Arriving in Mthatha

The workshops have begun. In practical terms that means internet and blog posting become more difficult and intermittent. It also means the real work of the trip has begun.

Before this trip began, my vision of Africa included exotic animals, vast savannahs, apartheid, genocide, civil wars, blood diamonds, and HIVAIDS. I did not realize until now that my picture of Africa did not include people, individual persons. Now that is all Africa seems to be.

Except for a few, like Harry and Gugu and Donald, the names are too difficult for my simple mouth to pronounce. Seeing a Q in a name brings fear because that letter calls for the “click” that my mouth seems impossible to duplicate. But my problems with the names aside, South Africa has become the faces I see each day in class or on breaks or in the schools we visit or the towns we see.

The history of apartheid confronts us everywhere. The apartheid museum is a moving monument to the evil that happened here, but the stories from Yunus about his family are a living monument. Today the manager of the campus, saw me with my cane and it triggered in him the incident of January 11, 1976 when his friend was shot and killed while sleeping and he was shot just below the knee. He never forgets that date, and he “is no Mandela.” It is difficult to forget and impossible for him to forgive.

Yet this country is moving forward. Tonight Jim (another team member) and I were heading back to our rooms when we heard singing that seemed to be coming from somewhere in the building. Jim looked back at me and said “follow me.” We went up four floors and around several corners before we found 25 or 30 South African teachers and principals dancing and singing with such joy it was amazing. They welcomed the two of us in an event I do not have the words to describe. The singing was beautiful, with high female and rich male voices with dancing that was also spontaneous but at the same time gave a sense of harmony that complimented the voices. Before we left, they sang a song that included men and women going down the hall together. Jim and I were included, the only white faces to be found.

Both Jim and I had our cameras but, tempted as we were, we knew this was not the time for pictures. No camera could begin to capture what we had stumbled on. Only the heart is big enough to contain what we saw this evening. And to imagine that this came just a few hours after talking with the manager about being shot during apartheid. The people of this land are remarkable.

Two Worlds, One Place

An Irish doctor here at Port St. John's used "Two Worlds, One Place" to describe South Africa. It encapsulates this entire country. First world sits right up against third world, an hour drive from the tropics of Port Stepson brings you to mountains roads with snow along its shoulders. A visit to a remarkably poor school for blacks is followed up five minutes later by a lunch in a lodge that would be the envy of the best in Sonoma.

At the four schools we have visited there is a commitment to education that is palpable, but in the three black schools there is an excitement and enthusiasm that is difficult to put into words. Two days ago we visited a school where a group of 5th grade boys sang with an energy that I had not seen equaled, until a few minutes later when the 8th grade girls danced with a joy and fervor that was nothing short of remarkable. The videos are too large to upload from here but even they cannot capture the energy of either experience. The whistles and the drums, the music and the chanting, the shear excitement can only be felt when you are in the room with them.

We visited an organic farm project that is providing opportunity for 22 women and 2 men and a school in the center of Port Shepston that has white, colored, and black students. Our guide for both was Pauline Duncan, a long time activist with strong connections to the black community and committed to building the nation for all its citizens.

Today Douglas C. carved me a walking stick sitting under a tree as we met his family. I find myself torn between two desires; to record what we see in pictures and to respect the persons that we see. There is a dignity here, as there is everywhere, that makes you wince at treating them as tourist attractions. Still, I find myself asking others for copies of the pictures I was hesitant to take.

This afternoon we spent the time in the town square, the only non-blacks in view. I am typing this blog in a bar with whites and a black bartender (and Amy, a Chinese American on our team). We sit side by side at the bar just a little while after I was sitting next to Douglas under that tree while he carved my walking stick. They are a world away and a five minute drive apart. Or, as the good Irish doctor said, "Two worlds, one place."

Two Schools in Two Days and Happy Birthday

Principal Ray and me

Students at Mdlangaswa High School

The past two days the team conducted workshops at Siyapambili and Mdlangaswa high schools. Both are extremely poor but have a remarkable dedicated staff and each has a charismatic leader who is committed to improving the schools.

Our science and math teams worked directly with the teachers, conducting mini workshops that lasted about three hours each while the IT team of one did what he could to get their computer labs working. I am very impressed with the professionalism of the teams. Jim Metz, on his 7th or 8th trip to South Africa, heads the math team. I know what a wonderful teacher he is from how he inspired my own daughter when she was his student. The other two members of the math team are just as dedicated and each bring a special quality. Mark’s “finger calculator” serves double duty as a math activity and an ice- breaker while Amy brings a remarkable ability to connect with the teachers that belies her limited experience. Mark and Jim may each have started teaching before she was born, but it is inspiring to see them all work together with the teachers.

The science team is a sight to behold. Barbara recreates the solar system in those dark and tiny classrooms with teachers revolving around the sun or duplicating the rotation of the earth while Robin blows things up and conjures up multi-colored solutions to allow the teachers to test hypotheses. There is an amazing patience in both groups as they focus on teachers who are so eager to become better for their “learners” as they call their students.

My job was to sit with the principals and learn about their triumphs and their challenges. Yesterday, at Siyapambili, Cecil was a very committed manager of resources but not the inspirational educational leader. That role was filled by Tokusan, a gregarious young man who seemed able to motivate the teachers while sharing an vision for improving the experiences for the learners through teacher workshops and training while Cecil focused on managing his very resources to support the learners and the “educators” (teachers). Their skills compliment each other beautifully. Today, at Mdlangaswa, Principal Ray Cele turned out to be one of the most inspirational principals I have ever met. While Siyapambili faced a dropout rate of well over 50%, Ray is committed to every student who comes to his school making it through 12th grade. When he arrived a decade ago, the school had only 140 students. Enrollment has grown to 830 even though population patterns have remained the same. He talked of teachers and parents, being a part of the community and attending all funerals and weddings. Our meeting was delayed for two hours because parents needed his attention and throughout our meeting he would call our to teachers and students when he saw something happening through the windows in his office or out the door. He is the heart and soul of the school. His picture with me is on this blog post.

It is hard to fit in the contributions of Lyla, who is my mentor and friend in the leadership workshop, Aaron who faces constant struggles working with IT staff who have few resources and often no experience, driven mostly by commitment and desire to learn, Fred, the leader of TWB and its driving force, Gora who loans his home and a gentle patience, and, of course, Yunus.

Today was Yunus’ birthday. We celebrated with a wonderful dinner prepared by his mom and he celebrated with flowers to his mom on the birth of her son so many years ago. Without Yunus none of this would happen. The rest of us play our roles. Some, like Fred or Jim, essential, while others are bit players with important parts to play, but all brought together and orchestrated by Yunus. Happy Birthday Yunus, and thanks to Mrs. Peer for the gift of your son long ago.

Attack of the Butterflies

I am sitting here in a remarkable house that overlooks the Indian Ocean. The building has almost no straight walls (top picture above) with two curved staircases. My room on the second floor has windows that open to the east (second picture above) so my "alarm" was a fiery sunrise. The sky was pierced with bright pink fingers, much like Homer described in the Odyssey three thousand years ago. It is amazing.

Equally amazing are the butterflies (or moths, we are not quite sure yet). Walking down the trail in front of the house we were attacked by hundreds, nay thousands of the little flying creatures. They come out of the thick foliage as if they are protecting their turf. It is amazing to experience it. We have to keep our mouths closed or they will fly right in. They pound into your head as you walk through their territory and as soon as you are past them they disappear. We have tried to take pictures but they seem to flit about too quickly to be captured on a digital camera so we have no visual proof of what we have seen. Even as I write from my vantage point overlooking the Indian Ocean, one of the butterflies flitted by, almost as if on a recon flight for the rest of the butterfly army which sits in wait for us a few meters down the hill.

Is it for them or is it for us?

Sitting here is Town Lodge outside the Johannesburg airport I find myself asking that question.

My flights introduced me to scores of people headed to Africa for some sort of service work. It was very different from the business men and women that filled the planes going to China. The largest group on Delta Flight 200 included about 50 high school girls sponsored by Spellman College, a historically black college for women outside Atlanta where would be in South Africa for two weeks. The rest of the passengers were 0overwhelming part of church groups that were also going for what seemed to be the obligatory two weeks as part of their church’s mission. My seatmate was, like me, a teacher going go work with other teacher, although her sponsor was the federal government and her area was economics. She and I seemed to be the only ones who wondered whether we were intruding on a culture without knowing what the impact would be. As we got closer to landing, I found myself wondering if we were really traveling to Africa to be of service or to fill our own needs.

As is the way with adventures like this, delays and annoyances have a way of creeping in. And as is often the way with delays and annoyances, they open new opportunities.

We sat on the runway in Atlanta for almost two hours as the maintenance crew replaced a fuel pump. Never complain about aircraft maintenance delays! As a result, we missed our flight from Johannesburg to Durban so we find ourselves sitting in a travel lodge about two miles from the J-Burg airport. The next flight to Durban was the next day at 5:30 PM via “One Time Airlines.” An interesting name that does not instill as much confidence as one might like in an airline.

As a result of the missed flight, we are heading off to the Apartheid museum in a couple of hours. Then it is off to Durban and points east so we can prepare for our work. Whether I can connect to the Internet there is still unknown, as is the question that started this blog. I believe the answer to the latter is “a little bit of both.” While we are here, I hope we remember what I learned long ago, “When you enter a new land, tread lightly, for much wisdom has preceded you here.”

A Hint of Maile

When I enter my apartment now I am greeted by the gentle hint of maile from the lei on Friday night. Only someone who has lived in Hawai’i a long time can know how special it is to be greeted by that fragrance when you walk in the door. Thank you for that wonderful evening. It pulled together the last eight years in a wonderful way.

As I said to many of you at the party, I was expecting a dinner with half a dozen people. I never expected anything like what the evening that you put on. It was particularly nice having my family there to share the evening.

Trying to figure out who to thank is a dangerous thing because I will undoubtedly leave someone off the list, but I must mention Winnie, and Laurie Ann, Joe and Rika, Nan, and of course Min. I wish she could have been there. My only regret for the evening was that the words to “Way Down South in Australia” escaped me and I was not able to finish the ditty.

I spent this weekend learning how to “kindle,” assuming that is a verb. (For anyone interested, my first order was a subscription to the old Gray Lady, the New York Times) and reviewing Laurie Ann’s seven page instruction sheet on how to blog (another noun that that doubles as a verb?). After some fits and starts with the blog, I expect to put both skills to good use.

Finally, I must once again thank you all for your friendship, your support, and for entrusting your greatest treasure to our hands. It has been an honor.

Andy

Kindle Gift

Dear Andy,

Eight years of homework assignments surely add up. Therefore, as a token of our appreciation for all that you have done for the school and the students, we cannot let you leave without taking the liberty of assuming a role reversal here. You are now the proud and deserving recipient of "summer reading homework" gleefully "assigned" by the following individuals.

Mandatory or optional? Genres? Due dates? Book project rubrics? Books, magazines, newspapers? Current event reports? You decide. It's entirely up to you!

Don't worry. We're being merciful and limiting your reading assignment to just one page. We hope you enjoy your new toy! Each time you fire up this Kindle, may you be reminded of how very much we will always appreciate you and the work you've done over the course of eight years at CAIS--goals and plans, tasks and accomplishments, ideas and actions--the work that has ultimately benefitted the many students in attendance during your tenure and the work that will continue to benefit those to follow.

Thank you for being a part of our lives, these past eight years. We wish you the very best for whatever adventures and endeavors await you. As the kids write in their yearbooks, KIT and HAGS! (Keep in touch and have a great summer!)

Susan Chang & Laurence Huang, Colin Huang '09, Peter Huang '12, and Simon Chang-Huang '15

Susan Cheng & Alex Woo and Katy Woo '12

Rachel Chin & Thomas Wu, Katherine Wu '14, and Elizabeth Wu '12

Julia Chu and Celine Gauchey '11

Margie Chung & Steve Melino and Avery Chung-Melino '11

Shelly & Peter de Vries and Sophia de Vries '12

Judy Chan Farmer & Kenneth Farmer, and Caitlin Farmer '14

Winnie Fok, Alec Ng '08, and Emma Ng '13

Judith Gamble & David Irwin, Julia Mei Irwin '09, and Anna Irwin '16

Cynthia Gissler & Brian McDonnell, Pierce McDonnell '13, and Ronan Gissler '14

Nan Goldberg & Nick Van Cleve, and Lillian Van Cleve '08

Margot Golding & Michael Powers, Mara Golding-Powers, and Mirei Golding-Powers '13

Jing Wong & Don Hill, Soong Ming Hill '16, and Soong Ping Hill '16

Gwen Hinze & Ernie Chow, and Claire Chow '18

Jackie Holen & Bill Jackson, Clarie Jackson '14, and Arlena Jackson '16

Laura Kee & Daryl Browne, Rachel Browne '07, and Ian Browne '

Yalan & Greg King and Alexa King '16

Laura Larsen-Gilkey & Whitney Gilkey, and Sofia Gilkey '11

Barbara & Fred Lau, Nicholas Lau '08, Erik Lau '14, and Zachary Lau '14

Mee-Fah Lee & Bryan Young, Nicholas Young ', Charlotte Young '08, and Bonnie Young '10

Janny & Edward Lukawski and Audrey Lukawski '14

Jeremy & Chloe Lukins and Tianji Lukins '15

Vivian & Greg Massialas, Alexander Massialas '08, and Sabrina Massialas '11

Kazumi Matsuyama & Doug Steedman, and Emi Steedman '15

Joanie McCollom & Kevin Arnold, Luxi Arnold '16, and Niko Arnold '18

Maureen & Bill Newlin, Louise Newlin '09, and Nicole Newlin '11

Dorothy Pang & Peter Lee, Jonathan Lee '07, and Benjamin Lee '13

Ying-Hui & Louis Ptacek and Gabor Ptacek '14

Victoria So & Jason Yang, and Thea Yang '15

Myrna & Henry Sy, Hillary Sy ' and Hensley Sy '08

Joyce Tang, Jonah Tang '12, and Ian Tang '15

Tricia Tong & Kuo Tong, Lucas Tong '14, and Katherine Tong '16

Amy Tsui & Barry Alexander, and Quinlan Alexander '11

Rika Ueda & Joe Bravo, Nobuo Bravo '08, and Kenji Bravo '15

Linda Vann-Adibe & Robbie Vann-Adibe, Sophia Vann-Adibe '12 and Kai Vann-Adibe '17

Lilian Wan & David Curley, and Sebastian Curley '17

Laurie Ann & Dewey Woo, Gregory Woo '08, and Jonathon Woo '11

Ann & Charles Wu, Alex Wu '08, and Jacqueline Wu '10

Sherrie & Francis Yao, Crystal Yao '09, and Frederick Yao '12