Before I tell you about the weekend. I'll give you and update on my volunteering. A new grade four teacher came and I volunteered to work with her. During introducing herself she told me she didn't have anything for me to do, so I sat with her for a day and realized she was right. Next week I decided to help somewhere I felt more needed and went to Ms. Bessie's Grade R (Kindergarten) class. It has been a lot of fun and challenging. I am constantly breaking up fights, they speak little to no English, they like to touch my hair and arms with their grimey hands. Today, I actually was picked up by a couple of them and had to yell for Megan (in the same classroom) to help me. It has been fun playing games with them and it is very rewarding to help them learn simple things like counting and shapes. The biggest challenges is watching kids struggle with simple things, especially the ones who have learning disabilities, and feeling unable to communicate with them or help them. I am determined to make one small breakthrough with one of them.
BULUNGULA
This is my favorite place so far. We drove 8+ hours, 2 of which were down a road full of potholes, then walked an hour, to reach the backpackers. It was tucked in the middle of a rural village on the mouth of the river and the ocean. We stayed in traditional huts. There was only solar power so most of the light was candlelight. The toilets had quite complicated instructions because the waste was used for compost (they were my least favorite part - smelly). The hot water for showers was done by pouring parafin in a pipe and lighting it. They were surprisingly nice. A lot of locals hung out around the backpackers including some donkeys, horses, chickens, and goats. We had to keep the hut door shut to keep animals out.
The first day I went canoeing. I canoed with our guide. He sang to himself most the way up the river, and added a few random facts in the little English that he spoke. There is a ferry that brings people across to the store and clinic, a big turtle, jumping fish that sometimes land in the boats, kids catching bait, swimming, and net fishing.
... I just looked and the clock and I am going to be late for class to I will finish this tomorrow! Love, Court
BULUNGULA
This is my favorite place so far. We drove 8+ hours, 2 of which were down a road full of potholes, then walked an hour, to reach the backpackers. It was tucked in the middle of a rural village on the mouth of the river and the ocean. We stayed in traditional huts. There was only solar power so most of the light was candlelight. The toilets had quite complicated instructions because the waste was used for compost (they were my least favorite part - smelly). The hot water for showers was done by pouring parafin in a pipe and lighting it. They were surprisingly nice. A lot of locals hung out around the backpackers including some donkeys, horses, chickens, and goats. We had to keep the hut door shut to keep animals out.
The first day I went canoeing. I canoed with our guide. He sang to himself most the way up the river, and added a few random facts in the little English that he spoke. There is a ferry that brings people across to the store and clinic, a big turtle, jumping fish that sometimes land in the boats, kids catching bait, swimming, and net fishing.
... I just looked and the clock and I am going to be late for class to I will finish this tomorrow! Love, Court
BULUNGULA continued....
The boys spent their time fishing with the locals.The second day I spent with a local village women doing her daily chores with her. Had my face painted (it is for sun protection), collected water, gathered firewood, carried these things on my head, and made lunch. Making lunch was quite the process: skinning a pumpkin with a spoon, picking kernels of corn, grinding kernels with stones, boiling it all over a fire. It amazes me how much work goes into such everyday tasks. I admire them, because I do not think I could live this way. We spent a lot of the afternoon playing with her son and relatives as well.
Her mom re-dunging the floor
we didn't carry this much wood. The woman told me I couldn't get married because I dropped my wood bundle off my head.COFFEE BAY & HOLE IN WALL
I have to admit, I was a little disappointed with Coffee Bay. People raved so much about it, but I just didn't see what was so great about it. It is a very small town that basically consists of hotels and backpackers on the bay and village huts in the surrounding area. It is filled with poverty. It was impossible to leave the backpackers without being hassled by the mama's to buy jewlry, or the boys selling drugs, or the kids begging.
Despite this, I'll say that backpackers was nice; good food and good entertainment from local schools. I definitely liked the toilets better than Bulungula's. The hike to Hole in the Wall was beautiful. It was nice having the coastal sea breeze the entire walk. There was so many beautiful gorges and scenery. The water at the Hole was really warm and the waves were fun. I jumped into the Hole.
*Elton John Concert tomorrow.
Saturday we are going to our literature professors house and hiking.
Sunday is my birthday, not really exciting because it has no significance here... I will miss celebrating with my family, so have fun celebrating in my honor :)
**I will be traveling until 12 April to Cape Town, Durban, the Drakensburg Mts, and Lesotho. So until then xoxo
