Growing up in Durban and going on Holiday to Europe

In the chapter, Growing up in Durban and going on Holiday to Europe, Sheritha Grindlay shows how problematic she is for most South Africans trying to place her ‘racially’. Born in South Africa, Sheritha’s mum is Indian and her dad white. She writes about how alienating the fixation on racial categorisation in South Africa has been for. This is because, growing up, she didn’t fit into any of the categories. She writes about how she feels most at ease publicly when she is with her sister since, with her, she does not stand out. In the second part, she reflects on her experiences of a recent holiday in Europe, especially the relief of not being noticed and stared at for looking ‘racially’ different. Her experiences caused her to consider further Durban's social and ‘racial’ dynamics.

Reference:
Grindlay, Sheritha. 'Growing up in Durban and going on Holiday to Europe', in Rob Pattman and Sultan Khan (Eds.), Undressing Durban (Durban: Madiba Press, 2007), pp. 88-91.