Seal Island

On a lighter note, yesterday I took a trip to seal island. For those of you who do not religiously watch shark week like I do, seal island is famous for great white sharks that fly out of the air. It was quite an experience, I only saw one breach (when they fly out of the water) but then we chummed the water with fish guts to attract the sharks up to the boat. I am in awe of how big these things are. You defiantly couldn't get your arms around it if you wanted to give it a hug.

I have too much...

After two weeks of living a simple lifestyle and working everyday in the township I know see the extreme difference between the upper and lower class. Last night I was able to use the internet, take a steaming hot shower and watch tv in a huge hotel. Not only did I have heat in my room but a fluffy down comforter to wrap myself in. I ate at a delicious thai restaurant overlooking the harbor as a pink glow beamed against Table Mountain with the setting sun. I couldn’t help it, all I could think about was the children at the orphanage playing with their handy-down donated toys. Here I was sitting in what could easily have been a picture straight out of a Cape Town calendar, just 45 min from their home and they have experienced nothing of the sort. Witnessing the World Cup in their home country is a once in a lifetime experience yet they will not even get to watch a game on tv. I have the world at my finger tips and they have yet to leave their neighborhood of shacks. I know there is not much I can do about it. I don’t know if I will ever witness a changed world but I do know that the time I have spent with these children will forever be imprinted in my heart and whenever I am feeling greedy I pray that I will be reminded of them and how much more the world has offered me.

Simplicity

The past few days have been more then wonderful. My lesson plans are becoming more intricate and my class seems to be really enjoying the activities I have planned. I have also become extremely attached to the children at the orphanage and its heartbreaking to think I will be leaving them in two days. My life here the past two weeks has been a different experience then I could have imagined. Simple is the only word that comes to mind. At the apartment we have an ancient TV, and when I say ancient I mean it. The thing has two antennas which serve no purpose because the only two stations we get are always fuzzy. The TV has only been used twice since I have been here. There is no internet unless you want to take a ten dollar cab ride to a mall. Without the distractions of a cell phone, TV or internet access, activities used to pass the time are simple. Everyone is either reading or journaling at night after we finish our lesson plans. I don’t know about other peoples’ houses but this never happens at my house. Most of the time I’ll watch TV with my computer on my lap. Right now there is nothing better then taking a shower and slipping into bed with my book, I am going to make an effort when I return to America to read every night. Food in the apartment is also more then simple, if that is even possible. We have yet to discover if South Africans use salt and pepper. Bread, pasta and peanut butter are the three main food groups in the kitchen. Grocery shopping happens once a week therefore on Monday and Tuesday there are bananas and apples but they only seem to last until about mid Wednesday (I am guilty of taking a few bananas and hoarding them all week). A simple breakfast of toast, a peanut butter sandwich for lunch and pasta for dinner. Extremely simple compared to my normal meals. But more so then just my life at the apartment, I witness the daily lives of the children at the orphanage. They have one TV which is rarely turned on, only on special occasions I believe. There are no mirrors, no electronics and defiantly no electronic toys. I am almost positive the kids have never seen a gameboy or a wii before. It is fascinating to see how they entertain themselves and the different perspective they have when it comes to fun. My five and three year old cousins were glued to the television and their new cell phone walky-talkies the last time I visited them. It is really something to witness how they entertain themselves without the luxuries American have become so accustomed too…

Changing the World

I have always said my biggest ambition in life is to help change the world. I figured my time here volunteering in Cape Town is a small step towards that. It seemed as if I were going to change the lives of the children at the orphanage and really make an impact. I was absolutely wrong. I was fooling myself to think I was here for them. Who I am truly impacting is myself. I am here for a few short weeks and yes, I may have taught Timla how to write her name and Lwando knows to say “sorry teacher” when I give him the eye but my time here with the children is a grain of sand in the middle of the atlantic. When I leave their lives will continue to be the same. They will continue to share clothes with 20 other kids and eat frozen chicken heart with a piece of bread for dinner for five days in a row. But I will forever remember them. They are the ones who will truly change my life and they way I view everyday things I take for granted. Is it fair that I shop at Whole Foods for my organic produce while the only fresh produce the children eat is cooked carrots they get in their stew every once in awhile? Is it fair that I buy an excess amount of dresses just because I want them while the only new dresses the girls at the orphanage get are too big used t-shirts someone donated? In all honesty will I stop paying more money for food just because it says “organic”, probably not. Although this is my realization. I personally may not be able to change the world but if more and more people experience what I have been experiencing the past week, then the children would be the ones who are helping to change the world. They have the power to show us just how lucky and fortunate we are to have the opportunities we have. They would be the ones to remind us what is truly important and this could start a chain reaction of thoughts which could lead to actions and then we could ALL help to change the world together.

Day 5

Start of the World Cup

Day 5 June 11th
Vuvuzelas (I think that is how you spell it) are a staple at a soccer match in South Africa and all I have heard for the past few days. Constant blowing of these trumpet looking horns. Pulling up to the orphanage on Friday all I saw were red vuvuzelas parading around the yard. The children had been given vuvuzelas for the celebration of the world cup. Fridays lessons were dedicated to the world cup and getting ready for our parade we had planned for later in the day. For my kids we made hats and painted noodle necklaces with the South African colors. This was quite a process because “threading” skills are not something they have acquired yet. We also made a banner to hold up. I decided that the kids could paint their hands and make handprints on the banner. They loved everything about this. Painting their hands, pressing their hands down and licking the paint from their hands. I have yet to find something that the kids wont put in their mouth. Nevertheless, I think my class looked the best for our parade throughout the township. Volunteers are normally never allowed to walk in the township but of course the world cup is a special occasion so we were allowed to for the parade. This was an absolutely breath taking experience for me and the children. The kids are also not allowed to leave the orphanage except for church on some occasions. The kids were wide-eyed and didn’t know what to think. My class who I can never calm down didn’t make a peep and wouldn’t let go of my hand, which is a first. Slowly as the shock wore off the vuvuzelas started to sound. For most of the kids the vuvuzelas, which are about two feet long, are more then have the size of the children. To see them hold/ drag these things along is hilarious. We proceeded to walk around the township and onto the main road and back.

I later came into Cape Town for the opening ceremony and the first game. Pure madness. People everywhere, on top of cars, hanging out of windows and packed into every bar in site. Long street during world cup is apparently equivalent to that famous street in New Orleans during Marti Gra. We ended up in a bar called Mama Africas for the South Africa and Mexico game. Again pure madness. I almost went deaf when SA scored their first goal due to the vuvuzelas blown less then an inch away from my ear. The atmosphere is magical. Capetown has been more then welcoming. I had a man at the bar ask me if I was scared coming to South Africa because of the media hype about safety. I told him I was a bit skeptical but obviously it was not going to stop me from coming. He proceed to tell me that he understands it is a big city and things happen but South Africa wants to share their country and their story with the world. I am about to watch the England US game with some Americans, a girl from England and a couple of Kiwis.

Day 3 & 4

Day 3 & 4
The past two days have been my first two days of teaching. I have up until this point never understood why anyone would want to be a teacher. I now realize the how the one tiny glimpse of promise can outshine all of the naughty chairs, no-no-nos and what the heck are you doings?! This morning was difficult. The physical activity I had planned for the children was an obstacle course which included a balancing section, throwing section, a jumping section and ending with a grand finale of sliding down the elephants trunk, the slide on the play ground. I excitedly anticipated watching this relay race because this obstacle course included everything I loved as a child. I could be entertained for hours seeing how many jumps I could get in a row or showing my dad how I could catch a football. My kids were so uninterested they didn’t even participate. This crushed my confidence after losing their attention and the upper hand. Never the less the light at the end of the tunnel came with my one on one time with each kid. It is apparent that the lack of individual time the children have effects their behavior and creates the outrageous acts to grab attention. When I was able to sit down with each of my kids and carefully watch and help them spell and write their names I felt a sense of accomplishment that I have never fully experienced before. Of course I have felt accomplished when I receive and A on a paper or completed a goal I have set for myself. But never have a felt such an emotion of joy brought on by the smallest child by their tiny little half moon smile. I completely get it. The small indication you are connecting with the children is what drives each and every ounce of energy used to put on a happy face when things aren’t going the way you planned.

Cape Town

Day 1 & 2: June 6th, 7th

Holy moly I am in South Africa! Honestly it still has not hit me yet, I think I am still in a state of shock. Yesterday I had only slept one hour on the red eye from London to Joeburg and due to my sleep deprivation I was not acting like a normal, functioning human being. (AKA No one was home.) Cape Town itself does not look anything like I thought it would look like. Obviously I pictured a desert with zebras eating grass and antelope prancing around a waterhole with a huge elephant waving it’s trunk. Cape Town, from what I have seen looks like it could fit right in America, nothing too out of the ordinary. Except for the townships, where I will be working. Driving out of the airport all along the highway is a township with an estimated 2 million people living in it. This is also where the orphanage I will be working in is. They literally are living in shacks. It was quite shocking driving by and I have yet to even go in. More about the townships to come after I go tomorrow.
I was dropped off at the flat I will be living in for the next two weeks. Typical apartment three rooms, a kitchen, living room and two bathrooms. We overlook a picturesque harbor to the south and have a stunning mountain range to the north. I don’t really remember anything else that happened on the first day because everything went right over my head, like I said (No one was home.) I went to bed at around eight o’clock while everyone else went out for drinks, typical Allyson right?
Today was training day and information overload. I found out I will be teaching 3-4 year olds for the two weeks and I am told they are the hardest bunch to teach. Wonderful. I have no teaching experience except for throwing some tennis balls at kid’s rackets and hoping they bounce off the strings. This should be interesting. Our themes for the rest of the month is teaching about plants and grow. Later on in the week I am dressing up like a flower, I can’t wait for that. Seriously. We also attempted learned some of their language today, it is call xshosa. The x is a clicking sound. OMG they actually click, so cool! We learned to say hi, good morning, what is your name etc. My favorite word is ndiyavuyaukubona which is glad to see you. Not to say I am an expert after my 30 min. lesson on xshosa but I think it is a lot easier then Chinese because you can sound out the word. What a concept!
Elle, you will be proud to know I cried yesterday. This may be one of hardest things I have challenged myself with. I am halfway around the world and I am living with people I have met for a few hours. I am completely out of my element. To be honest I said to myself, “What were you thinking?” But the more I hear about the children and the more I realized the type of impact I am capable of I feel more confident and like I might survive these too weeks.