I'm sure you all know that I'm still living with the Alty's, so this how I've been getting myself to and from work from their home; catching a ride on the Kombi (16-18 passenger taxi). The first kombi I have to flag down on the streets near their home and work is sticking my finger pointing up. Pointing my finger up means I want to go downtown to the Rank; Market Square in my case. Inside the Kombi there is the driver and another person who is hanging out the middle back window trying to drum up customers who might want a lift. That is the person who you would hand over your money to. The rank that the kombi goes to is like going to a bus station or airport where you find the next kombi you need to travel on. Hanging from the ceilings are the street locations where the kombi's travel down. I have pretty much have figure out which kombi I need to switch to now both ways (work/home). But I pretty much stick out at the rank, since I am finding myself the only white person there. And some of the kombi people are also getting to know me and where I need to be dropped off. So everytime I pick up a Kombi off the street, either after leaving home or work, I go directly to the rank and hop on another one. My first kombi cost me R 4, second kombi R 6.60, after work, usually the first kombi is R 6.60 and the next one is R 7. So a days worth of kombi's fares would cost me R 24.20 per day, which right now with the Canadian dollar would be around $3.43.
Sometimes I do get a lift to work on Fridays with the Alty's, sometimes a lift home by someone either from the school (Mrs. Bennet) or someone else from Gateway, or I have taken the adventure of walking home. Walking home is about a hours walk. But, I have to be very alert of my sourndings doing this by myself, since it is not uncommon for muggings here eek!
Signing off from PMB
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Special Highlights
Well I was going to write this in my previous blog, but it was getting far too long, so I decided to just dedicate it to one entry by itself.
So today marked a few special highlights, one I already mentioned in the previous blog, about getting to work all by myself! The second highlight would have to be my favourite one. Interacting with the school children. Yesterday, the school was given a large lot of yogurt from a near by dairy. So, today and tomorrow the children are being treated to a cup of yogurt. I was asked to help distribute the yogurt and was able to deliver the treat to the R (kindergarten) class. Oh, how the children were so thankful for the special treat. After giving the teacher the yogurt cups the children just swarmed up to me to give me their hugs. Such a presious moment that I hope I'll never forget! The children are all so sweet. I am to be called Auntie Kendra by the students. Auntie, is used to show respect.
Another highlight was to sit in with a group of children practicing a Zulu dance, oh how such a treat that was too! The children in the group were the younger children. They were very happy for me to be with them. September 24th Heritage Day here in SA, and so the school is planning a fun day, where the parents are asked to come and join in with a fun walk, but this class of young Zulu dancers were told that they might be able to present to their parents their dance. I am looking forward to see their performance!
And lastly, my last highlight was that successfully walked home from work all by myself. I am very proud at that accomplishment! Of course I had a map with the route all highlighted for me, and I did manage to get off route, but made it home safe and sound. It took me 1hr and 15 mins, but with stopping a couple times to check the map, stopping and double checking with passer byers that I was on the right track, and not sticking to the highlighted route, I could probably shave off those 15 mins. But I just had to walk, it was such a beautiful day, but if I were to change one thing it would have to be to wear my hikers next time. But I did after all do it!
Signing off from Maritzburg for the last time today, till next time!
So today marked a few special highlights, one I already mentioned in the previous blog, about getting to work all by myself! The second highlight would have to be my favourite one. Interacting with the school children. Yesterday, the school was given a large lot of yogurt from a near by dairy. So, today and tomorrow the children are being treated to a cup of yogurt. I was asked to help distribute the yogurt and was able to deliver the treat to the R (kindergarten) class. Oh, how the children were so thankful for the special treat. After giving the teacher the yogurt cups the children just swarmed up to me to give me their hugs. Such a presious moment that I hope I'll never forget! The children are all so sweet. I am to be called Auntie Kendra by the students. Auntie, is used to show respect.
Another highlight was to sit in with a group of children practicing a Zulu dance, oh how such a treat that was too! The children in the group were the younger children. They were very happy for me to be with them. September 24th Heritage Day here in SA, and so the school is planning a fun day, where the parents are asked to come and join in with a fun walk, but this class of young Zulu dancers were told that they might be able to present to their parents their dance. I am looking forward to see their performance!
And lastly, my last highlight was that successfully walked home from work all by myself. I am very proud at that accomplishment! Of course I had a map with the route all highlighted for me, and I did manage to get off route, but made it home safe and sound. It took me 1hr and 15 mins, but with stopping a couple times to check the map, stopping and double checking with passer byers that I was on the right track, and not sticking to the highlighted route, I could probably shave off those 15 mins. But I just had to walk, it was such a beautiful day, but if I were to change one thing it would have to be to wear my hikers next time. But I did after all do it!
Signing off from Maritzburg for the last time today, till next time!
Welcome Warm Spring Days
Well I didn't think I would blog this soon again, but today I feel I must. My last blog entry, I commented about the other's leaving two by one by one from our country reps home. It was sad but a happy moment. We finally split up and went our separate ways. So a couple days later, was told I could move into the adjoining flat house, located behind the main house. The flat house contain a bedroom with two single beds, off a lounge room and a little kitchenette (no appliances, eg. no fridge or stove), and washroom. I really don't need the appliances, since the flat is just outside the kitchen in the main house. But moving into the flat house, just reminded me again that the boys are gone and my adventure is continuing!
Okay, so you are probably wondering when I'm moving out. Well I don't have an exact date yet, but it's looking like sometime around the 26th or 27th of September. The house I'm moving into doesn't have room for me yet, until another girl leaves, which might be either the 25th or 26th of September. So I have temporally moved into the flat house. I have to add in here that I now have met my house mother Lucille, and one of the house girls, Nandi, they are especially friendly, and I look forward to moving in! Actually Lucille, called me at work today which was a good and unexpected surprise! But I better stick in the time frame and not jump around from day to day!
So, to start my first four days of work, I'll start on Monday. Monday, I spend here James & Joan's home at the MCC office. James gave me a manual to refresh myself on accounting principles, and after reading it through a couple times, he got me going on some journaling, and some little filing tasks. My day finished off with working on something in Excel. A good first day with the MCC office, and I look forward to many more days of work with them :).
Tuesdays and Fridays, you will find me in at Gateway's Administrative building doing whatever administrative duties they need or want me to do. I will probably be asked to help in other areas too!
I officially, got a tour of Gateway's grounds, including touring in the prison cells, including the alleged cell that Mahatma Gandhi, stayed in. The Administrative building used to be the building where the Political prisoners from the Apartheid era, where kept in cells, but also contained a gallow. If you go to the seminar room, in the building and look up to the ceiling, you will see a rectangular spot where the men were hung and dropped through, and in the floor directly below, you can see a smaller rectangular indentation where the bodies were dropped after they died. Scary eh? Gateway, uses all the buildings either for all their different projects, offices, shops, storage, housing for volunteer groups, and for their museum tour with period artifacts left from the days of the prison. So, if you come with a group to volunteer, you will be housed and paird up to sleep in a cell. But don't worry, the cells aren't what the used to be like. For some historical dates, the prison was built with the first cell house in 1862 and six years later another cell house was built in 1868, and over the years they kept on building more and more cell houses. The prison closed in 1989, and in 1992 Project Gateway moved in, renovated some and has continued to grow with their many project needs.
So, Wednesday and Thrusdays I'm in the Gateway Christian School. Where I'm assisting the Public Relations Manager, Mrs. Marge Bennet. She is a very lovely woman, and I am especially looking forward to spending the year with her! I do need to say that I am looking forward to working all with the lovely people in both Gateway Admin building and the School, and especially the children :) Everyone has given me a very warm welcome. My work with Mrs. Bennet will consist of administrative work, but also accompaning her around the school, where she interacts with the students. The school has about 270 disadvantaged students who would not be able to attend a good school without the help of overseas sponsers who pay for their tuition. The school classes start at level R (kindergarten) through to grade 7.
Well tomorrow I'm in Gateway, but will start the day off in chaple first. Signing off from Maritzburg (aka Pietermaritzburg), SA
Okay, so you are probably wondering when I'm moving out. Well I don't have an exact date yet, but it's looking like sometime around the 26th or 27th of September. The house I'm moving into doesn't have room for me yet, until another girl leaves, which might be either the 25th or 26th of September. So I have temporally moved into the flat house. I have to add in here that I now have met my house mother Lucille, and one of the house girls, Nandi, they are especially friendly, and I look forward to moving in! Actually Lucille, called me at work today which was a good and unexpected surprise! But I better stick in the time frame and not jump around from day to day!
So, to start my first four days of work, I'll start on Monday. Monday, I spend here James & Joan's home at the MCC office. James gave me a manual to refresh myself on accounting principles, and after reading it through a couple times, he got me going on some journaling, and some little filing tasks. My day finished off with working on something in Excel. A good first day with the MCC office, and I look forward to many more days of work with them :).
Tuesdays and Fridays, you will find me in at Gateway's Administrative building doing whatever administrative duties they need or want me to do. I will probably be asked to help in other areas too!
I officially, got a tour of Gateway's grounds, including touring in the prison cells, including the alleged cell that Mahatma Gandhi, stayed in. The Administrative building used to be the building where the Political prisoners from the Apartheid era, where kept in cells, but also contained a gallow. If you go to the seminar room, in the building and look up to the ceiling, you will see a rectangular spot where the men were hung and dropped through, and in the floor directly below, you can see a smaller rectangular indentation where the bodies were dropped after they died. Scary eh? Gateway, uses all the buildings either for all their different projects, offices, shops, storage, housing for volunteer groups, and for their museum tour with period artifacts left from the days of the prison. So, if you come with a group to volunteer, you will be housed and paird up to sleep in a cell. But don't worry, the cells aren't what the used to be like. For some historical dates, the prison was built with the first cell house in 1862 and six years later another cell house was built in 1868, and over the years they kept on building more and more cell houses. The prison closed in 1989, and in 1992 Project Gateway moved in, renovated some and has continued to grow with their many project needs.
So, Wednesday and Thrusdays I'm in the Gateway Christian School. Where I'm assisting the Public Relations Manager, Mrs. Marge Bennet. She is a very lovely woman, and I am especially looking forward to spending the year with her! I do need to say that I am looking forward to working all with the lovely people in both Gateway Admin building and the School, and especially the children :) Everyone has given me a very warm welcome. My work with Mrs. Bennet will consist of administrative work, but also accompaning her around the school, where she interacts with the students. The school has about 270 disadvantaged students who would not be able to attend a good school without the help of overseas sponsers who pay for their tuition. The school classes start at level R (kindergarten) through to grade 7.
Well tomorrow I'm in Gateway, but will start the day off in chaple first. Signing off from Maritzburg (aka Pietermaritzburg), SA
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Moving On
Well today has been a day of lasts for the group of us five SALTer's with our Country Reps spending time together, until we meet all together the end of September for the Cultural Festival in Lesotho. Tomorrow morning James is driving Simon and Anna to Lesotho, Saturday Andrew and Felicia leave for Durban and I stay here in Pietermaritzburg . We have grown together to form a little family, and it's now time for the next step in our journeys, venturing out on our own. Are we ready? I think so, I hope so, I know so!
Well since the last I blogged, we have gone to a local market, oh how the produce is cheap! Visited an animal park, how fun! Attended a Mennonite Brothers Church Service in Durban, message spoken in French but translated in English and dance with the church people! Relaxed on the Durban beach, and enjoyed a Frisbee game with a stray dog joining in! Attended another church service, my future home church. Met my home stay mom, and even saw my future home, but don't move in for another few more weeks! I'm staying with my country reps, James & Joan a little longer.
Monday through to Thursday we spent time at a Spiritual Retreat where we said goodbye to what's familiar, walked through the dessert, and said hello to the future! Learned to meditate, prayed, enjoyed the fruits of our labour, and got intuned with our selves. But also enjoyed the Garden of Eden. In this Garden of Eden I was introduce to a Poinsettia tree, so pretty and so neat! We were spoiled with many baked goodies, and awesome home cooked meals, even one dish that was almost identical to one of my mothers dishes (Sweet and Sour Chicken, minus the pineapple). Cuddled up with a cat next to a fire, played catch with a dog, and climbed in a tree and read. So, relaxing!
So, tonight we are have a Menno Night Braai with local Mennonite missionaries and their families. This should be fun! I'm sure many laughs will be heard amongst us all. Well I think this concludes this excerpt in my African Adventure blog.
Signing off from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Well since the last I blogged, we have gone to a local market, oh how the produce is cheap! Visited an animal park, how fun! Attended a Mennonite Brothers Church Service in Durban, message spoken in French but translated in English and dance with the church people! Relaxed on the Durban beach, and enjoyed a Frisbee game with a stray dog joining in! Attended another church service, my future home church. Met my home stay mom, and even saw my future home, but don't move in for another few more weeks! I'm staying with my country reps, James & Joan a little longer.
Monday through to Thursday we spent time at a Spiritual Retreat where we said goodbye to what's familiar, walked through the dessert, and said hello to the future! Learned to meditate, prayed, enjoyed the fruits of our labour, and got intuned with our selves. But also enjoyed the Garden of Eden. In this Garden of Eden I was introduce to a Poinsettia tree, so pretty and so neat! We were spoiled with many baked goodies, and awesome home cooked meals, even one dish that was almost identical to one of my mothers dishes (Sweet and Sour Chicken, minus the pineapple). Cuddled up with a cat next to a fire, played catch with a dog, and climbed in a tree and read. So, relaxing!
So, tonight we are have a Menno Night Braai with local Mennonite missionaries and their families. This should be fun! I'm sure many laughs will be heard amongst us all. Well I think this concludes this excerpt in my African Adventure blog.
Signing off from Pietermaritzburg, South Africa
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Greetings from South Africa
Well I know everybody is anxious to know how I'm doing, what I'm doing and wondering where are the pictures? Well give me some time on the pictures please, it cost money to upload things on the web, until I can learn a way to make my photos smaller to upload, I'll upload some.
Well I survive my 20 + hours of travel to South Africa. Unfortunately I didn't get much sleep the last night in Akron, after waking up just after 3am to drive to the Harrisburg, Airport, for the start of three flights that day. My first two flights were really short, but my last flight was 15 hrs long. And unfortunately again I got little sleep during the 15 hr flight. We arrived at in Jo'burg 9:15 Sunday Morning. I think I got somewhere between 1 1/2 to 2 hrs of sleep. Once arriving at our B&B for the day, we refreshed our selves, including doing a little head dive into the wall after tripping over Felicia's bags, we joined our country reps James and Joan Alty for a light lunch.
The rest of the day we toured around Soweto and Kliptown, including going to Nelson Mandela's first owned house. The next couple of days we toured and visited different museums, such as Freedom Park and The VoorTrekker Monument in Pretoria, and The Apartheid Museums in Jo'burg. It is so great to be able to visit these places, especially after reading books about the history.
If you are still wondering what my first impression of South Africa is, it is very brown and dry. Spring doesn't start until Sept 1st. Security is very important and homes are gated and locked at all times with barb wire attached to the tops of the fences surrounding homes. The people are very friendly, and even like to be included in photo's. The mornings and evening are really cool and it warms up in the afternoon. I'm am thankful for bringing my yellow jacket! The scenery is very beautiful especially the 6 hr drive from Jo'burg to Pietermartizburg! I wish I could attach photo's of the drive on here, but I need to work on making the photo file size smaller.
Anyways signing off in Zulu,
Sala Khle
Well I survive my 20 + hours of travel to South Africa. Unfortunately I didn't get much sleep the last night in Akron, after waking up just after 3am to drive to the Harrisburg, Airport, for the start of three flights that day. My first two flights were really short, but my last flight was 15 hrs long. And unfortunately again I got little sleep during the 15 hr flight. We arrived at in Jo'burg 9:15 Sunday Morning. I think I got somewhere between 1 1/2 to 2 hrs of sleep. Once arriving at our B&B for the day, we refreshed our selves, including doing a little head dive into the wall after tripping over Felicia's bags, we joined our country reps James and Joan Alty for a light lunch.
The rest of the day we toured around Soweto and Kliptown, including going to Nelson Mandela's first owned house. The next couple of days we toured and visited different museums, such as Freedom Park and The VoorTrekker Monument in Pretoria, and The Apartheid Museums in Jo'burg. It is so great to be able to visit these places, especially after reading books about the history.
If you are still wondering what my first impression of South Africa is, it is very brown and dry. Spring doesn't start until Sept 1st. Security is very important and homes are gated and locked at all times with barb wire attached to the tops of the fences surrounding homes. The people are very friendly, and even like to be included in photo's. The mornings and evening are really cool and it warms up in the afternoon. I'm am thankful for bringing my yellow jacket! The scenery is very beautiful especially the 6 hr drive from Jo'burg to Pietermartizburg! I wish I could attach photo's of the drive on here, but I need to work on making the photo file size smaller.
Anyways signing off in Zulu,
Sala Khle
Monday, August 10, 2009
Orientation, Akron, Pa
Well I know a lot of you are probably wondering how I'm doing? Well I'm doing great! Meeting lots of new people from around the World, Canada and the US.
But let me start at getting here to Akron, Pa. My flight left Toronto, about 10 mins behind, but that didn't make any difference to me and my other 2 SALTer's I was traveling with. We sat separated and on different sides of the plane. I sat beside a really friendly guy who was coming home to the States, from Peru. We chatted pretty much the whole flight. He has traveled a lot, and had been to SA before, but years ago. So I asked him question about SA, and he tried to answer them the best he could. Once we landed and got our luggage, we were left instructions to meet another flight coming in after ours. The flight number of this flight we soon learned didn't exist! So, we quickly made some phone calls here to Akron, and received the correct number which was wrong by 2 digits. We also learned that we had to walk from our F terminal, to terminal A, and that was a 10-15 min walk around the outside of the airport, and it was really hot and humid! Once we got to Terminal A, we started asking people about this flight that was to be arriving at that terminal. We got two completely different stories, one was that the airline that we were to meet, flies together with another airline and their terminal is terminal E. We had just came from F, and we didn't want to walk all the way back from where we came from. The second story, which we found to be accurate, was that the flight was delayed. And we finally met up with everybody and drove to Akron. My flight arrived around 1:25 pm ish and we finally headed out of the airport around 4 pm ish.
Housing here at Akron is really neat. We are all broken up into 5 different houses. The Africa house, Americas house, Middle East/Europe house, Asia house and the Manor. We are then paired up with a room mate. My room mate is Yvonne Hlatshwayo, she is an IVEPer and is from Zimbabwe. Her placement is in New Hamburg, ON!
I am slowly trying to meet everybody, learning their names, where their from and where they're going. It's hard to remember every body's faces and names, but we do wear name tags so that helps some.
We do get some free time, so I have been able to check e-mails. We are learning lots and I can't wait to fly to South Africa. I've been learning a lot more about MCC than I knew before I left home. Also, I've been going to sessions that are helping us to adjust to living in other cultures which have been fun, especially interactive ones.
Well I'm not sure what more to write, it's only been a couple days so far. So, signing off from Akron, 
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Four more Sleeps
Well I thought I would write one more blog before I leave on Saturday the 8th for Akron, Pa for my one week orientation. I have officially four more comfy sleeps left in my big bed :( :). Today, the mail lady delivered my passport with my travel visa. It has been a very stressful process this last month. And I'm very glad I finally have it in my hands. Phew!
If, you all are wondering as to what my SALT placement details are, like what my job description is, or maybe I haven't completely shared all the details with you. Well my job title with Project Gateway and MCC is an Administrative Aassistant. I think I've already shared that I'm working with Project Gateway four out of five days, where one of the four days I'm working with one of their many projects. The fifth weekday I'm in the MCC office, which is now located in the Project Gateway building.
I have no idea as to whom I'll be living with in South Africa for the year. One of my fellow SALTer's, who is going to be in Chad, Africa, has received photos of her home for the next 11 months, but me notta. I guess it will be part of my unknown adventure.
One, thing that I'm going to ask of all you family and friends is to pray for safe travel for me and everyone else as we travel to our placements. I have about a total of 20 travel hours ahead of me on the 15th, so please pray for safe flights.
Just want to also say a really huge thank you to all my family and friends for all your support, either if it is financial or moral, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!! Well I gotta run and finish up the rest of my last minute items and start to figure out how to pack everything within my packing limits.
Signing off, next time will be maybe either Akron, PA, or South Africa.
If, you all are wondering as to what my SALT placement details are, like what my job description is, or maybe I haven't completely shared all the details with you. Well my job title with Project Gateway and MCC is an Administrative Aassistant. I think I've already shared that I'm working with Project Gateway four out of five days, where one of the four days I'm working with one of their many projects. The fifth weekday I'm in the MCC office, which is now located in the Project Gateway building.
I have no idea as to whom I'll be living with in South Africa for the year. One of my fellow SALTer's, who is going to be in Chad, Africa, has received photos of her home for the next 11 months, but me notta. I guess it will be part of my unknown adventure.
One, thing that I'm going to ask of all you family and friends is to pray for safe travel for me and everyone else as we travel to our placements. I have about a total of 20 travel hours ahead of me on the 15th, so please pray for safe flights.
Just want to also say a really huge thank you to all my family and friends for all your support, either if it is financial or moral, THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!! Well I gotta run and finish up the rest of my last minute items and start to figure out how to pack everything within my packing limits.
Signing off, next time will be maybe either Akron, PA, or South Africa.
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