Happy New Year! I can’t believe that I just finished my only full year here in South Africa. In 2009, I arrived here in the late summer and I am scheduled to return to the US somewhere in September or October of 2011. I think back to the summer when I was between second and third grade. I was taking an astronomy class in summer school that year and it seemed like it took forever for the summer break to happen, then a long time studying stars, and then another long time until my birthday and Christmas came. Now, time has just sped up and before I know it, another year has passed. When did that happen?
I spent the festive season, as it is called here, having some fun and spending time with my SA families and friends. I really needed a good break—the end of the school year is basically in November here. 2010 was a fitful year of teaching here. The second term was cut short to accommodate the World Cup competitions. The third term was cut short due to a useless teacher’s strike. The fourth term is mostly exams and preparations for exams to determine progress. So in my mind, very little teaching was accomplished for the year despite an effort to provide extra classes. I’ve said before that there doesn’t seem to be much association here between actions and consequences. For example, teaching a concept, then taking a 5-week break before testing the concept, and then a realization that the kids didn’t actually remember anything and no connection is made. We taught it therefore, the kids should know it. Another example is trying to teach decimals when the kids don’t actually understand fractions. The schedule says that we are supposed to teach decimals today so decimals it is. Hence, now the kids don’t know decimals or fractions.
In my mind, the worst part is a principal who changes grades so that the kids will pass. Naturally, they fail the very next year. The kids who have worked really hard to get their good grades were, in my mind, diminished by the farce of the changed grades. We have been using a nationally mandated computer program to report grades and do report cards this year. Computer skills are weak here so I’ve been teaching the administrators, teachers, and principals how to use the system to get what they need. When I was asked to change the grades, I refused. I did show the administrator how to do what the principal asked, but I myself could not bring myself to put these kids in a worse situation by sugarcoating their lack of knowledge.
The upshot of this is learning that, to me, integrity is something that I hold in high esteem. Africa will take a type A personality and spit it out writhing on the floor. I’ve learned that things will happen whenever they happen and that isn’t always bad. Alternatively, if you want something done, make sure you ask an American. I haven’t spent much time in major cities at major corporations, but I don’t think there are many stress related injuries there. I also don’t have any statistics to back up my opinion, but I think that although there is obesity and associated diabetes, Africans when they are heavy, it is due to overeating starches and vegetables, not fat and sugar.
So after a frustrating start to December getting report cards issued, I took off for Zambia and
Zimbabwe to paddle the Zambezi River. Katherine once suggested we 
canoe the Zambezi. This was after my first trip to Africa and I had seen
plenty of crocodile infested rivers. I declined. Now though, the stretch of river just below Victoria Falls is full of white water and most crocodiles do not live through it. Hippos and other water dangers are also farther downstream. So off I went.
The hike down to the river (and back up at the end) is either challenging or brutal depending on how much of your life you’ve spent on the stair master. I found it brutal. I think it took about 45 minutes and it is mostly straight down and then slithering along on slippery basalt rocks. The river is white water is quick succession for the entire first day. After that, the rapids are farther in between, but we got to test our portaging
skills over two separate water falls that were probably 30 feet high and at least one of them was also long. Camping on the riverbank is much like other rivers I’ve paddled with sandy camps and plenty of firewood and the food was fantastic. Unlike other rivers, the water was warm and we did see crocodiles. Pitting myself against white water and physical exertion was exactly what I needed to put my mind back in a better frame after report cards.
I spent Christmas and New Years with my supervisor’s family. I say supervisor, but the
Mphumelas have become dear friends here in SA. They are near my age and I enjoy their company very much. The two boys are great
fun and the extended family (mothers, aunts, brothers, 
in-laws, nieces, nephews) on both sides treat me exactly like another family member. We drove all over South Africa visiting, going to family reunions, to a local 
amusement park, to see a museum, and setting off fireworks. In the villages and townships, fireworks are sort of a self-produced venture. I saw just above all the rooftops the same kind 
of fireworks that you could buy at a roadside stand in Texas provided you are outside the city limits. It really was beautiful. I was thankful that there had been a lot of rain earlier in the day.
I also spent a couple of days in Pretoria and saw two fellow volunteers. It seems that when volunteers go to Pretoria, they get some business done (I had an eye doctor appointment), but then they go to the movies. My days of going to Sundance film festival trained me to be able to go to 3 movies in a day. It is fun and again helps balance the stress of living in a village.
So now, I’m back in the village. The new school year starts this week. Time continues to fly by and I didn’t do some things that I thought I would. War and Peace as well as Crime and Punishment go unread. Shame! I’ll try to get to it before I’m shipped back home.
I spent the festive season, as it is called here, having some fun and spending time with my SA families and friends. I really needed a good break—the end of the school year is basically in November here. 2010 was a fitful year of teaching here. The second term was cut short to accommodate the World Cup competitions. The third term was cut short due to a useless teacher’s strike. The fourth term is mostly exams and preparations for exams to determine progress. So in my mind, very little teaching was accomplished for the year despite an effort to provide extra classes. I’ve said before that there doesn’t seem to be much association here between actions and consequences. For example, teaching a concept, then taking a 5-week break before testing the concept, and then a realization that the kids didn’t actually remember anything and no connection is made. We taught it therefore, the kids should know it. Another example is trying to teach decimals when the kids don’t actually understand fractions. The schedule says that we are supposed to teach decimals today so decimals it is. Hence, now the kids don’t know decimals or fractions.
In my mind, the worst part is a principal who changes grades so that the kids will pass. Naturally, they fail the very next year. The kids who have worked really hard to get their good grades were, in my mind, diminished by the farce of the changed grades. We have been using a nationally mandated computer program to report grades and do report cards this year. Computer skills are weak here so I’ve been teaching the administrators, teachers, and principals how to use the system to get what they need. When I was asked to change the grades, I refused. I did show the administrator how to do what the principal asked, but I myself could not bring myself to put these kids in a worse situation by sugarcoating their lack of knowledge.
The upshot of this is learning that, to me, integrity is something that I hold in high esteem. Africa will take a type A personality and spit it out writhing on the floor. I’ve learned that things will happen whenever they happen and that isn’t always bad. Alternatively, if you want something done, make sure you ask an American. I haven’t spent much time in major cities at major corporations, but I don’t think there are many stress related injuries there. I also don’t have any statistics to back up my opinion, but I think that although there is obesity and associated diabetes, Africans when they are heavy, it is due to overeating starches and vegetables, not fat and sugar.
So after a frustrating start to December getting report cards issued, I took off for Zambia and
Zimbabwe to paddle the Zambezi River. Katherine once suggested we 
canoe the Zambezi. This was after my first trip to Africa and I had seen plenty of crocodile infested rivers. I declined. Now though, the stretch of river just below Victoria Falls is full of white water and most crocodiles do not live through it. Hippos and other water dangers are also farther downstream. So off I went.The hike down to the river (and back up at the end) is either challenging or brutal depending on how much of your life you’ve spent on the stair master. I found it brutal. I think it took about 45 minutes and it is mostly straight down and then slithering along on slippery basalt rocks. The river is white water is quick succession for the entire first day. After that, the rapids are farther in between, but we got to test our portaging
skills over two separate water falls that were probably 30 feet high and at least one of them was also long. Camping on the riverbank is much like other rivers I’ve paddled with sandy camps and plenty of firewood and the food was fantastic. Unlike other rivers, the water was warm and we did see crocodiles. Pitting myself against white water and physical exertion was exactly what I needed to put my mind back in a better frame after report cards.I spent Christmas and New Years with my supervisor’s family. I say supervisor, but the
Mphumelas have become dear friends here in SA. They are near my age and I enjoy their company very much. The two boys are great
fun and the extended family (mothers, aunts, brothers, 
in-laws, nieces, nephews) on both sides treat me exactly like another family member. We drove all over South Africa visiting, going to family reunions, to a local 
amusement park, to see a museum, and setting off fireworks. In the villages and townships, fireworks are sort of a self-produced venture. I saw just above all the rooftops the same kind of fireworks that you could buy at a roadside stand in Texas provided you are outside the city limits. It really was beautiful. I was thankful that there had been a lot of rain earlier in the day.I also spent a couple of days in Pretoria and saw two fellow volunteers. It seems that when volunteers go to Pretoria, they get some business done (I had an eye doctor appointment), but then they go to the movies. My days of going to Sundance film festival trained me to be able to go to 3 movies in a day. It is fun and again helps balance the stress of living in a village.
So now, I’m back in the village. The new school year starts this week. Time continues to fly by and I didn’t do some things that I thought I would. War and Peace as well as Crime and Punishment go unread. Shame! I’ll try to get to it before I’m shipped back home.
