Mary Jennings

Week Four

Mon, 13 Jul 09 13:32:31 +0200

Hello All,
Thank you for all the feedback etc
So a week today I will be home, I cant belive how fast my time has gone.
Last week we continued our acitivties, we visted Ushaka Marine (a water park) decorated mirrors and lots of other things.
As this is our last week we've got lots to squeeze in like a party and visiting the farm as well as lots of play time!
I will be so sad to leave SA, the children and the people I have met.
Hope everyone is well.

xxx

Week Two

Sun, 05 Jul 09 10:58:46 +0200

Sooo.... another week is over :(
but its been nice and busy!
As the children are on summer holidays now it has meant we can do more activities during the day so we have been making posters, taking photos and making frames and then lastly visiting the cinema and wimpy to see ice age 3!
When were not doing organised activities we play and chat. Its so ncie to get to know them better and Im definitly getting the names learnt, and likes and dislikes.
Had a quiet weekend, lot of reading and relaxing, in waterfall town at the moment to do the weekly shop and catch up online.
Yesterday 3 of us went for a horse ride which was amazing, if not a little frustrating as i had the laziest horse! But beautiful views and great time :)
We've got lots planned for the next two weeks so i'll keep you updated.
Ohh almost forgot. on wednesay we had a volunteer day where we met the others out here at the moment and visited all the other projetcs, it was very inspirational, but something I cannot put into words on blog.

Hope your all well

Mary xxx

Week One

Sun, 28 Jun 09 10:06:09 +0200

Hello everyone!

So today marks a week since I set off from London and so much has happened already.
My flight was good, long - about 11 hours then another 1 hr flight from jberg to durban but arrived safe and sound monday morning.
So far I have spent the week at the orphanage, wse are collected everyday from the volunteer house- which is big and has a pool (which is VERY COLD) and then we spend the day helping out with the younger ones mostly, as everyone of school age goes to school and talking to the older ones when they get back. We play alot in the morning, they all have so much energy! and then its lunch at 12, followeed by teeth brushing and then nap time- thats when we take our lunch! When we get back we mostly sit outside or on the sofas watchiung films, talking and playing. The older girls have been plaiting all our hair!
At about 5 where dropped back at the volunteer house and then its dinner, relaxing and usually an early night.
Yesterday was our first day off and we went on a township tour of the surrounding area. You have to get taken by a guide as it can be dangerous but ours was really good. It was great to see more of the area we are in and see the people. There is alot of poverty but also alot of smiles!
Included in our tour was a visit to John Dube's monument and school which is very important to south africans as he was the first democratic president of the anc (african national congress). In respect presidents now visit his grave upon election to pay their repects and let him know the country is still free. We also saw where Nelson Mandela casted his first democratic vote before becomming president.
We also visited Ghandis house, where he lived for 21 years before going to India, it weas very peaceful with lots of interesting photos and writings.
Our tour was finished off in a tradtional zulu tavern 'pub' where our dirver cooked us a traditional zulu bbq!

For our next 3 weeks here it is the childrens school holidays so we will have less children to look after but it means we can do alot more acitivties. We will be planning this all tonight, but our plans include the cinema and swimming.

Finally- on thursday we took our 1st cooking group. It is a volunteer tradtion that weekly you take a group to thr supermarket to buy food and then back to the house to cook it and hang out. We had a group of four teenage boys between about 11-20 and we cooked burgers and chips followed by chocolate rice crsipie cakes- everyone was stuffed!

I'll update next week

Love

Mary xx

Training Day

Sun, 29 Mar 09 17:46:53 +0200

So.... Im feeling even more excited now that Ive had my training day in London yesterday which was really informative.
Met some fellow volunteers on my trip to Agape but also some people that will be going after me.
Everyone was really lovely, sharing their fundrasing ideas and just a little about themselves.
Im feeling pretty motivated now for some more fundraising within my university which I hope to get started on after this Easter break.
Most of all now im just deperate to get there and meet the children to start my south afrcian experience

:) :) :)

My first post :)

Thu, 04 Sep 08 14:44:07 +0200

Hey all,
So I hope this will be a good way of communicating with people before during and after my trip! Im really excited as I've just got my confrimation email through. Would be great to speak to anyone, expecially in the london/southampton area for fundraising ideas etc

MJ

xx