Chapter 4???

Chapter the First was moving to SA & working in rural areas; Chapter the Second was moving to Cape Town; Chapter the Third was returning to the USA and then returning to SA; and Chapter the Fourth is couch surfing, undefined, future up in the air, nomadic.

Wednesday marked the end of 3rd Term at school and the end of my tenure in cousin Margaret's lovely Oranjezicht flat; and it marked the beginning of Spring Holidays and the beginning of my tenure on the various couches of various incredible friends. This week I'll be staying in Camps Bay with Adrian, nomad-cyclying-connoisseur of the Himalayas to the southern tip of Africa South. Next week, it will my papa who is coming to visit in Sea Point. The next... and the next... and the next... we shall see!

As a proper nester, this is so not my style. Yes, it is one thing to pack up and trek across continents, but it's another to be able to live out of suitcase when working as a professional in a western world. And to sponge from the generosity of lovely people and occupy their living rooms! But, I had to suck up my pride for this one. My bank account dwindling every day more, it seemed best to take up my friends' on their couch-hosting offers while I determine my next steps in this place.

Plans are swirling about in the air and there are options awaiting me again in the Free State, as an english teacher, as a student (obtaining a teaching certificate), and possibly even more freewheeling in the open landscape of this continent. For now, I am planning to embark on a one month Teaching English as a Foreign Language course at the beginning of October. It will force me to take some steps away from St. Paul's Primary but will allow me to follow more opportunity come the end of my time at the school in December. I see it as a test, as a chance to see how successful the library will be without me in it, handling it every day. It will give the school the opportunity to take it on fully - but still with me only an arm's reach away. Here's to hoping, and praying!

Still, even more adventure awaits at the beginning of November. I know, it was so predictable from the onset of me moving to SA, but my heart has been captured by that of a very nice lad, Johannes. I haven't seen him since we met in May as he lives building furniture and houses in Mozambique...but I will be joining him for a 2 week jaunt through the Drakensburg mountains of Lesotho (said: Le-soo-too) in November via motorbike. So potentially, another type of road to travel awaits me there. Let me just add that I cannot believe I'm hypothesizing about this on the www: just trying to provide a window into this little life of mine, so bear with me!

Now for those of you unaware, Lesotho is a small country landlocked within the confines of South Africa, a bit south of Johannesburg and west of Durban. Generally, located within the northeast part of the country's whole. Obviously there will be more to follow, but to give you a Lesotho preview (photo from http://www.africanbirdclub.org/countries/Lesotho/introduction.html):

A Year in Review - Words from You that Got Me Through!

Can you even believe it?! Today is one full year since I arrived in SA. I recall arriving with butterflies churning in my stomach and being picked up an hour late at the airport because my little cousin had a catastrophe with a hairbrush.

Yesterday the weather was perfect and I could recognize the distinctive tinge of cool wet in the air, a feeling so specific to my memories of South Africa - that, paired with a cup of tea. My South African friend Adrian said the only other place where he'd experienced this tinge in the air was the Himalayas.

So, I decided to undertake the huge task of going through all my old, personal emails from the last year. Not quite as fun as opening up old letters, but the content is certainly just as good! I thought I would share with you some of the words you all wrote in the past year - words that truly eased, aided, cushioned some very tough moments. Thank you all for that. Here is a brief [okay, maybe not so brief], edited collection of these writings:

oct. 5 - from kim: “I'm amazed, as always, by you. I could hear a calmness in your voice that revealed a deliberation quite unique: bravery that stems not only from confidence in yourself, but also in the people and places and encounters forthcoming. I adore you. …what impresses me more, is how much you respect this population, and how much you believe in their capacity to be empowered. That you are enabling others to become heroes…I don't want you to feel too solo over there, because everyday I feel like I'm still working side-by-side with you on our ever-shape-shifting mission to cultivate and celebrate communication and connection. Go team!

0ct. 18 - from cindy: “The Mt. Holly Autumn Fest is going on tomorrow. Its been dreary here today with misty rain and clouds. Supposed to be 60 degrees and a little windy tomorrow. I have thought about you often and wondered how you are and hope that you are safe! I just wanted you to know I was thinking of you. Thank you for your friendship and for always being so kind.”

Nov. 4 - from elisa: “I've been keeping up with your blog and am loving that i'm able to read about all of your experiences. i tried to comment on one of your posts …it was just to thank you for sharing your art with us. really, you're amazing. and i think you could turn your blog into a published book when you're back in the states, if you so desire. your language and your insights are invaluable. truly.”

Nov. 22 - From matt: “I hope you're having a marvelous birthday, and look forward to hearing your voice today. I will call you in a bit, but wanted to express my wishes in writing. You're a lovely sister and person, and you have a wonderful head.”

Jan. 20 - from Leigh: “on the home front, missed you especially at the holidays. had many days of cooking, some new recipes, two that stand out. tangerine sherbet, whoa. Scott said i get an A+. the second is pumpkin bread made with our pumpkins. yum, yum. at its best right out of the oven.”

Jan. 31 - from ryan: “Your teaching adventures sound great and like a wonderful challenge! It sounds like an amazing and complex place as well... the diversity sounds amazing and not surprising at all... can you imagine what it would be like growing up as one of these kids? say from Angola - where the language barrier is probably the greatest as opposed to say the difference btwn Xhosa and Zulu or even French to English...”

Feb. 27 - from sasha: “I'll be thinking of you tomorrow when I hike up the steep-ass grade of Fillmore Street on my way home from Lush. I still begrudge the day you introduced me to that magic stuff. I give them too much of my measly paychecks, and of course their location in San Francisco requires all but mountaineering skills to attain. But my skin thanks you (and my efforts) so every month I'm compelled to make the painful journey again.”

Mar. 6 - from Susannah: "if only you were here april 14: stereo total and leslie & the LYs are playing at cat's cradle in carrboro. i would only go with you! love and miss you.”

Apr. 2 - from Suzanne: “Thank you for your kind note and I hope things are going well for you. The paths are laid in the garden but we have had so much rain....not much has been planted yet. Scott has put in some lettuce, broccoli, radishes. Not sure what Leigh has put in yet.”

Jul. 30 - from mom: “i think about you all the time! i want to write to you and tell you about all the things that remind me of you constantly! thank you for the lovely memories. i have a new screensaver at work of an aerial picture of cape town....of course, i can pin point behind signal hill where you are at school too! it pains me to have left that all that beauty behind and to be back here.”

Aug. 25 - from Amber: “I wanted to say, that of all the volunteers we have had on the programme, judging from the people I spoke to when recently in Viljoenskroon, it was your trip had the most enduring impact on the community. I hope this makes you as proud as it does me.”

Aug. 28 - from dad: “I'm very proud of what you have done and how you have approached the entire effort. You know that I have a better idea than most of what you have put into your SA teaching experiences. So, take a deep breath, tell yourself you have done well, and then look forward, not back!”

Aug. 31 - from britt: “Hi sweet lady - I read your blog and want you to know how much I love you and am send happy happy thoughts to you. the stress of uncertainty is drowned out by your lovely words and amazing energy.”

Sept. 2 - from lynn: “Oh Shannon – what beautiful smiles on all those pictures. They are so proud to be part of the library. You certainly brought and completed a wonderful project to those children and parents. Have you taken time to say to yourself “GREAT JOB”. If not- please do.”

Sept. 2 - from paige: “Congrats on the opening of the Library. You should be so proud of yourself for completing that goal. Just think how much these kids will gain from thie opening and that you were a part of this accomplishment.”

Library Opening

The Library Opening took place on 2nd September, though the students officially started using the space on the 31st of August. For the first couple of weeks it was important for me to run orientation classes with each of the grades. Especially since so many of the learners in Grades R - 3 had never even been inside of one before! Not necessarily a huge fan of etiquette, it has been important to instill a reverence in the students for the quiet intensity needed in a library.

The students in Grades 4-7 immediately started checking out books, and man! if only I'd had a camera to capture the sweet look of delight on their faces at the checkout desk. Absolutely beautiful.

I'm post-dating this entry, but must say almost 4 weeks later, the students are giving way to the culture of reading. Every day during the 25 minute interval (break) I manage lines of 20-40 students coming back for more books. It is incredibly inspiring to see the students literally eating up the books.

I had waited to spend the monies raised from donations to fill the gaps where need be. Turns out the girls are longing for romance books and the boys for adventure. Plus, I've had the chance to see how students respond to contemporary non-fiction books with bright, bold pictures (as opposed to the antiquated 1970s volumes our library boasts). With this in mind, I've started making my purchases.

To give you an idea of the importance of filling cultural desires, someone donated 2 copies of a High School Musical book - the book is constantly out and everyday at least 5 students ask if it's been returned! Not usually one to go for the mass-market, I'm finding if a TV show is the reason a book goes into someone's hands, well, it's a job well done.

The pictures displayed show the activity in the library the day of the official Launch. We were written up in the Atlantic Sun, a small community newspaper (not online), which has already led to some more donations. The choir did a serious number singing in the library - it truly felt like the library received a blessing, an oral ablution. It was a good start to what I hope will be a lasting legacy for the school and it's learners.