Posts tagged ‘rorke’s drift’

Jan 27

A month in photos: January 2013

First weeks of teaching
Sesotho “coming of age” traditional ceremony for women
Sports “interhouses” (intramurals) at school and learners running barefoot along the gravel road in the summer African sun
Purchasing mobility (bikes) and attempting to bike back from Dundee to Rorke’s Drift (47 kms) with PCV friend Will, but failing. Pathetic on my part.

: My mom made all of these dresses that the mamas wore at the Sesotho coming of age ceremony.

Oct 27

Unfortunately, Halloween isn’t celebrated here, so there are no cute photos of little kids in costumes, but there are photos of…

Grade R graduation ceremony (which lasted three hours, with a guest speaker and all. It was quite amusing to watch the little ones squirm and pick their noses).
Walking to the closest PCV from my village, which is about a two-hour walk one-way.
Secondary school’s matric dance — the equivalent to high school prom — but during school hours. Grade 12s dress up, eat together in a decorated tent, listen to speakers and receive awards; parents attend the event also.
Weekend swimming at Buffalo River, close to Rorke’s Drift, with my fellow Americans.
A party at my mom’s house to “cleanse” her sister-in-law a year after her husband passed away. Traditionally, after the funeral and memorial, the family gets together at anytime, slaughters a cow, bakes and eats a lot of food and sweets, the men drink and everyone enjoys each other’s company.

: Yathi — the learner in the middle — is my grade six host brother; he is singing a traditional song

: UMama wami (my mom) decorating for Grade R grad. Couldn’t ask for a better picture to describe her personality!

: Neat toy my host brother made for the younger one out of wire from the chicken coop and old cans

: No big deal, just a cobra. The snake literally came onto my doorstep and I closed my door just in time before it could come into my hut…

: Bro-ing out with the boyz. Will (PCV), myself and Will’s two German friends he found in rural SA (he speaks German too, so when I’m with them I get Zulu and German. In Africa. I find it pretty comical)