Farewell For Now But Not Goodbye Forever

Brief Research Update . . . 
I have collected a total of 22 interviews while being here at North-West.  I have 17 student interviews and 5 lecturer interviews.  This is more than I had planned to get and I am thankful for everyone that participated and went out of their way to make this happen.  It was a great experience, exhausting at times as well as daunting, but I feel lucky that I had the chance to do this over the summer.  Everyone I met and interacted with was great, so I would say the research process was a success.

As for what I got in the way of information and a possible addition to my dissertation, we shall see!  I have to go home and catalogue the surveys, transcribe (which I will be honest is my least favorite activity and the most daunting), analyze and formulate some ideas.  The goal is to complete this by November, we shall see!  Yet, I got more information and different information than I had assumed I would get and I think that makes what I found a success.  I had a basic prior knowledge of the university as well as secondary school system before I got here but my actual experiences were very different then what I had been shown on paper. This, I believe, has proved to be the most interesting part of my research experience.

Things I Will Miss . . .  

Rustenberg Desert

Cape Town Sunset 

I am going to miss all the people that I have gotten friendly with her and the relationships that I have made.  Everyone here has been just warm, welcoming, and helpful.  The students were great and I feel as though I got to know some of them pretty well (through the 3rd year camp as well as the interviews). My housemates worked out really well and the people I have met have provided a diverse and dynamic group of friends throughout South Africa.  I feel very comfortable in this environment and would not be disappointed if I ended up back here soon enough.

Pilanesberg Scenery

I am going to miss the chance to explore this wonderful country.  I have never been anywhere in which the scenery is so vastly different as well as the people.  There is so much to discover and learn here that I  wish I had more time.  There are endless possibilities here, for education, cultural studies, and travel and I hope to pursue them all, eventually.

Realeka HS

As a teacher, all you ever want to do is make an impact on a students life.  I feel in my classes that is possible and happens sometimes.  But here I feel as though there is so much that can be done (and will be done hopefully in the future) and it is hard to leave knowing that.  Education here is exhausting, but the same can be said for the U.S..  South Africa and the U.S. have come a long way but they are still a far ways away from where my expectations are for both systems.  In both cases, I feel as though, there is so much to be done it's almost daunting and weighs on you.  However,  I must remember that this is why I do what I do and why as teachers we are drawn to this profession (despite all the annoyances that go on).


And Things I Will Not Miss . . . 

One of my least favorite animals
 after this summer 

Every morning at 4:45 two roosters, that roam the area around my house, crow and continuously go until past 7.  Honestly, I am constantly awaken by these two animals.   I will admit I want to braai these roosters every morning and do not see the likability in these animals.  I am looking forward roosterless Takoma Park.

Yes, the roosters roam
the streets and campus 

I find South Africa exhausting but mostly because how some things are done here.  Let me qualify that statement with this is not the case all the time or everywhere.  Furthermore, this is not to say that the way things are done is bad but  being American I have ideas and preconceived notions of how things might be completed more efficinetly and I wish South Africa would adopt some of these ways (but won't for numerous and obvious reasons).  I have to stop myself sometimes from getting annoyed (and laugh) and remember that sometimes language is a barrier or things are just different.  For example, I just wanted to buy a baby gift for the Burman's online from a store in South Africa, but you can't do that, the service is not provided.  However,  I think my interaction with the Post Office man, in Potch, the other day sums up some of my experiences:
Me:
When I send this package to Cape Town, is there anyway that I can make sure it gets to the people?  Tracking number? Register number?
P.O. Man:
They will phone you and tell you.

I had to laugh because I felt like I walked right into that one; moreover, he was being serious, he was not joking.  In the U.S. someone might have listed the options but that was not his first thought and in many ways he is correct. I forget sometimes that South Africa is still, despite their progressive efforts, a 3rd world country attempting to transition into a 1st world (the goal is by 2013, I heard).

In The End . . .

NorthWest Province Sunset 

Seapoint Sunset 

However, despite not missing some things, all of it makes me love South Africa more (the people and the culture) and is one of the reasons I am intrigued by, so it goes both ways.

This winter/summer in South Africa was amazing and eye opening in so many ways.  I have had the chance to explore the country more as well as get to know more people and experience education at various levels.  It has been unforgettable and I look forward to returning because this is not goodbye just farewell for now!

Catch you all on the other side . . .