120611, Sunday
The classes went fine yesterday, just came to the conclusion that we’ll have to split the students into different levels within the classes. As I’ve been doing individual interviews with the kids, I’ve realized just how many of them actually know hardly any English at all. In fact they know about as little English as I know Xhosa. For them it’s more of a problem though, because they’re being taught science and maths in English, not Xhosa. And they’ll definitely need English when they go to study further after school. There is roughly only about 5% that can have a conversation in English.
Normally we would keep the class level in tune with the highest ability students, but in this case, I’ll need to rather focus on the lower levels and give the other kids more challenging work to keep them busy.
We had a little end of term celebration at the end of the day, I’ll only be teaching those guys again in the 2nd week of July for their holiday camp.
After classes, I went for a walk, with one of the young construction worker guys that live at my site, up a hill close by and came across an abandoned hut with a stunning view! It opened up a world of dreams to me and took me back to last year November, when I first decided to come to the Transkei and started getting excited about it.
One night, while house-sitting a friend’s place, I got quiet and wrote down as many as possible of my dreams and ideas regarding this mission. So I’ve decided to share that with you...just to see how much of it God has already brought to pass.
November 25, 2010
If you can dream it, you can be it.
What I do think and talk about often these days is my dreams and plans for Transkei next year. I really want to go. In May. Quit teaching in April already, so that I can prepare everything, move my stuff, tie all the loose ends.
What exactly are my plans? Some of it may just be dreams I know, but we’ll never know if we don’t try or what do they say? So, basically I want to go and teach English, be it voluntarily or actually getting paid, however little. I met a guy, Craig Paxton, who started this NGO, Axium Education, (based at Zithulele - Mission Hospital) and his idea is to go and give extra classes to school children who show potential and could do with some extra classes in Maths, Science and English. The education system in Eastern Cape is not of the best, so it will mean a lot to some children to have extra classes. The details I’m not so sure about yet, will have to talk to Craig again soon.
I might also be involved with working with the toddlers (the doctor’s wife took me on a tour of the toddler-school when I was there last year, and they also had plans for a library, and I love children’s books) – of course the younger the students, the easier for them to learn the language.
In the meantime I’ve come up with some of my own ideas…!
Together with teaching English, I of course would love to learn to speak Xhosa, I have already started years ago at University and picked up a little bit through the years of waitressing (still about all I can remember most days is Ndisakufunda|- it’s been many years). I know that the only way I’ll really learn is to be fully immersed in the culture and language.
The third thing I’m of course praying for God to direct my paths on, and may be one of the most important things, is that there will be some wonderful amazing photo opportunities for me and even a written story to go with it, that I can make my little project. Eventually have an exhibition, print a book and through that aid in more upliftment and creating awareness of the community. Then travel to further places and do the same kind of thing.
Right, then I want to be involved with the community centre, and be personally responsible for creating a library, filled with English books and some Xhosa ones if I can find any… The library will be for all ages, starting from the very young. It will be part of my Teaching English project, to make sure that there is a greater all-round experience of the language other than just the classes. I will have a reading hour regularly, reading stories for the people, (like campfire stories/ radio soaps)
Eventually, we can do plays with Xhosa culture mixed with English, because by this time I’ll be able to translate from Xhosa to English…can’t wait.
I would also like there to be an area of sowing for the women, if we can get machines donated and at some time a person with skills can come and teach the people how to make things like, bags or skirts – something that a standard design is followed with variations in material/ style.
For the men, a wood-working section. Also machines will be needed and someone to teach a skill.
Then, of course a ceramics/ pottery section could always work. An oven will be needed. Something simple, like just white clay/glaze – candle holders/ pretty bowls etc.
Of course if the local people have their own flavour to add, that is to be encouraged.
Computers are also a big need in any rural area.
Then, inspired by Jamie Oliver and my sister, I want to start a veggie patch, first just for myself to have fresh food and later to go bigger and be able to run a small organic restaurant called “The Friendly Butternut Hut”. The restaurant will of course be in a hut that has been transformed into the shape of a butternut. The locals will be taught to cook the food a la Zucchinis style. It will be basic, but good. I do pray that butternuts will grow like wildfire in the Transkei…also chickpeas, brinjals, beetroot, spinach, sweetpotatoes, tomatoes, olives and beans. And avos. I might need to import compost, or we can produce our own. I pray the rain will be sufficient for our needs.
That brings me to accommodation. I would love to live in a good-sized hut, with big windows overlooking the ocean. A little kitchen can be fitted on the outside with a covering for bad weather. And a bathroom with shower, basin and toilet on the other side. I hope to be close to the ocean so that I can go for a swim before breakfast every day.
I could also live in a caravan, if my stay is going to be more temporary, with the idea of then moving my caravan later on to the next spot and so slowly but surely travel through Africa, like a tortoise or a snail, carrying my house on my back. This idea is actually quite appealing to me. I have always fantasised about a gypsy-kind-of-living.
Then I’d need some space to park my caravan, where there would also be space for other caravaners or campers to join whenever and for however long. We’d need a communal kitchen in the middle somewhere, like the one at Blue Hippo in Greyton. Basically, it’s a nicely fitted out kitchen, kind of outdoors, with only a roof that generously covers it, it has bathrooms on the one side, so that also helps for wind covering.
Whoever then comes to visit for a week or two, will quite possibly also be able to contribute to the skills department at the community centre.
I’ll be looking into solar heating and compost toilets…
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