'Aloe, 'Aloe, 'Aloe...

Last year I wrote about the difficulty of navigating in Mthtatha, particularly with regard to the lack of road signs.

Well, an entrepreneurial spirit decided to make his own road signs:

Travelling to the right presented no problem.

But travelling to the left was another matter altogether:

Did you got a licence (2)?

Applying for a Professional Driver's Permit. Apparently the error is not a problem...

Original 'Did you got a licence?'

Back to High School

Part of my PGCE requires that I have 'School-Based Experience'. This means I get to inflict myself on a High School for 3 weeks in April and 5 weeks in July/August.

The University gave me Supplies for my April Adventure:
1 x packet of white chalk
1 x chalkboard duster
1 x lever arch file for my Business Studies and Economics portfolios.  (I had to buy the second file)
20 x plastic sleeves (in case I don't have a hole punch for the lever arch file)
7 x sheets of A1 paper (in case the school has a flip chart)
1 x 650mm T-square (must be for drawings graphs on the board in Economics.  I tried. I gave up.)
3  x packets of pencil crayons. (I still can't work out why)

I had to bring my own red pen.

So at the start of the second term, I sat in the staff room of the local High School, feeling very conspicuous, being introduced as a 'mature student teacher'.  That feeling didn't last long though. I met the Business Studies and Economics teachers, who were both very welcoming and patient.  And willing to unleash me on their Grade 10s.

The blackboard in the staffroom added a touch of humanity to a room which has traditionally :been out of bounds to me:


1) TEMP COPIER in old copier room (where microwave is!) (Even School copiers break down)
2) Squash Results (19/4/2015 tournament) (Proud Coach)
3) Looking  for my apple and naartjie! (That food thief is everywhere)

The bell on the left is rung every morning, to announce the arrival of the Principal, and the start of the Staff Meeting

 One of the first things I noticed was that teachers are still saying the same things they said 30 years ago: "Where's your book? What's it doing at home?" "Why can I still hear talking?" And pupils are still saying the same things: "No Ma'am, it wasn't me." "Are you talking to me Ma'am?"

But a lot has also changed.  Apart from the fact that the schools don't offer subjects like Woodwork, Domestic Science and Metalwork any more, they now offer fancy new subjects like Business Studies, Economics, Life Skills, and Maths Literacy.  Except 'my' school doesn't offer Maths Literacy.  'Proper' Maths only.

Teaching aids have also changed.  Gone are the days of fancy overhead projectors with different coloured kokis to emphasise the important bits on transparencies..

And move over Data Projector - Hellooo Smartboard!

It felt like Christmas with a brand new toy.

Basically, an ET-style camera (the middle stalk thingy) reads from the page on the desk and displays the image on the PC monitor, at the same time as displaying the image on the Smartboard:

Old meets New:  The pull-down screen for the Overhead/Data Projector is still in place (at the top).  Don't you love that old intercom? Beneath it, the black strip is the speaker for the Smartboard, so that the class can watch educational Youtube clips.

Use your finger to point at something on the actual page, or use your PC mouse if you don't have a photogenic finger. Or even better, use your finger to write on the Smartboard. Whatever you write on the Smartboard is also displayed on the PC monitor.  How cool is that!

And no need for the intercom any more.  At the end of the day, in Register class, you login to the Intranet on the PC, and all the notices pop up on the Smartboard for everyone to see.

Unfortunately, the day my assessor was there, Eskom decided it was a good time for load-shedding.  So I had to abandon all my fancy plans and resort to chalk and talk.  Thanks Eskom.

During my three weeks, one of the classes did an assignment on devising an HIV/AIDS Workplace Programme. I was quite impressed when they were handed in.  Presentation is obviously important - cover sheets are required, and many of the assignments were typed.

There is a strong emphasis on academics, and many of the teachers give up their school holidays and weekends to give extra classes to help those who are falling behind.

Sport also plays a big role, with the teams travelling long distances to compete (East London is 220km away).  During my time at the school, one of the athletes was chosen to represent South Africa at a competition in December.  I felt so proud!

And of course you get the kids who are good at everything.  Imagine running our of space for your merit badges.

One of the topics we covered in Business Studies was Corporate Social Responsibility, which included Volunteerism. I asked if anyone had ever volunteered at an orphanage, animal shelter or old-age home. Only one put up his hand - he'd spent a few hours at an orphanage.  

The concept of an old-age home was unknown - traditionally, the aged are cared for by the community.  So the thought of someone being abandoned or surrendered to a home was totally foreign. They did not even know that Mthatha has such an institution. So I arranged an outing to Empilweni, an old-age home with 120 residents.

Well.  After a bit of hesitation (it's disrespectful to question your elders), the kids were chatting away to people with diverse backgrounds, histories and situations.  All with stories to tell.  One of the girls was moved to tears.

One of the more sprightly residents willingly entertained us with a delightful song and dance routine.  She is from Lusikisiki, and booked herself into Empilweni a few years ago, because she knew her family would not be able to look after her properly.

Now it's nearly the end of the term, and these kids are writing exams.  I wonder if the work I covered is in the papers, and if they remember anything at all about Production Possibility Curves and Contemporary Socio-Economic Issues?

I guess I'll find out next term when I get back in the ring for Round Two.

Rubbish, anyone?

Mthatha Municipality is now handing out free black bags to residents, using rather a novel distribution method.

Thanks, Eskom

Language Competence class giving presentations in windowless lecture hall, despite load-shedding.

A Walk in the Park

Nduli Nature Reserve is on the outskirts of town, and is a sanctuary from the melee that is Mthatha:  taxi drivers, robot-runners, white bakkies, queue jumpers and pothole dodgers.

This is where I like to go on a Saturday or Sunday morning (sometimes both days), with My Friend (and occasionally some Other Friends).  It's a brisk 4.6km hike, and we do it in about an hour.  Bob cycles the route twice in the same time we do one circuit.  He reckons that if My Friend and I didn't talk each other to death, we'd be able to do it a lot quicker.

Of course, he doesn't take into account the times we stop for the bokkies, which is delightfully often.

What part of NO ENTRY do you not understand?

There doesn't appear to be any poaching in the Reserve, despite the poverty in the area.  Apparently the reason is that venison is not a taste of choice.

We also stop to look at the birds...

The hoopoe is one of my favourites

 ...and the butterflies...

There have been quite a few of these Eyed Pansies lately. So pretty. (This isn't my pic , they're too tricksy for me to capture)

About fifteen minutes into the walk, you can take a detour into the Rock Garden

Sanctuary within a sanctuary

I can find very little detail about its history

...but I do know that this site has a cache (read about Geocaching here).  We've found it, but haven't logged our visit yet, as we'd like to add something special to the cache before we do. We haven't quite worked out what yet, but want it to be Mandela related; though not something that another Geocacher can take away with them (which is permitted, as long as they replace it with something of equal of greater value). 

The cliff face, evidence that this used to be a quarry. Wonder if the cache is nearby?

Cascades of Pride of De Kaap in the Rock Garden.

We saw this Giant African Land Snail. Dead, fortunately, or I would have shrieked like a girl

 There are very few visitors to the Nature Reserve (about ten per week), and this shell has lain undisturbed for over a month. In fact there are so few visitors, My Friend has walked in her bikini top a few times, to get rid of  the T-shirt tan she's developed.  I'm not brave enough to do that.  Besides, if Bob sees me, he might just fall off his bike.

There's this funny little building in the rock garden.  No graffiti or signs of recent occupation.  Wondering if it used to be a watchman's hut?

There must have been quite a bit of traffic here.  Many, many years ago.

Dogs are not allowed in Nduli.  Apparently, if they are seen in the Reserve, they are shot by the rangers.

Yup.  Here'll be dogs.

 The cost of accommodation in and around Mthatha is exorbitant (worse than in Cape Town), whether you are overnighting, renting or buying. I've heard rumours that there's quite a bit of pressure from developers to release this 'wasted' land for development.  It hope it stays that way, just a rumour.

Oh, while I'm here, stopping traffic...

Who say the traffic police in Mthatha don't have a sense of pride in their jobs? This officer opted for a pop-up valet for his vehicle while he was on point duty.