So last week marked 7 months since arriving in South Africa and today is four weeks since myself and Linsey moved to Umtata. On Friday 6th March we left St Mary's children's home. Saying goodbye was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. But we had a lovely send off with presents from our host and beautiful cards and letters from all the kids. Saying goodbye really was tough but I know that one day I will be back to visit and see how they are all getting on, just like I promised them. That night we stayed at the Ritz backpackers in Johannesburg (our home away from home) and prepared for our move the next day. After paying for extremely heavy bags and running to the plane we finally set off. The plane was tiny and we only had a very short flight. We arrived at what seemed to be a building a lot smaller than my house. Umtata airport is so small, they don't even check your passports and they carry your bags from the plane to the building. We were met by Felix (an ex volunteer who was visiting) Lisa (his sister) and Teresa (a current volunteer from Germany). Our flat is perfect, pretty small but it's fine. We each have a bedroom then share a tiny kitchen and bathroom. We don't have a kettle so have to boil water in the pan every time we want a cup of tea (which for Linsey is a lot) we also don't have hot water so in order to have a luke warm bath I boil the two big pans and put then in the bath. We were welcomed by lots of creepy crawlies especially big cockroaches, we had a massive spring clean and hopefully they've all gone now. Since arriving we've also had a frog, lizard and massive millipede in the bathroom. What can I say, they just love their new neighbours!! Ikewzi lokusa (where we live) is a very nice area. It consists of Bethany home, the convent, a farm, a special school for disabled children, a rehabilitation centre and many workshops where disabled adults can work in either craft, sewing, pottery or leather. It's very different to Rosettenville and pretty safe inside. I can even go running ... well I attempt to. There are now 6 volunteers at Bethany home including myself and Linsey. There is Lisa from Austria, Lia from South Korea, and Teresa and Miri from Germany who it turns out have also been working in a children's home south of Johannesburg (10minutes away from us) for the past 6 months. Toni and Jeffrey are also volunteers from Germany but Toni works for the rehab centre and Jeffrey works as a teacher in a local children's home for older kids. It is so nice to have other company the same age as ourselves and lovely to meet people from around the world all here to do the same thing! Working at Bethany is a dream! We are now officially pre-school teachers. Myself and Linsey work there alongside Lisa, she teaches maths, Linsey English and myself life skills. I absolutely love it. My first topic has been 'the body' which I've really enjoyed and so have the children. In the afternoons we do different activities sometimes music or art and we also put on special lessons for the younger ones. We are also able to help out in the nursery with the babies. They are beyond cute.
Although Bethany home is very different from St Mary's I'm embracing the challenge. I still feel so honored to be able to split my year and spent 6months in two incredible homes with some amazing children. We've been here for 4 weeks now and settled in so well.
We are now on Easter holidays on a road trip with Lisa and our project trust friend Phil (teachers on tour) we've hired a car and are traveling around some stunning places in the Eastern Cape. But more about that in my next blog post.
Thank you to you all for your on-going support towards this wonderful adventure and for taking your time to read my blog and keep on track with what I've been up to.
Lots of love from South Africa!!!
