Journal Entry 24: The Good and the Bad, Part II

In the middle of November we had our Mid Service Training (MST). We’ve been here 15 months! Crazy. Since MST, things have been rather slow. During the 4th quarter at school, the first few weeks may be devoted to teaching (if teaching actually occurs), but the rest is devoted to reviewing for and taking finals.

The week before MST I was teaching Math to 5th graders before school. Though it’s a pointed commentary on South African schools that not a single student new basic multiplication (ie. 6 x 7 = ), I was having a blast. It was my most productive week since I’ve been here, and gratifying to be in front of a class again.

But since then, things have been slow. Very slow. But I’ve managed to stay busy helping teachers with IQMS (an evaluation tool required by the department), teaching computer skills to teachers and following up on and initiating some projects. Speaking of teaching computers, do you remember the first time you used a mouse? …Yeah, neither do I, but it’s kind of like trying to throw an oversized football dunked in honey fifty yards with your left hand. That’s, if you’re right handed, of course. Vice versa for those of you who are instruments of the devil. In any case, I’m also trying to get some of my schools poised for next year.

One thing I’ve learned through this experience is that it’s very difficult to get people to change while they feel trapped within a sick system. It would be much better just to heal the system. Change, then, would probably happen a lot more naturally. It’s an inside job, or at least it should be. That would basically mean the Department of Education of South Africa would get its shit together. So hopefully it will.

I think I have a plan for that, or a vague outline, but maybe that’s a journal entry for another time. (A very boring journal entry for another time, for most of my American audience I would think.)

Anyways, to bring you up to speed, it’s been an interesting week. One of my principals passed away Thursday, yesterday. I visited him in the hospital with the educators the day before he died. It was sad to see him as he was, but also, in a sense, enlightening.

The educators started praying out loud all at once, evoking their personal homilies fast and loud toward Mr. Mamphodo, and invoking Jesus to heal him. (South Africa is a very Christian country.) It was kind of odd listening to a dozen - sometimes more, sometimes less - people so fervently and emphatically praying. I couldn’t help but feel a bit out of place. My prayer was so different. It went, "If you have to go… go." And that he was loved.

So I don’t know if that means he was listening to me or not. I kind of hope not.

I don’t want this journal entry to be morbid, but death is just something that happens here in South Africa. I mean, I guess it happens everywhere; you just can’t escape it here. When I told one of my best friends here what happened, she sent me a text (we’re always sending texts) as follows:

Death is everywhere. A house near my school has had 3 funerals this past year. It’s fucked up. Adam and Andrea have had a few 20 year olds pass away in their village around the same time. A young pastor, 38, at church down the road passed away earlier this week. My family was talking about how sick he got. He had two kids under 5. I said it was sad, they said it was life. Yeah, obviously death is a part of life, but the bigger part of life should be living. I hope things at your school don’t get too messed up. Hang in there, friend.

It’s good to have friends.

In other news, now that a lot of the bumps of cultural adjustment are behind me, I’m relishing the simple things that happen day-to-day in the village. In particular I’ve been enjoying greeting people, especially kids, with a two handed wave. Palms out, fingers open, shake shake shake! I learned it in Mozambique. People always seem to smile when they do it.

And this morning while I was walking to school a man asked me if I came here by means of a "flying machine". I told him yes. He was impressed.

Then Wednesday, while we were at the hospital, one of my favourite teachers bought some bananas and washed them before peeling them. I asked him why he did that and he said, "Because it’s the smart thing to do." I think I quietly laughed for about 5 minutes after he peeled on for me.

Even some criminal acts bring a smile to my face. Last night some "crooks" broke into the school and used the computer to type their resume, but they left 9 copies waiting to print on the printing queue, which the teachers found in the morning. It’s like the burglar who robs a convenience store with their name on their t-shirt, right?

And I saw my favourite kindergartener today. I haven’t seen her in what feels like forever. If you could see the way we make each other smile. I don’t even know her name. But it starts with an R. …I’m pretty sure. But because of her I’ve learned the Venda word for "Pick me up". Ntakaleni!

So that’s kind of life in South Africa right now. The good and the bad, part II. …I don’t know, is death really a part of life? I mean, really. At best, they seem a bit antithetical.

I was discussing the principal’s death with a second principal - Mrs. Raphalalani - today. This morning she found out another of her and friends died or was killed. I said I was sorry, and that death just seems to be something that happens. Her response was interesting. I’d never really thought of it like this, or think that I could think of like this, but thoughtfully and slowly she responded, "Yes, I know. But it is unacceptable".

You know … I think she’s right.