Just call me Tume

Sorry about no recent updates; honestly, I have been either too busy or too lazy. I’ll try to do better in the future. Let’s see, since I last wrote…

Well, I have been given a South Africa name, Tumelo, Tume for short (I hope I am spelling it right), which means happy, as in they are happy to have me here and I am happy to be here. Things have been going nicely at school, I placed my grade 10 classes in new groups, and there has been much improvement. A few of my learners are trying to teach me Sepedi, and I am a terrible student of languages I have to say, but they are very patient. Also, I have been helping a few grade 12s from last year get ready for the matric in May. In addition, I visited another closeby high school Kwamhlanga High School and did a lecture on polymers that was kind of fun.

As for my move, I am living with a very nice woman, Poughie, (her son Karabo is away at boarding school), and we get along great. She is a great cook, and she is kind about my cooking skills, and we both love Generations ( the soapie from my last blog; here’s an update :the girl and her baby left town and did not marry the chief’s son, Samuel. The other young couple, Ajax and ?, are back together, but now the girl’s parents are getting divorced and she doesn’t know yet. And there is some big scandal about videotapes and embezzlement that I’m still trying to figure out, as well as one guy (who has new baby and a fiancé) is about to have an affair with this other woman… to be continued)

OK back to real life.. I finally did some real traveling. I visited the University of Pretoria’s Sci-Enza and met with the directors there, it was a very nice afternoon and I made some great contacts. I definitely will be back to take my learners there on a trip. They are planning on starting a new program “First Female in Family”; it’s to encourage families to support their daughters’ education. The idea behind the program is that research has shown that educating women passes more education on to the family and community in a broader way thaneducated males. It was a very interesting afternoon.

After this mini-trip was my venture into the Free State province to Clarens (see pics above). A beautiful place with gorgeous views in every direction and a little art galleries throughout the town. A fantastic place to visit; there is this cave church which is amazing, people travel from all over to go there, and then there is Golden Gate Park with breathtaking views. As pretty as the pics are, you really have to see it with your own eyes, think COLOR! No wonder artists love to come here.