Sawubona,

I think my last post was one Sunday yeah? So let me begin on updates...

Monday we did not have work because it was an awards ceremony for the entire YFC/KZN, which means there were a lot of people packed into a room that was way to hot. Now we were told that the ceremony was to begin at 9 o'clock in the morning so like good Westerners we arrived at 5 till 9. We forgot that we are in South Africa however because South Africa functions on "Bantu Time". Bantu time basically means you get there when you get there and things will start when everyone arrives. This means that, because people were not only coming from all over Maritzburg but also Durban, the ceremony did not begin untill 11:45. There was then a very long introduction followed by lunch because at every event hear, food is surved. They decided that since the ceremony was running so late, lunch would only be a half hour instead of the full hour originally planned. So after an hour and fourty-five minute lunch we got back underway. Basically we were all kinda grumpy by the end. The rest of the day was spent hanging out at home with some of our Zulu colleagues. By the end of it all we settled for ordering pizza which has become something of a weekly ritual.

Tuesday Aerin and I got up for work and made our way to the office to begin our last week of work at Haniville. We arrived and were sent away because our supervisor was out of town from some reason that day and we aren't aloud to be in the community working without a Zulu person. So we went home and I decided to get some more sleep. After I was fully rested I decided to accompany Anne and three of the foster kids she works with to one of the public pools. That was something of an experience between dealing with the drunk security guard and trying to watch three very small kids in mob of afternoon swimmers. We attempted to teach the two older ones to swim a bit and we were actually fairly successful save for the lack of swimming room. Tuesday night we went with a bunch of the guys who work at the shelter next door to go see Madagascar 2, Escape 2 Africa in the theater. I think cartoons hear are more popular amoung adults here because there were only two kids there and yet the place was still packed. I was disappointed by the popcorn though.

Wednesday was quite a long day at Haniville with kids the entire day again. We had an unusually young age group that day and it made it difficult to play with them. I deffinately like working with kids who are a little older. I have noticed an interesting phonomena though at Haniville and that is the younger a child is, the more English they speak, or are willing to speak. I am not sure why this is or if it transcends all the townships as well but it has certainly raised some questions in my mind.

Thursday we had a lot more kids than we had been having because it was the last day the center was open untill the end of january next year. We did have kids all day again but it was easier to entertain them. Also I failed to mention that in the last two weeks of work I have become a human jungle gym since the kids figured out that I was strong enough to carry a bunch of them and since I play tug of war and what not. So I went home thursday with a very sore back and very greatful for a couch to get horizontal on. We went on one last sugar cane raid in the fields across the street and it was my best catch yet I must say. Sweet and juicy, mmmm.

Yesterday we had one last prayer meeting for the year and then we went to a cold and rainy briaa for the street kids. I have fallen in love with Zulu cooking; we had a delicious assortment of grilled meats as well as shakalaka which is just well, delicious. My same offer stands as before, I'll cook it for anyone who buys me the supplies. We got some movies for the weekend and had a relaxing night at home with Mlu visiting from next door. He calls me mfundu which means "my brother".

Today is warmer and I am told that tomorrow is going to be well over 100 degrees. So much for a white christmas eh.

I was talking with Mlu last night about some cultural things and I learned that there is a lot of blacks hear who truly hate whites. Mlu doesn't really understand why and while at first I thought, "of course, they lived under appartide" Mlu told me that most are two young to remember it. I am thinking that it is mainly resentment at all the wealth whites have hear while so much of the black population is struggling. It reminds me in a lot of ways of America and the more I learn here, the more I see just how similar the dynamics are.