Blast from the past...

Hello y'all,

I'm sitting in a secondary school library listening to a group of school-uniform clad girls bicker about the photocopier. A mere slither of a year separates me from them, but it's like an oxygen mask, I'm holding onto it tightly. The lack of uniform helps too. Emma and I refueling at a much needed internet watering hole. We're at Durban Girls High and the name says it all really. The building is a big complex on top of a hill, with gorgeous views overlooking Durban's harbour and most of the city. We came here to talk to the school's Christian Union during their lunchbreak - it's not completely random, Sean's mum works here and she invited us to spruce up their usual lunchtime "vitamin pill". I spoke about "Firm Foundation Faith", and unfortunately I was too nervous to use the Christianity/make-up punning potential. But the nerves gradually evaporated during the talk, and Emma said it went ok. And I have internet. So many reasons to be a happy camper.

I can't believe we've been here for two weeks already. So much happens here that you barely have time to register one thing before the next things boulders along and happens. Everything is new here, maybe the feeling will subside after a few more weeks. The noonoos are great as ever - this morning we set up a "dress-up" station outdoors and they spontaneously started army-marching around the playground, clad in highheels and dresses and all, chanting something in Zulu. It was bewildering.

The school bell has gone, I'm off! I hope you're all having wonderful holidays.

Hugs,

xHeidi

Just another manic Friday

Dear blog readers,

Sorry for the long silence (that goes especially to you, mum!). Emma and I moved into the "lodge" on Monday, a somewhat-larger-than-a-cottage space on the grounds of Sean's church (where we're helping with the youthwork), which is home-ly enough but unfortunately internet free. So I'm afraid I wont be able to blog (or reply to emails...mum...) all too often.

Emma and I met the noonoos (the wee ones at Stella Pre-Primary school) on Tuesday. Noonoo is Zulu for "insect", and I promise that's meant in the most endearing way possible! There are around 70 of them, ranging from miniature wide-eyed 3 year olds to boisterous 6 year olds. At first you're little more than a jungle gym, and you end up walking around the playground with many children hanging on you, and atleast two pairs of hands in your hair. We've now gotten to the stage when we know them on an individual basis, which is really encouraging. We leave the place exhausted but invigorated, I can't explain the combination but it just happens.

But now I'm off to watch rugby (!), what madness...

Love,

Heidi

Day two in Durban

Hurray! A blog!

Sorry this has taken so long - I couldn't think of a name, and then the name I came up with was taken. No "what's in a name" for this blog...

Durban has been a whirlwind so far - this here will be short (we're heading off to the beach now), but I am very exited to have a blog, I have to post something to believe it's real.

Emma and I arrived at Durban airport on Thursday afternoon and already we've seen the strange extremes of South Africa. Thursday evening we spent wandering around the largest shopping mall of the southern hemisphere - a massive beacon of light you can see from miles off named "Gateway". I've never seen so many shops or such a huge fountain in one place (blasting up water metres upon metres into the air), it reminded me eerily of Hong Kong, that capitalist hub on the other side of the globe. All was equally immaculate and shiny. Just over twelve hours after this experience we were driving across town to Cator Manor, one of the townships on the edge of Durban, where, if your home even has a roof, it's made of corrugated iron. The purpose of the trip was to visit a small church there, "St. Saviour", to meet the children and see where they lived. It was heart-wrenching and joyous.

I do believe I have fallen in love with this country, I'm just struggling to understand it all.

Lots of love,

xHeidi