At the University…

where we have been for the past 3 days, I have missed my cameras! So, from the Samsung Galaxy S3 I bring:

It was peaceful to see the doves descending, and landing on top of this fountain, and drinking water, while we were drinking from the fountain of wisdom at the University of Pretoria’s Advanced Postgraduate Centre…

This morning, on my way to the last workshop, I also saw this daylily at one of the campus’ entrances:

I chose a 3 day workshop lead by Elize Morkel, on the Empowerment of Women, and it was amazing. But not without some pain- here in Africa we are so used to strong patriarchal systems that women really have a hard time to just be accepted and honored as equals to men at work and at home… A workshop like these challenge your own perceptions and point of view. It opens your eyes to your own behaviour and careless words towards women. So it sometimes gets uncomfortably close to the heart… and that is what is needed in our country- men learning to respect women…

So I have learned a lot. I have been sensitised… I hope I can be part of the solution in our country in the way I behave towards women, and the way I treat them even with every day’s words…  I know I am a man, and I make mistakes… I can even think of a few I have made on this blog! (Can you?)

It was hard to hear, but it is good! Thanks Elize!