Wonderful adventures today at the Lion Park in Gauteng and on safari at Pilanesberg National Park. Pilanesberg was about a two hour drive from Johannesburg. We saw lions, cheetahs, wild dogs, jackals, giraffes, elephants, hippos, rhinos, ostriches, wildebeests, springboks, waterbucks, and more! Our guide, Peter, did talk about the serious problem of poaching, which threatens animals like the rhino. On the way to Pilanesberg we saw evidence of the platinum mines in the area, where there has been significant labor unrest and challenges for the rural poor. Witnessing the majesty of the natural world was incredible! However, moving beyond the confines of Sandton (where our hotel is located and referred to as "Africa's richest square mile") provided an introduction to some of the social and economic ills that plague post-apartheid South Africa. That many of these problems have their roots in colonialism and apartheid cannot be denied. Exploring that past with students is a critical part of understanding current issues. Toward that end, Lebagong's students will be visiting the Apartheid Museum in September and will share their reactions with my world history students. We'll use that as a springboard for our own investigations. Hopefully this will be the beginning of some fruitful exchanges between our students. Some pictures from today: