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.