Lets beating!

Grrrrr. Here it goes again...

I hope I never become a bitter individual living in a country whilst continuing to mock and denegrade the society and its inherent problems along the way. If you don't like it - leave...or try and change it. If you can't change it- follow the "starfish on the beach principle" (found somewhere else in my blog i think).

SA is plenty fucked up. I'll admit it. Totally. Lots and lots of problems. No country is without localised problems. But, I have to admit it's problems that could "easily" be fixed and continue to be ignored or sidewinded that really grind me.

In Japan, corporal punishment at school is banned. Outlawed. A no-no. If you lay a hand on a student you risk losing your job very quickly.It only got stopped a few years back (not more than 6 or 7 i think). Japanese disciplinarians cried out as Japan is a strongly physical disciplinary society (in my limited knowledge and experience). Great idea. I think cool- i stand by it. No need for a system that can lead to all sorts of abuses and psychological damage. The outlawing of corporal punishment is a relatively new thing.

Today a young girl came to class masking a very red and swollen cheek. I asked her after class what happened and she said that her father had hit her for failing her English test (motivation for me to do a better job hey O.o). She said this whilst taping up the english textbook he had torn up.
I enquired about this and the schools stance on the matter.

Now wait for this.

If you beat a child, lets say a severe pounding in the face...but you beat him/her once....its considered disciplining your child at home. If it happens a few times it will be considered abuse.
I think I speak for most when I say WHAT THE FUCK ?!?!
Jeepers that pissed me off.
It's only considered child abuse worth intervention if it happens multiple times?!? What the fuck kinda law is that??

1st beating: school talks to the parents
2nd beating: school talks to parents
3rd beating (or more): school reports beatings to the education department who send over a councellor. Woof. Scary stuff.....
It huts.

Fuel the fire !!!!

Okay- so im no Maddox. But i do tend to write more when im miffed about somethign than when im not.
Heres the conversation, and I apologise for the offensive words:

Nabeshin says:
oh u got the jap flu huh?bet u gotta walk around with a mask.hehe
Brindley says:
totally. They all do here
Nabeshin says:
yeah i wish they would do it here goddam kaffers they germs all over them and aids is there 2!so u gotta watch ur back here in sa

So, its at this point in the conversation my warning sensors go up. Some people use this term (which is the South African equivalent of nigger, only more offensive - to the points its actually a banned word. You can get fined for use of it as it constitutes hate speech)..so some people use this term in jest or jokes. al beit very tasteless jokes. Now, others use this in a more sinister and malicious way. This is an 18year old boy (soon to be 19). He didnt grow up in apartheid- he was 5 years old when the whole bloody thing collapsed. I hate South African racists. Really really hate them. After everything our country has been through for some fuck head to go on about the "blacks" just proves they know big fuck all. YES- the highest AIDS rate is amoung the african populace, YES- the large majority of crime is perpetrated by africans...why?! Because they're black ?! Fucking tit.

Nabeshin says:
i am not a racicst but i cant stand them

This has to be my favourite South Africanism (though not exclusive to) of all time. "I'm not racist but.....I AM!" is how it should read.

Brindley says:
clearly
Brindley says:
and you only need to watch your back if you're not usin a condom
Nabeshin says:
yeah , i just wish they would learn that. Oh well what u gonna do.
Brindley says:
yeah. damn our shit education system and lack of money !!!
Nabeshin says:
dammit this contry sucks
Brindley says:
yeah man! damn those fuckin bastards who thought a segregated education system would work!!

Now, if there are any international readers (which there are:P) that are not familiar with apartheid, basically it was a messed up system that was believed to be the will of God. It was designed to create a social and racially based heirarchy. Whites at the top, blacks at the bottom and the South African mixed race "Coloured" (no- not the offensive American term- this is actually a classification of race). Anywho, the education system was also structured to support this role. ie: no higher education was offered to black students and the subjects they were allowed to take were limited. In addition they had to take subjects in Afrikaans (the Dutch colonialists language) - briefly speakin this is pretty much what lead to the Soweto riots. (very very very briefly)

Nabeshin says:
and i just have 2 leave here. Did u hear what the story is now ?In schools.
Brindley says:
nope. Tell me?
Nabeshin says:
u dont have 2 take english and afrikaans as subjects u can drop and take any other language u want like sotho and any kaffer language

By this stage my fucking blood is BOILING!!!!! But- i keep it calm. Now. ...this silly tit is bitching and moaning because the people in school dont have to do Afrikaans (A: not their mother tongue and B: not useful ANYWHERE else in the world).

Nabeshin says:
sucks huh
Brindley says:
not really. You shouldnt need to take afrikaans
Nabeshin says:
which means sa is gonna become permanently black in a few years

What the hell does that mean anyway !?

Brindley says:
a bit lame about english though, its an international language

Now to test a slight theory of mine. There are things I know and things I assume.
Known: He has Afrikaans family(not always an issue- as his brothers a good guy!), he is young. Assume: He is thick as pigshit.

Brindley says:
so- quick question- you're like 19 right?
Nabeshin says:
yeah turning 19 in aboot a month time y?
Brindley says:
was just thinkin about university and stuff, you thinking about going?
Nabeshin says:
umm i am in colleage


Now for those of you in the State college in South Africa is not a university equivalent. Not near. Its usually a 1, 2 or soooometimes a 3 year diploma course. Not a degree. You cant get into most countries (Japan for one example) on a diploma only a university degree. For most people college is for those that are too stupid to go to Uni. OR that have a genuine interest in a subject (like design/animation etc) that uni does not offer.

Brindley says:
yeah- college and university are two very different things bro
Nabeshin says:
nope wont go not with the subjects i had
Brindley says:
aah, what subjects did you have?
Nabeshin says:
even if i want 2 go i cant bad scores

WOW !!?!? THeres a BIG FUCKING SUPRISE !?!!?!

Nabeshin says:
ummm, english afrikaans, bioliogy, business economics, home ec,geography

Now in SA these subjects arent too bad! Home ec and Bus ec is a bit iffy tho!

Brindley says:
how many of those were SG?

Once more, SG stands for Standard grade. There are 2 (actually 3 but almost NO-ONE takes Lower Grade) grades- Standard and Higher. Standard grade is for monkeys. People that actually cannot fathom the concepts of the subject and have a diluted version of it taught. (I took SG math by the way ! 69% but still better than my 23% HG!!!I couldnt do math!)

Nabeshin says:
all of them, hehe
Brindley says:
really?
Nabeshin says:
yeah

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN WE HAVE A WINNER !!!!!

Brindley says:
well...you know what they say ! Education is the key to tolerance! i see what they mean!

If you ever meet a South African in your travels- and he/she has shit like this to say- find out their background- and rest assured it will be coming from lack of education amoungst other things. This really made me a saaaaaad panda.

Kobe Conference and things.

Part of my bloody problem is that I have brilliant starting drive, yet I lack finishing energy. It's horrible. I have a GREAT idea- RUN with it....and then fall over from lack of air. ..or something.

Im specifically referencing my blog at the moment, which I tend to do in FAT uninteresting chunks. It takes too much effort to work backwards and do it in small bits. Anywho...

These last few weeks have been helluva interesting, with Ned's brother and brothers friend arriving here as well as the Kobe Conference being highlights. Small list of things i've done recently:

Played BB guns in Hanayama
Gone to karaoke,
eaten sushi,
gone to karaoke,
Gone to an izakaya (japanese style bar/restaurant),
gone to karaoke,
had my girlfriend move in with me,
gone to karaoke (at least it feels that often),
gone to Sam and Daves for an all night party,
come back with horrible lugies. (No I didnt pick it up from some ho! It was in the air- iswear),
coughed up thick green stuff,
got woken up by giant, noisy crows,
shot at said giant, noisy crows with BB gun and went back to sleep,
more karaoke,
ate all you can eat meat then chinese food the next day, then italian after that....
met a bunch of South Africans- YAY...attended random conference lectures.
Got more ill,
won a neko-bus in a UFO catcher....and yeah....
random other things inbetween.

Details!? You want details?! YOU CANT HANDLE THE DETAILS!!!

Man- i need two blogs.