Only in South Africa

The All Blacks doing the famous "haka" pregame psych out dance

Dried caterpillars, soak in water than cooked up in tomatoes, onions, hot sauce, and butter. Yum.

Only in South Africa, can I go from cooking masonzha (caterpillars) to watching the Springboks play the All Blacks.

Maybe it was a month ago, all of the people I came to South Africa, minus the few that have left early, came to Pretoria for our Mid Service Training for about a week. The main aim of the training is to get everyone back together to build morale and push home strong. We also had medical, dental (best cleaning ever), and sessions about the prior year and the way forward. Being the super cool group that we are, we also organized an Assassins game, a Scavenger Hunt, and a Talent Show. It was awesome. You should try to find James Grosvenor's blog on the internet box for some cool photos of the events.

When the week was finished, the fun wasn't over. A few of us stayed an extra day to see ultimate rugby game - Springboks versus the All Blacks. This was not only huge to see, but it was super exciting to go into Johannesburg's Soccer City Stadium. We arrived early to the game and I could have sworn I was back in America. There was tailgating, SUVs in the city, and heavy set people. It was awesome.

After socializing a bit outside of the stadium, we made sure we arrived early to see the famous "haka" dance down by the New Zealand All Blacks team. It was awesome and the jumbotron picture at the top of this blog sums it up - big, angry dudes yelling at big angry dudes. Pretty exciting.

The game started and I couldn't really follow it. Plus there was so many people, I could hardly focus. It was sensory overload. The Springboks lost, but our friends in Johannesburg, Sue and Eddy, made us pizza so it was okay.

Patrols!

                        Grade 6 Masetoni learners learning North, East, South, and West from their Patrol Leader

For the past 5 months, I have been floundering to get my Scout troop in Pfukoni going. Ever since my training back in April when Scouts came up from Gauteng to train adults on how to run a Scout troop, I have been fondly reminiscing my Scouting days and trying every sneaky way I could to provide similar opportunities for my learners at Pfukoni. So far, very little results. I've never been able to use the patrol system where two or three leader Scouts known as Patrol Leaders receive directions from an adult, the Scouter, and the Scouts run the meeting. Well with 4 Scouts, this isn't an incredibly effective method, but we're still chipping away.

I knew that I didn't have any adult support at my other school of Masetoni, but I figured I would give it a shot two weeks ago. WOOOOOO. Awesomeness. I asked one teacher and he left the learners from Grade 6 skip cleaning to participate in their first Scouts meeting. I taught them the salute, the handshake and the Promise and then we went outside and played a game, did an activity and had a flag break. Guess what? I used the patrol method the whole time. My three girls who led the meeting could have taken better to the role and all the learners were so excited.

So if you every are trapped in a situation where you have 20 or so kids and you have a plan but you don't how to implement it, break them up into three groups. See who the leaders are, tell them your plan, and let them carry it out. It will make your life easier and their life more fulfilled.

The Man, the Myth, the Legend

                             8 year old Fhedzani teachin SOUNS to the 4 year olds at the Cretche (Preschool)

One of the first things my host mom in Pfukoni said, translated through the principal, was, "you teach my son English and I'll teach you Tshivenda." I said, translated by no one because its pretty American, "deal." Well 13 months later, my Tshivenda is shotty and Fhedzani, the son that was talked about, can carry a conversation with anyone reading this post.

A child's mind never ceases to amaze me. I am the only person in Pfukoni that he speaks to in English and that is only a few hours a day (increasingly a lot lately since I purchased a basketball and he is learning to dribble). He watches hours of TV and just remembers it all. It's nutty. He says phrases that I know I never say.

So now that I have another person to speak English with in the village (the count is up to 3), I figured I can't waste this opportunity. So one day, after his school was over, I took him to teach the cretche (preschool) kids their letter sounds. My intention was to use Fhedzani as an observer to see if I am saying the most effective phrases because for some reason I thought I could control 3 and 4 year olds.

After about an hour of teaching, all the kids and I sing our song and I return to where my bags are and eat a meal the cretche gives before heading back home. While we are eating, Fhedzani says, "Sean, tomorrow, why don't you take two kids and I take two kids." I quickly agreed because the idea of an older kid teaching a younger kid willingly should never be passed up.

On our walk back though, I realized his real motive. "Do you like coming to the cretche?" I said. "Yeah, they feed me good food." Food rocks and now I have a little buddy, two times a week to help teach the future leaders of Pfukoni. It is an exciting happening, and I am hoping it leads to more willingness to participate in the classroom. If an 8 year old can do it, surely anyone can?