Today was another ordinary day in a nation that is eerily reflective of the United States. I spoke for a few hours today with one of the front desk attendants of Lagoon Beach, the hotel/apartments in which we stay. His insight into South African economic and social development provided a new perspective which we had yet to receive. He grew up in a townships and through hard work, pulled himself, and his six-year-old son out of the grip of poverty that so tightly holds millions of citizens of Cape Town. Though we’ve observed that racial integration has been smooth, he recounted stories of discrimination similar to our home in the southeastern US. As a contrast to the US, nearly all jobs, including those in the fast food industry require a minimum education of what is essentially a high school diploma. This seems like a hinderance in allowing uneducated township citizens to better their lives by obtaining jobs to provide for their families. He told us about the corruption within the current government, a widely shared sentiment among locals. They appear to be embezzling tax revenues through the Bureau of Labor. He was unsure of any potential solution for this problem.The most interesting comment he made was regarding the current two party system that existed in South Africa. He commented that it seemed as if neither party was willing to put its own political ambitions aside for the betterment of the general populace. Sound familiar Americans?

--Eric Friedman