Okay okay I know I’m kind of slacking with the whole blog writing thing- but think of it this way: I’m too busy and having too much fun to sit on a computer and write about all the fun stuff I’ve been doing! So once again here’s a list and a few pictures of things that I’ve done since September 5th!
- I’ve written exams in all my classes, and actually did pretty well! I got mostly 50%’s which is actually good because a 35% is a pass here! I even did well on my Afrikaans exams: 11 and 42%! I was so proud of myself! The one I got 42% on was translated into English but the other one wasn’t and I still got 7 questions right from just guessing!
- I’ve been to the Bushveld and met all the other Exchange Students! For those of you who don’t know what the Bushveld is, picture a dessert with lots of bushes, if it helps you can picture a zebra running around. We stayed at a game camp where there were hunting trophies (yes, animal heads. Like Zebras and Giraffes) all over the dining room. Literally as you ate the Giraffe would be staring at you or the Springboks would be right next to your head. But I guess that’s South Africa! We didn’t do much the first day but we had a lot of time to meet different outbounds, it didn’t take much time to meet the inbounds- there’s only 7 of us. The sleeping bunker was quite stuffed with bunk beds and there was a big crack above my bed, but apparently this was one of the better camps because it actually had a sleeping bunker!! So in the morning we chatted about the Capetown trip…Oh yea, I’m going on a Capetown trip on November 6th-14th with 8 other inbounds!! Then after that we did some camp activities- like an obstacle course, shooting guns, playing a game that is a mix between baseball and cricket and going for a walk around the camp to see wildlife (which we didn’t see). So the food was terrible, I got no sleep and didn’t shower, but over all it was a great South African Experience!
Sunset in the Bush! Me and the other Inbounds!
- I went to zoolake for National Braai Day with my family. We had a picnic and everyone had a good time, we went home later that day and had a Braai. Zoolake is a park with a lake the people like to canoe or kayak on, and it was packed with families and friends gathering together for the holiday, it really had a great atmosphere.
- I then started holidays and went to Sun City for Spring Break with my siblings and a few friends. I’m sure you can all imagine what Spring Break would be like, and it was a lot like that but there were also rides and families and things. It was great to see friends out of school and to meet new people!
Me at a fountain at Sun City! Palm Trees = Beautiful
Lazy River- Met some Friends!
- I went to Gold Reef City with a few exchange friends as well as Haley and my friend Alexa. It’s a theme park that has a old western feel and has peacocks running around. Also I was attacked by one of these peacocks… it was really scary! So we spent the day going on rides, walking around and eating pizza.
On the Anaconda! This was the Peacock I was attacked by…
- I attended an art evening at my school which was a display case of all the matric’s (grade 12’s) work and there was also musicians from our school and lots of food. (It kinda reminded me of the GBSS Coffee Houses!)
Dress made with Magazines Me and a wolf painting :)
- I volunteered again at the clinic called Siyanqiba, painting faces and making skipping ropes out of normal rope. It’s always a lot of fun helping these kids and seeing a smile on their faces, even though most of them don’t understand English!
- I went to Museums, Historical sites, Churches and “Squatter camps” in Soweto with another exchange student and a bunch of grade 9s. This day was really an eye-opening experience in the History of South Africa as well as the present conditions a lot of people live in in Squatter camps. For those of you who have seen District 9- well that’s a Squatter camp…and that’s pretty much what it looks like, if not worse. It was nice to see people smiling even though their living conditions were so poor, and to see them come together for the children by building a school facility where if a child goes to school they get 3 meals a day. On the way to the Museum we walked past the Mandela House- where Nelson Mandela lived for nearly 50 years and then he donated to the City of Johannesburg because of it’s historical value. That house was where he lived for the whole time he was an activist, located right in the middle of Soweto. The Museum we went to was called the Hector Pieterson Museum and I really learned a lot about the changes from the 1950’s to now. It was incredible for me because the majority of the protests and awareness raised was organised by students. It really made me feel guilty about how unaware our youth is and also made me feel empowered… Without these students in the 1970’s- South Africa could still be under Apartheid and people could be treated unequally. We also visited the Regina Mundi Church which is home to the “Black Madonna of Soweto”, where the original painting hangs. The church is scattered with bullet holes from the police (yes, in a CHURCH!) and the Historical Photos were inspiring. The whole day was enriched in South African History and I feel blessed to have the opportunity to go there, especially into the Squatter Camps and Hostels as few people go there on tours, since it is such a different lifestyle- and an unappealing one at that. I really am thankful for all the people who made that trip possible.
The Black Madonna Me and Pun at the Mandela House
Me at the Regina Mundi Church Gumboot dancers at the Camp
Me and Pun signed the wall! Mosaic
- I got my report card!!! And I did very well! I got a 57% average, when a 35 is a pass here. I got 26% in Afrikaans- which isn’t a pass, but I got 26%!!!! My highest mark was in Computer and Technologies , followed by Life Orientation and Maths. I’m so proud of myself! :) :) :) :) I know 57 doesn’t seem like a lot but I passed quite well for here, where an average in the 60’s is almost in the same regard as an average in the high 80’s in Canada. It’s funny how different it is when the work is quite similar and the students are very bright.
Anyways so there’s a recap of what I’ve been up to. Now here’s what I’m looking forward to! I can’t wait for Halloween (I’m making toga dresses for me and my friend Clarice if my costume doesn’t get here in time from Canada!) as well as the Capetown trip! The time is flying by and I promise I will be better at making blog posts in the future- but as you can see I’m usually quite busy. On a normal night for me I am either going to the gym, going to a rotary meeting (on Wednesdays), watching movies, going shopping, walking the dogs, doing homework, having a nap, learning to cook curry and writing these lengthy blog posts!!
Spices to make curry!
