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
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