I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the passion I thought I had for kids is actually there. The bad news is that my mother was right.

The longer I work at CHOSA, the more I realize that my calling is truly education. It bothers me when I know kids are not getting the education they should be. Actually, it does more than bother me. It haunts me. I lose sleep over it. I don’t understand why I was given the opportunity, not only to go to college, but also to study abroad, while some students don’t even get the opportunity to graduate from high school. I doesn’t make sense that (at least back home) the Little Rock Nine and other students like them fought to be able to get an education, and there are still some students that skip school on a regular basis. I have a hard time with the fact that Troy Davis can be executed by the judicial system in the state of Georgia and some people still wonder why education for Blacks is so important. But I think I’m getting off topic now.

Yesterday at CHOSA, none of our kids came to class. When we went to the different houses to see where they might be, we discovered that they weren’t hiding in their rooms. At last we went to the art room and found them there, sketching pictures of rhinos and zebras. We explained to the woman that was supervising them that we were a part of an after school program and our program runs Mondays and Wednesdays 4-5:30. Not only was she rude, she felt that her program was more important than ours since she was paying one of the kids. She told us that she had been doing this program for three years (our has been running for six) and that she came all the way from America to run this program (I’m pretty sure we did the same thing). 

Personally, I have no problem with art programs for kids. In fact, as a poet, I encourage them. I understand how important it is for kids to be able to express themselves artistically, to relieve stress and voice their opinions about things going on in the world around them. The problem comes in when kids are enticed with money and made to think that financial gain is more important than education. What she fails to realize and what she is teaching these kids is that education will lead to financial gain, and not necessarily vice versa. It’s this type of thinking that continues to perpetuate the education gap both in South Africa and the U.S. Needless to say I left the conversation a little more than upset.

On another note, I’ve been spending quite a bit of time alone this week, reflecting and doing schoolwork (but more so reflecting). As much as I am an extrovert, I also need time to myself sometimes. I tend to pull away and get lost inside of my own head. It’s great to be around people, but I also love being by myself. It gives me time to make sense of my thoughts and the things that are going on around me. At times, being here in South Africa can still be overwhelming and I need time to be by myself and just process a few things. I can’t think straight when there are so many people around all the time and I tend to withdrawal from everyone and everything that is familiar until I have sorted out whatever I feel I need to sort out. I didn’t have any schoolwork due this week so it was a great time to just sit back, listen to some music, write, and think.

Despite my hermitic week, though, I’m excited to get out and have some fun with some friends this weekend. I’ve decided not to go whale watching this weekend, but rest assured, I will still be having fun! CIEE recently decided they would help out and pay for the trip…excellent! The problem I had with the trip after they took over is that it now includes a township tour.   I’ve discussed in several previous entries how I feel about township tours and after hanging out in the townships this past weekend, I think I feel even stronger about them now. I’d honestly rather watch whales from a shore in Cape Town than to go miles away and watch whales…and people.

Instead, since this Saturday is Heritage Day, I will be participating in different activities going on around the city. Friday, CHOSA is taking us to all of the different sites where they work and to a primary school in the township to talk to a few of the educators. Saturday I intend to go to family and friends day at Alexis’ host brother and sister’s elementary school and then head to Long Street for the “100,000 Poets” event that is going on. We’ve also been invited to a jazz event on Saturday night. Sunday, CHOSA will be having a pancake breakfast where we eat pancakes and do some petitioning for donations (please be looking out for those emails!). I’m excited about all that’s going on this weekend and I can’t wait to update you all on it soon.

Location: Rosebank, South Africa