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.