Alice and I are in PE! We arrived late Friday night and
ended up spending much of the night unpacking and starting endless lists of all
the things to do/buy for the apartment. The apartment is beautiful! The living
area is spacious and well furnished and we now need to meet friends to invite
over for dinner because of how much seating area we have. Alice and I each have
our own bedroom and bathroom with a shower and big tub. Each window in the
apartment can see the water, some better than others. It is nice to have such a
spacious apartment in contrast to gates and bars that surround many houses (our
apartment included). It rained the first day and half we were here but today
the sun came out and we were able to explore more freely. We visited Walmer
High School for the first time on Friday and Mr. Dyani, the principal who was
overjoyed to meet us, said that it is good luck for it to rain on the day we
arrived. Mr. Dyani, who was dad to the two Fulbrighter’s last year, was so
excited for us to arrive. The few hours to follow were a whirl of introductions
to students and staff all over the school. We finally ended up in the library
where we will be spending most of our time. It is a beautiful facility that is
spacious, has great resources (including wifi which is rare), and will be a
great place to work. The students seemed eager to work with us and the teachers
were more than welcoming. It was a bit overwhelming and comical at times, but
was comforting to feel so included already. Mr. Dyani was sure to tell us he
would pick us up bright and early Monday morning to get to school in time for
the morning assembly and to show us around the township/how to get to school
etc. There were a million ideas thrown at us over the course of the morning
that were overwhelming at times, but we have the weekend to digest. I am
grateful that we are at a school that is full of ideas and searching for
progress, even if it is overwhelming at the time.
The last week has been full of excitement, exhaustion, and
information. I feel fortunate to be surrounded by such dynamic people. It
starts with the Fulbrighters- I have 9 other colleagues that have incredible,
well rounded experiences as well as big plans for the future. Next, I have been
inspired by the dedication and optimism of the South African educators amidst a
turbulent system. And finally, I have seen the support of the US Government in
the effort to improve the state of education. It is exciting to be working in
the SA education system in a time of such change and transition. While there
has been much to be inspired by, I have also been shocked by the stark contrast
of the “have” and “have nots” in this country. It is astonishing how quickly
you can move from wealthy, first world neighborhoods and shopping districts, to
run down townships of makeshift houses and dirt roads. This happens in the states
as well, but there is a sense of “two worlds” here that doesn’t seem to be as
prevalent in the states. As upsetting as it is, the township schools seem to be
fueled by immense dedication and optimism that give us a lot to look forward to!
See the pictures below and check out my facebook for even more :)
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| Alice and I |
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| Our kitchen |
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| Our living space |
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| The view out the living room window |
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| Some of my bedroom window view (ocean to the right) |
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| My bedroom in its current state- don't worry Mom, I'll be adding more color! |
As a quick disclaimer- the internet situation here is tricky
and our access is quite limited, so I will attempt to post updates about once a
week!
All my love to the states, xxx.
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