Week 8- “I tell stories to wake up stories in others.” (Gcina)

“To tell stories, listen to your heart. Open up your heart and let the stories flow in like a river.” (Quote said by a speaker at the festival) 

 On February 22, the University of Johannesburg Storytelling Festival was put on Gcina Mhlope, a local storyteller, and the UJ Department of Childhood Education-Foundation Phase students as part of a service learning program. Schools from around Soweto were invited to the university to participate in the event.

The program began with Gcina talking about appreciation songs. She told the audience that when someone does something well (like the dishes without breaking one or graduates from school) that the family will sing the names of the ancestors in celebration of who the person is and what they have done well. The theme was “Speak Your Language” so she had students come up to the stage and say, “Love in your language” in the different languages represented in the audience.

Gcina telling her story. 

Artists, dancers, performers, musicians, and other storytellers from the community were invited to take part in the event. One act was a woman who talked about her book series PitterPat the Crazee Caterpillar. She discussed the importance of developing your imagination. Next, students from some of the schools performed for the group. They read from books, acted out scenes, and danced. Also, dancers and storytellers told stories in their home language, although I couldn’t understand the words, I could feel the stories from the performances.

The festival was in the name of Nozincwadi, a woman known as the “Mother of Books.” She bought a boy a book because he couldn’t afford it and in return the boy read to her. She asked, “Where does the river come from?” He told her. She said, “I know these books are so clever like the elders in my village.” She was encouraged to go to school and learn to read. And she did. The lesson Gcina wanted everyone to take is that you are never too old to learn.

Preservice teachers telling stories to the kids

The preservice teachers also performed stories (oral tradition)

Face Painting

Artistic Expression

We had a hosted lunch in the VIP area. I met Yvonne Chaka Chaka, a South African music legend and philanthropist. She was the keynote speaker for the day. She wishes everyone chose to empower and educate themselves. She didn’t choose her family or her experience, but that she is the woman she is because of the strengths of her mother. She worries that we allow mediocrity because we are competing with the best, we are competing with the world. We can do this by nurturing our children. She said, when she was entering the music business she decided, “no one will play a fool out of Chaka Chaka because I will know how to read my contract, no one will take me for granted.” She ended with the question; she hopes that everyone ask themselves daily, “What have you done today to make yourself feel proud?”

Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Gcina, and me

I felt connected to her words…I would never have gotten where I am without my mom.

That night I ended up getting sick…for the next week or so I had to graciously accept help and support from those around me. 

Week 7-Cape Town!



South Africa's Nobel Prize Square

"A person is a person through other people
 (umntu ungumntu ngabantu)" Desmund Tutu.

17- It’s Sunday and I wanted to take in the waterfront as much as possible so I drove towards the ocean. I ended up at the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, the foodies/farmer’s market, to grab some pastries, a flat white (a latte/cappuccino made with perfect foam), and finalize the seminars I would be giving at the school in Khayelitsha township this week. I adapted my doctoral research on helping students plan for their lives after high school and updated some information to reflect the legal and social issues in South Africa. Also, I modified support materials for teachers to use while assessing their students and in those “teachable moments” (around formal/informal language, interest inventory, and family input sheet).

 

Graff Winery, Stellenbosch

Takari

Stellenbosch

 

Around one, I finished working and called Marcia, a fellow couchsurfer, and we drove up to Stellenbosch, the famous wine country of the Cape Town region. We got there a bit late but were still able to enjoy some wine and food at Takari. They have a famous chef there, interesting art, and refreshing wine (for a decent price). They were closing so they told us to head across the street to Graff winery. At Graff, we were able to do an actual tasting of various reds, whites, and rose’. Evidently, the wine tasters had bought all of the Chenin Blanc at both places, but the Sauvignon Blancs were still available so I bought a few bottles to bring back to my host, Zuki.

 

18- Monday morning I went to the Cape Town Two Oceans Aquarium. I figured I wasn’t going to get out to the ocean much this trip and this allowed me to hang out with sea creatures for a while. Here are some pictures I took...I love watching jelly fish, I thought the continent of Africa behind them was perfect. I was not flipping the photographer off, I was pointing to the button to take the picture. I love water! 

That afternoon I was picked up at the University of the Western Cape and given a ride to Khayelitsha. My escort drove me through the Khayelitsha township through the various housing and described the differences:  neighborhoods, government housing, temporary housing, and informal housing. 

 

When I first arrived in the room to give my professional development workshop on Empowering Diverse Learners in Postsecondary Transition, I looked around the room and saw a scene I have experienced many times. It was 2:00 and the teachers had been teaching all day. They were tired and the principal was talking to them about the need for continual professional development. They said nothing.

 

My presentation had a lot of information and when I asked a question there was not a lot of participation from the group. They thanked me for sharing and shook my hand at the end of the day. There were about 15 people who seemed to be very receptive and enthusiastic about what I was teaching and about 4 who seemed less interested…then 20 who I wasn’t sure about. Most had laughed at the jokes I made and stories I told during the seminar, yet, I left unsure if my accent was too thick, wondering if they really appreciated what I was saying, or if they were so quiet because they were being polite.

 

When I returned to the flat I was tired, but knew that I should rally and go to the grocery store to buy food for dinner. I like to cook for my hosts whenever I stay with someone through couchsurfing. I found an open grocery store (which is somewhat difficult downtown after 6pm) and bought salmon, pasta, salad, and some French soft cheese for an appetizer. When I arrived home, we opened the bottle of Reserve Sauvignon Blanc I bought in Stellenbosch and I prepared the meal. Both the wine and the dinner were delicious. While we were eating, I was telling Zuki about my day. The teacher who escorted me to the school mentioned I should listen to the comedian Trevor Noah to get a good sense of South Africa humor. Zuki became my Trevor translator on language, race, and political issues in South Africa.

 

19- Today I gave Part II of my professional development series at the school. On the drive there, I was told the information was well received and the teachers were surprised that the United States education system had similar issues to South Africa. I gave a workshop on good teaching practices. After giving them a brief background on how the brain works and introducing useful strategies, I had the teachers break into groups and discuss strategies they use at their classroom. To help the groups, I provided packets of possible strategies. We met back as a group and presented what they came up with. There was laughing, joking, and smiles around the room. At the end of the session, I thanked the group. They began to sing an appreciation song and presented me with the painted cloth from the art department. We all took a picture together, I received many hugs, and they asked me to return. This day was full of gifts, my heart is full. 

 

 

Feb 20- For my last morning, I drove to Clifton Beach, a cove just beyond Cape Town city center. I sat and listened to the waves and watched the water until I had to get into my car and drive to the airport.

Week 6: Afcon, Research, Cape Town

Feb 10- The 2013 Africa Cup of Nations final soccer game was held here in Johannesburg. I bought two tickets online (for 100Rand= about $11), but also spread the word that if any of my friends who work in the business world were able to get tickets (they sell the good seats to businesses), I would gladly go with them. Niki, who works in insurance, was able to score a ticket for me. I gave my tickets to two people at the guesthouse in exchange for dinner (lasagna from the Italian, Agata, and South African cuisine from the South African chef, Benedict).  We sat about 5 rows up in the center of the field. The game was between Nigeria and Burkina Faso (evidently, West Africa has soccer on lock down this year). One of the Nigerian fans was parading around our level with a painted chicken. I am not going to guess what happened to the chicken, but I will say the chicken disappeared by the start of the game.

Before the game started, they had the closing ceremony. There were singers and dancers who came out onto the field and made the continent of Africa by standing in formation.  The first set was to promote Malaria awareness with Yvonne Chaka Chaka (South Africa). Followed by African performers such as Muthoni (Kenya), Thembisile Ntaka from South Africa, Kelly Khumalo, Zonke Dikana, D’Banj from Nigeria, and the Soweto Field Band.

I realized this was the first professional soccer game I can remember going to (I may have attended a Seattle Sounders game when I was younger). The final score was Nigeria 1 and Burkina Faso 0. 

11- After the game, I had an early morning meeting with the PsyCaD department to find out more about services students are receiving on campus. PsyCaD stands for Center for Psychological Services and Career Development. I found out that once students are struggling in class, their professors can refer them for assessment. This office works with the hospital and community assessors to find out if there is a disability and then finds supports at a sliding scale or reduced cost. The department also works with students on career development. I was able to share my research in postsecondary transition with the office and gave them materials for working on self-determination skills with students prior to graduation from university. They were also able to tell me more about the writing center, health center, and technology centers at each campus. Technology can be an issue for students because when they arrive at the university, many students have never turned on a computer, let alone are familiar with email or typing.

12- I spent the morning doing one of the things I find most tedious…data input. I think I will look into “hiring” a student aid to assist me with this endeavor. That afternoon I taught a class on how to read research journal articles. The fourth year students have had almost no exposure to this skill and so I shared my work on dissecting an article and finding a researchable problem. Then, I put the 55 students in support groups based on their topics of interest:  Solutions to English Language Issues, Behavior Management Supports, Mathematics, English, Empowering Stakeholders, and Solutions to Lack of Resources. The students are expected to research the problem, come up with a solution, and write up the results…kind of like a mini-thesis.

That afternoon I went to Sandton (the upscale mall) to meet with Julieah. We planned a schedule of events for my time here: my birthday dinner, Kruger Park, Cape Town International Jazz Festival, and a tour of Soweto. While I was waiting for her, I ran into Priscilla, a girl from Gabon whom I had met at Tatiana’s wedding in Cameroon. It is a small world.

13- Niki took me to the airport…he offered before he knew I was flying out of Lanseria-the airport that is way out in the boonies. I arrived in Cape Town and was able to get my rental car fairly easily. This was my first time driving a manual car with my left hand (maybe I did this in England in 1999, but I don’t remember).

After fighting with Tom Tom about the location of my hotel, the google maps app found the hotel. I asked for a room with a view of the ocean because I missed water so much living in Joburg, so they upgraded me to a room with a view. That night I met Zuki, a fellow couchsurfer, for a drink. As per my wonderful support system, they insisted I don’t just stay with a stranger in South Africa, so I booked a hotel, met him, then stayed on his couch for the last 5 days of my time in Cape Town. He is in finance (as my brother Jeff would tell you, I have no idea what that means) and lives downtown. He seemed like a stable, kind person over drinks and before I left he gave me the keys to his apartment because he wouldn’t be home on Friday until later. This couchsurfing thing takes some trust, but it has always worked out for me…

14- I met with University of the Western Cape head of educational psychology department, a professor, and a principal at a local special school. I had asked to meet with them prior to presenting a seminar at the school. I went in with the idea of presenting on culturally responsive strategies for working with diverse learners, but I came out with a decision to share my research on culturally responsive postsecondary transition planning using self-determination. The principal is working at a special school for 14-18 year old who struggle with reading and writing (often due to behavior). The meeting gave me the opportunity to learn more about the school and the concerns of the students and staff who are working at raising reading, writing, and vocational skills before the students turn 18. I agreed to prepare a presentation on the student self-determination presentation I developed for my dissertation on Monday and to present more on supporting diverse learners on Tuesday.

 After the meeting (and driving to and from the university), I headed back for a nap. I walked along the beach at sunset and met up with a fellow couchsurfer named Marcia at a place called La Vie in Seapoint. While I was waiting for her to arrive at the restaurant/bar, I met three artists (film, acting, and muralist/designer). Once she arrived, we all fell into easy conversation. Next, we went to Long Street to a place called Zula. The Afrikan Hip Hop Night was happening. The acts included a group of 4-female singers, a few young solo rappers, spoken word artist, and DJ’s (from Portland, Oregon). 

15- On Friday, I woke up at 6am and began working on the seminar for the school. I wanted to make sure the principal approved the information and that it compliments what is being done in South Africa, specifically with his school. Four hours later, I rushed down for breakfast and requested a late checkout. By noon, I was able to email off the powerpoint and materials and I was on my way to the Cape Point area.

My first stop was a place called Boulder to see the penguins. Next, I drove down to Cape Point to the lighthouse. As I was driving around the reserve, I came across the most beautiful blue ocean water. Once I got to the trailhead for the lighthouse, I climbed up the trail to the top for the view. I decided to take the cable car back down so as to save my energy for the rest of the day. Then, I drove to the Cape of Good Hope to take some pictures and be near the waves. As I was heading back to the main road, I saw a trail head leading to a white sandy beach, so I parked and walked down. While I was down by the water, a bunch of baboons came around the beach area. People warned me they can be very aggressive and that is best not to have any food in the car (they can open car doors) and signs posted around the park warned about the dangers of baboons. I decided to see if I could wait them out…more came, so I walked very lovingly back to the car, giving the baboons the right away whenever we came close to each other on the path. I got to the car safely. While driving home, I came across a turtle crossing the road and a group of ostriches.





I was not looking at getting this close to a baboon...but he came out of nowhere.

I take this moment with me in my heart...I love the ocean!

Nope, I do not know them, but they
wanted to get in my picture, so...

By the time I got to Zuki’s, I was exhausted. I showered and fell asleep on the couch. A few hours later he came home, his friend, Khotso came home, and we went to dinner at a restaurant/club called Asoka. More people joined our table (evidently, Zuki is a bit of a celebrity- no lines, no wait for a table, and lots of friends). We ended the night on Long Street, which is a well-known street in Cape Town, kind of similar to Bourbon Street in New Orleans.

16- Zuki and his crew go to the Old Biscuit Mill, a Foodie and Farmer’s Market, every Saturday. Two of his previous couchsurfers (two American girls and their friend Rafe from New York) and Zuki’s friend/business partner, Simu, came along too.



Zuki, Ashley, Rafe, Zuki's girl, Me, and Simu