It’s nearly a month that I’ll have been in Clarens and I’m no longer the new girl with the addition of someone from Germany. It’s been a few weeks full of quite significant moments actually with me now drinking Rooibos tea (for those who don’t know I’m one of those awkward people who always has to explain I don’t drink tea or coffee when you ask me), which is a life-saver in the cold mornings; I also tried…biltong cheesecake. Yes. Sun-dried raw meat, with cheese made into a cake- what can I say, it was delicious! Rather like eating a slice of meaty Philadelphia? In order to be able to bring something to a games night I also tried making some biscuits and it felt like a mini-miracle when they didn’t come out undercooked on top and burnt on the bottom (though this did require flipping them halfway through so I have no idea how baking a cake will turn out). Oh and I had my first braai, which is the equivalent of BBQ- only it’s considered rude if you bring things like sausages or burgers; proper chunks of meat are the acceptable fare. I cheated and brought pudding. I have been told off though for eating too little however; you aren’t trying hard enough until you put on weight apparently. Probably to do with the fact that one of the few things to do in Clarens is to go for cake and coffee with people or go round to peoples’ for meals.

So many new bits of cultural information to remember! Me is a term of respect for older women, so you’d say Dumela Me [name] and if it’s a man then it’s Ntati. I can’t quite remember though what the English equivalent of Miss or Master would be… Also found out (too late sadly) that when you go into a room full of people it is your responsibility to welcome them and ask how they are doing. So when I went in to a room full of people I had no idea it was polite to do this and instead was the awkward English girl who interrupted a meeting to ask for someone I don’t know to invite them to a party that isn’t mine to meet people I also don’t know. After a very informative conversation over dinner the other day I have been told it is polite to leave your host alone and not offer help, and as the host it is polite to not ask your guests to bring anything, and when a child is being told off it is considered cheeky if they give you eye contact. There’s also the funny thing of not blowing your nose in front of people so it makes the kids eyes bulge in horror if you happen to do in the classroom…

Just to be very British I will give the weather a mention. We’re good at that apparently. After months of very dry weather and parched, dusty and brown landscapes (which is in a good many places burnt, and not always intentionally) landscape is now showing little sprouts of green here and there after RAIN! After becoming so used to rain in England being like an obtrusive and unwelcome neighbour who comes round every hour it seems, everyone here is actually excited by it. Very strange. With the continuance of blustery days here and there that cover everything with dust it will be nice when a bit of mud keeps it all together on the ground where it should be. I have to say the wind provides a welcome and refreshing breeze/gale that keeps me cool on my uphill biking struggle back from work, which dare I say it feels less like torture every time I do it. In addition to the excitement of rain (depending on whose perspective you’re looking from), there is also much debate about whether there will be a cold snap before the onset of summer, which can be summarised as very hot and very rainy.

Weird things that have happened to me so far include being chased by a chicken on my bike, calling the family dog Tonga when it’s actually Zara for a week (but the dog still responding to Tonga nonetheless), and being confused with a tall brunette teacher by the children, but I’m sure there are stranger things to come! In addition, I seem to be sharing my room with a large family of ladybirds because wherever I look I can see a couple. However, I’d much rather they were ladybirds than any other insect or arachnid! No sign of them elsewhere in the house for some odd reason… Please also remind me never to leave doing my washing too late as there will inevitably be some sort of mini plumbing crisis in Clarens where a pipe bursts and the mains for the whole town is turned off whilst it is being fixed.

It’s also been quite nice watching all the birds that have been feeding on bugs in the garden that I keep being told birdwatchers in England would give their right arm to see. From the quirky looking hoopoe bird, colourful doves, weaverbirds, buzzard-like birds I’ve forgotten the name of and many others. I’m still surprised by their colours that often involve rich yellows or green. The one bird I will definitely be keeping an eye out for is a sunbird as the closest thing to a hummingbird I’ll see here. The concept behind bird watching is that it’s a wonderful time-wasting hobby that fills the hours up here, though I do it alongside other things of course such as reading. Another bird which has something like a legend behind it akin to ‘how the leopard got its spots’ is the hadeda ibis; it’s a rather awkward and ungainly looking bird that makes a real racket when flying, which (as the story goes) is because they are afraid of flying.

 Highlight of my time here so far has to be going to the wildlife sanctuary/miniature zoo in someone’s extended garden and Golden Gate National Park. Seriously, where else would you be able to stroke lions and serval cats, and be invited back in a few weeks to play with lion cubs?! It was also a close encounter for my sock-monkey when trying to take a photo of it near a lion as it decided it wanted a closer look and almost swiped it out my hands. Also saw wildebeests, zebras, various horned antelope whose names I have yet to learn, and amazing landscapes. Oh and the most adorable jack russell puppy in a shop! What I’m going to say next may sound absolutely mad but being in an enclosure with ostriches was a more frightening experience than being mere inches away from a lion- I think it was something to do with their sheer height and unfortunate obsession with my coat and buttons which they kept pecking and grabbing with their beaks. I may be used to things or people being taller than me but at least they don’t try and pull my clothing off me whilst I’m backed into a corner haha. My friends and myself made a fairly quick exit out after that, and only then does the owner (who was our insane guide) say that actually ostriches can really harm you with a well placed kick and draw our attention to the big claw on one of their toes. Standard. 

Being used to British term times it’s been a rather surreal experience going to school on my birthday instead of enjoying a day at the beach and glass of wine in St Ives in the evening according to a long-standing family tradition. Thanks to the organisation of family and friends I was able to bring presents and cards with me to open on the day (I’m very proud of myself that I didn’t open them beforehand knowing for a certainty one present was highly desirable chocolate…). Thanks to the loving and thoughtful new friends I’ve made since being here I still had the awkward moment where everyone is singing to you, as well as a delicious meal and glass of wine, whilst others have anticipated wants and things I hadn’t even thought of myself. The weather was even decent during the daytime and the long-anticipated storm only emerged once I was safely inside a warm house, hurray! If it keeps only raining at night I will be very happy indeed. Being true to tradition I also seemed to have multiple birthday meals out so it’s been a very enjoyable week! Walking back from one of these I saw the stars in all their glory and even though I’ve stargazed at Land’s End I’ve never seen so many, or the Milky Way so clear. 

Slightly nervous to know that next week I will be tacking the imposing Mount Horeb to get my photo next to the ‘smiley face’ that is painted on a 30ft board near the top…

Hey everyone back in England and beyond!

So it’s now been over a week since I arrived in Clarens, South Africa and it’s been a lot to take in. I wake up with the stunning view of Mt Horeb every morning and more often than not at the weekend the eager faces of Tessa and Tonga (the two excitable but gorgeous border collies who belong to the family I stay with), before appreciating the fact that it gets light very quickly in winter, unlike England. The journey to the school is not a long one, but the socioeconomic difference between where I live – on the outskirts of Clarens in what can only be described as a gated and predominantly white area – and where most of the pupils live is vast. You drive on a main road through a hazy township of corrugated iron shacks or very small brick bungalows buzzing with children on their way to school and nonchalant chickens who are unaware of the irony they incur by wandering across the road! The odd cow or pigs are also a familiar sight, and today there were even sheep determined to walk in the middle of the road- this is as close as you will get to ‘dangerous’ animals you associate with South Africa in Clarens. However, if you are driving to the nearest town you may be lucky enough to see one or two buck, and on the way here from the airport I did spot the occasional ostrich.

I will admit that my Sesotho is awful and isn’t likely to improve anytime soon but I’m doing my best and can now confidently say ‘hello’ and ‘be quiet’. As seems to be a growing tradition amongst English arrivals in Clarens, the first word I was taught in Sesotho was mamina, which translates as snot. Charming. But sadly in frequent use haha. I’ve been able to find some familiar aspects that make my transition a bit more easy such as finding out that South Africans drive on the left hand side of the road, and as if in honour of my time in Cornwall the equivalent of ‘dreckly’ is ‘I’ll do it now’; if you want someone to do something immediately you have to say ‘now now’. The biggest cultural difference I’ve experienced so far is that everyone is very direct to others and there’s no British politeness or double meaning to what you say, which has created some comical anecdotes for those I work with. Sundays are also a very surreal experience the first time when you try to sing in a different language you’ve never read or experienced before, whilst jumping up and down or running around a room…

The school I’m volunteering at has been steadily growing since it opened and now caters for children up to the age of 14, though I’m mostly working with the UK equivalent of Year 5, 6 and 7/8. It’s a refreshing thing to be called Teacher Rosie rather than ‘Miss’ as it feels like there is still an acknowledgement of your status but there’s not so much of a barrier when building a relationship with the children. As it is, a lovely woman I work with acts almost as a parent in taking them to the dentist, giving them medicine, checking they are well etc.! As some of you may know I am awful with names but remember faces more easily, sadly this has been all too true since I’ve arrived and the lack of familiarity with common names hasn’t been helping me to remember them all but I feel I am beginning to get there (thank goodness!). So besides regretting my role in encouraging the children’s obsession with loom bands (meant as a healthier alternative to sugary sweets) I’m thoroughly enjoying my time there. The teachers are all welcome and more than willing to help you learn Sesotho phrases, local knowledge or even just the culture. Did I mention the children are extremely well behaved and hard working? What more could I want! 

            After my second week helping at a club run for children living in extreme poverty, or those who have been orphaned I’m beginning to get used to grabbing the children as they run in with big grins on their face and arms stretched wide in the expectation of a hug, or those a bit less forthcoming who still have a shy smile on their face as you hug them and ask how they are. It’s so very different from England it takes a few moments to take everything in at times, and that despite everything these children have been through their biggest concern as soon as you see them is to get the reassurance of a hug or to hold your hand. The nice thing is the language barrier becomes irrelevant.

            I’m hoping over the next few weeks to get used to the high altitude (1,800m) and feel less like I’m about to die every time I cycle to the school -- despite being a 10 minute ride away – so that I can go further afield with other cyclists I’ve met and see a bit more of the local area. Sadly without a car you are very restricted as to where you can go or what you can do especially as the nearest town is 24 miles away and everywhere in general is miles apart from anything else. Getting used to baking at high altitude would also be a nice thing as the first time I did it I had a mini identity crisis when half the biscuits came out burnt after only being in the oven for 5 minutes! Hopefully some pictures will follow shortly and capture the adventures of my sock-monkey.

Love and hugs to you all!