Infinite Smallness

As I was sitting in Frankfurt airport in Germany watching members of virtually every country, race, creed and color I am struck by how unbelievably small this world is. I don’t know about others but personally I feel that so many things that happen in the world see so far away. Middle East, Asia, Africa places I look up on maps and see as a whole world away, is only a flight away. These planes, it is remarkable to think we have not had more worldwide epidemics, we share the same air and the same germs. We are so much more tightly integrated and mixed than sometimes we let ourselves believe.

So with a total of 42 straight hours of travel I landed in beautiful Johannesburg, South Africa. You will all be pleased to know that not a single event happened on my flight down although I must confess the entertainment systems on South African airlines was fantastic. Every seat had its own tv with a hard drive filled with a dozen movies, TV shows, and interactive games. One needed only to select their choice at any time and enjoy personalized entertainment for the entire 10 hour flight. The even took it one step further and added webcams to the tail wing overlooking the entire top of the plane, a nose cam and a downward facing cam that anyone could watch from their seats to see scenery even if the window shades are pulled or they are stuck in the middle sections. Truly redefining a new way of entertaining people while stuck in a silver tube for 10+ straight hours. Maybe I was only a little bitter when I had the distinct joy of sitting next to a 300+ pound individual who squeezed into a middle seat. Unfortunately the arm rest would not rest, in fact it was stuck to his stomach and rose and fell with each breath he took. His legs would physically not fit in the aisle between rows and thus he had to sit spread eagle shoving a foot to each side brutally intruding on the precious foot space of his neighbors. But to top it off this fine gentleman snored through much of the night, only stopping to go to the bathroom at the perfect moment when I had just drifted off to a pleasant sleep. Lest you think I am complaining I am writing this entry from a wonderful Intercontinental hotel in South Africa. How many times in my life am I going to be able to say that? I am lucky and privileged and maybe only a little bit tired.

But I have to confess I do feel slightly ill-at ease. South Africa has a pretty intense history over the past couple of decades with wounds that do not heal easily. So I feel more than slightly uncomfortable when I see nothing but blacks behind the counter and the only white employee being the manager. I find it to be more than a little unsettling when I walk down the slightly narrow hallways of the hotel than any black employee will hug the wall with their face flat against that same wall to allow me to pass. Maybe I am just more sensitive because I do not live here, but coming from the US where race is a major issue although it has become more of an undercurrent than a major conversation topic. I look forward to spending my next few days as I travel around the city giving talks to see what it looks like outside the 5 star hotels and restaurants even though I am sure my hosts will be taking me to protected areas, I wonder how much bad blood still exists.

As for me, I am about to hit dinner and then collapse in much needed sleep. I was thankfully able to shower in Frankfurt airport (a luxury my frequent flyer status provided) but nothing can compare to a clean, quiet, smoke free bed tonight. More on this to follow including pictures.