COFFEE BAY

Living in Qolora takes a certain kind of person with a certain kind of character and it’s not recommended for the faint hearted. I’m not referring to the Xhosa people who stem from the Transkei and are a part of this land as the anthills, the rivers and the grasslands are. I’m referring to outsiders like myself. I absolutely love it here, and I find the simplicity of Xhosa life much more fulfilling than city life but I do miss things like a get together with a girlfriend and a glass of wine. I miss being able to have an intelligent English conversation with someone. Theo and I spend too much time together so we don’t really have much to say to each other.

Occasionally, when it’s not windy or when there aren’t any students for lessons or I’m not preparing lessons or sitting behind the computer, I get a chance to sit quietly outside our rondavel and listen to the afternoon sounds as dusk sets in and quietness settles over the village. I find the sound of children happily singing at our neighbours house 400 m away (sound travels here), boys whistling at their cows as they herd them home with a whip or a stick and the birds preparing to settle down are the most soothing noises I could imagine.

The young children, with their smiley faces are a treasure to have around, so long as it’s in a controlled environment and so long as they are not more than 6 or 7 and all wanting my attention at the same time. One particular little 8 year old girl has crept into my heart. I always get a big open arms hug from her if I haven’t seen her for a while. She has enormous eyes and a sweet croaky voice which often breaks into little giggles if I pull faces at her or mine Inkosi Sikeli after line 3 since I don’t know the rest of the words.

As rewarding as this is, we have decided that we need time out occasionally so last weekend we decided to take an overnight trip to Dwesa Nature Reserve which is about 100 km’s away and supposedly a fantastic place. The weather looked ominous once again, but this time, we were prepared and I packed my rainponcho and Theo packed his rain suit although he only found one glove so they got left behind.

After the first 50 km my bum was aching and Theo corrected my assumption that we don’t have shocks. Turns out, I sit on them. Go figure.

We arrived at Idijwa and asked for directions. We really should prepare ourselves on these long trips, especially here in Transkei where there aren’t any bike shops to stop for spares or SOS roadside assistance or a tow truck service or such like. Next time we should at least take a puncture repair kit, a cell phone charger or a map or something to make us seem a bit more organised.

Anyway, we were told that the road which turned off the N2 at Idijwa was 90 km of gravel and not too good. On impulse, since my shins were complaining already and the soles of my feet in my worn, oil coated takkies were bruised from being bounced around on the footpegs, we decided to stay on the tar road and continue to Coffee Bay instead. A bit of a spur-of-the-moment decision which turned out to be a further 220 km’s but who’s counting. Well, my bum sure was. Theo did his best to avoid the massive potholes decorating the road for the last 50 km’s before reaching Coffee Bay. We laughed at one hole which was so big that a handful of duck heads peeked out the top as they tried catching a rainwater splash bath.

We eventually arrived pooped and stiff. The trip definitely was worth it and we had a fantastic time and ended up staying an extra night to recuperate aching limbs before returning. Everyone in Coffee Bay was either a surfer, a hippi, stoned or all of the above. We felt the Ja love and it would be easy to confuse the place with Jamaica. There are close to a dozen backpackers in Coffee Bay, all doing a roaring trade from the Baz Bus regularly unloading young people from all corners of the world.

I chatted to a young German girl who was a qualified Waldorf teacher as she sat behind her sewing machine on the stoep of the back packers where we stayed. She told me she used to teach at a school locally but that didn’t last long since she didn’t agree with the techniques of the Eastern Cape schooling system. We discussed corporal punishment which still takes place in schools here. I found it shocking the first time I saw a teacher whack a kid on the back of his head in class. At our school they still get cainned on their hands with a “switch” for arriving late, not singing loud enough at morning devotion, chewing gum in class, talking in class or even not giving the right answer sometimes. I found it unsettling at first but am embarrassed to admit that it works for keeping discipline in class. Shouting and hitting students who don’t try expressing themselves in English only aggravates the problem as I’ve diplomatically tried telling the teachers but when it comes to discipline, I don’t interfere. Anyway, Beta, the German girl had hooked up with a Xhosa guy who worked at the back backers (and who is world’s apart from any of the Xhosa people from our village) and she was quite happy exploring her other talent which was sewing.

After 2 days of chilling, we headed back and were pleasantly surprised to receive a big box of crayons and stationery donated by a couple who visited us and who support our cause.

Now that we are rested, its time to plan the maths workshops which will take place during the Easter school holidays and which should be a great success. I wonder if the Maths teacher from Rondebosch Boys High eats mielie pap and cabbage. I’m crossing my fingers that the power and water are both on while they visit but I’m not holding my breath.

HEY TEACHER, LEAVE THOSE KIDS ALONE

This year our days are jam packed with teaching, teaching and more teaching. Our day starts at Siseko JSS which is about 10 km’s from here, so every morning a taxi bakkie collects us and as we bounce to school on the gravel roads, I practice my Xhosa on the driver. His English isn’t too wonderful but he enjoys helping me build up my Xhosa vocabulary and laughs at some of my pronunciation attempts.

We really enjoy teaching at Siseko JSS as the principal is serious about education. The classrooms are tiny and 2 grades are squashed up in a single classroom. Many learners sit 3 to one desk. Some desks are broken or have tops made of hardboard which is disintegrating at the corners and some students can’t fit their legs under the low tables. None of these factors make writing an easy mission. One grade face their teacher in the front while the other half face their teacher at the back of the classroom. I can’t imagine how this situation works effectively. The grade 1’s don’t have desks, just a plastic chair, many of which are broken so writing is not an option. Their little faces light up when I enter the class and I always bring a teddy bear, a coloured ball, a floppy hat, home made alphabet flashcards or some sort of realia to make the lessons interesting. They love pleasing me and they are so eager to shout out the answer and sometimes they can’t contain themselves and they rush forward, shouting missy missy, with their little arms reaching up and their face scrunched up as they shout “f for fish”. As cute as they are, I prefer teaching the Grade 5 and 6 class since, even though there are a few boys who don’t really try and can’t really read, never mind speak English, I find it easier to teach them since, as a class, they are able to understand me much better and I teach them grammar in fun activities with realia, role playing and they absolutely love competitions.

Its difficult teaching 2 grades at a time since they are not all at the same level of competency and I can’t use their prescribed English work books since each grade’s book is different. I therefore have to create my own lesson plan every day. Generally, they need basic sentence structure lessons since they’ve had no experience expressing themselves in English.

The principal is very keen to improve teaching at his school but the challenges are tough. The teachers are keen to welcome his new rule as of this year, based on ideas which we’ve presented to him, using English in all lessons as the first change but unfortunately their grasp of English is very poor. Do the maths! They are not very imaginative in creative lessons and games such as Eye Spy are as foreign to them as umfino, the much loved wild leafy vegetable, was to us.

We teach at Qolora By Sea in the afternoons for an hour but unfortunately by then, the teachers at this school are either in some sort of meeting or something or other and the learners are unruly which makes teaching there not very pleasant. We are barely into the year and we feel demoralized having to deal with this schools lack of interest in dedicated teaching. The only thing keeping me there are the little ones who run to meet us at the gate and fight for a chance to hold our hands. My skin and hair are quite a fascination point with all the young kids at both schools. We would much rather teach at Isolomzi, the high school over the hill, where that principal is doing a wonderful job of offering his learners a good education. He has a team of dedicated teachers and the first rule of the school is that only English is spoken after entering the school gates. Mr Butshingi, the principal, is not very popular with the other schools and is considered a tyrant but he just produced a matric pass rate of 75% and many distinctions to boast of. He only has about 25 learners per class since not many students around here want to attend his school as the expectations are too high for them. Alternatively, Tjali High, which is over the other hill, is a totally different setup. They are fed by about 5 junior schools in the area. They have 6 grade 12 classes, each with 80 plus learners per class, 4 grade 11 classes, also with about 80 learners per class and not much less grade 10’s. Teachers go there to do crowd control more than teach.



We open the Qolora Education Centre from 3 to 5pm during the week for the local kids who come around. Some just come because they enjoy being there and have nothing better to do but some enjoy the English and Maths handouts which we’ve been giving them to do lately. I’ve gotten the little ones to read to me in the past, but as of yet, none of the older children have shown any real interest in actually reading a challenging book. At 5 o clock I tutor a couple of students from Tjali high school, 2 walk the 10 km’s 2 or 3 times a week for my English lesson (and computer lessons) which I give them before walking all the way back home again. I’ve asked them what challenges they face at Tjali High School and they tell me that besides sharing desks, some students don’t have textbooks. Also, some students stay after school to hide a chair for themselves to use the next day. Half of the first period is usually wasted by teachers trying to resolve chair ownership issues. I guess some students just have to stand for the lesson due to the shortage of chairs. I believe the one and only maths teacher will be leaving in a month or two and will not be replaced. Abongile also told me of her concerns that when it rains, the long drop toilets get flooded and can’t be used.

Many learners drop out along the way. I can’t imagine why, can you?

Where do the children play

…….”I know we’ve come a long way, changing day to day but tell me, where do the children play.”……..

Well gee whiz.  Talk about a roller coaster ride of emotions. 2 weeks ago I was feeling sorry for myself cos no-one came to the library.   This week I barely have had time to wipe my….. nose. The word has spread and the children have discovered the library.

– Yeeehaaa. 

I’ve assisted a high school student with his project, Theo and I have given a few school teachers computer lessons (which will be ongoing), and the primary school kids come around every single day now.  They do puzzles, type in English on the computers, play computer games, play the music keyboard (note to self: need to get headphones for the keyboard) while I talk to them all in English.  I even spent an afternoon helping the Grade R teacher with her college assignment.

Today was special.  For many reasons actually.  Mostly because an 8 year old boy took the initiative, selected a book and started reading it all by himself.  I had been walking around, assisting at the “puzzle table” and at the computers when suddenly I saw him.  He was sitting on a bench in front of the children’s books, engrossed in a book which he was reading and I could see he was enjoying the story.  I was thrilled.  Generally the children don’t come to the library to read as they prefer to play solitaire and pinball on the computers or type.  I’m just happy that they come to the library at all.  I don’t want to frighten them off by pushing the books on them too much.  Anyway, I sat down next to him and listened to his reading as he read the story aloud and I helped him with a word or two when he asked me to. I had to restrain myself from hugging him every 20 seconds. Occasionally he pointed out a picture to me and he was amused when he questioningly pointed to a word in the story, “Eeeeee” the sound which the mouse made.  The printed word really intrigued him and each time he read it slowly and extra loud.  Now doesn’t that just make it all worth it?  I felt like I’d been given a Christmas present which I was unwrapping each time he turned a page. What a wonderful feeling.  And the best part is he took a second book home and I bet he’ll be back for more.

I had a lovely afternoon chatting to a high school student.  She told me she wants to become a pilot if she passes matric next year.  She also told me that she enjoys dancing and singing and her dancing instructor in Butterworth has told her that she is good.  I considered that she has a better chance of making a career on stage than in the air but naturally I didn’t tell her that.  I’ve told her to come back and I will help her with some English grammar exercises at the library.  The high school is about 15 km’s away and we don’t teach there but the students come to the library if and when they can get here. 

Clinton who is 12 is typing a letter about himself at the library.  He likes cabbage but hates samp and beans and would like to become a teacher one day.  Taylor who is also l2, likes BMW’s, his community, his brothers and sisters and wants to become a doctor one day.  Big dreams. 

Little things that give me great pleasure are when small people have big smiles.  3 days ago a grade 1 pupil, walked home with Theo and I.  He held my hand all the way and we sang songs like “This is the way I brush my teeth” as we walked.  He giggled like mad when I got stuck singing Inkosi Sikele.  After singing the first few lines I mouthed the rest with him while he giggled like crazy and sang it right through. 

Besides the library keeping me busy every single day now, we are also really getting stuck into the lessons at school.  The teachers seem to put a heck of a lot of time into their meetings which I don’t understand and the classes are often left unsupervised.  The term started slow, in fact a week late due to bad weather and more meetings.  We don’t give as many lessons per day as I would like, especially since the children are way, way behind in their English. I hope the teachers don’t think we are trying to take their jobs away or that we know better than them because we don’t.  They teach all the subjects from English textbooks to students who’s home language is Xhosa, including the teachers themselves so it must be really difficult.  I sympathise with them.  Theo and I are just here to assist with English.  I wish we could pick up the pace a bit, i.e. on Friday’s, school closes early because many of the teachers go home to their families in East London so we don’t go in at all.  Perhaps as I get used to teaching I will also learn to utilize my time in the class more effectively.  The children love playing I spy, hangman and teamwork which they take very seriously.  They really enjoy doing the excercises, showing their capabilities, and they are so keen to please. I’ve been mostly focusing on listening and speaking English which they are shy about but I think its time to buckle down and help them with grammar since they are sooooo far behind and it obviously affects all their subjects. 

Theo has connected the schools’ computer and is showing the teachers the spreadsheet which is the new system for ordering books as per the department of education.  

I’ve really enjoyed spending time with the students these past two weeks and I’m slowly getting to know them. 

 Finally I feel I have a purpose. 

  

The Library

The Library





The Library is open but I don’t seem to have a stream of kids coming here to read books yet. During the school holidays three kids, Grade 1, Grade 4 and grade 6 came around to the library a few times. The first time the siblings stood at the gate, loudly singing the Yeeha Yeeha Ho from Old Mac Donald (which has become our signature calling card) in the hopes of catching my attention. They came running when I called them over and were very excited but shy about coming into the library. I gave them a 30 piece puzzle to build which they really struggled with but had fun trying while I tried some English on them but not too successfully. The next day they were back to build puzzles and I gave them each an English 1st Language Grade R activity book to colour in, since I had just unpacked a whole boxful. On the 3rd day, I told them they were each allowed to take one reading book home, which they did but that’s the last I saw of them. I think there’s a communication problem still.



The following week a high school student walked here from over the hill to visit an aunt from this community. Everyone around here has many aunts it seems. Also, I suspect the word “aunt” is used much the same as in Afrikaans where everyone is your “tannie”. Anyway his aunt told him about the library and the computer classes we offer. He spent the afternoon at the library while I showed him some features in the typing programme, although he did have some experience using a computer. We chatted in English which I think is good experience for the youth to build up their confidence. He shared a little of his family situation with me which really made me sit up and think. He is 17 years old, in grade 10 (that’s Std 8 if you are from my era) and lives in the shanty part of Butterworth which is the hustle bustle “city” 50 km’s from here. Last year his mother died so now it’s just himself and his younger brother who he has to raise. He wants his brother to be proud of him and his strong faith in Jesus, has guided him through life, and he prays he will be able to provide a respectful existence for himself and his brother. His face radiated happiness as he spoke, despite his hardships. I wonder if he will be able to finish school as he hopes or will he have to give it up to seek employment. He also told me that a few of his aunts were helping him out but he was disappointed in the one who lived in Gauteng because according to him, she could afford to buy him a laptop yet she wouldn’t. I scratched my head, having a bit more insight into how Ubuntu works. It seems family or neighbours help each other when necessary but I was surprised to realise that it is in fact expected of them. Perhaps that’s why sometimes Xhosa people look at some white people who have things, expecting them to share, since it’s the way they were brought up, to look after each other. White people on the other hand don’t generally practice the whole Ubuntu thing as a norm. We sometimes are too busy to even know our neighbours names, let alone help them financially and it sure isn’t expected of us to help put their kids through school.



In the meantime, it’s been 2 weeks and the books are all sitting pretty on the shelves in the library. I’m frustrated and wish the people would come here so that I can teach them to read. I can’t wait to share my knowledge but I have to learn that this is Africa. This is a place where time is measured by a slow sunset and not by the race of a heartbeat.

And so the sun sets on another day in Africa.

We don’t need no education

We don’t need no education




Our first day, teaching about 30 children from grade R to grade 3 was a day I will never forget. We arrived at Qolora Primary and Secondary School at 12 noon, all spruced up and excited although somewhat apprehensive about the learners’ ability since we had no idea what level of English to expect from them and on top of that we had 4 different grades in one class. Maria, the principal, welcomed us and showed us to what I would assume was their hall where we were to teach. The room was in need of a paint and had no furniture (other than a few rolls of rusty barb wire stored in the corner, no blackboard or electricity. Then the door opened and the children raced in, rushing to get to the front and after squashing up on the floor 2 foot from us, their eager little faces gazing up at us, we introduced ourselves and our first English lesson began. We had each child tell us their name and then our lesson plan was to teach them about animals. We held up flash cards of animals which we had printed the previous afternoon at the construction site office, (remember I mentioned in my previous blog that they were doing road works) anyway unfortunately it wasn’t in colour but none the less, they were A4 size and worked fine. We asked them questions about the animals to access their English and then proceeded to teach them to sing Old Mac Donald Had A Farm. To say they loved it is putting it mildly. They shouted the Yee Ha Yee Ha Ho at the top of their lungs and the whole building vibrated as about 30 enthusiastic children did the ducks’ quack quack sound. Theo and I were grinning from ear to ear. Maria and another teacher who joined the class were singing along just as excitedly as us. Maria had been a great help keeping order from the beginning and getting them to co-operate in the beginning by translating our requests into Xhosa. Theo and I floated out the school grounds afterwards. We heard a Yee Ha Yee Ha Ho, following us from behind a classroom wall and a shy little quack quack from someone standing in front of the long drop toilets along the fence line. We grinned all the way home. We were teachers. Unpaid but so what, we had taught a class and it was a success.

The next day we were swamped with little people, all shouting their favourite line Yee Ha Yee Ha Ho and all pushing to get a place to walk next to us or to try and touch our hands as we entered the school gates. What a welcome and no other reward or payment necessary. We started the lesson by doing 10 minutes of the song, which of course they loved. We struggled a bit to keep order that day, as Maria was not there to help control them. She and a few other teachers had gone somewhere to some meeting. The children got too noisy and before the lesson was over 2 boys were crying from being pushed and shoved by the other kids. We did body parts which they were good at, then we put them in a big circle and played Simon Says and although they didn’t quite understand the game, we all had fun.

After class, we walked around the school to get a feel for the place. They have a nice big veggie garden, tended by 2 Xhosa women who also cook lunch for all the learners. They grow sweet potatoes, cabbage, and spinach which they cook daily with either sugar beans or pap in a big potjie on a fire. I wondered if that was the only meal some of the children had for the day. Maria is very proud of her school and her students. They mostly all wear neat school uniforms and we found out that they do have electricity and a photo copy machine (which is at someone’s house for some reason) and we were told that they do have a computer. There are 8 classrooms with 8 teachers I think, we haven’t met everyone yet and about 200 students from grade R to grade 9.

Tomorrow we have Grade 4 to 7. I’m really looking forward to it but now it time to work on a lesson plan.