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
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
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