August 15 - Home Sweet Home

There are not adequate words to express the my appreciation for being selected as one of the participants in this African adventure.  I have become more grateful for the man blessings in my life. The memories and global perspectives that this opportunity has given me cannot be measured.  Each member of our group has lent their own special perspective and personality to the trip.  Having spent a month together, I feel a special kinship with them and look forward to sharing our experiences with our school colleagues and learners.  May we carry the spirit of Ubuntu through our shared experiences and ignite a passion in our students so that they too

 will learn to embrace and make better their global community.

August 13, 2016 - Robben Island

Today we visited Robben Island.  After touring the island by bus, we were let out at the prison where Nelson Mandela spent 27 years as a political prisoner.  Our guide, Kgotso Glen Atoselengoe, was another political prisoner during Mandela's incarceration.  He explained the living conditions of the prisoners and answered our questions regarding the events from the time period.  The spaces were very small and the living conditions (food and bath facilities) harsh.  Prisoners worked in rock quarries all day and visitation from family members were very limited.  Reading materials were limited and provided newspapers were censored to eliminate political stories. I admire Mr. Atoselengoe for his willingness to revisit a place daily in order to share his story.  The cost of freedom is not free.  This served as a great reminder that I need to thank God daily for those who sacrifice daily in order to make the world a safer place for their community.

Our Guide, Kgotso Glen Atoselengoe

Nelson Mandela's cell

Kgotso Glen Atoselengoe prison space.

August 12, 2016 - Arrival in Cape Town

Tammy Clark standing underneath the balcony where Nelson Mandela made a speech in Cape Town.

August 12, 2016 – Arrived in Cape Town and after an hour of acquiring enough cars to accommodate 15 ladies and their 40+ something pieces of luggage, we arrived at our B & B- 40 Winks.  It took our manager, Karen, about 45 minutes to sort out our room arrangements.  After we took our luggage to our rooms, we were driven to the Central Library in the main part of Cape Town, where Nigel Worden, the author of the book we read, The Making of Modern Africa, showed historical slides and gave a lecture on how Cape Town was settled and the variety of peoples that populate this area.  The talk was very interesting.  He showed us the balcony where Nelson Mandela stood and gave a speech.  I took a picture, but given the slowness of internet service, I will not be able to post it here.  Today, we will be going to Robben Island to visit the prison where Mandela was held as a political prisoner.

August 11, 2016 - Farewell Emafini

August 11, 2016 -  Today was our last day at Emafini.  I visited “Tunki’s” 3^rd grade room to give her a small gift and to thank her for allowing me to co-teach in her classroom.  The students were on their lunch/recess break.  Tunki was dressed in a brightly colored traditional Xhosa costume that included a matching shawl, purse and shoes.  Her face was painted as well.  She was delighted when I asked to take some pictures of her and flashed a large smile as I snapped several pictures of her.  After getting the school address and Tunki’s email address, I went outside to exchange goodbyes with several of the students and to take some final pictures of students playing, buying snacks and “hanging out.”  As soon I pulled out my camera, several students crowed around, eager to have their pictures taken.  They were always delighted when they were shown their picture on the camera.  I wished I had an old Polaroid camera that instantly printed  pictures so I could give them a copy.    I plan to have copies made when I return to the US so I can mail them to Tunki.  At noon, all of the American teachers met with all of the Emafini Staff in their teacher lounge/conference room.  Most of Emafini’s teachers were dressed in various traditional Xkhosa costumes and they all started singing lively songs in isiXhosa while several of them danced together in the center of the room.  Mr. McKay, the principal, and several other staff members gave short speeches in between the singing and small gifts were exchanged between our two groups.  Some of the teachers followed us to the parking lot for final farewells.  That evening, we were invited to Mr. McKay’s house for braai (bar-b-que).   His wife was very gracious and we were well fed with bar-b-que lamb, sausage, and chicken along with salads and dessert.  His youngest daughter entertained us by dancing and singing and the eldest daughter played the piano for us.   These friendly Xhosa people were extremely gracious and truly made us feel at home during our visit and left me with the impression that they would genuinely be missed.   Tomorrow, we fly to Cape Town.

August 9, 2016 - Happy Birthday to me South African Style

Thank you Yvonne and Tammy for the surprise door decoration.

A Marvelous dining experience with my African comrades!

August 9, 2016 - What a fantastic birthday.  The weather was beautiful with clear sunny skies and comfortable temperatures.  The perfect day for a whale watching cruise with Raggy Charters that is part of the Baywatch Marine Conservation Project.  Although we were not fortunate to see whales, we did see several dolphins, penguins and a seal.  The day ended with a wonderful meal at Cubana Restaurant with my African comrades.  Meal time is always an enjoyable event with excellent service and savory food.  No one is in a hurry here in Africa, so meals usually last a two hours.  The relaxed mealtime atmosphere has been a pleasure.  I have truly come to appreciate the unique and varied personalities of these wonderful educators.   I will forever treasure the time spent with these ladies and our shared experiences as we explored South Africa together.

August 8, 2016 - The Making of Modern South Africa

August 8, 2016 – We were assigned three books to read for this project:  Kafir Boy, Cry of the Beloved Country, and The Making of Modern South Africa.  We held group discussions on all three books.  The Making of Modern South Africa was by far, the most difficult book to read and comprehend due to the complexity of South African History, the unfamiliar names of places and people and the numerous acronyms used in the writing.   At times, I felt I was reading a list of historical dates and events and had to reread some paragraphs multiple times to get the jest of what the author was trying to convey.  Chapter questions were assigned to pairs of teachers, and while we were to read the entire book, we were to focus on our assigned chapters and questions.  This helped our discussion of the book maintain steady flow allowing us to reflect, comment and make connections between the historical events contained in the 7 chapters of the book.   The common thread throughout the three books is the oppression of the indigenous and non-white (Indian and colored) racial groups and the how this has affected their employment, living conditions, and education. I look forward to Nigel Worden lecture we will be attending at Cape Town.

August 6, 2016 Daily Schedules and Student Discipline

August 6, 2016 -While time periods are set for teaching the different subjects at CFIE, this does not appear to be the case at Emifini.  Often when our group arrives, students are already in the classroom but the teachers are not.  Frequently, they are in the “teacher lounge/conference room” discussing a school policy or other important matter before they begin their day.  Since the discussion is held in isiXhosa, I do not know what issues are being discussed but at times the debates seem somewhat heated.  The discussions seem to be mainly between the teachers with little or no input from their principal.  Teachers do not seem to be in a rush to get to their classes after their meeting ends and have no worries as to what the students may be doing in their absence.  This is very different at CFIES, as students are never left unattended for any reason and the expectation is that a responsible adult is ever present and in charge.  All students receive a lunch that is cooked by township mothers.  This is received by the students in their classrooms, in a red bowl.  Students must provide their own eating utensil.  The meals appear to contain some type of meat, a starch (usually mealy) and sometimes vegetables, all mixed together in a “one pot” meal.  After eating, they are dismissed for recess time where they hurry outside to play without any adult supervision.  I have witnessed some very rough play outside the windows, but have never witnessed a student cry, complain or “tattle” on his peer during these interactions.  While observing students at recess, I remembered that as a young student in the 60’s, we were left to play and entertain ourselves on the playground with little adult interference.  This is so different today, as school safety and anti-bullying have become the hallmark of our public schools and both students and parents often complain over even the most trivial incidents.  Students must be sent to a school nurse if they fall and scrape their knee so they can be “medically attended to” to ward off parent complaint.    While real bullying should not be accepted it in a school, I believe that many students confuse a one-time minor incident as being bullied.  This makes me wonder if we are denying students the opportunity to learn how to engage in peer negotiations and learn the art of community problem solving.  After recess, the students return for afternoon instruction.  Unfortunately, due to many early release days and school holidays, I have only been witness to the afternoon instruction once.  At the end of the school day, students clean their own classrooms, and I have observed a group of boys climbing on the outdoor window ledges to wash the classroom windows.  Fridays are always a “half-day” for students.  After having reading and English class (no math) and lunch, they clean the classroom and are dismissed.