Day 1
Sydney to Tsakane
When we pulled up to the airport on Friday morning we were feeling nervous and excited yet ready for what we had been preparing for for the last six months. South Africa here we come, next stop Johburg… So we thought. A late night protest by custom officials at Johannesburg airport delayed our transit for a further three hours.
Although Sr Sheila had been waiting for four hours she still greeted us with a huge grin and embraced us all, welcoming us to South Africa.
It was an hour bus ride to Kopanang in Tsakane in which we all slept. We were woken by the beautiful voices of the Kopanang women which filled us all with instant appreciation and tears of happiness. They sang and clapped us into the project where a delicious home cooked meal was waiting for us. The joy and enthusiasm of all the women made us feel like we were home. We were then taken back to our houses with our host mothers to meet our host families. This was an exciting experience for all of us as we had been anticipating meeting these beautiful people for so long. As we had been awake for 24 hours we all were very tired and decided to get an early night.
Day 2
We woke up well rested to a traditional breakfast of Kellogs cornflakes and vegemite on toast. Logan, our bus driver picked from us up from our houses and drove us to Parkview, an affluent suburb in Johburg. The contrast between the haves and have nots became overwhelmingly apparent to us. The gentrified area made us feel closer to Sydney than South Africa. It was uncomfortable to see this, knowing that a few blocks over many people are living in poverty.
It was National Heritage Day colloquially known as Braai Day, the South African word for BBQ. There was music, BBQs, markets and incredibly well dressed people everywhere, proudly showcasing their culture.
Our tour of Constitution Hill was our first introduction to South Africa’s grim past under the apartheid regime. We learnt about the institutionalised denial of basic human rights and the abhorrent treatment of black prisoners who were completely stripped of their dignity. This was in contrast to the new Constitution Court which was established to ensure equality and justice for all. This was physically represented through all aspects of the architecture of the building. Most poignantly, the bricks that were used to build the courtroom came from the walls of the old holding cells, remembering the past in paving the way for the future.
This was an enriching experience and the emotion of the day left us completely exhausted. We returned to the smiles of our host mothers back in Tskane and promptly fell asleep.
Day 3 – Tsakane
Although it was only the second day waking up with our host families, it’s already starting to feel like home.
Attending church at St. Paul’s Tsakane was something to remember. We could hear the music as soon as we got off the bus and inside it was truly alive. The passion and enthusiasm of all of the members of the congregation was truly uplifting and in stark contrast to the solemn services delivered back home. The choir did not stop. They sang, swayed and drummed through two hours of service. To us it felt like two minutes. In fact so good was the singing that we were all feeling incredibly nervous at the prospect of having to get up and perform our own item.
We knew we wouldn’t match the talent of St Pauls, but we gave it our all anyway. We danced and sang to ‘stop’ by the spice girls and despite some minor choreographic mishaps we were pretty proud of our efforts.
The afternoon, by comparison, was much more relaxed. We returned to Kopanang where we played soccer with a few of our host brothers, ate a pizza lunch and watched a movie with our host mothers.
When we got home we played in the streets of our neighbourhood. It was incredible that something so simple was so much fun. Playing soccer, meeting new friends, playing cards, even visiting the local store was great. It really made us appreciate the company we were in and the similar yet completely different experiences we were having.
Each of us already have so many stories to tell when we get back home.
Day 4 – Tsakane to Montebello
Saying goodbye to our host family was a little bit sad but it was nice to know we will be returning back to them soon. On the bus we were all ‘buzzing’ and ‘vibing’ with each of us telling stories from the previous evening. We also had an enthusiastic round of bus Karaoke.
Even though the bus ride was long (8 hours), spirits were high and excitement was building at the prospect of arriving at Montebello.
As we pulled through the gates we noticed the words “laudare, praedicare, benedicere” and more singing ensued. It felt like a little bit of Santa Sabina.
We were incredibly touched by the welcome we received from the sisters. They seemed so appreciative to have us here, but really it is us who are appreciative of the experiences we are being offered. Their generosity is truly humbling.
The sisters all introduced themselves and sang for us. We ate together, spoke about our lives and then retired from a long journey.
Isabella Vatovec and Emily Muirhead
Day 5 – Montebello
As we all readied ourselves for our first full day at Our Lady of the Rosary, Montebello, we were all feeling a mixture of nerves and excitement. As we ate breakfast we all tried to grab some last minute teaching tips from the sisters. They said to enjoy it and most of all to be ourselves.
We were greeted by the students in the typical South African way, a chorus of 500 voices singing a traditional hymn in Zulu. What a way to start the day, needless to say it sounded beautiful.
Time to teach and I for one was terrified. Would the students like the lesson? Would they understand my explanations? Would I do my mother proud and live up to the Bachmann standards?
The answer was yes. After three lessons it was fair to say that our preparation and hard work had paid off. The students appreciated and enjoyed what we shared with them. I think we may have made a few new friends too.
Conducting these lessons also allowed us to see some of the disparities in educational opportunities between Australia and South Africa. Although the teachers at Montebello were fantastic, the extremely limited resources and large class sizes made the learning process difficult. It really made us appreciate how lucky and privileged we are as students.
In the afternoon we walked down from the school to the orphanage, about a kilometre away. We had organised to paint a mural as well as a few activities to share with the children there. Face painting, paper airplane making, hop scotch and skipping were all a hit until it turned dark. There was no power at the orphanage, which was an inconvenience for us but a daily occurrence for them. The long hallways and cold, lifeless atmosphere topped off this depressing place. It was so sad.
We played a few hand games with the students as well as a few rounds of ‘what’s the time mister wolf?!’ before heading back to our rooms. We knew we’d be back tomorrow which was of some comfort to us all.
Today was filled with different learning experiences that we were all very grateful to have. Some were confidence building and others offered a perspective on our own advantage that few of us had considered before. We were all asked that night “what was the gift we wished to give?”, for me it was about the exchange of knowledge and understanding. I know I learnt a lot and I hope that those I was with were able to learn something from me as well.
Emily Snoch
Day 6 – Seven Oaks Primary School & Montebello
We left Montebello for Seven Oaks early in the morning in dreary weather. Today we would be back in the classroom engaging with the children doing different activities and games. As we approached Seven Oaks we were all struck by the isolation of the school. To think that this was an area where young children came each day to learn more than surprised us. However, the children didn’t let the wet weather, barbed wire on the fences or remote location stop them from giving us waves and warm smiles. As usual, they also sang and danced to welcome us. Their beautiful voices cut through to all our hearts and once again we reflected on the power of song and music as a way of sharing emotions and feelings. The happiness that the children exuded was infectious and we were beaming it right back. Our own ‘stop’ performance and impromptu singing of ‘Baby’ by Justin Bieber seemed to pale in comparison, though we were still met with an enthusiastic response and all parties were in high spirits.
Before we started our lesson we were taken to a path which led us to the staircase which many of the children took to travel to school each day. The cliff we arrived at overlooked the valleys below and it was the most magnificent view. It left all of us awestruck and snapping away on our cameras. It was truly the most picturesque and majestic view we had seen so far.
The steepness of the staircase that ran down the face of the cliff equally shocked us, a point that we only truly appreciated after trying to climb down it ourselves. Incredibly, prior to 2006, when these stairs were built, the children would have to climb up and down the bare rocks of the cliff to get to school. We were all very shocked to learn this and many of us, who are driven to school each day, were quite affected by the juxtaposition and difference of our lives. This was point was furthered when we saw the footwear that the children had on. Many had just sandals or shoes with the soles separating and we realised that they would be climbing the stairs and traveling the valleys in ill fitting and uncomfortable footwear.
We had a lot of fun with the students at Seven Oaks making dream catchers, bracelets, paper hats and masks with the students.
We eventually departed but not before a bit of hospitality from the Dominican sisters. Cake and tea all round.
Back at Montebello we returned to the orphanage to keep working on our mural. My impressions of the orphanage was that it was not in great condition nor did it seem like an environment which little children and teenagers should be growing up in. Even when starting our painting of the mural we were struck by the metaphorical absence of light. There was still no electricity available so we were literally painting in the dark. Of course we still saw the happiness of the children when we were playing and interacting with them. Overall our 6th day was a long and jam packed day with beautiful views but also saddening realities of the many children of seven oaks and the orphanage.
Suzie Kang
Day 7 – Montebello
Imagine standing at the top of a mountain, looking out onto the valley below. It’s a crisp, sun filled morning and everything is still. There is a peacefulness in the air and you can see for miles. This is how Thursday began for a handful of us, with Mr Robertson offering to take us for an early morning run. It was beautiful and left us all feeling refreshed. Well, mostly refreshed but a little puffed at the same time.
We were back in the classroom after breakfast with a visit to both the primary and high schools. While the students and teachers were happy, you couldn’t help but notice how crammed it was. 62 students in one class was overwhelming and made me think how lucky I am to have the opportunity at school to learn in a comparatively comfortable environment. At the same time, it was inspiring to see how eager the students were to learn and how committed the teachers were to their students. I was surprised to learn that the students cover many of the same topics we cover back home, however, on reflection this all made sense given that the geography lesson we sat in on was all about globalisation.
The highlight of the day was definitely our visit to the crèche. The children there were adorable and were happy to play with us for a few hours. They especially loved having their faces painted and taking turns trying to jump over the skipping rope. However, it was the sisters at the crèche who stole the show, their skipping ability clearly superior to ours.
Sister Gerome led us on an afternoon walk around her village. Just like in the morning the views were spectacular, however this time we shared them with a few of the student borders who accompanied us on the walk. We chatted about music, school and found that we all shared a lot in common, in fact after only two hours walking together it felt like we had known each other for years.
The hardest part of the day, and maybe even the trip so far, was our last visit to the orphanage. Saying goodbye to those children was heartbreaking. We knew we would be going back to our families but these children only had each other. They had greatly enjoyed the time we had spent together and the fun had. We could tell this because upon leaving everyone started to cry. It was incredibly emotional and all of us were left feeling a little hollow.
Our spirits were lifted at night when we had our final dinner with the Dominican Sisters of Montebello. Yes, there was more singing but we also had a few laughs making rosary bracelets together.
Charlotte Forester
Day 8 – Montebello to Tsakane
Today we woke up
at 5am in an attempt to watch the sunrise over the mountains. However, the early fog was too strong to be able to see the view. Despite this we enjoyed the morning walk together.
We then walked back to our dorms to pack up before having our last meal with the sisters. This was an emotional time for everyone as we realised it would be the last time we would all be together. It was hard to say goodbye after forging such close relationships with the sisters over the past few days. We shared so many memories together that we will forever cherish. We are all so grateful for their hospitality and generosity over the last couple of days. They welcomed us with love and compassion and we will be forever thankful for welcoming us into their school.
One goodbye was followed by another as the primary school children had gathered outside the gate for a final farewell. Again, it was very hard to say goodbye to the children as they had welcomed us so warmly. We will always remember how they opened their hearts and lives to us. Not one of us expected that Montebello would leave such a profound impact on us. We are so grateful for this experience and opportunity to forge close friendships with our sister school.
Leaving Montebello was very sad, however we all hope to visit soon. We then departed Montebello for an 8 hour drive back to Tsakane. We arrived at Tsakane late afternoon and were greeted by our host families.
We spent the afternoon playing with the kids on the street and catching up after a week apart. We all love playing on the street and seeing the kids laugh and smile. It continues to fill everyone with a sense of happiness and fulfillment. We are constantly amazed by how friendly the community is and their generosity. We continue to build so many memories together and learn about each other’s culture. The community is always so happy and continue to bring so much joy and happiness into our lives. Their strength, hope and resilience has continued to inspire us as a group and make us appreciate all there is in life.
Day 9 – Tsakane – Pilansberg National Park
A 4am wake up saw us all struggle on to the bus, still half asleep. However, despite the tired and drained faces we all couldn’t contain our excitement for what the day’s adventure had in store for us. We were heading out on Safari, hoping to see the Big 5 – Elephants, Rhinos, Hippos, Buffalo and Lions.
It was one of our shorter bus trips, only taking 3 ½ hours. On the drive into the park, Logan our knowledgeable bus driver, pointed out our first animal, a white Rhino nibbling on some grass. Everyone screamed with excitement, a reaction that had been forbidden at the start of the day due to the likelihood the animals would be frightened off. We each controlled ourselves and continued on the track to our rendezvous point, seeing Wildebeest, Zebras and Impalas. We hadn’t even started our safari and we had already seen 4 beautiful animals.
Spotting a few packs of Zebras and Baboons thrilled everyone, but it wasn’t until a humungous, dusty Elephant came strolling out of the bushes right towards us that we all lost our minds. Still, we kept calm remembering our strict instructions for silence and calm.
This was just one of the many up close encounters we had throughout the day. Packs of Zebras, Impalas and Wildebeest became the norm while three Giraffes, a herd of Elephants, Kudus, Crocodiles, Hippos and Warthogs were further highlights. The day was unbelievable and we felt so lucky to see so many beautiful animals in their natural habitat. Even though we didn’t see a Lion or a Cheetah that did not matter, our spirits were high from a day in hot, dusty nature.
We piled back on the bus and despite our best efforts to share photos and swap highlights of the safari, we promptly fell asleep, completely drained from the excitement and activity of the day.
Talking together with our host families at night reminded us once again of what an incredible experience we are having. Seeing wild African animals, eating new foods, making new South African friends are all daily occurrences. Sometimes you have to pinch yourself to remind yourself that you are not in some exotic dream.
Maddie Tilyard and Amy Blissenden
Day 10 – Tsakane – Johannesburg
This morning we drove to the township of Soweto to attend the Sunday morning Mass at Regina Mundi church. The South-West Township (So-We-To) carries the history of the Apartheid movement, being the site of many significant protests and the home of the underground anti-apartheid movement. While apartheid ended over 20 yeas ago, the scars and effects of that era were still obvious through the dilapidated housing and many monuments to apartheid martyrs.
The service at Regina Mundi was beautiful and once again the singing made us all feel welcome and apart of the South African community. The homily delivered by the priest was also very inspiring and allowed us to reflect on the meaning and purpose of our faith. After the service a few of us had a look around the church and we were able to see the bullet holes and damage from a police ransacking of the church at the height of the anti apartheid movement. Regina Mundi was the location for many of the secret protest meetings and often housed wanted persons from the police. It was no wonder the authorities wanted to see this beautiful place destroyed.
We visited the Hector Peiterson Memorial where we learnt about the events of the 16th of June 1976. On that day a peaceful student protest turned violent when the police opened fired on a group of participating children. This reaction from the police claimed the first victim of the apartheid resistance, a young boy by the name of Hector Pieterson. While he became the symbol for the anti-apartheid movement, that day in Soweto ended with a death count of 600 children. Such a shocking event ended up becoming a significant turning point in the road to freedom, with attitudes hardening country wide against the apartheid regime. The Museum dedicated to the Soweto Massacre was very confronting and triggered different emotions such as anger, confusion and sadness for all of us. I left in dismay of how the event became so violent and lead to the death of so many innocent children. The visit to the museum shook us all and was an extremely educational and moving experience.
Next stop was the Apartheid Museum, another truly difficult experience. As we arrived at the gates to enter, each of us were given a ticket labelled either ‘white’ or ‘non-white’. This card determined which entrance into the museum we were to take and was meant to offer a small insight into the segregation under apartheid. From here we explored the museum and discovered the events of the Apartheid Movement, starting way back at South Africa’s colonial history and moving until 1994 with the end of apartheid. The most confronting aspect of the museum for me was the video footage revealing the violence between the police and the anti-apartheid protestors. The brutality on both sides was horrific and indiscriminant, and is something that I, growing up in safe and stable Australia, had never imagined could be done by one human to another. The museum even displayed graphic footage from the first attempted assassination of the prime minister, which left me feeling shocked and disgusted.
Finding my way through the museum allowed me to learn and understand the history of South Africa, which in turn allowed me to better sympathise with the women of Kopanang. Although this is the new South Africa, the affects of this time still run deep and are evident in the lives of all of the women and people we have met. Understandably, by the end of the visit we felt drained due to the extensive amount of information and the overwhelming emotions that came from it.
Many of us had a quick nap on the way back from the museum to rejuvenate for a fun night with our families at home. Upon returning home from the day we were able to play with our brothers and sisters and other street kids. The longer we are here the more at home we feel. We now engage in deeper conversations with our host mothers and play more comfortably alongside our brothers and sisters.
Overall the day was extremely educational, inspiring and engaging. It helped us to put in context the struggle that many people in South Africa still experience. The information we learnt allowed us to understand the history of South Africa on a much deeper level, however, like many of South Africans themselves, we all still have so many unanswered questions.
Kate Gallagher
