Lianna finally settled in

Taylor, Tom, Kate, Lianna

It has been 3 weeks since we’ve been here, and this place is starting to feel more and more like home.  Little things like remembering which way to look when crossing th street, which way to turn the shower knobs in the shower (scalding hot or freezing cold still gets me sometimes) or remembering to bring our own bags to the grocery store, make me really happy.  I think we are finally settled in. 

This past week we started our internships, well, most of us, and everyone seems very happy about there.  My internship is in Observatory, a really cool little town with cute stores, think North Hampton, only in Africa, and because I bring my lunch, walking about it on my lunch break is really nice.  Also the biggest plus is my work is right next to coca cha chi, a small chain place that I’m pretty sure sells the only ice coffee on this continent.  When I brought one into my office one of my co-workers was so confused that my coffee had ice in it, he actually didn’t know what it was.

At my internship, there wasn’t a lot for me to for me and Brenna to do, so for about 5 to six hours each day we browsed the internet for environmental articles and issues in South Africa.  We’re told its up to us to design the curriculum for the afterschool environmental program, and after talking to Shelia, the woman in charge of our program, we realized that it was going to be less of environmental information, and more biology and nature walks.  We had just assumed that these kids would have a general appreciation of nature, but Shelia informed us that they never really had that opportunity.  We got to go into the schools on Monday and Wednesday afternoon, and that was really cool, We got to listen to some of the kids practicing the marimbas after school, as I myself am not a very accomplished musician, I couldn’t help but clap, for which I got strange looks, because they were just practicing.  Next week we start at one of the schools, I’d like to name it but it will probably take me to March to learn how to spell or pronounce it, but it’s in the township Philippi.  Hopefully my internship picks up a little more this week, I’m not sure how much more I can handle of being sent to the computers for 5 hours with the only directions being “Perhaps you have some email to check”.

After having my voice for about a week, I managed to loose it again, singing loudly on a cab ride, trying to keep ourselves awake and motivated.  They say you live and learn, but when it comes to saving my voice I never learn.   It’s especially hard to keep it here, when I’m always excited, always talking, and laughing with the ridiculous group of people I live with.