On Monday I was supposed to go to school to help prepare for the Learner’s Retreat, an overnight trip Tuesday to a local Holiday Resort for the 12-15 best learners in each of 3 local Primary schools. However, David never called me and I had no idea what to expect for the next 2 days. Luckily my little brother, Lebo, was invited to attend, so from his letter I knew we had to be at school at 6:30am.
Tuesday morning Lebo oversleeps and rushes to pack while I have coffee in the house with host mom. A friend of Lebo’s, Oratile, comes by at 6am with his granny. She demands to know why Oratile wasn’t invited to this outing and expects me to call David to get permission for him to come too. I calmly explained that it was only the top 4 learners from each grade who were chosen to go, and unfortunately Oratile didn’t make the cut. She was upset that I wouldn’t call David, but I didn’t care. No one had any airtime (calling minutes) loaded on their phones, so we didn’t disturb the Principal.
Lebo and I made it to school at half past 6, and sat and waited for the bus. And waited. And waited. A woman from the School’s Governing Board, SGB, wonders over and sits near me. We continue to wait, I know things are always slow and running late, but by 9am I’m furious. I’m saying goodbye to Lebo and picking up my bag to go home when the bus rounds the corner. No explanation, no apology, nothing. We drive to the resort, about an hour away, and see that Mpho’s school has brought a few learners too. There are three schools total, and we’re waiting on the third to arrive. So the kids go play and Mpho and I talk with some ladies from our schools. Finally, the third school and the Principals all arrive, by now it’s NOON.
The Principals tell Mpho and I that we’re supposed to be leading this Leadership Retreat, and don’t we have a program made up? Of course we don’t, and we get some hateful looks when we refuse to sit down and actually write out a program of events for the retreat. Mpho gave a great explanation about Leadership and types of leadership and encouraged the kids to prove themselves as leaders in school, academics and sports. We had to have the ladies translate everything because these leaders have poor English skills. Also, at least one kid couldn't write his name and 2 had never used a flush toilet before.
During lunch we discussed the agenda, brainstormed some games we could play with the kids, and resigned ourselves to being in charge of everything. After lunch, we had to run the kids out of the pool (petty sure that’s the only reason some agreed to come to this) and I lead a couple of games while Mpho went with his Principal to Vryburg for balls, Frisbees and sweets for the kids. At the official pool time, the boys all loved playing with Mpho, he’d throw them around and let them cling to his back while he swam under water. We tried to explain the basics of blowing out of your nose to keep water from going up it but I think it was a little advanced.
After dinner we’d planned to show a movie and send the kids off to bed, but the power was off so it was all hands on deck trying to organize the sleeping arrangements. The adults are doubled up in rooms with 2 twin beds; the kids will all be given foam mattresses to sleep in the conference room we’ve been using. Somewhere it was decided that the girls and the boys should not sleep together so all the girls would be divided up to sleep on the adult’s rooms floors. That put 7 extra girls in each room. I didn’t really mind it, I approve of the splitting of the genders, but if they’d have put the boys in the men’s rooms it would have only been 5 extra kids each. No one appreciated my math.
Trying to get mattresses and everything organized took forever, as everything in this country does. I waited until my room was full before I went in. I may have been the worst camp counsellor because all I said was “Everybody brushed their teeth? Okay, goodnight” and laid down. When the lights came on almost 2 hours later and the girls turned the TV on I made them turn it off again and go to sleep.
My adult roommate was outside and came in to bed at midnight. She woke us all up at 5:30am to get ready for the day. The girls left to return their mattresses and shower in the camping area, and I had my own nice hot shower in the room. With plenty of time before breakfast the kids played outside. My adult roommate was upset that we had to wait so long for breakfast and the kids were being so loud. I asked her "What did you expect? You woke us all up this early, it's your own fault." South Africans generally don't appreciate this "straight American talk" and she was no exception.
After breakfast Mpho's Principal addressed the kids, encouraging them to work hard, study diligently and be good leaders. We played one or two more games, then released everyone to the pool. After lunch we all boarded the bus and waited (of course) before we could go home. The driver had a sense of humor and indulged the kids by hitting a few potholes, we were completely airborne once, but we all got home safely. Overall it was a fun time and great to see the learners becoming so empowered. I'm sure we'll all have a great year at school!
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