T.I.A

This Is Africa and you know its not too bad. Well apart from having to wait 3hours at the airport to be picked up but this was just a taste of things to come and something I would get used to. On the 9^th I eventually made it to Entabeni my home for the next 6 months where I met my co-workers for the next 6 months. Luckily there an alright bunch, Matt a local lad who seems to know every farmer in S.A, Senela he likes his book maybe a bit too much but for his own good but if you prefer reading to sleeping that’s fine by me and final S’mangele or sma the only woman in the house. The following day I was thrown in at the deep as a course of 112, 8^th grade (our year 7 I think)  boys were arriving. So I was quickly briefed on the basic, built 2 volleyball nets and then in was to work for the next howevermany days. The introduction was very formal the boys were to call us sir or madam and take caps off when been spoken too; I think it was a bit of a posh school. But the formalities were cut short but the African rain and we had to rush to get 112 boys into the correct dorms. This didn’t happen, instead we had about 30boys crammed into one room soaked through and slowly creating a sauna. Eventually the rain stopped and we got back to the activities nothing too flash just basic icebreakers to settle the kids in. On the 11^th it was up a 630 (this was to become the norm) to get breakfast ready before I accompanied Matt on a trek to the summit. Its not the most straight forward walk scrambling through the forest and up rather steep hills but it is rather good fun, but unfortunately we didn’t get the chance to summit. Obstacle course in the afternoon was the first group I took on my own but all went well with no broken legs and everyone behaving so that was jolly good fun as well. In the evening I was introduce to stalk the lantern, one of the best outdoor games IV played. As instructors we confiscated the kids torches, ran ahead and planted a lantern high up a hill a lay in wait for the kids to try and reach the lantern. But if they made a noise and only if, we could then shine our torch on them and they would be out, closest to the lantern wins. The following morning was rather plane sailing but in the afternoon I was asked to lead a group to the summit not think anything of it I accepted. But I son realized I was the only staff member going and I had 2 prefects for support to get 24 kids up a mountain and down. Well I didn’t kill any of them so that’s a positive. No there were a few hiccup such as not finding the entrance to the forest but I successfully made it to the summit and down again so really it was a very successful trip. The following day was a bit of a stressful one with some basic things not been done and much lateness and disorganization but in the evening I built a missive fire, shouting go big or go home, as I battled to get a tree truck close to my size onto the fire much to the amusement of my colleges. But they must have though it was a good idea and soon followed suit. So by the end of the days all my troubles had been forgotten and I slept like a baby. Somebody though it would be funny to get the kids up at 6 for an early departure but this meant I had to be up at 530, not cool and as per usual something wen wrong so they left late anyway, TIA. There’s no rest for the wicked, as almost as soon as the first group had left the second arrived and the fun continued. A smaller group of 12^th graders. The 15^th was a day full of actives, belaying for rock climbing in the morning and running the group dynamics (GDs) in the afternoon with another bonfire in the evening and for me bed, but the unlucky chaps on night duty had a night of mischievous kids. The following day we said as-ta-la-vista to the group and all of a sunned I had completed my first to camps just like that and I felt rather good. Id been thrown in at the deep end but id managed to swim and now I felt rather confident in myself and was ready for the next group, although a chance to sleep would be appreciated.