You Need Love to light the shadows on your little faces...

Its 5pm on Saturday. Channon and I have just got back from the airport run. About 25 people left on the delta flight. It was surreal and so emotional. This journey has been totally amazing. I left London over six weeks ago having no idea what was ahead of me. I couldn’t have expected anything as amazing as this. It has exceeded my expectations 100 per cent.
The last couple of days have been very hard mentally and emotionally. Yesterday was the last day of placement for me at Blossom Street. I bought all the kids in my grade sweets and we had a little party. The girls did a special dance for me. Every single child had made me a leaving card and it was so hard not to cry the words they had written completely touched my heart. The principal then came to my class and read the thank you card I had written to the staff out and presented me with a letter of thanks and a small gift from the school. He thanked me for all my time and energy and told me he feels like I have really found ’home’ here in Cape Town and he couldn’t be nearer to the truth. Half 12 came and my driver arrived with everyone else already in the van. I went through to the other grade 5 class and stood in the middle of the room and all the children came and hugged me. I saw Apillele one of the little boys who has completely stolen my heart and I just burst into tears. I totally want to bring him home with me. I was just holding onto him and then I had to let go because I didn’t want to upset him. As I went to the entrance the teachers where all standing on the step waving me into the minibus. Mrs Abrahams who I have been working with was crying and it was so hard. They must think I am crazy, they have this western world white girl coming to their school and I am leaving in tears how can I explain that to a 9 year old? They have no idea how much they mean to me, how much I care for them and how much I hope every second that they will be ok. I don’t know what else to say. It has been a totally amazing experience and I have gained more than I ever could have imagined.
I climbed into the van and just put my I pod on ‘Wherever you will go’ came on and I realised how fitting it was. All these children need is love. We came home and it was tough. Annie was already home and she was a mess too. We had lunch and then started to do some packing…Channon and I walked to Little Mowbray to go to the shop and I realised that there is so much more I wanted to do and see and now I am out of time. These 6 weeks have gone in the blink of an eye. The weather was amazing so we slept in the garden before getting ready to go out for the last time as a group. We went to Cubana in Green Point and the whole house came which was awesome as this second group have really all integrated so perfectly and we had a great evening. I didn’t want to wake up this morning as I knew what was coming. The long goodbyes continued. Channon , Kate and I went to La Med in Clifton for brunch and one last outing. A couple of hours later and everyone was standing outside with their luggage and I sware I thought I had a lot of stuff with me it was crazy. We stopped at Home Base 2 for the last time and said our farewells. Cape Town international was pretty crazy and some of the girls had problems with their bags but all worked out. Once they had chacked in it was time for us to go back to the van and home back home. I really don’t think it has hit me yet. Theres only about 7 of us at home now. The fact that I am leaving tomorrow is hard enough but ill be travelling alone and I think that is when it will hit me. I am flying to Johannesburg in the morning and then on to Heathrow tomorrow evening. I don’t know what else to say at this point. There is just no way to describe how 50 people in 2 groups over 6 weeks can all click so well and experience so much together. It has been an emotional roller coaster at times but I wouldn’t change a second of it….. Love K xx

'I wanna be there when the people start to turn it around'

I just don’t know where the past ten days have gone. It feels like every time I blink a week passes. The easiest way to do this is probably to go back over the days.
12th August : Today I started at Fountain House in the afternoon. Fountain house is a mental rehabilitation centre for adults with mental illnesses who are being integrated back into society. I chose this as an afternoon placement as I wanted something that would help me gain another insight into a different aspect of the difficulties people face and dealing with adults is a contrast to the children at Blossom Street in the mornings.

13th August : I went to Blossom street in the morning and got to take th girls out to play netball which was pretty great then after lunch I went straight to Fountain house till 4. I got to see Nyanga today another township when Malinga dropped Annie there for her afternoon placement so that was really great to have another viewpoint.
Tonight I went for Dinner with Oli, Dillon and Dean. 3 of the boys who came to the island on exchange when I was still at school. Cant believe its been nearly 4 and a half years. Time passes too quickly. We went to Caprice in Camps Bay which was really nice spent the time catching up and telling old stories. Then we went to Oblivion in Claremont and met some of the other volunteers before sampling Tin Roof on a Wednesday. Was a really good night.
14th August :Rouge Spa/Tiger Tiger - Emily’s last night
15th August - Today I went to coffee with Luann ,Tahira, Erica and Leslie as we are the three volunteers leaving this week. I was not back in time to say bye to Emily this morning which was disappointing. Was nice to chat and I feel like my time here is slowly winding down although I know that if it was possible I would stay here . This evening Leslie, Erica , Annie and I stayed at the Madela Rhodes Place for the night just to feel a bit normal and get some relaxation in before the final week. We got upgraded which was a definite bonus considering the already great exchange rate.
17th August: I am sitting in the garden at 3 hermitage it’s a Sunday afternoon and the sun is shining. Leslie left last night so its quiet . Annie and I going to miss her and Erica this last week of our volunteering. Yesterday we got back from the Mandela Rhodes at 11am and I went over to Bishops to watch the annual Rondebosch Derby game. There was a pretty awesome atmosphere. A little girl lost her mum and was running through the stands so I picked her up and took her round the crowds and through the stands she was really distressed but we finally saw her mother so I felt very relieved. Saw the guys there as they where supporting and also caught up with some old faces which was also great. The city was buzzing as it was also the Springboks vs. The All Blacks game so all the crowds where making their way over to Newlands.
I came home and took a nap, the weekends fly by so quickly. When I woke up I went to Oblivion with Erica and Leslie for one last time before we dropped her at the airport. Tracy the owner came and said by to us and made me take her number incase I ever needed anything and even offered a job to us which was so lovely of her!! We definitely had some good times there..Why are all the people we have met here so lovely? It makes leaving so much harder..
19th August : 9.05 am Start of week 6 at Blossom street primary..
I woke up this morning feeling different. I guess it is because Leslie and Erica leaving these last 2 days has made things more real for me. It is just Annie, Channon, Kate and I now left from my original group that arrived 6 weeks ago. A lot can change in a week and I feel that it will give me the chance to prepare myself and get into the right mind set for leaving CCS. This has been a massive ‘journey’ and its not the end. Now comes the process of accepting and processing all that I have experienced in the last 6 weeks in Africa.
Dinner @ Cubana , Green Point with the girls
20th August A.M @ Blossom Street
The usual buzz in the classroom, however I feel that one of the things that I wont miss is watching the children get picked on within a classroom setting and it is always the same ones. I know there are many different ways to discipline and it is all the more difficult here with the childrens home circumstances varying so much.
I just took the girls out for netball and then the boys out for Soccer. The weather is getting great and today we are going for my second leaving lunch in Guguletu township. I am still not really ready to come home yet. Last night I went to Cubana in Green Point with some of the girls and I wish I had discovered it earlier as it was such a nice place. There are so many places here and so much to do that we have barely stood still.
We just had a staff meeting which brought up the issues of abuse that children at the school are suffering from. Physical and Mental and one child mentioned goes without food at home for days and over the weekends. There are some horrifying stories which I don’t want to really write about on this blog. It really struck a nerve again and I felt like I felt during the first week here. Why is There is such a huge widespread problem of abuse in this country? The people I have met here in Cape Town have all been totally amazing. I have felt so relaxed and calm here and have been made to feel so welcome. Leaving at the end of this week will be difficult. I am so lucky that I have done this.
A quote which I found on a piece of paper Jason one of my kids gave me today from his school planner :
‘We need to understand that greatness exists in all of us. We just need to learn how to apply it.’ - Unknown

Women's day Weekend - 8-10th August

I have never done/seen/experienced so much in one weekend ever…
Friday afternoon and placement was finished for the week and it was time for our free weekend. Friday evening we all arrived at Newlands stadium at about 7 to watch Western province take on the Sharks. We had amazing seats so we were very lucky. It was a great game, Nick played really well and I guess if hes a star of the future it was the game to be at as he was starting in number 8. After the game we were waiting for our cab which was going to be an hour so after going to the shop etc we just sat and waited. Then the players started coming out and getting into their cars so we where lucky enough to get our shirts signed and have photos taken with them, once again courtesy of my very friendly American friend Leslie. Afterwards we met up with some people at Oblivion in Claremont before heading to Wadda which was an experience I don’t think ill be repeating too soon. Was a good night though.
On Saturday morning I went to Bishops to watch Max a guy from the island whose on exchange here play rugby, and also Dean which was good. Great to see everyone and the atmosphere there is pretty awesome and Rugby is all that’s on the horizon when it’s a match day.
Saturday lunchtime we met our ride to Langa, the township which we would be staying in that night. I was a little apprehensive as we arrived as this was the first time we had been without proper CCS protection so to say. Annie , Erica and I bought food and we had a bbq and we gave out dinner to some of the surrounding families near to where we where staying at ‘Radebe’s B and B and Coffee Shack’. All the people we met where amazing, we walked about and visited some people’s shacks/homes. Definitely worthwhile and it was only a shame we had to stay in after dark due to safety issues. I ended up sleeping in a room by myself which was scary but I just locked the door and there where bars on the windows so I soon dozed off before Alexander called me at 6 am when he ha arrived home.. Talked to Mum on Sunday morning which was nice to have a catch up and fill her in on everything I have been doing. Its hard to explain it all in a few words because there really is no way of doing it. A month here and now it really does feel great. The kids at my placement have given me so much just through seeing them everyday.
On Sunday Gavin our guide from Cape Extreme collected 6 others and myself and we set off for a wine tour around Paarl and Stellenbosch. We visited 3 different wineries which was great and Stellenbosch is a beautiful place. Anyway who goes to University there is truly privileged…We are trying to make a plan to go and spend a night there this weekend if possible before the others leave.
Paul one of the guys here said the other day ‘we need to stop abusing the rand’ and that was such a fitting thing to say…I have been really lucky with the exchange rate over here that during free time I guess we have indulged a bit. I feel like this has been a huge part of the experience as after definitely getting our hands dirty at placement it is what is needed to unwind and discuss the day. Today was the start of my 5th week at Blossom Street. I spent the second half of my morning helping Glenda and Kara two of the new volunteers with a new initiative they decided could help the school. - To set up a library. We organised all the books so far, they where all so old and falling apart there was dust everywhere but I think it’s a fantastic idea just one basic thing we take for granted. Most of the books are from the 70’s and have been donated from other libraries including schools in the UK and the States. Its crazy!!
I just chatted with Tahira the placement co ordinator and she is going to set me up with an afternoon placement this week. In either and AIDS/HIV childrens hospital or a mental illness institute so I am very excited and hope it works out because I have been thinking a lot about what I want to do when I return home and I definitely want to see another aspect of a placement outside of the education sector. So I will let you know how that goes and where abouts I am placed.
During my stay in Langa I found this quote on one of the flyers in the coffee shack I think its very fitting for what im feeling right now ….
‘The use of travelling is to regulate imagination by reality, and instead of thinking how things may be, to see them as they are’ - Samuel Johnson
Love K xx

Cape Town - Where time passes too fast...

Wow this week is flying by. It crazy I am supposed to be leaving CCS on Saturday but am staying another week at the moment as this month has just gone by too quickly.
All the new volunteers are settling in well and my new room mate is also called Kate shes greek too and from the States which is awesome. On Monday we went to placement it was much quieter as orientation had started for the new volunteers so Malinga took us 7 ‘veterans’ to our placements which was good as I got to see some of the other places the girls are working at.
Tuesday morning was quite hectic at school as the strikes which where on Wednesday where starting to have an impact and teachers where deciding if they where going to march or strike and the school had to decide if it would close down or not. We where told it would not be safe for us as volunteers to be in the communities we work in but when we got home Tahira had made an announcement that none of us could attend our placements on Wednesday due to safety and the risk of rioting. So we had the day off but could not use public transport or go into the city centre. I had an a great day though. We went down to the Waterfront to meet some of the girls who where leaving this week who had just come back from a few days in Stallenbosch for lunch which was nice. We sat outside and the sun was shining. After lunch Annie, Erica and I decided it was a perfect day for table mountain. We took a cab to the bottom and bought our tickets for the cable car up. It was totally amazing - what an experience!! We could see the whole of Cape Town around us and it was such a clear day. We walked around the summit to see all the different views and animals up there. The clouds where then coming and they where blowing through us so we where walking through them. Completely fantastic experience…we where so high up that taking the cable car back down was a little freaky but definitely completely worth it. Last night I was so tired so I just stayed in to prepare for placement today.
Today, Thursday… im sad the week is almost over!! I arrived at Blossom today and first period I taught 5a a lesson on nutrition and diet etc. I had prepared 2 worksheets for them to do with activities and then gave them a quick talk and question session which was great. I love these kids so much. Afterwards I took them out for P.E and the boys played football with the flattest football I have seen. I played netball with the girls and it was hard to watch. These kids are so athletic and talented and they have nothing they play without any goal posts but they know all the rules, the positions and even how to pivot. Definitely going to play some more with them tomorrow. After break I taught the parallel grade 5b class the nutrition lesson before my transport came to fetch me at half 12. Our route home is longer now as we have to go over to Rondebosch East to collect 2 ladies working at a school called Crystal House. Its good I have the same driver but I miss the volunteers who used to be in my van.. The vibe was more my scene then. But its early days I guess and the new people are experiencing what I was when I first arrived so they have a lot of things to express. Came home for lunch which was macaroni and cheese. Everyone was joking about the carbohydrate loads here and how its an Atkins nightmare - it really is… after lunch I had a nap as I was wrecked after being up at 6 again. I just walked into Rondebosch which took about 10 minutes on my own it was fine. I went to Pick and Pay to buy some goodies for my kids as its their market day tomorrow which means they come in their own clothes and they bring food to sell to the other grades and this is how the school raises funds to buy the basics like paper and chalk for their black boards.
My room mate Carrie who has been here the last 4 weeks with me is leaving tomorrow and its her 22nd birthday today so we are going out to dinner tonight to celebrate and say goodbye to her. I really cant believe its been a month. Im looking forward to the weekend. Tomorrow evening a whole bunch of us are going to Newlands to watch the Rugby, Western Province vs. the Sharks from Durban. Its meant to be a big game and Nick the guy who Alexander met is starting which is great as hes still young to be playing for a provincial side. ( on Sunday we went to the wine bar to watch a film and have dinner and Nick had arranged to meet a girl who was friends of friends he had met on exchange in the U.K , she was called Felicity and is travelling in Sa for the next month turns out shes at University in Leeds so it was good to chat to someone from home, what a small world!!) The game starts at 7 pm then Saturday morning im going to weatehr permitting walk down to Bishops and watch max whose on exchange from the Island and Dean play rugby before heading to a township to stay in a b and b for the night. Its meant to be an amazing experience..so I will definitely keep you posted. The sun is shining and spring is here for sure its so nice outside and I am definitely very happy and relaxed here. I hope that your all taking care wherever you are and appreciate this world. I know it sounds cliched but its very true. Love K x

Another Chapter a new Beginning...

I have just said goodbye to about 18 of the volunteers who have headed to CT international to catch that Delta flight. My room mate Alex left today and going to miss having her around. I still dont do good byes very well but see you soon's are better and this world is so small and big at the same time.
I didnt get much sleep last night as th cough is getting worse and Annie, Carrie and Alex all came in late then left at 5 to go Shark cage diving. I was up at 7 with everyone packing and switching rooms then the new volunteers started to arrive so leslie and i took them to Rondebosch to grab some coffee and breakfast and show them around before coming home..its strange to have so many new faces to get used to and they where all amazed at how much we knew about the city, all the places we had been and the things we have seen. I am so lucky to be experiencing this right now and the family at 3 Hermitage..I think we will go for dinner tonight and get to chat to everyone. Glad that the girls staying on with me are the ones i really connected with these past 3 weeks. Think its time for a nap and then to watch the rugby at 5 and chill..Despite the goodbyes i am definately looking forward to this next week :) xxx

Changing times, Good byes and Hello'sl...

Hi everyone, its 6 o clock on friday evening, The sun is beginning to set. I have finally been hit by the flu bug going around so not feeling too well. Didnt make it to my placement today which was rubbish but think it would have been really sad watching the other volunteers at Blossom street saying their goodbyes. Yesterday we had a lunch cooked for us by the teachers at school and they took an extended break time. Estelle and i had the grade 2 class again but it went alot smoother this time around.
After lunch we had the final feedback and evaluation session with Tahira the placement manager. It was emotional and sad to think that soon i will be going. Its way too early and i feel like i am just settled now. Most of my group 19 people are leaving tomorrow and 38 new people are arriving. I said bye to Vandana today one of the girls i got on with really well. Im becoming a pro at good bye's now and its easier to say see you soon. The world can be such a small place. At 6 last night we all left for the farewell dinner at this really nice restaurant called mel's kitchen in Rondebosch where we had a really nice meal and then the kareoke started. Was really good fun and the staff came too and got some classic pictures of them singing some African tunes...Tiger Tiger afterwards and saw some of the guys that came on exchange to the island a few years ago which was good fun.

We just came home from tea at the Mount Nelson Hotel. 14 of us girls went together just one last outing before everyone goes their different ways. I am lucky Annie and Carrie my room mates are staying on and so we only have one new person coming in. Rained quite a bit today... we are planning to go and stay in the township one night which is going to be exciting and another experience..theres so much going on here so many stories things to learn about and explore...and so many children with the brightest eyes who are just ready to give you a hug and brighten up your day.. Love K x