1 week left...
22 Jun 2007 at 15:39
4 weeks is too short.
It's way way too short :(
I finally feel like I've settled and now I'm saying goodbye.
Anyway enough of that.
I have more fun facts about South Africa, or at least about Mother of Peace..
Beyonce's Irreplacable
Rhianna's Umbrella
and that song by Akon.. "nobody wanna see us together, but it don't matter no.."
are HUGE hits here haha you'll hear them at least 3 times a day and everyone is singing to it all the time :) I'm gonna miss that
AND while i was doing the dishes the other day.. which I found is really theraputic for me because dishes help me sort my thoughts out! and i'll write them down in my diary which has depressions in it now from my wet hands...
Anyway I was thinking about the kids in the kindergarten... they are sooo young. Too young to be in a home like Mother of Peace which houses abandoned and abused kids you know? They've been on earth for at most 6 years and during that time they've...
Safaris, bowling, bumper cars and beaches
18 Jun 2007 at 17:15
We had the weekend off last week.. which I have to admit, made me feel quite guilty.. but anyway 4 dutch girls and I drove up north for about 4 hours and stayed at a backpackers lodge. During which we went to a SAFARI!!!! for 12 hours!!!! and a boat cruise! I've attached pictures so you can enjoy the madness with me :)
I never expected to do any of this when I got here and I just feel so blessed :)
ALSOOO... I would like to update you on the recent events at Mother of Peace
Firstly, in appreciation of the hard work the house mothers have been doing for the children... (they run the household of about 6-9 children).. we took them out for a surprise night of bowling and bumper cars! they had sooo much fun. We hope to make it a monthly thing.. to create something out of the norm you know? Something they can look forward to and bond over!
Anyway it was so much fun because you could feel their excitement :) In the bus all the way there they were singing and hooting and laughing...
end of week #1
11 Jun 2007 at 14:22
ok, so I don't have much time at the computer right now.. so I'm just gonna tell a few stories.
I was at the daycare center a few days ago playing around with the kids outside and this little boy (whom I will refer to as Adam) was lying on the grass daydreaming.. it was very cute :) Anyway another boy who was feeling a little like roughhousing went over and pinned Adam down on the grass. It was all very normal childs play, but Adam started to cry.. sort of a moan. He wasn't in pain or anything, he kinda sounded like he was pleading for the other boy to get off and when he did, Adam just kept sobbing. I've seem kids cry before, but this was totally different..
the other kids looked at him and seemed to understand what was happenning.. and then I realised what was going on. Many of these kids come to Mother of Peace with a history of abuse.. physical abuse, sexual abuse, abandonment... etc. So I realised that when Adam was pinned down it brought back all his...
3 days in : Mother of Peace
07 Jun 2007 at 14:57
There's a massive strike going on at the moment so school's been closed and I suppose it has happened at an opportune moment because we've been given the chance to REALLY spend time with the kids who range from babies - 18 years old.
I've been trying to learn zulu as well as everybody's names and failing miserably :) (no big surprise to those of you who know my skill with second langauges) :)
And I've been feeling really guilty about it too! They know my name , but I have to keep asking them for theirs and people feel important when you remember their names you know? So I've been getting them to introduce themselves on video so if I can drill it into my head at night!
In the late afternoons the kids play games they invented.. or soccer.. or they dance. Oh the ZULUDANCE they do is so much fun! I'm determined to learn it because its amazing and because I think it'll make them happy to see the volunteers more immersed in their culture you...
Name: Joy Wong Ker Yen
Volunteered at Mother of Peace from 04 June 2007 to 30 June 2007.
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