Psychology Professor Art Olguin was captivated by the South African scenery, but it was the inhabitants of the post-apartheid country he was there to observe.

From Feb. 14 to 24, Olguin participated in a professional and cultural exchange with fellow teachers and researchers. A delegation of 36 psychology professors, including Olguin, who is City college’s department chair, toured South African universities.

This meeting of minds was sponsored by the People to People Ambassador Program. The group attended events at the Universities of South Africa, Cape Town and Witwatersrand. Olguin said the highlight of his trip was his visit to the city of Soweto. There he toured the homes of Nelson Mandela and Archbishop Desmond Tutu.

Olguin recalls the scenes of several “shanties” he saw on the way to the city. He said he was struck by “the extremes of wealth and poverty, right next to each other.”

“There are these huge smoke stacks in the hills over the town,” Olguin said. “And they don’t even provide electricity to the village.”

Olguin blamed “institutionalized discrimination” for the fact that many towns are without running water and electricity. He said he was appalled. Olguin was amazed by the presentation of University of Cape Town Professor of Psychology Don Foster who has studied the state of affairs in South Africa postapartheid. The presentation was focused on the discrimination, violence, and health issues that have resulted.

AIDS has ravaged the continent’s adult 20-59 year-old population. The disease has resulted in high orphan and crime rates.

Forty five million people call South Africa home, and 90 percent of that five million are black. That 90 percent of the population controls only ten percent of the land; South Africa is two times the size of Texas. Olguin and the group also took a trip to Kruger National Park, where they learned about the indigenous elephants. Dr. Ian Whyte talked about the overwhelming population of elephants, and the effect it has on the food sources of other animals. Resulting in declining numbers in species.

“Efforts to encourage birth control have not been successful, and the transporting of elephants to other countries is littered with problems,” Olguin said. “Hence, the park has culled the animals by other means, angering animal rights groups.”

“The field of psychology needs to broaden it’s base to other cultures,” said Olguin, who used the experience to take all the notes he could.

Olguin has been teaching psychology classes at City College since 1992. But has been collecting information for years, and plans to publish a psychology textbook in the future.

“Much to know, and no doors in space,” said Olguin. “You can always learn more.”