Always keep in mind how truly blessed we are to live in the land that we do. Believe it or not, it's important to give thanks for the simple things in life that we take for granted:
A toilet
A shower
Water!
Shoes on our feet
Clothes on our back
Our parents who took the time to put us in school at the age of 5, or earlier!
There are children who's parent(s) literally have no care or intent of putting their child in school. Some are in school and often spend the night there because they were never picked up. These children are in trouble. I am incredibly grateful to have this opportunity to be here and to be a small part in a big change. One life at a time.
Thank you Mom and Dad for sacrificing your time, energy and lives to raise me. I see how truly fortunate I am. I love you.
Wednesday, 31 August 2011
Tuesday, 30 August 2011
A place called Home...
Yep, I think I may be officially adjusted and comfortable with calling this place Home. Of course I still miss everyone from home but man, is Skype a beautiful thing (clears throat), I emphasize that to a few of you. YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE!!! Being able to stay connected definitely cures the homesickness when it occurs but it's not as often as I thought. I love it here and as I'm finally getting to know this place and everyone in it, I'm becoming very fond.
This weekend has been absolutely lovely. Friday and Saturday night they had a big delicious Braai (fancy South African word for BBQ, they say it's totally different, but it's not, I think they just want to think they do it better). Friday's was a farewell to the Canadian team who spent a couple weeks with us. If you go to Refilwe's Facebook you can check out the work they did. Saturday's was a farewell to the UK team who left today and my roomie Sam who left on Sunday. She was from the UK as well and was here for 2 months. Lovely, lovely girl. It's too bad she had to leave so soon after I arrived.
Next weekend I get to go on a camping trip with some of the older kids here!!! I am very excited to experience the wilderness of South Africa! There will definitely be a blog for that weekend. And very soon I am going to be teaching computer classes to a couple guys. Yeah. Me. Teaching computer. When I first heard that I thought, "mm mm, you have the wrong girl!!!" But it's just the most basic knowledge like, turning it on, how to send an email, and typing. That I can do. It made me realize how computers are just a part of our lives and typing and email is something we learn so young. And the fact that I can't design or download or program something makes me feel like I'm computer illiterate. I'm not, I actually know quite a bit!
Outside of all that... just trying to stay busy and literally enjoying every moment of it. I must send another quick "THANK YOU" to everyone to has helped and is helping make this happen. It is greatly appreciated. Until next time... :)
This weekend has been absolutely lovely. Friday and Saturday night they had a big delicious Braai (fancy South African word for BBQ, they say it's totally different, but it's not, I think they just want to think they do it better). Friday's was a farewell to the Canadian team who spent a couple weeks with us. If you go to Refilwe's Facebook you can check out the work they did. Saturday's was a farewell to the UK team who left today and my roomie Sam who left on Sunday. She was from the UK as well and was here for 2 months. Lovely, lovely girl. It's too bad she had to leave so soon after I arrived.
Next weekend I get to go on a camping trip with some of the older kids here!!! I am very excited to experience the wilderness of South Africa! There will definitely be a blog for that weekend. And very soon I am going to be teaching computer classes to a couple guys. Yeah. Me. Teaching computer. When I first heard that I thought, "mm mm, you have the wrong girl!!!" But it's just the most basic knowledge like, turning it on, how to send an email, and typing. That I can do. It made me realize how computers are just a part of our lives and typing and email is something we learn so young. And the fact that I can't design or download or program something makes me feel like I'm computer illiterate. I'm not, I actually know quite a bit!
Outside of all that... just trying to stay busy and literally enjoying every moment of it. I must send another quick "THANK YOU" to everyone to has helped and is helping make this happen. It is greatly appreciated. Until next time... :)
Monday, 22 August 2011
Ants
Turns out there is quite an interest from all age groups to start taking Tap lessons from yours truly!!! I cannot express in words how excited I am to teach tap here. It's something I want to do in my life anyway- but to do it in South Africa?!? Yeah, someone's looking out. Tomorrow we'll get an estimation on how many want to join and we'll go from there. Very soon, though, I may be looking for a donation of some tap shoes. So if any of you tappers have an old pair that you do not intend to keep or pass down... they would look and sound pretty nice over here!
Today I started helping some lovely children with their homework. It's going to be my daily routine. They are still on holiday for a couple more weeks so I'm helping them finish their holiday homework (boo... holidays are not meant for work, they're meant for play), and getting them in the groove of being back in the homework mode. I also have a project beginning this week of painting the baby's room! Yes, there is a new addition coming to the family and I'm excited to be a co-creator of her new environment.
Well, aside from being made love to by ants everyday, and as we speak, everything is looking pretty darn good for me here and I'm looking forward to every day. I'm becoming busy with my three favorite hobbies- sewing, painting, and tap dancing. It all combines into a dream job that I'm not getting paid to do:) Well, I suppose in a way I am a bit (thank you!!!).
It's 8pm and cold and ants still have managed to cover me. With summer coming these guys are going to make me freakin insane. I literally have ants in my pants right now. And in my shirt.
Ok I love you all!!! Until next time...
Today I started helping some lovely children with their homework. It's going to be my daily routine. They are still on holiday for a couple more weeks so I'm helping them finish their holiday homework (boo... holidays are not meant for work, they're meant for play), and getting them in the groove of being back in the homework mode. I also have a project beginning this week of painting the baby's room! Yes, there is a new addition coming to the family and I'm excited to be a co-creator of her new environment.
Well, aside from being made love to by ants everyday, and as we speak, everything is looking pretty darn good for me here and I'm looking forward to every day. I'm becoming busy with my three favorite hobbies- sewing, painting, and tap dancing. It all combines into a dream job that I'm not getting paid to do:) Well, I suppose in a way I am a bit (thank you!!!).
It's 8pm and cold and ants still have managed to cover me. With summer coming these guys are going to make me freakin insane. I literally have ants in my pants right now. And in my shirt.
Ok I love you all!!! Until next time...
Friday, 19 August 2011
A week in
My first week is up here at Refilwe. I can't say it has been incredible or life changing already. It's been a bit slow and I've been a bit lonely. Getting settled in hasn't been easy but I know these feelings will pass. I am surprised at how quickly I am adapting to my living space. My first day I was so comfortable, like I've been living here for some time already. Slowly but surely my place is being found here, and Im looking forward to what the future holds for me.
Tonight I met with a group of young girls who are organizing a group that meets regularly to discuss poverty, HIV, teen pregnancy, drug/ alcohol abuse, etc... most of the main issues here in South Africa, and throughout the whole continent in fact. They want to become familiar and informed about these issues and one day go out into the community and share their knowledge and become apart of change. These girls are teenagers. It's really incredible to see how inspired they are, at such a young age, to want to not only learn about the problems in the world around them, but act upon them to bring change. I'm really excited to be one of the volunteers over-seeing this group and watching it's growth. I'm liking these girls already ;)
Another wonderful thing... there is a sewing room. With sewing machines! I am so happy that I will have the chance to do some sewing while I'm here. I spent almost the whole day in there today. Soon I will help out another lovely volunteer we have here with sewing lessons. We are teaching some of the ladies here how to sew. Soon we will be able to take these lessons out into the communities. Its a good skill to have in a lot of these areas. There are so many people with clothes just falling off their bodies. If you can't get new ones, it's good to know how to do a bit of repairing.
Well, I am very very excited about what I get to be apart of here. More to come in the future. Of course I must send out my love and thanks for all the support!
Until next time...
Tonight I met with a group of young girls who are organizing a group that meets regularly to discuss poverty, HIV, teen pregnancy, drug/ alcohol abuse, etc... most of the main issues here in South Africa, and throughout the whole continent in fact. They want to become familiar and informed about these issues and one day go out into the community and share their knowledge and become apart of change. These girls are teenagers. It's really incredible to see how inspired they are, at such a young age, to want to not only learn about the problems in the world around them, but act upon them to bring change. I'm really excited to be one of the volunteers over-seeing this group and watching it's growth. I'm liking these girls already ;)
Another wonderful thing... there is a sewing room. With sewing machines! I am so happy that I will have the chance to do some sewing while I'm here. I spent almost the whole day in there today. Soon I will help out another lovely volunteer we have here with sewing lessons. We are teaching some of the ladies here how to sew. Soon we will be able to take these lessons out into the communities. Its a good skill to have in a lot of these areas. There are so many people with clothes just falling off their bodies. If you can't get new ones, it's good to know how to do a bit of repairing.
Well, I am very very excited about what I get to be apart of here. More to come in the future. Of course I must send out my love and thanks for all the support!
Until next time...
Monday, 15 August 2011
And so it begins...
After two incredible weeks in Malawi, Africa, I have arrived at my final destination. Just outside of Johannesburg, South Africa at a lovely organization called Refilwe. What I'll be doing here exactly, I'm not quite sure of yet. Soon, very soon i'll be of some use. Also in the near future I will share with you my experiences in Malawi and a video of the trip. This is just a welcome for us both to my blog. I've never done this so bare with my rambles and, I'm sure, constant changes to the look of it.
I would just like to thank everyone who has supported me in coming to this beautiful country. And I would like to ask for a bit of continued support. Emotionally and financially :/ It is not easy for me to ask for financial support but I am going to need it. And its not much really, just enough for groceries for myself until the end of next year (dec. 2012) and to save for my ticket home. Very soon I will give you the account information if you so choose to help support my stay here in South Africa.
I love you all so so much and I look forward to sharing this journey with you. I'll post pictures, videos, lots of goodies so you can check out my new life here. So, thanks for following and, until next time...
I would just like to thank everyone who has supported me in coming to this beautiful country. And I would like to ask for a bit of continued support. Emotionally and financially :/ It is not easy for me to ask for financial support but I am going to need it. And its not much really, just enough for groceries for myself until the end of next year (dec. 2012) and to save for my ticket home. Very soon I will give you the account information if you so choose to help support my stay here in South Africa.
I love you all so so much and I look forward to sharing this journey with you. I'll post pictures, videos, lots of goodies so you can check out my new life here. So, thanks for following and, until next time...
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