Goodbye Africa, thanks for the memories

COUNTRY: Southern Africa (Swaziland, Mozambique & South Africa)
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Elise Dean-Jones

Friends, it has come to the final stage of our trip to Southern Africa, and we couldn’t be sadder to leave.

The last blog post left you with the end of our first week in Cape Town, so here’s what we've been up to in the 3 weeks since then.

Every weekday we caught a cockroach up to our crèches, where a typical day during holiday time would involve reading stories, singing songs (some we learnt in Swaziland and taught to the kids here), playtime, lunch and then putting the kids down for a nap, which was our cue to leave for the day. We found that the kids here knew a lot more English than those in Swaziland, so when it did come time to teach or read stories the children could follow along much more easily. Despite their knowledge of the language, they sometimes chose to ignore us teachers until we offered incentives like stickers!

Unlike the others placements, our school doesn't have any electricity. This is problematic during winter mornings, where it can get very dark. So towards the end of the trip Lydia, Rosie and I all pitched in to buy some rechargeable lights for the classroom that Liesel- the principal- could charge at home when not in use at school. When we brought them in she told us "You are now bringing light into 74 people's lives", which is something I think will stay with us for a very long time.

After volunteering at our crèches in the mornings, we had the option to join in on some afternoon volunteer work around Hout Bay and Imizamo Yethu. On Monday and Thursday afternoons, a group of high school boys from the township come together to discuss ethical and moral issues within the community. We got to join in and discuss our opinions on different topics such as differences, relationships, life choices etc. I think I can say for all of us that it was a really enlightening experience to hear the boys' ideas and their positive attitudes - we could really learn a lot from each other. As a special treat we also got to take the boys on an excursion to the Cape Town Science Museum, which we all thoroughly enjoyed.

The after-school care club didn't start up again until our last week in Cape Town, during which some of us volunteers helped to re-paint the exterior walls of the main building and also donated some paint for the logo to be printed on the wall. All the staff were very impressed and so grateful that we could do this for them, and it certainly gave us immense joy to help!

Josh and I plus a few friends volunteered some of our time at a soup kitchen run by a woman called Mirriam, who twice a week serves bread and soup from the back of a car to the hungry people living in the community. She shared a story with us that a young boy had told her the reason he stole was because he was hungry and didn't have any money for food. This made her more determined to have the soup kitchen running not just twice a week, but nearly everyday, as it would not only feed people but would hopefully eradicate most of the crime in Imizamo Yethu. Us volunteers were so inspired by what she was doing that we collectively donated some money to her cause, surprisingly the equivalent to what she would receive in a month from the government. She was so grateful and overcome with emotion that it reduced us all to (happy) tears!

On the afternoons where we weren’t volunteering, we decided to see some of the sights Cape Town has to offer, including the famous Table Mountain (we were very lucky to have clear blue skies that day), the spectacular view from Chapman's Peak, and exploring the city centre of Cape Town.

A couple of weekends ago we went on the Red Bus tour, which filled us with information on Cape Town's history and enabled us to join on the Constanta Winelands Tour – which was $4 for tasting 5 different wines! The next weekend we booked a tour to see Boulders Beach, the Cape of Good Hope and Cape Point. The highlight was riding bicycles through the national park alongside the captivating rough ocean, where so many ships have been captured. Lydia, Rosie and Laura and a few other volunteers attempted to go shark-cage diving, but the bad weather, sea-sickness and lack of sharks made it a less than ideal day. However, luckily they went back a second time and had a much better experience, even managing to spot some sharks! Josh and a couple of other volunteers attempted to go skydiving, but unfortunately the weather resulted in it being cancelled multiple times.

All the volunteers also had the opportunity to go on a homestay in Imizamo Yethu during our final two weeks in Cape Town with two different women, one of which was Mirriam, the same woman who runs the soup kitchen. Both women had grandchildren staying in their home so we were welcomed by the whole family. It was a really wonderful experience to stay in their homes, eat their typical food and really talk and engage with each other. Needless to say we all now have families to return to in South Africa.

Our final days soon crept up on us, and all of us were very emotional and sad to be leaving. Although the children at our schools might not have understood to the full extent that we wouldn't be returning after the weekend, there were tears in our eyes when we had to say goodbye to these kids who had stolen our hearts within the last month. The teachers all hope that we will come back soon, and I know that we all really want to! Our time in Africa has been an amazing, life-changing experience, and to any future Antips volunteers who might happen to read this, I can vouch for all of us and say that we strongly recommend the Southern Africa trip; you get to see so many places and meet so many great people!

Despite splitting up to go in different directions, we know that the tight knit family we have formed will stay in contact. Our time here may be over, but we have made friends for life.

Thanks Antipodeans for the amazing experience!

Elise, Josh, Laura, Rosie and Lydia

Hiking, painting & dancing- it's all happening in Cape Town

COUNTRY: South Africa
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching, Health and Art/Design
WRITTEN BY: Lauren Dreyar

This week has gone past so quickly. The weather was fantastic this weekend and I was lucky enough to catch the local Red Bus tour on both days. On Saturday, we did the tour as a group and went to V&A Waterfront- a popular tourist destination. The best part had to be the food at the markets. I had an Indian dish called Dosa and it was incredible. I also was able to go to the One & Only Hotel as the Lalela Project where I am a volunteering has a gallery exhibition there.

On Sunday we caught the Red Bus Tour again but stayed on to tour Cape Town, where we stopped to do a wine tour. It only cost R35 to taste five different wines, which is about $3.50!

The good weather stretched out to Monday so after volunteering at Silikamva (a local high school where Lalela operates), four of us decided to go out to lunch in Camps Bay then hike up to the top of Lion's head. Lion's head was a tougher hike than I had anticipated but it was still so much fun. It only took 45 mins to climb to the top but towards the end it was practically rock climbing; there were also ladders and chains we had to use to hoist ourselves up the mountain. It was totally worth it though- the view was amazing! I could also see a great view of Table Mountain and the rest of Cape Town, as you can see from the above photos.

Tuesday was by far my favourite day. During the day I attended two of the Lalela Project sessions, the morning one was with the 4-10 year olds as usual. The kids had a lot of fun painting tin cans that could be turned into mugs or storage and also making necklaces out of plastic bottle caps. In the afternoon, I was with the 12-15 year olds. They were much louder then the younger groups, and we had a lot of fun singing 'Grenade' by Bruno Mars while they finished painting. At 4.30pm I raced home and showered quickly before heading to Mandela Park for a home stay. I was partnered with Josh. We stayed at a grandmother's house with her two grandchildren named Zuzu and Luanko. For dinner she made us a traditional African meal- including sheep intestines! They were actually pretty good but impossible to chew. The highlight of the night for me was dancing in Zuzu and Luanko's room to Rihanna's 'We found love'. During the song Zuzu and I were dancing and the grandmother came in and started dancing (well, more like krumping) along with us. It was incredible; I had such a fun time. At night Mandela Park is so noisy and lively, we could hear parties going on all around us.

In the morning I said a sad goodbye to everyone and headed straight from the home stay to my morning project at Silikamva. The kids were especially rowdy, and they didn't end up finish their task of recycling and painting bins to be used in the teacher's classrooms. That afternoon the group headed to a local restaurant called The Dunes. I was finally able to try a Dom Pedro- which is kind of like a milkshake with Kaluah. It was amazing. With just over a week to go everyone was anxious to fit as much in as possible, so we headed out again later to a local Hout Bay restaurant called The Lookout for fish & chips.

Today was a terrible day weather-wise. It rained. It hailed. It was all-round miserable. Luckily, today was the excursion with the Everyday Heroes Club- a group of 10 boys who meet a few times a week to talk about local issues and moral concerns. The Everyday Heroes Club aims to reach out to boys who are 'at-risk' and keep them out of trouble. Together we all crammed into a minivan and headed to the Cape Town Science Museum. The boys were all laughs and had a lot of fun. The best moment was in the car ride home when one of the 16 year old boys named Gcinkuhle said that he would remember this excursion for the rest of his life and would take his kids one day to the science museum. I couldn't believe how much it had meant to him.

Tomorrow is Mandela Day! I am super excited to be in South Africa at such an important time.

Till next time!

First Thursdays in Cape Town and climbing Table Mountain!

This week has been very busy - and the first real weekend I have spent in South Africa!

On Thursday night we all heading into Cape Town on the new city bus in order to check out "first Thursdays"- a night that happens on the first Thursday of every month, where museums, stores and art galleries stay open until 9pm. The city streets were packed and we were able to check out a few art galleries before going to dinner. But we stayed out at dinner a little too long enjoying the yummy food and ended up missing most of the activities of the night- yet the atmosphere was fantastic and so lively anyway.

Luckily, the weekend weather was not as bad as it was meant to be. The weather was cold and cloudy but overall alright. As a group we went into Cape Town on Friday and Saturday night to see the city and eat some great food on Long Street.

During the week after all of our volunteer projects - we went up to Table Mountain. I couldn't believe how high up it is and how beautiful the view is! I could see the whole of Cape Town - well what looked like most of Cape Town.

At my Lalela Project on Friday, I was able to help create a PowerPoint presentation that would be later shown to the children to help inspire them. I was also able to create a puppet theatre and other props that the kids could use in the workshops run by the Lalela Project.

Today, I was able to actually go along and help out at the Lalela project with the puppet show, run in Mandela Park. The class was so big (50 kids) and loud but they were all having so much fun. In the afternoon, I headed up to Mandela Park again to see one of the workshops run for young boys called Everyday Heroes. It was really great to see how much these boys enjoy being together and talking about their education and the decisions they make.

I'm really looking forward to spending more time at the workshop next week and hopefully getting to go into Cape Town this weekend to see the tourist destinations!

Antips university volunteers hit Cape Town!

COUNTRY: South Africa
PROGRAM: UniBreak
PROJECT: Teaching
WRITTEN BY: Lauren Dreyar

After a few long flights and transfers, Emily and I arrived in Cape Town, South Africa late Sunday morning. After arriving in Hout Bay at our accommodation, we were able to meet some of the lovely Gap Year Antipodeans people. Emily and I headed down to the local market held only on the weekends and Friday nights for a long overdue feast- the market was fantastic! With great food to gorge ourselves on after nothing but airplane food.

The real trip started on Monday with Orientation. Emily and I along with the Gap Year group were taken up to Imizamo Yethu. But to get there we had to travel like locals" which meant catching 'cockroaches' - cars that are close to taxi's but unmarked and often shared. The cockroaches was a new experience but well worth it especially as it only cost R06 per person (less that .60 cents). We were taken on a walking to by a local man named Afrika. I had heard of this township before- especially because of the level of poverty and shacks. But being guided by a local man who seemed to know everyone in the community provided a new perspective- as Afrika was so passionate and involved in the Township also known as Mandela park that we were all able to see it as a strong community.

On Tuesday, everyone started there different placements, except me. Instead, I was able to tag along to Cape Town with Emily. But the best part of the day was definitely volunteering at a local school in Imizamo Yethu township. The children here are so friendly, loud and vibrant that it makes you want to help as much as possible. Every afternoon we have been travelling back to that school to volunteer for the holiday program, which includes everything from playing sport to arts and craft. One of my favourite moments was being given a paper hat by a little girl who insisted I wear it at all time like a crown.

Today I have started volunteering at my placement with the Art Project at the Head quarters in Hout Bay. I am really enjoying being able to see how the project functions from inside the office and still being able to help out in the afternoons and be around the kids.

Last leg of Southern Africa adventure

COUNTRY: Southern Africa (Swaziland, Mozambique & South Africa)
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Monique Bedwell & Rebecca Young

Everyone was blown away with the beautiful view of Hout Bay from the balcony of our newly adopted home. Our first weekend at Hout Bay was spent in different ways as everyone had very different ideas on how they wished to spend their first weekend here.

It began with celebrating Louisa's birthday where we enjoyed a lovely night at Spiro's Greek restaurant. After dinner we then continued into Camps Bay where we were able to enjoy a few drinks. The next day half of the group made their way down to the local markets that were full of music, stalls, clothes, jewellery, and some seriously good food. Another small group which included Rebecca, Tash, Fe and Mon went on the Red Bus Tour of the coastal line from Hout Bay all around the scenic routes to Cape Town. This also enabled them to have the opportunity to climb the world renowned Table Mountain. The weather couldn't have been better and eventually everyone else got to see it themselves later on in the trip. The weekend pushed past very quickly and before we knew it we were getting an orientation of Hout Bay and a tour of the Township Imizamo Yethu, that we would be working in.

The tour was directed by a enthusiastic man named Afrika who was from the township and was proud to take us on a tour of his home. We were shown to the after school care called Ikhaya le Themba, which was a place that children are given the opportunity to gain extra help with homework or any other subjects they were struggling with. We were also informed that we all have the opportunity to come every afternoon and help the children with any of these needs. Every Wednesday was compulsory as it was reading day and they needed all the help they could get with the children. Unfortunately we had to say our goodbyes to James, who was only with us for a short period of time in Cape Town and had become a great part of the group.

The first week of volunteer work was underway as we were all taken to our various placements at Little Angels, Jelly Tots, Sential Primary School and Original Teabags Designs. The first week was spent settling into the placements and finding our feet in the very different surroundings compared to the previous placements in Swaziland.

As our projects continued we grew closer and closer with the children, this was easier as their English was much more advanced than the children in Swaziland. Matthew unfortunately also had to leave earlier in the trip due to prior uni commitments, so as a last dinner all decided to go out together to an amazing Thai restaurant called Kitima's. Shelby from Antipodeans had recommended this restaurant to us at the June training camp and it didn't disappoint! The meals were all amazing and it was good to be able to relax together as a group for one last time.

As our last week was coming to an end, everyone thought that it was all happening far too quickly. We all felt as though we were running out of time to be able to see everyone and mostly buy everything we hoped to buy. The last weekend was also Fe's birthday which we all celebrated at dinner at the Look Out Deck and then those who felt up to it, headed out into Cape Town for the last weekend in Africa. On Saturday Rebecca, Tash, Fe, Mon and Alice headed out to Robben Island to see what it was like for Nelson Mandela and all the other political prisoners that were held there. We all felt that it was a very helpful insight into South Africa's troubled past.

As everyone has had their own experiences over the past three months what better way to describe than from themselves.

Tarun
The last three months have been an amazing experience. I have met the greatest people and done the most interesting things. Volunteering at the NCP's and the school was so rewarding and we grew really close to the kids. I'm really going to miss Africa and I hope I can come back one day.

Alice and Madi
So Alice and I were grateful for a kid-free project in Cape Town! We had a peaceful but productive time at Tea Bag Designs enjoying tea and brownies at 10:30 everyday with the staff at tea bags. We are sad to be leaving all these wonderful people that we've met, e.g. Jill the owner of tea bag designs who is such an inspiring person, she gave us the Job of creating Christmas crackers which we worked on most mornings and provided us with both entertainment and frustration. Eventually we finished making over 250 Christmas crackers which was really satisfying. The Collins and Gulliver Christmas' will be enjoying these crackers at Christmas!Can't wait to come back to Africa! #tia #tomorrowwemeet #tina #hellotina

Kirsten
The last three weeks are amongst the most amazing weeks of my life.. I met amazing kids who loved life but have had so many challenges. At such an early age they where challenged to the max but still have so much love in them that they'd hug you to death. I worked with an amazing group of people dedicated to make there day, and although we all new we could not save the world, the kids did not even want us to. One kid literally said to me, "white people always want to rescue us, but we don't need to be rescued! I have a roof above my head and food on the table, it may not be much but it's good enough, stop thinking your way of life is better then mine, it's just different". So we didn't try that, but we knew we could save a day and worked our asses off to accomplish that. It made me appreciate the one thing underrated most in life, safety. Take a lesson from the kids and love your family and friends and never say no when someone is fundraising for the kids in Africa!

Zoe
Incredible. The last three weeks were the icing on the cake, almost even with a cherry on top. The Sentinel Primary School was probably my favourite place we've volunteered at during this trip. The children's appreciation for you was so welcoming which easily made the interaction and bonds formed so much stronger. I'm almost convinced the children bought me more happiness than I bought them. Without doubt this has been the most worthwhile trip with the most amazing people. Going to miss everyone so much.

Harry
The overwhelming difference between Cape Town and Swaziland is a perfect example of the diversity Africa offers. It's this diversity that has made our time so worthwhile. We've all had an amazing 12 weeks exploring some of the most beautiful countries in the world, and experiencing life away from home. The connection we made with the kids in both Swaziland and Hout Bay will never be forgotten.

Louisa
I was pleasantly surprised at the contrast between my time at Bethany NCP in Swaziland and three weeks at Jelly tots. The smaller class and great English skills allowed me to really get to know the kids individual personalities which made the days more interesting and fulfilling. I never thought I could have so much fun with a group of four year olds. The impact and happiness they have brought into my life is beyond words.

Fe
These past 3 weeks have been an emotional roller coaster filled with so many laughs, smiles and tears. Volunteering at Sentinel Primary has definitely been a highlight for me. Being able to form such strong bonds with the kids there was so amazing. This trip been such an incredible experience that I feel so blessed to have had. I will never forget the wonderful times we have had here in Africa with all the amazing people we have met!

Tash
The past three months have been incredible, traveling through Southern Africa with a group of people I will never forget, even if I tried. I loved everything from Swaziland to South Africa and everything in between. For me it really was our time at Sentinel Primary school that took my African experience from amazing to incredible and unforgettable.

Rebecca
The past three months have been indescribable. I never imagined that I would have this much fun or that I'd learn so much from all of the children. The last three weeks at Jelly Tots Educare has definitely been a highlight in terms of teaching. The kids spoke fantastic English so it was a lot easier to connect with them. I wouldn't change a single thing about this trip and I'll forever cherish the memories I've made.

Mon
The past 3 months has been some of the most memorable moments in my life. I have met some of the most different and incredible people who I will hold dear to me for years to come. The combination of culture, travel, foods, music and everything that comes under the thought of Africa is not something I want to ever forget. I'm going to miss everything I have come to love in my time here but who knows I might return one day :).

We have all had an unbelievable experience throughout the past 3 months and some of us wish it didn't have to end. So unfortunately this dream and experience of a lifetime is coming to an end and reality is crashing down faster than most of us have hoped for, I'm sure if we had the choice we wouldn't leave. But we are also very excited to get home to our families and friends. See you all soon!!

The Garden Route - Swaziland to Cape Town

 

COUNTRY: Southern Africa Combo (Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa)
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching and Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Danielle Edwards

Okay so here we are.. looking at the downhill run of our placement with just over six weeks left! We have only a short time to go in Swaziland which means we will then be setting off on our new adventure and travelling down to Cape Town.

Our last few days in Swaziland were spent working at our NCP's, bonding with the children while knowing that it would be a long time (if ever) until we were re-united with them. By this point we all had those few children with whom we shared a special bond. Some of us had already organized sponsorship for one or two of the children that will be on-going once we return home.

It was not only the children which we found it hard to part ways, but we all found ourselves pretty emotional when it came to saying goodbye to the other volunteers that we had grown to know and love, as well as the staff members!

We met our new guide Mpho who would be taking us on our tour all the way from Swaziland to Cape Town for the next 11-or-so days. We had a short orientation and found him to be really nice and easy to talk to, which made us all that much more keen to start the next part of our adventure. The next day we set off after a morning of emotional good-byes and last minute packing on route to St. Lucia where we would be spending the next couple of nights. The travelling group consisted of us Aussies as well as two other girls (Joyce and Sanne) from the Netherlands who would be joining us for the travels to Cape Town.

When we arrived in St. Lucia, there was another group of volunteers who had been working for a month prior - and were heading off to Swaziland the next day. They were from a variety of places including Canada, United States, England and Scotland. The next day we went to the crocodile/reptile park where we learnt about the lifestyle of the crocs and their abilities. That afternoon we went on a hippo tour in the river at St. Lucia where we got to see lots of hippos up close and see them interact in their natural environments.

After two nights in St. Lucia, we drove to Durban where we stayed at a modern lodge. From there we ventured out to sea world, where some of us had close encounters with sharks, all types of fish and marine life, as saw a group of string-rays being hand fed. We also watched a dolphin show where the production was kind of lame but the dolphins put on a good show! We spent the entire afternoon going on all the watersides at 'Wet n Wild' before returning to the lodge to pack and prepare for our long travels the following day.

After a long and tiring 9.5 hour bus ride the following day, we ended up at Wild Coast in the evening, staying at quite a large backpackers lodge with out own unit. Here we did a cheetah interaction activity, but had the opportunity to also do an elephant interaction before-hand. Only Jessie and Will took this opportunity though, but we all got the chance to pet a cheetah and get up-close and personal with them, which was pretty cool!

The next destination after Wild Coast was Port Elizabeth. The hostel where we stayed was really nice and comfortable. There wasn't much to do in the area tourism wise, so for the day that we were there we went and took a look at the Main Street with shops. It was a pretty cruisy full day spent there with not many obligations which was a nice change of pace.

The following morning we arrived at our last destination before Cape Town, Tsisikama. It was here where the worlds biggest bungee jump bridge exists, which Jessie, Will and myself took the opportunity to take advantage of. This was a truly amazing experience! We also went to other tourist attractions here which included a place called 'Monkey Land' where we went on a guided tour through a monkey enclosure home to 10 different species. Following that, we went to a snake and reptile park where we got to hold a massive yellow python!

It wasn't long before we were enduring another 10 hour bus ride (which was thankfully our last) to Cape Town where we said goodbye to our guide Mpho and took taxis to Hout Bay, which is where we will be staying for the remainder of our trip (4 weeks). Until next time!

Danielle.

It's a wrap! Southern Africa Combo GapBreak comes to an end for another year

COUNTRY: Southern Africa (Swaziland, Mozambique & South Africa)
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Lucy Coles

It's hard for all of us to believe that this will be the last blog from the Southern Africa international volunteers group, the last instalment of our incredible adventure through Swaziland, Mozambique and South Africa.

We have all settled into our volunteer work placements well, despite missing the kids in Swaziland and many describing the children here in Hout Bay as "a whole new level of crazy". Volunteer placements here are either in the township, Imizamo Yethu, or in the Hangberg area. Lara, Katie, Georgie and Dylan work at Sentinel Primary School and Taylah and Lauren are at Little Angels preschool, which caters for children whose parents are completing drug rehabilitation programs.

Jacinta and Jaimee are volunteering at Jellytots and Laura and Miriam are volunteering at Angel Starfish, both of which are situated in the township.

Sarah, Alex and I are meanwhile volunteering at a 'socially responsible company' called Original T-Bag Designs, assisting with anything and everything from cutting fabric and labelling stock to gluing tea-bags onto cards and packaging products for sale.

Our afternoons are spent relaxing in Hout Bay and occasionally (if our project work hasn't tired us out too much) exploring the surrounding areas such as Camps Bay and the city of Cape Town itself.

On the weekends, all of the volunteers have headed in separate directions (literally), with various people hiking up the scenic Table Mountain, visiting Robben Island and shopping in the boutiques of Long Street and at the Waterfront. Others' itineraries have featured tours of the Cape's famous wineries, heading down the Peninsula towards the Cape of Good Hope and Great White Shark cage diving, which Jacinta assures me is one of the best things she's done on the trip so far, with sharks coming right up to the edge of the cage. Dylan adds that unfortunately nobody was eaten.

Now only one more week of project work and another weekend remain before we all go our different ways - some flying back to Australia and others to Europe to visit family and friends. While we're definitely looking forward to seeing you all, sleeping in our own beds and eating meals from home in the coming weeks, we will all be so sad to leave behind this incredible continent where we've made fantastic new friends and had innumerable wonderful volunteer work experiences, which I'm sure you'll hear a lot more about soon.

Group update from Shelby in Cape Town

Brad, Antips GapBreak volunteer

COUNTRY: Southern Africa (Swaziland, Mozambique & South Africa)
PROGRAM: GapBreak
PROJECT: Teaching & Care Work
WRITTEN BY: Shelby Stapleton, In-Country Partner

The group are doing fantastically – it is such a breathe of fresh air to have some Australians in the mix :)

Chicky and Bryar are at Angels and Starfish educate – working with 4-6 year olds. This placement is often quite interesting, as the school is funded by a British charity so gives the illusion of being well resourced and "under control" however, the kids are still from the township, and are often the poorest and least disciplined.

They are finding it a new challenge working with children who speak English (compared to Swaziland where they don't) yet they still don't listen! They leave everyday full of energy and the teachers love having them around – they bring a fantastic positive attitude to the school, but I think are finding themselves tired towards the end of their trip!

Brad is working with an Italian volunteer at a preschool called Jelly Tots – this is the stark opposite to Angels and Starfish – the preschool is run by one lady out of her front room, and they lack all the basic resources, however her passion keeps them going, and the kids here are incredibly well behaved (when Sofia is around..!). The atmosphere at Jelly tots is always incredible when I go, Brad is their first ever male volunteer, so they are loving having such a good role model around for the boys in the group.

Izzy is her normal crazy self, and is working at a very challenging placement In the other township in Hout Bay. The preschool she is working at is only for children who's parents are drug addicts and are in a rehabilitation program across the road. She is changing between classes of 3-4 year olds and 4-5 year olds – and they are loving her positive attitude and amazing energy!

They all also participated in our Mandela day events last week (I'm going to help Byrar write a blog about this today or tomorrow!) where the country in encouraged to give 67 minutes of the day to the community to commemorate the 67 years he gave to the country. We helped rebuild shacks that were destroyed in a fire recently, helped with a street clean up and attended at photo exhibition where local teens had been taught how to use SLR cameras to take photos of their lives in a township.

On Monday they went out shark cage diving and had a BALL swimming with 18 sharks in the ocean…. (I'm sure this will be in the blog too!). In the afternoons they have been up to all kinds of sightseeing mischief – table mountain, lions head, today they are headed into Cape Town to see some museums (the slave lodge and district 6) before having dinner at Mama Africa – a great restaurant in the middle of town where you can eat any african animal you can think of! They are off wine tasting this week as well, and this weekend are going sightseeing around Cape Point and boulder beach – to sit next to penguins on the beach,.,…!!

Hope that keeps you up to date on them for the time being – I will sit with them tomorrow and write another blog post. Hope you are well, chat to you soon :)

Thanks so much,
Shelby Stapleton
Cape Town In-Country Partnet

Bungee jumps and zip lines from Swaziland to Capetown for our Gappers in Southern Africa

Our last few days in Swaziland passed in a blur as we were organising little goodbye parties at our NCPs, sponsorships for children and checking Mandla’s (mentioned in an earlier blog) therapy and transport was organised for the next few months. During the last weekend in Swaziland we got together as a group and participated in a Cancer Awareness March as part of October’s Breast Cancer awareness month. Tessa and Emily opted for the Breast Cancer Run. A few days later we were pleased to see that we even made it onto the National News! After 6 enjoyable weeks based at Lidwala lodge in Swaziland we all found it sad to say goodbye to the staff and volunteers who had become like family. However, thanks to technology like Facebook and emails we’ll be able to stay in touch and hopefully organise a visit again soon. Nevertheless, adventure laid ahead for us 11 Australians with an 11-day road trip along the Garden Route to Cape Town where our second placement will take place.

Our first leg of the journey took us to St Lucia where we were hit with our first view of civilisation, seing sushi bars and coffee shops. While in St Lucia we ventured on a Hippo Cruise and visited the Wetlands Park Crocodile Farm, which was a World Heritage Site.

The next stop was Durban, the group was buzzing from the excitement of stepping into McDonalds after months, followed by visiting a theme park where we all enjoyed ourselves. We spent 2 nights in Durban. For one of the days we visited a Sea World theme park where we enjoyed water slides and visited an amazing Aquarium. Out of an amphitheatre of people, Jozie’s vibrant and happy self got her the chance to play with Dolphins. I swear you could hear our cheers a mile away!

Although we all love a good road trip the journey from Durban to the Wild Coast was a NIGHTMARE when a predicted 7hr trip turned into a 10hr trip, which included vomiting in and out of the van- for unknown reasons- for most of us we have tried to block the memory. However waking up the next morning on the Wild Coast and seeing the scenery with clear coastlines and blue skies yesterday’s dramas were soon forgotten. That day on the Wild Coast for some of the girls, I can safely say, was unforgettable as they paid less than $10 to cuddle and play with cheaters and elephants in a game reserve nearby.

At every stop minus, Port Elizabeth, we spent 2 fabulous nights in getting to know the place and it’s surroundings. We spent one night in Port Elizabeth where most of us bathed in the enjoyment of free Internet and digital TV.

The second last stop Titsikamma, where I am writing this blog from, is one of South Africa’s adventure and fun packed destinations. As a group we all went zip lining from tree to tree in a nearby forest. Mitch and I decided to face our fears and do the World’s highest bridge bungee jumps and free fall 216m. Bungee jumping was definitely one of the most thrilling and adrenaline filled things we have both ever done.

From here we start the last leg to Cape Town for the final 4weeks, where we start our second placements. We are over half way through our trip here in Southern Africa and it has been unforgettable for all of us. The friendships we have built, the adventures and experiences we’ve faced have been incredible. We have so many amazing memories and stories to come home and tell you all about. Not long now!

Interested in volunteering in Africa? What about teaching English overseas? Antipodeans Abroad specialises in gap year ideas and volunteer travel experience. Find out more at our website http://www.antipodeans.com.au.