Sunday, 24 January. On Friday I had a lovely half-day at work. It's hard to believe that I could go into a clean office with no clutter and read research articles and work on email without interruption. I got to meet Faan, the professor in the next office earlier in the week and then I also met another colleague on Friday morning and I am going to have to work more diligently on names. She and I are in the same department and her area is special needs so I'm eager to learn more about what she is doing in her classes and her research. The only real visitors I had were the gentlemen who had to replace my door lock because it kept getting stuck!
Nkidi gave me a lift home so she could focus on a major translation project and her syllabus for the coming week. I feel a little guilty that I'm not under the same pressure and know that my colleagues on both sides of the Atlantic are facing mounds of work. I spent my afternoon taking a walk to the shopping district a few blocks from my flat to pick up a surge protector so that I could plug all my technology things in at once. Since I was there, I felt compelled to do a little shopping for a book bag and places that my daughter Rebecca might enjoy when she comes in May. Needless to say, I got lost in the shopping and realized that I needed to head home to be there in time for my ride to J'burg.
Thembela arrived soon after I returned and she received the grand tour of my place. I'd share the photos, but can't quite figure out how to get them uploaded so that's my task for later this evening. We had so much fun chatting on the way home and I feel like I have a (much) younger sister when we're together. Friday evening with my second family was lovely and having both Thabiso (who's 9) and Leisha (who's 5) are a real joy. I get lots of hugs as their adopted "auntie". Saturday, Themba and I went out for breakfast and a time to talk, did some car shopping, and then went to see Invictus at the movie theater. I loved the movie from start to finish! I'm only half way through the book which I am also enjoying, but I was most touched by genuine compassion and concern that Mandela brought to a difficult time. There's something about his ability to reach out and see people as individual human beings of worth that touched me and Morgan Freeman conveyed all I have been reading in his performance. I am left wondering about who I am and who I can be given all the advantages that I have. Certainly, this experience in a place that feels like my second home is humbling.
Thembela returned from a class that she is taking and she looked exhausted! I remember the days of being a single mom and going to school and I empathize with the commitment she and her family is making at this time. And while she is taking courses and studying, Themba continues to carry his own load of a new job, consulting, and advanced studies. These are truly inspiring people who have so much to offer! Every time we talk I learn a little more and I'm trying to share it with others.
Today is Sunday and I was back at St. Peters Uniting Presbyterian Church. As an elder in my own church, I am invited (and expected) to join the session as we sit at the front of the church as its leaders. A new interim pastor had his first sermon on their "Covenant Sunday" where people covenant with the church in the activities they will lead or support for the coming year. The church was packed completely with women, men, youth, and children. The advantage of sitting at the very front was that we had access to the fresh air coming in from the door. Others found that it was quite warm in the sanctuary, but that didn't inhibit the worship and praise of the service. Seeing so many familiar faces helped to bridge the gap from my American home to my South African one. And thanks to my dear friend Andiswa for her lunch today, I missed out on a session meeting that lasted from 11-3:30! Since most people who know me, also know that meetings are the LAST event I want to attend, they will certainly appreciate how glad I was to miss out on that one. However, since the session's membership includes elders from both St. Peters and their branch, Ivory Park, I can certainly understand the challenges that both churches must address and the amount of time that it takes for dialogue.
The lunch at Andiswa's home in Thembisa was actually a feast. Because I arrived earlier than most of the women who were still in their Sunday School classes, I had the opportunity to visit with Andiswa and meet her mother and two sisters-in-law, the women who had done all the cooking. And then there was a 5-month-old baby and Andiswa's 4.5 year old son so that was just a little bit of heaven to feel like a granny for a while. When the women arrived, we started eating. Sisters are sisters all over the world! The laughter and love from inside and outside the house was almost palpable. As we ate really spicy fried chicken, rice, pasta salad with little bits of ham, beet root salad, and a veggie mix salad I thought I would gain 100 pounds! How I love home cooking - and this was home cooking at its best. When Themba and Steven arrived, following a harrowing phone call from a relative who needed some assistance and a police stop for speeding and no identification from Themba because his wallet had fallen out of his pocket between church, home, and Andiswa's house (is that a run on sentence?), both Steven and Themba said it seemed like Christmas with all the conversation and food and fun.
By 3:00 we decided that we must leave to head to Pretoria. Although we were too late to do car shopping my friends came straight to my flat, took the 2-minute tour, and then headed back to J'burg with advice to check out cars here in Pretoria this week before making a final decision on a vehicle. With weather that's absolutely wonderful, I took a longer walk through Hatfield, came home to do laundry and read more of "Kafir Boy" by Mark Mathabane. Once the laundry was done, I managed to get online, a real challenge for me lately, to share my adventures.
More tomorrow when I think I'll talk about the challenges of adapting to new routines. The question in my mind is, "Can this old lady learn some new routines?"
Sunday, January 24, 2010
My New Office
Today Nkidi picked me up about 9 and we headed in to the office. We needed to take care of getting my personnel number, a library card, and access to the internet. To accomplish this, we met with Cycil, the department head to get a letter confirming my position as a visiting faculty member. He was genuinely warm and welcoming and eager to get to work, but insisted that I should get settled in first. So Nkidi and I went to check out my new office. She had organized some office supplies to get me started, opened the window so I could see the view of the courtyard and get some fresh air, and then we were ready to head over to the administration building with my letter. Betty was lovely in copying the letter and letting us know that I should have my personnel number and card next week. We met a few other people in the building and then returned to the office so we could get some work done. Of course, I had it much easier since all I needed to do was read a couple articles that I had brought along. It wasn’t long before Nkidi called to let me know that Linda was already making tea, so I joined them in the break room. As they were explaining their current program in terms of credits, we were joined by a member of the psychology department and the conversation moved towards the kinds of names that people have. Linda is a storyteller and she was laughing about some of the Afrikaans names and their meanings and how well they did or didn’t fit the people who possessed those names. That led to a conversation about the meanings of African names and how those were selected and the differences in name selection across different groups of people.
In introducing me to her friends Sharon and Theresa, the three women agreed that we all should get together for coffee or tea. Nkidi went on to explain that in the days of township living women would pull their money together to support one another in times of trouble or joy. She said they liked to bring that tradition with them and enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate major events and get together. I need to get more on this tradition, but it certainly sounds like my adventures with my “wise women” friends who enjoy getting together to provide emotional support through extended conversations and food.
As the day progressed, I actually finished reading my articles, checked my email on Nkidi’s computer, met briefly again with Cycil, and got my own computer connected and ready to go. By the time we left, I was amazed at how “at home” I felt thanks to the friendliness of all those I had met.
One of the challenging things about being in a new country is that, even though things look familiar, they are actually different. Tomorrow is the day I MUST find out how to make an outside call from my telephone. I watched Nkidi do it this morning, but I couldn’t make it work this evening when I got home. I bought a hair dryer yesterday but when I tried to plug the South African hair dryer into the South African outlet, I found that I still needed a round adapter rather than the kinds of adapters I had already purchased. Then there’s the telephone. I took a walk to the shopping area and visited the MTN store. The lovely clerk checked out my sim card and discovered that the phone number encoded on the card had expired. She called to get that number renewed and told me to come back tomorrow so she could enter my registration information. Then I will be able to purchase a modem (that looks like a thumb drive), buy air time for the phone’s sim card that I then convert over into a 2G bundle so that I can operate the modem. I plan to stay in that store tomorrow until she makes sure that I’m doing everything correctly!
Since I’m living on my own, I’m trying to take advantage of watching what I eat, walking around the area which is lovely and part of the campus, and reading rather than watching tv. Of course, I did feel compelled to watch Oprah while cooking my supper that should last 2 more nights, but after that I moved on to reading Constructing Grounded Theory by Kathy Charmaz. I’m hoping to get a research project underway soon, but need to hear from the other members of the department as to what they are doing and where I’m most needed.
Check out the videos of my place at work!
My Office:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/teresatharris7/videos/5/
The view from my office window:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/teresatharris7/videos/6/
The main hall of my building:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/teresatharris7/videos/4/
In introducing me to her friends Sharon and Theresa, the three women agreed that we all should get together for coffee or tea. Nkidi went on to explain that in the days of township living women would pull their money together to support one another in times of trouble or joy. She said they liked to bring that tradition with them and enjoyed the opportunity to celebrate major events and get together. I need to get more on this tradition, but it certainly sounds like my adventures with my “wise women” friends who enjoy getting together to provide emotional support through extended conversations and food.
As the day progressed, I actually finished reading my articles, checked my email on Nkidi’s computer, met briefly again with Cycil, and got my own computer connected and ready to go. By the time we left, I was amazed at how “at home” I felt thanks to the friendliness of all those I had met.
One of the challenging things about being in a new country is that, even though things look familiar, they are actually different. Tomorrow is the day I MUST find out how to make an outside call from my telephone. I watched Nkidi do it this morning, but I couldn’t make it work this evening when I got home. I bought a hair dryer yesterday but when I tried to plug the South African hair dryer into the South African outlet, I found that I still needed a round adapter rather than the kinds of adapters I had already purchased. Then there’s the telephone. I took a walk to the shopping area and visited the MTN store. The lovely clerk checked out my sim card and discovered that the phone number encoded on the card had expired. She called to get that number renewed and told me to come back tomorrow so she could enter my registration information. Then I will be able to purchase a modem (that looks like a thumb drive), buy air time for the phone’s sim card that I then convert over into a 2G bundle so that I can operate the modem. I plan to stay in that store tomorrow until she makes sure that I’m doing everything correctly!
Since I’m living on my own, I’m trying to take advantage of watching what I eat, walking around the area which is lovely and part of the campus, and reading rather than watching tv. Of course, I did feel compelled to watch Oprah while cooking my supper that should last 2 more nights, but after that I moved on to reading Constructing Grounded Theory by Kathy Charmaz. I’m hoping to get a research project underway soon, but need to hear from the other members of the department as to what they are doing and where I’m most needed.
Check out the videos of my place at work!
My Office:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/teresatharris7/videos/5/
The view from my office window:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/teresatharris7/videos/6/
The main hall of my building:
http://www.viddler.com/explore/teresatharris7/videos/4/
Getting Settled
It’s Wednesday, January 20, 2010, and I’ve moved into my first apartment! Today two of my colleagues, Nkidi and Linda, came to J’burg to pick me up with all my luggage and help me move to Pretoria. We not only moved all the incredibly heavy luggage into the flat by ourselves, we then headed off to secure an official notice of my address, went to Hatfield to have a lovely lunch of quiche and salad, do grocery shopping for just me, and attempt to get a SIM card that would actually work in my telephone.
Well, we decided to leave all my suitcases in the flat so that I would have something to do this evening, but taking a quick tour, I have the most remarkable set up. There’s a little kitchen with everything there. Nkidi even made sure there was tea, coffee, and sugar waiting for me as well as some milk and water in the fridge. The little bathroom across from the kitchen has a shower so that’s perfect. Behind the kitchen is the living/dining room with cupboards for storing Ben’s clothes, my books, and the laundry detergent and ironing board. Across from the living space is the bedroom with twin beds and a small desk. There’s plenty of storage in this cupboard and I’ve already filled it with my clothes.
At the Pic ‘n Pay I bought groceries to get me started. The bill was over $100 but I rationalized that those purchases of detergent, storage containers, and staples were just the way it was. Hopefully, I’ll be able to cut back on that, but then, I’ve already started a list that inclusde a better corkscrew than the one that was in the kitchen! I used every tool in the drawer to get to my first bottle of Chardonnay but it was well worth the struggle to get that bottle opened.
Over lunch Linda, Nkidi, and I talked about their early childhood education program and the role of the field placement. Although our challenges are very different, we share the same concerns for high quality placements for our students and the need to have extended time in the field to allow our students to make the connections between theory and the real world of practice. One of the real delights of the afternoon was running into one of Linda’s students. Her passion for teaching and her excitement for her current placement were palpable and I was immediately reminded of the students I’ve left behind. There’s so much to look forward to here!
When I finally arrived home this evening, I managed to unpack while listening to the news. There are major concerns for the pass rate on matriculation exams and it seems evident that students really want to learn. How do we bring that same excitement and commitment to our teaching so that all of us can benefit?
While at lunch today, we saw three young women in school uniforms. Nkidi commented on how feminine the uniforms were and I regretted that I didn’t have my camera with me. The dresses were a bright orange halter top style. The girls also had blazers, orange head bands, and gold sandals. It was the first time I had seen a girl’s uniform that looked anything like this. Then I remembered a conversation that Themba shared with me on Tuesday evening after supper. We were talking about his son’s uniforms when he mentioned that during apartheid, all the black children, regardless of where they went to school, wore the same black and white uniform. Other schools had their own colors to identify them, but the black children all had the same basic uniform. When I look at students coming home or going out on break, you can see a rainbow of colors representing many schools. There are some things that have definitely changed, but without having a dear friend explain the past to me, I certainly wouldn’t be able to appreciate what I saw today.
Another challenge that I am facing is that of living alone. For me, this is quite exciting and a little scary. I’ve been married and had children for so long that I’m comfortable with the chaos of people coming and going. This experience is brand new! Of course, as I try to figure out how much to buy at the grocery store, I think about my daughter Suzy and the times that we’ve been grocery shopping together. She has had her own apartment for several years now, so I try to remember what she’s said about cooking for one. Suzy won’t be surprised to read that I made sure there’s tuna, peanut butter and jelly, and my favorite cereal. I only bought 2 packs of meat and already have tomorrow night’s supper ready after cooking it today. I also think about my daughter Caroline who’s also lived apart from her husband as they have very different careers. I hope that I’m as conscientious as she is on the studying and writing part while I’m alone. She also made a point to get to know her neighbors so I’m planning to introduce myself to the American woman and her child who live across the hall from me tomorrow. Now if I can be as brave as those two daughters and learn my way around! I’m only 2 blocks from the Hatfield area with tons of shopping and restaurants and the main campus of the University of Pretoria. Then there’s the bus to figure out so I can get to my campus. And, of course, trying to register a SIM card so that I can use my phone seems to be a major issue.
Well enough for now! Tomorrow I go to the office and say hello to all my colleagues.
Well, we decided to leave all my suitcases in the flat so that I would have something to do this evening, but taking a quick tour, I have the most remarkable set up. There’s a little kitchen with everything there. Nkidi even made sure there was tea, coffee, and sugar waiting for me as well as some milk and water in the fridge. The little bathroom across from the kitchen has a shower so that’s perfect. Behind the kitchen is the living/dining room with cupboards for storing Ben’s clothes, my books, and the laundry detergent and ironing board. Across from the living space is the bedroom with twin beds and a small desk. There’s plenty of storage in this cupboard and I’ve already filled it with my clothes.
At the Pic ‘n Pay I bought groceries to get me started. The bill was over $100 but I rationalized that those purchases of detergent, storage containers, and staples were just the way it was. Hopefully, I’ll be able to cut back on that, but then, I’ve already started a list that inclusde a better corkscrew than the one that was in the kitchen! I used every tool in the drawer to get to my first bottle of Chardonnay but it was well worth the struggle to get that bottle opened.
Over lunch Linda, Nkidi, and I talked about their early childhood education program and the role of the field placement. Although our challenges are very different, we share the same concerns for high quality placements for our students and the need to have extended time in the field to allow our students to make the connections between theory and the real world of practice. One of the real delights of the afternoon was running into one of Linda’s students. Her passion for teaching and her excitement for her current placement were palpable and I was immediately reminded of the students I’ve left behind. There’s so much to look forward to here!
When I finally arrived home this evening, I managed to unpack while listening to the news. There are major concerns for the pass rate on matriculation exams and it seems evident that students really want to learn. How do we bring that same excitement and commitment to our teaching so that all of us can benefit?
While at lunch today, we saw three young women in school uniforms. Nkidi commented on how feminine the uniforms were and I regretted that I didn’t have my camera with me. The dresses were a bright orange halter top style. The girls also had blazers, orange head bands, and gold sandals. It was the first time I had seen a girl’s uniform that looked anything like this. Then I remembered a conversation that Themba shared with me on Tuesday evening after supper. We were talking about his son’s uniforms when he mentioned that during apartheid, all the black children, regardless of where they went to school, wore the same black and white uniform. Other schools had their own colors to identify them, but the black children all had the same basic uniform. When I look at students coming home or going out on break, you can see a rainbow of colors representing many schools. There are some things that have definitely changed, but without having a dear friend explain the past to me, I certainly wouldn’t be able to appreciate what I saw today.
Another challenge that I am facing is that of living alone. For me, this is quite exciting and a little scary. I’ve been married and had children for so long that I’m comfortable with the chaos of people coming and going. This experience is brand new! Of course, as I try to figure out how much to buy at the grocery store, I think about my daughter Suzy and the times that we’ve been grocery shopping together. She has had her own apartment for several years now, so I try to remember what she’s said about cooking for one. Suzy won’t be surprised to read that I made sure there’s tuna, peanut butter and jelly, and my favorite cereal. I only bought 2 packs of meat and already have tomorrow night’s supper ready after cooking it today. I also think about my daughter Caroline who’s also lived apart from her husband as they have very different careers. I hope that I’m as conscientious as she is on the studying and writing part while I’m alone. She also made a point to get to know her neighbors so I’m planning to introduce myself to the American woman and her child who live across the hall from me tomorrow. Now if I can be as brave as those two daughters and learn my way around! I’m only 2 blocks from the Hatfield area with tons of shopping and restaurants and the main campus of the University of Pretoria. Then there’s the bus to figure out so I can get to my campus. And, of course, trying to register a SIM card so that I can use my phone seems to be a major issue.
Well enough for now! Tomorrow I go to the office and say hello to all my colleagues.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Arrival!
Well, we're here. For me the flight was smooth and relatively quick. I must have slept more than I realized because I only managed to watch a couple movies, my favorite was Time Traveler's Wife, and then it was time for the refreshing wipe, some food, and another movie before landing. Ben spent more time watching movies than actually sleeping, but proved to be a good travel companion.
Once off the plane we made it through passport control quickly and then had a longer wait to get through customs with that very lovely camera with the fancy lenses. I had my first warning that one of my credit cards was rejected when paying the VAT tax so Ken already has a list of bank things to do for tomorrow. Once through customs we looked around for our friends, but finding no one we knew, we exchanged some money to start my time in the country. As we came out of the money exchange space and started looking for the diary with the phone numbers, Themba appeared with Lisha, Thabiso, and Maria. We were soon joined by Isaiah and Andiswa. Lots of hugs all round and then we headed out of the airport to Themba's house for one of Thembela's wonderful meals. We feasted on chicken wings, lamb ribs, veggies, and rice with great gravy. She had fruit and pudding for dessert. After conversation and planning for tomorrow, Ben gave up for bed and I decided to address all the emails.
Tomorrow we'll be in search of a car and some driving lessons before Ben heads off to Zambia for a couple weeks with his sister Caroline and her husband Trevor.
Once off the plane we made it through passport control quickly and then had a longer wait to get through customs with that very lovely camera with the fancy lenses. I had my first warning that one of my credit cards was rejected when paying the VAT tax so Ken already has a list of bank things to do for tomorrow. Once through customs we looked around for our friends, but finding no one we knew, we exchanged some money to start my time in the country. As we came out of the money exchange space and started looking for the diary with the phone numbers, Themba appeared with Lisha, Thabiso, and Maria. We were soon joined by Isaiah and Andiswa. Lots of hugs all round and then we headed out of the airport to Themba's house for one of Thembela's wonderful meals. We feasted on chicken wings, lamb ribs, veggies, and rice with great gravy. She had fruit and pudding for dessert. After conversation and planning for tomorrow, Ben gave up for bed and I decided to address all the emails.
Tomorrow we'll be in search of a car and some driving lessons before Ben heads off to Zambia for a couple weeks with his sister Caroline and her husband Trevor.
The Weekend
The final weekend at home was an adventure. Friday started off calmly enough with Ben sleeping in and then working on packing and additional laundry so that he had all his things together and ready to go. I continued to obsess over what books would go into which bags since my clothes had been packed for a couple weeks (or was it only one). My dear friend Ann treated me to lunch at Little Grill. The special was a black bean quesadilla that was delicious! We had girl time to talk through our "stuff" and then she returned me home so that I could get ready for a meeting in Staunton.
The International Beliefs and Values Institute (IBAVI) has moved towards nonprofit status and is now housed at Mary Baldwin College. This amazing organization moves scholars out of the ivory tower and into the real world to examine global issues that affect us all locally and local issues that have global impact. I served on the executive board last year and when IBAVI reorganized, I was invited to continue on the new board. What an honor for me to continue a relationship that values scholarship and action. This group is wonderful for letting good ideas soar while remaining firmly grounded in getting things done to make the world a better place for everyone.
Thank goodness my husband Ken has learned that when I get caught up in the world of ideas, I'm going to be running late. He kindly scheduled our dinner reservations at the Joshua Wilton House for 6:30 so that I could make it home and change clothes before our date night dinner, sponsored in large part by a Christmas gift from daughter Rachel. The food was fabulous and my filet mignon melted in my mouth. Fortunately the servings are larger than my appetite and I ended up with lunch for Saturday. And thanks to my friend Amy recommending her husband Shawn's tiramisu, I had an amazing dessert!
Once home, it was time for a quick skype call to Jennifer from Juneau to discuss the web page for the Association for Constructivist Teaching. Jennifer is an amazing science educator who is new to the ACT Board, but a dynamo of brains and energy to support the kinds of things we're trying to accomplish in helping teachers examine their work in light of learners and learning.
Saturday was errand day: to the bank, to the store, to another store to weigh the luggage (twice!) to finish the packing and get things into the car. Ken provided pizza for our last family meal so we could all just relax a little bit. Of course, once he and I called it a night, Ben was inspired to make chocolate chip cookies with friends.
Sunday was "head to the airport" day. Abbey and Richy got up to say goodbye, Becky took us to the airport, and Ben and I headed out. It was so much fun to watch Ben, on his first airplane ride since he was 4, as he watched us take off, fly through the clouds, and end up in blue skies. We managed a window seat to Atlanta, but missed out on the longer ride. Fortunately, it was dark as we took off so he wasn't too disappointed. And we were on our way!
The International Beliefs and Values Institute (IBAVI) has moved towards nonprofit status and is now housed at Mary Baldwin College. This amazing organization moves scholars out of the ivory tower and into the real world to examine global issues that affect us all locally and local issues that have global impact. I served on the executive board last year and when IBAVI reorganized, I was invited to continue on the new board. What an honor for me to continue a relationship that values scholarship and action. This group is wonderful for letting good ideas soar while remaining firmly grounded in getting things done to make the world a better place for everyone.
Thank goodness my husband Ken has learned that when I get caught up in the world of ideas, I'm going to be running late. He kindly scheduled our dinner reservations at the Joshua Wilton House for 6:30 so that I could make it home and change clothes before our date night dinner, sponsored in large part by a Christmas gift from daughter Rachel. The food was fabulous and my filet mignon melted in my mouth. Fortunately the servings are larger than my appetite and I ended up with lunch for Saturday. And thanks to my friend Amy recommending her husband Shawn's tiramisu, I had an amazing dessert!
Once home, it was time for a quick skype call to Jennifer from Juneau to discuss the web page for the Association for Constructivist Teaching. Jennifer is an amazing science educator who is new to the ACT Board, but a dynamo of brains and energy to support the kinds of things we're trying to accomplish in helping teachers examine their work in light of learners and learning.
Saturday was errand day: to the bank, to the store, to another store to weigh the luggage (twice!) to finish the packing and get things into the car. Ken provided pizza for our last family meal so we could all just relax a little bit. Of course, once he and I called it a night, Ben was inspired to make chocolate chip cookies with friends.
Sunday was "head to the airport" day. Abbey and Richy got up to say goodbye, Becky took us to the airport, and Ben and I headed out. It was so much fun to watch Ben, on his first airplane ride since he was 4, as he watched us take off, fly through the clouds, and end up in blue skies. We managed a window seat to Atlanta, but missed out on the longer ride. Fortunately, it was dark as we took off so he wasn't too disappointed. And we were on our way!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
It's Thursday
It's my last official day in the office and I'm counting off all the things that need to happen before I leave. Now, there's a sign on my door with my blog address and email address for those who want to get in touch with me. The reference letters are taped to the door so that students can get them or I can ask Juanita to address and mail them out. I've copied rubrics that must be entered into the TK-20 database with the thought that some day I may have to learn to use that system. I'll deal with the online connections for my laptops when I come back, even though Susan has been most gracious through all my emails that essentially said, "I have no clue about wireless connections and what I'm supposed to do." I just can't believe that it's taken me all day to get this little stuff done!
Of course, I did manage to deal with a lot of spam and several important emails. My two independent study students, Janelle and Kathleen, were on my mind and I've almost finished up the arrangements that I need to make for them to complete a really exciting study of exemplary teaching. We're all so excited about the possibilities of what they will learn and how we're able to document this! Watching young teachers is so inspiring and they offer such great hope for my grandchildren.
I also started checking the auto trader website that my younger brother, Themba, had recommended. Based on all the feedback from former Fulbrighters and friends, it looks like it's advantageous to buy a car. Themba has been kind enough to give me websites, suggest makes and models with high resale value, and point me towards service and insurance options. So, today I took a break to look at cars in my price range. Now, I've just replaced one old car with an older one at home so Ben will have something to drive when he returns so buying another car isn't really something I'm overly eager to do, but those little cars are pretty cute! But I'm also really nervous about driving on the other side of the road and dealing with a manual transmission that's also on the other side as well. After looking a bit, I dropped Themba a line to share my concerns. Here's part of his reply:
"The R50k will be more than enough to buy you a good car, we just need to choose the correct vehicle...I think being nervous is quite ok because if you were not something will be wrong. You are leaving behind your beautiful house, family, comforts, snow etc and that will make many people change their minds. The advantage though for you is that you are going to a very familiar place and will interact daily with people that you already know. As for the driving, I think it ill also be easy because we drive on the left lane but cars are right hand drives which is opposite your system. If the cars were also left drives driving on the left hand lane that would have been tricky but I see you driving alone from day one from the garage to home."
As you can see, my South African family is just lovely and perhaps you can understand why I love them so much!
Well, I'm dragging my feet. It's not because I don't want to head home to prepare a spaghetti supper for the whole family this evening as Ben and I prepare to say goodbye and take lots of pictures to share (although you probably know how little I enjoy the cooking side of things!). Goodbyes are always hard and I have to say goodbye to students I'll miss as they've returned for senior and grad semester classes. No more trips to the dean's office for free coffee. No more lunches with "the wonder women" and no more chats up and down the hall. Of course, people who teach in 3110, 3105 and even 3150 don't have to worry about me dropping in to interrup their classes either! But I'll certainly miss my dear friends in Memorial Hall. As my friend, Mike Renfroe told me long ago, "You're supposed to be sad when you say goodbye to the people you love."
Of course, I did manage to deal with a lot of spam and several important emails. My two independent study students, Janelle and Kathleen, were on my mind and I've almost finished up the arrangements that I need to make for them to complete a really exciting study of exemplary teaching. We're all so excited about the possibilities of what they will learn and how we're able to document this! Watching young teachers is so inspiring and they offer such great hope for my grandchildren.
I also started checking the auto trader website that my younger brother, Themba, had recommended. Based on all the feedback from former Fulbrighters and friends, it looks like it's advantageous to buy a car. Themba has been kind enough to give me websites, suggest makes and models with high resale value, and point me towards service and insurance options. So, today I took a break to look at cars in my price range. Now, I've just replaced one old car with an older one at home so Ben will have something to drive when he returns so buying another car isn't really something I'm overly eager to do, but those little cars are pretty cute! But I'm also really nervous about driving on the other side of the road and dealing with a manual transmission that's also on the other side as well. After looking a bit, I dropped Themba a line to share my concerns. Here's part of his reply:
"The R50k will be more than enough to buy you a good car, we just need to choose the correct vehicle...I think being nervous is quite ok because if you were not something will be wrong. You are leaving behind your beautiful house, family, comforts, snow etc and that will make many people change their minds. The advantage though for you is that you are going to a very familiar place and will interact daily with people that you already know. As for the driving, I think it ill also be easy because we drive on the left lane but cars are right hand drives which is opposite your system. If the cars were also left drives driving on the left hand lane that would have been tricky but I see you driving alone from day one from the garage to home."
As you can see, my South African family is just lovely and perhaps you can understand why I love them so much!
Well, I'm dragging my feet. It's not because I don't want to head home to prepare a spaghetti supper for the whole family this evening as Ben and I prepare to say goodbye and take lots of pictures to share (although you probably know how little I enjoy the cooking side of things!). Goodbyes are always hard and I have to say goodbye to students I'll miss as they've returned for senior and grad semester classes. No more trips to the dean's office for free coffee. No more lunches with "the wonder women" and no more chats up and down the hall. Of course, people who teach in 3110, 3105 and even 3150 don't have to worry about me dropping in to interrup their classes either! But I'll certainly miss my dear friends in Memorial Hall. As my friend, Mike Renfroe told me long ago, "You're supposed to be sad when you say goodbye to the people you love."
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Mid-week Countdown
After a lovely Sunday that set the tone for goodbyes, safe travels, and inspiration for the adventures that await me, I went to work on Monday ready to move through the long list of last minute to-do's. Of course, since it was the first day of the new semester, stopping to chat with colleagues who are also my friends, peeping into classrooms to see students from last spring again, trying to connect the notebook to the power source and then remember what needed to go on the to-do list all consumed more time than it should have.
One of the first phone calls of the morning came from Iain MacLean, from our Philosophy and Religion Department. I first met Iain thanks to one of my students who mentioned she knew someone on campus from South Africa. Since I was preparing my first group of students to go South Africa, I immediately called Iain and invited him to come to talk with us about Cape Town. He was absolutely delightful! He brought books, told stories, gave us tips on where to visit and all with a wonderful sense of humor. Since that time in 2007, Iain and I have crossed paths at university functions and some church functions, in part because he's also ordained as a Presbyterian minister and I'm a lifelong Presbyterian.
Iain's call took me a bit by surprise. As part of the pleasantries of well wishing for the new year, Iain said that he had a real dilemma. A friend's son had managed to receive a wonderful scholarship back home, had left his university studies in the states to accept it, and then proceeded to purchase a camera that was being delivered here in the states. Did I know anyone who might be able to help him get that camera to the young man. I mentioned that I would be leaving on Sunday for South Africa and would be happy to help out with that leg of the journey. Iain had forgotten about my upcoming trip and was immediately relieved. What a way to start the week for us both!
As the day progressed and the first of the letters of recommendation I had promised to students were crafted, I was interrupted by four students from last spring's child development class. They "just wanted to drop by to say hi" and we had a lovely chat about the stresses of 15 credit hours of education classes and field work compared to 15 hours of classes in their interdisciplinary major. One of the young women said that I needed to bring back lots of new necklaces so that she could enjoy them all during her grad semester when I returned and I promised to honor that wish. I fell in love with the beautiful jewelry while I traveled in the country and I do seem to buy quite a bit, but I'm finding that I actually enjoy giving it away to friends when I return. It's so much fun to bring back something tangible that connects my friends here to my life over there.
In the afternoon, I got to talk with Kay Lowe. Kay is an expert in the area of literacy and has done so much to address the challenge children and adults face when they cannot read. She was at JMU years ago (about 1996?) and she was known for her great sense of humor, her commitment to literacy education, and her ability to get things done. When Nkidi Phatudi, my first contact at University of Pretoria, began talking about the concerns she had for the literacy levels in her own country and the kinds of things that she wanted to do, Kay was one of the first people I thought of. So, Monday's skype call came at just the right time. Kay is currently directing a Center for Literacy at her university in Australia and she was full of ideas that lined up with what I understood that Nkidi wanted as well. By the time we finished our conversation, we each had a list of things to do and a plan to talk weekly until we had a program in place!
Tuesday began to feel like my old routine - except that I wasn't in a rush to get up, get someone to school, and prep for class. I did see a few more colleagues. I did stick my head in different classroom doors to say hello. I got to have lunch with Ken, my husband because he was kind enough to offer to grab some Subway sandwiches and meet in my office before he went to a meeting in my building. It was the first time in ages that it was just the two of us! When he left, my dear friend Holly came down and we actually ate together to compare notes on life, living, and work. Back to writing more recommendation letters and dealing with minutiae.
One of the things that I had to do was find out about my treaty permit. Back in November, had completed all the documents, gotten signatures, mailed everything in and then received a call from the South African embassy saying that I had failed to complete a specific medical form but had, instead, sent a copy of my CIES medical information. It was one of those details that I just misunderstood in completing all the paperwork. He assured me not to worry and just fax him the form signed by my doctor. Now I was in a panic. I called my doctor. He was gone for the weekend and wouldn't be back until Monday. And the nurse was really sorry, but no other doctor in the practice would sign off that I was in excellent health. By the time the doctor returned and I got to the office to pick up the form and fax it out, I was certain that I would never meet the deadline for my passport. The passport came back in the mail, but the treaty permit didn't arrive. Christmas came and went and nothing. I thought I should wait until after the first of the year. Finally I called on Tuesday, wondering if I would have to make a quick trip to DC to get this document so I could fly into the country and stay. I talked with David, the embassy expert on visas. He took my name, date of birth, all the important information and then asked, "Did you send the money so that we could mail your passport back to you?" I confirmed that I had sent the money and that I had received my passport. He started to laugh and said, "Check your passport. The visa should be pasted inside on one of the pages." Of course he was right. I just never thought to look there! I had an image in my mind that there would be some sort of separate letter that looked very official. Crisis averted again.
Tuesday was also the day I skyped Nkidi to report out on my conversation with Kay. We had originally planned to all talk together, but we had one of those glitches that occurs when I bring my American mind that says people live to respond to emails with her South African mind that suggests there's more to life than reading and writing emails. It was so exciting to see my friend and meet her daughter. We had a lovely chat about how I'm supposed to pay my rent (credit card, traveler's check, or wire), how we'll connect once I arrive (will I have a car purchased so I can drive over or will I need a ride), and then the move into my new place. Of course, Nkidi was most interested in the reading programme and the conversation I had with Kay. When I started talking about all the things that Kay was doing with her center, Nkidi just lit up. Everyone, it seems, is on the same wave length. she asked to see the materials and I reported that Kay was going to put together a packet of things for her review once she (Kay) returned to Australia. Nkidi and I started talking about grants and opportunities in a very general way and then realized we have a very busy semester ahead of us. Before saying goodbye, I met her lovely daughter who, at 22 is the same age as my daughter Rachel and just a year older than Abbey, another daughter. We talked briefly about my bringing some music that the girls enjoy so that project will get started right away.
Today is Wednesday. Just 5 more recommendations to write. Two students are coming by to talk about their independent study project. I've got to get my own prescriptions filled. There are more boxes and bags of books to unload from car - all for learners at Child Academy and Dzindi Primary. More later!
One of the first phone calls of the morning came from Iain MacLean, from our Philosophy and Religion Department. I first met Iain thanks to one of my students who mentioned she knew someone on campus from South Africa. Since I was preparing my first group of students to go South Africa, I immediately called Iain and invited him to come to talk with us about Cape Town. He was absolutely delightful! He brought books, told stories, gave us tips on where to visit and all with a wonderful sense of humor. Since that time in 2007, Iain and I have crossed paths at university functions and some church functions, in part because he's also ordained as a Presbyterian minister and I'm a lifelong Presbyterian.
Iain's call took me a bit by surprise. As part of the pleasantries of well wishing for the new year, Iain said that he had a real dilemma. A friend's son had managed to receive a wonderful scholarship back home, had left his university studies in the states to accept it, and then proceeded to purchase a camera that was being delivered here in the states. Did I know anyone who might be able to help him get that camera to the young man. I mentioned that I would be leaving on Sunday for South Africa and would be happy to help out with that leg of the journey. Iain had forgotten about my upcoming trip and was immediately relieved. What a way to start the week for us both!
As the day progressed and the first of the letters of recommendation I had promised to students were crafted, I was interrupted by four students from last spring's child development class. They "just wanted to drop by to say hi" and we had a lovely chat about the stresses of 15 credit hours of education classes and field work compared to 15 hours of classes in their interdisciplinary major. One of the young women said that I needed to bring back lots of new necklaces so that she could enjoy them all during her grad semester when I returned and I promised to honor that wish. I fell in love with the beautiful jewelry while I traveled in the country and I do seem to buy quite a bit, but I'm finding that I actually enjoy giving it away to friends when I return. It's so much fun to bring back something tangible that connects my friends here to my life over there.
In the afternoon, I got to talk with Kay Lowe. Kay is an expert in the area of literacy and has done so much to address the challenge children and adults face when they cannot read. She was at JMU years ago (about 1996?) and she was known for her great sense of humor, her commitment to literacy education, and her ability to get things done. When Nkidi Phatudi, my first contact at University of Pretoria, began talking about the concerns she had for the literacy levels in her own country and the kinds of things that she wanted to do, Kay was one of the first people I thought of. So, Monday's skype call came at just the right time. Kay is currently directing a Center for Literacy at her university in Australia and she was full of ideas that lined up with what I understood that Nkidi wanted as well. By the time we finished our conversation, we each had a list of things to do and a plan to talk weekly until we had a program in place!
Tuesday began to feel like my old routine - except that I wasn't in a rush to get up, get someone to school, and prep for class. I did see a few more colleagues. I did stick my head in different classroom doors to say hello. I got to have lunch with Ken, my husband because he was kind enough to offer to grab some Subway sandwiches and meet in my office before he went to a meeting in my building. It was the first time in ages that it was just the two of us! When he left, my dear friend Holly came down and we actually ate together to compare notes on life, living, and work. Back to writing more recommendation letters and dealing with minutiae.
One of the things that I had to do was find out about my treaty permit. Back in November, had completed all the documents, gotten signatures, mailed everything in and then received a call from the South African embassy saying that I had failed to complete a specific medical form but had, instead, sent a copy of my CIES medical information. It was one of those details that I just misunderstood in completing all the paperwork. He assured me not to worry and just fax him the form signed by my doctor. Now I was in a panic. I called my doctor. He was gone for the weekend and wouldn't be back until Monday. And the nurse was really sorry, but no other doctor in the practice would sign off that I was in excellent health. By the time the doctor returned and I got to the office to pick up the form and fax it out, I was certain that I would never meet the deadline for my passport. The passport came back in the mail, but the treaty permit didn't arrive. Christmas came and went and nothing. I thought I should wait until after the first of the year. Finally I called on Tuesday, wondering if I would have to make a quick trip to DC to get this document so I could fly into the country and stay. I talked with David, the embassy expert on visas. He took my name, date of birth, all the important information and then asked, "Did you send the money so that we could mail your passport back to you?" I confirmed that I had sent the money and that I had received my passport. He started to laugh and said, "Check your passport. The visa should be pasted inside on one of the pages." Of course he was right. I just never thought to look there! I had an image in my mind that there would be some sort of separate letter that looked very official. Crisis averted again.
Tuesday was also the day I skyped Nkidi to report out on my conversation with Kay. We had originally planned to all talk together, but we had one of those glitches that occurs when I bring my American mind that says people live to respond to emails with her South African mind that suggests there's more to life than reading and writing emails. It was so exciting to see my friend and meet her daughter. We had a lovely chat about how I'm supposed to pay my rent (credit card, traveler's check, or wire), how we'll connect once I arrive (will I have a car purchased so I can drive over or will I need a ride), and then the move into my new place. Of course, Nkidi was most interested in the reading programme and the conversation I had with Kay. When I started talking about all the things that Kay was doing with her center, Nkidi just lit up. Everyone, it seems, is on the same wave length. she asked to see the materials and I reported that Kay was going to put together a packet of things for her review once she (Kay) returned to Australia. Nkidi and I started talking about grants and opportunities in a very general way and then realized we have a very busy semester ahead of us. Before saying goodbye, I met her lovely daughter who, at 22 is the same age as my daughter Rachel and just a year older than Abbey, another daughter. We talked briefly about my bringing some music that the girls enjoy so that project will get started right away.
Today is Wednesday. Just 5 more recommendations to write. Two students are coming by to talk about their independent study project. I've got to get my own prescriptions filled. There are more boxes and bags of books to unload from car - all for learners at Child Academy and Dzindi Primary. More later!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
The Countdown
The official countdown to South Africa has begun! This is my last week in the states and I have a long list of things to do before leaving. It's hard to believe that already I've gone through the application process for a Fulbright award, had two different trips to the country to explore and prepare, and managed to pull together a research agenda to complement my teaching responsibilities. But there you have it! And now, it's the last week before flying to my new home for the next 6 months.
Today I made a trip to the local drug store to get Ben's prescriptions filled so that he had his asthma meds and his antimalarial prescription. At the same time, I realized that I managed to lose my own prescriptions for antimalarials and added that to my list of things to do tomorrow. Already on that list is having Ben locate his nebulizer to pack, check on dependent health care while traveling abroad, and securing additional prescriptions to take with me so that our health care needs are addressed. Fulbright has a plan for awardees so I already have my card to take care of that side of insurance so I'll also call my insurance company to see what else I need to do before leaving.
Another challenge for me as a mom, is making sure that my children - all adults- have the care and information they need before I leave. We've had our share of surprises in the last few weeks with health "events" for both Abbey and Stephanie and return-to-college preparations for Abbey and Becky. Suzy pretty much handles all her grad school stuff, but we've been skyping about finances for the final semester while trying to figure out FAFSFA for Becky, Abbey, and Rachel. Thank goodness, Ben will finish exams this week and then just join me for the next 6-week term!
Caring for Ken is also a priority. We've been apart for long periods of time, but never this long! We've figured out skype and the peripherals that will allow us to have face to face connections, but that's not the same thing as seeing one another every day. I'll have all my friends and colleagues in South Africa and he'll have the same here. I'll have Ben and he'll have Richy, our Kenyan son, and the dogs. Somehow, I still think that life will be considerably different for us both!
Tonight is girls' night out with the "wise women". I have 3 incredible friends with whom I go out about once a month. This has been the most wonderful evening of the month to give and receive the unconditional support that we need. What a gift this will be as I say goodbye and we look ahead to the new year.
Monday is the first day of classes at JMU. I'll be in "lame duck" mode as I skip out on meetings and the first week of class, but write recommendation letters and continue to complete all the things on the "To Do" list. Stay tuned for more as I prepare to head out...
Today I made a trip to the local drug store to get Ben's prescriptions filled so that he had his asthma meds and his antimalarial prescription. At the same time, I realized that I managed to lose my own prescriptions for antimalarials and added that to my list of things to do tomorrow. Already on that list is having Ben locate his nebulizer to pack, check on dependent health care while traveling abroad, and securing additional prescriptions to take with me so that our health care needs are addressed. Fulbright has a plan for awardees so I already have my card to take care of that side of insurance so I'll also call my insurance company to see what else I need to do before leaving.
Another challenge for me as a mom, is making sure that my children - all adults- have the care and information they need before I leave. We've had our share of surprises in the last few weeks with health "events" for both Abbey and Stephanie and return-to-college preparations for Abbey and Becky. Suzy pretty much handles all her grad school stuff, but we've been skyping about finances for the final semester while trying to figure out FAFSFA for Becky, Abbey, and Rachel. Thank goodness, Ben will finish exams this week and then just join me for the next 6-week term!
Caring for Ken is also a priority. We've been apart for long periods of time, but never this long! We've figured out skype and the peripherals that will allow us to have face to face connections, but that's not the same thing as seeing one another every day. I'll have all my friends and colleagues in South Africa and he'll have the same here. I'll have Ben and he'll have Richy, our Kenyan son, and the dogs. Somehow, I still think that life will be considerably different for us both!
Tonight is girls' night out with the "wise women". I have 3 incredible friends with whom I go out about once a month. This has been the most wonderful evening of the month to give and receive the unconditional support that we need. What a gift this will be as I say goodbye and we look ahead to the new year.
Monday is the first day of classes at JMU. I'll be in "lame duck" mode as I skip out on meetings and the first week of class, but write recommendation letters and continue to complete all the things on the "To Do" list. Stay tuned for more as I prepare to head out...
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