Babalaas

This morning I am babalaas, which is an Afrikaans word meaning hungover. Every Wednesday night Projects Abroad organise a social to get the volunteers together. Last night we went to a great restaurant called Cubana in Newlands and then went on to a bar named Neighbourhood on Long Street. It was nice to meet some new people and as a result I forgot to set my alarm, overslept and missed the morning session at school!

When I got to school today I took a group of 10 year olds out onto the field and sat and read stories with them in the sunshine. It was lovely and I wish I had a photo to show you. Some of them weren't paying attention and didn't respect the reader with silence but the good children could read very well and they made it a really rewarding morning, gathering around me excitable and enthusiastic. I think they are always glad to get out of the classroom, and I also think that they find me a novelty. They play with my hair and stroke my arms, I believe because they haven't spent time with a white person before and want to check that I'm real!

I'm in the computer room now as I have become a typist for one of the teachers. I really don't mind though as I'm happy to do anything to help. In return she has promised to buy me a car when she wins the lottery. I have insisted that she shouldn't as my cars tend to get towed away! During the afternoon there have been I.T. classes and the computer teacher often leaves music playing from his own PC in the room. The children then sing along perfectly to every song, mainly western hip hop and pop. Music is such an important part of the children's lives and it is the only thing I have seen that can bring them together in harmony without them fighting, shouting, disobeying and ignoring. When music is in the room, it seems to override any activity or task that the children are doing.

In the staff meeting on Monday morning, the Principal mentioned that one of his 'informers' spotted me at the rugby stadium on Saturday wearing a Springboks jersey. I confirmed that I was there, but he refused to tell me who saw me. Now it is Thursday and he has finally informed me that he saw me himself when I appeared on South African TV. It turns out that a camera panned onto me and Callum after a try was scored!