City vs. Suburb

Our trip is split into two locations. For the first two weeks we are staying on the outskirts of the city of Johannesburg or otherwise known as “Joburg” by the locals. Our group is staying in a guest house in the suburb of Melville. While the inner city has more nightlife and events, I think that residing in the suburb gives us more context for our study of “Right to the City.” It allows us to see life in both the suburbs and the city, and drawing more parallels or contrasts in our studies. The city of Johannesburg, like any city, is densely populated and very busy. However, one characteristic of this city that separates it from many others, is the large amount of green space it holds. There are various types of plants almost everywhere, which gives the city a more relaxing and fresh ambience.
However, as we all know, cities are always on the move, so we are also constantly moving and seeing new things. Our frequent excursions and discussions make it very easy to converse with other members of our group. We are all seeing the same sites and views, yet all generating our own thoughts and points. Our group is larger and quite diverse, so we often have many different ideas and thought processes regarding each issue we face. However, in a trip so heavily focused on racism and classism, it can sometimes be difficult to discuss with others if we relate personally to certain experiences or tragedies. Though we all might not agree on an issue, or feel the same way about an experience we witnessed, our program allows class time to discuss and debrief any thoughts or feelings we may have that aren’t understood by others.