South Africa Diary #1

After several days without internet, I have emerged with my first South Africa diary at the Foreign Policy Association's Africa Blog. In the entry I discuss being a victim of crime upon arrival in the country, the Southern African Historical Society biennial meeting, a friend's tragic loss, and the setting in which I watched the US-Spain game, among other things. Please give it a look. Tonight a friend rolls in to South Africa for his first trip here, so I'll be playing host, something I've gotten to do a few times before and that always allows me to experience the country in new ways and through new eyes.

I'll close with a topical joke that I also repeat at the Africa Blog Diary entry: My taxi driver told me this on the way to Pretoria after I arrived (keep in kind that South Africa could only play Iraq to a draw in their meeting to open the tournament): What do the United States and South Africa have in common? Neither one can beat Iraq.