Pictures are coming, I promise. But I have to bring my laptop into the internet cafe to post them and given the safety issues, I want to do this in the afternoon rather than the evening.
Today was my first official day. It started early with breakfast of toast and cereal and then orientation. We went over all the details and got a better idea what to expect. Then we went on a walking tour of the township we're working in. This was an experience.
If you've seen the movie "District 9" then you'll have an idea what it was like, because it looked much like that. Shacks that were maybe 4 x 4 feet in size housing families of 6 or more. They're constructed of anything found at hand. I was able to take pictures because we were a large group walking through, but normally this would be discouraged. You don't want to be flashing wealth in a place so poor, it's asking for trouble. However, I'm thrilled I got pictures to share, not only here on my blog, but with my school in September. No matter how I describe it, pictures will always be better.
I saw dogs fighting on the streets, children playing with little more than dirt, and the poverty was heart breaking. In amongst this, there were also glimmers of hope. There are pockets of initiatives and projects to bring the people education, literacy, and shelter to orphan children. There was also music floating in the air and smiles timidly offered if you smiled first. We also visited my school, which is nothing like school at home.
After this we took a break for lunch and then went into Cape Town. I'm in Muizenberg, which is a beach-side suburb of Cape Town. It is situated where the shore of the Cape Peninsula curves round to the east on the False Bay and about 45 minutes by train from Cape Town proper. Round trip on the train costs $10 Rand, or a little over $1 CDN. We didn't have long in Cape Town, just enough time to get a feel for it and gain a few navigation skills. I need to get going, as it's almost dinner time here, but I can't wait to tell you about yesterday. It involves shoes, penguins, and a ride in the paddy wagon of a police van! There a some pretty awesome pictures to go along with the tale!
Today was my first official day. It started early with breakfast of toast and cereal and then orientation. We went over all the details and got a better idea what to expect. Then we went on a walking tour of the township we're working in. This was an experience.
If you've seen the movie "District 9" then you'll have an idea what it was like, because it looked much like that. Shacks that were maybe 4 x 4 feet in size housing families of 6 or more. They're constructed of anything found at hand. I was able to take pictures because we were a large group walking through, but normally this would be discouraged. You don't want to be flashing wealth in a place so poor, it's asking for trouble. However, I'm thrilled I got pictures to share, not only here on my blog, but with my school in September. No matter how I describe it, pictures will always be better.
I saw dogs fighting on the streets, children playing with little more than dirt, and the poverty was heart breaking. In amongst this, there were also glimmers of hope. There are pockets of initiatives and projects to bring the people education, literacy, and shelter to orphan children. There was also music floating in the air and smiles timidly offered if you smiled first. We also visited my school, which is nothing like school at home.
After this we took a break for lunch and then went into Cape Town. I'm in Muizenberg, which is a beach-side suburb of Cape Town. It is situated where the shore of the Cape Peninsula curves round to the east on the False Bay and about 45 minutes by train from Cape Town proper. Round trip on the train costs $10 Rand, or a little over $1 CDN. We didn't have long in Cape Town, just enough time to get a feel for it and gain a few navigation skills. I need to get going, as it's almost dinner time here, but I can't wait to tell you about yesterday. It involves shoes, penguins, and a ride in the paddy wagon of a police van! There a some pretty awesome pictures to go along with the tale!