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    Ngizokubona kusasa I will see you tomorrow

    South Africa

    There are [5] photos and [1] story about South Africa

    Another amazing part of my job was seeing the volunteers interacting with the kids. Each day as we drove up in the van the kids would run towards us looking for a hug or hand to hold. Having someone thank me or tell me this was the best day of their life was extremely humbling. I feel so lucky that I had a small part in facilitating mutual love and growth for all involved. Ngiyabonga (thank you). by: tlavallie Views[217] This is Isandla. She is one of the girls who stays with Mama Doris full time, as both her parents died from AIDS and she has no other relatives to take her in. We bonded after I bandaged her foot one day. It was covered in third degree burns, and when I asked what happened the only explanation I could get was simply The boys were a bit aloof, and it took me a while to be accepted into their club. They have special handshakes and always want to cool. This boy is wearing a volunteer's hat and pair of donated Guess jeans. In many ways, South Africa is a country caught in limbo between two worlds. Many people struggle to pay for food or clothes; however, they also have cell phones and Facebook. I found this juxtaposition to be a reoccurring theme throughout my trip: there'd be times when there was no running water, but I still had a wifi connection. by: tlavallie Views[346] The woman seated in the middle is Mama Doris who runs the crèche. Her English isn't very good and neither is my Zulu but we managed to communicate somehow. She sat in this spot most days watching the volunteers interact with the children and always had a crowd around her. She is an amazing woman letting the parents or guardians of the kids pay with what they can, or sometimes not at all, for her services. A few children who have no living relatives to take care of them stay here full time. by: tlavallie Views[286] Driving through the village every day was always better than the previous day. As I got to know more and more people in the community, I would stop and say sawubona (hello) to friends and wave to kids who knew me from the school. Then I'd walk through the village to show the new volunteers around: slowly making the transition from visitor to local. by: tlavallie Views[201]
     

    Photos: My Scholarship entry - A 'place' I have visited

    Tuesday, 2 Jul 2013 | Photo Gallery | Scholarship Entry

    I recently spent four months doing the most incredible job I have ever had. I was working in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa as a tour leader for an organization that provides volunteer/adventure trips during university summer holidays. Part ... Read more >
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