.: May 2013

When I met Kathleen Hohl (the Communications and Events Director for MATC) at the Ambassador award’s dinner we quickly realized we had a mutual friend. Jill, one of the college librarians, who I had become friendly with after meeting her at an ISO (International Student Organization) meeting where she was the advisor, had told Kathleen about me. Jill had mentioned that she heard the Consul General from South Africa (who is based in Chicago) was coming to MATC and that she knew a South African student that would probably want to meet her. Kathleen who had arranged most of her trip was quick to invite me to meet her.

I showed up ready to sit back in the wings and listen and take notes. I was also writing a story for the paper about Consul General Tulelo’s visit which would be in celebration of Freedom Day in South Africa. Vuyiswa (The Consul General, or as most affectionately named her CG) walked in and Kathleen introduced the whole room to her. She immediately started quizzing me about my background and which part of SA I was from. She is an honourary KZN (Kwa-Zulu Natal – the province I’m from) girl, so we immediately bonded over warm weather and wonderful people.

Big hugs

Kathleen is standing next to me

Finally someone pulled us out of our conversation since CG had to do an interview for the cameras. Afterwards we headed to the auditorium where she was giving a speech about the new South Africa, asking people to re-invest in South Africa and just a little about herself.

During her speech

It's great to be around South Africans :)

After the talk she approached me (only) and invited me to the fancy dinner they were having that night. I accepted graciously then snuck off to find Kathleen and let her know my dilemma. "So I know I cannot refuse an offer like that, but I did have accounting class that night…so what do I do?" Kathleen replied it’s one class – no big deal, and that she would email my instructor. Well, yes it was just one class, but I had missed the previous week being at the Ambassador award’s ceremony in Madison. She told me she would sort it out. Which she helped me to do. Luckily I don’t have a habit of missing class so my teacher understood. (Oh, and I got an A in Accounting, just so you don’t worry too much about me.)

We then headed off to lunch, no big deal, the president of MATC, the CG of South Africa, her assistant, and other wonderful people and me, oh wait and her security guard (a Milwaukee Policeman.) Lunch was great!

CG Tulelo and I

That night I rubbed shoulders with some big shots in Milwaukee, I even saw the mayor of Milwaukee. Who, of course, I didn’t recognize until he went up to speak. I also got to hear my national anthem which I sang every word of. I had a man and his wife approach me afterwards and tell me they saw me singing all the words and thought it was wonderful that I am so proud of my country. Love it! I also made the South African consulate website (see below) Basically my night was amazing! I also meet a South African lady who is married to an American. Her and I then figured out that she also knows the crowd that was at the Parlotones the other night. She informed me they are having a Potjie weekend of sort right here in Milwaukee in August! Guess I have plans in August now.