Time passed while we were grieving for my sister in 2006. At some point, it seemed that we had cried all tears. Yashendu and I were for a month or maybe a bit more than that in India and then took our flights again. He went back to Germany and I flew back to South Africa.
Before my sister’s accident, I had been in South Africa only for a few days. It was my first time in South Africa, actually the first time in Africa at all – and until today the last one as well. I really cannot say that I liked it very much.
I had been giving private sessions, lectures and also some workshops in different yoga studios in Johannesburg. That’s how I was staying with Indians but was as well in contact with a lot of non-Indian South-Africans. All my remaining program had obviously been cancelled but because of my ticket, which I had bought from South India to India and back, I had another two days in this country.
I just didn’t feel very good. Not safe, not relaxed. The house that I stayed in and the ones that I visited all, without exception, had huge fences or walls around the property, on top of that barbed wire and, as I was told, that is more often than not even put connected to electricity so that anybody trying to get through would get an electric shock.
I asked my organizers whether the crime rate was really so high and I got to know from them and many other people that it was really quite dangerous! A family with whom I was invited for dinner told that just two or three months before, their office had been robbed, in spite of all security measures in place.
Obviously, people always exaggerate a bit when telling such stories but I could not help but think of it when walking outside. Someone could kill you just for your mobile. For the five dollar you may have in your pocket.
I was told not to go for a walk outside in the evening, when it was dark. Except for in bright sunshine and of course in the right areas you could walk – but better it was to use the car. I remembered two friends telling me of having been robbed on their holiday. I knew many people liked South Africa and went there as tourists.
I just never felt good there, in a place where danger is always on your mind and you cannot walk outside at all. So why to go to such a place again where you don’t feel secure? Where you feel you have to be always on guard?
I bid my farewell after another two days there and took my flight to Germany.
I was invited again later to South Africa but I declined. One time had been enough.