A Desmond Tutu filled week!

I mentioned last time that I had heard a little rumor that Desmond Tutu was coming to the school where I teach, St. Mary’s on Tuesday. It turns out it was true! But the amazing week did not end there…I met him again on Friday!

On Tuesday, Desmond Tutu, former Archbishop of Cape Town, Noblel Peace Prize winner and an amazing inspirational leader for South Africa and in the world came to St. Mary’s Primary school in Nyanga township. All of my literacy students were invited to be there where he would read and speak to them…so it was a very small, intimate gathering, with about 30 students and 5 teachers. He came in with one cameraman and a journalist, quietly and humbly, and came and sat down in front of the students. He spoke to the students for a bit, tested their knowledge of the bible, and then read them the story of Noah’s Ark. After that he spoke to the students a little more about their education and asked what they wanted to be when they grew up. He explained to them that during the years of apartheid, they would have been legally limited in the jobs which they could pursue, they would have had to be one of a few things. But today, in the New South Africa, they have the right to be whatever they desire, and though its not easy, they owe it to themselves to work hard and to achieve their dreams, because it was made possible for them. He said to “shoot for the stars, for even if you miss, you’ll fall upon the mountain tops”.

Desmond Tutu’s stay with the children lasted all of an hour, and he was kind enough to take pictures with us afterward, for we were all very anxious for the chance to do so! My individual picture with him is on my facebook page!

As if I wasn’t already thrilled about meeting Tutu once…we were told Thursday night that we were going to mass at St. George’s Cathedral at 7:15am on Friday to see Desmond Tutu say the mass. Apparently he only says mass there about once a month because he no longer lives in Cape Town, but he was obviously here this week so he said the mass on Friday, and we got to go! We all woke up by 6am, still pitch black outside, put on our Sunday’s best, and headed to see Tutu. The mass was very small and intimate, with people from all over the world (but mostly from the US actually), all in South Africa for different reasons, gathered to meet Tutu. He was very welcoming and asked each group to tell him where they are from and what they are doing in Cape Town. He made sure to shake every person’s hand at peace and opened the floor for any questions or comments after mass. Then of course, pictures! And we got one with our whole group of 21 students…also on facebook. Apparently I have been accused of “hogging” him! I have two pictures standing directly next to him this week. I couldn’t help it!

I think the most amazing thing about Desmond Tutu’s presence is his laughter. He has this very high pitched, adorable, hilarious chuckle which, no matter what he is laughing about, sends everyone else into laughter. He smiles so much and makes the funniest faces at certain things people say. It is like he radiates joy, and in response to any comment at all, positive or negative, without thinking he responds with such a light-hearted, uplifting perspective. I wonder how a person gets to be like that. I wonder how someone can see so much bad and still never lose sight of the good, in God, in people, in this world, in their self. I wonder how we can be more like Tutu. He is truly an amazing man and I feel so fortunate to have been in his presence twice this week J

P.S. I have officially been here for THREE months! Time flies. Less than two left…ahh!

some thoughts on the power of Education

The past few days I have been engaged in a very interesting conversation concerning education. Of course being here I am grateful for the education I have had in my life and for the opportunities I have had in general. I have also seen first hand the limitations and obstacles faced in school systems here and how lack of education or access to education can affect a person, a people, a country. I find that the more I see and learn and understand about the issue, the more value I put on education, whether my own or others, and the more significant is the role that it plays in my life.

On Friday the group met a woman named Molly Blank, who came to South Africa as a Fulbright Scholar in 2005 and made a film called Testing Hope about secondary schools in South Africa, specifically about the Matric exam which is taken at the end of Grade 12 and determines…well…everything.

As we discussed Friday, the U.S. really has nothing like the Matric. There is nothing that carries such weight and significance, not even the SATs or ACTs. It is a completely differenct concept that we can barely relate to. Failing the exam means one cannot attend university. Even some passes scores do not qualify for university, but even worse, names of those who pass are published in the newpaper. The lists are public. Its not only a matter of acceptance into a University but it also carries with it such a strong emotional situation in which students assess their own value and the community assesses their intelligence, value and worth based on these scores. This is not just an exam. This is your one shot. This is your life, and if you fail, you’ve failed yourself and your family and your community. It must be devastating and terrifying.

Anyway, that is what the video is about. I’m not sure if its available in the U.S. but Molly is from there so I would assume it is…its not very long but its informative so if anyone is interesting take a look. Again the name is: Testing Hope. But since seeing that film and having the conversation with Molly, what I’ve really been thinking about is parents. We discussed parent involvement, or lack thereof, and the obstacle that this presents for students and for the education system here. It got me to thinking about my education, growing up with supportive and educated parents, and about what advantage that automatically gives a child. I am so fortunate to have had that, and I know that I want to give my children the same thing. It is an added obstacle for children whose parents don’t speak English or who did not complete school, for they might not have that support and help at home if they need it, and often they don’t receive encouragement and motivation from parents who appreciate the importance of education. Other times, parents do appreciate the importance of education, especially if they did not have the opportunity for it, but the only support they can provide is that encouragement and pressure for their children to do well, though they cannot offer substantial assistance. There are obviously more unique situations as well, and unfortunately here there are no PTAs or parent groups encouragement parent involvement. I know what a significant role that played in all of my schooling-and how integral it was to my education to have my mom always be the head of it! I wish that I could start something like that at my schools here, but unfortunately its not part of the culture, not to mention that it would be very hard for me to communicate with the parents, who only speak Xhosa. Its little things that make me realize how fortunate my upbringing has been and that we take things for granted at home. I can honestly say that I will never take my education for granted every again, even if I am complaining about papers and exams! I am so lucky to have had the opportunity to have gotten to this point…and while Grad School sounds terrifying and stressful, I welcome another opportunity to further educate myself and to pursue a career where I can someday use that education to help others substantially.

 Oh and P.S: There’s a little rumor going around that Desmond Tutu is going to be at St. Mary’s School, where I work, on Tuesday. I sure hope its true…meeting Desmond Tutu has been a dream of mine for SUCH a long time! 

An Easter I'll never forget!

Though I could not be home to spend my favorite holiday with family and friends, it still did not disappoint! This weekend was such an amazing adventure and I couldn’t have had a better time!

We all left on Friday at 5am. I managed to fit all of my belongings for the weekend into one backpack (impressive, for me, thank you!) plus my sleeping bag and mat to sleep on top of and some snacks/drinks for the weekend.

Friday was spent driving up to the Namibian border, which we finally reached by the afternoon. As soon as we got out of the van, we could feel the dry desert heat, and boy was it hot! Right then I was a little nervous for what was in store for the rest of the weekend, but the weather turned out pretty nice the rest of the time!

After we got through border control we were at the base camp in no time. We would spend the first night there and get on the river early Saturday morning, arriving back at the base camp Monday afternoon and staying there another night until an early departure for Cape Town on Tuesday.

Once we got to the base camp we put down our bags and headed off for a swim in the river! I wasn’t sure how I liked it…but I jumped right in and went under, and the strangest thing happened: there was no salt in the water! Now…if you had asked me before, I would have told you that rivers are usually fresh water, and I would have claimed that I had swam in fresh water. However, it came to my attention that I have never actually swam in fresh water because my mind was seriously blown that I could swim in water that didn’t taste like salt OR chlorine….and you can drink it! I loved it and really enjoyed my swim that day, deciding that I’ll have to do more swimming back in Cape Town.

After our swim we changed we had dinner, set up our sleeping bags in a circle on the grass (no tents!) and went to bed. Boy, were we surprised how cold the desert can get at night!

The next morning…bright and early we were up and packing the boats! There were two people to a raft, which were each loaded with coolers of food and drinks for the weekend and dry bags with all of the clothes and belongings we would need for three days! After learning how to paddle and some safety tips we were off! Luckily I was paired with Christine, a very fit and athletic housemate of mine, who is perhaps the strongest of the groups-males included! So we were right at the front of the group from the start and managed to stay there for just about the whole weekend! We made a great team and I have to say I did my fair share of paddling down the river! We had a really great time.

Each day on the river we would stop somewhere and go on shore to eat lunch. The first day we had a sandy spot, the second day a grassy one, and the third day we were on some huge rocks…so we got a chance to try out all the terrain! The food was fantastic, not just the lunches but the dinners as well! I’m a little embarrassed now by how I eat in my house after seeing how our guides can cook wonderful meals like that for us while we’re camping on the banks of a river! Very impressive. We had sandwiches, salads, some traditional South African dishes, lots of meat, vegetarian sausauge, delicious homemade vegetarian chick pea burgers! French toast for breakfast! Eggs..toast…even chocolate marshmallows eggs for easter! We were definitely well fed…and we needed to be. Paddling down that river for 6 hours a day was hard work!

The best part of rafting was definitely the rapids. We went through quite a few, though nothing huge…only category 3s. But they were a lot of fun, and we even got to swim through one! Even for a strong swimmer it is tougher than you’d think…but I managed just fine!

Sleeping and living outside for three days really wasn’t all that tough. It got cool at nights but that’s the only complaint I really had at all…and the fires we made took good care of that. The nature was so beautiful and seemed so untouched by humans that it really was a wonderful experience. The only wildlife around were baboons, cows, and goats and really cool birds. There were fish in the water but nothing major, and apparently there are leopards in the mountains but you’d never know it or see any.  

I’ll post as many pictures as possible, though like always, it won’t do it any justice. The entire trip was absolutely beautiful. Every time I got sick of paddling I would look up and it would take my breath away…the view alone was worth all the work, not to mention all the fun we had! It truly was an amazing weekend…and I can’t help but be proud of myself. It was a challenge, but I had even more fun than I expected…and I think I might actually consider camping in the future!!

Hope everyone at home had as wonderful of an Easter as I did!

Happy Easter!!!!

Easter is my favorite day of the whole year! I love the excuse to wear a pretty pastel colored dress, be totally girly, and eat chocolate and drink a mimosa for breakfast. 

For example:

(Easter 2010)

Not to mention the the time spent with friends and family as the weather begins to change, flowers start to bloom, and everything is beautiful and green! I totally love it, and I'm a little sad to be missing Easter at home. 

However, this year I will not be spending Easter in a pretty pastel colored dress, or drinking mimosas. Instead, I will be spending it a little more like this:

...rafting down the Orange River on the border between Namibia and South Africa, and sleeping under the stars! 

Sounds like me...huh? Haha its a little different from the first picture. Even so, I'm so excited for the experience...and the challenge that it will be. We are going to spend all day Friday driving up to Namibia, sleep at a camp, and then spend Saturday, Sunday, and Monday rafting down the river, sleeping on the banks with nothing but a sleeping bag! Then Monday night I believe we'll head back to a camp and then drive back to Cape Town on Tuesday. In total it is a five day trip, two nights spent on the banks of the river...there are about 23 people going...19 or so from the house and a few other friends of people in the group. It should be like no Easter I've ever had!

I want to wish you all the happiest Easter ever! I have a feeling I am going to feel quite homesick on Sunday when I realize what everyone at home is up to and that I likely won't even have cell reception to say hello! But I still feel lucky as ever and I am so excited for this weekend! Please send my love to all and make sure you enjoy the pastels, the easter eggs, the egg hunts!, and most of all the chocolate and mimosas! 

Finally! A blog about Spring Break

SO. I was away on break from March 16-March 25th. 

The day after I got back, I wrote this (on March 26, 2012…..)

WOW. I’m exhausted. “Spring” (its not actually spring here) break was fun, full of adventure and tons of driving, beautiful sights and lots of fun. However, I am happy to be back at the K-House, in my bed and out of a moving vehicle!

I will try to recap spring break the best I can, but the first few days seem like so long ago!

Day 1: Friday, March 16. Knysa.

5am departure from the K-House. As we walked out of the front door while it was still dark, we were greeted by the strangest looking vehicle we had ever seen. A cross between a truck, a submarine, and a military tank, it has windows so large that passing cars can see absolutely everything inside…down to the color of our socks! We all instantly knew this was going to be an interesting spring break to say the least. The first day we drove, and drove, and drove, which we would soon realize would be the majority of our spring break, but we saw so many amazing and beautiful sights along the way. We finally arrived in Knysa and spent the night at a very cool backpackers.

Day 2: Saturday, March 17. Bungee Jumping and St. Patrick’s Day!

We left Knysa early in order to get to _________, the highest bungee jumping bridge in the world. While I did walk out to it, I unfortunately could not bungee jump. I really wanted to, and I suppose I could have, but I was deterred by the large sign listing medical conditions that prohibit bungee jumping…with dislocations at the top of the list. Go figure. So while I would really like to go back and do it in the future, I wasn’t willing to risk ruining the rest of my spring break or putting anyone else in the group in the position to have to take care of me if something did happen. So I just walked out the bridge and watched 13 of my friends jump of a bridge! It was insane.

            Later that night we arrived in Chintsa at an awesome backpackers with a gorgeous beach and such an island vibe. We celebrated St. Patrick’s Day big like Americans should and all enjoyed improvised Irish Car Bombs…or “South African Irish Car Bombs”….which include Jameson (the only irish whiskey in SA) Amarula, a creamy South African liquor to replace Baileys, and Castle (a gross SA beer) Milk Stout to stand in for Guinness.

Day 3: March 18: Chintsa to Coffee Bay!

After sadly leaving behind the beautiful town of Chintsa and the marvelous buffet meals served at the backpackers, we headed to my favorite place of the entire trip: Coffee Bay. Finally we had reached a destination where we would stay not one night…but two! I was happy to have at least one full day in one place, no time spent in the car, a chance to settle and relax at least a little, and Coffee Bay was the perfect place to do it! The little rural town is so small, unique, and beautiful. Where else in the world do you see dozens of cows lying on…the beach!?

Unfortunately my first night is Coffee Bay wasn’t as amazing as it could have been because I had gotten pretty sick with some kind of sinus infection/really bad cold, so I went to bed early, determined to make the next day better…and fortunately I did!

Day 4: March 19: Surfing!

I woke up pretty sick the next day, but that wasn’t going to stop me from my surf lesson at noon! I figured I could use a good salt water rinse anyway. So while most of the group went on a hike, I had a nice relaxing morning and waited for my surf lesson to begin. IT WAS SO MUCH FUN. I got up the first time I tried to surf and I got better and better and was feeling great…until I got really tired and then got worse and worse. By the end of the two hours I was completely exhausted and decided to call it a day, but I had the greatest time surfing and I honestly can’t wait to do it again. I have to say, I’m not half bad at it! After that I went across the street to a yoga/massage studio and had an Indian Head massage. It was glorious. I was so relaxed and ready for a nap, so I climbed some rocks that stretched out over the water and took a nap. What a PERFECT day, even with a sinus infection!

So…now this part I wrote today….April 3^rd:

Day 5: March 20: Coffee Bay to Durban

All I really remember about this day was driving, and driving, and driving. Eventually we got to Durban at night, and went out for a fun dinner with fancy drinks at an African restaurant called Moyo.

Day 6: March 21: Durban beach, drive to Joburg

Before another long day of driving, we got to walk from the backpackers to the beach in Durban. We had breakfast on the boardwalk and swam in the Indian ocean…which was SO warm. Though we spent very little time in Durban, I am glad to say that I have been there, and even just walking around for one morning was a really neat experience. Durban has a much different feel than Cape Town or Joburg. It has a very large Indian presence, which makes things feel a little less Western in some ways…and yet the areas which we saw seemed much more developed than some parts that we see down here in the Cape. It was also really really humid, which was gross, and of course hot, but this is Africa. Then after Durban we were off to Johannesburg!

Day 7: March 22nd: Joburg: Soweto, Apartheid Museum and Nelson Mandela House

We woke up in Joburg and had such a busy and amazing day. I have to say, having been to Johannesburg before, there were very few things about that day that I was really excited for. Another Museum? A tour? I didn’t feel like being a tourist. It might be inevitable…but it still gets annoying. So anyway, it completely exceeded any and all expectations. As I walked through the Apartheid Museum, I was instantly moved. I suddenly remembered why I am here. This museum that I didn’t even want to go into represents the entire reason that I am so fascinated with this place. On the brochure for the museum it says “Apartheid is exactly where it should be-in a Museum” and I think for anyone who knows the history of this country, that statement alone can bring a tear to your eye. Its amazing and inspiring and it makes me feel both grateful and hopeful. Anyway, the whole museum was so impressive and informative and beautiful in so many ways. I especially loved the exhibit about Nelson Mandela, a hero of mine and a hero of nearly ever citizen of South Africa. I wish I had had more time to buy things in the gift shop, I honestly think that museum was one of the coolest places I have been here in South Africa, to tell you the truth!

After the museum things continued to be intriguing and exciting. We had a tour of Soweto, the largest township in South Africa. We had the chance to go into Nelson Mandela’s house, which is now a little museum, and once again I couldn’t help but tear up at every picture, caption, or word on the wall. It was awesome. I think the highlight though was walking one block down the street to the front of Desmond Tutu’s house, and hearing our tour guide Sipho say “this is the only place in the world where you can find the home of two Nobel Peace Prize winners on the same street. Right here in Soweto is the only place in the world”. That fact alone is impressive, but even more so when you hear the history and conditions of Soweto during the apartheid. It’s simply amazing and I don’t think I have the words to describe it.

Days 8, 9, 10: March 23, 24, 25: KRUGER! The Big Five!

The next morning we awoke early to leave Joburg and head to Kruger National Park for safari for three days! Those few days run together because safari pretty much looks the same, but through the three days we were lucky enough to spot ALL of Africa’s Big Five: Elephant, Rhino, Buffalo, Leopard, Lion. Last time I was in South Africa we only saw the first three in the wild…Leopards especially are VERY rare to see…and we saw two! Together! It was really a once in a lifetime experience to see them so close and in the wild, we were very lucky. There’s little else I can say about safari though, the pictures are much more telling, although even they don’t do it justice or really portray how beautiful (and close up!) these animals are. Anyone who knows me well enough knows I’m not exactly an animal lover…while I think they are beautiful, I don’t really get cozy with them! But I do love a good safari! I’ve yet to meet anyone who doesn’t…its just an awesome experience, so do it if you ever have the chance!

SO…in a very brief and hurried account, that was my spring break! All in all it was fun, it was an awesome experience and I feel so fortunate to have seen so much of the country and to have visited such beautiful places. It was exhausting though, and fortunately this weekend I got to get away and visit my family friends, the Wainwrights (Richard’s parents), who live about 30 minutes away in Durbanville. They take great care of me and allow me to have a little getaway weekend at their house, including bubble baths and unlimited internet, which means skyping home! Can’t beat it, I’m very lucky to have them here as well!

So sorry that I haven’t written in such a long time. I intended to but I much prefer living to writing down my life, so you’ll have to cut me a little slack! I have to say, the past few weeks have been crazy! Currently my students are still on break so I actually am not going to service for a few weeks…but that doesn’t mean things aren’t stressful! School started right back up after break and theres always something going on here! But amidst all the madness, I have to say that today, I am so happy. I am so grateful, for everything and everyone in my life. I can’t express that enough. So excuse my mess of a blog, but know that I love you and I appreciate you for reading this and for caring enough about me to do so!

PeaceJ