By Vanessa Gorman
I had the honor of interviewing Mrs Bianca Japitana, a nursing student originally from Mossel Bay, Western Cape South Africa. Bianca has been living in the United States since 2019, but her time in South Africa is one that she was more than willing to share with me. In our conversation, something that stuck out to me were the many misconceptions that people make about South Africa.
She first described to me that when many think of Africa in general, they tend to think about safaris and wildlife. While yes, South Africa does have parts that highlight their wildlife and safaris, her home of South Africa is rich with beautiful mountain ranges, sparkling waters, and pristine beaches that she feels the wildlife sometimes overshadow. She describes her town as filled with vibrant colored houses and buildings, and pointed out the rich with world-class cuisine her community offers. There is even a very abundant city filled with things to do and see, you’ll never be bored.
The next misconception she brought to my attention was that many view South Africa as homogenous. However, she said that’s not true. There is a diverse population of Black South Africans, White South Africans, Colored South Africans, and Indian South Africans. You really cannot classify them all as the same group as they all have their own backgrounds, cultures, and identities. There are even 11 different languages spoken in South Africa, including Zulu, Xhosa, Afrikaans, and English. The last misconception we talked about was South Africa’s social and political issues. Many associate South Africa with its history with the Apartheid, a policy system based on segregation based on race. Bianca was proud to explain that due to former South African president, Nelson Mandela, the Apartheid ended on May 4th, 1990. Overall, South Africa is a beautiful and diverse country with much to offer. Hopefully one day we can all experience this beautiful country for ourselves.