Arrival
Trip Start
Feb 05, 2007
1
4
25
Trip End
Apr 28, 2007
Barberton,
South Africa
Friday, February 9, 2007
The one thing that cannot be overstated about this place is how beautiful it is. It's truly breath taking. Barberton is in a valley surrounded by hills, I've never seen anything like it. So, when I got off the plane I couldn't have been more excited.
I was picked up by Hlingweigh... there is a click in her name I can't even pronounce it close even if my life depended on it. She is so kind and open it's amazing. She was with Numan, and we just got into the car. I thought that the guy with her worked for Projects Abroad, and then I started thinking that maybe he was just her boyfriend, but then it turned out that he's a taxi driver. The only way to get around from city to city around her is pretty much on these taxis, I just thought he was being friendly and picking people up along the way for a couple rand. But that's actually his job, I guess the "Emergency Exit" sign taped on the back window of the truck was the start of me figuring it out.
On the drive to Barberton I was introduced to the most dangerous thing on my trip, and it;s not malaria it's defiantly driving. People drive pretty crazy around here, I think they sort of have their own rules that work- but I don't know what they are so I get a little freaked out.
My first introduction to Africa outside of the airport was bra shopping with Hlingweigh. I was completely jet lagged and walking around down town looking at bras. Just in case anyone was worried, globalization is alive and kicking, they have the exact same underwear over here in Africa. Except they call thongs "salsa style".
There have been some extreme ups and downs in the last couple of days, I have sat up at night and tried to figure out why this sounded like such a good idea, and I've been overwhelmed with the warmth of the people I have met and the beauty of where I am. It's been a little crazy and the adjustment was more than I expected, but I suppose that's how it is when you've never been on your own like this before.
I have had two days of work so far. Essentially my job is to teach pre-school age kids some basic English, like their ABCs, come up with simple lesson plans, and play with them. I have found myself wondering how much good I am doing, they don't speak English well enough to talk to me, and their teacher is great with them already. I have spent some time thinking about what it is I van really do for these kids, and in South Africa I guess being a white person who respects and cares for them is a huge lesson all on its own. That may very well be the greatest influence I have.
I am leaving for two nights with the other volunteers, I'm not sure where I just woke up from my nap and said yes to wherever they were going because I didn't want to be alone in the house this weekend. Although when I asked other people where we were going they had no idea, all they knew was to bring a swimsuit and it's about 35 mins away. I guess that's just the way things happen around here- you just roll with it.
Well I miss home a great deal, but I'm doing alright on the whole. more on my adventures later....
