Wednesday, June 13, 2012
The Final Post
This has been the trip of a lifetime and I am not ready to go home yet! Everything has been amazing from the food to the families we've stayed with and the people we've met to the projects we have been able to participate in. I will not only take away pictures and memories from this trip, but also new friends and life lessons- a true sign of a successful trip. I would also like to thank everyone who has made this trip possible, especially Townes, Mrs. Gregor, Kathryn Johnson, Jayanni, and all the parents. Once again this trip has been amazing and I will never forget the good times we've had!
- Isabel Schaad
TIA- This Is Africa
Some of the random memories I will bring back home are spectacular scenery, reading stories to children in the townships, cold winter weather, heated floors, no mosquitos, ostrich and ox tail meat, milk tart, malva pudding, roibos tea, granadilla, chakalaka, mealie pap, local township beer (no worries, no alcohol), Brits on the Baz Bus, naming the countries of the world, thumb snaps, braais, interact students at Knysna, robots, dynamic Rotary Clubs, Xhosa hand shakes, serving food to kids and laborers, pig snout hike, lunch in the Knysna township, quad biking, freezing water, Appletizer, Octavia's hot chocolate, rugby, land rover to the beach, soccer games, the legacy of apartheid, district 6, Robben Island, Kirstenbosch, Table Mountain, Bay Atlantic, Mosaic Sanctuary, and wonderful hosts. TIA = This Is Africa.
-Lizzie Johnson
Goodbye South Africa
We are about to leave the beautiful Mosaic Private Sanctuary to go whale watching in Hermanus and then we're off to the airport! We have had such a wonderful time here and are a bit reluctant to return home. I just wanted to write one last time to thank everyone who has made this trip possible, as I know a ton of planning went into it to make it run so smoothly and provide us with such a unique opportunity. I'd especially like to thank our chaperones, who have been positive and cheerful throughout the whole trip- I've enjoyed spending time with them and getting to know them better. Thank you again to all our hosts and new friends, it has truly been an amazing learning experience, the lessons from which I know I will carry with me the rest of my life.
-Morgan Larimer
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
In the Company of Cheerful Ladies
Women are the backbone of community life in South Africa. Wherever we have visited we've seen women serving as teachers to the young children in the schools; they are running cooperatives and projects; they are cooking nutritious food to feed their neighbors and laborers; and they are trying to make better lives for their children and grandchildren.
Today the Rotary Club of Stanford took us to a local school in the 'squatter camp' region of the town called DeKop. The Food for Thought program helps run the pre-school and again we saw strong women in action from Rotarians, to teachers, to Food for Thought workers. Young children are being taught by female teachers who are nurturing and mentoring them in the hopes that a good education will help them out of the cycle of poverty.
I am currently reading a book by Alexander McCall Smith called In the Company of Cheerful Ladies. I was reminded of this title when we ate lunch with the local women in DeKop. Rotary of Stanford had kindly donated food items which were then cooked by the ladies and served to us in one of their shacks. They live in housing without electricity or running water so we were in awe of their skills. They sang and danced for us and their spirits were high despite dire living conditions. Gloria and Florentina translated from Xhosa into English for us as we listened to their needs, concerns and worries. Everyone wants job opportunities, proper housing conditions, and basic rights afforded to other South Africans.
Thank you to all the strong women in South Africa - all races - who are doing what they can to make their country a better place in the future. Liz Gregor
Today the Rotary Club of Stanford took us to a local school in the 'squatter camp' region of the town called DeKop. The Food for Thought program helps run the pre-school and again we saw strong women in action from Rotarians, to teachers, to Food for Thought workers. Young children are being taught by female teachers who are nurturing and mentoring them in the hopes that a good education will help them out of the cycle of poverty.
I am currently reading a book by Alexander McCall Smith called In the Company of Cheerful Ladies. I was reminded of this title when we ate lunch with the local women in DeKop. Rotary of Stanford had kindly donated food items which were then cooked by the ladies and served to us in one of their shacks. They live in housing without electricity or running water so we were in awe of their skills. They sang and danced for us and their spirits were high despite dire living conditions. Gloria and Florentina translated from Xhosa into English for us as we listened to their needs, concerns and worries. Everyone wants job opportunities, proper housing conditions, and basic rights afforded to other South Africans.
Thank you to all the strong women in South Africa - all races - who are doing what they can to make their country a better place in the future. Liz Gregor
Two schools and one soup kitchen
On Monday we spent the morning preparing a delicious healthy soup at the Anchor Church center in Stanford. We joined the hard-working Jeanette and her assistant in preparing this hot lunch for approximately 100 children in the local area. We chopped, diced and scrubbed the veggies and then let them simmer for a couple of hours before handing out hot mugs of soup to hungry children returning from school.
In the afternoon we visited a couple of schools. The first is a pre-school for younger children run by Pastor John Dickson who hosts 48 fee paying children from the impoverished local neighborhood. Again, as we've seen in Knysna, the boys and girls received a meal and a good, basic education. Team Ubuntu used the flashcards and donated books to make the kids laugh and then we sang a selection of songs such as Twinkle, Twinkle and Old MacDonald Had a Farm!
The second school named Ookie Smuts houses about 45 children who come from abusive family situations. Some of the children, aged 6 to 14 years old, are orphaned or abandoned. Many spoke English so we were able to talk with them, play games and share some information on America and the state of TN. The principal and his wife are doing a terrific job running this facility and acting as parents and mentors to their young charges.
We returned to the duminy grateful for the warm meal awaiting us and a warm fire. We are appreciative of electricity and running water. And good sanitation and proper clothing. --Liz Gregor
In the afternoon we visited a couple of schools. The first is a pre-school for younger children run by Pastor John Dickson who hosts 48 fee paying children from the impoverished local neighborhood. Again, as we've seen in Knysna, the boys and girls received a meal and a good, basic education. Team Ubuntu used the flashcards and donated books to make the kids laugh and then we sang a selection of songs such as Twinkle, Twinkle and Old MacDonald Had a Farm!
The second school named Ookie Smuts houses about 45 children who come from abusive family situations. Some of the children, aged 6 to 14 years old, are orphaned or abandoned. Many spoke English so we were able to talk with them, play games and share some information on America and the state of TN. The principal and his wife are doing a terrific job running this facility and acting as parents and mentors to their young charges.
We returned to the duminy grateful for the warm meal awaiting us and a warm fire. We are appreciative of electricity and running water. And good sanitation and proper clothing. --Liz Gregor
Monday, June 11, 2012
When You Stick Your Toe In, You Find Your Whole Foot Is Wet!
"When you stick your toe in, you find your whole foot is wet" - Sandy Shires
Sandy and Mike Shires are no strangers to giving their time, energy and money to projects that support and sustain the community. Over the years they have moved around, but now have found themselves back in their birthplace of South Africa. Mike Shires even served as president of the Rotary Club of Knoxville when he was dean of The University of TN's Vetineary School.
We had the great pleasure of staying as guests in their beautiful and warm home in Knysna. It felt as if we were staying in a luxurious bed and breakfast. Sandy and Mike showered us with comfort, delicious meals, and most of all love.
One evening over dinner as Sandy was explaining the initiatives she'd started in Knysna and the members of the community who had become like family to her, Liz and I sat in awe of this woman-- This dear woman who bears so much of the hardships of others on her back ... This strong woman who never goes a day without planning how to continue to help ... This superwoman who juggled running not only a weekly feeding scheme for 70-150 men, but also chauffering us around and making sure our stay was enjoyable-- We were amazed and Liz finally said, "you know, you do so much" and Sandy simply replied, "well when you stick your toe in, you find your whole foot is gotten wet, don't you?"
And that is how it starts. You begin small, but in a world where the need is so great, the small things you do can turn into big projects! Mike Shires, showing a quiet strength, has been the ying to Sandy's yang and they make quite the team (and wonderful hosts)!
Actually, all of our hosts have been fantastic and we've enjoyed their kind hospitality. And just as Sandy stuck her toe in the philanthropic pool of kindness so does the Rotary Club of Knysna, Stanford and Knoxville and the friends of Rotary such as Katheryn Johnson ... All serving others above themselves.
Sandy and Mike Shires are no strangers to giving their time, energy and money to projects that support and sustain the community. Over the years they have moved around, but now have found themselves back in their birthplace of South Africa. Mike Shires even served as president of the Rotary Club of Knoxville when he was dean of The University of TN's Vetineary School.
We had the great pleasure of staying as guests in their beautiful and warm home in Knysna. It felt as if we were staying in a luxurious bed and breakfast. Sandy and Mike showered us with comfort, delicious meals, and most of all love.
One evening over dinner as Sandy was explaining the initiatives she'd started in Knysna and the members of the community who had become like family to her, Liz and I sat in awe of this woman-- This dear woman who bears so much of the hardships of others on her back ... This strong woman who never goes a day without planning how to continue to help ... This superwoman who juggled running not only a weekly feeding scheme for 70-150 men, but also chauffering us around and making sure our stay was enjoyable-- We were amazed and Liz finally said, "you know, you do so much" and Sandy simply replied, "well when you stick your toe in, you find your whole foot is gotten wet, don't you?"
And that is how it starts. You begin small, but in a world where the need is so great, the small things you do can turn into big projects! Mike Shires, showing a quiet strength, has been the ying to Sandy's yang and they make quite the team (and wonderful hosts)!
Actually, all of our hosts have been fantastic and we've enjoyed their kind hospitality. And just as Sandy stuck her toe in the philanthropic pool of kindness so does the Rotary Club of Knysna, Stanford and Knoxville and the friends of Rotary such as Katheryn Johnson ... All serving others above themselves.
Pig's Snout
Yesterday the Rotary Club of Stanford kindly invited us to join them on a hike to Pig's Snout, which gets it's name from its resemblance to just that. It was a nice hike on a beautiful sunny day, which was especially appreciated after the past couple of rainy days. The hike was the perfect length and ended at a waterfall from the "Pig's nose". We had originally packed a picnic lunch with the intent of eating at the waterfall, but got caught up in the moment and did not remember this plan until after we had completed the hike. Instead, we ate at picnic tables in the middle of town which turned out to be just as good of a plan, if not better, as there was little room by the waterfall (not to mention our sandwiches might have gotten soggy). Overall, it was a great way to meet and get to know the Rotary members here!
-Morgan Larimer
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