So it's been a pretty eventful last few days. School is a lot of fun, as always. I am getting to teach more and more of my own lessons to the whole class. I mainly do english reading and spelling. I want to come up with a little thing to teach them about marketing - perhaps make them draw their own advertisement. My class is older than some of the classes that the other volunteers got, so I feel like I can go a little further in teaching and teach them things that I am really interested in so that they can learn a little bit more about me.
Outside of school, we have all been really busy exploring. On Monday we went to Canal Walk, the third largest mall in the entire continent. Some of the stores were pretty cool, and I probably bought a few too many things. I can't help it - it is all so freaking cheap! I have found that when comparing prices and value to the US, international brands like Coke or Nike equate to about the same price regardless of what currency it is in, but brands that are specific to South Africa or Africa as a whole are really cheap compared to how much you would pay for that product in America. I might need to buy a really cheap suitcase to take home extra stuff in that I buy here.
On Tuesday a few of us went to a botanical garden. We didn't make the connection that it's winter here so the garden might not be so beautiful. We still had lots of fun, but it was kind of a grey, dismal day. On Wednesday we climbed Table Mountain. This was probably the best day I've had here so far. None of us had hiked a mountain before, and we were kind of expecting a little more...guidance. There were no maps, no directional signs, no NOTHING. I mean, I wasn't expecting a cheering section and an information booth at the halfway, but at least a few signs every so often saying "Don't worry, you're still going the right way." The only information we did get was from an employee at the bottom of the hill saying "that path is easier, that one over there is harder." Of course we chose the harder one. We all slipped a few times, but none of us fell off the mountain - yay! A few hours later, we were just running around the top of Table Mountain, seeing the beautiful view of Cape Town from above. It was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen. We watched the sunset over the ocean from the top of the mountain and then took a cable car down. My legs were a little sore today, but it was absolutely worth it.
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Week One Update
(These posts are all going to be really long - sorry, I have a lot to say)
So I've been here a little over a week, and I am in love with this country. Working in the school is absolutely amazing. This week I've gotten to do one-on-one reading and spelling lessons with each of the kids, which has been really cool cause it helps me learn their names. The teacher that I work with (Mrs. Wyngaard) said that the kids NEVER get one-on-one help because of the size of the class, so it's really cool that i get to do it. During their free time, some of the kids even come up to me and ask if they can read with me more. Some of these kids have really bright futures ahead of them, if only they were given the same chances as everyone else. I already know that it's going to suck saying goodbye to them. A few kids asked us if we were coming back next year, and I wish I could say yes.
At night we either go into the town (Muizenberg, not Cape Town) and just hang out or stay in the house and just get to know each other more. One night this week we went to a open mic night, which was a cool experience to see some local artists. This weekend was so much fun. On Saturday morning we went biking through wine country, and we stopped at three different places for wine tastings. Then we went into Cape Town for dinner and a little barhopping. We grabbed a hostel in town instead of going back to Muizenberg because we were spending the whole weekend in the city. Sunday morning we woke up bright and early and went to Robben Island. It was AMAZING to be in a place with so much history. (Look it up on Wiki if you don't know what it is - really interesting stuff.) We got a tour of the prison from a former inmate and got to see Nelson Mandela's cell. Then we came back to the mainland and spent some time on the waterfront. We got lunch, went shopping, and enjoyed the street performers. It was an authentic South African boardwalk! At the end of the day we went to church, which was something we were looking forward to experiencing here. It was one of those mega-churches with a lot of people, and it was like a rock concert.
This is seriously the life guys. Volunteering in the morning/early afteroon, then chilling on the beach, and then hanging out with cool people at night, and then on the weekends we get to experience everything that South Africa has to offer. I never want to leave.
So I've been here a little over a week, and I am in love with this country. Working in the school is absolutely amazing. This week I've gotten to do one-on-one reading and spelling lessons with each of the kids, which has been really cool cause it helps me learn their names. The teacher that I work with (Mrs. Wyngaard) said that the kids NEVER get one-on-one help because of the size of the class, so it's really cool that i get to do it. During their free time, some of the kids even come up to me and ask if they can read with me more. Some of these kids have really bright futures ahead of them, if only they were given the same chances as everyone else. I already know that it's going to suck saying goodbye to them. A few kids asked us if we were coming back next year, and I wish I could say yes.
At night we either go into the town (Muizenberg, not Cape Town) and just hang out or stay in the house and just get to know each other more. One night this week we went to a open mic night, which was a cool experience to see some local artists. This weekend was so much fun. On Saturday morning we went biking through wine country, and we stopped at three different places for wine tastings. Then we went into Cape Town for dinner and a little barhopping. We grabbed a hostel in town instead of going back to Muizenberg because we were spending the whole weekend in the city. Sunday morning we woke up bright and early and went to Robben Island. It was AMAZING to be in a place with so much history. (Look it up on Wiki if you don't know what it is - really interesting stuff.) We got a tour of the prison from a former inmate and got to see Nelson Mandela's cell. Then we came back to the mainland and spent some time on the waterfront. We got lunch, went shopping, and enjoyed the street performers. It was an authentic South African boardwalk! At the end of the day we went to church, which was something we were looking forward to experiencing here. It was one of those mega-churches with a lot of people, and it was like a rock concert.
This is seriously the life guys. Volunteering in the morning/early afteroon, then chilling on the beach, and then hanging out with cool people at night, and then on the weekends we get to experience everything that South Africa has to offer. I never want to leave.
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
First Impressions
I don’t even know where to begin. I’ve only been here about three days, and I never want to leave. First things first, my flight was great – KLM treats you really well, feeds you almost every hour (they had gluten free bread on the plane!) As soon as I got to the volunteer house, we were immediately in a cab and on our way downtown. There were about six of us new people and a guy that lives in the house but works for the organization. We grabbed a bite to eat and went to a bar, a great way to get to know each other. On Sunday a few more new people came, and then the rest of the volunteers came home (they were on a safari for the weekend.) In total, there are about 22 of us in a house that should probably only fit a dozen, but everyone is super cool. We are all from different parts of the world, mostly North America and the UK. Only two people came together, so everyone is out here on there own. I already feel like I’ve made some great friends, these people are just all very laid back and great to hang out with. We’ve all said that now when we are travelling, we will have places to stay in Canada, London, New Orleans, Nashville, pretty much anywhere I could go.
On Monday we had our orientation. We learned more about the program and the rules of the house, and then we toured the city. We got to see where to do our grocery shopping, where the bank is, etc. We then went into the township, which is the really poor part of town. I don’t know how to express it in words, it is just something you only think exists in a movie. It is terrible to think that people spend their whole lives in a place like that. The strange thing is, most people seem really happy, and you can have a friendly conversation with anyone on the street. South Africans are very warm hearted people. After that, we got to go to the school that we will be working at. It’s a little nicer than some of the other schools in the area, but still nothing even close to an American elementary school. Finally we went into downtown Cape Town, which was a challenge this time. The train crews are on strike, so it took quite a long time to transfer between several busses and taxis. We went to a market and just walked around, noting where all the cool places to hang out were.
Our house is modest, kind of like a summer surf house, but the atmosphere is that of a house on the Real World. Lots of fun people! Today, (Tuesday,) we had our first day of work. I walk in the room and I am greeted by 40 smiling children standing and saying “Good Morning, teacher!” There is a main teacher that teaches the lessons, but I get to help facilitate. I spent a lot of my time keeping them quiet and walking around the room answering individual questions so that the teacher can continue with the main lesson. When the kids are learning their English, I am able to help a lot, but when the lesson is in Afrikaans, I am completely lost. Recess is officially my favourite part of the day. The four volunteers that were at my school got to be kids again – we played soccer, jumped rope, and gave piggy back rides! The kids are so happy to have somebody new to play with. After recess, my class (6th graders, by the way) was given a 30-minute lesson on Human Trafficking. I sat in the back in a shocked silence. They were taught what it means to be kidnapped and sold into slavery, and how not to fall for the common tricks that strangers use. It was not just your ordinary “don’t take candy from a stranger” talk. It was something that should never have to be taught in a school, but it’s actually probably for the better that these kids know what to look out for.
I feel so guilty being in the school and thinking about all the things I have wasted at school myself. For the same amount of money that I spend on a textbook that I only use once, I could give the kids basic things that they can’t afford like pencils and glue. For glue, the children just have one large bucket that they dip their hands in and then rub on the paper. They then have to spend the next few minutes scraping the glue off of their hands. They don’t have a pencil sharpener, just a small blade that they have to chip at the pencil with, but they cut their fingers in the process. The kids get fed some porridge in the morning, and I am told that for some of these kids, it is their only meal in the day, and that their meal on Friday morning is the last they will have until Monday. And here I was feeling hungry, but I had just eaten breakfast a few hours ago. Within just one day in the school I have already come to appreciate my own schooling so much, and I’m sure that this will go on the more time I spend with the children.
The day ended way too early, so we went to the beach, which is absolutely breathtaking. The views from anywhere in the city are amazing; mountains and beaches within minutes of each other.
Wow, this post was way too long, but I had a lot to say about my first few days. Kudos to you for reading on this far. Everyone that I live with is in love with this country and wants to stay later than they were originally intending to, myself included. Peace out – I’ll try to update again in a few days, but I’m enjoying my time here way too much that it’s hard to find a few minutes to set aside to blog.
On Monday we had our orientation. We learned more about the program and the rules of the house, and then we toured the city. We got to see where to do our grocery shopping, where the bank is, etc. We then went into the township, which is the really poor part of town. I don’t know how to express it in words, it is just something you only think exists in a movie. It is terrible to think that people spend their whole lives in a place like that. The strange thing is, most people seem really happy, and you can have a friendly conversation with anyone on the street. South Africans are very warm hearted people. After that, we got to go to the school that we will be working at. It’s a little nicer than some of the other schools in the area, but still nothing even close to an American elementary school. Finally we went into downtown Cape Town, which was a challenge this time. The train crews are on strike, so it took quite a long time to transfer between several busses and taxis. We went to a market and just walked around, noting where all the cool places to hang out were.
Our house is modest, kind of like a summer surf house, but the atmosphere is that of a house on the Real World. Lots of fun people! Today, (Tuesday,) we had our first day of work. I walk in the room and I am greeted by 40 smiling children standing and saying “Good Morning, teacher!” There is a main teacher that teaches the lessons, but I get to help facilitate. I spent a lot of my time keeping them quiet and walking around the room answering individual questions so that the teacher can continue with the main lesson. When the kids are learning their English, I am able to help a lot, but when the lesson is in Afrikaans, I am completely lost. Recess is officially my favourite part of the day. The four volunteers that were at my school got to be kids again – we played soccer, jumped rope, and gave piggy back rides! The kids are so happy to have somebody new to play with. After recess, my class (6th graders, by the way) was given a 30-minute lesson on Human Trafficking. I sat in the back in a shocked silence. They were taught what it means to be kidnapped and sold into slavery, and how not to fall for the common tricks that strangers use. It was not just your ordinary “don’t take candy from a stranger” talk. It was something that should never have to be taught in a school, but it’s actually probably for the better that these kids know what to look out for.
I feel so guilty being in the school and thinking about all the things I have wasted at school myself. For the same amount of money that I spend on a textbook that I only use once, I could give the kids basic things that they can’t afford like pencils and glue. For glue, the children just have one large bucket that they dip their hands in and then rub on the paper. They then have to spend the next few minutes scraping the glue off of their hands. They don’t have a pencil sharpener, just a small blade that they have to chip at the pencil with, but they cut their fingers in the process. The kids get fed some porridge in the morning, and I am told that for some of these kids, it is their only meal in the day, and that their meal on Friday morning is the last they will have until Monday. And here I was feeling hungry, but I had just eaten breakfast a few hours ago. Within just one day in the school I have already come to appreciate my own schooling so much, and I’m sure that this will go on the more time I spend with the children.
The day ended way too early, so we went to the beach, which is absolutely breathtaking. The views from anywhere in the city are amazing; mountains and beaches within minutes of each other.
Wow, this post was way too long, but I had a lot to say about my first few days. Kudos to you for reading on this far. Everyone that I live with is in love with this country and wants to stay later than they were originally intending to, myself included. Peace out – I’ll try to update again in a few days, but I’m enjoying my time here way too much that it’s hard to find a few minutes to set aside to blog.
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Leaving Syracuse
This is the first post (hopefully of many) of my travel journal for the next seven months. I started this blog because I will be out of communication for upcoming periods of time, but I know that I will want to share my experiences with all of you.
To catch all of you up, here is what I am lucky enough to do in the months to come:
To catch all of you up, here is what I am lucky enough to do in the months to come:
- I am leaving Syracuse tomorrow (May 9th) and I am going home to Michigan for a few days.
- On May 14th, I am leaving for Cape Town, South Africa. I am going to be there a little more than two months serving as a volunteer teacher at an elementary school. I don't know too much else about it, even with all of the reading materials I have been sent, but I am REALLY excited! (I will have very limited internet while I am in Africa)
- I will be back in Michigan from about July 21st - August 17th (ish)
- I will then go to Ireland for 10 days for the "Pale and Beyond" political science/sociology seminar as a kick off to my fall semester
- On August 30th, I will leave Ireland for London, where I will spend the rest of my semester until the middle of December (and I will hopefully be able to experience many other countries while I am in Europe)
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