GRAND Magazine - May/June 2017 - 25

travel - grands on the go

Perhaps we leave home
to have fun and to be
enlightened, so we return
home slightly more
compassionate...

25 GRAND

MAY JUNE 2017

By the end of the trip I had my answer. Yes it was.
We set out to have fun by visiting an intriguing
place. We didn't anticipate engaging in a learning
experience, but that was a huge bonus. South Africa
is stunningly beautiful with nature is at its most glorious. From the beautiful rolling hills to spectacular
waterfalls to miles and miles of animals roaming free
in Kruger National Park. Imagine riding in an open-air
jeep while herds of elephants cross the road in front of
you. Giraffes run with zebras bound together by their
common enemies, lions and leopards.
Once you've seen these magnificent animals in
their natural habitat, you come away with a renewed
appreciation for nature and an understanding of why
we must protect the planet and all its inhabitants.
Most compelling of all were the South African
people who are warm, charming, and gracious. But
some live in poverty the likes of which we never
thought we'd see. The living conditions define heartbreaking. Homes made of corrugated tin, at best, with
roofs held down by rocks and old tires. This is the way
thousands live in the richest country in Africa, a country with untold mineral wealth in the ground, owned
by large foreign corporations. It's not right on any
level. The scenes of schoolchildren who look much
younger than their age due to lack of nutrients are
among the saddest things I'll ever see. You come away
from those people with a new sense of the responsibility inherent in being sufficiently privileged to have
been born into a safe, secure environment.
So, why do we leave home? Perhaps we leave home
to have fun and to be enlightened, so we return home
slightly more compassionate and knowledgeable than
we were before.
What compels you to travel? Where would you
like to go next? Tell us about a trip that changed
your life.

Then there's the history, the story of the bringing down of apartheid. I
don't know that I've ever stood in a more compelling spot than the
square memorializing where the student uprising of 1976 happened. Students petitioned to be taught in English in schools rather than in Afrikaans,
the language of the apartheid government. Most students did not speak
or understand Afrikaans so learning math or social studies (as the decree
stated) would be impossible. The students were met by police and were
shot down as they protested. One of the first children shot was 13-year-old
Hector Pieterson, whose name and photo grace the square. Nearby we
visited a church where police shot anti-apartheid protestors as they held
a planning meeting. Today, the photo exhibit invites guests to write reactions on the walls amidst a display of photos of the resistance efforts of
Nelson Mandela and many other freedom fighters. Witnessing the history
changes you. You come away with a determination to work harder to
make sure civil rights and democracy are protected at all costs.

GRAND's editor, Deborah Carroll is Grammy to Avery
and Damon and author of two parenting books. Her
most recent works include the narrative nonfiction,
Tales From the Family Crypt: When Aging Parents Die,
Sibling Rivalry Lives, and a children's picture book about
grandparents, Real Grands: From A to Z, Everything A
Grandparent Can Be.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of GRAND Magazine - May/June 2017