Johannesburg, South Africa

Wed, Feb 24

We are at the Jo’bug airport awaiting our connecting flight to Zambia. I’m surprised by how emotionally connected I feel when I hear the lovely South African accent, hear the music and see the beautiful crafts in the shops. Over the years, my memories of our SA trip have faded and mingled with memories of other trips, but now I’m here, I remember how much I enjoyed South Africa.

Part of what is making me feel at home, I suspect, is the clean, modern, orderly feel to the airport. This is a place where people queue to board the plane. It is the anti-Cairo. Cairo was filled with chaos and pollution and lost time sitting in traffic jams, etc. The Pyramids were an absolute gauntlet of vendors who were aggressive and persistent, attaching themselves to your elbow like a tick on a dog. It made me nuts. The Jo’burg airport feels like a cool refuge after that experience.

It occurs to me that something else contributing to my comfort level is the fact this country is not predominately Muslim. Culturally, it is much closer to home and therefore, feels a little easier on the spirit. Being a minority (Christian in a Muslim land) is always a little uncomfortable, and I hadn’t realized how much that permeated every aspect of our visit to Egypt. I enjoy seeing the women here with their bright head wraps and skirts and their confident stylishness. It sharply contrasts with the dark, shapeless clothing and full face and head coverings of so many women in Cairo. I’ve no doubt the women of Cairo are as just as intelligent and capable as the women of South Africa, but you certainly don’t see it in their manner and bearing. They quietly go about their business of tending to the children and the household, and move through the streets without attracting attention to themselves. The women here are bright, sexy and proud. They are humming or singing as they wait in line, or work their shop or mop the bathroom. Smiles are plentiful and the atmosphere is welcoming.

There is an elderly Italian couple sitting across from us. They keep jumping up to greet people they know with effusive delight. Just watching and listening to them gives me a warm feeling. She is quite plump with a large bosom and seems to be a woman who takes care to feed her husband well, and maybe clucks over him a bit. Although he is not heavy, he looks well cared for. I think she is probably a good cook and they both enjoy their pasta. I’m having fun imagining their life together (one of the great things about traveling is people watching, especially when you let your imagination run).

There are two other couples across from us – not Italian. Each couple looks comfortable with each other and they share affectionate glances and smiles and little kisses. It is good to see after the austere behavior of Egypt, Jordan and Israel.

I am beginning to understand just how different are the cultures of the West and the Middle-East. There is no judgment on my part about which one is better, simply an understanding that the chasm is wide and any bridges will need to have strong foundations to hold up to the distance necessary to travel in order to meet each other in the middle.