A day in the life of...

I’ve been thinking for a while that it would be nice to write “A Day in the Life of…” blog post. While my life here may seem pretty normal and mundane to me, I have to remember that my definition of “normal” has a whole new scale! My day started out just like any other. Except, a typical day in Africa doesn’t usually turn out to be so typical. There are always twists and turns and surprises along the way. True to Africa fashion, my day was not what I expected.

I woke as the sun rose, shining through my window (which has been later and later as winter starts to creep in). My days start slow with a bowl of oatmeal and coffee. Lately, I’ve been watching an episode of Friends with breakfast. After 8 seasons, I feel as though I’m part of the gang with Joey, Chandler, Ross, Monica, Phoebe, and Rachel.  Walking to work, a man asked for my number and my hand in marriage (the usual).  I usually explain that I am a very expensive bride, “100 cows, please. And my father would like them shipped to America.” I have a 20 minute walk to the centre which is a nice way to start the morning, greeting everyone I pass on the way.  I did some office work before the electricity went out, made 30 pb&js for my girls club and was off to the high school with Mama Ruth, the lady who helps me with a lot of my projects. 

On Thursday afternoons, during the high school’s “sports day”, Mama Ruth and I do Grassroots Soccer with Grade 8. Today, our practice included me teaching the art of the limbo. (Limbo limbo limBO). After GRS practice, I hang around because my girls club meets after school.  I sat down with the teachers to watch the Grade 12 boys battle the Grade 10 boys in the term soccer tournament championship.  Grade 12 won in a shoot-out. Had I not known where I was, I might have thought I was at a World Cup game with the fans going crazy in song and dance, the losing team laying on the pitch, and the winning team doing victory moves.  Everyone migrated back to the school for the award ceremony and I took a seat in the back to watch. That is, I sat in back until the teacher announced, “And to show you what an important event this is, we have a representative all the way from America!” I was then asked to be front and center of the show, handing out medals. (And yes, I did come all the way from America just for the high school term 2 soccer tournaments).

My girls club meets in a classroom after school. Many other learners stay until 4 to “study” but since none of the teachers stay late to supervise, I am pretty sure they do everything but study. Half way through a contemplative activity where the girls closed their eyes to imagine their future, there was a raucous outside. All of the girls sprinted to the window to see what was going on. FIGHTTTT!!! Then, ladies and gentlemen, I broke up my first real live fight. You should all be proud, I escaped without a scratch.

My days usually end around 4 and I head home to run and do Jillian Michaels 30 day shred. (This is a new, ambitious routine; I have to get my Spain vaycay bod on). At night, I visit with my host family, watch shows on my laptop, read, and try to keep my eyes open until 10. I know- I’m going wild in South Africa staying up until 10pm!

And that’s a typical (loose definition used) day in the life of me. Hope you enjoyed!

Click here if you want to see adorable pictures that will make your heart melt: https://plus.google.com/photos/103971529395996876965/albums/5875531545426692417#photos/103971529395996876965/albums/5875531545426692417