Kisses of conviction

Tuesday, 12 February 2013

(Song choice for this blog entry: "Youth" - Daughter)

I taught the children how to blow kisses today.

I stood just in front of the Land Rover as they all came running - this swarm of midgets - hugging and pulling at my clothes.
They were so happy to see us - it was almost as if this physical contact (between adult and child, so foreign to me) was their way of making sure that we had really returned. That we were really here in the flesh.

They stopped in their tracks, all of them giggling as I blew them their first kiss. 

I was back in the village to teach more computer literacy, and it was a lot less taxing on the emotions than it had been the day before.

Today Ash and I were managing a group between the ages of 9 and 12 years old.
Yesterday we were faced with the challenge of a much younger age group and a prominent language/communication barrier that we were (and still are) faced with.
Trying to help them make sense of a computer was a struggle to say the least - but humbling nonetheless.

I have made it my mission to pick up as many Xhosa sayings as I can to aid the destruction of this communication barrier. The kids find it highly amusing listening to my horrid pronunciation of their native tongue.


Yesterday afternoon I returned back to the commune where I would be living until Friday with Ash and three Brazilian volunteers: Paula, Ilana and Bianca.
The house and the volunteers are cared for by a woman named Kwesi who will mother you to the end of the Earth and back, regardless of your background, skin colour, religious affiliation or age.
On my return to the volunteer house that afternoon, I spotted two gourmet sandwiches cling-wrapped to a plate with my name neatly scribbled over the wrap in black koki.
Kwesi had made us all lunch.

Ash, Tobs (a local and permanent employee of VA32'South) and Mike ( VA32'South director) decided to take the volunteers for a ride on the rubber duck - a break from the responsibility we had over the children.
So we spent the early afternoon on the boat speeding around, jumping the swell in the ocean, and body surfing with the other volunteers until we saw a shark. We then stayed in the boat, eventually returning to shore.

After the boat ride we head off to the sports field which was built in the village, not far off from the junior school. Here the volunteers coach sports twice a week (Tuesday and Thursday afternoons). It is a good opportunity to teach the kids how to maintain positive attitudes, support self-empowerment and introduce aesthetic upliftment.


Hopefully I will be able to pick up a few more terms in Isixhosa tomorrow. It's all in the clicks.

I couldn't help myself but to think that although I might have taught these children how to blow kisses today, they taught me how to blow kisses with conviction, in return <3

Sabonana imchomso ichommies! (Goodbye, I will see you tomorrow, my friends).

Inside the Big Green E-Machine. This is a fully sustainable 4x4 which has been converted into a mobile computer literacy lab. It operates on solar power (panels on the roof). This big boy addresses the lack of technology in the rural areas of South Africa. It also provides solutions to the lack of space in schools; the security risks of maintaining expensive assets (11 laptops and 1 server); the unreliability (and in some cases non-existent) electricity supplies; the expansion of teaching opportunities; as well as identifying the potential of expanding the programme by incorporating adults and the surrounding communities into computer classes in the future. 

Milton took the Brazilian volunteers and I on a sunset dune walk on Monday evening, where we watched a magnificent sunset. Milton (top left); Paula (on his right); Ilana (bottom left) and me (right hand corner). 

Ilana, Milton and Paula drinking their zamalek (slang/street name for strong beer). The programme also provides volunteers with accommodation in communal house in the seaside village of Chintsa East - a mere 5 minute walk away from the beach. Volunteers are also given daily meals (breakfast, lunch and supper). Breakfasts are generally an early and healthy buffet of choice; Lunch gives you the option of choosing your own gourmet sandwiches which are prepped by Mama Kwesi; and Sinners are generally home-coked sit down meals which are cooked/braaied (BBQ) by the VA Staff (also catering for vegetarians!!)

Chintsa coastline - sundowners on the evening dune walk.

Teaching the children from the village how to blow kisses, this moment will stay with me forever.

After watching me scribble in my journal, one of the girls from the junior school asked permission to write her name down for me to remember forever. Her name: Anathi. I will never forget you.

The children arriving on the sports field for their Tuesday afternoon sports activities - it is quite a sight to see and experience. The sports field itself (in the background) is dry. The grass is difficult and does not want to grow. It is characterised by pebbles and small rocks, making it hard for the children to play, as they often play barefoot. On these particular sporting afternoons, we teach the kids warm-up and cool-down exercises; we played a game similar to tag (everybody joined in, regardless of your ages group); and then we split up and children can join different sports groups for the afternoon (volleyball, rugby, soccer, and netball). 

Note how the older children care for their younger peers. The girl standing tall on the back of the truck has white painted on her face. This is white powder made of clay and mixed with water, acting as a successful sunblock. 

Warming up on the sports field is one of the more bizarre experiences. The children compete between one another over who gets to hold the various volunteers' hands. Here the children (and volunteers) run around the field to get the circulation going before getting started.

After a completed lap around the field, the party gets together and begins to stretch. Take a minute to note how the children are still clinging on to the volunteers hands. Too sweet.

Still stretching :)

After stretching, the party sits down in a circle while being instructed on the activities for the afternoon. This little girl took a particular interest in me (this afternoon and during my time spent at the school), staying by my side the entire time. She was one of the few whom I had taught how to blow a kiss earlier that day.

More faces exuding more character and curiosity traits. 

Paula in her Volunteer Africa 32' South top.

 This little girl tripped and fell, grazing both her knees and her little toes, and in shock started to cry. Another strange and hard experience to come to terms with is the problem of the children crying. The competition for your attention (especially amongst the younger children) is taken seriously. I could not understand why when one child began to cry - the rest would burst out in chorus. They too crave your attention. 

This boy had been playing on a log, slipped and fell, landing with the pole crunching him in between his legs. All this little guy wanted to do was sit on his own for a bit. 

Watching the older children. These sports days often rely on volunteer numbers and enthusiasm. The more volunteers, the more it allows for the introduction of formal structures within the sports activities. Ash is busy trying to introduce the idea of a formal soccer team. He wants to teach the older children how to coach games and train the youngsters which encourages self-empowerment and upliftment, as well as positive attitudes amongst the young community.

Thirsty? One of the rainwater tanks is fully functional and open for use for the children to use. Not the standard bottled water or energy drinks the children I grew up with are used to, but it water - and water is precious up the Wild Coast.

Masambwe sihle amanzi- ilanga lishushu! (come let us go to drink water - the sun is hot!)