A traumatic introduction to culture shock...

17/09/2013

This incident I've decided to share happened the night before last, September 15th. It has opened my eyes to culture shock as no matter how scary the event may have been, it's a normal occurrence in South Africa. Another incident happened today, whilst walking through town, a black man was thrown in front of a car, where the white man who pushed him continued to beat into him, kicking his face until he lay limp on the ground. The woman behind the wheel of the car only inches from his body merely shouted "F**king MOVE!" It was disgusting, the man looked so vulnerable and confused. 

Okay, so it was about 9.30 and I was walking to the Back Kitchen (A living area for volunteers, all females including my partner, Rachael live here). I noticed 3 or 4 hooded figures jumping over the Children's Home wall, breaking into the grounds. I shouted "Hey, what you doing?" but of course, they ignored me. In that moment I panicked, I couldn't see them but knew they were close to me. I went to Rachael's room and called on a few other girls. We went around to see what was happening but couldn't see the people, there was a wall between us. Two seconds later, boulders, branches and even a plant pot were thrown over the wall. We all stepped back in shock so thankfully no one was hurt.

Sticking to normal procedure, I called our boss, Yvonne. within 2 minutes, we had locked ourself in the Back Kitchen and the night shift supervisor had arrived. Armed response were called to patrol the grounds. Rachael was in tears, the shock of someone breaking into the grounds had left us all very emotional. After a comforting talk with the supervisor and the comfort of knowing security were patrolling, we felt safe to go back to bed. I decided to stay in Rachael's room with her and her room mate Marion. 

About 11.30, the next incident happened. The light was out and we were all ready to fall asleep when suddenly there was a scream, just outside our bedroom door. It was the most heartbreaking, terrifying scream I have ever heard. Directly after followed a smash and then running footsteps, towards our door. Someone banged on our door and in that exact moment, we could also feel people standing at the bedroom window. We were surrounded by strangers. Rachael tried to look out the window and I told her not to. The three of us lay there in fear, frozen in shock and too scared to breath. I considered climbing under the bed. 

About a minute later, there was another scream. This one came from inside the back kitchen. A volunteer called our names, letting us know it was safe to come out. Shaking and in Rachaels case, crying, we ran to the back kitchen. The second scream was a volunteer. She sat in the back kitchen, alone, when someone chapped at the door. Assuming it was a volunteer, she opened. Of course, it wasn't. It was a girl with a scarf around her face. She walked into the room, backing the volunteer into the corner and throwing her hands in her face. The volunteer screamed and the girl ran away. That's when we were called. 

I don't understand how the second even happened while security were patrolling. It turns out that the girls behind the event actually live here in the home, they are three of the oldest girls. That is a very frustrating fact for us that were involved. Should we be glad it wasn't a stranger, breaking in from the outside? Or should we be even more terrified that girls we live and work with are capable of inflicting such fear? They couldn't be caught, they jumped over rooftops and hid between walls, all the while hooded with a scarf around their faces. Thankfully, we now who exactly who the girls were. They even had the guts to apologise.

I feel safer now, knowing the girls are genuinely sorry and knowing that I can safely walk about the grounds at night. However, the mental thought of thinking a friend is being brutally attacked outside my bedroom door and not being able to react, only lie frozen in fear, will loop and loop around my head. I haven't got rid of the scream yet. I don't understand how someone could make such a noise if they weren't in pain.

I had to sleep with the light on last night but over time I'll feel better. I'm just a little shaky. It's so frustrating, knowing that it's all mental. The girls were playing mind games on us.