Founder's Day/Elephant Riding

This picture was taken on Sarah's first walk on the Port Elizabeth beach! Pretty incredible.

I want to use this post to share some videos and pictures from our past weekend so you can get a taste of what we experienced!

On Friday, we celebrated Founder’s Day at the elementary school. VP Grey honored 138 years of education! A special program was created for the assembly, and me and Rachel's first graders performed a song they learned in music class!

Here is the video of their performance:

Weren't they great?!?

The song the students are singing is in Afrikaans which is a language spoken in South Africa that the children learn in school.

Our main source of excitement this weekend came from our trip to Elephant Back Safaris where we rode elephants! There are 3 elephants on the company's game reserve that are trained for riding .

 It may be the most touristy thing we do while we are here, but it was an experience I would never trade!

 It took us nearly two hours to get to the reserve and while the scenery was beautiful, it was not the most enjoyable of rides. At first we joked about it being like a roller coaster, but  it wasn't as funny when the whole ride ended up that way. The important thing is that we made it AND WE RODE AND FED ELEPHANTS!

Everything happened so quickly. We arrived at the center and before I knew it the guide was helping me onto an elephant and away we went!

It was a surreal experience! I could not stop smiling. 

The elephant was big (obviously) with rough skin that had very long hairs. The hairs are thick and probably would have hurt if I was not wearing pants. I want to add that the elephant's back bone poked into our rears while riding, but I felt very safe  because of how large the elephant is. He wasn't even a full grown elephant! He was only in his 20's. 

After the ride we got to take pictures with the elephants, walk with them through the bush, and at the end of the walk  we fed them! I felt rather attached to the elephants after feeding them. They were so sweet and are such  beautiful creatures. 

All three of us agree that it was an incredible experience that will remain one of our fondest memories here.

Here is an "up close and personal" video I took when we were walking with the elephants through the bush:

Our guide is the one who was talking in the video

The monkeys follow the elephants because they eat any leftover food. They were all over the area.

This was our cab driver- he also got to feed the elephants

The inside of an elephant's mouth :)

I want to add a small disclaimer- while we did spend our Saturday riding elelephants, our life in South Africa is NOTHING like the Lion King! Some of our South African friends have given us a hard time because many Americans view Africa through the stereotype of little water and wild animals roaming the streets. We are here to tell you that Africa is a  large and diverse continent as is the country of South Africa, and there are no lions roaming our streets! Just like each state in America has its own unique specialties, climate, and culture, so do the countries in Africa.

With that being said, I also would not have had the opportunity to ride elephants in Georgia, so we are glad to have taken advantage of the experience while we could! :)

New New New

On some level everyone can relate to the stereotype of “the new kid.”  Whether it is starting college, a new job, or making a big move, most people would agree being new can be a little uncomfortable.  I thought about this as I reflected on the long day I had with my students. If I had to describe myself I would say I am a pretty outgoing and positive person, but I haven’t felt that way this week. I think the root of it comes from the challenges that accompany being new. Adjusting your expectations and how you fulfill the role you are given can be a lot to take in.

Here is the conclusion I have come to: I would rather be new, admit that I have no idea what I am doing and grow from confronting life and its difficulties, then be complacent in an environment that is all too comfortable.

Part of the adventure of student teaching abroad is not knowing whether or not I will be good at it! Being a teacher is challenging no matter what continent you are on! I have seen more and more that it takes very special people to be educators.

While I am on the topic of new experiences, the most unexpected gift I have received during my time at VP Grey is being able to assistant coach the boy’s soccer team. Yesterday I had to ref my first game. We had two games going at the same time so I refed one and our head coach refed the other. I was nervous because the boys are talented players and I would have hated to make a bad call. They are in 3^rd grade and you would be surprised how different they are from my baby first graders!  I am happy to say we won the game! I doubt my coaching skills had anything to do with it- I had a hard time remembering to use my whistle as the ref and coach at the same time. Everything gets easier the more you do it so I am sure it will come more naturally the next game.

I really enjoyed myself and was grateful for the mental break. Some of the boys on the team didn’t know I was from America so they kept asking me if I was an actress. I was very confused! After talking to them, I realized they watch a lot of American TV! They spent all of practice today asking me to say the words “orange” and “apple." I’m always happy to be the comic relief! J

Rachel and I are each substituting for a second grade class tomorrow. If you don’t have anything to pray for-please put us on your list! It should be a very interesting experience.

We miss our sweet American friends Amy, Diana, and Sarah W. who went home last weekend. We were sad to see them go but excited for our new roommate, Sarah, who got in last night! We love her already!

When I told our cab driver that Amy, Diana, and Sarah W. had left, his response was “Well, you lost one Sarah but now you get a new one!”  Gotta love the wise words from cab driver Chris!

Have a great Wednesday everyone!

Love,

Casey

If you have to wake up at 6 am... at least you get a wonderful reminder of God's greatness!

First Week/National Women's Day

We finished our first week a day early!

Yesterday, Friday August 9^th,  we had the day off because it was a national holiday in South Africa- National Women’s Day! It honors the role of women and commemorates the day in 1956 when over 50,000 women staged a March outside the prime minister’s office in protest against Apartheid laws.

In honor of this day, some of the teachers at our school planned a tea party for the 6^th and 7^th grade girls on Thursday afternoon. The primary (elementary) schools in South Africa start at grade R (Kindergarten) and go all the way to grade 7.  Everyone remembers how difficult the middle school years can be and this tea party was all about celebrating the older girls. It encouraged them to be leaders at home and school as well as respect themselves and their peers. There was a guest speaker who shared about finding beauty from within, and it was sweet to see how well the girls responded to her.

Rachel and I volunteered to help set-up and serve the girls as a way to get involved with the school. Since we work with younger children, it was nice to sit down and talk to students who could hold open and honest conversations. They were the first people to say how much they liked our accents! I felt cool…because I have an accent!!! One of the students asked us why America didn’t have a Women’s Day.  I think I made up an irrelevant answer (oops) but what I should have said was, “You’re right-that’s crazy! I’ll talk to President Obama and see what I can do.” WOO! Girl Power! Am I right?

Needless to say, we were grateful that the other teachers included us in the celebration!

Serving the girls tea

The girls learning a dance

Some fun highlights from teaching this week:

•  My students are rather rambunctious but genuinely love me and feel bad when they behave poorly (which was a lot this week). One of my students got sent to his seat while I was reading a story because he was fighting with another student. Later he came up to me, unsolicited, and said “Ms. Harney, Ma’am, I am so sorry for being naughty on the mat (carpet), will you please forgive me?” I think it was the most genuine apology I have ever received. He is the same student who tells the class to behave so he can learn from me. I think we will be good friends ;)
• Rachel gets love letters like it is her job. I am not joking. She walks in her classroom and the children come running with their newest drawing for her! Here are just a few of the beauties she has received:

The first one says: Every time I see you my heart pumps 15 times and the second: I am a man with eyes for you haha

• The children love to play with our hair, rub our backs and feet. As odd as it sounds, they genuinely enjoy it. They always ask, “Ma’am can I rub your feet first?” or “Ma’am can I get one minute to rub your back?” At one point while I was reading a story to the class, I had four children rubbing my back, two playing with my hair, three rubbing my feet, and one holding my free hand! I was a sight to see! I just wanted to burst out laughing. 

We spent a lot of time this past week observing our classes and working with small groups. We hope to start planning and implementing lessons soon.

Rachel and I are both helping to coach soccer in addition to our teaching. It is allowing us to meet more students and get involved with the school community. We are learning a lot! My P.E. lesson was a bust... We threw around a ball and did some jumping jacks. I will know better for next time.

We joined a church community group last week. We are very excited about it and loved the Wednesday night gathering. It is called Covenant Grace Church and the members there are very welcoming and hospitable.

http://www.covenantgracechurch.co.za/

We are thinking of you all and hope you are doing well! Can't wait to write about week 2! Here we go!

Love,

Casey

First Day

Our cab was a little late picking us up this morning, but we still managed to make it to the school with time to spare. We are teaching at Victoria Park Grey Primary School. When the prinicipal arrived, we met with him and found that both Rachel and I would be teaching first grade.

Another teacher we met in the principal's office volunteered to show us to our classrooms. We met our teachers, and before we knew it the day had begun! We had a tea break at 10 am which is where the staff meets in the break room to drink tea and chat for 20 minutes while the children play outside. I love this concept. I am all about some tea breaks-the tea in South Africa is DELICIOUS.

I was never formally introduced to my students, but it did not take long for them to remember my name and make me feel welcome. The children are sweet as can be. They say “Ma’am” before every statement. “Ma’am is this answer right?” I have never worked with first grade, but they are a fun bunch. They never stop talking and love to show affection. There were a couple of children I had to, quite literally, peel off of me because of their excessive hugging during transitions. But hey- you should never turn down a little extra love! J

Many of the student’s names are difficult to pronounce. I was able to master a few which felt like quite the accomplishment. The day consisted of lots of math and literature lessons integrated together. They use chalkboards and different workbooks for each subject. The school is very simple as is the classroom. Just like our apartment, there is no heating or air conditioning. I find the simplicity of it all very refreshing.

My mentor teacher is wonderful. She is as nice as can be but makes sure to put on a tough face for the children so they know she means business. I appreciate that, and I am looking forward to working with her. She has been teaching for 40 years! I think I will be learning a lot.

Tomorrow I am teaching the children’s Physical Education lesson which my teacher is thrilled about.  Hopefully I will tire them out enough that they will stop tattling on each other! That is one thing I do not have much patience for so I will need to grow in that area because first graders love to tattle. 

It’s hard believe that my student teaching has finally begun, but I’m ready.

Thank you all for your love and support! I am not sure what our work load will be like, but I hope to write again soon!

Love,

Casey

Lots to Share

Port Elizabeth- the Eastern Cape of Africa

Rachel and I have completed our first week in Port Elizabeth and have enjoyed every minute of it!

We filled our days with exploration, beach time, and new activities!

It is safe to say that we are greatly enjoying ourselves! It has even been hard to find time to blog so I apologize for that. 

Rachel and I spent a whole day walking the length of the boardwalk and climbing the rocks in the ocean. One thing that I love about this beach in particular is that the boardwalk extends the length of the beach. Walking the boardwalk is the perfect alternative to walking close to the beach without getting sandy.

We have also come to appreciate our Chacos. For those of you who are not familiar with Chacos, they are sandals with a thick sole, perfect for the outdoors, and they come in many interesting patterns.

Another blogger's post title describes them best... 

"Chaco Sandals: Butt Ugly, But Damn Worth It"

If you have extra time you should read the article. It echos our sentiments about Chacos! 

Rachel and I love them! :)

http://herpackinglist.com/2010/11/chaco-sandals-butt-ugly-but-damn-worth-it/

This past Saturday we went on a tour of the townships in Port Elizabeth. For those of you who are familiar with townships you might think it is strange that we took a tour of them. It was not your average "tour." It was meant to bring awareness of the poverty and divide that still exists in South Africa even though much progress has been made. Townships were used to implement racial segregation and the stories our guide shared were heart-wrenching. In school, I studied apartheid and the residing effects but seeing it first hand was an experience that meant a lot since we will be teaching here.

The tour helped me better understand South Africa's history. In the middle of it we stopped at a museum that commemorates South African leaders who risked their lives to stop apartheid. It was moving to read the different stories and learn about the protests and injustices that took place during apartheid.

We tried a couple of breads made by a local woman and had a drink at one of the taverns. Our guide makes sure to build rapport with those in the townships and support them. It was sweet to see how much people loved him. 

This is a sweet man who knew our guide and asked us to take his picture and see his house. Right now he lives in the shack he is standing in front of. He is living there while he waits for his house(like the ones pictured below) to be built

The colorful houses are what the government is providing for those in the townships

Lots of South Africans eat sheep heads! One of the many things we learned on the tour. Sorry- had to share!!

We had a lot to take in after the tour. It was very eye-opening and I am grateful we visited the townships before we begin our teaching tomorrow.