A Week in the Life of Social Work Interns at Botshabelo

Thought I'd share a little recap of the week for your reading pleasures.

Highlights of this week include:

1) Taking a car ride with babies. Apparently they don't believe in car seats in South Africa. And that's right, you counted 7 people in the backseat.



2) Teaching WWII and the Holocaust to Grade 9 and the college kids. So about 30 minutes into our lecture (we had covered the Allies/Axis, Hitler's rise to power, ghettos, Kristallnacht, the concentration camps) I asked the students, "does anyone know what a Jew is?" Silence. So then we had to go back and explain what makes Jewish people different from Christians. Wow--it took me back to my high school days. After the lecture we showed Schindler's List and overall I think they really took a lot from it and enjoyed it. Teaching these kids about the cruelty and horrific acts that other humans can carry out towards people actually felt a little bit awkward for me. I mean, these African kids have also experienced their fair share of cruelty and horrific acts: Apartheid, starvation, extreme poverty, not having shoes or new clothes or a house with running water or electricity...and having to sleep in bunk beds in a room with 15 other bunk beds at an orphanage. Some very interesting parallels. It just didn't feel the same as it might say, teaching the Holocaust to a group of privileged white kids, you know?

3) Craniosacral treatments. Ayla & I are truly blessed to be amidst two licensed Craniosacral practitioners: Marion and her daughter Nicole. Let me tell you, if you haven't had this type of body work done, you are missing out! So if you don't know, a Craniosacral practitioner "gently works with the spine and the skull and its cranial sutures, diaphragms, and fascia. In this way, the restrictions of nerve passages are said to be eased, the movement of cerebrospinal fluid through the spinal cord is said to be optimized, and misaligned bones are said to be restored to their proper position" (thank you Wikipedia). So Marion was working on my hands and after the treatment, the fingers on my left hand twitched for a good half hour! She said that it was a good thing, however; all of the tension was being released. Check the yellow pages for a Craniosacral practitioner nearest you.

4) Friday night was Botshabelo's very first BOYS' NIGHT! We had a total of at least 55 guests (from Grade 1 all the way up to college kids). Popcorn and a movie...always a success!







Even though the students at Botshabelo don't wear uniforms (many of the public schools require their students to), they get donations of old school uniforms. Therefore, the boys enjoy wearing them just for fun, and got all dolled up for our Boys' Night. And yes, they are even wearing the skirts.



So a trend we have noticed in the fashion stylings of Botshabelo include: cross dressing. Who says a boy can't wear a dress? (notice the popcorn massacre on the floor)



5) Frustrating attempts at group work for our class (boooo papers)

6) Seeing how artistically gifted some of the kids are. Below, we have a wire truck made completely by an 11 year old.



We don't know if you can see how utterly amazing this truck is, but take our word for it. PS: he still needs two more coke bottles for front wheels.



7) And, of course, how could we forget? PLAYTIME!!!

As the days go on, I'm looking less like a flashlight, neh?



Hangin' out in the trees



The pool: the ONLY place to cool off around here



Kids in the village having a tea party! Please note the bugs bunny stuffed animal guest in the background and the flowers in vases.



We are off tonight to make a traditional Jewish feast for the family (kugel lives on!), but in the meantime, we're are considering a nap in the lazy heat of a Botshabelo Saturday afternoon.

Sala sentle,

Ilene & Ayla