Well........

Have been here for a week now and all is well. The mornings are spent in one of two schools, doing a literacy programme, designed to help those who a struggling catch up. This is vital because English is the medium of education and once they get to 9, teaching reading stops...so if they can't read fluently, it is a lost cause. There are 40 to 45 children in a class and one teacher( all seriously scary ladies). I did some reading tests last week and in a class of 8 and 9 year olds, reading ages varied from 6.5 to 12.5 years...so pretty hard work!
After lunch to the Orphanage, where there are currently 35 children, aged 4 to 18. ASome pretty horrific stories, but we aren't told which story applies to which child. Work here varies from making salad for supper( in a huge laundry basket) to folding laundry( am pleased to report that South African tumble driers eat odd socks too). We also help with homework and play outside with the children. Since they have two footballs, one rugby ball and a climbing frame between them I have discovered English circle games a great way for preventing bloodshed. Or at least minimsing it. Last week was the Hokey Cokey( minor bloodshed when we all hurtled into the middle), farmers in his den( we all beat the bone to a pulp) and Oranges and lemons. The best part is seeing the great big 16 and 17 year old boys joining in and loving it....kids that you'd probably cross the street to avoid in certain situations back home.

Yesterday to Table Mountain. This was truly amazing, standing above the clouds, looking down on the city below, the soccer Stadium appearing through the mist like an alien saucer and all around the beginnings of the spring wild flowers. We even saw a daissie( think this is right spelling). A Daissie is like a cute giant guinea pig but they only like to come out when the weather is right, so felt very privelidged.
In the evening to Mama Africas. This a restaurant/ bar/ music venue which serves springbok, crocodile and warthog. Luckily also does a good line in vegetable curry...how can anyone eat things they loved watching in "The Lion King"? The music was unbelievable; drums that went right into your stomach( or that may have been the curry) and kept on in your head long after the taxi came to take us home. And man, can those guys dance!

Came back to the Volunteer Hostel where am staying for the weekend, to discover am sharing room tonight with Spanish new arrival. Is man. Mind you, is something of a sweetie, so they clearly feel he's safer with me than the other females, all of whom are currently offering to make him breakfast/ show him round and so on.........

Photos hopefully to follow next weekend when am able to do uploady stuff.