Coming home

It has been almost a month now since I returned from South Africa.

My last day in Underberg was very emotional with lots of hugs and crying. I will look back on my time away with such fondness and love. It really was so special

I came home at the end of May and I'm now feeling settled back into the routine of being at home. It was quite hard during the first few days of being back with reverse culture shock and the different lifestyle, but everything's good now and I feel relaxed.

Driving to Perth from Edinburgh airport felt so surreal! Everything was so tidy and green and well... first world! I remember feeling such a jumble of emotions all at the one time. It was quite surreal.

Since being back home I would be lying if I said I hadn't changed as a person. It seems cheesy to say it but I really, really have benefited from my time away in South Africa looking after some amazing children. I know for one thing that I feel so much more focused on my life in general/career path which is fantastic and something that I've never felt before! I am so excited to start University in September in Aberdeen. I also feel like my self confidence has grown a lot, and my independence. All the typical things you gain from a year away. I'm so proud of myself.

Would just like to take some time to say, again, a massive thank you to everyone who helped me fundraise for my time away in South Africa. It really wouldn't have been possible without your help. Thank you.

Here's a video of my last night with the kids. Sibonga did a rap for me!!

 

 

Salagahle



April Fools!

Sanbonan everyone! April has come and gone... So quickly. I have really really enjoyed April and I still have so much to look forward too!

The girls and I have started a less serious version of 'Come Dine With Me' every weekend. We take it in turns to cook a meal for each other, it's really nice. It's my turn tomorrow night. The pressure's on!

A few weeks ago, I had an outbreak of spots of my face. Now, as this doesn't usually happen, the kids wondered what on earth had happened to my face. When I was putting the boys to bed, Wandile said "Iona, what has happened to your face..?". I replied with, "Well, the thing is, at the weekend these aliens came over to the Hostel..... and then I just got these spots!". I waited for them all to laugh at me and tell me how funny I was but instead all the boys were like "What!? - deep shock - NO?" I said "No, no! I'm kidding!!" Heheheh, too cute.

At the beginning of April, I started going to a ladies house called Sister Abigail for a few hours in the morning. Sister Abigail is known by mostly everyone in Underberg. She is a wonderful woman who has devoted her life to helping others and works hard to provide the best life for her adopted children. Sister Abigail did not have an easy start to life having been born into abject poverty. She only started education when she was about 13 years old as her father’s culture was against girls going to school. From a very early age, Abigail had a very strong urge to help people and to become independent. She had to go to her village chief and ask him to coax her father into letting her start school! Sister Abigail lives her life with the Zulu phrase ‘Ubuntu’ constantly in mind. Ubuntu means to live life with not only your self in mind but everyone else too. Sister Abigail has a book called ‘Empty Hands’. In it, she says that “Ubuntu is not a moral obligation; rather, it’s a natural sense that we are all in this together, a sense of belonging to a community, that by doing for others, you help yourself”. What a beautiful way to look at life I think. After finishing High School at the age of 28 Abigail went to Pietermaritzburg to do a nursing course. She was now able to live her dream! At the age of 80, Abigail has spent her life helping her community. She is such an inspiration to me.

I have been going to Sister Abigail’s house in the late mornings to help her pick up the children from pre-primary. Abigail picks up a few other children as well as her own little girl and drops them off at their homes which is very kind. She has one little girl who goes to pre-primary and her name is Xoliswa. She has a condition where she has very little muscle structure and so has to be in a wheelchair. She does not have very much strength in her body at all. I help out by entertaining Xoliswa and doing stretches and exercises with her to work towards making her stronger. Sister Abigail has adopted and fostered about 28 children altogether, some of whom are grandparents themselves! Some of the children have had horrific backgrounds.. It’s very sad to hear some of their stories. I like going over to Sister Abigail’s house and teaching the kids new games to play. It’s really special to see them smiling and laughing. The first day I went to Abigail’s house she took me to the low cost housing to meet some of the people she helps. One of the shacks we went to was home to about four generations of a family! The great grandfather had lost ten children to Aids and was only left with three. It’s very sad. I really enjoy being in the company of Sister Abigail and her family. Everything is sooo chilled. African style. 

Here's a picture of me and the kids. Xoliswa is to the right of me.

A very big highlight of April was about two weeks ago. Jess managed to get four free tickets to Underberg's yearly music festival Splashy Fen!!! Situated literally in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by a stunning landscape, Splashy Fen's chilled atmosphere and hippie music was brilliant.

For Easter, Jess, Beth and I hid lots of Easter eggs for the kids around the Hostel. They were so mad about finding the eggs, it was very funny! I also hid some Easter eggs for the Grade 1 Mastery class. I will never forget the moment when I saw them from the window sprinting down to the area where I'd hidden them with their little baskets. At one point a little girl shouted "I just saw the shadow of the Easter bunny!!!! This way!!!" and everyone else running in her direction.

Here's a picture of us all at Lauren and her family's braai. The famous five. 

Here's a little excerpt from my diary.

'16th April 2014. Today ten teachers weren't at school today because they were protesting outside the Department of Education. Some of them haven't been paid for over 8 months! Shocking...  So, all the kids watched a movie called Robots. It was SUCH a good movie.'

On Sunday the 27th Jess and I went to the Northern Drakensberg for four days. It was the best four days I think I've ever had! On Monday we hiked up the Ampitheatre to Tugela Falls. The hike itself was such an adventure and the views outstanding. I was very proud of myself to complete the hike as well as I did because I have not been active for the past few months at all after coming out of hospital. This hike showed me I can do anything if I put my mind to it! On Tuesday we went for a four hour horse ride through the mountains..

Here's some pictures of the hike. 

The horse ride

Visiting a Sangoma during the horse ride

At the backpackers

Only one month to go now! I really have had the time of my life.

Autumn leaves

As we fall into Autumn in Underberg, the mornings are becoming chillier and there's not so much rain. I'm wearing my sandals and skirts less and less, and my converses and jeans more and more! Feeling more and more like Britain everyday. Except not really because the sun shines here. (Haha...)

Our partner Katie left for Cape Town at the end of February to volunteer at Durbanville Children's Home. It was sad to say goodbye and our bedroom is looking a lot emptier now, but she is enjoying herself more now, so we're all happy for her. 

Here's us all + Blackster the cat in the kitchen 

At the end of February I decided that I was going to stop volunteering at Reichenau primary school. In my last blog post, I described what working there involves. I was finding it very difficult to volunteer there for various reasons, but I am very glad I had the chance to do it for a little while. I am very glad I tried it out. It was an experience I will never forget. 

Last weekend Jess, Megan and I went on a little day trip around Underberg. We went to the Cheesery and Kenmo Lake. It was a lovely day! I bought some cheese called 'Underberg cheese'. How original! Tastes good. 

As you all know, a few weeks ago was Valentines Day. Underberg Primary School (and I think the rest of South Africa) celebrate it big time. To raise money for the Hostel, there was a Valentines pool party for the senior primary. Katie and I made love heart decorations for the event. The kitchen also made love heart chocolates to sell at school and the art department went crazy on paper love hearts! I think it's nice to not just think about Valentines day as a day that you spend with a boyfriend or partner. (Or to be depressed that you don't have one). It's a day to love your family and friends too, to celebrate love! That's what I love about being here. The Hostel children are so loving and they all genuinely care about each other. 

The other night the junior primary had a barn dance. When the kids came back after it, I heard kids running down the passage to the girls dorm. Khaye had been chasing Janine down the hallway demanding a goodnight kiss from her!! Khaye's been in love with Janine ever since I arrived, at the age of 9 and three quarters. It's only been quite recently that he's started to openly express himself to her. (I think she secretly likes him too, but she won't admit it). 

I've really started to enjoy being here in South Africa, more so than I had before. It's nice for life here to just flow easily and not have to be stressed or upset about anything. I've set myself some goals for the last few months and a happier attitude and mindset really helps. Beth and I have recently started up a drama club on Wednesdays which we are really enjoying. 

Whilst being here, I have discovered that I really do have a Gluten Intolerance. For the past few weeks I have taken wheat and gluten out of my diet. Last week I had a bit of bread and a small muffin. On Friday I definitely paid for it.. Won't go into detail, but it was the most horrifically painful thing I think I have ever experienced! 

I have decided to go home a little earlier than August. Main reasons being that I decided, whilst in South Africa to go to University this September instead of in 2015. So, I'd like to go home just that little bit earlier so I can save some money and finish getting my drivers license. It will be hard to leave earlier than planned but I know it will benefit me in the long run. Looking forward to my departure date will enable me to push myself and have the best last few months.

Last Monday Jess and I accompanied the grade 5's to their teachers farm for the night. On the farm there are guest 'hut' summer houses that we were going to sleep in for the night. Jess and I got our own seperate hut with en-suite bathroom. It was like a mini holiday for us! On Monday we went to Marutswa Forest Reserve. We walked through the forest in hope of sighting some parrots or other wildlife. We didn't see much but the view on the other side was beautiful! As we were walking back the sky was getting darker and darker... and then it chucked it down! The heaviest rain I have seen is in South Africa.. It's actually pretty amazing to watch it (in shelter). In the evening we played Bingo. The first two rounds the same card won twice!! How strange! Thankfully the card had been swapped with someone else so someone else could win, haha. The next day everyone got the chance to milk a cow. I, myself, was quite the expert I must say. Here, the farmers don't have machines to milk the cows so it's all done by hand. A much better way to do it I think! Gives people jobs.

Here is the view of us sitting by the pool soaking up the sun and a picture of the sun peeking through the trees.

I am reading a book just now which I'm sure most of you will have heard of called Eat, Pray, Love. It was made into a film a few years ago. The lady in the book is on a voyage of  'self discovery' as she travels around Italy, India and Indonesia. I feel enlightened, inspired and joyful reading this book. When she is in India, she chants while meditating; 'Om Namah Shivaya' which translates into 'I honor the divinity that resides within me'. Thought this was really special and uplifting and is making me think more about the importance of self love and meditation. 

I've recently started horse riding!!! So happy to get back on the saddle. 

Until my next blog

Live, laugh, love

Holidays, hospitals and hectic happiness

Happy New Year! I hope you have all had a lovely winter break.

Well, I'm back from holiday now, and a lot has happened! Jess and I had a wonderful time travelling down to Cape Town and back. We did lots of things including: 2 hour surfing lesson at Coffee Bay for 3 pounds 50, adventuring through the Cango Caves in Oudtschoorn and stroking a Bengal tiger cub, Sea kayaking in Plettenberg, visiting the whale museum in Hermanus (didn't expect it to be so interesting!), and of course spending Christmas and New Year in Cape Town. In Cape Town we went on the Cape Peninsula tour and Wine Tour as well as watching the sun set on Table Mountain and scrambling up Lions Head.

We travelled by Baz Bus which drops you off right by your backpackers. If you're ever going to travel down the Wild Coast/Garden Route, I recommend you use a book called 'Coast to Coast'. It's the perfect book to organise your trip.

A few highlights

The Cango Caves are definitely worth visiting if you're near Cape Town. They're in a place called Outdschoorn which is a few hours outside. I completely underestimated the 'Adventure' part of the tour. You are literally squeezing, crawling, scrambling and sliding through the cave. It was so fun! We also saw some Bushmen Paintings in the caves which were very, very old.

After the Cango Caves, we went to a wildlife park where we got the chance to stroke the Bengal tiger cubs 

Christmas Day was spectacular. Long Street backpackers organised a trip to Devils Peek Cave. We each had to make our own meal and bring it with us. I made chicken stir fry.. it was so good.. We spent a few hours partying and admiring the beautiful view. My first very, very hot Christmas and hopefully not my last! 

In Cape Town, Jess and I went on a wine tour.. We visited the local wine farms surrounding Cape Town and learnt how wine is made. My favourite wine is sweet wine and dessert wine. I really don't like dry wine at all! The surrounding areas of the wine farms were again, absolutely stunning. It was like being in paradise. The highlight of the wine tour was when we were at our last wine farm and there was a cheese tasting table.. Wine in one hand and cheese in the other.. Perfection. 

Opposite our backpackers in Cape Town was a restaurant called Mama Africa. In there, they play live African music and serve awesome food. You can get delicacies like crocodile, ostrich, kudu, wild boar and springbuck!  I had ostrich kebabs. Delicious!

In Port Elizabeth we went on a full day Safari! First we went to Addo which is an Elephant Park. There, we got up close and personal with them, it was fantastic. After lunch we went to Schotia which has lions, wildebeest, antelopes, springbuck, rhinos, hippos, warthogs, giraffes and ostrich's! After our tour we had a traditional 'all you can eat' African meal in a big hut beside the animals. When we finished dinner we came back out to the truck at the perfect time. The saw the hippos come out of the water! 

Jess and I met up with a few friends to hike up Lions Head together. Some parts were so steep and the boulders were massive! The view from the top was mad.. we all sat on a rock at the edge and took pictures! Although we didn't see the sunset, the moving mist was just as exciting. One minute all you can see is white, and then the next minute you can see the whole of Cape Town down below. 

On New Years Day me and some of the other PT volunteers took the cable car up Table Mountain to watch the sunset. The mist was rolling down the mountain on the other side as you can see from the first picture. I was literally in awe.. it was so amazing. 

In the last backpackers we stayed in, we had a lovely conversation with one of the parrots that lived there.

After this wonderful holiday, I then spent an extra week with my South African friend Nicky who I met at home as she moved to Scotland last February for her Gap Year. We had a great few days together meeting up with her friends and going to a water park. 

While I was with her, I got quite ill and had to go to hospital. When we got there, I was very dehydrated and needed water. Unfortunately, they wouldn't allow me to drink the tap water and had run out of bottled water.. It was a bit crazy, but eventually a doctor arrived and they could put me on the drip. As soon as he arrived, about four nurses were around me sticking needles in my arms and telling me that 'everything was going to be alright'. After the drugs had kicked in and I was feeling dreamy, he diagnosed me with Gastroenteritis and said I'd have to stay overnight so they could give me a good dosage of antibiotics to get rid of it. They said that the water around the coast was not safe at the moment and that I'd probably caught something from drinking water from the tap.    

I'm fine now, just drinking bottled water from now on! 

1st of February 2014

I've been back at my project for a week and a half now. A lot of things have changed! Some children haven't come back to Hostel this year and the grade 7's have gone up to high school, so we now have fewer children. 

Before we got off for the Christmas holidays, I was really hoping that I could get involved in a Secondary Project in the local free-school called Reichenau Mission. Thankfully, everything has worked out and I am now able to join the current volunteer there, Anna, and teach with her. Reichenau is a primary school 20 minutes outside of Underberg. The school needs a lot of help with teaching as there is currently only one teacher teaching grade 4-7 until the new teacher comes, which could be months. (Africa time!). My first day there was last Friday. I got up at 5.50am in the morning to be ready for 6.40am to catch the Clouds of Hope bus there. Most of the Clouds of Hope children go to to Reichenau Mission (Clouds of Hope is an orphanage). 

When I arrived at around 7am, I waited at the school with the children for school to start and for the teachers to arrive. Sister Wanda, the senior primary teacher, greeted me when she came out of the church and briefed me on what she would like me to teach and with what grades. Then all the children lined up outside for assembly and sang a few songs in Zulu and prayed. The kids have really beautiful voices, it's so refreshing to hear it before a busy day at school starts.

I walked into the classroom that I was going to be teaching in and was pretty shocked at what I saw. There were no lights, there was smashed windows, broken chairs and desks.. and no teachers desk or chair. Before I could even panic, Sister Wanda said something in Zulu to the some of the children and they rushed out of the classroom. Some boys got a desk and a chair for me, children were sweeping, tidying, emptying cupboards and putting things back in, dusting, and rearranging all the furniture! My first class was grade 4 and 5 and I did English with them. I don't know why, but I wasn't nervous.. I think I was on autopilot because it was so intense! They behaved very well for me... because it was my first day! At 10am we had lunch. They only have one break a day, and it's from 10am - 10.45am. School starts at 8 and ends at 2 and Friday is a half day. Teaching is very full on! 

On Monday I started teaching with Anna as she had been ill on my first day, it  was a lot easier and more enjoyable. Anna is teaching Maths and Social Science and I'm teaching Life Skills and Arts and Culture. We take it in turns to teach English. We get given the subject textbooks and we prepare lessons for the week ahead. We don't need to do that much planning however, as the books are good. 

The children's behaviour varies each day.. Some days they can be pleasant and do their work quietly, but other days (most days) it is chaotic. Corporal punishment is used in the school, so disciplining the kids is hard for us as we are not prepared to physically punish them. The effect of that though, is that verbal punishment is ineffective. We just teach the kids who work hard and try to ignore the naughty ones! It's tough, but I'm enjoying it.

One of the things that I didn't like when I first started and have now gotten used to is the fact that the children are constantly fighting with each other and sometimes even with sticks and furniture as weapons. The Zulu culture is very different, so the teachers don't bat an eyelid. Most of the time, the fighting is harmless - the people who are fighting are usually friends.. it's just what they do for fun, I guess. 

However, some of the children's pasts have been pretty horrendous (as about 40% of the children are orphans), so the fighting isn't always 'soft play'.  Some children in grade 6/7 think that it is their job to get the grade 1/2's to do whatever they want, and play by their rules. They use belts or thin branches to whip the younger ones. It's sad because little can be done about it. Anna and I aren't always there to stop them in the act, and the teachers don't do much about it except hit the kids who hit the little ones. 

Anna and I just do the best we can with what we have: our brains, our love and our commitment. The benefits of the children we manage to reach and teach will be enormous, and that's what it's all about. Making a positive impact on the children. 

...Hallelujah!

Most used phrase on holiday:

"This is CRAZY!" (used in the good way).

Zulu phrase:

Ah, wena - Oh, you 

Peace and Love