Back from Barberton

Just got back from Barberton. Was researching tenteleni strategy there. A really good project, although one which has so much more capacity to grow – it is a real shame that we under-recruited by so much this year as so much proj. dev. work put in last year will have gone to waste by not following up with the actual volunteers in placements. The township the volunteers work and live in is massive, and it seems to be safe enough to walk around without getting too much hassle. There is so much more of a feeling of community involvement than in the hostel&bus projects. This is really where Tenteleni should be headed. To put a bit of a downer on the visit, and my general optimism about homestays, one volunteer has just dropped out of their project – couldn't handle living with the family she was put with, although apparently she had other issues.

Barberton is in a truly spectacular setting, backing onto a range of mountains in the south, and to the north east, the hills around Nelspruit, making for an excellent sunset.

It was not allowed for me to stay with the local Tenteleni project co-ordinator as it was felt to be inappropriate – “people would talk”, so instead I stayed with a peace corps volunteer who had been there for nearly three years. Apparently all us white guys look the same, so where ever I went in town I was greeted with cries of “siyabonga” (his adoptive swazi name).

Next week i'm off to ask some Tenteleni related questions in Matsulu and Nkomazi. They're not too far away from lekazi, but far enough to merit staying there for the night, so I will get to meet some of their volunteers, and see what they have to say about their experience. It will also be a nice change from Generations (SA soap) in the evening. There are rumours that there might even be a braai when I arrive in Matsulu on Wednesday. This is definitely my favourite SA tradition, that whatever the occasion, it's probably a good idea to braai some meat.

women's day

just had a good long weekend. It's womens' day today (9^th August), a public holiday, so there's not much I can be getting on with. The daughter of my homestay host (Toockey) came for the weekend from pretoria where she is at uni. She was good fun to be around and speaks English like a mother tongue, although because of this, the Zulus apparently call her a coconut (black on the outside, but white on the inside).

While wandering around Lekazi this afternoon, I made quite the faux pas.  I was summoned from across the street by someone (quite a common occurance – usually people wanting to know what a white person is doing wandering round the township). I greeted the man, who introduced me to his sister. She looked quite young, so after greeting her, I asked her if she went to the local high school, Thembeka, which I had just come from - just as a way of finding something in common. “No” she replied, “but my daughter does – she's in grade 10”

church meet in my homestay

Just had another church meet. There was singing, dancing, faith healing – everything you expect from your average capitevalgelist TV channel, but all in toockey's living room. I enquired as to what kind of success rate they had from the faith healing – apparently 80%.

As ever with SA parties, there was a lot of cake, juice and sugary snacks, although when I asked if I tried to help clear up I was waved away; “It's our culture...” said the members of the local women's league. Before long, a “soapie” was put on (generations) which  everyone took very seriously. In tonight's episode, a man had to switch of his daughter's life support machine. A heated debate ensued, and from what little I could understand of the conversation, it concerned ethical issues at the end of life. There was only so long I was going to be able keep a straight face, but when let out a snigger, inevitably I was asked my opinion. I pointed out that it was just a TV show... tumbleweed.

In other news: I find it depressing how much people can talk the talk... People talk endlessly about segregation/aparteid and the tragedy of the language barrier, but so often can't be bothered to teach me siSwati. I do feel a bit excluded when so much chat is in a language that I only have a passing understanding of. Bearing in mind how much my keenness to learn siSwati is mocked, it's frustrating how little people actually teach me. Afrikaans is really quite straight forward – it only has two tenses (I think), whereas siSwati, like English, is massively rich and has a huge potential for expression, something you can't really learn from a phrase book. I'm sure it's just because explaining the finer nuances to me is bloody difficult when you only have a superficial understanding of English. Will keep trying.

First week

(actually into third week now - very sporadic internet in kaNyamazane)

My first week as lekazi project co-ordinator has just finished. I was looking forward to undertaking the daunting task ahead as one half of a mean PC partnership, but I now left along thanks to a visa problem from another PC, and my partner having to go and cover for her. The week has been very busy. I had meetings with all 14 lekazi principals in the first two days – some warm and welcoming, and others more formal. Some of the meetings were more like a friendly chat, and others felt more like an interview, as if I had to justify my taking up the principal's time. I will try not to let a pricipal's cold demeanour shroud my uncovering a healthy and productive partnership at the level of the educators and the children.

This week's task will be to investigate more fully, the state of the relationship with tenteleni, and the potential of volunteers to have an impact in each of the schools, and it has become clear that this is more complicated than simply asking around. Occasionally, a principal or teacher will demonstrate a degree of perspective, in saying how lucky their school has been to have volunteers, and that it may be the turn of some other (more poorly performing) schools to benefit. The paradox is that those principals/teachers who demonstrate such perspective seem to be the ones who understand the volunteer role most effectively, and therefore would be most likely to productively employ the volunteers. I'm sure that this kind of understanding is one of the things which has allowed their school to perform so well, and be less in need of voluntary assistance. Volunteers will likely benefit from feeling that there is much to accomplish in a school, meaning that such highly performing schools will less satisfying, yet principals and educators who better understand the volunteer role and put them to good use will be more satisfying to work with. I believe the key will be to find poor schools who have a few excellent educators for volunteers to work with; who exist in an environment of great need, and who can point volunteers towards that need.

As far as the schools to be moved into are concerned, an impression has still to be made. I'm sure such educators exist within these schools, and so the challenge will be to inspire them to involve and invest themselves in Tenteleni as much as possible. I hope that the initial presentations will stimulate interest, and that the follow up workshops will allow them to further understand the volunteer role and realise it's potential within the classroom and beyond. In simpler terms, I need to find a Toockey within these new schools, someone who need not be a senior member of staff, but whose input really makes the project work.

On a less high-brow note, I had an excellent kick about with some local guys who responded to my request, “ufuna dlala ibola” Although for the most part, I had no idea what they were on about, the international language of football transcended the language barrier. Whether you support the kaiser chiefs or dunfermline athletic, a goal is goal, a hack is a hack and a nutmeg is embarassing.

Mozambique

Internet has not been easy to come by these past few weeks, so here is a belated account of my travels in mozambique

Arrived in Maputo, after a short (by SA standards) 4 hour minibus taxi ride. The journey was much more comfortable that these things usually are, as the driver insisted that we travel in the front, where there was plenty of leg room. I felt a bit awkward that the white people on the bus were getting such preferential treatment. There are many legacies of colonialism and white rule which offend me, but every cloud...

We decided to ignore the gaggle of taxi drivers waving their keys in our faces and (naively) set out to walk to Maputo backpackers. Needless to say, we soon got lost, and caved, taking a 3 wheeled taxi/scooter (champinyo?) to our accommodation. Luckily we didn't get mown down, smashed to pieces, or run off the road, although that is what was going through my mind as the driver of this unstable looking contraption weaved in and out of the traffic, to the sound of drivers beeping their horns in anger.

Admittedly, upon arriving in the “Costa du Sol”, some way out of downtown Maputo, I was pretty impressed by the picturesque beach, quite row of bars along the seafront, and dows (arab style fishing boats) resting on the sand. I'm sure in the height of summer, this would be heaving with South African tourists jostling for a piece of sand, but on this mild winter evening, it seemed quite peaceful. Of course, this being an African beach, there was an appropriate amount of rubbish strewn around, and no shortage of street vendors pestering you to buy their wares, but they just form part of the scenery.

That night being my birthday, we decided to go out for a meal, and being in Maputo, it seemed silly not to go for some sort of seafood experience. The seafood platter seemed an appropriate selection, and when it came it did not disappoint. Tiger prawns, the like of which I have never seen or tasted before, along with calamari and various other crustaceans made for an excellent birthday meal.

Tofu was the next day's destination. Although there are many other equally impressive beaches all along the coast of Mozambique, Tofu has a reputation of being a backpacker's paradise. With this in mind, we set out on the 8 hour bus journey north, starting out at 5.30 in the morning, arriving in the mid afternoon. Unfortunately, we were greeted with typically British weather – windy with patches of rain, but this soon cleared up, perfect for the week of sunburn, sandcastles and swimming which lay ahead.

Venturing any distance into the sea at Tofu is not so much an exercise in swimming, but in fending off wave after wave crashing down, knocking you off your feet – much more fun than sedately floating around. After a day on the beach, Tofu has much to offer. Firstly the market, selling that day's catch (prawns, fish, squid – all quite reasonably priced after a good haggling session), along with some offensively priced rum. Tipo Tinto Rhum was definitely the order of the day, and at 100 Meticais (£2) per litre, it would be rude not to indulge.

Before long it was time to return to SA once again, to start doing something useful (hopefully). Great to meet the other project co-ordinators again. Looking forward to beginning life as the only white guy in kaNyamazane.

activity camp in the mountains

Just finished spending a week on a farm deep in the Drakensburgs. Frost in South Africa is a new phenomenon for me, but one which certainly added to the spectacular views. The morning routine kicked off at about 6. Firstly a warm shower (if someone had remembered to put a big enough log in the fire under the boiler the night before), then into the bakkie to pick up the kitchen staff from their village. Most mornings, the bakkie wouldn't start on its own, and so had to be rolled at break neck speeds down a hill to bump start it (I feel like I have learnt a useful life skill in this). The group of kids on camp was then ushered into the dinner hall for the mornings activities. The activities on offer ranged from abseiling to nature walks, and even a tour round the ajoining crane (bird) sanctury. Luckily my italian hitch and figure of eight skills were up to scratch, because I was thrown straight into the action - apparently health and safety rules are for other countires. Luckily, my knots held and everyone seemed to have a good time. Camp after the kids were gone was also good fun, with the incredible scenery and very reasonably priced local beverages certainly adding to the experience

Crash course in south african culture

Two things happened to make me sad today.

1. I'm sitting in the garden reading my book (with my hood up 'cause it's cold) when someone approaches me from behind. He shouts out a friendly sounding greeting, so i turn arround. As soon as the approaching stranger sees me, he immediately appologises, "I'm sorry he says, i thought you were black. Would you mind telling me where the toilets are?"

2. Standing on top of a hill with a fantastic 360 degree view of jo'burg beside a monument of some scottish soldiers who died in the "South African War of 1900 - 1902". I get chatting to some locals - banter ensues. After a few minutes chatting about some LAD with 34 wives and 92 children, one of the guys asks me, "Do you believe in dinosaurs?" *sadface*