Today we had orientation about our placements. For my placement these are special needs kids who are in public school. What is interesting is that it is a government runned school, but can only hold a certain amount of kids so there is a waiting list. Tons of other international people come to volunteer there. The classrooms are small and I will most likely have 20 kids. I have to learn Afrikaans for the school because the younger children don’t know English yet.
After orientation we had a orientation about their culture, religion, and traditions. South Africa take the best of various worlds to try to make up their country. Rituals and traditions are very important to society. Spiritual and tribal beliefs are in everyday life. A trance/dance is used to help people connect with their ancestors. Ancestry is a huge deal in Africa. They believe in ancestors like we believe in God.
FUN FACT
They eat worms
Initiation and traditions
Boy get initiatied into the culture between ages 15-25
It is important social device dealing with adolescence
It is the shift from childhood to adult
They go to the mountains to get initiated over a 21 period day!
These people are sooo cool!
So then we had a great lunch because it was jonathons birthday and we celebrated it. Then I went on a township tour and saw povershed housed and went to the market. People let their kids run around everywhere. It is pretty cool. These people are also beautiful. We went to district 6 and many other memorials of things that happened during apartheid. We then went to a preschool and all the little kids sang us songs and then we played with them. I had 4 kids climbing on me like I was a jungle gym. They were so happy and had so much fun. We danced and played. They were so cute. We took pictures of them and they were so excited to see themselves because many of them have never seen a picture of themselves. (sorry but I can’t post pictures of people up. But I can show you them when I get home). They were memorized by my watch.
On the drive back to the home base was really pretty and interesting. I noticed so many coca cola signs everywhere. As building signs or on houses. There are houses that are made out of tin. They sloutter animals and cook them right on the street. Its so gross but good for them for doing that.
There is a huge difference in communites from colored, blacks, and whites. The colored are people who are mixed. Blacks are the “less” of the three and then colored and whites are the “supreme” all of the towns you can clearly see the differences. It is so sad and makes me want to change it but I know I can’t save the world.
NO WORRIES GUYS MY CHACO TAN IS COMING IN VERY NICELY AFTER ONLY ONE DAY OF WEARING THEM!!!. I am going ot the beach this week to work on my tan. The sun is so bright here. It was really windy today but no worries everyone be jealous it was 80 degrees. CHACHING!!!
I am going to try and post everyday but if I can’t no worries guys I will do it as much as possible. I can’t upload pictures on facebook because I have to pay for internet and its expensive to upload them. I am waiting to go to an internet free café
Peace out A town
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