New Years Eve & 6 Days at Bap

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! It seems like a LONG time since I have written-- I have missed having internet access very much! My New Years Eve was quite a night. We started off hanging out at the house~ probably about 10 AVIVA people (everyone living at the house currently), several of the Germans that work at Bap, some of the German's friends, then some other people from Bap (like Allison, who oriented me my first day there). So it was a pretty good crowd. We sat out back on the patio (which I love) and drank and braaied (barbecued) until about 11pm when we all headed to Long Street. On the way there we kept stopping to pick up more people so by the time we got to Long Street I was a little nervous that we weren't going to actually BE anywhere at midnight- as in standing in the middle of the street or something. Not that this would have been too bad seeing as the street was completely PACKED with people- it was awesome. I guess they hadn't completely blocked off the street because there were still a few taxis trying to meander through, but they may as well have. It reminded me of walking through the streets in DC after seeing the fireworks on July 4th- but more festive, everyone is drunk and happy and loving life. Anyways, we were supposed to meet up with everyone else at this club Zula, but we couldn't find them and blahblahblah so I pulled Georgina and Jonas (one of the Germans) into The Dubliner (the same bar I went to on another night) with me so that we would be somewhere at midnight. We had just enough time to get a drink and then we counted down and...2009!! Very exciting. It was awesome to finally get to spend New Years in a bar, I have to say. We danced for a bit and then headed out to find Zula and the rest of our group. Everyone was there, and a really good South African band was playing there (we had actually been listening to their CD in the car on the way to Long St. and I really liked it so it was very cool that they were playing there). We danced and hung out there until around 4 am- SO much fun. When we left there the night got a little... unfortunate. Someone had the idea in their head that on New Years people would be partying on the beach, which I guess you might assume but I didn't find out until later that no one had actually been TOLD this. So after trying to organize everyone and whatnot we all get in a couple taxis and go to Camps Bay, pile out of the taxis and... hear crickets. No one is there! No one is partying! So that was a bummer. We then decided to sit on the beach anyway and watch the sun rise until we realized the sun wasn't even going to rise over the water so we finally left around 5/5:30 am. Oh well. All in all, still quite a good New Years Eve. Very different to not spend it with a single person that I know well and to not watch the ball drop, etc, but amazing nonetheless.

New Years Day I actually woke up really early (9am). No one was really planning to do anything all day but I didn't want to waste a gorgeous day (this mentallity here seams to mean that I will always feel the need to do something- everday is a nice day [knock on wood]) so I went by myself to the V&A Waterfront. I had been here briefly before but wanted to spend more time walking around- it's quite a big area with lots of neat things to see. I spent the afternoon leisurely walking around, poking into shops, taking pictures, etc. I got some lunch (a slice of BBQ chicken pizza and a slice of seafood pizza with a whole oyster -shell and all- on it. Very good!)and found a table in the shade and sat and ate and people watched and read some of my book (Eat Pray Love-- which I LOVED! I finished it on shift and it was so good, very appropriate to be reading as I travel and I may just start it over again right now. Thanks Mom!) This was such a relaxing afternoon but it's funny because at home I would never go out to lunch by myself and bring a book- I just wouldn't. But being here I guess it is different, and that is nice. I thoroughly enjoyed myself by myself.


The Waterfront.

The next six days- BAP! The first three days was my normal shift (known as Team Pink) and this time consisted of me, Georgina, Ida, Amanda, Amy, and Ellie. A full house. This is a lot of people to be there at once, but it is also kind of nice because there are more people to do the work and we took turns waking up to do bottles so we didn't have to get up early every day. I got to know and like Amy and Amanda much better, before they really kept to themselves but were much more social at Bap (I guess they didn't really have a choice). They have taken to calling us three Team America.


Siphenathi and Anita being adorable!

Day One on shift- A pretty normal day. Helped Amy and Amanda get adjusted since it was their first time there. So good to see the kids again- after three days away I missed them. I was sort of pleasantly surprised this shift because I seemed to notice different kids than last time- like I still love my "favorites" from before but I have more now. Like Ibanathi (when he laughs he sounds just like that Laughing Baby YouTube video- SO cute) and Onikwa (who took her first steps yesterday!) are two that my first shift I didn't spend that much time with but this shift I was with them a lot. Also, I realized yesterday as I looked around that I know all the kids names with maybe 3 or 4 exceptions- amazing! I hadn't even realized I was learning them.
Day Two on shift- This day was normal as well except for the fact that Amanda and I heard on the radio that there are two cases of Cholera in Khayelitsha. This is not good news because Bap is IN Khayelitsha and before I came so SA I was told that there was no cholera in the area at all and that I just shouldn't drink river water. So this was kind of weird and concerning but we don't drink the water at Bap anyway so we were just all a bit more careful to keep our mouths closed in the shower and such. And granted, with more than 2 million people living in Khayelitsha the risk is really not too serious.


Inga playing outside!

Day Three on shift- Not a great day. For everyone else, this was their last day. For me it was only hump day. Plus I poured boiling water over my hand doing bottles (ouch!!) and in the evening I started to feel sick. 100% of people here have gotten sick at least once, but Team America is trying very hard to avoid this (we are just the only ones so far that have not been ill). I felt crappy all night but better the next day (Thank God!).
Day Four on shift- My 5 shift members left and in their place came... Sofia. Fredericke was supposed to come too but her mom is visiting so she took this shift off. Going from 6 to only 2 people was very weird, quiet, and lots of work!! Sofia is really nice but we haven't had a chance to get to know each other very well until now (since she is on the other shift). With two people everything takes much longer to do, which is a pain. But we got it all done. It showed at the end of the day thought- Day 4 was the day of dirt and grime seeing as I have never been so dirty after one day at Bap. I do love the shower there.
Day Five on shift- A good day. Sofia and I were more comfortable together and the end was in sight.


Lunch time!

Day Six on shift- Two new people (Christian, 24, Norway and Kerry, 46, England) came to do their orientation at Bap, and Kerry ended up staying for the rest of the day/last night of the shift. She is really nice, doesn't at all look 46, and we had talked briefly on facebook before I left so it was cool to meet her in person. Before starting the afternoon session of playing, feeding, bathing, bottles, toothbrushing, etc she asked if we had any advice for her. I couldn't think of anything specific but just told her to follow our lead and that before she knows it everything will seem like second nature. I soon realized the advice that Kerry needed though- to put away any sort of preconcieved notions of how a childcare facility SHOULD work and to just take Bap for what it is. Immediately the questions started- "This baby smells like poop, shouldn't he be changed?" "This baby has a runny nose, aren't there tissues?" "That kid just bit that other kid, how do we discipline them?" "Shouldn't these bottle tops be kept sterile?" NOOOOO!!! The kids all get changed at once, several times a day. Unless there is poop running down the kids leg, you don't worry about it- poop is a normal smell here. Half of the kids have runny noses at one time and there is snot everywhere- get some toilet paper and wipe them off if you want but they will look the same 15 minutes later. The sisis "discipline" the kids but most offenses are overlooked, there is no possible way to keep everyone in completel order. And sterility is not something that exists at Bap- probably never has and never will. I hope I don't come off too harsh but really, let's be serious. It is just different here and you do not worry about things like this. Yes, it would be better if it was cleaner and if the kids didn't hit and fight and steal each other's toys but that just isn't how it is. Kerry got a bit annoying but hopefully she will adjust. I do give her credit though. The three other people over the age of about 35 who have come here in the past month haven't been able to stick it out at Bap or Obs house and have switched projects in order to live at the Table View house, which is apparently much nicer & has a pool. I don't know that a pool is my priority when coming to South Africa to volunteer, but whatever. I love Obs House and Bap.

Anyways, the last day went well, as did bottles this morning. And then we got picked up and brought back to Obs - yayyyy!! As much as I love the kids I am thrilled to be back here and of course to have 6 days off- wonderful feeling. I am going to get a big lunch right now and then head to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens for the afternoon. I also hope to do a walking tour of Cape Town, Robben Island and the cable car up Table mountain over the next couple of days- Plus I have my Cultural Tour and Winelands Tour the last two days before I go back on shift. I hope I can get everything in. Oh! and Jonas the German (who I like very much) and I are going to go kloofing next weekend, which is a day trip consisting of jumping off cliffs and abseiling down a waterful and exciting things such as these. Fun fun!

I continue to miss everyone very much. Thanks to many of you for keeping me up to date on Facebook!!