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.