A Teacher in Training

Teaching has always been a possible career path for me. I am still not sure whether I can see myself being a teacher in 5 years (when I eventually graduate), but this trip (rather surprisingly) hasn’t discouraged me! Looking through some of the comments I have made in my students’ books, I realise that maybe I am a teacher at heart.

“You seem to be making the same mistakes as your friend. Remember it is better to work independently.”

“I am particularly suspicious of this answer seeing as you didn’t write the question down correctly!”

“Just remember to ask if you don’t know what you are doing”

“Excellent work well done”

“Remember to show your working”

“Where did this answer come from?”

“Very neat working, but try to answer more questions in future”

“We have been doing this work for 2 lessons AND a homework. You simply haven’t done enough of it!”

“We are meant to be dividing!”

“Yes those are the questions I wanted you to do. But where are your answers?”

“Show your working!”

“Very close to the correct answer! But how did you work this out!”

“I said don’t use a calculator!”

“SHOW YOUR WORKING!”

“Keep up the good work!”

“I will go through all this with you in person. Don’t worry about it!”

“NO CALCULATORS”

“You need to work a lot faster in class.”

“I don’t want to see you talking in class again!”

“Where is your work?!”

“See me”

“You can’t just write down the answers from the back of the book! Particularly as that answer in the book is wrong!”

But a particularly common trait of teachers, which I have keenly adopted, is the use of stickers. My students go mad for them -  even the grade 12s!

From Marking to Markets

We were all looking forward to our first free day of the trip last Sunday – the plan was to laze in bed (nursing our sore heads from the night out in Alex) until the last breakfast calls (and some of us were prepared to miss breakfast altogether). The intention was then to fully emerge eventually from our rooms for lunch, when we would just chill, possibly do a bit of marking and planning (if we felt like it) and watch TV.

In the end, we woke up bright and early for breakfast (well most of us did anyway!), went to the mall to do photocopying and returned at lunch, when we decided that a market was an appropriate way to spend our afternoon. So, rather spontaneously, we took taxis to Rosebank Market, a rooftop market about a 20 minute drive away. I must admit that I was in my element amongst the stalls, stands and displays, and walked away with heavy bags and a lighter purse (they were all presents of course). I practised my haggling. I feel my greatest achievement was purchasing two genuine paintings (not prints!) for R120, which is about £7. But what I probably enjoyed most was our lunch out on the terrace, where we enjoyed live music, cocktails and a spectacular rooftop view of Jo’burg.

I wish we had more time and could go back there, but if I ever get the chance to visit Jo’burg again, I will definitely take a trip back to Rosebank.

Gold Reef City

Last Saturday I took a trip to my first theme park in 2 years. I must admit that I am not the biggest thrill seeker, and I found myself wimping out of the two biggest rides (I have never been upside down on a rollercoaster, and wasn't planning on changing that anytime soon!) However, those that went on the Golden Loop and the Anaconda did seem to enjoy it, and it was quite entertaining getting a glimpse of their expressions whilst on the ride – Luke’s face was priceless.

The Anaconda - doesn't it make you feel sick just looking at it?

I've never been to Thorpe Park, Alton Towers or any of the other big English theme parks – I have only visited Legoland and Paultons Park – so I don’t have much to compare it to, but I had a lot of fun. The rides were awesome, although some might argue that the rides I went on were quite tame. I can see why Gold Reef City is listed as one of Jo’burg’s ‘must visit’ tourist attractions.

Mandela - A man with many names

There are thousands of articles, documentaries, films, books and blog posts about this inspirational man. I am not about to write another one. I simply wouldn't do him justice. If you do want to read more about his life and the sufferings he endured, I strongly recommend that, above all other sources, you read his autobiography, ‘Long Walk to Freedom’. Also, if ever you get the chance, make sure you go and visit his house on Vilakazi Street, along with the exhibition dedicated to him at the Apartheid museum.

There are many names used by his admirers to describe Mandela. They each have an interesting story behind them or a significant meaning, which is particularly relevant to this great man’s life. In this post I will simply list some of his more popular names.

Rolihlahla – this unusual Xhosa name was given to Mandela at birth. Its literal translation is “pulling the branch of a tree” but its more colloquial meaning is “troublemaker”

Nelson – Mandela didn’t adopt his most popularly used name until the age of 9. It was customary for African children to be given Christian names on their first day at school. This custom was brought about by British colonials, who were often unable to pronounce their traditional African names. In the case of Mandela, his name was given to him by his teacher, Miss Mdingane. However, the inspiration for such a name is unknown.

Dalibhunga – Mandela was given this name in his initiation at 16 years of age. It is a Xhosa tradition that every boy should be circumcised as a rite of passage into manhood. In the Xhosa community it is considered that an uncircumcised man is not entitled to his father’s wealth, cannot lead tribal rituals and can’t even marry. In fact an uncircumcised male is not considered a man at all, but is still a boy.

Madiba – next to his English name, this is how Mandela is most widely known. Madiba is the name of the clan to which Mandela belonged. The clan name is in many ways more important than one’s surname, as it holds the stories of one’s ancestors, and is often used as a sign of respect. Madiba is most popularly used in South Africa for this very reason.

Tata – Again this is another Xhosa word, meaning ‘father’, and is again used by admirers (particularly in South Africa) as a sign of respect.

Khulu – This is my particular favourite. Khulu means ‘great’ in Xhosa. It is always a shortened version of the Xhosa word for grandfather, “Tat'omkhulu”. This name came into use later on in Mandela’s life, particularly after he was released.

Of course Mandela has many more names in many more languages, but I simply don’t have the time to list them all. He was a truly inspirational man, paving the way to a better future. Hopefully there will be others that will follow in his footsteps. But one thing is for certain, his names (all of them) will be spoken of for hundreds of years to come.

Students will be students!

I am ashamed to admit that our nights out are few and far between here in Jo’burg. Our school days are exhausting and the weekends are filled with Safaris, Theme parks, markets and museums. Despite this we do somehow find the time to get a few cocktails down us at various bars and clubs in the area.

And why wouldn't we? The alcohol is ridiculously cheap. Cocktails average at around R40 (which translates into sterling at about £2.20). Savana dry can be bought at R18 which is £1, and I managed to buy a bottle of Merlot for R36 (just £2!). So clearly we want to make the most of it – we are students after all!

After our first day of teaching we found ourselves in a pub just by the mall. We were all tired, having never been given the chance to recover from the flight before our 5.30 start the next day. We were all a bit subdued that day, buzzing for the 6 weeks ahead, but also a bit shocked, having discovered what our schools had in store for us.

Margaret, Luke, Ali, Tim and me with our post-work drinks 

When Friday came (our first day eating away from the guesthouse) we discovered Catz Pyjamas, a restaurant and bar only a five minute walk away from the guesthouse. They serve some the best burgers I have ever seen, and their cocktails are amazing – particularly the Mermaid’s Orgasm and A Muthaphukkin Gud Drink. We have made the trip down there several times now, and I am sure we will pay them several more visits before we leave (in fact we are going there again tonight!).

Danielle, Hope, me and Margaret, enjoying our Strawberry Daquiris at Catz

For Joe’s birthday we decided to venture a little further afield, to 7th street, where we found ourselves in a place called Ratz. Really all I can say about this bar is that they had imaginative names for all their cocktails, and it was good fun ordering the “Comfortable Screw”.

I can’t go much further without writing about Saturday night. It was probably one of the best nights of my life. We went out clubbing in Alex with Lewis. I can’t even describe where this place was. It was bizarre. He drove us for a good 20 minutes from the guesthouse along a motorway, which passed through an industrial estate, and then he abruptly pulled up just off the road. Then we noticed that hidden between warehouses stood a bar/club. We clearly stood out as being the minority, but apart from a few funny looks, we felt very much welcome and soon settled into drinks and dancing. It was an experience, and just like any night out in England, it was filled with drunkenness, embarrassing photos and a peculiar (yet hilarious) drive home.

Me and Margaret in the club in Alex

Tonight we are off for a night out in Soweto after Catz. I feel it will be one level up from our Alex experience, but we shall have to wait and see!

FAQs

So as soon as any of my students realise that I am from England, I am bombarded with questions about my life back home, and how I am finding South Africa. Some questions are more common than others. I have noted the most frequently asked and most interesting questions. I thought you might find some of them entertaining, although others are a little bizarre and in some cases worrying!

“Have you met the Queen?”

“Are there black people in England?”

 “Are there townships in England?”

“Do you have Facebook?”

“Do you have black friends in England?”

“Can I have your number?”

“Have you met Beyonce?”

“Do you celebrate Thanksgiving?”

“Have you heard of Nelson Mandela?”

“Have you been inside a shack?”

“Do they have STIs in England?” which, after my response, was shortly followed by “Is it only the black people that have AIDS? Is AIDS racist?” I think (or rather hope) this student was joking!

“Have you tried Pap?” – Pap is a staple food here in South Africa. It is made from maize and is most comparable with porridge.

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

“What sort of music do you listen to?”

“Don’t you want a nice South African boy? They’re strong, big men with big feet.” I really struggled to keep a straight face after this one. My grade 12s sure know how to wind me up!

“Have you heard of 50 Cent?”

“Can I come and visit?”

“How old are you?” This is one question I refuse to answer, and continue to leave them guessing. Some of their answers are particularly interesting; they range from 14 to 29 years of age!

“Can I go back with you to England in your suitcase?”

“Can I touch your hair?”

“What date is it in England?” – which starts a very long explanation of time differences, seasons and the fact that the months are the same everywhere in the world.

“When is Christmas in England?”

“Can I have a look at some English money?”

“How much do things cost in England?”

“Do you have milk in England?” I think this questioned stemmed from that fact that this student didn't appreciate that we have cows in England.

“Can I take a selfie with you?”

“What does Rachel mean?” How can I face telling my students, whose names all translate to words such as “Hope”, “Gift”, “Precious”, “Love” and “Brightness”,  that my  name is simply the word for a ewe in Hebrew?

“Do you have children?”

“Can I have your hair?”

Sun City!

As if a cultural village and two Safari trips wasn't enough for the weekend, after returning to the guest house at 10am from our early morning safari trip, we had breakfast (that was a particularly peculiar experience, considering we had been up for 5 hours!) and then set off for Sun City!

Some of you may have heard of Sun City. It can only be described as one of the biggest resorts imaginable. There are several hotels in this complex along with a theme park, water park, casinos (yes there are two) and much more!

On our arrival at Sun City

So, sporting our bikinis and trunks, we headed for the waterpark, Valley of Waves. We were about 60 miles further north in Pilanesberg, so it was considerably warmer than in Jo'burg. The weather was probably comparable with summer in the south of France, even though it’s winter here. Despite this the water temperature was only 18°C, which was a bit of a shock to the system. But that didn't stop us having fun! We went on flumes (Reema, Hope, Luke and Tim even braved the Temple of Courage, which was a near vertical slide), sunbathed (with cocktails – of course!), and even chilled in the main pool, where we spent most of our time being carried along by the waves. It was probably one of the best waterparks I have been to, and was certainly an amazing break from teaching!

My only concern about such big resort was that we met a lot of people there who fly into South Africa to holiday there, never leaving the complex. How can you visit a country and not see the country? You can lie on a beach far closer to home, and for a far more affordable price. By all means stay in these places, I have nothing against them. Everyone needs a relaxing break from the rat race. But all I ask is that you arrange some time to see these places. Only a small proportion of the world's population will ever have the opportunity to even leave their home country - many of my students have never even left Jo'burg - so please please please make the most of every opportunity. It pains me to hear of people travelling the world without exploring it.

4 out of 5

So I am nearing the end of my third week out here in South Africa, and I am finding it very difficult to accept that tomorrow I will be over halfway through my stay at Phefeni School. I have had the busiest week ever, which is why I have left it so late to write about last weekend. I have barely had any time to myself (I will explain why in a later post), and I really wanted to make sure I did the weekend justice.

Last weekend was one of the best weekends of my life – and this is no exaggeration! After 5.30 starts every weekday, we had a lovely lie in until 7, at which time we got up, had breakfast and packed for our weekend away with Lewis (our weekend driver). We were ready and waiting to meet Lewis at 10, buzzing for the road trip ahead, and following South African time we set off for Pilanesberg just before midday.

About an hour and a half into our journey we reached Lesedi Cultural Village, which we visited as it was en route. We were taken on a tour around various huts and were treated to a very impressive show where we were shown various different tribal dances along with different tribal costumes. One particular tribal outfit took me by surprise. There were men wearing kilts (just as you would see in Scotland). I found the story behind this particularly entertaining. Several hundred years ago, this particular tribe were attacked by the Scots. Unfortunately the tribe didn't prepare themselves for battle because from the distance the Scottish army, with their long hair and skirts, looked like women, and the tribe didn't agree with attacking women. By the time the tribe realised they were in fact men, it was too late and they were defeated, thus adopting the kilt as a sign of respect to the Scots and to remember their clever disguise.

Following this, we then continued our journey to Pilanesberg Safari Park. The plan was to drive through in the minibus with Lewis that evening and then also go again with the ranger the next day. We only found out on arrival in Pilanesberg that we would in fact have to be back at the Safari Park at 6.30am on the Sunday to increase our chances of seeing the animals. So we had another early start to look forward too! However, as soon as we started driving through, we realised the early morning would definitely be worth it. We saw giraffes, zebras, elephants, impala to name but a few, but little did we know just how amazing the next morning would be.

This brings me to the title. Many of you will have heard of South Africa’s “Big Five”, but let me just refresh your memory. The big five animals to see in South Africa are not only named so because they are big, but because they are hard to find and therefore spotting one of them is particularly exhilarating. They consist of the lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo. And we saw four of them!

I have thousands of photos I wish to share with you – no doubt on my return they will all end up on facebook! But unfortunately I have to limit the number of photos I upload, otherwise I won’t have enough data to last me the six weeks.

So here are just a few of my favourites!

The stag impala standing proud

This baby leopard didn't seem too impressed to see us!

A line of zebra seemed to be heading somewhere...

A Chacma Baboon just chilling with the birds

The elephants even walked past the back of our ranger car!

I just couldn't resist an elephant selfie! Excuse my appearance, it was early in the morning!

Even the lions came to say hello.

The rhinos weren't quite so friendly, but we did manage to catch a few photos

This giraffe is just destined to be a model

And finally, an added bonus when getting up so early! 

COSAS

I had a rather unusual day on Wednesday. I was teaching my fourth lesson of the day (the last lesson before lunch). The class was settled and were quietly getting on with their classwork and religiously making notes whenever I drew their attention to the blackboard. About halfway through the lesson, a student from another class burst in, saying something in one of the home languages – probably Zulu. Suddenly all my students stood up, grabbed their bags and stormed out of my class. Bewildered, I followed shortly, having packed together all the teaching resources, and soon found the entire student body congregated in the quad where they usually have assemblies. The teachers were scattered around the edge of the crowd, seemingly concerned. Then I spotted someone too young to be a teacher, yet was clearly not a student. He was addressing the kids, and everything he proclaimed (again in Zulu) was followed by a cheer from the masses. After a couple of minutes, he led all the students out of school.

An emergency staff meeting followed where everything was explained. COSAS (Congress of South African Students) had visited to persuade the children to join them on a march to campaign for free University Education, cheaper transport fares and to raise the drinking age to 21 amongst other things. They were apparently visiting all the schools in the vicinity to build up numbers for their march.

This got me thinking. Where is the union for school students in England? Is it needed? There are plenty of Teachers’ Unions, why can’t the students have the same kind of protection? Would they abuse it? Or would it be a good way for keen students to get a clear message across about how their local schools could be more successfully managed? I am still undecided.

So all the learners had left by 11.30 in the morning and Hope and I had established that the other schools, in which our Warwick in Africa friends were working, were still running as normal. We decided it wasn’t worth just hanging around at school for over 3 hours until Vincent (our driver) came to collect us in the minibus with everybody else, so we became tourists for the afternoon.

I don’t think I can stress enough how much history there is on the road in which Phefeni lies. Vilakazi Street is one of the most famous streets in Soweto. Desmond Tutu, Hector Pieterson and Nelson Mandela all have very close connections with it.

Me outside Nelson Mandela's house!

So we spent our Wednesday afternoon looking round Mandela’s house (which is literally opposite our school) followed by a few drinks in the tourist-filled tavern at the bottom of the street. We did feel a bit guilty when returning to the minibus, but what else could we do? We had nobody to teach!

Me and Hope at the tavern with a few drinks!

SKY

So today was my third visit to SKY, and I feel I can’t write any longer without mentioning it. SKY (which stands for Soweto Kliptown Youth) is a community centre providing food, shelter and hope for children in Kliptown and the surrounding area. Kliptown is one of the most deprived townships in Johannesburg. Its population is thought to stand at around 45,000 with an unemployment rate of 70%, although all of this is hard to monitor as the authorities have completely washed their hands of the district.

On arrival at SKY, we were greeted by all the children and volunteers and were soon taken on a tour of Kliptown and shown the destitution that the residents live in. As previously mentioned, Kliptown is home to some 45,000 people, yet we were told that there were only twenty taps – all installed in the 80s by Dutch tourists (because the South African government does not feel it is their responsibility to provide this basic human right to their civilians). Every 5 to 10 minutes, we came across a block of two or three portaloos, which were placed there to provide for over 20 households. There were padlocks on each of them, as each family takes it in turn to be responsible for the key and for cleaning them. There were no bricks in sight, all the homes were made entirely of corrugated iron and were not so much protected but held together by mesh fencing, which on closer inspection appeared to be bed springs.

It was a very difficult sight to take in. Yet everyone was so friendly, so welcoming, even though (dressed in our work clothes) we were clearly from a far more prosperous background than themselves. It’s one thing to see a clip of a celebrity in an impoverished part of the world trying to raise awareness and money for a campaign, but words can’t describe how much more of an impact it has on you when you are actually there yourself. I found it particularly distressing when I saw what lies on the other side of the train track which hugs the edge of Kliptown. Soweto Hotel stands tall and proud, casting a shadow over the district. You walk up the steps to the bridge which crosses the track, and look one way to see what seems like miles and miles of tin shacks packed in tightly together so that there appears to be no space to walk between them, and then you turn round and face a hotel and shops and what would seem like an ordinary western square. It made me feel sick.

We returned to SKY to the most amazing show. All the volunteers had gathered together to give us the most musical and energetic live performance I have ever seen, filled with singing, dancing, drumming, rapping and poetry. I left SKY that day feeling very emotional, which is probably why it has taken me until now to start writing about it.

In our last two visits we have been sorting out books into boxes (because they do not have room on shelves to house all the donated books), entertaining the children, reading to them and being their models as they play hairdressers (that was a particularly painful experience - I don’t think my scalp has quite recovered!) and tutoring the older children who want to concentrate on their studies, so that they can get a good job and break out of the poverty they live in. 

I love the days I visit SKY, but I must admit that after a full day teaching in school followed by 2 hours with the little children jumping off the walls with excitement at the new visitors, I am absolutely exhausted. But the 10 of us from Warwick in Africa staying in Soweto have sworn to try and visit as much as possible (we are aiming to go twice a week to help out) because, let’s face it, who else do these kids have?

From Teacher to Tourist

My weekdays are filled with 5.30am starts, lesson plans, marking, tests and teaching but that doesn't stop me from being a proper tourist at the weekends. 

So last Saturday we took a trip Constitution Hill, a place which remembers the past but embraces the present and how far the South African justice system has come.

Here lies an old prison where we saw the horrific conditions that ‘black’, ‘coloured’ (which is rather bizarrely the more politically correct and less offensive way of saying ‘mixed race’) and other ‘non-white’ prisoners were living and how poorly they were treated in comparison with the white prisoners. What I found most shocking was that this level of discrimination was still apparent in this prison well into the 80s, after all three of my older sisters were born. Wherever you travel in the world, you will always come across racism from those ignorant few, but such blatant discrimination encouraged by higher authorities, was difficult to accept.

But as we leave the prison museum feeling deflated we step out to a brighter building, standing on some of the remains of the old prison – Constitutional Court. This is where every South African (of any skin colour, any religion and any political view) is welcome if they feel they have been unfairly sentenced. The rights of every civilian are protected within these walls.

Following this we were very lucky to get tickets to see the derby at FNB Stadium: Kaizer Chiefs vs Orlando Pirates. You might notice the familiarity of the first team’s name, and that is no coincidence! That British band which we all know and love are avid Leeds United supporters and were particularly proud of ex-captain Lucas Radebe, who played for Kaizer Chiefs – and so adopted the name (with a minor spelling alteration to avoid copyright issues!) to remember their hero. Because of this (and the fact that the majority of my students were Chiefs fans and told me they would lose all respect for me if I supported Pirates) I cheered, shouted and bellowed down my vuvuzela (I couldn't resist buying one!) in support of Chiefs.

Reema and I (vuvuzela in hand) were excited to see the game

Unfortunately, it wasn't a particularly exciting game. It ended nil nil and moved swiftly on to penalties (they only seemed to have about 5 minutes of extra time) where Pirates won. Despite this, the atmosphere was amazing. The FNB was one of the Stadiums used in the 2010 World Cup, holding 92,000 (bigger than Wembley!). Imagine a stadium that size filled with enthusiastic, singing, clapping (and even dancing!) supporters!

Unlike in the matches in England, all the fans were mixed together. Although the two teams were ultimate local rivals (very much like City and United) the entire crowd was one. Pirates and Chiefs were sitting side by side, teasing each other when goals were saved, penalties were missed or players were booked. That just wouldn't happen at the Manchester Derby!

But one thing that couldn't escape our notice (nor was it unknown to those fans around us), we were quite clearly an ethnic minority. I must admit it was one of the most surreal moments of my life when local fans were coming up to us, clambering over seats, to have photos taken with us. Some even asked the photographer to come over and had professional prints made.

We spent Sunday at the Apartheid Museum. I wish we could've have spent more time there, but the minibus was soon waiting to pick us up. If ever you get the opportunity to come to Joburg, the Apartheid Museum should definitely be one of the first places you should visit. I won’t tell you too much about the exhibitions because, as I say, you really have to go and visit it for yourselves. But you know you are going to get a taste of what life was like during the Apartheid when you see your ticket and read:

“Your ticket to the museum has randomly classified you as either ‘white’ or ‘non-white’.

Use the entrance to the museum indicated on this ticket”

Schooling in Soweto

So it has been a roller-coaster of a week! But I have loved it! Despite a few hiccups on the first day (the staff we encountered on our arrival didn't seem to know anything about the Warwick in Africa scheme and weren't aware that we would be teaching there for 6 weeks), I feel I am now well settled into the school. The teachers are friendly and in many cases eager to learn and observe our teaching methods. The students are enthusiastic (although sometimes a little too enthusiastic!), very polite and (in general) well behaved.

I can’t help but make a comparison between the students out here in Soweto and the pupils in England. Until coming out here, I didn't realise how fortunate British kids are in schools in England – even in the disadvantaged and struggling schools.

Schools and colleges in England get so much support and funding from the government and guidance from the department of education. You can walk into any classroom in any school and you’ll find it fully heated and equipped with a large whiteboard or a computer linked to an interactive whiteboard (or possibly even both!). In Soweto, the classrooms have no heating and are absolutely freezing, often even being without doors, and glass in their windows. Coming from England you’d have thought I would be used to the cold, but at no point in the year would any school building in Britain be as cold as these classrooms. And there wouldn't be any whiteboard on the wall, just an old blackboard covered in holes and in desperate need of painting.

Every school in England is facilitated with at least one computer suite with enough computers (equipped with all the essential programmes as well as some more specialist software) for an entire class, whereas in Soweto, the only computers you would see would be the few in the staffroom for organising teaching resources. Every English school’s store cupboard is full to brim with teaching resources, mini whiteboards, whiteboard pens, coloured paper and card, stationery, dictionaries and other reference books, reading material and textbooks. In the schools out here there is no store cupboard. The only textbooks you see are those the teachers carry around and the 4 or 5 textbooks that your class of 35 manage to muster together in your lesson.

Our students have so many resources, so many facilities and so many enthusiastic teachers, yet they don’t want to learn. The South African kids are so eager to learn yet all they have to guide them through the syllabus is their teacher - and even teachers here are in short supply. And the reason for their enthusiasm: they realise the importance of respect, the importance of education, the importance of qualifications. They realise that if they work hard they can get a good respectable job, in the hope that one day they can afford to leave the township and make a better future for themselves and their children.

Why can’t British children realise this?

So in summary, I am really enjoying teaching these students, and I feel they seem to be enjoying and benefiting from my lessons. I am covering a range of topics including perimeter and area and probability. But although I want to get through the syllabus, I have already decided that my main mission is to get all these students multiplying, dividing, adding, subtracting and manipulating numbers confidently without calculators – I have started banning them in my classes! And I feel I am already getting through to them.

I'm here!

So, over the last few days, I have been a bit of a hermit, trying to pack everything, whilst also planning and creating teaching resources to take out there (I know everything I've planned will go completely out of the window when I get to the Phefeni Senior Secondary School - but hey!)

I also couldn't resist the urge to buy personalised stickers - no matter how old you are, you will always love stickers.

But now, after months of fundraising preparation and an 11 hour flight (only Leonardo DiCaprio in Wolf of Wall Street could keep me sane) I am finally here! We touched down at 9 this morning, and after a brief meeting at the University here, we unpacked our stuff at JeanJean guest house and spent the rest of the day settling in and acclimatising (it is absolutely freezing!).

There will be more photos to come, I promise, but I am tired and I have a 5.30am start. I have my first day at school tomorrow (I never thought I'd be saying that again!), and I am absolutely terrified. Wish me luck!

Warwick in Africa

Before I delve too far into my story, I thought I had better fill you all in on the brilliant scheme that is 'Warwick in Africa' with whom I am travelling to SA.

Warwick in Africa is a programme based at the University of Warwick, which has been sending students out to teach Maths and English in South Africa, Ghana and Tanzania for 8 years now. There have already been so many brilliant success stories thanks to all their volunteers and the donations that have been sent their way over the years, and I am sure there will be many more stories to come.

For more information about Warwick in Africa, please visit
http://www2.warwick.ac.uk/giving/priority/responsibility/wina/aboutus/

But please remember, our volunteers and student teachers would not be able to continue their tremendous work without your donations, so please donate whatever you can to my Warwick in Africa fundraising page http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/RachelPegrum

16 days to go!

So in just over two weeks I will be starting my journey to Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa. It will be an incredible life experience, and I can't wait! But there is of course a little bit of me that is absolutely terrified.

As many of you already know, Soweto will be my new home for 6 weeks this summer, as I travel out there to teach maths to underprivileged kids in some of the most struggling schools in Soweto. My mission - to touch the lives of as many children as possible, as they will most certainly touch mine. I want to provide a better future for these children, whose families are living on the breadline. Unfortunately, as in many parts of the world, in Soweto, children only have two paths out of the poverty by which they are surrounded - crime and education. I want to make sure they choose the right path. Follow me here as I help bring them a better education and a brighter future.