Reveling in the shifting tides of a new year and the glory that comes with the end of school, I have been feeling a lot this month. November in America represents the turn of autumn into winter, straggling red and yellow leaves left to dangle in solitary on trees branches, Thanksgiving feasts and family gathering. And of course, for me, it represents another year in my life!
In South Africa it is entirely different. Nary a thought of Thanksgiving in mind, educators and students prepare for the end of a long year of study. Lunches and proms and award ceremonies have been dotting the weeks, summer steaming up as the first fires of the season bloom. The days are hot and everyone is anticipating a Christmas season that relates more to the holiday mentality we place on July 4th in the USA.
So with this, last weekend I was spoiled to trip away by Johannes. We rode by motorbike (my first ride ever!) to an area close to the southern tip of Africa, Cape Agulus (furthest south I've been yet). It was a magnificent weekend spent on a small farm holding set in the countryside. As you can see, I busied myself pretending to be artist Andy Goldsworthy, producing a floral object that relates more to a wreath than a takeover of color...I had intended to make something huge, but you see, the flowers kept wilting in the heat and the circle shrank and shrank and shrank!
My birthday was celebrated in many ways, including many phonecalls and cards and sneaky gifts from home. Additionally, my friends here joined for a braai hosted at my friend Christa's place in Camps Bay where we loaded a 12" grill with pounds of "wors" sausage and watched the sun set over the sea. Finally, Monday morning at school, my crew of Student Librarians threw a surprise breakfast for me. I entered the library only to see children climbing out of the bookshelves, hopping about a room taken over with streamers, balloons, candle light and, of course, chocolate cake! The teachers completed the occassion by singing happy birthday to me in English, Afrikaans, and Xhosa. So it was truly a weekend of spirit, of realizing that my efforts put into this place of Cape Town have turned it into something of a home, filled with people who love me!
And whilst I'm feeling so special, I've been able to participate in some even bigger things this week. St. Paul's hosted 2 awards ceremonies to celebrate the academic achievements and improvements made by students this year. I was included in the celebration and awarded 24 students - 12 librarians for their outstanding efforts and 12 literacy students for their improvement in our time together. To boot, I witnessed several of "my" librarians receive the honor of becoming Prefects for next year. We don't really have anything like prefects in the U.S., but they are students in the top level of the school chosen to help lead the rest of the school. A "Head" Girl and Boy are chosen and both were members of my library group. Leonora Rutsa was selected for Head Girl - she has been my right hand in the development of the library, requesting from me that I come to school to work on Saturdays! It was a real "mamma" moment for me to witness her up on stage, totally unaware of her award, burst into tears at the honor of her selection. I had 2 big fat tears of joy rolling down my cheeks. I don't think I've ever felt anything as selfless and giving about this kind of love and joy that I feel for my students. It is an eye-opener into the ways a child can unbuckle the heart.
I am feeling very emotional as the last 2 weeks of school quickly approach! There is so much to do, and so little time. The students are constantly barraging me with questions of how and why and won't I be able to stay next year??? It becomes more and more difficult to understand how I can leave this community, this holding where my heart has truly found a place. But at the end of the day, it will happen. It is my commitment and my personal financial capacity that has enabled me to sustain 12 months at this school and I am relaxing into remembering that. All I know is that there will be a lot of tear shed in the coming weeks and I am prepared!
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