Last Week in South Africa

Hi Family and Friends,

This is the first picture Tristan ever drew of himself!

It has been just what I expected: "A week of good-byes, kind words, smiles, tears, hugs, laughter and gifts. Words fail, so here is the week in review with pictures:

He just learned to read the word '"it" and look at that smile!

Sweet moment with my two 'pals...Wiggle and Giggle!'

Party time!!

A good-bye song from my 2nd graders...Life is a Rainbow of Colors( which I recorded)

This parenting grandmother gave me her heart!

Somebody read really well ... the influence of stickers is still high!

A couple of my little friends not quite sure about my leaving!

My last tutoring session with the high schoolers!

These 3 little gals wanted me to take them home!

Feeling the love!

Caught in the act!!

Why is someone always under a desk!? My big farewell from the 3rd grade at Christian David School.....unforgettable they are!

Love to all, as I say good-bye to South Africa, I leave with many new friends from Iran, Australia, England, Quebec, Mexico City, New York, Chicago, Oklahoma, and more. I know I will become aware of how this adventure has influenced me as time passes. While I will deeply miss South Africa and the Dreams to Reality Program, I so look forward to seeing my family and friends and sharing the gifts South Africa gave to me, Mom/Gram, etc.

End of Week 7

Hi Family and Friends,

Wow! I cannot believe my 7th week is over and I have one more week here. I have mixed feelings for sure, and despite some of the wonderful people I have met here, it is the children it will be hard to say good-bye to. They and a few parents / grandparents have asked me when I am coming back! It causes an internal gasp! While I am ready to dump the bunk bed and total lack of privacy, and the carb diet, it will be hard to leave the kids.

Amy, Australia (play equipment :))

Some good things have happened during my time here. Together with other volunteers, we have created a sustainable structure for the tutoring program in Steenberg School and the tutoring program in the Capricorn Township, which hosts the high school tutoring program. The township is like a prison for these children and teens and the only way to escape it seems to be education and some luck!

Capricorn Township...library corner

The play program will occur whenever the kids are on holiday from school which is 3 times a year for six weeks.The program thanks to the donations of several people has soccer balls, basketballs, cricket equipment, tennis balls, arts and craft materials. Here is a group of 1st graders on the Twister game and a couple of girls who made a Chutes and Ladders game out of cardboard! I have learned how a small group of people working together with heart and then mind, can make a difference in children's lives; and, how that effort elevates all of us. This sense of communal togetherness is a gift unto itself.

Twister!!!

Chutes and Ladders

Here are a couple of kids I worked with this week, who study with great focus when encouraged and given positive feedback.

This little guy, William, had the wiggles and jiggles and he and I are proud to say he completed his first assignment in the tutoring program....I cannot tell you how proud of himself he was. He 'high-fived' me at least a dozen times...and here is his successful outcome.

I have met 3 young men Jordan from California a musician, David, a recently graduated high school student from Denmark, and Ben, from England, who I have had a lot of fun with. We have had the best conversations at the cafe's and it has been fun for me to hear their views on volunteering and life in general. I haven't gotten their photo yet, although I notice Ben is in the blue T-shirt, on the video I uploaded on FB earlier today.

I have enjoyed some of the new round of roommates, the majority of whom are international. Anna, who is from Moscow and not in the picture, is at a safari, has spoken extensively with me about life in Moscow. It is interesting to see the adjustment we make when people from different cultures come together and how easy it is to mis-communicate, but, also how easy it is to realize how we are all the same in many ways, and how many different and successful ways there are to accomplish things.

Hyang, Korea, Erin, upper NY, Marie, Quebec, Amy, England

I am hanging out at the beach today and tomorrow, Erin and I are going to the Botanical Gardens. After that I will just enjoy the ocean and the week and hope my separation anxiety does not get the best of me!!
Until next week, much love, Elaine

A Week-end of Change

Greetings Family and Friends,

This is a weekend of big change, as more people I have grown close to are leaving and new ones arriving. This group of young women have just enriched my life beyond words. They have been so inclusive and so much fun....after tomorrow only one will be left. Our house will be quite international which will challenge my hearing as I don't do accents very well!! We will have a woman from Korea, Quebec, England, Toronto, France,and Moscow. This will be quite the challenge...but it is wonderful getting to know people from around the world.

Back row left: Amy from Australia, Ashley, New York, Alyssa, New York, Bridgette, Oklahoma, Lilly, Long Island, Lee Ann, Toronto, to my left and Lindsey, Chicago to my right.

We had quite the Valentine's celebration here yesterday. This idea of the kids having fun and playing and laughing has really caught on at the Steenberg School. Look at the red, and this is a small sample. The kids from 1st-6th grades did a fashion show and you would have thought Lady Gaga showed up!! They asked me to be one of three judges, but  no way....my granddaughter, Shelby, is the fashionista! So, the principal had me disperse the crowns and prizes to the top winners.






I know this last picture has everyone LOLing....it had me suppressing a big giggle too!!

I just can't tell you what an experience this has been. I went Saturday morning to take Enriquo to his first soccer practice, and his two brothers were unexpectedly standing with him waiting for me. I quickly concluded they wanted to play soccer too! So, we four went off to soccer practice. After, they were accepted on the team, I left and my driver took me to a shoe store and helped me pick out three pair of soccer shoes which will await them when they get home to their grandmother's. Here is a picture of  Enriquo:

He is just a sweetheart!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone, and here is a post-valentine wish to each of you....

My Sixth Week in South Africa

Greetings Family and Friends,

What an incredible time I had on the Safari to Kruger National Park, which included a tour of the Panoramic Route in Northern, South Africa, which is the greenest land I have ever seen. Between the views, animals and good company of my two friends, it could not be improved upon. We saw, what they refer to here as the "big five" and many more wild animals and birds, including eagles. The big five are lions, elephants, rhinos, cheetah and buffalo. This pic of the giraffe just cracks me up, cuz that is exactly what I saw when I glanced up not expecting a giraffe to be staring at us!!

The high school program, which started last Thursday got off to a good orientation and we had 53 students show up for tutoring. Some carried those Ti83 Plus calculators and I realized immediately, this could be 'beyond the beyond' for me! So, I tried to stay away from the math students, but got caught by a raised hand who asked me for help. I just froze and said the best I could do was hit the on/off button! He seemed to have a good sense of humor about it. However, to help my sagging confidence, someone had anatomy questions and I am pleased to say I could help her quite a bit with that!

These students really want to get out of the townships and make something of their lives so they are a real pleasure to work with. The odds are small they will make it to a better life, and that makes working with them even more important. This has been an experience that has exceeded any expectations I could have had.

I want you to know with the money many of you donated, we bought English activity books for the primary school.  In the picture  to the left, you can see my little pal is missing his front teeth and is adorable! :))

It is amazing how much you can buy here with the US dollar. I cannot thank you all enough for your generosity. You have brought to these children a real opportunity to learn to read and do phonics in English  which gives them a better chance of making it in this society.

I just came back from Enrico's school, where I paid off his tuition for the rest of the year and enrolled him in the school outings. Then the program administrator at Dreams to Reality drove me to a shoe store where I bought him a pair of shoes for now, a pair of shoes in his next size, all kinds of school supplies and a pair of soccer shoes.

Saturday morning I will take him to his new soccer team and introduce him to his coach. Enrico is very quiet and timid, but he has the best attitude and I am very happy to know and support him. It is amazing how people come together for a good cause.. a van driver will pick Enrico and myself up and bring me back to the house Saturday morning for free.

SA is an interesting country. People live in considerable fear here...houses have bars and locks and you are warned about everything. As it gets dark, if you are driving in a car, you do NOT have to stop for a red light if you sense any potential danger. There is concern that the current President, who is very weak, is letting a radical group influence the upcoming elections and that there could be civil unrest. Petitions are everywhere, and they don't much care if you are from another country and want to sign one. It is a paradox how immensely beautiful SA is, and how oppressive it is to live here.

I have learned so much during my time here about people, and life in general. One thing for sure, is I see the consequences of ignorance and realize why it is so important to stay involved. I cannot believe I am mid-week into my 6th week and am already starting to have some separation anxiety about leaving. I could remain here for another few months easily, except I have begun to really miss my daughters, grands and friends.

I shall sign off for now and send much love to each of you, Mom/Gram, etc.

5th Week in South Africa

Greetings Family and Friends,

This is a short blog! You are probably saying, 'finally!' I am heading to Krueger National Park for a Safari this Friday and will return on Tuesday morning. I am excited for my mini-vacation (I will miss 2 days with the kids) but after watching National Geographic's African films for a b-zillion years this is my treat to myself.

Three of us are flying from Capetown to Johannesberg and will be met by our guide. She will take us to Krueger and am told there will be some great stops along the way. I went to my first live SA jazz band gathering Friday night at a local cafe and so enjoyed their music. Hope I can find a few more before I leave...time seems to be flying right now despite the fact I will be here  3 1/2  more weeks.

I am working at a new school this week. I am reviewing the curriculum for sustainability and working one-on-one with some children who are a little more advanced than the kids at Christian David School. I guess my big news is I have decided to sponsor a 14 year old who is struggling to stay in school because he cannot afford the books, uniforms and shoes. His name is Enriquo and he is very quiet. I am currently looking for a soccer team for him to join to keep him busy after school. I will go to his school next week to set up a bank account to fund him. He is one of the grandson's Anne (parenting grandmother) is raising, however, his father has insisted he move back with him and so he is kind of floating back and forth and not really being supported consistently.

I went and visited his father in the township to make sure this was okay with him. It was and Enrique literally ran to get me a copy of his birth certificate so I could work directly with his school. So, I know this means a lot to him, and quite honestly to me.

Well, that is it until I return from my safari...here is a young student I had today who loves colors...it took him an hour to color a beach ball...it looked like 3 rainbows in one. Smiles and hugs, Mom/Gram/etc.

Week Four in South Africa

Hi Family and Friends,

What a busy week! I hardly know where to begin. So, I shall begin with last Sunday when 5 roommates and I went to Cape Point. I am not sure why, but the blending of the Atlantic and Indian oceans was something I wanted to see and experience. It did not disappoint!! The beauty, the wind, the sun, the water and Earth merged creating an uplifting vortex of energy, that I will always remember.

Cape Point Where Oceans Merge

Didn't quite make it to the top but farther than I thought :)

We had lunch in a place called Kalk Bay, a very provincial little town and found a place right on the ocean. The sea gulls here are huge and loud.. I had an Indian meal in South Africa that was quite delicious and lots of laughs.

I know your saying, "it does not look that big!!"

A view from the train

It was good to relax Sunday because this week was 6 hour days. I am assigned to a 3rd grade class and all the kids now call me 'grandma.' The teacher has left me alone with the class a couple of times and I have had to use my "HEY!" voice a few times! They were shocked to hear me and see me looking stern and I wanted to laugh but that is what it took for me to get them from under their desks, a couple fists were flying and froze in place, and rulers (used also as weapons) all were put down ;)

We proceeded to read a story in English and I silently prayed for the teachers return cuz I figured I had about 30 seconds of their attention. When she did not return, I decided to move into a version of "Simon Says," using their readers and that seemed to do the trick. I learned quickly every child on the planet likes to have fun regardless of their circumstances. But teachers are so very strict here, it is hard to know what latitude I have....but surely an intact class would be more welcoming to her than one over run by chaos!!

I was not able to go to the 3rd grade class on Tuesday as they were being evaluated, so I was asked to help start a high school tutoring program in the library at the Capricorn township.(Certainly more than a one day assignment...hmmm!) This is the township were most of the children live and they have a very long walk to and from school. Their homes leave me at a loss for words....

The library in Capricorn Township

"High fives" for Grandma

Wednesday I went to the township and met the non-profit that will carry the high school tutoring program forward. I also talked with the grandmother raising her 4 teenage grandsons and her great-granddaughter.  We worked on ensuring the 3 teenagers' school would be paid for through 2014. Only about 5% of the teens graduate high school here. Yet, I can see they want to, but they receive very little support at home. When I visited Anna, her 17 year old son was sitting next to her doing his homework...not a frequent site in this township. Western Cape Town, where I am at has a 30% unemployment rate and in the  last 17 days there have been 16 people killed.

Just in case any of you are wondering how I get around here, please know I am never alone and I am always driven by an elder gentleman named Karol who is known to everyone. (My street gang experience a b-zillion years ago, is coming in handy here!!

Yesterday, we found out the head of the Program resigned and is returning to England. She is a young woman with a heart of gold and very talented, so it is a big loss bumming everyone out! We are not sure why the abrupt decision but she leaves this Sunday. We are awaiting some feedback, but enough structure is in place right now for the volunteers to  be able to follow a plan and move forward.

Our house is undergoing big changes this weekend. 4 women leave and a 5th leaves on Wednesday...so half of the house will be new by mid-next week. I have gotten quite close to the four of them, so I will miss my young pals. One of them lives in Chicago, so I know I will see her moving forward; two live in New York City and one found a boyfriend north of Johannesberg and will move up their.

One could write quite the Danielle Steele novel with some of the relationship dramas here with the younger volunteers. On the other end of the continuum, however, there are many young people whose hearts could not be bigger and they are fantastic with the kids, and stay out of the dramas. My placement I am convinced was chosen by my angels...relatively drama free, and we have all grown close and good-byes will be hard.


The Dreams to Reality Program brought in an internationally famous Cricket Player that caused my pal Charles (below) to have what seemed like an 'out of body experience' when he shook J.P. Duminy's hand. It was great for me to hear and see how this well known athlete talked with these kids and teens. How much they admire him, as he grew up and out of a township! Goosebumps!

Well, I plan a slow, relaxing weekend with maybe a drive to the Cape of Good Hope (via taxi...I have not ad will not be renting any cars) after the 4 roommates have left. I have met some incredible children this week, and despite their difficult backgrounds carry so much light in their eyes. So know, all your support and encouragement has allowed me to bring some smiles to little faces.....much love, Mom/Gram, etc.

Charles

Add caption

JP Duminy

The End of Week Three in South Africa

Greetings Family and Friends,

This has been quite the week filled with high drama at the house and school. One of the serious advantages of being my age is I have learned how to get out of the way of 'high drama!" So, I myself, had an excellent week! I have developed a nice partnership with a young 3rd grade teacher and she has asked me to be in her class daily and work with the students in class. The Program however, likes to bring kids out of the class to tutor them, so they have not made their decision. I think if they let me stay in the class it offers another option for volunteers and builds stronger partnerships with teachers, principals and most importantly, the children.

The room I worked in all week is 2/3rds boys and 1/3 girls. At this age, of course the girls are serious about learning and showing off what they know, while the boys fight over pencils, erasers and hand held pencil sharpeners that we threw out in the 1950s. A couple of the boys I have pulled out from under their desks, as sitting still from 8:30 to 2:30pm with a half hour lunch learning didactically (sp?) is more than any 8-9 year old should be asked to do.

I taught them what "up, down, through, under and around" was by acting it out with the kids and they thought this was just 'over the top fun!!' I so love being here with them, finding creative, yet simple ways to teach them, and can see the potential in many of these children despite all they lack.

Six of the younger roommates went shark diving today so they missed a volunteer work day and they were sorely missed the Program managers. One 43 year old who says she is 33 and swore me to secrecy was offended she was not asked to go shark diving and pouted about it for quite awhile.. Another 40 + year old, who came in over the weekend (#10)  feels there none of the young folks accept her. So, we have the 20 somethings and the 40 somethings, and then their is 'me!!' I am managing to get along with both groups and am the keeper of many, many secrets!!

Living with nine women has reminded me how much girls talk and gossip and embrace drama. Ugh!! I had 3 hours to myself, alone last night and it was divine! Passed up a beer just for the silence. Tomorrow, the 20 somethings are jumping out of a plane and actually invited me to join them in the shark dive and the airplane jump. I just told them my hobby was collecting rocks and thank you very much!! Not too mention I am scared of most animals, let alone a shark; and I also like the Earth below my feet!  They are videotaping their adventures (which might get them fired from being volunteers) so I can see how they did :))

I am going to the Cape of Good Hope this Sunday where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet and the energy is supreme. I met a women who reads energy here and we had tea and she shared a lot about the heavy energy that lingers in Capetown and Africa in general, and what it will take to lift it. Ally, I shared your card with her as she claims not to be an artist, but draws with water color some beautiful pictures. I will share her email addressat another time as I have it in my suitcase. She painted a picture of what she said would be my next dwelling which will also house my work! Hmmm! We are having tea again, so I will certainly seek more information.....

Here are a few pictures from the week at school...hope this finds you all well and staying warm, Love and Hugs....Mom/Gram/etc.

hallway and some classrooms

3 3rd graders outside a classroom

Week 3 in South Africa

Hi Family and Friends,

Week 3 marks an ending and beginning for me. The curriculum is updated (English-don't laugh Kimberly :) and I will help organize the teaching room tomorrow and hopefully start with the students directly on Thursday. While working on curriculum, I made it a point to visit all the teachers just to introduce myself and start a partnership of sorts. I must say everyone here in South Africa respects silver/white hair. It really works for me here!!

They run very strict classrooms....the young kids sit on the floor (about 40 of them per class) at my school and the older ones have old, old desks about a 1940's vintage!! When I visited the second grade teacher I looked at all these smiling faces, but my pal Emron (whose picture I already posted) had the biggest smile of all. I blew him a kiss while trying to determine if that would embarrass him or not, but it came naturally and he blew one back.

This 10 year old, Wellsely got into a fight with a peer on the playground and I ended up sitting in the Director's car with him while he cooled down. Taking his picture seemed to do the trick!!

In another room, 5th grade, a teacher was talking to a parent about her problem child and let me tell you...no attorney would influence these teachers as they are adamant about how wrong this child is; and, they predict what failures lie in wait for him or her, and they chastise the parent for raising a belligerent child. Oh my, I think I found the re-incarnation of the Felician nuns. It's a "guilty as charged" conversation...period....dun!!

The child however old, is then sent to sit in this large room on the floor that everyone must walk through to get from one corner of the school to another. So, they sit their visibly shamed for mis-behaving. The school is unusually quiet needless to say. I imagine this is the only discipline these children receive, since their personal lives are so lacking.

When I got home today I grabbed my stuff and went for a nice walk along the beach, it's sunny but a cool wind prevails. Sorry, for all you under 20 degrees!! Anyhow, here is a group I came across who played and sang that sweet African music that makes my heart sing!

Well, that is it for today. Thank you Laura for making this blog happen. The one I created is still mysteriously hidden. Anyhow, hugs and love to all of you, Mom, etc.....

Week 2 in Muesenberg

I am finishing my second week as a volunteer and this has been an incredible and deep experience for me. On Wednesday, we started officially in the schools and reviewing their curriculum. So, a few of us are working on grades 1-6, and will begin actually teaching next Wednesday. What feels good is that all the volunteers that follow the current group will have a uniform curriculum that complements what the kids are being taught in class.

We will be working with children in those grades who did not pass on to their next grade. The school I have been assigned to is called Christian David and is a very poor school. I saw the classrooms and they are singular buildings that remind me of small train box cars. There is no heating or air conditioning so it can be quite unpleasant at some times of the year. One other volunteer who I share a room with, who specializes in computers, has been assigned there also. Everyone else (6) were assigned to another school called Steenberg.

I am happy with my assignment because it is truly a school in need of so many things. The money some of you donated will be used to purchase supplies that reflect the curriculum, so everything is coordinated and hopefully can be sustained for the year. One of the program leaders and myself are going 'shopping' this coming Monday or Tuesday. Twister was such a hit (they had an old game) and I am now using it as a reward for the small kids. If they can name all the colors and count the circles correctlythen they can play a game with me and of course they are guaranteed to win :))

I had quite the experience yesterday. I went with 4 of my young roommates to Robbin Island, where Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners were imprisoned. We took a ferry to the island and had quite a long tour. When we reached the building where the political leaders were jailed, one of them became our tour guide. His name is Sepo (which means gift) and he told stories that gave me waves of constant goosebumps about how they kept their spirit up, planned for a new government, and taught all the illiterate teenagers in prison how to read and write. To this day, he said, "I do not understand why they jailed the political leaders in the same 36 bed room!" Mandela had his own tiny cell, but the others were together. I could go on and on about yesterday's experience but words would fail. 

On a humorous side, my roommate who ordered our tickets confirmed for 1/16/14 instead of 1/15/14. When we reached the boarding area the guard noticed it and said we could not board until tomorrow, which is today!! Automatically, we naturally went into why he should let us board...all of us had a slightly different 'swan' song...after about 5 minutes, he told us we were so annoying one of us should go up and get the right tickets and go away on the ferry. Unfortunately, it made the boat 15 minutes late but we got on very grateful and very happy. Only to be even more grateful after the tour for the meaningful experiences we each had.

The first attached picture is taken from Robbin's Island looking across the bay at Capetown; the second is Emron, 10 yrs old and myself. He and I bonded in less than a handful of days. His parents were murdered in front of him and his 14 yr. old sister in their home. She is now raising him by herself. I can't imagine saying good-bye to these children but I remind myself I don't have to think of that yet. Many of their stories are unimaginable, and yet their is a resilience in them.

Greetings from South Africa!

Greetings from South Africa,

I just finished my first full week of volunteering here in Muesenberg which is about 40 minutes south of Capetown and walking distance to the ocean. :) I am so happy to have found this opportunity ... it leaves me humbled and almost anything I do for the children of this township, is so appreciated by them. We have played outside the whole week (4-11) because it continues to be school holiday. I will begin teaching officially next Wednesday and will have my second orientation. I brought the game Twister with me and can't wait to see the kids become noodles!

The children come from horrific backgrounds, and I will save you the details but they respond immediately to a hug and a smile. They have not seen anyone with "silver white" hair and wanted to know how I got it (LOL) They called me 'grandma' almost immediately and I am really happy to be that to them while I am here. They also are very curious how old I am...when I tell them to guess I get 50 or 60, however, one 9 year burst my bubble when he said a '100!!' So clearly there are not a lot of volunteers my age coming through, but the group I am with is quite sympatico, even though they could all be my sons/daughters or even grandkids. They are really a lot of fun...there are 8 of us in two bedrooms. I was assigned an upper bunk but as soon as they saw me, a 25 year old gave up her lower bunk. The accomodations are clean but small so it would be a challenge if there was a sour apple in the group.

It is very hard to see the poverty here and that children must live in such unsafe conditions is appalling. Apartheid is clearly not resolved here, but I keep my focus on the kids and I am very content at the end of the day. Well, that's it for now...I have already put some pictures up on FB for those of you who might be interested. Take good care, Elaine