Sarah Coles's Travel Blog

so much to tell, ive lost track already. We managed to go up Table Mountain in Cape Town before i left. it was beautiful and the views were stunning. It was also hysterical to see Sam have a panic moment on the cable car when the floor started rotating, and yes I took a photo - im awful!!! we then did a tour down to Cape Point and it was supposed to include the Hope but the tour driver was nuts - quite simply nuts! i really wasnt sure if he was sober, his driving was mental!! it was the quickest tour of the cape ive ever heard of. We werent allowed to stop at most places (which we were meant to stop at) because hed spent about 2 hours chatting and driving us out of Capetown. There were 8 of us on teh trip and we were laughing at him. when he said he ought to be a pilot, Sam (who sat in teh front with him) just said NO! i couldnt stop laughing. we were allowed to get out to see the Penguins. they were fantastic. we thought about taking one but dont think it would have liked being in the back pack for 6 months!!
i headed off to St Lucia via JOburg. My plane landed in a field at Richards bay (apparently that was the airport) but my bag didnt. That came with the next flight!!!
I live in a nice house with the other volunteers and AFrican Impact charity project Managers. it was a bit overwhelming at first as I arrived with a german Girl Suzanna (yes she has the german sense of humour if you get what i mean!!!) and we walked into fancy dress night. I felt old!! It was a bit like being back at Uni but being sober and not being 19 years old!!!! more people came the next couple of days and they were less screamy girly which was better and we all get on brilliantly. the volunteers either do community work (thats me - in that i work in the community, im not the actual community project!!) or photography course. however us community workers have been listening to the photography course and picking up some tips to the point we actually think we are better than them :) There was a beer festival at the Ski BOat Club by the estuary where the crocs and hippos live in the day time (they live in town at night!!) the beer was varied and you could have stella or stella, so I had stella. on the walk there we ran into a 2 metre Cobra rearing up at us, we had all be busy yakking we hadnt noticed it until I shouted words i cannot repeat, but it worked!!!! not something im used to on a night out!!
My first day at the Day Care Centre, which is the main project was both amazing but scary. A) there are children there - yes, me working with children!!! 110 to be precise all aged 1-6. B) I was teaching a lesson about Primary School - I dont remember high school let alone primary school and Ive never taught in my life c) I dont speak Zulu (I can say more words now but not helpful at the time!) After a few panic attacks teh day before when we were preparing and I was thinking, i wish I was my sister at this point in time who can draw, cut things out of paper etc...., i did the lesson and loved it. Dont fret not to the point I would teach ! the rest of the mornings were the same. The kids come running out of the shack (day care centre) and throw themselves all over us (4 volunteers for 110 kids!!! Missy Missy Missy - are words I hear for hours every day and am beginning to hear in my sleep!!! they are lovely. most are orphaned as aids/hiv is over 70% in this region. They have sandworms in there feet, cuts, bruises etc. I have become Dr Sarah (with gloves) sorting out their scrapes and cuts. i love it. im exhausted. I cant wait for Monday.

I also worked at a clinic for a day. Again I had no idea what to expect, what to do or how to speak to the patients but a few zulu words helped and I took their temperatures (digital thermometers under the patients arm pits - I have a lot of hand sanitiser!) , BP and weights etc. Wednesday, was baby day too so weighing them and I didnt drop one single baby - yay me!!!!!

I have also been working on their other expanding projects. The Day Care CEntre needs a new building so we are buidling it. we were sorting the straw out from the snakes!! then thatching with some local builders. I shall probably be doing home visits next week and helping some sick in their homes - tidying, food parcels etc. Theres also the opportunity to go into schools and teach about HIV education. Apparently demos of condoms on cucumbers are requried - cucumbers - seriously, hahaha!

As for tonight, its Saturday which means Braii night or BBQ which means a visit to Fishy Petes Bar where the men are , well, deformed I suppose is the best way of putting it. Its a mixed bar - in terms of white and blacks (sorry but thats how its put here), the black guys are far cuter but we get told off from local whites for talking to them and the local whites are clearly all out of some ugly place!!!

its been a challenging week. I dont really have a clue what im doing and thats not something im used to really but i love it. The kids are beautiful and they seem to have fun and arent wandering the roads (if you can call them roads) so thats one thing.
Another update next week.

written by

Sarah Coles on November 8, 2008 from Cape Town, South Africa

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Sarah Coles's Travel Blog

a travel blog by Sarah Coles

Cape Town, South Africa

Days 2 onwards to day whatever as ive lost track already! St Lucia

Cape Town, South Africa