March 22, 2010

It is already nearing the end of March. We can’t believe how fast the weeks are going by. We are continuously busy at the school as we draw near to the two-week school holidays which start on Thursday of this week. The last three weeks at St. Francis College Brittany and I have been finishing the book orders and ensuring all of the students have books, notebooks, and pens. We hope that next year the students will be able to have these things ready for them when they arrive in January. Brittany was also taking over the computer classes as the Austrian volunteer has been getting over some stomach problems. Brittany noticed a grade 8 student that had artistic skill in MS paint unlike anyone else. He had drawn a car with amazing precision...all the other kids would leave their computer to watch him create his masterpiece. Brittany has also met a young boy with some impressive ideas on how to make a difference in the political scene in South Africa. We have come across some really amazing students that seem very determined to succeed at what they do.
In the office, I have been heavily involved in reporting the financials to management of the school and resolving the many issues that the last Financial Manager has left for me. Our ‘Accounts’ department has been working hard doing the entries for the statements that will be sent out before the students go home on Thursday. From what I understand, this will be the first time in a year that the parents will receive a statement showing their balances. I have also been sorting out the issues stemming from the Boys Boarding Hostel, a Bookshop, and a Uniform shop. We have been working long days for the past two weeks but will be enjoying our holiday as we will be heading to Capetown.

The last few weekends we have gone to the surrounding area. One weekend we went to the Moses Mabida Stadium where we will be watching the Netherlands in about three months. We walked up the 550 steps of the arch that overlooks the city and the soccer pitch below. When we got to the bottom, we left our guide for about two minutes to get a picture on the pitch. By the time we reached the goal posts security was yelling at us to get off. The next weekend we when to Port Shepstone, a town known for their banana’s and fish. We went with a local couple we met and enjoyed a night for ‘newlyweds.’ The church there was starting a monthly meeting for young couples to meet. The next day we went to Durban once more to enjoy the beach. We couldn’t believe the amount of ‘blue bottle jellyfish’ found washed on the beach. They are small and camouflage well in the ocean. We talked to someone at a surf shop who told us that everyone he took out in the morning had been stung. We decided to try surfing another day. That week we also received a red Classic VW Beatle thanks to Nerds-on-Site. (thanks Uncle Charlie).
Last weekend we went about an hours drive to visit a seminarian Brittany has known since her last visit. He showed us the area of Howick with its falls and gorges. The area had a school for seminarians with communities from different orders around it. We met seminarians from all over Africa and enjoyed a few ‘Braii’s’ (BBQ) with them. We enjoyed hearing their different stories and socializing with them. This last weekend we went about 20minutes to find some gorges and falls in Kloof. Wherever we go there seems to be beautiful views, cliffs, and waterfalls. There are some pictures attached of our adventures.

Cheers,
Caleb and Britttany