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In reply to the discussion: Where were you 40 years ago this evening when President Richard M. Nixon resigned? [View all]LibertyLover
(4,788 posts)I wasn't prepared for how apartheid would make me feel. To see signs on restrooms that actually said whites only made me ashamed. I had nothing to do with the policy, but as a 20 year old white woman, I was still ashamed. We were only in Rhodesia for 2 days, but flew up from Jo'burg on an Air Rhodesia plane that their president was also in. South Africa was about the only place he could visit. On our way to Kenya, at the Jo 'burg airport, I got into trouble with the South African police. I had a case of, to put it politely, Mummy Tummy, and needed the rest room badly. Our bus stopped at the terminal and I dashed into the building quickly and located a ladies' restroom. I thought nothing of the fact that there were several women of color in it because heck, if you're from New York City, that's perfectly normal. What I didn't get was the odd looks I was getting. I finished and was washing my hands when one of the women dropped something. She had a baby so I picked it up, handed it to her and said something about what a lovely child she had. When they heard my accent, they all relaxed just a bit. As I exited, there were two cops waiting for me. I was stopped and questioned as to why I had gone into the "nie blanc" restroom. I just sort of looked at them like WTF? and asked what that meant. I could read the Afrikaans, but hearing it spoken I was clueless. Again once they heard my accent things cooled a bit. I had to produce my passport and explain that I was on my way out of their country and had simply needed the restroom or have an accident. I was let go with a stern warning to use the proper facilities. On our way through Customs and Immigration, we were asked how we had liked South Africa. It was lovely I said truthfully. I was asked if I would like to immigrate. I said no, that I would not be interested and apartheid was the reason. My passport was stamped quickly and there were no more pleasantries. I was relieved to leave.