Nineteen! In South Africa and Mozambique

Last Wednesday I celebrated my nineteenth birthday in South Africa! I have never had my birthday away from home but it has had to have been one of the best ever! 

Being a Wednesday, I spent my birthday at school and it was a really lovely day. As I walked into school, heard two girls screaming “Miss Donald!” as they ran down the bridge from the high school and flung their arms around me. Noncedo and Nobuhle from grade eight wished me Happy Birthday and then we went up to assembly where I was greeted by more of my students, receiving a beautiful hand made card from Sletho from grade nine. We had assembly which consisted of nothing much more than the usual few announcements, a song and the Lords Prayer and then back to the staffroom to catch up on marking and lesson planning. I walked up to the science block at the start of the second lesson to take my grade eights for English as they were ending their lesson with Katie. As I walked into the room they all sang Happy Birthday to me- from nearly fifty children! We then had a short English lesson before I asked them to sing traditional Zulu songs for the video on my camera, which they happily agreed to! After break, I had another lesson with the grade eights, this time for Social Science and it was a really great lesson as we were starting the Industrial Revolution. They wrote notes and then I used an activity that I did in year eight when learning the Industrial Revolution from Ms Barrall, whereby she made us pretend to be child factory workers by bending down to the floor and straightening up as if we were working a machine. I did this for TWENTY MINUTES with my class who loved it! Of course, I couldn't see if forty seven children were cheating or not by resting as I joined in with them otherwise they thought they had to stop. In the end I picked about six who I think had been consistent and took them outside. It had become very hot but they carried on and in the end it was between two girls! Noxolo, who didn't use her hands on her knees or back once I forbade it was the one that won and I rewarded her with sweets which made her very happy! My legs felt like jelly afterwards and I actually suffered for a few days after with that sudden onset of exercise! Back in the office I was happy to receive several birthday cards in the post from home and the office staff admired the pinkness and prettiness of them all! The two teachers from Zimbabwe, Abel and Mr Raf, gave me a personal song of Happy Birthday and then the principal called an urgent meeting at lunchtime. It turned out to be a surprise party for me which I thought was so lovely! He had bought a cake and quite a few of the staff had turned up so they sang to me, exclaimed at how young I was then we all shared drinks and cakes. Then it back up to the high school to teach nine B who also sang to me and I took photos of them all as I had not yet. They had written me some lovely birthday messages on the blackboard too. Some of them begged me to do a 'fun lesson' but I was mean and said no yet we ended up having a really successful and productive lesson. After school, Katie had organised to go to Fancy Stitch, the tearoom in Ingwavuma which we sometimes visit. Minky and Miss G joined us and I received some pink slippers from Miss G and when Patrick joined us, a wooden hair piece and comb which was identical to the one I had wanted to buy in Swaziland. He brought a cake with him too, so after our lunch I had candles to blow out and a wish to make! In the evening, Patrick stayed and Jacques from Manguzi also came round which was good as we hadn't seen him in months! We chilled out with a few drinks and just chatted for hours before I skyped my parents. In some ways it didn't really feel like my birthday as I was not at home, but I couldn't have asked for a better day in my home here!

Cards from home, Patrick and learner's.

Cake at Fancy Stich!

With my 9B's

The real celebration took place that weekend as we managed to get Friday off from school, so Katie, Patrick and I left Manguzi on Friday morning for Mozambique! We didn't have far to travel as the border post is just outside of Manguzi in Kosi Bay so we got a willing man at the shops with a bukkie to take us to the border for just fifteen rand each! We spent a lot of time at the border post haggling with the guards over the price of our visa. As you can imagine, our money situations are not as good as they used to be, so we were not happy to pay the equivalent of £60 for a visa into the country when we were only staying two nights. After much persuasion, the head guy let us have it for 300 rand each- more than half the original price, yay! At the border, two english guys were also heading to the backpackers we were staying at and they happened to be livign in Manguzi too! They were nearly at the end of their month of working at the hospital and so we all got the same shuttle to the backpackers. The way to Ponta D'Ouro, just fifteen or so kilometres from the border was spent on the back of another bukkie and the roads were all sand. We finally got into Ponta, which I expected to be heavily touristy and maybe a bit spoilt like we had found with elzulwini in Swaziland, but it wasn't. Their were people holding small Mozambique flags as the President of Mozambique was visiting the town. We saw a number of tourists, mostly South Africans, but there was no divide between the locals and the visitors which was really refreshing. We dumped our bags at our dorm at Kaya Kweru and then headed off over the sand into town to get some lunch. We found a rooftop place overlooking the beautiful view of the beach and settled for R &R's and fish and chips! Rum and raspberry's are the local drink and are very pink and also very lethal! We saw the president's cars all heading down the road below us into a building we were looking down on. Patrick and I rushed down (I was still suffering from that SS competition so I hobbled!) in an attempt to meet the President of Mozambique. (not that we knew anything about him) A guard let us through the gates and we walked with some of the smartly dressed guards up to the building where it appeared the President had just gone into the building. Unfortunately we needed a named pass but no one could speak English (which shows the difference between the country and SA just down the road!) but they were happy to let us stand outside and listen to his speech. Later that day, I saw all the cars come out as we were walking along the street and saw everyone in those cars so I must have seen him at some point! Would have been nice to meet him though....maybe.

On our way to Ponta D'ouro, Mozambique

During the course of Friday we visited the stunning beach of Ponta. I wanted to go in the sea but the waves were really big and someone had warned us of rip currents. We all seemed to fall asleep, probably from the rum and the sun! Of course, the weather was absolutely stunning. We returned to the backpackers where we spent the evening with the two doctors, Andrew and Micheal, comparing our experiences of South Africa and having dinner. We then went to the bar with them plus two South African guys who bought us all more R & R's and that was that! Definitely feeling a bit delicate the next morning even though most of us hadn't made it out of the backpackers! There was a really good vibe there as loads of people were staying over the weekend and all the staff were lovely. Due to trying to keep to a budget, Saturday was spent relaxing (recovering) and going into town several times to get things we needed. It was the first place I have been to where my card didn't work but luckily Johno brought money to lend with him when he came to join us for Saturday night. We went out for dinner in the evening, avoiding the rum and had a much quieter time- somehow Patrick and I ended up watching the football when neither of us were particularly interested!

Our first R&R's!

On Sunday morning we were up at half past five to go swimming with dolphins! Just a short walk down the road, the Somente dolphin centre greeted a group of twelve of us, including Katie and I and Andrew and Michael. We were briefed at the centre on the different behaviours of the dolphins and what we should and should not do. Then it was time to go down to the beach, hop on the boat and it wasn't long before we came across a pod of social dolphins. We slipped into the water quietly, which was fortunately warm! In the first minute, my snorkel broke and I lost the pipe which was so annoying! But I could still see them through my mask. The only downside was that there was so many people that they sometimes got in the way. The first pod moved away fairly quickly, but the second or third time we were more successful with apparently twenty five or more dolphins appearing around us! Below me I could see about three all twisting and turning around and it looked like they were having so much fun. You could also hear the little clicks and other funny noises they were making which was a brilliant experience! They put on a show for us, as we headed down towards the South African coast (we could even see the Kosi Mouth!), leaping out of the water alongside the boat and nearer to the shore. Being so early in the morning, there were no people to be seen, apart from Patrick who got some photo's of us on the boat as it was about to land on the beach. It was the best experience of the weekend and I am so glad we did it! Katie went home that morning with Johno but Patrick and I decided to stay until the late afternoon when we would get a shuttle back to the border with Andrew and Micheal. We went out to this cute little shop for breakfast then explored the market for hours, yes, I did buy a few things but they are strictly for presents for people when I get home! They seemed to sell so many items of clothing with Mozambique written on them and we even came across some Nelson Mandela trousers! The ride back to the border in a mini bus was a bit scary as we seemed to drive down huge sand dunes which looked terrifying from the top! Quickly being advised by our driver to hide my souvenirs from the border people ( I think they might have charged me), we got back through into South Africa and the doctors gave us a lift into Manguzi.

Swimming with dolphins

And that was our weekend in Mozambique! Even though it was just the other side of the border, I still felt like we had experienced a different country and culture, especially hearing Portuguese which is the first language and using the Metical instead of the rand for the currency. What a lovely way to remember my nineteenth birthday.

Life being nineteen in South Africa:

So what's been happening in good old Ingwavuma? Not a lot to tell you the truth...the things that seemed novel or strange at the beginning to us at the start are now normal! The weather has become a bit cooler, but most chilly mornings turn out to be beautiful and sunny days! Teaching at school has become a little stressful just recently as June exams are looming and I am trying to finish the social science course with the grade nine's and start revision for their exams. Naturally, there is no sign of an exam timetable and we have been advised to write our own exams as it sometimes happens that the educational board do not send the papers in time! I have begun writing a paper for grade eight English and it struck me that it actually has been quite a challenge doing this all by myself (I am sure that I have mentioned before that my English H.O.D hasn't shown much of a will to help me this whole time!) but hopefully I have been of good use. I know that Mr Rafamoyo is really grateful towards me for taking on most of his grade eight and nine SS lessons as he has a hectic timetable with the upper high school and it has given him extra time to focus on them and catch up with marking. With the primary school, I have started my second chart. The first one I drew was on the world and solar system for the grade fours. This one is for the pre grade R's about farm animals (thank you Linden for all the stickers!). I seem to be having mostly good lessons, but there is an odd lesson where the class, or certain members, will really play up and make it exhausting for me! I have a new Zulu name that has caught on in both the grade nine classes which is Miss Fikile. 'Fikile' (pronounced like fikeelay) means “arrive” in Zulu and I'm not exactly sure why Mvelo from 9A invented it for me but now I'm stuck with it! Could have been something a lot worse I suppose! (Or maybe it is and they are not telling me the real meaning!) Last weekend was spent in Manguzi not doing much but it was great to be with friends watching films and chatting. This weekend I am desperate to get away so Patrick and I might be heading down to Richards Bay in search of something to do. Hopefully we can stay with friends there.

Of course, it has dawned on me that in three and a half weeks I will be leaving Ingwavuma and Nansindlela. Some days I really can't wait as I am looking forward to travelling again and seeing other parts of the country. Also, I am so fed up of washing in a washing up bowl, not having a proper cooker and now a broken microwave, no running water and hand washing my clothes! (I think this is because I know I am leaving soon) However, most days it just makes me feel sad when I think about the fact I will have to say goodbye to the people here. Especially Minky and Mr Magagula who have become our family, to the principal who has been so lovely to us and to all my learners who I will miss so much. But, anyway, there is still three weeks to enjoy after this one so that is what I am focusing on.

Plans for the three weeks holiday after our placement finishes are slowly coming together...firstly, a week hiring a car and doing some travelling with Patrick up the top part of the country- maybe Swaziland again and exploring some of provinces we haven't visited inland from here. Then I plan to fly or catch a bus down to Cape Town to spend a week and a half with Sonia which I'm really looking forward to, and then a flight back to Jo'burg to spend a few days in Pretoria with our old house mate Rose. Can't wait! 

Miss everyone at home, can't wait to see you in seven weeks! xx

Welcome to the Kingdom of Swaziland!

The long weekend gave us the perfect opportunity to travel as it was five days long! Our librarian at school, Kenny, made a joke in the staff meeting that was he the only one who had heard that we were breaking up at twelve instead of half two and the Principal laughed and then said, “why not?” Everyone was so happy as we were all so tired and it would be a great start to our little break. Patrick came up to Ingwavuma on the Thursday night and Katie went down to Manguzi with Johno. After a funny evening of skyping with various friends and family, Patrick and I got up around six on the Friday morning to set off early...

It was the first time since I arrived here that I used my huge rucksack, although it was not quite as full! Unfortunately, neither of us had had our driving license a year (for me it was a couple of days before!) so we were unable to hire a car to get to and around Swaziland. So it was taxi's all the way! That day was long, hot and sometimes uncomfortable and we found our way over the Swazi border and were surprised when they did not charge us for a visa but just a stamp in the passport. We waited ages at this desolate border post for a taxi to come along and when one finally did, about twenty people crammed into it. We had to wait for the engine to cool down first so a local was showing us the Emalangeni- the currency which has wavy cent coins which I thought were really unusual. They are equal to the rand and we could use SA rand in the country, but not the other way round. After a few more taxi journeys, and someone declaring that I was to be their wife, we got into into the touristy town of Elzulwini in the early evening. We walked to our backpackers which was annoyingly at the top of a hill. It was pretty dead there so we soon went out again to this pub girll place for dinner where loads of tourists, or maybe they were locals, had come out for the night. We didn't feel like we were in Africa and it wasn't what we had expected Swaziland to be like but it was a good night.

The next morning we walked to the craft markets which were just down the road from where we were staying and this time I actually didn't buy anything. We then walked on to an art gallery and then to the cultural village. At the village we were just in time for the traditional dance which involved about twenty women and ten men all dressed in traditional costumes with furs around their legs and colourful cloths. Their singing was amazing and the dancing even better, with the women kicking their legs up with their feet by their noses! It was so full of energy and they even made some of us join in! I liked dancing with the lady I was with because she was so funny even though it was embarrassing for me! At least I can say I took part in something like that! Afterwards we had a short tour of the village- where the chief lived, his wives, the children and the other men. The men had separate cooking areas and a smoking areas where sometimes they smoke 'special' cigarettes, no guesses what that might be! It was quite strange to be doing such a tourist thing like that after all this time of living here! We caught a lift with a family from Jo'burg up to the waterfall where everyone was advised to go next. The place was full of city people taking a short break in the countryside for the long weekend. Patrick went over to the waterfall and swam beneath it whilst I played with Nondo, the little boy who liked to follow me around taking photo's. Later that afternoon after seeing a huge monitor lizard on our way out of the village, we got back into town and got a private taxi- the only way for us to get around and also very expensive!- to a place called 'The House on Fire' which houses live music events and other functions. We didn't expect anything to be happening there but were just interested to look around as we had heard it was decorated beautifully and traditionally. Unfortunately, when we got there we were quickly ushered out as they were about to host a wedding but it was a stunning venue, I was quite jealous of whoever was about to get married there! We went back into town after a nice Canadian lady offered to give us a lift as she was going that way. We managed to change the place we were staying to a more lively backpackers called Lidwala Lodge. There we were placed in a 'Safari tent' which was basically an oversized tent with a south african couple who were very nice. We went out in the evening for Chinese and then to the Hot Springs which was a new experience for me! It was getting dark and not cold with clothes on but wearing my bikini it was a bit chilly so when I got into the warm water it was like heaven! We stayed there for a couple of hours and I joined in with a group of very hyperactive Swazi girls who were doing congas, and singing and playing games. They saw me get my camera out when we were about to leave and shouted “SHOOT US!” something I had forgotten means 'take my picture!' and not something else!

The next morning can only be described as hectic! We had to find our way to the other side of Swaziland to the Hlane Game Park. After getting a taxi along the road, I remembered after about ten minutes that I had left my coat at the backpackers so we had to go all the way back. We then went into town and did our food shopping after a nice couple gave us a lift there. We then caught another taxi to Manzini and then from there we were advised to get a private taxi to some hotel where we would be able to get a bus to the park. We did this and found ourselves on a road side where hundreds of people were gathered waiting for something. We wondered why we had left the taxi rank and ended up here and asked the group of police there for help. They told us that there had been a bus strike the day before and this is where the people would usually wait for them so taxi's had been filling in. no taxi would take us to where we wanted so we waited for what seemed like forever and it was too hot! Finally, a public bus came along who was not on strike and we piled onto that hoping it would take us to where we wanted. I think the whole of Swaziland was on that bus! We were lucky to find a seat, with our huge bags on top of us and people down the aisle. Even chickens were travelling on that bus! It took a while but we were finally dropped off at the entrance to the park, not knowing how long the road was into the park. To our luck, a family in a 4x4 came past and a lovely Afrikaans man offered to help us despite having a car full of children and toys. They seemed horrified that we had just used public transport and exclaimed “with all those blacks?” (yes, there is still racism here) He gave us a lift in and dropped us at the camp site where we would be staying. There were loads of people staying there so we picked a spot at the back and set up our tent quickly. With it being so hot, I fell asleep in the tent for a while before Patrick ran in to tell me he had seen a rhino. I walked down to the water hole with him and I saw my first African rhino scratching himself in the bushes. We watched it for a while over the tiny electric fence and then it suddenly came right up to Patrick, it must have been only a few metres from him. I backed away but Patrick was unsure as to what to do but luckily a ranger was nearby who told him to move slowly back. That evening we saw two more rhino come right up to the fence and look at everybody there for ages as if they had been told to do it! I got majorly attacked by mosquitoes on my legs as the sun was setting which was not pleasant for days afterwards! We braaied next to a family from Jo'burg who also thought we were crazy for catching public transport around the country and only being eighteen. Never mind, I don't mind being called crazy if I'm having the best time! Patrick made friends with the family who were staying next to us as they invited him over to see the elephants that were behind the camp site. Unfortunately, I had no idea where Patrick had disappeared to so I missed them but I met Richard and his son Storm and we had a good chat about South Africa and places we had been to and the wildlife. They were driving back to their home in Durban on the Tuesday morning so we were very happy when he offered to give us a lift back as we would be on the way. I think they felt a bit sorry for us at the start as we had arrived with no car (you definitely need a car in this country!!) and just our bags! That night was uncomfortable on the extremely hard ground but so fun as we could hear the lions roaring and mubling, the impala who were in the rutting season making funny noises, the hippo's laughing and the elephants trampling around. At one point we both woke up and it sounded as if a warthog ran straight past our tent- I couldn't help but laugh it was so funny!

The rest of our time at the park was sat down by the water hole by ourselves or with our friends from next door who were all lovely. We watched as a crocodile was confronted by a very large hippo, the hippos walking over in the morning to settle in the water for the day, an elephant come to wash himself and a family of warthog! We went on a sunset game drive at three which was really fun! We saw our first lions- a male and two female who were very happy to pose for photo's, a group of three female rhino's, a lone bull elephant who looked amazing walking through the open plain everywhere we drove and we got so close! He kept edging towards the car as he was grazing and at one point I could have easily stood up from my seat and touched him! That night, our friends invited us to join them around their fire and we had a lovely chat then found a herd of elephants behind the camp with our torches. They look so magical in the dark, and I felt bad for shining the light at them in their peace but I thought I would probably never have an experience like this for a long time, if not ever again! That second night was not so noisy on the animal side, or maybe I was just so tired I slept through any noise. In the morning we were welcomed by about six rhino's lazing about by the water front and then we helped Richard, Freda, Storm and the rest of the family pack up their things and by half past one we were ready to go! It didn't take long to get to the border which was actually really near to Ingwavuma and they dropped us at the junction where they were going right to Mkuze and we were going left to Jozini. We found a taxi that was about to leave so we quickly said our goodbyes to Richard and Freda, thanking them for how kind they had been the whole time and that we would maybe see them at the rugby in Durban at the end of the month. We caught a taxi to Jozini which was going to Bhambanana and then to Ingwavuma where Patrick stayed again at ours before leaving in the morning. A truly fun weekend! 

So, I guess I should also include on this post what has been happening since the long weekend, but to tell you the truth, not a lot! Even though last week was only three days, I felt completely shattered from our time away and also a little under the weather. For some reason I was even feeling a bit homesick and just fed up of living where we do. I was desperate to have a shower, not just a sort-of bath in a washing up bowl, I wanted water to come out of the taps and not get water from the tank and also my own bed at home, not this one which is very uncomfortable! I decided to stay here for the weekend to catch up and Katie went down to Manguzi to stay with Johno. Patrick was away with his school so I just had Minky next door for company. On Saturday I was quite happy to be on my own but cleaning the kitchen and doing piles and piles of hand washing was boring. I still wasn't feeling great and after coming back from Minky's in the evening I felt very sick. I tried to sleep for four hours but the feeling kept getting worse and I threw up quite a bit but I won't go into details! Minky and Abel from next door came round to look after me and when I was sure I was not going to be sick any more I went to stay with Minky in her big double bed, which was really lovely of her to offer. In the morning I thought I was feeling better so I went to the hospital church as I had promised I would go and watch some of my student's sing, as due to poor timing I missed it a few weeks ago when I was here! One of my nine B girls, Snethemba, was over the moon that I had come and I saw that about eight of my students from grade eight and nine were there in the choir. I was greeted by other students from the school and a lady offered to interpret the Zulu for me and she was so lovely. It was not as scary as the church we went to the first weekend and it as mostly three hours of singing and dancing, which was so good to observe and as usual, the singing was beautiful. However, I realised that I was still not OK. I walked back, phoned home and then decided to eat some yoghurt which I regretted all day as I stayed at Minky's feeling sick and very tired but being unable to sleep. She did school work and I sat on her bed, drifting in and out of sleep watching whatever films they were showing on TV and the day just sort of passed. Katie was unable to come back until the morning and I still wasn't able to eat in the morning so the principal took me to his doctors who gave me lots of medicine and in the last four days I have finally started to feel better and myself again! I still don't know what caused it but I think it might have been some dodgy tank water as we have been having trouble with the tanks here that haven't been cleaned so even if the water is boiled, we can't drink it. Never mind, hopefully it will be the only time I'm ill here. This week I have been feeling quite down though but I'm not sure why, I think it's the mid term blues which I had before. I wish they had half terms here! My classes are doing well, if not becoming quite lazy but they are making me laugh all the time and I'm finding it quite hard to keep a straight face when I'm supposed to be annoyed at them! I am still enjoying teaching Social Science although it is stressing me out a little bit as Mr Raf told me I need to finish Apartheid by the end of May- better start doing more writing on the board and less talking! Today we finished the French Revolution with the grade eight's who did a test. The best thing about covering Mr Raf's subject is that he comes in at the start of each lesson to make them aware of his presence so they don't misbehave with me. I marked half of their tests today and most of them are passing which makes me really happy! Unfortunately, those who don't get over fifteen out of twenty five will be dealt with not by me but by Mr R and I won't say any more! Next week we are going to start the Industrial Revolution and I've got some good ideas of how to teach it from when I learnt it at school. I used to get very annoyed with the grade eights but now I am really fond of them and after feeling really low this morning, they really cheered me up after spending the afternoon with them. We had a staff meal at one today for the lady in the office, Beulah, who left at the start of this term to pursue another career at a nearby lodge. She has been at the school for about eleven years so was loved by everyone and I know I was really sad when she said she was going. Mr Magagula, the Principal and Beulah all gave speeches and then we ate chicken and pap which I didn't really feel like but it was a nice social occasion. 

Not much is happening this weekend either: I am staying here tonight and then going down to Manguzi tomorrow to help paint Johno's new flat and maybe go camping for the night with Patrick and Jacques. Next week is much more exciting as I am turning nineteen on Wednesday! I don't think much will be happening on my actual birthday but I am looking forward to it anyway and especially Friday as we will be travelling to Mozambique for the weekend to celebrate! We are going to Ponta D'ouro, just the other side of the South African border which is in Kosi Bay, so it won't take us long to get there. We are staying at a resort and I believe the area is made for tourists and holiday makers and we are going swimming with dolphins! I'm sure there will also be consuming of the local drink Rum N Raspberry! I can't wait to get away again and it is exciting to finally be going to Mozambique as it is so close to us and it's the fourth African country I can add to my list after SA, Lesotho and Swaziland! (I don't care how tiny the second and third are!) If anything, I can't believe that it has been a year since I was turning eighteen and having my party, passing my driving test and leaving school. I have had the best year being eighteen, I don't think I would have changed anything about the past year at all. I wonder what being nineteen will bring besides starting university? Nothing as amazing as the experience I have had out here! It is only six weeks left for us at Nansindlela and I am starting to feel very sad about it. Time has gone so quick and continues to do so that before I know it I will on the plane and back in England. In some ways I am looking forward to coming home, but mostly I would love to stay and know I will come back! Anyway, enough of thinking about all that and time to mark the rest of my grade eight tests! Love to everyone back at home xxx 

Quotes from the weekend, for Patrick:

"My name is Mswati, and I'm not like those South African dogs"

"SARABI?!...She's not here"

"Thanks for the apple crumble"- warthog outside our tent.

"HOWWW??"

"What if one of those elephants just came over here, picked me up with it's trunk and carried me off into the bushes. What would you do?"- Patrick

"Whyyy don't the poachers just go up to the rhino and cut the horn off and not kill it?"- annoying American's sat next to us on the game drive.