In a recent article, which can be found here, Professor Jonathan Jansen of the University of the Free State discusses the current state of the South African education system. Specifically, he dissects and argues against the current coding system implemented by the Department of Education. This article has made the rounds throughout EwB, but the reason for really mentioning it at all is that the core argument behind it has constantly cropped up in the last two to three weeks. Here are some of my thoughts on the article itself.
Obviously coming from the U.S., the idea of passing with a 30% (or 40%, 50%, and 60%) is ludicrous. If you only know 30% of any material, do you actually know it? Learners are happy with passing with their 30%, and why shouldn’t they be? They are lauded as an educational success story, they passed, they can be someone. However, by continuing to maintain this 30% they will, as the article says, continuously be behind in school, university and work. This will create a generation of inept, incompetent and quasi-useless work force.
At school, I have had many discussions with teachers and tutors over this new-ish code system that rewards mediocrity. The big complaint being that the learner’s are not really learning anything, and a 30% pass for a class is almost like saying each grade has an automatic promotion. You really have to actively try to fail a grade to not move on. Within the program we continuously try to make the magic number 60%, always saying that you can’t get into university without those numbers. So we try to deflate the idea that 30% is a successful grade and continue to make them work hard to raise their own levels instead of rest on their laurels.
Yet, I do have one grudge against the article. The way it is written seems to blame students for some of the problems. While I believe that their ineptness is a product of the system, they are just working in what they know. It is the governments responsibility to change the educational system to one that is more representative of the actual situation. On top of that, it is universities responsibility to curb their admission requirements accordingly or they will continue to face high drop out rates and attrition. It is common sense. It is impossible to start a ground-up attitude for ALL learners, it just won’t ever happen. This needs to be one of those rare places where a top-down approach is best used. The biggest reason being, why would a learner actively try to change something that does not benefit them. Why would they support something that no matter what makes them a worse looking student.
However, on top of this Professor Jansen must remember that changing the codes isn’t the only thing that must be done. To create better learners, you need more efficient and effective use of resources, better teachers, computers, incentives, schools, field trips or a myriad of other things that could influence a child to want to be better. Its a problem with no simple solution, but one that needs to be fixed immediately if South Africa wants to take that next step in development.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Come Over To The Dark Side...We Have Candy
Yesterday one of my learners from the program brought me a candy bar as a gift. One of the tutors asked me "What happened to the days where students brought teachers an apple? Why did she not give you one of those?".
I told her that along with teaching English and Math, I am teaching my classes how to be awesome. Who wants an apple when you can get a candy bar. Long live deliciousness!
I told her that along with teaching English and Math, I am teaching my classes how to be awesome. Who wants an apple when you can get a candy bar. Long live deliciousness!
We Are Fezeka
There has been something missing from the EwB blog. An important element that I am not capable of reaching. An aspect that none of us writing here can articulate. We see it, but we have not lived it. This is why I wanted to start "We are Fezeka", an attempt to hear the stories of those that have lived or are living IT. It could be a simple telling of what they did that weekend, or who there favorite athlete is. It could be an in depth dissection of the importance of math or an attempt to express the apprehension of going to a new school. Anything to understand the daily lives of those at Fezeka. If we do not take the few seconds to get to know them, then we miss something.
The very first blog under the "We Are Fezeka" comes from one of our brand new grade 8 learners, who just joined our program this school year. Her name is Dianetsi Mosiuoo, and in an exercise where learners were asked to pick a word from a group and write what it means to them, she chose the word freedom. This is what she wrote.
The very first blog under the "We Are Fezeka" comes from one of our brand new grade 8 learners, who just joined our program this school year. Her name is Dianetsi Mosiuoo, and in an exercise where learners were asked to pick a word from a group and write what it means to them, she chose the word freedom. This is what she wrote.
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| Grade 8 Learner Dianetsi Mosiuoo |
Freedom
Freedom brings peace to our people and our nation. Peace is the first thing that a person should have. Nelson Mandela brought freedom to black people so that they could have peace with white people.
Peace make people love you and black people to have peace with white people.
Freedom has bring happiness to black people. Happiness is the joy to black people. Our country has happiness with other countries. Happiness is the joy to white and and black people
Freedom brough respect and peace in our nation to love each other. Respect one another, respect our beliefs and respect our religiouns from our cultures. Respect elders because if we do not respect our elders we will order bad luck for our future and for our nation. Freedom has brought us respect.
Freedom gives us opportunities to have a good education and a opportunity to have good jobs when we group up. Nelson Mandela brought us opportunities to have all things that we want like white people. If Nelson Mandela was not here we should not have the opportunities to have education like white people. Freedom has come with opportunities in our country.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
White men can't jump (Or Dance Apparently)
So me and some friends went out to a club called the Purple Turtle last weekend for a night of drinks, dj's, and dancing. My roomate Colleen promptly challenged me to a Krumping competition in the middle of the club. This is, I feel, what we thought we looked like.
This is what we actually looked like.
This is what we actually looked like.
Speak Loud and Clear
The World Schools Debating Championship is an annual English speaking international debate competition for students going to non-university schools. A vast majority of participants are high school aged learners. A little more information about the actual competition can be found here and here.
Why do I care about this? Well other than the fact that debate is a highly technical and useful skill to have, and the art of debate is quite fascinating, I am afraid my reason for writing about it is a little bit more selfish. This past Monday, Fezeka High School and EwB were privileged to host a delegation of debaters from four different countries as part of the international competition. These students are the best their respective countries have to offer. Since they choose individuals and not school debate teams, you could say that they are the all-star team of their countries when it comes to debate.
Coming to Fezeka were debaters from Hong Kong, Romania, Philippines, and Bermuda. All the organizers asked from us were three simple things.
1) Make ready four classrooms for preparation, with two of those classrooms set up as debate areas.
2) Have a 30 minute "Welcoming" prepared for the debaters.
3) Try to procure some sort of an audience of learners for the debates themselves.
Well classroom prep was a cinch, and if you follow this blog at all you know the reputation of Fezeka welcomes (I was told by one of the judges that the choir "Sent chills down her spine" and that the welcome "was quite possibly the best of any school hosting"). However, it is this last item that I want to touch on quickly.
One of the things that we at EwB have tried to instill in our learners is confidence when speaking English. It is not always easy. We have started to lean towards using debates as a way to get them to speak English in front of groups of people and to also use critical thinking skills in forming their arguments. It covers facets that they need help in. In this visit was an opportunity for our learners to see the pros in action, and they were hooked. On top of learning from the actual debaters, the judges were kind enough to run a workshop for our learners while the debate teams were preparing their arguments. Not only was it a great learning experience for them on a purely academic level, but socially they found their curiosity about these debaters and judges to much. Every time I turned around, there were learners crowding around debaters, coaches and judges asking questions. How did you learn to speak English so well? Why did you argue that? Is it hot in Bermuda? What countries border Romania? What kind of phone is that?
As you can see, the conversations started out in a more serious nature and quickly became more familiar. It ended exactly how we wanted. They came together as students, they left as friends. It could not have been a more successful day.
Why do I care about this? Well other than the fact that debate is a highly technical and useful skill to have, and the art of debate is quite fascinating, I am afraid my reason for writing about it is a little bit more selfish. This past Monday, Fezeka High School and EwB were privileged to host a delegation of debaters from four different countries as part of the international competition. These students are the best their respective countries have to offer. Since they choose individuals and not school debate teams, you could say that they are the all-star team of their countries when it comes to debate.
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| Lusanda Ngqose Welcoming The Teams |
Coming to Fezeka were debaters from Hong Kong, Romania, Philippines, and Bermuda. All the organizers asked from us were three simple things.
1) Make ready four classrooms for preparation, with two of those classrooms set up as debate areas.
2) Have a 30 minute "Welcoming" prepared for the debaters.
3) Try to procure some sort of an audience of learners for the debates themselves.
Well classroom prep was a cinch, and if you follow this blog at all you know the reputation of Fezeka welcomes (I was told by one of the judges that the choir "Sent chills down her spine" and that the welcome "was quite possibly the best of any school hosting"). However, it is this last item that I want to touch on quickly.
One of the things that we at EwB have tried to instill in our learners is confidence when speaking English. It is not always easy. We have started to lean towards using debates as a way to get them to speak English in front of groups of people and to also use critical thinking skills in forming their arguments. It covers facets that they need help in. In this visit was an opportunity for our learners to see the pros in action, and they were hooked. On top of learning from the actual debaters, the judges were kind enough to run a workshop for our learners while the debate teams were preparing their arguments. Not only was it a great learning experience for them on a purely academic level, but socially they found their curiosity about these debaters and judges to much. Every time I turned around, there were learners crowding around debaters, coaches and judges asking questions. How did you learn to speak English so well? Why did you argue that? Is it hot in Bermuda? What countries border Romania? What kind of phone is that?
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| Judges Giving A Workshop To The Learners |
As you can see, the conversations started out in a more serious nature and quickly became more familiar. It ended exactly how we wanted. They came together as students, they left as friends. It could not have been a more successful day.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Education’s purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one.
It is that time of the year again. Time for teachers to write their lesson plans and get their classrooms ready. Time for the administration to create time tables and endure a never ending amount of meetings. Time for learners to wash and polish their school uniforms and follow their feet back to school. Last but not least, it’s time for us here at EwB to get back to work at hand. This past week was the first few days back at school and was a generally exciting time. The Fezeka administration and teachers were a positive combination of still being on a high from the matriculation results from the previous year (over 70%) and coming back to school well rested and excited for the new year. The learners, especially those in the program, were looking forward to continuing their academic achievement and progress through this year. When stepping on campus, Vimbai and I were bombarded with hope and genuine excitement from all parties. Learners in the program were rushing to tell us about how they received code 5,6 or 7 on their final exams and wondering when the tutoring would start again. Others were rushing to Angeline to ask when they could come help out or hang out in the library.
What this means is that we as an organization have started to put the pieces together in the first, but important, step. That being fostering a communal sense of academic achievement. You cannot teach someone that does not want to be taught. You need to help instill a desire to succeed. Fezeka, especially the learners within our program, have started to create this communal desire to succeed academically. They hang out together, they study together, they are all in the same classes (pure maths and physics for most!) and they cannot wait to continue their successful progress. The light seems to have switched on with these kids. It’s nice to be pestered with “When is the program going to start again Courtney?” instead of the excuses “I don’t think I can go today because I have chores” or “I don’t feel so well” that crops up occasionally. Its palpable excitement, and a great way to start the year.
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| Fezeka Teachers |
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Christmas is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas.
So Christmas came and went, and while I was saying grace to 8 pound, 6 ounce baby Jesus I realized that my Christmas this year had gone as well as it could have gone. Here I was, halfway around the world from any family or friends that I have. Halfway around the world from the traditions and food and weather and people that I always celebrated Christmas with, and I was thoroughly enjoying myself. This was done in two large parts. First, I had fun here with friends doing non-traditional Christmas activities like braiing and tanning and midnight swims in the pool. Secondly, I was able to Skype many people that are important to me throughout the day. So here are some pictures of those that I was able to share this Christmas with, and thanks for everything. It really meant a lot to be able to spend some part of Christmas with you.
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| Hi other family |
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| I had my Santa hat on, she went Rudolf |
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| Commander Mendoza with his sweet headset |
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| Bro's just braiing |
Saturday, December 24, 2011
A lovely thing about Christmas is that it's compulsory, like a thunderstorm, and we all go through it together.
It's that time of year folks, that time of year where it is better to give than receive (Although I got a kick ass present so it is pretty awesome to receive!). However, in a grander and more selfless vein I am asking all of my friends that visit this blog (and there are quite a lot of you, i'm looking at you Karlos Wysom!) to donate one dollar to my organization Education without Borders. You don't need me to reiterate the work I do, you have all heard it enough, but I will reiterate the importance of any help. Let me put it in easier terms. If each of my 651 Facebook friends donate one dollar each, we can run one program (dance, photography, my sports program) for one year. Ballin right? So donate here! No matter if you want to write it off on your taxes, get some good karma on your side, impress a girl, impress a guy for that matter, or just are a genuinely nice person, give a little back if you could.
Anyways, I have big, sunny plans for my very first African Christmas but here is a quick little message from me and my roomate Colleen to all of our friends and family:
Anyways, I have big, sunny plans for my very first African Christmas but here is a quick little message from me and my roomate Colleen to all of our friends and family:
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| We ruined an installation at the SA National Gallery to do this, so enjoy it! |
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
I am sure that no man can derive more pleasure from money or power than I do from seeing a pair of basketball goals in some out of the way place.
This is what songs and poems and epic stories are written about. This is what men tell their sons in hushed, reverent whispers and women swoon over. This is one of those rare moments, where the world stops and takes notice, if only for that one second. Let me tell you the legend that is now only mentioned as "The Game".
Courtney "Born Ready" Lemm of the United States and Lennart "1/2 Man, 1/2 Amazing" Rehm of Germany had dreamed of this since boyhood. They had spent countless hours sweating, bleeding and winning various battles against other foes. All leading up to this one day, this one game, this one moment for glory.
It started as any other day in Cape Town would. The sun was out, people went about their business on the streets, and the traffic bustled. Yet something was different on this day. There was an energy that was palpable. People seemed tense, as if they sensed the importance of the occasion. The birds seemed to sing a battle cry instead of their usual warbling. All of a sudden, everything stopped.
First stepping out of his castle was the man they called 1/2 Man, 1/2 Amazing. He looked resplendent in his shorts and Moses Malone Nike t-shirt. Crowds parted when he walked by with his faithful steward Niels "I do music, not sports" Poensgen of Germany. He less walked and more floated to the court. He looked the way a hero should. Young, athletic, impeccable hair, he was the people's champion.
Following slowly behind was his opponent, the world renowned Born Ready. As he walked by men shook his hand, women gave him kisses of good luck and children grabbed at him, all in the one chance to be near greatness. He was a champion slayer. He had destroyed the famed Uncle Neds Kids of Chesapeake in the year of our lord 2004. He had taken down the mighty Alex "My neck is to big for my body" Wilbanks of Virginia in one fell swoop. He faced champions and overcame them time and time again, and he swaggered to the court knowing this.
The air was thick with tension. The crowds were closing in around the two, sensing the blood that would spill that day. In the background played:
The battle started quickly and without warning. The earth rumbled with each drop step. The heavens quaked with every rim rattling dunk. The crowds intake of breath was the only sound you heard with every jumpshot, with the roar after every made shot being the only thing more jarring then the silence that preceded it. The combatants feigned and twisted, pushed and shoved, fought and battled for every point. The strain on their bodies was easily seen, but neither would back down. How could they with so much on the line?
Before anyone could breathe, game point had come. Sweat dripped from each combatants brows as they fought for glory, pride, but most of all, the ability to mercilessly make fun of the other. The man they call 1/2 Man, 1/2 Amazing had the ball, dribbled left, spun right, elevated for the shot and.......
It seemed like forever, and it seemed like no time at all. To the crowd it was just a mild inconvenience to wait. Yet for the men who had fought and bled, it was agonizing. It was one second, and it was their entire lives. Awkward first kisses. Learning to slow dance with their mothers. Floating hands out the window on long road trips. HER. The happiness. The sadness. The hope. The dreams. The past and future. Everything and nothing at all. All of it flashed before their eyes in that moment.
Swish
One had lost, the other won. 1/2 Man, 1/2 Amazing had slew the man they call Born Ready, and was getting a hero's cheer. But for one second, as the moment fell over both men, they looked at each other and gave each other a nod. A nod of acknowledgement, a nod of ability, but most of all a nod of respect. Their will be a day when these two giants of men face off again. Yet until that time, men will speak in hushed and reverent whispers to their sons and women will swoon about this day. That day will go down in history.
Courtney "Born Ready" Lemm of the United States and Lennart "1/2 Man, 1/2 Amazing" Rehm of Germany had dreamed of this since boyhood. They had spent countless hours sweating, bleeding and winning various battles against other foes. All leading up to this one day, this one game, this one moment for glory.
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| Courtney "Born Ready" Lemm |
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| Lennart "1/2 Man, 1/2 Amazing" Rehm |
It started as any other day in Cape Town would. The sun was out, people went about their business on the streets, and the traffic bustled. Yet something was different on this day. There was an energy that was palpable. People seemed tense, as if they sensed the importance of the occasion. The birds seemed to sing a battle cry instead of their usual warbling. All of a sudden, everything stopped.
First stepping out of his castle was the man they called 1/2 Man, 1/2 Amazing. He looked resplendent in his shorts and Moses Malone Nike t-shirt. Crowds parted when he walked by with his faithful steward Niels "I do music, not sports" Poensgen of Germany. He less walked and more floated to the court. He looked the way a hero should. Young, athletic, impeccable hair, he was the people's champion.
Following slowly behind was his opponent, the world renowned Born Ready. As he walked by men shook his hand, women gave him kisses of good luck and children grabbed at him, all in the one chance to be near greatness. He was a champion slayer. He had destroyed the famed Uncle Neds Kids of Chesapeake in the year of our lord 2004. He had taken down the mighty Alex "My neck is to big for my body" Wilbanks of Virginia in one fell swoop. He faced champions and overcame them time and time again, and he swaggered to the court knowing this.
The air was thick with tension. The crowds were closing in around the two, sensing the blood that would spill that day. In the background played:
The battle started quickly and without warning. The earth rumbled with each drop step. The heavens quaked with every rim rattling dunk. The crowds intake of breath was the only sound you heard with every jumpshot, with the roar after every made shot being the only thing more jarring then the silence that preceded it. The combatants feigned and twisted, pushed and shoved, fought and battled for every point. The strain on their bodies was easily seen, but neither would back down. How could they with so much on the line?
Before anyone could breathe, game point had come. Sweat dripped from each combatants brows as they fought for glory, pride, but most of all, the ability to mercilessly make fun of the other. The man they call 1/2 Man, 1/2 Amazing had the ball, dribbled left, spun right, elevated for the shot and.......
It seemed like forever, and it seemed like no time at all. To the crowd it was just a mild inconvenience to wait. Yet for the men who had fought and bled, it was agonizing. It was one second, and it was their entire lives. Awkward first kisses. Learning to slow dance with their mothers. Floating hands out the window on long road trips. HER. The happiness. The sadness. The hope. The dreams. The past and future. Everything and nothing at all. All of it flashed before their eyes in that moment.
Swish
One had lost, the other won. 1/2 Man, 1/2 Amazing had slew the man they call Born Ready, and was getting a hero's cheer. But for one second, as the moment fell over both men, they looked at each other and gave each other a nod. A nod of acknowledgement, a nod of ability, but most of all a nod of respect. Their will be a day when these two giants of men face off again. Yet until that time, men will speak in hushed and reverent whispers to their sons and women will swoon about this day. That day will go down in history.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The sun is gone, but I have a light.
So I want to become a little bit more lighthearted and fun within this post, especially after the emotional roller coaster of the last one. Question is....how do we do that? Well lets start off with a little bit of South African comedy shall we?
So now that we have all enjoyed a good laugh, lets take a step back and talk. How have you been? Oh you don't say? She did what? That bitch! How dare she, if I was you I would........Whoa whoa whoa that conversation we just had got really out of hand quickly. How about I just let you know whats been going on here in beautiful Cape Town and shoot you some pics.
So funny thing about Cape Town, it doesn't really seem like they celebrate Christmas to much here. I can walk into any store at any moment and not be bombarded with this, this or especially scenes like this. I go back and forth if I like this or not. On one hand I have some pretty good friends to hang out with, with a pretty open mind on doing whatever I feel like doing that day. If I want to go to the beach and tan, I can do that (Did i mention its hot, because if I didn't then this man certainly did).
If I want to lay out by my pool and eat copious amounts of Chinese and pizza, well sir pass the chicken fried rice. Cage Shark diving, Garden Route Trip, Surf lessons, Ostrich riding, Big Game Safari, all of it open to me. The only thing that isn't though might be what I miss most right now, tradition. I miss lights on Christmas Eve, or "All I want for Christmas is you" on the radio. I miss movie marathons showing "Elf", "A Christmas Story", "Love Actually" or my favorite "Die Hard". While its cool to have all these different options open to you, sometimes you just want what you already have every so often. Weird huh?
Now this isn't to say I'm not going to have fun and enjoy myself. On the contrary, it is going to be....wait for it....LEGENDARY! Anyways, here are some pictures from the last few weeks of activities, including my day at Clifton Beach today. While you guys are all slaving away in the cold, snow, sleet and rain.....its prime tanning time to me. I even do my tanning like my friends from the waterfront now.....
So now that we have all enjoyed a good laugh, lets take a step back and talk. How have you been? Oh you don't say? She did what? That bitch! How dare she, if I was you I would........Whoa whoa whoa that conversation we just had got really out of hand quickly. How about I just let you know whats been going on here in beautiful Cape Town and shoot you some pics.
So funny thing about Cape Town, it doesn't really seem like they celebrate Christmas to much here. I can walk into any store at any moment and not be bombarded with this, this or especially scenes like this. I go back and forth if I like this or not. On one hand I have some pretty good friends to hang out with, with a pretty open mind on doing whatever I feel like doing that day. If I want to go to the beach and tan, I can do that (Did i mention its hot, because if I didn't then this man certainly did).
If I want to lay out by my pool and eat copious amounts of Chinese and pizza, well sir pass the chicken fried rice. Cage Shark diving, Garden Route Trip, Surf lessons, Ostrich riding, Big Game Safari, all of it open to me. The only thing that isn't though might be what I miss most right now, tradition. I miss lights on Christmas Eve, or "All I want for Christmas is you" on the radio. I miss movie marathons showing "Elf", "A Christmas Story", "Love Actually" or my favorite "Die Hard". While its cool to have all these different options open to you, sometimes you just want what you already have every so often. Weird huh?
Now this isn't to say I'm not going to have fun and enjoy myself. On the contrary, it is going to be....wait for it....LEGENDARY! Anyways, here are some pictures from the last few weeks of activities, including my day at Clifton Beach today. While you guys are all slaving away in the cold, snow, sleet and rain.....its prime tanning time to me. I even do my tanning like my friends from the waterfront now.....
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| My boy Niels ripping it up |
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| Hey cool background Lennart |
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| Who would do such a thing? |
Monday, December 19, 2011
Before I refuse to take your questions, I have an opening statement.
Some of you do not like the self reflective Courtney. That's understandable, he tends to be overly sappy and likes the sound of his voice. If you do not like him, look away. Close out this tab as fast as possible. You will not enjoy reading this. You will want to ask for the five minutes of your life back that it takes to read this, and that is just something that I cannot do.
Still here? Oh well you were warned.
I do not take risks. At least without calculating them within an inch of their life and deciding that might not be such a risk at all. This is evident in my poker playing style (well, until I get bored anyways). Even while i'm big stack I don't try to bully, I patiently wait until I KNOW that I will win. Or at least come very close. This is never more evident as in my social interactions with the outside world. As one of my best friends Mattie so eloquently put it, "Fucking christ Courtney, you are the most evident turtle I have ever seen". An apt description if you ask me. I wait in my comfortable shell, poking my head out every so often. If I see what I like I stick around for a little and come out of my shell (YAY FOR PUNS!), and if not I go right back in. I like my space, I like going to my man cave and having time to myself, I don't mind being in a room full of people and not talking, I like observing my surroundings and making a decision about if it is worth being outgoing. I'm more comfortable that way.
So you may be asking yourself, "Well duh I know that Courtney, the only people that read your stupid blog are your closest friends and family". So why this seeming psychological breakdown of my own psyche? It has a little bit to do with Cape Town and the neighborhood I live in, it doesn't allow you to dawdle your thumbs. Nobody sits around for long. Yet mostly it has to do with her.
She is not like me. She has tattoo's. She smokes like a chimney sometimes. She could drink me under the table (not really hard though). She's Canadian, which is as different to my American patriotism as communism to capitalism. I mean, come on, they love hockey and Alan Thicke, its almost a sickness. She has an intense fear of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) about everything. She's outgoing, genuinely likes the human race, can stay in an art museum for more than one hour, and is considerate to everyone to a fault. She's beautiful, smart, has important things to say, and likes my roomate Colleen.
Yet at the same time we are alike. She can sit in a room full of people and understand the importance of observing and staying silent for that extra minute. An idea of a good afternoon to her is sitting out by the pool reading "Game of Thrones" (which if you have read "Game of Thrones" is incredibly hot). She finds things like this, this and this funny and worth watching. She is petrified of the heights of a Ferris Wheel, is scared of roller coasters, and finds the humor of the M-I-N-E game as much as me. She continuously travels, makes lists about everything, and actively tries not to do anything related to crying, being vulnerable and saying goodbye. She hates sleeping in the same bed with other people, and loves my continuous stream of pop culture references (Thanks Tony Morin and Mattie Kraatz, girls really do like that stuff!).
Now obviously none of you guys really care that I met another girl traveling, its old hat for me. Me saying things are different is also sort of old hat. Yet I will tell you that if she asked me to go someplace with her i'd be there yesterday. If she wanted me to lose every jousting match I would lose more than the 2003 Detroit Tigers (Two pop culture refs!). If she told me to jump, I would ask how high. Crazy right?
When my dad isn't saying something like "I'm going to put my shoe up your ass" or trying to show me Youtube videos about cute puppies (Complicated man, I know), he actually says some pretty enlightening things. One of the things that have stuck with me the most came from a convo we had on a really strange night. He told me, "Courtney, look here. Sometimes you come across people, on those very rare instances, where it just clicks. You realize that you missed them before you even met them." He's right, it is a rare occurrence, even though it has happened. I have more fingers than instances its happened however. This however, is not one of those instances.
Gotcha! I'm not going to write all this sappy stuff and then go all "500 Days of Summer" on you folks. She is one of those rare breeds.What will happen next? Well honestly, I don't know. I just don't know. I can honestly say i'm stumped about the future. I can't tell you what will happen tomorrow, next week, next month or next year. Yet what I do know, with a certain level of certainty, is that I will continue trying to figure it out. Be it tomorrow, next week, next month or next year I don't think I can stop trying to figure it out. At this point I will end this pity party, and just let you know what happens next.
Still here? Oh well you were warned.
I do not take risks. At least without calculating them within an inch of their life and deciding that might not be such a risk at all. This is evident in my poker playing style (well, until I get bored anyways). Even while i'm big stack I don't try to bully, I patiently wait until I KNOW that I will win. Or at least come very close. This is never more evident as in my social interactions with the outside world. As one of my best friends Mattie so eloquently put it, "Fucking christ Courtney, you are the most evident turtle I have ever seen". An apt description if you ask me. I wait in my comfortable shell, poking my head out every so often. If I see what I like I stick around for a little and come out of my shell (YAY FOR PUNS!), and if not I go right back in. I like my space, I like going to my man cave and having time to myself, I don't mind being in a room full of people and not talking, I like observing my surroundings and making a decision about if it is worth being outgoing. I'm more comfortable that way.
So you may be asking yourself, "Well duh I know that Courtney, the only people that read your stupid blog are your closest friends and family". So why this seeming psychological breakdown of my own psyche? It has a little bit to do with Cape Town and the neighborhood I live in, it doesn't allow you to dawdle your thumbs. Nobody sits around for long. Yet mostly it has to do with her.
She is not like me. She has tattoo's. She smokes like a chimney sometimes. She could drink me under the table (not really hard though). She's Canadian, which is as different to my American patriotism as communism to capitalism. I mean, come on, they love hockey and Alan Thicke, its almost a sickness. She has an intense fear of FOMO (Fear Of Missing Out) about everything. She's outgoing, genuinely likes the human race, can stay in an art museum for more than one hour, and is considerate to everyone to a fault. She's beautiful, smart, has important things to say, and likes my roomate Colleen.
Yet at the same time we are alike. She can sit in a room full of people and understand the importance of observing and staying silent for that extra minute. An idea of a good afternoon to her is sitting out by the pool reading "Game of Thrones" (which if you have read "Game of Thrones" is incredibly hot). She finds things like this, this and this funny and worth watching. She is petrified of the heights of a Ferris Wheel, is scared of roller coasters, and finds the humor of the M-I-N-E game as much as me. She continuously travels, makes lists about everything, and actively tries not to do anything related to crying, being vulnerable and saying goodbye. She hates sleeping in the same bed with other people, and loves my continuous stream of pop culture references (Thanks Tony Morin and Mattie Kraatz, girls really do like that stuff!).
Now obviously none of you guys really care that I met another girl traveling, its old hat for me. Me saying things are different is also sort of old hat. Yet I will tell you that if she asked me to go someplace with her i'd be there yesterday. If she wanted me to lose every jousting match I would lose more than the 2003 Detroit Tigers (Two pop culture refs!). If she told me to jump, I would ask how high. Crazy right?
When my dad isn't saying something like "I'm going to put my shoe up your ass" or trying to show me Youtube videos about cute puppies (Complicated man, I know), he actually says some pretty enlightening things. One of the things that have stuck with me the most came from a convo we had on a really strange night. He told me, "Courtney, look here. Sometimes you come across people, on those very rare instances, where it just clicks. You realize that you missed them before you even met them." He's right, it is a rare occurrence, even though it has happened. I have more fingers than instances its happened however. This however, is not one of those instances.
Gotcha! I'm not going to write all this sappy stuff and then go all "500 Days of Summer" on you folks. She is one of those rare breeds.What will happen next? Well honestly, I don't know. I just don't know. I can honestly say i'm stumped about the future. I can't tell you what will happen tomorrow, next week, next month or next year. Yet what I do know, with a certain level of certainty, is that I will continue trying to figure it out. Be it tomorrow, next week, next month or next year I don't think I can stop trying to figure it out. At this point I will end this pity party, and just let you know what happens next.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
A Finger. Two Dots. Then Me.
So the term is over. The students are all at home or on holiday. My "1st generation" friend group is slowly trickling away and going home, wherever that may be. I haven't slept more than 5 hours in a night for at least a week. By all rights I should be grumpy, sad, and generally a real Christmas scrooge. Yet, that general malaise that I thought would overtake me and send me running and crying back home has not hit. I don't think it ever really will. I wake up every morning with a smile on my face, and fall asleep every night having had one of those moments that are HOLY (more on that later) at some point that day. Needless to say, my life is fairly charmed.
So what have I been up to lately? This past week has seen a lot more room for activities. Last week was the last couple of days for the program this term, and we decided to just kick back, relax and have some fun. They made me look rediculous while playing 5-a-side soccer and I introduced them to baseball and kickball, which they instantly took to. Some serious talent. One of the kids even did this. Serious talent.
Then this weekend some friends of mine rented a car and we decided to drive down to Hermanus Beach to catch some whale watching and check out the scene. The drive itself was pretty spectacular, driving through the mountains with the beach views as far as the eye could see on the other side. On the way we stopped off at one of the beaches to check out some penguins, which might have inadvertently been one of the funniest moments of our trip. Either that or having Joel try to make Miller eat salty licorice, which is both a Dutch delicacy and also one of the most disgusting things I have ever tasted. Instant revulsion. Anyways, this is what all the penguins looked like, or at least this is how I remember them.
After getting back we checked out Obs Fest. Basically a block party right outside my house here. There was food, girls, music and more girls....and Mike Gerudo was coming! Some of our friends live in an apartment complex on the main street of bars/restaurants/debaucherous zones and so we hung out on the balcony most of the time while one of them spun the ones and twos to get the party started. All in all a pretty awesome weekend.
So onto a new week, and new adventures. Waterfront, rooftop movie, all you can eat sushi contests, Long Street nights, beaching it up, Boys Night Out, Kirstenbausch Gardens concerts, Old Biscuit Mill, Mzoli's and so much more. To bring this little blog post to a close, let me leave you with a nice little video that I can't stop watching. Seriously, must have watched it at least 15 times already. Thanks Michelle Fenn for the shout.
You can watch it here
So what have I been up to lately? This past week has seen a lot more room for activities. Last week was the last couple of days for the program this term, and we decided to just kick back, relax and have some fun. They made me look rediculous while playing 5-a-side soccer and I introduced them to baseball and kickball, which they instantly took to. Some serious talent. One of the kids even did this. Serious talent.
Then this weekend some friends of mine rented a car and we decided to drive down to Hermanus Beach to catch some whale watching and check out the scene. The drive itself was pretty spectacular, driving through the mountains with the beach views as far as the eye could see on the other side. On the way we stopped off at one of the beaches to check out some penguins, which might have inadvertently been one of the funniest moments of our trip. Either that or having Joel try to make Miller eat salty licorice, which is both a Dutch delicacy and also one of the most disgusting things I have ever tasted. Instant revulsion. Anyways, this is what all the penguins looked like, or at least this is how I remember them.
After getting back we checked out Obs Fest. Basically a block party right outside my house here. There was food, girls, music and more girls....and Mike Gerudo was coming! Some of our friends live in an apartment complex on the main street of bars/restaurants/debaucherous zones and so we hung out on the balcony most of the time while one of them spun the ones and twos to get the party started. All in all a pretty awesome weekend.
So onto a new week, and new adventures. Waterfront, rooftop movie, all you can eat sushi contests, Long Street nights, beaching it up, Boys Night Out, Kirstenbausch Gardens concerts, Old Biscuit Mill, Mzoli's and so much more. To bring this little blog post to a close, let me leave you with a nice little video that I can't stop watching. Seriously, must have watched it at least 15 times already. Thanks Michelle Fenn for the shout.
You can watch it here
Saturday, December 3, 2011
All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better.
Here is what I've been up to in the last few weeks.
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| Yay for Thanksgiving! |
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| 35 people from 10 countries hanging out. Yeah it happens. |
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| Mzoli's grill station, smells so good. |
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| Parliament trip for World AIDS Day...VIP Guests of Honor. |
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| MEXICAN FOOD AND SOMBREROS! |
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| Cheap and delicious Indian curry in Capital Gardens. |
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| Right about to hike Table Mountain |
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| Scaring my roomate haha |
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| TABLE MOUNTAIN! |
So much fun, so many things to do, so much time. Everyone must come to Cape Town, its only the best city in the world. Enjoy the song.
Friday, November 25, 2011
Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity
My great day today came down to luck. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. If I had decided to sit in another seat, or if I hadn't looked over at a specific moment, today would have just been another day here in Cape Town. Let me set the scene. I decided to grab dinner with some of my housemates at a restaurant down the street, and honestly I had to be talked into it. While the food was good (it really was) and the atmosphere and conversation lively, I was struck by a gentlemen sitting two tables away from us. I just couldn't shake the feeling that he looked familiar and that I had seen him somewhere before. As it looked like he was in a meeting, and especially since I couldn't place him exactly, I pushed it to the side and left after paying. That is where part two of my luck came about. I went home to check my e-mail and I see that I had received a "Happy Thanksgiving" e-mail from an organization that I have admired for many years, Hoops4Hope. While you can check out there website to find out more, the basic idea is that they attempt to teach life skills and development of underprivileged areas of South Africa and Zimbabwe through the sport of basketball. As i'm reading my e-mail, I notice that there is a picture of the director of the organization Mark Crandall, who just so happened to be the man I saw sitting at dinner. After shooting a quick and furious e-mail to him basically saying, "OMG YOU ARE IN CAPE TOWN RIGHT NOW?" he quickly responded graciously and invited me to a network conference today for NGO's working in Sport and Development, which is sponsored by Nike. It was being held up the Western Cape, about an hour outside of Cape Town at a spa in the winelands. It was both an interesting and eye opening experience. I noticed that even though there were many more well established or seemingly better resourced organizations than my own, we all were dealing with the same issues. Responsibility, model creation, sustainability, funding. These were terms bandied about and continuously discussed, from the large organizations to the very grassroots. At its core, this conference highlights that every NGO faces the same struggles constantly, even if the scale is different. The same questions, problems, and issues are constantly being grappled with in the non-profit sector. It was nice to know that we are not alone.
In the end, Nike gave away some free stuff (YAY FREE STUFF!), and Mark was kind enough to give me a Hoops4Hope bracelet made here in Cape Town. It was a wonderfully eye opening experience, both in terms of picking the minds of those that have been in the NGO "game" for such a long time and also in seeing that the same issues and struggles are felt across the large swath of the NGO landscape.
In the end, Nike gave away some free stuff (YAY FREE STUFF!), and Mark was kind enough to give me a Hoops4Hope bracelet made here in Cape Town. It was a wonderfully eye opening experience, both in terms of picking the minds of those that have been in the NGO "game" for such a long time and also in seeing that the same issues and struggles are felt across the large swath of the NGO landscape.
Saturday, November 19, 2011
All these jokes have been pre-approved as funny by me
So two weeks ago I moved into my new place, and it is amazing. I am continuously amazed by how much better Cape Town gets every day.
On a funnier note, my friend Kristin and I have decided to resume the M-I-N-E game (shout out to K&E) which has led to hilarious punishments happening in the middle of a dance club, right when the waitress at a high end sushi restaurant came to give us our bill, and in the middle of a braii with all of our friends. The fun times being had.
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| I have a pool for those oppressive Cape Town summers |
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| Foliage! |
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| I had to learn how to cook. |
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| Realization that she just said the word |
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| She cheats and does jumping jacks instead of pushups. |
Friday, November 18, 2011
Music is a higher revelation than all wisdom and philosophy.
I can't stop listening to these. They are amazing.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Be yourself; everyone else is already taken
So it has been a few weeks since I have blogged anything, but to say that I have been just been plain lazy is to paint me with the wrong brush. These last few weeks have been a flurry of work, outings, parties, food, exploring and moving. For one thing, I moved (AGAIN!) to a new house. One with a pool! And huge closets! A garden! Oh the insanity! It really is a nice place and I plan on living there for the duration of my stay here (Pics to come). I also climbed one of the new seven wonders of the world TABLE MOUNTAIN! Its strange, I have heard married people tell of how they are able to simultaneously love and hate their spouse at the same time. Until now I was never able to understand that sentiment, I always thought they were mutually exclusive. That is until I had the pleasure/torture of Table Mountain. All in all the hike took about eight hours of my life. Up endless stairs and ladders. Over a mile of swamp. Down 800 meters of slippery and steep rocks. It was hell on my body and mind. Yet at the same time, there is nary a more beautiful place in the world. It is absolutely gorgeous. While your body tells you how much you hate this place, your mind is constantly telling you how wonderful this place is. Mind Trip.
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| The edge of the world. |
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| I love the ground |
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| So true. |
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| Best bread ever. I submit it to the board |
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| You couldn't buy any of this cheese unless you ordered in French. Legit. |
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| Not happy. |
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| CHOW TIME! |
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Go West, Young Man, And Grow Up With The Country
So this week I was lucky enough to take part in a series of career talks that EwB has been building over its tenure at Fezeka. This week we were lucky enough to have both Vanessa September, a successful architect from Cape Town who is married to one of the writers of the South African constitution Justice Albie Sachs, and Thobela Mfeti, a recent recipient of Mandela Rhodes Scholarship who you can read about here.
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| Vanessa Showing Students Pictures of Cape Town and Her Own Work |
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| Thobela Mfeti Captivating Learners |
Both of these women had our learners captivated as they each told their story of trial and tribulation and eventual success. The learners were absolutely captivated by what they heard, and hopefully these talks continue to fan the flame of passion towards their own education and life.
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| A Room Full Of Bright Minds |
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| How Many People To Make A Projector Work? |
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| Learners Listening Intently To Vanessa September |
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Curiosity is free-wheeling intelligence.
Since I started working at the after school programs for EwB I have been attempting to make the English lessons a tad bit more creative, while at the same time to continue working on the tools we are trying to instill in our learners. With the help of Joy, one of our tutors, we decided that every Monday would be a perfect place and time for the more creative ways we wanted to teach. So on Monday we both decided that we would play the students two songs that had some overarching theme and discuss these songs at length. I decided to play The Streets-Everything is Borrowed first and then gauged there reaction. It was mixed at best, but that didn't matter since the point was that they were more actively engaged in the lesson than they normally were. So then we listened to M. Ward- Chinese Translation. Give it a listen and see what its about.
After they had listened to the song I gave them simple instructions. If you met the wisest person on Earth, what are the three questions you would ask them? These are a small sample of what I got.
1) What happens to you when you die?
2) What made God to think about making everything?
3) Why did God create a male and a female
4) Why is it important to love?
5) Why is life so difficult sometimes?
6) Who will be the last man on Earth?
7) Are there people living on other planets other than on Earth?
8) Who came up with the idea that there must be school in the world?
9) Why are there black and white people?
10) Why are people not the same?
These questions highlight these students intelligence, curiosity, and their knowledge of "Life's Questions". It was a privilege to read these questions and to witness the engagement of the students with a song and the concept behind it.
After they had listened to the song I gave them simple instructions. If you met the wisest person on Earth, what are the three questions you would ask them? These are a small sample of what I got.
1) What happens to you when you die?
2) What made God to think about making everything?
3) Why did God create a male and a female
4) Why is it important to love?
5) Why is life so difficult sometimes?
6) Who will be the last man on Earth?
7) Are there people living on other planets other than on Earth?
8) Who came up with the idea that there must be school in the world?
9) Why are there black and white people?
10) Why are people not the same?
These questions highlight these students intelligence, curiosity, and their knowledge of "Life's Questions". It was a privilege to read these questions and to witness the engagement of the students with a song and the concept behind it.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Introducing....
So at the moment I am sitting with two of Fezeka's best and brightest students, some of the girls that will help me with this blog. While we will eventually get to longer and in depth posts, today we just want to learn a little more about them. In this case, the girls wanted to share with all of you what they are currently listening to. BEYONCE!
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