Pilanesburg Game Park

August 26 – 28^th

Over the past several years, camping has become a large part of my life. Every summer I attempt to fit in a few trips. This summer, what with the whole changing my life thing, I was unable to camp in New Hampshire prior to my departure date. I was extremely disappointed, but I reminded myself that in a short time I’d be camping in a world I’d never known before. Where I had once been aware of raccoons and bear, I was now prepared to be on the look out for scouring monkeys! Pilanesburg promised to be an incredible experience – and it didn’t disappoint.

The sun sets fairly early here in South Africa this time of year. Chelsea and I managed to set up our borrowed tent in plenty of time to grab our camping chairs, a beer, and socialize with the others before darkness settled in. My stomach was feeling better, and relaxing in sweatpants and a sweatshirt increased my contentment.  A total of nearly 90 people attended the retreat, and all of them were gathered an hour or so after sunset in the Boma area for a braai (local word for BBQ). The food was delicious; the fire was decent (I’ve seen many high quality fires in my days! I’m hard to impress J ); and the company was excellent. After some lame excuses for smores (SAfrica is not home to graham crackers), some reminiscing of hiring stories, and tales of safaris past from the returning staff members, I decided to call it a night early with the hopes of feeling even better by morning.

My alarm woke me from a surprisingly solid sleep at 5:30am. The park opened at 6:30 for the first drive. From the warmth of my borrowed sleeping bag, I could hear the now familiar calls of birds mixed with a new hollering sound – a sound I could only assume came from the monkeys lurking in the trees on the outskirts of the camping area just waiting to raid our tents. We brushed our teeth, dressed in multiple layers, grabbed a box of Honey Nut Cheerios for sustenance, and climbed into Kaitlyn’s car with cameras in hand. Chelsea had scored us seats in our new friend’s car the night before – an incredibly lucky win! This meant we each had a window to roll down and look out of as opposed to cramming onto a bus with only a few windows that opened and at least a dozen others vying for the spots. With the sun rising above the ridges of the mountains, we passed through the gates and into the wild.

Not long into the drive I realized I had not brought my extra batteries and my camera was not far from running out. I was overcome with disappointment and had to force myself not to miss the incredible views around me because of my lack of battery life. This was not an easy task being that I truly enjoy taking photographs. After some wildebeest sightings and a stop off at a hide overlooking a watering hole, which gave no opportunity for pictures, we drove by a general store (the one and only inside the park) and I eased my troubles with some double A batteries! Now, I was free to snap away.

Over the course of the next five hours, the four of us drove around a large portion of the park. Kaitlyn, who happens to love game drives, was an incredible guide with lots of useful information about the animals we were seeing. I learned many things, but particulary enjoyed finding out that when you see impalas and wildebeest alone, it is because they have been ousted by their herds. Apparently, male impalas travel with a harem of around 12 lady impalas. The males will all but starve themselves to ensure they protect their “belongings.” The lack of food makes them weaker, and consequently, other males (looking for harems of their own) will attack and try to steal the females. In addition, wildebeest will be found separated from their herds when they have “messed up.” Males can be kicked out of the herd and left alone if they fail to perform or cause problems. Nature is a wonderful thing!

Although I took many pictures of the wildebeest at first glance, they quickly became the squirrels of South Africa, and no longer was I desperate to capture their boney, black and grey bodies on film. We saw many impalas and bucks of varying kinds grazing in the dry grass. Giraffes were all over the place, but with their awkward bodies and beautiful markings, I never grew tired of seeing them. We saw a very limited amount of elephant from a far distance, as well as a few rhino from afar, which was very disappointing. However, the small group of hippos we saw resting alongside a watering hole made up for that, and the elusive leopard we happen to witness stalking near a tree just about topped the weekend! Apparently seeing a leopard is not likely. Thanks to Corinne and her fantastic eyesight, this moment easily goes down as one of the top.

Pilanesburg Game Park is actually set within the caldera of an old volcano. The land we explored rests among gorgeous mountains and is scattered with vegetation and water spots. Although the land is very dry and brown due to the winter season and lack of rain, it was extremely breathtaking. As far as you could see, nature showed itself in the most gorgeous of ways. Whether it was the blue sky juxtaposed with the brown rolling hills or the twisted and mangled trunks of trees I’ve never seen before, Pilanesburg was a welcome change from the developed, traffic-laden land of JoBurg.

A shower was first on my agenda after returning from our 5 and a half hour game drive (I am not a fan of showering while camping, but if the facilities are there – I’m not going to deny it!). Some downtime filled the next few hours, during which I was able to chat with some women I hope to become better friends with. At about 3:30, Chelsea and I, equipped with some more snacks, climbed into the back of Marcus and Beth’s Pugeot and took off for Round #2. 

Our goals were to see elephant and rhino up close, and for Beth and Marcus to catch a glimpse of the leopard. No leopard sightings, very little progress in the search of close encounters with rhinos, but we checked off close sightings of elephants! As we were snapping pictures of a young elephant eating some grass just off the side of the road, we inched the car forward – right in the path of the mama elephant and another baby! “Should I back up? Should I back up? Should I back up?” Marcus repeated as the three of us scrambled to take pictures out the window of the massive creature about 30 meters away from us! With giggles, delight, and excited exclamations, we left the Pugeot right where it was and snapped picture after picture of the (now) family of 5 elephants grazing less than 200 feet away – who could care less that we were near by.

Fueled by the high of such an incredible experience and motivated by the less than half an hour we had to exit the park, we took off down the road back toward the front gate. We stopped to take some pictures of giraffe and zebra foraging alongside the mountain. Of course the better shots always come from outside the car, but since a park official had spoken us to earlier about getting out of the car, we decided the next best thing was to sit in the windows! As silly as if we were running on no sleep and nitrous oxide, Chelsea, Beth, and I rode nearly the rest of the drive with our butts resting on the doors and our upper bodies taking in the clean SAfrican air. In that moment I forgot I had only just met Beth and Marcus 3 short weeks ago and become closer with Chelsea – I was among good people having an incredible experience, with majestic mountains and wild African animals as the backdrop to it all.

Another braai, a substantially better fire, and even more quality conversation filled the time between our return and my bedtime. Seven hours later, my alarm woke me again to a new day and one final game drive with Marcus and Beth. Our mission today was to find the lions. Apparently, the night before while we were hanging out car windows, another group witnessed a lion attack on a young elephant. Three lionesses attempted to take a baby down, but to no avail. The adult elephants surrounded the lions and eventually made it away safely. However, it was easy to assume that as darkness fell, those lionesses were going to attempt their attack again, and we hoped to spot the remnants of it that morning. Also on our goal list was to get up close and personal with some rhino and that hidden leopard.  Although we managed to find the tree the leopard was said to be resting in, we were not successful in spotting it again. Without binoculars it’s hard to say I saw them, but the three lionesses were prowling far off in the distance along the mountainside. Four hippos were sound asleep in a watering hole we passed. “Are those rocks? Nope! They’re hippos!!”

The highlight of the morning, aside from the incredibly delicious breakfast buffet we partook in at a local lodge, was our close encounter with a rhino. We almost drove by it originally but managed to spot its enormous leathery body snacking off in the trees. Marcus backed up to allow for better pictures, and as he did, the rhino meandered through the trees and tall grass – right toward our car. It was not in a threatening way, but rather in a “I don’t care if you staring at me – I have places to go” kind of way. With windows rolled down completely, we chronicled its journey out of the trees, onto the road directly behind our car, and across to the awaiting grass. It’s grey, leathery skin wrinkled as it lugged its massive body across the dirt road. It’s tiny, beady eyes watched us as it’s tusk led it in the direction of food. As quickly as the rhino had approached our car and passed it, he was gone. That just happened!

Our journey to Pilanesburg ended as the busses pulled away at 10:45am. The campsite was empty and void of all AISJ employees. Our retreat was over but it had certainly proven to be a most incredible experience. Thinking about my weekend, filled with three of South Africa’s BIG 5, loads of other wild animals, and the makings of some great new friendships, I felt content. My life is exciting and slowly filling with experiences I will never forget! 

The Week of Pilanesburg

August 25, 2011

Several months ago, while I was still a resident of New Hampshire, I received an email from Justin (the middle school counselor). It was an invitation to join the AISJ staff on its annual retreat to Pilanesburg Game Park for a weekend of camping and safari drives. Without any hesitation I replied with a "yes" and immediately could not wait to set up my tent and prepare my camera!

The week of Pilanesburg was a big week. Wednesday was payday! FINALLY! Budgeting is not something I excel at; therefore, it has been quite a challenge living off VERY LITTLE rand for the past few weeks. Thursday was Open House for the Elementary School, which brought surprisingly very little stress into my life thanks to the wonderful 4^th grade team I am a part of. Friday was an early release day – entirely for the purpose of allowing the staff plenty of time to get to Pilanesburg before dark! It was a great week! Except for when it wasn’t…

After Open House, I went home to pack my bag. My stomach made it clear to me it was hungry, so I had some hummus and pretzels and a glass of red wine as I rolled my sleeping bag and packed my warm clothes. As I moved on to pack the food in my duffle bag, I convinced myself having popcorn would be a great idea. When Chelsea came over to pack the cooler with the essentials (Windhook Lager, white wine, and some Hunter’s Cider), I shared a small piece of dark chocolate with my camping buddy. She left and we were all smiles as we looked ahead to what was sure to be a fantastic weekend! As if closing the door was the cue, my stomach knotted up completely. Instantly, I was overcome with nausea. I figured it was probably the ridiculous combination of food I scarfed down at 9:30 at night, and I hoped it would just settle eventually. I was wrong.

Ever since I was little, getting sick (and I mean actually getting sick) has made me cry. It’s probably a combination of the misery of the actual act paired with the awful lack of control. I am pleased to say that for the first time I can remember, no full-fledged tears escaped my eyes this time! Although I almost cried because I was miserable and alone, I reminded myself it wouldn’t help the situation.  After an uncomfortable couple of hours, I finally fell into a restless sleep, only to wake at 5am with a very upset stomach. I couldn’t believe I was sick, and that there was a chance camping would not be in my future.

I went to school – not a chance I was going to call out today! I felt pretty much like crap for the whole morning. Now the tears were not far away. The thought of missing this weekend was so disappointing. Witnessing the paleness of my face and my obvious discomfort, my wonderful teammates insisted I go home and nap. The thought seemed ridiculous, but I decided to try my luck with Terry (my principal).

I have worked in two schools prior to AISJ, and I have been blessed to work for two incredible principals. Terry is no exception. He is laid back, motivated, a visionary and just plain awesome! His response to my request for a nap: “Go home. Sleep for a bit. I don’t want you to miss this weekend.” WHO SAYS THAT?! Like I said, he is awesome. So, with his blessing I went home, napped for an hour and a half, and returned to school to catch the bus. I was nowhere close to 100%, but I was ready to risk it for a weekend with the wilds of Africa. 

LIFE

8/23/11

I’m listening to John Mayer bust out some Why Georgia as I am sitting down to write this post. Aside from this being my favorite song of his, it seems fitting that the moment my fingers began pressing keys his voice sang “I wonder sometimes about the outcome…am I living it right?” - the “it” obviously referring to life.  If you were sitting with me currently you’d be subject to my pathetic attempt at singing a duet with Mr. Mayer (with my retainers slurring my speech), and I would also be sharing with you that I do believe I am living “it” right.

I truly appreciate all of the comments on this blog, emails, posts on Facebook, IMs on Skype from my family and friends. Not a day goes by that I don’t feel loved and supported. The love, support, and encouragement all of you send me, even when you don’t express it outwardly, is felt and continues to provide me with all the strength I need to live this new life in South Africa. I am a very self-aware woman, and I will be the first to admit that I am as emotional as they come. Many of you probably never thought I’d actually move 8,000 miles away – Hell, I never thought I’d actually do it! J But here I am. I figured at this point in my journey I’d have bought out the local Woolworths of Kleenex, but to my surprise, I am adjusting very well.

Do not let this confidence and optimism fool you; I am missing the US, New Hampshire, HOME immensely. Not a day goes by that I don’t wish Lori was with me, Teq was trying to bite me as I left my parents’ house, I was on the beach playing frisbee with the crew, driving my CR-V (on the right side of the road), seeing the kids grow up, or making dinner with the ladies at Girl’s Night. However, my life has taken a new turn, and as difficult as it is to leave my comfort zone at home, I find myself here in JoBurg: living in my two bedroom apartment with locks on every door, driving a used white Jetta (on the left side of the road with my purse in the trunk), trying to catch Lori every chance I get on Skype, soaking up every conversation with mum and dad, taking pictures of wild African animals, teaching children who have traveled to more places in the world than I ever will, meeting new friends who will never replace the old but certainly add to my life, eating dinner with Chelsea while watching Grey’s Anatomy episodes on my computer, and becoming a better person because of it all.

My new friend Evelyn said to me the other day, as I was getting frustrated about the fact that the South African customs is holding hostage a box mum and dad sent me, “We have to remember – we aren’t in America any more. We are in a whole new country. This is Africa.” I get frustrated sometimes about not being able to leave my windows open in the house, locking my purse in the trunk while I’m driving, paying exorbitant fines to customs for ridiculous reasons, the persistent men and women who shove flyers and goods at you while you are stopped at a red robot (traffic light!), or the milk that goes bad in three days because there is no pasteurization. But, then I remind myself that if I didn’t want change – I shouldn’t have packed up and moved to the other side of the world. “This is Africa.”

In about 7 hours, I will have officially been in this country for one month. I have bought a car and grown comfortable sitting on the right side of it, begun to make a home, spent nearly 18,000 Rand, not had a single Diet Coke, taught - for nearly two full weeks - children from 10 different nationalities, and seen my very first lion, zebra, giraffe, cheetah, hyena, and springbok from the unsteady perch atop a Segway. I miss my family with every breath I take. I miss my friends and the peace and comfort they bring to my life. I miss my home and feeling a sense of belonging there. BUT – This is Africa. I’m in Africa.

I, Mandy Akerley - super emotional, wear my heart on my sleeve, homebody Akerley - am living on my own among new faces, new challenges, new everything…and I am truly enjoying it all. I am happy. I am definitely living “it” right. 

My little man

a deadbolt on the door - R300
an alarm system for the door from mum and dad - insane amount of money thanks to customs
a small bottle of mace to keep by my bedside table - R75

a small, fierce wooden man to protect me and my home day and night......

priceless!

(actually, R300 after talking the seller down from R450 at the African Craft Market)

I love him....

Classroom Video - Math Games - Day#2

Below is a video I took in class on the second day of school. The kids were having a great time and stayed on task the whole math block. The amount of focus and effort these students put into their work is impressive. Hopefully you'll enjoy those accents you can hear.

Merry Christmas!!

What would you put in a box and ship 8,000 miles across the ocean if you moved to South Africa? What did I put in mine? Well, it was hard to remember what I packed and shipped because it has been nearly a month now since I taped up my 18x18x18 boxes and sent them on their way. For the past three weeks, I have lived in a fairly empty apartment; void of pictures on the wall, my Pampered Chef kitchen supplies, my winter coats, and so much more! That all ended today!  At 10:30 this morning, my shipment was delivered! It felt like Christmas anticipating the treasures that hid inside those four boxes! I think the item I am most excited to reunite with is my slippers. Never again will I lay my bare feet down on cold wooden floors! Oh, and for those of you who have been following my blog, I have shaved my legs...but now I can use my good razor! :) 

Suddenly my apartment has bits of home scattered from corner to corner. I walk in my bedroom, and I see the pillow Lor made me on my bed. Near the bedside table rests my field hockey stick. My running medals will be hung on that empty wall I've been staring at for 3 weeks. My wooden angels stand guard on the mantle next to photographs of my family. My long wooden sign PORTSMOUTH is awaiting placement over my living room door. Magnets decorate the bare face of my fridge. 

AND - I finally have a coat to keep me warm on these frigid South African winter mornings. I think, next to the Lion Park, bringing my shipment boxes back to my apartment has been one of the highlights of life here in JoBurg. There's no place like home - but adding pieces of home to my new dwelling sure makes it feel close! 

Weather

8/15/11

For the past twenty days, the sun has shone bright with very few clouds to block its rays. Temperatures continuously hover around 4 degrees Celsius in the mornings and nearly 25 degrees Celsius by mid afternoon. Layers are key! BUT today, the wind was chilly, the sun was hiding, and dark clouds loomed in the distance threatening rain. I am from New England. I am no stranger to changing weather or rain, but on this day, the smell of rain felt foreign.

I felt like Eeyore as I was walking through the open halls thinking “tut, tut, looks like rain.” My students and I were in the middle of Morning Meeting when a long rumble of thunder distracted their little minds. Not long after, the rain moved in and with it came pea sized hail. After a quick turn and talk to discuss the changing weather, we were able to get back to work and finish our meeting. The weather, however, did not finish. Instead it grew very cold, wet, and windy. It felt like those late fall days back home when your toes are cold inside your shoes, your fingers fail to work, and your nose runs without any other evidence of a cold.

Apparently, weather like this is unheard of during a South African winter. Despite the fact that spring is right around the corner, we seem to be experiencing an unusual cold snap. So, for those of you who thought that moving to Africa would excuse me from the very cold temperatures of winter, think again. Now, if only my shipment would arrive so I can actually have a coat! 

Now I Feel Like I'm in Africa

I can remember being little and learning about all the animals in the world...never dreaming I'd see the g - for giraffe or z for zebra in my life! Now, if I didn't value my life, I could walk right up and touch them! It's funny how life works out sometimes. I'm a lucky girl!

 

I owe my great camera equipment to my parents! As they continue to develop their incredible photography talents, I inherited Mum's start-up camera. LOVE IT!




One of Lori's dreams has always been to come to Africa and see the wildlife. As I rode around today and snapped pictures of "real, live African animals," I couldn't help but wish Lor was at my side. I look forward to seeing her face in January when she finally gets to see these animals and feels all the excitement I felt today.

Lion Park

August 13, 2011

The first three days of school were behind us and in the books as a complete success. Celebrating with a relaxing happy hour at a local driving range (yes, I realize that sounds odd) sponsored by the school was the perfect way to end the workweek. I had a few great conversations with some new people, drank a couple Windhoek (pronounced Vinhook) beers, and as the sun set and the full moon completely illuminated those of us stragglers, I felt charged by the fact that I was here – in South Africa. I admit, the Windhoek coupled with the high altitude may have increased this high I was feeling; however, either way, I felt good.

Pay day #1 is in less than two weeks. With very little money comes very little ability to shop for apartment furnishings, so we decided to explore instead! Sam, Ev, Chelsea, Robyn and I ventured out to the Lion Park for what ended up being an incredible morning! Thanks to Chelsea, we had reservations for a guided Segway Tour through the game park, entrance into the Lion Cub section and the self-guided drive through the lion areas. All of this cost only 300 Rand (about $43) and was worth every penny.

We met Moses, our guide, and stood with our rented bike helmets strapped on like anxious children listening to him give a crash course in riding a Segway. “Who’d like to try first?” he asked and with little hesitation I volunteered. Stupid! The goal was to steer the Segway through a small tire path. Admittedly I felt pretty cocky. I thought I’d do just fine – maybe even perform impressively! I climbed up, my backpack on my back and my helmet buckled under my chin looking like a complete futuristic school girl ready to ride my Segway to school. I cruised through the first few feet, but it was pretty shaky from that moment on. I managed despite the difficulties until the very end. Despite Moses’ warnings to mind the tires, I ran the damn Segway right into one and toppled off! With the exception of some dirt and possibly a little bruise on my ankle, I was fine. However, I did suffer a greater bruise to my ego. J

There were 7 of us in our tour group. A very nice couple from SAfrica joined our small little group (The wife gave me encouraging bits of advice throughout the hour and a half tour whenever she’d see I was struggling to control my machine). Once we had all passed the tire test – no one else fell – Moses led us single file into the game park. Leaving the car park behind us, we crested a small hill and the land began to sprawl out in front of us. Off to our left, about 200 yards, stood two giraffes. It was incredibly surreal. Their giant bodies, although far away, looked stunning. Giraffes have always felt like imaginary creatures to me because the idea of ever seeing one in real life seemed impossible. As I laid my eyes on two of them for the very first time, I was amazed. However, I have to say that knowing these particular animals are in captivity deleted some of the awe – unfortunately.

As we turned to the right, a handful of zebras striped the landscape (haha, get it?). At one point, we were less than 100 yards from them! Moses shared some facts with us about each animal we encountered. With the zebras, he shared with us that the females have a small brownish stripe amidst their black and white uniform. As I listened and tried to gather as much information as I could, I couldn’t help but snap as many photos as possible of these gorgeous animals. I have always loved the question of “which color came first and which color are the stripes,” and standing their seeing them in real life brought new meaning to the question. Moses told us that one defense mechanism for the zebra is to travel in groups and when a lion attacks, they all run together in a large group. This is because apparently, lions are color blind, so the zebras running together creates one giant black blog of color!

As we scooted along on our segways we saw some Hemsbuck, Blemsbuck (not sure on the spelling!), Springbok (SAfrica’s national animal), ostrich, wildebeest, cape buffalo (too far away to see unfortunately), and some impalas. I found myself repeating in my head, “I’m in SAfrica!” as I experienced each new animal. Who else was having this kind of Saturday morning!! We finished our tour with Moses after we waited for three HUGE ostriches to meander across our path. In some ways it was a sad truth to the park – three exotic creatures like ostriches walking past eight crazy humans on engine driven two wheeled machines. It was moments like that when I was sad for the fact that parks like these exist. However, the sadness did not stop my from whipping out my camera.

After entering the Lion Cub part of the park and petting some very friendly little ones, we got back in the car and took the driving tour. KEEP YOUR WINDOWS CLOSED was a major rule for this park of the park. I am happy to report we did not follow that rule! It’s nearly impossible to take a good picture out of a car window! Although I was completely in support of rolling the windows down, I joined the car in giving Evelyn a hard time as she rolled hers down every time we stopped. The fact that the car windows were not automatic added some excitement to our rule breaking!

The lions were beautiful. One nearly full grown male laid in one area of the fenced in grass. With his back to us, it was hard to get a great picture. After willing him to turn around, he finally did and he appeared so majestic. The window went right down! Ahead of this male was a female laying in the shade. It wasn’t long before the male made his way over to her. All of a sudden, Chelsea points toward the couple, “Oh My God – they’re doing it!” It was a hysterical scene as our cameras popped up and began snapping. Maybe it was his large audience, but the poor guy didn’t last too long, and the moment had passed us by – but not before we snapped some quality pictures and even a little video! Some of us never grow up!

All in all, the three hours spent at South Africa’s Lion Park may just have topped my list of favorites so far. As we drove out of the park, I felt fulfilled. Locals tell us that this park pales in comparison to what we’ll see on our camping trip in 2 weeks and in other larger game parks, and I am sure it will. However, you have to start somewhere, and what we were able to see in such a short amount of time and in such a unique way was perfect. 

Day #1 down

8/10/11

Whoever had the brilliant idea of starting elementary school at 7:10am needs to be taken out back and beaten! My alarm woke me from a somewhat restless sleep (still getting used to all the random apartment noises) at 5:00 this morning, and after snoozing only twice (good for me!), I stumbled out of bed. The chilly temperature snapped me awake long enough to turn the hot water on and step into the shower, where I stayed for quiet awhile because the idea of stepping back out into my cold apartment made me shiver despite the steam! Yes, it gets cold in S.Africa!

I gave myself plenty of time to get ready, have a good breakfast – egg sandwich, of course, write Chelsea a good luck card for her first day as an official teacher (which I stuck on the left side window of her car thinking she’d see it when she opened the door, completely forgetting we drive on the right side here!), and make it to school by 6:45am. No carpooling this morning; the Borgo ladies drove separately, so it was a quiet 12-minute drive. I used the time to mentally prepare for what was, undoubtedly, going to be my most unique first day to date.

Unique it was! Let me start defending this adjective by sharing with you my class list:

Marius (England), Mafalda (Portugal – no English), Njogu (Washington, DC), Daniele (SAfrica), Aviv (Israel), Sochan(Korea), Thomas (Norway), Hope (Japan/America), YoonJae (Korea), Chenika (SAfrica), Mitchell (Florida), Minyoung (SKorea – no English), Sofie(Germany), Esha (Pakistan), and Valeria(Argentina). These students have more cultural awareness in their lunch boxes than I do in my whole self!

In asking what they did over their holidays, one student shared the name of a place he visited – I had to ask him where it was because I’d never EVER heard of it. Another shared with me that in one month he would be leaving to go to the American International School of such and such (I can’t remember the name he gave), which is in the capital city of Bangladesh. One day in my new classroom, and I can see with so much more clarity just how little diversity there really is in New Hampshire!

Two students were absent today, which left me with only 13 students. They found their voices as the day wore on, but from the moment they walked into the classroom they were completely silent. In my head I was begging them to speak! Minyoung, who speaks almost no English, bowed to me to say good morning. One little boy sat at his table group and read a book while he waited for me to begin the morning (school doesn’t officially start until 7:40am, so the kids trickled in this morning beginning at 7:10). A few parents stayed for a short period to make sure their little one was settled, wished me luck – made me feel very welcomed – and then left to go on their way for the day.

In the US, my students would be talking to each other, playing with anything they could turn into a toy, and asking questions left and right about what to expect. As I turned back to the class after shutting the door behind the last parent to leave, I saw thirteen little bodies turned toward me, sitting silently, waiting for direction. Showtime!

It was truly a great day! In no way am I fooled into thinking that only American students test the waters or push the boundaries, but I can already tell that the classroom presence of an International student is going to be different than that of a traditional public school cherub! Proof: Chenika says to me as we are lining up for Spanish, “Ms. Akerman(we corrected that quickly), when can you give us hard work?” Apparently my Responsive Classroom approach of community building and low stress activities is not challenging enough for some. J

The end of the day came quickly due mainly to the fact that every Wednesday we follow an early dismissal schedule so that we can use the afternoon for professional development. The final hurdle was going to be getting the students onto the appropriate busses. 80% of the 850 students at AISJ ride busses home, so you can imagine how hectic the car park is at 1:30pm. Now, imagine this car park is surrounded by shattered brick, hundreds of SAfrican construction workers dressed in blue jumpsuits carrying slabs of tile, in large quantities, on their heads, and orange caution fencing stretched around the whole perimeter. Sounds hectic, huh?! Well, save a few crying first graders and some anxious cries of “I can’t find my bus!” the whole dismissal went fairly well! Except for Minyoung.

Without the ability to communicate in full sentences with each other, I managed to learn from Minyoung that her mother would be waiting for her at the playground. Well, she wasn’t. So, after a phone call in Korean that made absolutely no sense to me and some makeshift sign language, I was able to deduce that mom would be at the playground soon. Sure enough, fifteen minutes (of complete silence because we couldn't communicate) after the last of the 40 something busses had left the car park, Minyoung’s mom came walking up the sidewalk to gather her daughter. With a bow and a thank you, Minyoung and mom were off. My first day was complete!

I’m laying in bed right now ready to crash. It is incredible how much energy the first day of school can zap from you. I’m wrapped dressed in sweats and a hoodie, wrapped in two blankets and listening to iTunes while I type this post in Word before posting on my blog (have to do all I can to limit internest usage!). I have pressed mute about 10 times because I continue to hear noises that freak me out and need to confirm there is no one breaking into my apartment (I look forward to the day I’m not paranoid so much!). As soon as I shut my light out, I know I’ll find sleep quickly. I’m in South Africa – a fact I keep finding myself in awe of every day – and despite the paranoia, the chilly temperatures, the lack of internet – I am where I need to be. This year is going to be incredible (I hope), and I’m looking forward to seeing where it takes me. I just wish it didn’t have to start at 5:30 every morning!

Night Before The First Day

My Borgo ladies (the five of us newbies live in a complex called Borgo De Felice) and I gathered at Chelsea’s for dinner tonight. Of course we are all broke from apartment shopping, so dinner was a potluck of rice, beans, and salad….and WINE! Chelsea, my friend from NH, will begin her very first year as a PE teacher at the Middle School (I'm super impressed by her courage and maturity!). Meghan, from North Carolina, will be teaching Spanish for the upper elementary classes. Sam, the Texan, will be joining me on the fourth grade team. Evelyn, our NYC girl, will be spending her days with the little, little ones – PreK. 

We all gathered around Chelsea’s dining room table and talked shop for a bit. Sam left early because as Ev and I pulled out our computers to get some work done, she felt super unproductive and needed to go back to work at her place. Meghan dispersed key advice to me on how to handle the two students in my classroom who will come to me speaking very little to NO English. As Evelyn and I pounded away on our keyboards, Chelsea transferred movies and tv shows she has stored on her hard drive to mine! (very excited about this since I do not own a TV yet!) Throughout the evening, we all found many opportunities to rag on Chelsea for the fact that as a PE teacher she has virtually NO prep work! As she does with everything in life, Chelsea took every joke in stride and with a smile on her face.

Sitting at Chels’ table tonight, I realized how lucky I am to already have such a great support system developing here in SA. Often times, our conversations turn to educational topics and I am happy knowing I am around adults who I can relate with. To balance this, many times our conversations revolve around wine, beer, going out, and boys – which helps remind us all there is more to life than work! I know, with all my heart, these girls are going to be good for me. Especially as I prepare for my first day of school – a time in my life that is always weighted down by my nerves.

I can remember almost every “night before school starts” throughout my (short) teaching career. All of them have included tears ignited by anxiety. What if I can’t handle them? What if something happens I can’t respond to? What will they be like? Will they listen to me? My mum says she remembers similar fears from her teaching days, and I know my colleagues all experience those beginning of the year jitters. As I embark on this new world of teaching in Jo’Burg, I find myself in the same anxious position. However, the one difference is that tonight I haven’t shed a single tear. I don’t know what this means, or if they’ll come as soon as I close the cover of my computer, but I do know that tomorrow marks a new beginning for me in my career. Similar to a roller coaster cresting the first hill, after tomorrow, there is no turning back…I will never be the same, and I can’t wait to find out how this international experience changes me. 

First Run

Sunday, August 7th

Early morning runs are not my thing when the alarm screams at me, but as soon as I’m out the door and moving I love them! This morning I hit the road for my first run in South Africa. It is still winter here, so the temperature was a bit chilly. I dressed in a long sleeve and my running capris (which allowed me to see just how badly I need my shipment to arrive so I can finally shave my legs!! (I’m too cheap to buy a new razor when I know one is coming!)) and met a woman named Tanya who was my tour guide for the morning. Tanya is the Literacy Coach at AISJ and lives in the same complex as me. It sounds cheesy, but as we began running I felt so happy to be back on track! I haven’t run in over two and a half weeks! I worried about the effect of the elevation, but was ready to feel my lungs scream.

We ran through an adjacent complex beginning with a steep downhill. This meant only one thing – there would be a steep uphill in my near future! Well, I was right – there were a few steep uphills, and by steep…I mean STEEP! In addition to climbing these “mountains,” we ran alongside a pretty little river, some incredibly gorgeous homes (which are insanely large), and many crazy squawking birds.

I wish my bird-loving grandmother had been with me – the calls were like nothing I’d ever heard!  There were cute little black and white ones which walked along the grass chatting with each other in a peaceful call, and then there were these ugly, brown ones with long beaks and wide tails. Apparently these birds are called Lories (which is a name I don’t want to associate with annoying brown birds) and their call reminds me very much of a mix between a crow and an owl. Unfortunately, Lories can be found hanging out in the cutaway space between my two bathrooms (this is outdoors – not inside my apartment). Every morning, their obnoxious cackling hoots can be heard loud and clear.

On the way back to my apartment after my run, I heard a new bird call. I almost thought it was a parrot because it’s call mimicked a baby’s cry almost perfectly! I never saw the actual owner of this cry, but I am going to assume it wasn’t a parrot! J Either way, as I opened my door to the apartment with the sun shining brightly above me, I was smiling because my first run reminded me that I’m in a whole new world. I’m looking forward to exploring this world in my sneakers! (don’t worry mum & dad – I’ll be safe; I promise!)

Amazing People

People often tell me or write to me how proud they are of me for going on this adventure. I’ve been told I’m brave. I appreciate all of these comments and titles, and I do feel brave and proud of myself. However, I know in my heart, I would never have been able to commit to this life changing experience, and I will never get through it without the support of my amazing family and friends.

I didn’t need to move to South Africa. I have a wonderful home, supportive family, live-in best friend, an incredibly strong group of friends, and a successful job in New Hampshire. BUT – I did move. I knew I needed this experience in my life. I doubted the decision even before I made it, but every step of the way I have been supported and I have felt loved. It is this love and support from my family and friends that reminds me every day just how lucky I am. I can move 8000 miles away for a couple of years and know that my home - my people J - will always be “there” to welcome me back.

My friends have made sure to tell me how much I will be missed and how jealous they are of my experience. They hide notes in my packed luggage so I’ll find it when I unpack. They remind me that even when I’m sad about what I’m missing, I am gaining so much through my unique experiences here. Many of them have even booked tickets (very expensive tickets) to come visit! They write me messages just to tell me they are thinking of me. I don’t know how I ever got so lucky!

My family has never ceased to amaze me. My brother wrote me an incredibly sweet and motivating letter. He told me he was proud of me – those words settled deep in my heart. My parents have gone to the moon and back for me to make sure I am as safe as I can be, know how loved I am, and feel how proud of me they are. They remind me that this is a once in a lifetime experience and to do everything I can to make it memorable – even if it means I come home having saved no money! They have spent their days buying things and making friends with FedEx to ensure I have everything I need here. Even though I don’t see their faces over Skype (video uses WAY TOO MUCH internet here), I know they are smiling and sending me every ounce of love they can. I truly have the most remarkable parents in the world.

Lastly, there’s Lori. She has been my rock. She may be 8000 miles away, but she has been by my side with every step I have taken since the moment I entered the turnstile at JFK airport alone. She has sent me inspirational quotes, she has asked me about my day on Skype, she has reminded me that I can do this. She inspires me even when I’m not hearing her voice or reading her words. Simply knowing she believes in me gives me everything I need to make every moment of the next two years count. Lori is my world. She is everything I need. (well, I guess a man wouldn’t hurt …but I can get by for a bit ;) ) I go to bed every night and wake up every morning wishing she were just across the hall from me, but I know she is there for me in my heart.

So, as sappy as this post is – it has to be written. You all need to know just how grateful I am for everything. Life is good, and I thank you all for your part in making it that way. 

Beware of Construction

In my interview for this position, Andy (our director) mentioned that the school was in the beginning stages of a 5Year Plan. He described with great enthusiasm the amazing changes the campus would be going through over this time period to expand and increase its capabilities. The campus he envisioned sounded beautiful, and I was excited to see it for myself.

Fast forward six months and I find myself standing on the AISJ campus. It is beautiful with its open courtyards, landscaped lawns, and sprawling buildings. Of course, in order to see these things, you have to be able to look past the piles of torn down stone walls, open ditches in the middle of pathways, the frames of new buildings, the lovely hum of jackhammers splitting stone, the chime of copious hammers slamming nails, and the clouds of stone dust filling the air around every corner. J

Now, don’t get me wrong – I am not upset that the campus is in shambles. I truly believe that once all of the construction is done, this campus will be incredible. However, it is hard not to stand somewhere amongst the whole “mess” and not laugh. School starts on Wednesday, August 10^th, and there are an abundance of construction workers drilling, hammering, carrying stone slabs on their heads, or sometimes even napping next to a picnic table in the courtyard.

I am incredibly impressed with the calm demeanor of all those in charge despite the fact that our campus is not even close to being finished. Even more than this, I am inspired by the adaptability of those teachers in the elementary school who as of today (8/6) still don’t have a classroom! The 3 Kindergarten classes are creating three classrooms within the confines of the library! The positive attitude these teachers and a handful of others who don’t have classrooms is motivational! It reminds me that it doesn’t matter what the room looks like – just the learning and community that takes place inside the 4 walls.

I’m one of the lucky ones down in the Elementary portion of campus – I have a classroom. It is a great size, furnished with desk space and chairs for my 15 students and lots of supplies! We have spent about three days in our rooms attempting to set up and arrive at that state all of us teachers dream of – “ready for day #1.” In the states, I take my time preparing. I have been spoiled, in that I have always had a full month to set up my classroom. Therefore, this fast track to the first day of school has increased my stress level just a bit! BUT – every time I find myself getting a little overwhelmed, I remember that I actually have a classroom to set up . . . it could be worse! 

Soccer Practice (8/3)

I consider myself somewhat of a jock. With most sports I attempt, I can find success in some way or another. My genes have provided me with some coordination, a great cardio vascular system, and a level of energy that supports increased activity. For years I have spent my Monday nights releasing this energy on the field hockey field as part of a co-ed recreational league. I have always loved those hours on the turf.

Now, I find myself in a country obsessed with soccer. Immediately after signing my contract I went into withdrawals imagining a life without field hockey. I packed and shipped my field hockey stick, knowing full well the only real purpose it would serve down here in the land of soccer would be as a weapon to leave by my bed. Although I don’t plan on giving up hope that somewhere I’ll find a league to join down here, I decided the only way to fulfill my need for team sports would be to jump on the bandwagon.

Chelsea, my incredibly motivated and energized travel companion/friend found a soccer team that was in need of players. In an approach to step even further outside my comfort zone and to meet new people, I agreed to join Chelsea and our new friend Beth at a practice this past Wednesday night. Three things scared me: #1 - I haven’t exercised in over two and a half weeks! #2 – My hair elastics are packed in one of my boxes that has yet to arrive in Johannesburg, and we all know how much I sweat!! And finally #3 – I DON’T KNOW HOW TO PLAY SOCCER!

Well, after an hour and a half practice which consisted of laps, sprints, drills, and some 4V4 scrimmaging, I have to report that I didn’t do all that bad! I still MUCH prefer field hockey, but it was such a wonderful experience to join a group of local South Africans and play as a team. Practices are Mondays and Wednesdays, and I definitely think I’ll go back! Why not?! I just hope I don’t break an ankle trying to dribble the damn ball – I’m not ready to experience the South African health care system.

One of the neatest experiences of the evening occurred while we were gathering our things to leave. Beth pointed to the black night and said, “Hey – look at the moon!”  It was a crescent moon, but the exciting part was that the crescent was not facing sideways. It was on the bottom of the moon – almost as if it were the smile drawn on the moon. This was one of those moments where you realize life is different. I found myself confirming my world was upside down. It made me smile.

A Culturally Full Day (7/30)

One of our orientation events was to travel to an African Craft Market called Rosebank Market. This is a HUGE market with crafts, art, food, spices, and so much more! In some ways it resembled a large flee market, but in other ways it was like nothing I have seen before! Aside from driving on the opposite side of the road and car, this trip to Rosebank was incredibly cultural and truly enjoyable!

Walking in to the first “stall,” Chelsea and I immediately started smiling and saying “this is cool!” Everywhere you turned there were African masks, sculptures, beaded jewelry, and so much more. A man approached us immediately, “You my first customers. I give you a good deal!” Time to barter! Chelsea’s first purchase was a African mask keychain – only half the price the man asked for!  We were feeling pretty confident in our bargaining skills!

A few stalls down I picked up a wooden mask with reds, greens, and browns decorating the solemn face. A sweet woman walked up to me, “You my first customer. I give you good deal.” (apparently it didn’t matter what time it was – we were everyone’s first customer!) The woman told me she had made these masks (which later struck me funny seeing as the same masks were in about 15 other stalls all over the market, but anyway…). She explained that these were Zulu masks. One was the female mask and the other the male. In this tribe, there is a tradition that occurs before a couple marries. According to this woman, the woman is taken into the mountains and hidden. Her future husband is then released to go find her. He can marry his partner when he finds her. Now, I don’t know if this is a load of crap fed to me by a woman hoping I’d spend R90 (90 rands = about $15) on her masks, or if it truly is tradition in the Zulu tribe. When internet doesn’t cost a bundle and I have time outside of setting up my classroom, I’ll google it! J Either way, I bought the masks. I had to. For those of you who were at my going away party, my father shared a Zulu farewell song with us, and it seemed only fitting my first African art be a pair of Zulu masks.

After meeting up with Meghan and Evelyn, I spent some more money on three beautiful canvas paintings. They have yet to be stretched on wood because I was too cheap to spend an extra 300 Rand. The artist was at this particular booth, and explained the meaning behind each of his paintings. I bought one that is a couple walking together which is about their partnership (I figure it might give me luck in that department!), one of the others was the silhouette of a woman carrying a water basket on her head– something I have always been fascinated by, and the last was three people dancing, which to me represents energy and happiness. All three are extremely colorful, and I hope will look great on my new walls.

Our day did not stop after we left Rosebank. All 20 of us “new hires” boarded the buses headed toward the township of Soweto (on the way we got to see Soccer City – where the World Cup was played – can’t wait to go to a game!). Soweto is a township in South Africa which has become quite a tourist spot. It is most famous for being the former home of Nelson Mandella, but is also home to many well known South Africans alive and deceased. We only were able to drive through the township because there was no time to get out of the buses, but there is another trip planned where we will be able to get out and tour the area (with a guide). As we drove along the streets, the bus was quiet. We were all looking out the windows completely engaged in the view. Aside from a small of amount of larger brick shacks, most of the homes were run down metal shacks. Most of the roads were dirt and filled with children running from house to house. There were clothes lines strung between homes completely occupying the entire “lawn.” In one backyard (and I use this term loosely because there was no grass), a little boy was kicking a soccer ball at the wall, and beneath his feet was a mound of broken rocks and some garbage. As we passed a small patch of grass behind a fence, we saw a group of young boys playing soccer. In one corner of what must have been the back of a family’s home, a little boy was playing amidst garbage strewn on the ground.

All that I have describe probably makes you cringe, be glad you don’t live like this, or worry for my safety; however, the reason I am writing this is because the feeling we all seemed to share while riding by was one of safety and comfort. It is hard to put into words what feeling emanated from within the metal fences that enclosed Soweto. The word that continued to pop into my mind was community. Everyone seemed happy. The kids were smiling, the neighbors were sitting together in their miniscule backyards, families were walking TOGETHER down the dirt roads. Although I will not travel here alone or at night, there was not a bit of worry in my mind as we drove through. In fact, I found myself smiling at how good life seemed to be for these people despite the outward appearance of their living quarters. Our guide (a woman from AISJ named Donnaselay (sp?)) shared with us that one of the reasons Soweto is so popular with tourists is because of all the famous people who have achieved great things and remained living in the township despite their success. “It’s their home.”

We ended our great day with a catered dinner at our Director’s house. Talk about a contrast to what we saw in Soweto. One of the shacks in Soweto would probably be the size of Andy’s dining room! His house, paid for by the school (well deserved I have to say) is ENORMOUS!! I’m already looking forward to the next staff party! I enjoyed this night because it was a great chance to mingle and get to know (better) the other new hires. I am really looking forward to my time with these people. Not only do many of them come from incredibly diverse backgrounds, but they are all fantastic people (upon first impression). I think I made a great decision coming here! Despite the loneliness at night when I can’t come home and tell anyone about my day, missing my other half, family, and friends – this experience is going to be one of the best challenges I have ever chosen to tackle!