Last weekend decided to be a tourist and do some of the things I have put off doing lately. On Saturday morning the volunteers and I went to Robben Island. I have not done that tour since 2004 and felt that it was time to go back because I do not really remember much about it. We took the ferry boat ride and ended up on the island and then began with a bus tour and that was where I really learned so much more about the political history of things here in South Africa. After we had the bus tour of the island we then went and got a personal walking tour of the prison. This was a much better tour than before because the one I did in 2004 the guy was very angry about everything but this guy was very nice and very open and I really enjoyed this tour a whole lot more.
After we finished at Robben Island we then went to the District Six Museum. This is a museum located in downtown that gives the history of an area which had all different kinds of people and then in the late 1960's the government came in and made the people move out and declared it a whites only area. I really enjoyed going there. It was the kind of museum where you had to do a incredible amount of reading. They also do personal walking tours of the area of district six. I have thought that the next time I go to that museum that I would love to have the guided tour. We then went back to the waterfront and had dinner and just had a great day of being a tourist. On Sunday I did not do much did a little bit of relaxing since Saturday was just so busy !
This week consisted of doing some logistical work for ACTS and the volunteers. I only had the chance to visit one kids club this week because of other things that came up. I also spend quite a bit of time trying to come up with lesson plan formats for the parenting program. Thursday night we had our volunteer bible study and it was so good. I am really enjoying having a time of focused study as we are learning about Joseph also it is nice to have the time with the volunteers. Friday we had our LSE training and it went much better than it did last week. I think it was the fact that everyone was now used to being back together and it just went so much smother. I changed the teaching part up a little bit and broke the LSEs into groups to have come up with ideas and that turned out really good! Two LSEs also presented about two workshop seminars that they had attended. After work on Friday I had a girls night with the LSEs girls from Muizenburg and one of the vols as well. We went to the mall and did some window shopping, then saw "Fame", and then went and grabbed a cup of coffee. It was a really fun evening of just talking and laughing and hanging out.
I officially did something I did not think I would do while I was here........HIKE! On Saturday morning all of the vols, Mike, Pam, and Elizabeth decided we would do some hiking. We went to this place called Silvermine and did a hike (yes an actual hike) The hike was divided into two parts and I did the first part and then Al and I went and got an area for us to have a picnic lunch at. The others met back up with us and we ate lunch at the area where there is a big area for swimming and we walked around the area and it was so lovely. I was so surprised because I did not know this area even existed. After having a leisurely picnic lunch some of us decided that we were going to spend the afternoon at the beach. This was like the first time I had actually gone to spend time at the beach just to hang out. I did not have intentions of going in the water because it was ICE! I did stick my feet in and spent the rest of the time just relaxing in the sand. After I left the beach I found out we had just missed the shark horn and a shark had been spotted in the water! Good thing all I did was get my toes wet!! J I came home and checked to see if I had gotten any sun and then had some dinner with the vols and caught a movie. It was really a great Saturday and I really did enjoy the hike especially since it was mostly in the shade which was nice!!
Today was celebrating an annual event! After church this morning some of us went to the Noordhoek Country Fair! Not exactly the same as the fair back home but a fun time of doing a whole lot of people watching as well as having some amazing donuts! The one thing I did today that I was so proud of was the fact that I walked to the fair! I never thought I would walk the whole stretch of the road by the team house but today I conquered it and walked the road...it was only about the last 250 meters that was a little rough!! The fair was fun and then I came home and just relaxed and a new team arrived last night so it is a new week with a new team.
