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August 17, 2003
Thank you all so much for all of your letters of support and love, you have
no idea how much I appreciate it. Not a whole lot of new things happened this
week that were different from the becoming normal routine. We finished cleaning
out the stationary room, which holds all of the supplies that the kids can use
for school. The room was a total disaster and now it looks so much better. We
also cleaned out the dress up room, which is also known as the dungeon. They
have cloths that the children can use to dress up for parts in plays or speeches
that they have to make and there are some nicer cloths that they can use if
going to a dance or something nice like that. Also on one of the day they were
a little short handed in the kitchen so we made lunch and helped start dinner.
I have had the opportunity to take a couple of the kids here to a contest, which
seems to be quite popular. The children are selected by teachers in there
school to either read a poem, sing a song, play an instrument, act, or even do
sports. They are given an evening when they are to come and perform. The rest
of the children who they compete with are from other schools and around the same
grade. When reciting a poem normally all of the children have the same poem and
it is really interesting to hear the different interpretations of the poem.
Each child is given a certificate, which is gold, silver or bronze. If you are
especially good then you get a diploma. I have gone with three girls and they
have all received gold certificates. I am very proud of each of them especially
knowing how nervous they were when they got up on that stage. The best part is
as soon as they were done they said they would never do it again but by the time
we had gotten home they had changed their minds. I think that this is a really
wonderful opportunity for these kids to learn about public speaking and not just
in front of their classmates.
My dad emailed me with some questions that he has been having with from some
people who have talked to him about my trip. I figure that you might have the
same questions to so I figure I will let you know. Some people have asked if I
like my placement at the home better then what a normal RYE students where they
would go to school and live with a host family. Well I will have to say that
during different times of the year I will have different answers to this
question. The pros of being in a school and living with a family are that you
learn how a family operates in this society. Also when you go to school you
take classes to learn the language and you also meet friends at school. At the
home I do not have these things. I do not see how a typical South African
family runs, I am not really learning the language properly and it is a lot
harder to meet friends. The pros of the home are that I do not have to do
homework, I take care of myself basically, I do not have the restrictions of a
normal home of when to eat, watch TV and when I have to go to bed. I get to
work with kids, which is something that I like to do and I like to make a
difference in others lives, which is something that I hope to do here. I also
have responsibilities that I would not have elsewhere. I have to be at work by
8:30 (not really new for me), I have to get along with my roommates, help the
mothers when ever needed, be flexible and willing to move around, take orders,
help the children with homework, be a role model and many other things. I would
have to say that working in the home will prepare me for my next step in life
once I get home to the states. I will have self discipline, the experience of
living with people who are not your family, working for someone else besides the
Wolcott's, it will make the over all change to living completely on my own a
little easier. Today I would rather be going to school and living in a home
since I had my first real confrontation with two children whom I told on and I
can no longer trust the two young men. If I had written this email yesterday I
would have told you I loved the home and I am glad that I am there. It really
is a day-to-day question depending on how things go.
People have also asked if I am feeling any safer. To tell the truth not
really. After I get off work it is dark and I am not really comfortable leaving
the grounds in the dark. When I have been out in the day it is hard for me also
because I do not know who it is safe to walk by or have walk by you. It is not
like people have a specific look you cannot just assume that a person who is
dressed badly will mug or if it is the one on the corner clean and neat. I
think I just need to get out more before I will feel safe. Also it is not just
walking around. Everyone always gets nervous when you come to a red light at an
intersection. Auto hijackings are very common here and you hear about it every
day. Many times someone is killed. This morning I took some of the children to
the park near by and I stuck out like a sore thumb. I was the only white person
that was ever there in the whole hour we were at the park. Many people were
watching us and I don't think it was because the kids where having fun it was
because there was a blond, pale, white girl with about 7 very black children.
Yesterday the kids were teasing me and telling me that I should color my hair
black. I don't think that would help things too much though J
I learned how to
play cricket yesterday. It was fun and I came in third place with the most
number of runs. The hardest part was I kept wanting to hold the bat like a base
ball bat, which you do not do. I will understand the game a little better next
time I watch it on T.V.
Other then this not much new I should let you all go. I am working on letters
slowly but by the time that any of you get them it will be old news but oh
well. I love you all and miss you very much. Stay safe, and take care.
Love,
Katelyn
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