Week One

So my first week of volunteering is officially over. On to week two!! It’s going so incredibly fast!! I can’t believe I’ve already been here 7 days and that we are almost half way through February. I guess it’s about time I explain what it is I am exactly doing here in South Africa.

            About 1.5 miles from where I live Capricorn Township is located. About 10 years ago the South African government told people that if they moved to this certain area that there would be subsidized housing etc. So literally overnight 6,000 people moved there and to this day nothing has been done. So to create homes these people have gathered random pieces of cardboard, wood, scrap metal etc. and nailed and taped them into huts. Then 8-10 people live in them. It’s honestly like nothing any of us in the states have ever seen before. There are just streets and streets of these houses and the people just honestly have nothing. Inside the township is where I work. There are childcare centers called Crèches where kids from the township can come while the parents work, or look for food or whatever it is that they do. The crèches are also just made out of tin and cardboard and other such materials. Except for the one I work in. It’s made out of tin that like is used for storage sheds in the States. And the only reason that it is as nice as it is is because a very wealthy family from London made a donation to have it built. Everything Sunrise (the childcare center I work at)  has is because of donations. Sunrise has about 260 kids attending it, but the government only subsidizes them for 90 of them. So they have to make that money go a really long way, or they really on donations. I work in the classroom of two year olds. There are SOOO many of them. And by SOOO many I mean 32. And then there is one teacher and ME. Ha ha. It’s the perfect recipe for pure pandemonium but I love every minute. The kids are just about the cutest thing I’ve ever seen but oh man can they be little pills. Sometimes, okay most the time when I tell them to do something they look at me like I’m an idiot. But really I think it’s cause I’m white. Haha but really, cause when there black teacher tells them to do something they listen. But maybe it’s cause she yells. They are PRECIOUS though. I definitely am thinking of ways that I can fit at least 3 in my suitcase. Most of them are really small cause they don’t eat a lot. We feed them 3 times while they are at childcare, they get breakfast which consists of the smallest portion of the grossest looking porridge I’ve ever seen. We have to tell them not to stir it because if they stir it to much it liquefies. Sketchy right? Then they get a snack around 10:00 of fruit. Typically they get like a apple slice or ¼ a banana. Then for lunch they get a very small portion of what I call Mush. It’s usually a bean soup or a rice mixture of some sort. Even though its not tasty the kids shove it in their mouths faster than I can get it passed out. They eat like they haven’t eaten since the previous day at childcare and honestly I don’t think some of them get fed at home. I cry almost every time we feed them because it’s so sad how hungry these little kids are. They are so grateful for what they have though. I love to give them lots of hugs and once I pick one of them up they all want picked up. They are desperate for love and attention but luckily I have lots to give. The classroom doesn’t have a lot of resources or toys but the kids are happy with what they have. I’ve honestly never seen kids so entertained by a set of very mismatched legos before.

            If I’ve realized anything so far on this trip I’ve realized how much we have to be grateful for. More stories to come! Stay posted J