Week 5

So I have just finished my fifth week here in South Africa, I can't beleive I have been here for so long now. It really does feel like just yesterday that I stepped off the plane. Although at the same time it is really starting to feel like home here and I can't believe that it is next month that I will be leaving. I am no longer working at the Orphanage, unfortunately I said a very sad goodbye to them last monday on my 21st birthday. It was a really nice day I got many renditions of "Happy Birthday" and lots of birthday cards from the kids. It was really hard to leave them there as the kids are just so unbelievably amazing, you can't help but love them!

I am now working at ACJ primary, which really is a massive challenge for me. Mainly as I am actually not the most academic person and the level of teaching needed is much higher that at the orphanage. Surprisingly, the kids at the schools generally speak less English than at the Orphanage too which is surprising considering you need to pass a basic English test to even get in to school here. I hope that my teaching skills start to improve soon, though I suffered a bit of a set back at the end of the week by getting really bad flu and was bed ridden for several days!!!! I ended up missing the weekends festivities too, bummer!!!!

Ah well I still have plenty of time to do things and really need to catch up with my sightseeing this coming weekend!!!!!!!!!

Bethany xxx

ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

So we went out last night for a meal, I had planned to go for one drink and wasn't even going to eat. I ended up having 2 courses lots of wine and then going to two bars afterwards. I got home at like 4 am and have spent the rest of my day nursing a hangover and sitting around the apartment being incredibly lazy! I think tonight I am just going to have a quiet night in and do some lesson planning, as it is off to Cape Town tommorow for the Soccer match! Woop Woop! I think i need to buy a Vuvuzela to fully enjoy the experience!

Bethany xx

First week in south africa

So, I've just finished my first week at the Orphanage, it has definitely been an experience. The Kids there are Crazy! In a good way of course and they are just so cute, I want to bring them all back to England with me!!!!!! The first day with my class on Tuesday was really hectic, they didn't want to listen to a single word I said. Unfortunately when there naughty it just makes me laugh which really doesn't help matters, but with the use of the naughty chair I think they are starting to see me as more of an authority figure. We were also privileged enough to be given a massive feast there on Tuesday afternoon, the meat was amazing, and we had about three courses overall, it made me glad that I've given up being a vegetarian for my trip!

The weather has been freezing for most of the week, and the apartment is actually colder inside than it is out! They are built to keep cool in the summer, but as there is no central heating we have all been walking around with about three jumpers on. I'm sharing a room currently with five other people, which is working out alright but we keep running out of hot water which isn't good in the cold. The apartments are beautiful though, and where we are staying in Gordon's bay is rather privileged, so as you can imagine it feels weird going from being in the orphanage to there everyday, and does make everyone feel a bit guilty i think!

One of the Carers on the projects told us something rather shocking the other day. Apparently if people from places outside South Africa (e.g. Zimbabwe), are living in the townships after the world cup they are likely to get beaten up or shot! Theres a lot of tension between these groups, and one of our drivers is someone at risk from these attacks so is frantically trying to find somewhere to live outside of the Townships. This wont necessarily effect us on project however as all of our children were born in the area. Though the area may become more dangerous now that the world cup is over.

We are going to the Fan Park in Cape Town to watch the Final on Sunday which should be fun as I haven't been to that area yet. Will write again soon! xxxx

So, it's three days until my trip now! I'm currently staying at my Mums in Witney trying to organise everything and I keep getting really stressed that I wont get everything done in time! I also had a right performance with the bank and the post office trying to transfer some money today, which didn't make things any easier. But everything seems to be coming together now and I'm slowly making my 6 suitcases of clothes in to just one.

Mum, Laura and I went out for a meal last night to celebrate my very early 21st birthday (which means that Laura should really have a very early 23rd birthday tomorrow), and I ended up eating steak for the first time in years. It was amazing, I even managed to stomach it even though it was rare which made me rather impressed with myself. I have also decided that I am going to start having birthday celebrations on random days in the year, as this year I'm going to have had 3 birthdays by the time it is my real birthday, and its been quite fun.

Adam is coming to visit on Thursday after work and coming to the Airport with us on Friday, so I'm going to be happy to see him as I miss him already. Though it will be a bit sad as that will be the last time we will see each other for 3 months. Its going to be strange because we've sort of lived together since before we were even dating and it's going to be odd not seeing him everyday. Hopefully absence will make the heart grow fonder (rather than wander), and at least with the wonderful inventions of the Internet and mobile phones we will actually be able to keep in touch! I'm also going to listen to The Mountain Goats as often as possible, as it will stop me from getting homesick and I've got quite used to them constantly playing in the background over the past six months :)

I've spoken to some of the people I'm going to be working with in SA a few times of the past week, they seem pretty nice and have been giving me lots of advice. Of course as I am the most annoying person ever, I have been mithering them constantly via email and phone asking loads of questions, so they will probably be sick of me before I even arrive.

I'm looking forward to flying again as well, as this is only going to be the second time I've ever really flown, so unlike most people I know, I still find it exciting! Plus this is the only real time I've been out of Europe, so for me this trip is more of an adventure than it probably would be for a lot of people. I'm looking forward to it though, it been a pretty hard year so it will be good to get away and meet new people and do something different. My degree result is out whilst I'm away though, which I seriously am not looking forward to! :( Oh well, I'm sure I will be too preoccupied with everything else once I get out there to even care that much.

Anyway I better get back to be ridiculously stressed and an awful person to be around, I'm probably just going to eat lots of cake, that will make everything seem MUCH less stressful :D

B xxx