of a lovely Friday morning (^o^) they are greeted with contradictory "anyeong's" and some killer stares from some of the more 'sour prudent' 아주마's (old ladies)...yip...crazy foreigners...gotta love them!

Before...
That's it Tamara!!!
All geared up and ready to launch!!!
Staring into time and space...where does this journey lead to...Namgang Tree.
Jinju-seong (Fortress)


Some keen skaters ...all in a row ^^,


Jinju-seong
Some funky Koreans greeted us as we passed this!!! "Fighting!!!"(saying that means 'go for it' / 'keep going' or just about any motivational slogan you need at the moment!) They also sent us hearts across the waters!!!

Taxi - Home please, 아조씨!!!

After...awesome morning!

caPtivating Pohang August 2008

Trip A.1
Check out this video clip of the fish martket

From possibly the biggest fish market in South Korea in Pohang to the magical lighthouse on the 'Tiger's tail' this beautiful east coast town has much to offer in sights, smells and scenic detours (^o^)










Trip A.2 with a Bibi & a Tam

From 15-16 August, Tamara, Bibi and I investigated the lighthouse at Homigot (literally the tiger's tip of its tail - the bit sticking out to the right of South Korea). Here's a few things we got up to captured on film (well...the digital kind in any case!)...

Trip B - the worx

On the 2nd of August we returned for an international fireworks festival during which we were entertained for about an hour non-stop with teams from China, South Korea and Spain - of course there was a grand finale at the end with an explosive combination of all three
teams...WOW!!!!


































































Thanks to the awesomest people we got to see the awesomest places and experience the most awesomest things!!!!!!!!!!! Got to go home with a bang :)