"We Are The Future of Our Nation"

Today, we went to Solomon Mahlangu High School.  Here, we watched a group of students practice a presentation for the Youth Citizen Action Programme.  The purpose to this program is to “engage the youth in discussion about the challenges they face and empower them to solve the challenges”.  There are 6 steps.  The first step is recruiting the team.  The team was composed of 10th graders. The second step is assigning roles and responsibilities. The group must have a leader, financial manager, marketing manager, operations manager, income generation manager and administration manager.  The third step is for the students to list and research topics.  These are areas of concern for their local community or school.  The students, we observed narrowed their list to absenteeism, poverty in education, and shortage of textbooks. The students decided their focus was going to be “Poverty and Education.  Once they identified this problem, the fourth step included describing the problem. They used student interviews, school based statistics, and read online articles. They researched different causes of poverty such as social issues, unemployment, loss of a parent, etc.  Their student interviews brought up points such as students not doing well academically on empty stomachs.  Poor students felt humiliated when having to wear uniforms with holes and that did not fit properly.  This resulted in the learners not achieving their full potential, acting out, and dropping out of school.  Steps 5 and 6 were the action part of the program. They initiated a breakfast launch, formed community partnerships, started a community service club and held fundraisers.  They made home visits bringing food and clothing to students in need. The final part of the project was a professional portfolio and oral presentation.

These young adults were just amazing.  They were so articulate, confident, passionate and incredibly humble.  This is a theme I am seeing with a lot of the people, especially the youth, in S. Africa.  It is referred to as “active citizenship” They are very motivated to bringing a change to their community and are not waiting for someone else to make a difference.  They do it themselves.  It is easy to say something.  Following through and and being a positive and active member of your community at such a young age is how changes are made.
Whether it is at this school or the Lovelife Center, it is not just their words being heard, their actions are speaking loud and clear!

On Friday morning, I was unable to doing Physical Education with the learners, due to the rain.  I first observed a 5th grade geography lesson by Coleen Owens.  I loved being able to show the students where Jacksonville, North Carolina was on the map compared to Port Elizabeth, South Africa.  Next, I traveled to a math class where Charlotte Johnson was teaching fractions.  I like being in different classrooms and observing different lessons.  I don’t often get that chance back in the States.  In the math class, I worked one on one with a student who was having difficulties with the lesson on adding fractions.  We worked in a corner with a small white board.  I spent most of the class going other each problem one at a time, hoping I was making a difference.  The classes at Emafini are crowded.  In these two fifth grade classes there are 45 students.  I have been in other classes that have 50.  Mr. McKay, the principal told me that they do not send students away.  He has had to ask parents to supply a desk and chair in order for them to have someplace to sit.  Besides the physical space issue, there is no way for one teacher to give individual help in a class that large.  Students are falling behind with not a chance of catching back up.  Despite these issues, the teachers are doing their best and the students are happy to be there.  In South Africa, there is a big value placed on education. This experience today had an impact of me. It has made me want to do more.  It has also validated my choice to be a teacher.  Teachers love to teach, of course, but they also love to learn!  This country, the school, the people and my colleagues sharing this experience, have taught me a lot.  And if it takes doing it one student at a time, then that’s what I will do.

On a rainy Saturday afternoon, we traveled to Samrec or the South Africa Marine Rehabilitation Centre.  It reminded me of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center in Topsail and Possumwood Acres, a wildlife rehabilitation center in Hubert. Their missions are to help injured wildlife and educate the public.  Samrec is specifically trying to help the endangered African penguin. As I spend time in South Africa, I continue to make connections to home.  Over fishing or hunting, loss of habitat, and pollution are not local problems that only effect NC and the United States but worldwide issues. It was ironic that at the NC Maritime museum in Beaufort, I viewed a display about turtles entangled in trash. I then saw a similar exhibit with sea animals that died from the same problem here.  I hope we can learn, share and work together to help solve this universal problem.

"Anything else you're interested in is not going to happen if you can't breathe the air and drink the water. Don't sit this one out. Do something. You are by accident of fate alive at an absolutely critical moment in the history of our planet."
Carl Sagan

It was my most personally rewarding day since I arrived in S. Africa – I got to teach at Emafini.  After 2 days of observing other classrooms, I was given the opportunity to work with the students teaching Chinese jump rope. There are some things that are universal and one is that children love to move and play. I had already seen the children both here and at Lovelife Center jumping rope. Their eyes lit up as they discovered a new way of jumping.  I worked with 3 sixth grade classes teaching the routines – Americans and Chinese.  They impressed me with their quick learning.  In the afternoon, I did the “Hokey Pokey” and then introduced the Chinese jump rope to 2 first grade classes.  I believe that playing games and sports is a way for people especially children to make cultural connections. Differences don’t matter when children are playing.  The smiles on their faces and the laughter was music to my ears.

Cricket anyone?

As I have been traveling around the Port Elizabeth area, I have been looking to see what kind of games and sports are being played. Every time I’ve seen a sport being played on TV, it has been rugby.  I spent some time talking to a lady at a local sports store and she confirmed that rugby is one of the most popular sports in S. Africa.  The South African team is the Springboks which is a type of antelope. Their colors are green and gold. They have been very successful in international play.  I have definitely seen more rugby stores so far than any other type of sport.  The most interesting fact I learned was that play is not stopped and keeps going even if the ball hits the ground or a player is tackled. The ball carrier has to release the ball when tackled and roll out of the way so that other players on their feet can try to get it. That is not what I am used to when watching our Carolina Panthers!

               Rules of Rugby


As I was taking a walk along the beach front Sunday, I watched a family playing cricket.  Cricket is another popular sport in South Africa.  The national team is the Proteas which is a flowering plant.  I purchased some crickets sets to bring back to Jacksonville.  I’m eager to learn how to play so I can teach my students.  I would love to be able to compare the similarities and difference between this and one of our favorite national pastimes – baseball. I do want to point out in closing, at the schools and the youth center, all the children are playing one of our favorite sports – soccer!

Cricket Facts for Kids

It was another beautiful day in P.E.  I'm having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that that does not stand for physical education but for Port Elizabeth!  I am loving the cool mornings and warm afternoons. The town has so many similarities to our area in North Carolina.  It is along the beautiful coast and has the friendliest people.

 Today we went to the Lovelife Centre. This is a youth center that supports and promotes the surrounding community by providing a variety of programs including education, job training, health and fitness.  What I find so inspiring about this place is that the youth are given the leadership roles.  They are truly role models for not only the other young people, but the adults and us (the visitors).  It was very impressive the difference they are making in their communities.  I am excited that we will be able to spend some more time there.

I also saw some great jump roping and Nguni stick-fighting.  Although I didn't try the jump roping,  I was lucky enough to take a turn stick-fighting.

What an adventure!  We hit the ground running going on our first morning here in S. Africa to Htlemeza Primary school.  We took part in the "The Great Show of Hands" program helping to paint and landscape the school.  What a great way to make a difference in schools and the lives of the students.