The strike finally ended and last week I was thankfully able to return to Manenberg Primary to continue with my service. Being back in Mr. Emmanuel’s class has been wonderful and wonderfully challenging. The kids seemed happy to see me back and it really was great to see them too. They are still as crazy as ever, I have spent the past week and a half being jumped on, breaking up fights, losing my voice trying to get forty children to be quiet at one time, getting locked in a classroom, reading aloud, teaching English, getting hugs, and dancing to the sound of the class’s impromptu choir concerts. A wide range of experiences to say the least!

Yesterday one of the seemingly more troubled boys – he has tried to stab a classmate with scissors, constantly has his hands on other boys, and throws chairs out of anger – wrote “27” on my hand. To those unfamiliar with the gangs of Cape Town, the 27s are one of the largest in the colored townships. I asked the little boy if he knew anyone in the gang and he first said that he himself is a member and then told me that his father is in fact involved in the gang. It broke my heart that someone so young would, if not actually a member himself, would have such close and intimate contact with someone who is. Even before the gang reference, I had a feeling that this little boy had a rough home life and thus made an effort to hug him each day and just show him a little extra love and attention. At first he didn’t understand why I would want to hug him and was very resistant to the whole thing. As I was leaving the classroom to go home this afternoon though he came running out after me and simply asked “my hug?” It was a great way to end the day!

Spring Break in September

After much deliberation of what to do, five of my housemates and I decided to spend our week off backpacking up the Garden Route on the Eastern Cape of South Africa. We each had a backpack of clothes and Saturday morning we jumped on the Baz Bus, a backpacker's bus that allows you to hop on and off all on its routes that travel all around the country. Our first stop was at the Wild Spirit hostel in the Crags, a small place in the middle of nowhere. The hostel is exactly how it sounds - the people who live there/run it/just hang out there are the crunchiest/earthiest/hippiest people I have ever met! There was a birthday party being held there that night, complete with drum lessons of course, and since it was spring themed we were asked to come wearing foliage and such...it was definitely a funny night!

Sunday was a big day - four of us jumped off a bridge that is home to the highest bungee jump in the world! I was nervous to say the least but the experience was definitely worth it! It was a rush unlike anything else and at times it felt like flying - definitely a highlight of the trip!!

We spent Monday and Tuesday in Jeffrey's Bay, a little surf town on the coast. It was unfortunately windy and a bit chilly so we didn't get to spend as much time on the beach as we hoped but we did swim in the Indian Ocean which I consider an accomplishment!

Wednesday was wonderful - we spent the morning at Addo Elephant Park where I was legitimately a foot away from many elephants. After a delicious lunch, we went out to Schotia, a private game reserve. We were in an open-air Land Rover and I was shocked at how many animals we were able to see. Within the first five minutes we saw lions, warthogs, and kudu

(which is in the deer family). Throughout the afternoon we were amongst countless giraffe, and zebras and at one point our "landie" came face to face with a charging rhinoceros...it was scary but very neat! Dinner was served on the reserve, kudu stew, butternut squash, potatoes, green beans, delicious fire grilled rolls, and malva pudding for desert. Yum! We took a night drive after dinner where we again were up close and personal with the lion family - they were literally walking a foot away from the open window I was sitting in! Crazy!

Our last days were spent in Knysna, a small town on the water that reminded me a lot of Cape Cod! We did some shopping and walking around and had just a nice relaxing end to our trip! All in all it I had a great break - it was a nice mix of adrenaline rushes, relaxing days, peanut butter sandwiches, kudu stew, and good company!