I drove till 10 pm Wednesday to make it Swellendam so I could stay in the Rialton Township with the family of my 14 yr old friend Amore Amsterdam, who I met in 2005 when I picked up her and her Grandma hitchhiking. Arriving at township in the dark was strange as some of the roads aren't paved, houses are very close together and I had only been there once but it worked out fine. They were expecting and watching for me and gave me a kind welcome including a late supper and tea. The Amsterdam's neighbor Eva had generously prepared the caravan (camper) that belonged to her brother as a place for me to sleep. It is parked next to her house which is next to the Amsterdams. The average home in their neighborhood is about 10' wide by 25' long so there aren't extra rooms for guests. I thought I would sleep on the couch but the camper was comfortable.

I can't say for certain but it's likely I was the only american sleeping in Rialton that night. It took a little while to get to sleep because of the dozens of dogs that would start barking and howling intermittently, I suppose when someone walked by or a car went by. There are so many houses and people in the townships that there is always activity going on. During the day you can always hear music from different directions and there is always movement and other sounds too. It was very different from the quiet of Hillsdale where we hear the owls, and sometimes coyotes at night. Annie and Eva, and all their families were wonderful hosts and made me feel right at home including a very big breakfast in the morning.

I had told them that I would like to sing at Amores school and when they asked if I would sing at the primary school and a couple of creches (their term for daycare or preschools) too I said yes. The primary school has 1400 kids grade 1-7 and they all gathered on the outdoor assembly area and stood in the hot sun for 45-50 minutes singing, dancing and laughing. It was probably the largest school group I have ever sang for. The two creches totaled another 500 + children and the high school had 1200. The high school show was difficult because the group was so big, the sun was even hotter than in the morning, and the sound system wasn't loud enough for the group. I was disappointed until one of the teachers, an impressive man named Francois Beukes, came up to me after the show and said that he thought many of the kids got something from it. It was kind of him to say so. He knows these students well. I'm hoping that some of his students may submit some writing for Bridges of Peace.

After the shows Amore and I went out for ice cream and took a short hike at the nature reserve I had discovered the first day. It was the first time Amore had ever been up to the mountain though it's only about a ten minute drive from her home. She enjoyed it and it was a beautiful, warm day. Annie had arranged for me to see some traditional dancing and singing at the home of a township woman who teaches singing and dancing to the kids. That too was interesting and inspiring to see and hear. When it came time to say good bye and drive on I felt sad to be leaving these special friends. I know we will stay in touch and I hope someday my family can meet them too. As I was driving around the township leaving there were hundreds of kids and adults walking around or hanging out. Because I sang with so many kids during the day many of them recognized me. White guys from NY stick out anyway but since they knew me they were running up to the car and singing "I Like Ants," and "love Grows." It was a heartwarming farewell for sure.

I wasn't sure where I would spend the night but wanted to get close to Grabouw where I would sing the next day. I looked for a hostel or backpackers lodge in a couple of places but came up empty so I went on to Hermanus where I had stayed last Saturday night. Before going back to the backpackers lodge I phone Alan and Chris Clowes, lovely people from the UK who are helping the Thandi Farm Project become self-sufficient. I was callingh to confrim that they would go with me to the school on Friday. When Alan answered the phone3 he insisted that I come stay with them. Chris came to guide me to their home and I landed in the middle of a dinner party. There were other overnight guests too but the Clowes, like the O'Donoghues in Grahamstown,and the Amsterdam's in Rialton, are people who readily open their homes to others. It was a fun evening that included singing and great food, all this after my 9:30 arrival.

Note: Amore's mom, Annie, has a creche in her home where she watches 34 children of preschool age. The fee that parents pay for having their children watched is 20 Rand a month, approximately $3 US a month or 15 cents a day. I got some gorgeous photos of some of these precious kids.

This week I have visited three wonderful schools to sing and talk about Bridges of Peace. I was at Bedford Village School, NY, West Orchard School in Chappaqua, NY, and the Academy of International Studies Magnet School in Danbury, Connecticut. At each school the teachers, students, and staffs welcomed me generously and were enthusiastic in their desire to learn about Bridges of Peace -- and to help. It is a tremendous help to me to know and see how much you want to be a part of working for peace.

At West Orchard School my song "If I Wasn't Me I Might Be You," made some students feel sad as they thought about grandparents who had died. One girl told me it made her sad because her Grandma had been the "Best Grandmother in the whole world." I told her I was sorry it made her sad but wasn't it wonderful that she had had the "best grandmother in the whole world," and that she will always have those happy memories of her grandma, and in time that's what she'll remember most. Because of that her grandma would always be with her. Thanks to this young lady for sharing her feelings about her grandma. I think it helped many of us in the room because we too miss people who aren't with us anymore.

Later today, a group of eleven Zulu singers from South Africa will be arriving at our house in Hillsdale. Their name is Thula Sizwe. You can learn about them on their web site www.thulasizwe.com They are here in America to teach about their country and culture and to sing and make new friends. They are staying with us and some friends for three nights and we are doing some concerts together. It is very exciting.

Below is text from an email I received from a student named Owen. Thank you very much Owen. You made my day, and it was only 6 am when I read your email. I'd like to hear your song sometime.

This blog will include stories, inspirations and people that have enriched and expanded my perspectives. I hope they may spark connections to experiences and stories you that have influenced you. Here is a story from South Africa in 2005

While driving along the magnificent Garden Route near the southern coast of South Africa I drove past two hitchhikers on the side of the road. I drove past them because the tourist guide had warned, "DO NOT PICK UP HITCHHIKERS!" But as I went on down the road I couldn't answer the question that kept spinning around in my head, "Why shouldn't I pick them up?"  It was an elderly woman and a young girl and they seemed hesitant about even asking me for a ride. I turned around, went back and stopped the car. They cautiously walked over (someone may have warned them, "Don't take rides from confused looking americans!") and climbed in. Amore, age 12, got in back and Grandma Andeline, got in the passengers seat.

They told me they were going to visit Andeline's daughter, Amore's aunt, in Caledon which was approximately 50-60 miles away. I explained to them that I was turning south in about 10 miles to go toward Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point in Africa (where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet). They discussed this news in Xhosa, their native language, and then asked me if they could come with me. Andeline had another daughter who lived on the way to Cape Agulhas in a place called Bredasdorp and they decided they would like to come with me and go visit her instead.

We spent the next hour trying to communicate. Their english was good enough to allow us to exchange basic facts. Through "hit and miss" sentences we told each other our names and information about our families. But it wasn't words that made us quick friends. It was smiles and nods, and then a couple of my songs that I played for them on the cars CD player. Amore kept looking at the CD booklet in the back seat and then looking up at me in the car mirror and smiling. It was a great car ride. As we approached Bredasdorp I asked Andeline if it would be okay if I came with them to her daughters house. I was curious to see what a township was like from within its boundaries. In asking to go in I was ignoring another bold warning in the tourist guide which read DO NOT GO INTO A TOWNSHIP WITHOUT A GUIDE. I was with friends, it was midday and it felt like the right thing to do.

As I opened the car door though I could feel that many eyes were upon me. Unemployment is as high as 60-70% in some areas in South Africa. There were lots of people hanging around in the dirt dooryards or sitting on benches or makeshift chairs outside small houses that were very close together. As I walked toward Aunt Gaily's house, which was about the size of a one car garage, I passed an older women wearing a red sweater and a scarf. She was sitting on a wooden crate beside a barbed wire fence. I smiled at her and said hello. She smiled back. I reached in my backpack and took out an apple I had bought at the market that morning. Fruit is inexpensive because there are abundant orchards and vineyards along the garden route. She took the apple, nodded her head and smiled again. When we got inside the house the old woman began calling out excitedly in Xhosa. When I asked Andeline why the woman was yelling she said, "She's telling the neighbors that this is her lucky day because you gave her an apple" The idea that someone would be this excited and thankful about receiving an apple humbled me and touched me deeply.  Andeline had used a similar expression when speaking to Amore in english about my stopping to pick them up. She had said, "This is our lucky day!"

As I look back on the lessons they taught me that day about humility and gratitude I know that it was my lucky day. I started working on a song of that title, "This is My Lucky Day." I should go back and finish it.

A scene from the Garden Route, Andeline, Amore, and the Lucky Day Lady are shown in the photos.

Life is a journey. I have been blessed to have my journey bring me to many spectacular places and allow me to meet so many marvelous people. Two years ago in September 2005 I traveled to South Africa to visit our daughter Katie who was studying there at the time. That trip brought together many strands that have been spiraling through my life for years -- namely my love of music, writing and stories; my belief that the vast majority of people everywhere are committed to living peacefully and looking for ways to help others; my desire to help create connections among diverse individuals and groups; and my love of nature, travel and new challenges.

That trip led to the starting of the "Bridges of Peace" (BOP) project which has been floating on my mind and the minds of supportive friends and family members since then. Some great steps have been taken by teachers and students in a handful of schools in  NY, CT,  Ukraine,  Holland,  Belgium, Hungary, Spain and South Africa, and hundreds of other teachers and young people have joined Bridges of  Peace  in spirit and  by giving me their email addresses. However the general progress, or lack of progress has been frustrating to me but some amazingly positive things are happening right now that are leading those of us involved to become really excited and energized about the possibilities.

This "blog" ( is that short for bump on a log?) is an attempt to allow anyone who is interested to stay in touch with what's happening. In brief;

1. Teachers in several countries are beginning to establish connections with colleagues and students in other countries to exchange writings, photos and ideas

2. One or two public concerts are being planned that will feature the fabulous South African singing group Thula Sizwe, who are Bridges of Peace supporters. Check them out at www.thulasizwe.com

Concert details will be forthcoming but one show will be in Hillsdale NY Sept 27. Hopeful show #2
will be in Danbury, CT area Oct 24. Not confirmed yet.

3. I am going to South Africa and Namibia from Sept 30 to Oct 14 to visit international schools, government schools and charitable projects that are assisting disadvantaged children. While I am there I expect to make BOP connections with many new schools, teachers and children. This blog will keep you informed.

I know I need to be brief, which is difficult for me, but I'll close entry number one by saying thank you very much for helping me and believing in this dream. I believe it is about to take on a life of it's own that will may lead each of us involved to gain some new understandings about ourselves and others.

I hope you will check the blog when you can as I will be posting entries and photos from Africa. Your students may want to follow my trip on a map or do some research of their own.

Peace and Love Through Words and Music

John