Never stop exploring. Never stop learning.

Dumela ("Good Day" in Sesotho, one of the most common languages spoken in this area)!  I just got home from another South African adventure, which is actually just one continuous adventure these days.  Briefly, here is my most recent chapter.  I decided to venture to Woolworths (a grocery/clothing/everything store) on my own, which was only the second time I've driven on this continent by myself.  On the way I stopped at a petrol station, where I got funny looks for not knowing how the we-pump-the-petrol-for-you system works.  Then I got to Woolworths (at 6 PM, you'd think it would be open right?), only to find it was closed.  This happens to us almost everyday, when we're trying to get groceries, find a coffee shop with wifi, go to the gym, call a vet (our baby springbok's eye got impaled by the male's one horn-yes he only has one horn-in his attempt to "get some," which was bloody and traumatic for her and us), etc.  Business hours are unique around these parts.

Back to the adventure though, I returned to the parking lot, tipped the parking attendant for watching my car for all of three minutes (almost all parking lots here have these attendants that watch your stuff while you're away…) and ventured to the next grocery store, Spar.  This has become our go-to place, and I was thrilled to find hummus for the first time (it's the little things in life)!!!  Then I saw a mouse run across the floor by the deli and squealed a little bit, bought my stuff, and began journeying back home.

The parking lot decided to challenge my voyage though, and when I tried to pull out of my parking spot on a slight incline, I nearly rolled backwards into the car behind me.  I was stuck, revving the engine, slightly panicked, and convinced there was no avoiding some dented bumpers, but the trusty parking attendant came to my rescue and literally pushed my car out of the parking spot.  I drove away while waving, smiling, and yelling "baie dankie" ("thank you very much" in Afrikaans-pronounced "buy a donkey").  In retrospect, I should have tipped him a lot more for the rescue mission, but I was focused on shifting into second gear.  I'll find him next time.  Those were just a couple hours of my day, and the rest of the hours were pretty fantastic as well.

As far as work goes, the real fun is beginning.  Last week we worked at the Vereeniging Campus, organizing the library, which meant cataloguing, sorting, and rearranging 500+ new books that previous ETAs had received as donations. We did the same at the library on the Heidelberg Campus, so that's over 1000 new books on the shelves!  This week our Library Club meetings commence at both campuses.  This will be a time for us to meet with students and figure out what support they would like to receive from us, and also a time to share our project ideas with students.  We are planning to hold daily office hours and weekly professional development workshops, as well.  Over the past couple of weeks we have been observing different English lecturers, and will begin teaching and assisting with lessons next week!  So jazzed to be back in the classroom and working with students.

Other project ideas we have include a pen-pal program with students in the U.S., establishing mentorship programs with nearby primary/secondary schools, book groups, poetry/writing clubs (with publication involved), Sedibeng College newsletters, service learning projects, and a culminating Sedibeng College Showcase.  The showcase will allow students to share their accomplishments from throughout the school year with each other and the community.  An overall goal for us is to unify the four campuses of Sedibeng through these different programs/projects.  Of course, these are just the ideas we're bringing to the table, but priorities lie with the interests and needs of the students/staff.  We have only been in the Vaal (geographical area of Sedibeng campuses) for a couple of weeks and have SO MUCH to learn.  Eish!  Flexibility and patience are key.            

Since arriving in V-Town (what we call Vereeniging when the real pronunciation is just too much) I can count on each day bringing something new to scratch my head about, as well as something new to learn and shape my world view.  Never stop exploring.  Never stop learning.

love.love.love.
Kelly