South Africa: the rainbow nation where some get all the sunshine, but most get only the rain.

Week 1 at Amasango has gone rather well. While it might not be right, I definitely favor two of the older students. Mzwabantu (Mango), who I really liked last year, and one of his friends: 7th grade student Xolisani.

Yesterday, after school, we walked to Rhodes University where I had the two of them read letters that kids from Williamsville, New York wrote to their "South African pen-pals." Mzwabantu and Xolisani were so excited about the prospect of writing to kids in America that I thought I'd bring them to the computer labs on campus so they could compose an e-mail and I'd send it off.

While we were walking across campus, two security guards approached the three of us and were speaking quickly in Xhosa. I had no idea what the guards were saying but Mango looked really angry and hurt. When I began speaking, the guards switched over to English and asked me what they (Mango and Xolisani) were doing on campus. He wanted to escort them to the street because he thought they'd cause trouble.

I understand that crime is a very real problem in South Africa. I also understand a lot gets stolen from Rhodes. However, these two kids were not breaking car windows or sneaking around behind bushes. They were walking happily along a path in Rhodes. They were singled out because they looked poor. They had on tattered clothing--which apparently set off alarm bells for these guards.

I assured the guard that the two of them were with me. He said "what are they doing here?"

I replied "They're with me."

He again asked "Yes, what are they doing here?"

I replied again "They're with me," a bit angrier this second time.

Again, "Yes, they're with you, but what are they doing here?"

I wanted to say "F--- off buddy. They're with me and it's none of your damn business." but I said "They're with me and you have nothing to worry about. I was a student here and I'm taking my friends around, thank you."

With that, he said "okay" and let us go. The moderately well dressed American who had been a student at Rhodes was the only thing that kept the two of them on campus--and that's really sad. If it weren't for me, it seems as though a walk around a university that caters to "haves" in South Africa was totally out of the question for "have nots" like Mango and Xolisani.

Although we may have won the battle against the guards and we were able to go to the computer labs, the damage was already done. Mzwabantu and Xolisani knew why we were stopped. They were poor. They looked poor. They were at a university for rich kids; a place they didn't belong. Xolisani seemed a little hurt. Mango was really angry.

The anger Mango possesses is not a good thing, but in some ways, at least to me, it's admirable. If I had not been there, Mango probably would have ended up back outside the borders of Rhodes, but he would not have gone quietly. He would have become the bad kid the guard assumed he was. He would have run. He would have kicked the guard. He might have even stabbed the guard had he had any sharp object with him. In short, Mango would have ended up on his ass outside, but the guard would certainly have some war wounds from the altercation. It's not good to have this anger, but how many of us would be alright knowing we weren't welcome to even walk around a place because of our appearance?

South Africa's always talking about bridging the gap between rich and poor and diminishing the scars of apartheid. Throwing poor looking people off campus certainly isn't a way to accomplish this goal.