Happy Valentine's Day :)

Hello! It's been a little bit since I've posted so I'll update you on whats going on around here:

Everything in the office is going very well. Always busy and everyday brings something new. It's been really neat getting to know some people a bit better and to get to know Refilwe better as well. I'm still making extraordinary coffee, by the way. I'll try to remember to take some pictures of my beautiful artwork.

Barbara and I have officially begun computer classes. They have been very successful so far. We have started with typing. The positioning of your fingers on the keyboard and of course how to get to the program that you will be typing on. The ones who attend are some Refilwe workers and a couple Godparents. We've introduced a typing game similar to Mavis Beacon that they have really enjoyed. I am very thankful that we finally got get these classes up and running after getting our hands on a few laptops and donated CPUs. The English classes are put aside for now as everyone showed much more interest in the computers.

The gym where I do my tap classes is being renovated in the near future forcing me to move the classes. It'll actually be quite nice because we'll be moving up to the hall where there is a lot of room and a stage. I''m going to have to keep a close eye on the kids and be with them at all times because it's across the river and the little ones cannot be crossing the bridge alone. We'll see how it goes.
Thanks to yet another massive donation of tap shoes... ALL of my kids have shoes!!! I am so very thankful for these shoes and for everyone who helped make it possible. I am planning a Tap Concert/Talent Show in May. I'm so excited about it. So again- it'll be nice to have the stage to practice on.

Other than that... I'm finally getting the lock on my door replaced so I will no longer be totally exposed!! I need to put this key on a GIANT keychain! I swear- I don't understand how I lose everything I own. I somehow make things disappear.

I LOVE YOU ALL and I appreciate your support!!!
HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY <3

COFFEE!!!!!

Today, I spent 8 hours learning how to make coffee. Legitimate coffee. That's right- barista in training. What an art! Not easy. Soon I will perfect the "latte art" and will be making pretty pictures all day in people's cappuccinos.  My love, interest and knowledge of coffee has grown tremendously since I've been here. One of the many new joys introduced to my life.

Ever since we began- I've been functioning as if I'm in a hurry for everything and extremely excited about doing anything. Now 14 hours since I started training... I'm still wired. I don't think I've ever consumed this much coffee in one day. :)

It's been a very, very nice day.

The New Year

I'm back at work. Busy again :) Adjusting my body to falling asleep and waking up early. I was getting a bit comfortable during the holidays in my sleep schedule. I am, though, very happy to be busy and working. I am at the moment working in the office. I thought well, if the base of this project is stressed, it's good place to help out. They need an extra hand in there so I'm doing a bit of admin work in the mornings, and my afternoons and evenings are spent with the kids doing homework, teaching tap classes, girl's meetings, and whatever else is thrown my way. 

In this new year, I already a great deal of positivity and excitement for what's to come. After all- it is my golden year. Year of dragon and turning 24 on the 24th, haha it's going to be a good one :) I am going to plan and tap concert/ talent show in May that I am very much looking forward to. Unfortunately in late April/ early May, the only other two volunteers here, who I have become very very fond of will end their time here at Refilwe and return home. Just in time, though for my mom to come visit!! And a few months of non stop groups and volunteers coming through to help. This summer (my winter) will be non-stop and I  can't wait. 

I have been extremely blessed with your donations and the support of a Christian School who is sponsoring me for this month. Keep it up!!!

Above is a view from Refilwe the other night. Every night is absolutely gorgeous. Breathtaking. I thought I'd share with you :)

Much much love from SA...

Christmas.

Well Christmas came and went by faster than ever. Seriously, time has never flown like it does here. It's monday and then the next day is friday. The days are passing right before my eyes. When I actually stop and recognize my life moving this way, I am reminded to embrace every second I have here.

This weekend was quite nice. The weather was overcast with a drip or drop here and there, so it actually kind of felt like Christmas. Eve was spent with Jaco's family, drinking egg nog, making pancakes and opening gifts. It was a lovely day and I felt the spirit then. Christmas day we cooked all morning and ate lunch together- the whole family and us volunteers. We braai'd (<--- ?) chicken, had potatoes, salad, garlic cheese bread, veggies with different sauces, and Barbara's famous baked beans. It was a lovely day and ended nicely on Skype spending Christmas morning with MY family. It was the first, and maybe the only time, I could to talk to my parents and my brothers all at the same time. I love them so freakin' much.

I have been so blessed to be made apart of Jaco's family. To actually have a family to spend time with and be close to. To raid their fridge, spend the night, come over and without saying a word just sit down and watch tv with the kids. It's very nice and I appreciate them so much.

The holidays are still keeping Refilwe quiet. We've got a few more weeks of this and back into the/ a groove. For now I am very much enjoying the quiet time and alone time I get to spend. The new year is coming and I am very excited about it. 2012 is going to be a year a change and rebirth. Be ready. Remember to live your life like you've never lived. Appreciate all the small things and push away all negativity. I think this will be a big year for everyone and it's up to us what we make of it.

So much love from SA :)

Something's happening...

Well, after almost a month of being without my computer- I'm back. The storms are nothing to mess with around here. I now know that until I get a surge suppressor, UNPLUG EVERYTHING in a lighting storm. Thank you to Apple, and their kind and flexible employees :)

Update: The school year is coming to an end in one week. I have been working at the preschool 2 months now (one month longer than planned), and it's over already. Tonight we had a Christmas Concert/ Graduation for the little ones. It was wonderful. I taught a tap dance to "Jingle Bell Rock" which was so cool to do. There is seriously not much cuter than children doing dance moves wrong, and shaking their bums. And then a little stand still crying you have to love. Overall it was such a nice show. I am sad, though to say goodbye. There are kids here that I can confidently say, I will never see again. Most are from the communities and not Refilwe. It makes my heart so sad. So... I've just got to soak it up.

Tap classes are going great! I'm attending English classes because soon (or someday), they will be English/computer classes that I will be co-teaching. But for now it is quite interesting for me to relearn a lot and to discuss different things and relations in them with Americans, Africans, and our new German volunteer. Very cool stuff.

December will be a very quiet month around here. Not much happens and a lot of the city leaves to go be with family. I'm hoping and praying that it is not a lonely month. With the holidays and all. I'll keep myself busy. Somehow :) Dead time, though- I am looking forward to. Rest.

What the future holds for me at Refilwe still needs some more discussion. But, I know I'll be busy with work gardening, transporting... nothing's for sure yet. But I have a very good feeling about what's in store for me. I think I may be even busier and a bit crazier than I am now... but crazy has always kept me straight.

I'm really missing home about now. I just want to send so much love to you guys. The holidays are so filled with love and family. I have that here, thankfully. But the love and my family I have at home is what makes me me. I love you. Thank you for everything you have done for me. I can never give enough thanks for how incredibly blessed I am...

I'm almost legal!

After almost 3 months of working on my visa process, I'm almost there. This week I had to make two trips into Joburg to the Home Affairs office at 6am to submit my application. The first day we waited in line and once it was finally my turn, they told me that I either had to have R7000 (about $1000) deposit that I will get back when I leave the country, or a letter from Refilwe stating that they will make sure I have the monetary means to leave. Haha, I chose to hand in a letter. The next day, all was well and in 30 days I can go pick the (hopefully) approved application and my volunteer visa! Just in time because my current 90 day visa is almost up. So until I pick it up, they can't kick me out of the country, but I can't leave either. Good deal.

Everything at the school is still going great. I was asked to think about working there full time next year. I'll definitely think about it. The only problem there is lack of time to do anything else, and there's a lot I'd like to do in my time here. We'll see. The kids are such a joy to me. And at lunch I get to enjoy the kind of food I'll only find in Africa. Even some foods that I literally don't know what the heck it consists of. I love it.

Tap is WONDERFUL! The young kids are finally back in gear after a bit of "talking to"... ;) and are earning their shoes. I've made a deal with them that they are not allowed to take their tap shoes home until 1) I see that they're serious about the class, and 2) that they show myself and their classmates respect. They'e doing quite well and learning a lot. I have one little girl, especially, who from what I know struggles a bit with schoolwork and basic motor functions. I think it's something about a memory weakness, something or another... I'm not exactly sure. She is a freakin angel... I love the crap out of her. She is doing incredibly well in class and I've heard it's done TONS to boost her self-confidence. I couldn't be more happy to hear that. When I hear things like that it reminds of how the arts do wonders in a child's life and in their growth. My teenagers totally rock. I think it's settled in as just the 7 students. 4 girls 3 boys. I like! I still need shoes for a couple of them and their giant feet. I've found a dance store that sells new and second-hand taps... I'm heading there sometime next week. After class we turn up the music, play pool, ping pong and have a good time. It's good for the youth to spend time like that. We're having a lot of fun.

Soon, I'll be looking into the SPCA near by where I will try to volunteer about once a week or so with their horses. Caring for them, feeding, grooming, and hopefully riding!!! After I'm done with the school I'll make a trip down there and see what's going on. Very much looking forward to that!!! I will also be looking into doing the world's highest bungee jump located in Cape Town. In good time, of course, and money. But I WILL do it before I leave this country. I can't pass it up.

Other than that... all is well, I'm happy, healthy... all good!

The joy in the terror of preschoolers.

This was my first week teaching at the preschool. One of the teachers is spending the month of October studying/ taking exams, so I am filling in for her as Teacher Giana. I am with them everyday from 730am until 3pm. And my lord... are they a handful. No, handful is an extreme understatement. There is between 20 and 30 in class everyday with 2-3 teachers. Only about ten or less are kids from Refilwe, the rest are from the surrounding communities.
Everyday consists of breakfast, then sitting in a circle saying how we are and if we are happy or sad and why. Then we learn a little geography, study the letter of the week, art, snack time, count as high as we can, then off to recess. Lunch, nap time, and then the kids are being picked up within about 2 hours. All the while, we teachers are constantly "SIT DOWN!", "YOU ARE BEING VERY RUDE!", "DO NOT HIT YOUR FRIENDS!", "WHY ARE YOU TALKING WHILE I'M TALKING?", mixed with a little, "Look at you superstars!", "Oh my word that is beautiful!", pretty much making everything they have to show us seem like it's pretty much the coolest thing we've ever seen. Even if it is hula-hooping for ten minutes. Which actually is pretty impressive. It's very tiring indeed and I give mad props to the teachers who do this everyday, all year, every year.
TO ALL YOU TEACHERS: Mad props. You're a superstar.

I'm falling in love with them. I wake up everyday so excited to see them. Forgetting for a moment about how they constantly push me to the edge of having a heart attack. In between the discipline and teaching the children respect for your friends, yourself, your environment, I find myself loving on these children as if they were my own. Holding them, kissing their booboos (which half of the time are invisible), and trying to make them feel like they are the most special things on earth. They really are.

As crazy and exhausted as I feel at the end of the day, I freakin love this job.