A little less than two months before our departure for South Africa, the country erupted in violence, as immigrant communities were targeted by angry South Africans, identifying the foreigners as a scapegoat for their economic and social vulnerability. Soon, the government established refugee camps to provide protection and temporary housing, as many of the foreigners had seen their homes destroyed and others believed they were in great danger. By the time we arrived in South Africa in late-June, the violence had died down, but the camps and the sense of vulnerability remained.