School was cancelled on Friday. The children had no idea why. I did. I told them. The classroom erupted with cheers and screams and laughter, and I was literally thrown backwards by the children bombarding me with hugs, pinning me to the blackboard. This was then followed by “Miss? What’s a funfair?”…so funny how they get excited about things they don’t even know the meaning of! I think it only comes once a year, but it means an actual source of entertainment! Something which Mthatha lacks.
Now I would like to introduce you to something known as ‘Africa Time’; something that is becoming all too familiar to me! Everything always takes FOREVER here! With the bustling streets and impatient driving, you would have thought that everyone here would be doing things quickly, but it seems people are actually realising they’re 3 hours late and are trying to get to wherever it is quickly. For anyone who knows me well enough, you know that I fit in here perfectly, haha!
The taxi that was meant to arrive at 9:30 to pick up the children actually arrived at 12:30 – AFRICA TIME! I travelled in the trailer part at the back of the Thembelihle vehicle, kind of half standing/sitting/kneeling in it, with 7 other people – something that I'm sure would be illegal back in the UK! For once though, it was nice not to be stared at for being white (I stick out like a sore thumb here), but for being with a completely mental bunch of amazing kids, singing off the top of our lungs and blowing the eardrums out of everyone we passed with a whistle - SO much fun!!! When we arrived, we had to wait about 45 minutes (AFRICA TIME) until we were allowed in! But the kids loved it, even though it was the most rusty and uncomfortable fair ever! What was quite funny was that they hadn’t censored ‘Riverside’, even at a kiddie’s funfair! But a good time was had by all.
A massive thanks to Rotary for paying for the children’s tickets J
No comments:
Post a Comment