Hello Friends!
Sorry it has taken so long for me to update you! A lot has been going on!
I can't believe it has already been a month since I got here! Not much time before my mom is here to travel with me to Cape Town and then we will be headed on our way to West Palm Beach, Florida!
I can't believe it has already been a month since I got here! Not much time before my mom is here to travel with me to Cape Town and then we will be headed on our way to West Palm Beach, Florida!
Monday
November 15
School was back to normal, tea break was normal around 10:15 and the day carried on. The girls started a cooperative learning assignment in which they were organized into groups to discuss a particular sea animal. It was very interesting because the girls rarely work in groups and interact in such a way during a lesson. It was really interesting to see which personalities took the lead and which followed along! They discussed their sea animal in their group and what they found out about that animal. Each group became ‘experts’ in their group and then they each presented a small fact about that animal to the class and were able to answer questions from their fellow peers. It was so cute! We are still sharing up in to Thursday of the week since the girls brought in items, created posters and researched so well! After school Sherryl took me home and I quickly changed and ran to the gym. Here is a picture I snuck on my iPhone at the gym!
Tuesday
November 16
School was on a normal break but we did have play practice! It is getting down to the wire now! They will be performing for the pre-primaries on Monday! On Thursday, they get to practice fully dressed in their costumes! So exciting! Be patient for pictures!
After school I participated in a Sport Event which was for girls in grade 3-7 (I believe) who have participated in a sport of some type that year. It was similar to a field day in the US except more fun! There were a little less than 200 girls who participated! Marvine and Janine organized everything and created an event full of 14 fun activities. Each activity station had a staff member running it, who had clues to the next activity! It was so cute! They did such a great job. Each team was a mixture of grades 3-7 and they used the clues to find the next station. I had an envelope of clues that led to the station where there was flour and nylons involved haha. Seemed fun, the clue to get to my station was something about how I was on the netball court and something about an American waiting for them! It was so funny, girls at the school who are in senior-primary obviously don’t know me but as soon as I spoke they were all sure they were at the right station! I ran a station with a game I learned at the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids! The game is called builders and bulldozers, and I split the team into two groups: the builders and the bulldozers. I set out a whole bunch of cones and the goal is for the builders to build as many cones the right way up and the bulldozers to knock them down to be upside-down. Each rotation had 3 minutes to complete the task. Once the three-minutes were up, I would yell FREEZE! I counted who built or bulldozed the most cones but everyone was a winner since they are on the same team! The team earned their sticker for my station, received the next clue and went on their way! Afterwards there was hot dogs and juice for all the girls! It was so fun!
Builders and Bulldozers!
This was a funny one! The girls had to put tights on their head and in the bottom of the tights there was a ball, they had to use that like an elephant's trunk and knock over a 2 liter bottle filled with water! Hilarious!
After school I participated in a Sport Event which was for girls in grade 3-7 (I believe) who have participated in a sport of some type that year. It was similar to a field day in the US except more fun! There were a little less than 200 girls who participated! Marvine and Janine organized everything and created an event full of 14 fun activities. Each activity station had a staff member running it, who had clues to the next activity! It was so cute! They did such a great job. Each team was a mixture of grades 3-7 and they used the clues to find the next station. I had an envelope of clues that led to the station where there was flour and nylons involved haha. Seemed fun, the clue to get to my station was something about how I was on the netball court and something about an American waiting for them! It was so funny, girls at the school who are in senior-primary obviously don’t know me but as soon as I spoke they were all sure they were at the right station! I ran a station with a game I learned at the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids! The game is called builders and bulldozers, and I split the team into two groups: the builders and the bulldozers. I set out a whole bunch of cones and the goal is for the builders to build as many cones the right way up and the bulldozers to knock them down to be upside-down. Each rotation had 3 minutes to complete the task. Once the three-minutes were up, I would yell FREEZE! I counted who built or bulldozed the most cones but everyone was a winner since they are on the same team! The team earned their sticker for my station, received the next clue and went on their way! Afterwards there was hot dogs and juice for all the girls! It was so fun!
Builders and Bulldozers!
Wednesday
November 17
Today I helped out in my grade one classroom and as soon as it was break time headed to Marvine’s class in pre-primary to sub for her the rest of the day! Marvine has a student from Michigan! She just moved here recently. It was a pleasure to work with them and they were so cute! They finished up some center work, did a puzzle, played outside while I had recess duty in one of the gardens! The girls made sure I was aware of what was going on and that I didn’t skip a beat! They also told me, “Miss Godmar, you can swing if you like, teachers can swing too!” So indeed, I swung!
After school, I participated in a swimming gala. I just gave slips to the timers to record scores and ran those scores back to the score table! Not much but helped out where I could! The pool is very nice and the girls swam well! It was fun, and I got to work with Leigh too! :)
School Pool
After school, I participated in a swimming gala. I just gave slips to the timers to record scores and ran those scores back to the score table! Not much but helped out where I could! The pool is very nice and the girls swam well! It was fun, and I got to work with Leigh too! :)
School Pool
I went home and got ready for sushi night with Leigh and Marvine! We had another successful sushi night! No movie tonight, nothing good was out!
Thursday
November 18
Sherryl was sick today! I was trusted with her classroom for the day! My lucky day, first day of dress rehearsal for the play! AHH! It was fine though! Plus seven girls were absent! This sickness is going around! Her classroom is great and two moms came to help get the girls ready for the rehearsal. The day went so well! I was very happy and excited that I am getting some time to work in new environments and be a sub in another country nonetheless! After school I went to the gym and came home in time to Skype with Patrick. Patrick just got an internship at Colorado Springs Airport for a year! So proud of him! He just graduated from Western Michigan University with a degree in Aviation Science and Administration!
Yay Patrick!
He is starting in January. I haven’t spoke to him about it or anything since they flew him out there for the second interview. Once we were on Skype all of a sudden, internet went down! AH!
In South Africa, you pay for internet by purchasing a certain amount of gigs per month, or having no capacity on it which is quite expensive. They don’t have bundles like we do, mind you I just got my cable/internet "bundled deal" bill for my empty apartment this month.. a whopping 70 bucks! But anyways, we must have hit the capacity on the internet and it was down! I feel so bad because I am sure I am the cause, even though I have been very mindful of not downloading (music, iTunes, iPhone apps) like I usually do at home! And keeping my usage to Skype, email, blog and of course Facebook!
Friday
November 19
Sherryl is still sick today! Oh no! So again I was able to step in her classroom! Today it is picture day for the play! Except, we had 10 girls absent in Sherryl’s classroom! So many girls are sick! I hope they are resting up for the big play next Wednesday evening! Marvine has taken me home the past few days! Thank you! After school I was going to go to a braai (BBQ) with Melody for her friend Adrian. I was feeling really exhausted from the week and wanted to Skype Patrick and my family instead, so I stayed home. I also got to talk to Meg and Amy! :)
Saturday & Sunday
November 20 and 21
Saturday morning I slept in and woke up not feeling so well. Seems like the weeks I have avoided getting sick, I caught the bug! Sherryl couldn’t get me into her family doctor but was able to get me to see her daughter’s father in-law who is a doctor and went to his home. His eldest son was there who is also a doctor and his girlfriend who is studying to be a doctor. So I had three doctors throw in their two cents, write me a script and send me on my way! Was very nice and I didn’t have to hassle with an office and paperwork of being in another country! Sherryl and I picked up my meds at the pharmacy and headed home where I went back to bed. I was supposed to go to a concert for a band called Goldfish with Melody Saturday night and missed out on that. :( This weekend was a blur of illness, I spent so much time in bed sleeping and with the most awful headache the days run together. Melody made me a little get well bag to remind me of home and Sherryl got me flowers too! I have the best South African family ever! Thank you, you are too sweet!
My beautiful flowers from Sherryl!
So thoughtful! They don't have Starbucks here
My beautiful flowers from Sherryl!
Get well - from Mel!
Monday
November 22
I woke up this morning for school and still felt awful! My headache won’t leave me! Off to the doctor! Sherryl and I went today because she was not feeling well yet either! This time we were able to get in to her family doctor. He told me to keep up with my meds I have been on, prescribed me another med, gave me a Vitamin B-12 shot and sent me on my way free of charge! I have had some bad luck in the past but have been very fortunate in other ways that make up for it! I came home and went straight to bed. The doctor wants me to be off tomorrow to rest up and build my immune system so that I don’t go back and get worse… Oh man, it is no fun being sick!
Only 8 more teaching days left at Collegiate :(
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I am celebrating on Friday :)
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! I am celebrating on Friday :)
More updates soon!
xoxo
Miss Godmar
Thanks for the update and pictures. Wow, that pool is spectacular.
ReplyDeleteI hope you are feeling better and get to go out and about this weekend.
Love you!! Mom