A Girl's Home in Boy's Village

This is my new home in the 'Boy's Village' of Kingswood College. It's a gated area right next to the school with three houses, mine being the one back to the left in this pic-->

My house is called 'Rob House' and it has three bedrooms for the boys, a room for the Head Matron (older lady who's in charge) a room for me, a little kitchen and a living room area. This last weekend I had my first time on 'duty' where you get to hang out with the boys, plan activities for them (like going to the pool/computer lab/sports fields ect.), take them to their meals, make sure they shower, are in bed on time and then we wake them up in the morning. Our house has 11, 5th-7th grade boys who are all very ornery. They love to rough house, and they surprisingly learned I could hold my own! "Ms. Duggan's stronger than she looks!" "Ms. Duggan's fast'a than a cheetah!" My weekend with them was so much fun, we played games together on my lab top, I taught them how to play the card game Spoons, we went to the pool and they taught me how to play Cricket. Spoons was funny because I couldn't find any spoons so I used my mascara tubes just to watch them squirm. They were impressed with my Cricket playing- even though I didn't really understand what I was doing, I supposedly made some outs and scored some runs!The overload of testosterone had a funny effect on me- one moment I was beating them all at arm wrestling, and the next moment I had to paint my nails to balance out.

There are several college students that work at Kingswood as 'Stooges' (they have the responsibilities that I mentioned before) and it makes life at Kingswood so enjoyable. They have all become such good friends- so fun, incredibly friendly and willing to invite me along to things. Here's a peak at our Cricket game, it was Stooges against the kids-- didn't catch the exciting plays, but you can hear a little bit of their accents and see a little of what I see...

I thought we spoke the same language...

When you go for a drive in South Africa you make turns at the 'robots' (traffic lights). If you're from the States, it will most likely 'cause you a fright' as you find yourself driving on the left side of the road. (This creates a really funny experience for me because when you look at the drivers seat it looks like no ones driving the car!)'Oh my word!' So 'hectic' (crazy)! It's interesting to me how it parallels with people walking on the left side of the hallway- I've finally learned this the hard way! Kingswood College is filled with 'grade knots' (Kindergarten) to 'Matrics' (Seniors) and I don't teach Fifth Graders, but 'Grade Fives'. They all just got back from their 'holiday' so they're very rested and active. My class is filled with names like Vaughen, Clifford, Bronwyn, & Vuyo who are a 'lovely' group who manage to be 'quite nice' and 'naughty' at the same time. (A relief that kids seem to stay the same no matter where you go!) High expectations are put on these kids to keep their 'files' (notebooks) 'tidy' and all their 'rubbish' in the 'dust bins'. They work diligently to not get 'ticks' (check marks) so their 'marks' (grades) will be high and they always stick to their 'time tables' (calanders). They use 'elastics' (rubber bands) and 2 ring 'punches' on their papers. (I confusedly asked where the 3 ring hole punch was {laughter} and I was told I probably wouldn't find one of those around here.) The kids are very polite, if I needed anything they'd ask, 'mus'nt I go fetch that for you?' As I wrote before, I am always 'keen' for 'half past 10' (never 10:15 or 10:30, but quarter past 10...) for tea and 'samies' (grilled cheese with tomatoes) in the teacher's lounge where you can also find their 'pigeon holes' (mailboxes). I think it's pretty 'kiff' (cool) how the 'chaps'/'oaks' (guys) always offer me their 'sweeties' (candy), but sooner or later I'm going to have to learn to say no. (This is not a language barrier problem unfortunately!) I hope to get the chance to load some more pictures 'just now' (not to be confused with 'right now' but 'eventually'- again, I had to learn this one the hard way).

It's been so good to have all these experiences, but it sure doesn't keep me from missing warm hugs and deep relationships. Miss you all so much :)

I thought I arrived in Africa...

One of the most interesting parts about SA is how it's home to 2 drastically different cultures. A week ago I was in the Transkei walking among black African women wrapped in cloth in their rodillas (clay homes with straw roofs) holding their starving babies, and now I'm surrounded by a community of black and (mostly) white Africans who seemed to have been transported from Britain yesterday. I feel like I've travel to 2 countries in one trip!

I started with my actual Student Teaching at Kingswood College in Grahamstown last Tuesday. It's a boarding school for k-12 grade. I still can't comprehend how these little kids live so far from home while still being so young- I'm 23 and can still get homesick!

On my first day you could have told me I had somehow arrived on another planet and I would have believed you. Wherever you walk there are students greeting you, "'Mam" and my class even stands up to greet me when I walk in the room! "Good day Ms. Duggan". It really caught me off guard when the students pause beside the door frame waiting to let me go through first. The British Education culture has to be made up of geniuses, because the best surprise came around 10:30am when I learned there was a tea and toasted sandwich break everyday for all the teachers! I am definitly willing to bring this tradition back to the states! It was fun to see the students eagerness to ask me questions, one memoriable one being "What celebrities have you met? Have you been to California? Las Vegas?" [Since all they know of the US is from the movies! I can't imagine what preconcieved ideas they had about me!]