Final 2 weeks at Nomathansanqa

Baby elephant at Addo Elephant Park

Last Saturday 1 Oct we left Nomathansanqa at the end of our placement. Paul asked us if we had a sense of completion and we both answered 'no!'. We have achieved quite a bit, and the teachers will now be able to get much more from the curriculum relevant software in the computer lab. However, our time at the school made us realise just how much more there was to do! On the Tuesday of the last week we installed the school admin software on the clerk's new computer (the old one was stolen just befor we arrived). But they had taken no backup of their data, so although we were able to obtain their most recent data submission to the Education Dept it dated back to May 2010, so they have a huge task getting that info up to date, so if anyoneone else with IT skills wants to volunteer there's a job for you! We can certainly recommend the hospitality and friendliness of everyone at the school.

We were kept busy in our final week doing lots of informal Excel training, as teachers filled in all their assessments and reports. It was a mad hectic week for everyone as it was the end of term on the Friday! Robin and Mrs Sam the technology teacher somehow managed to complete the buggy competition for all 5 Grade 4 classes, something the kids enjoyed very much, and we took an instant photo of each child with their buggy to stick on the evaluation, they loved that!

On the Tuesday afternoon was our formal 'farewell' occasion, very much like the welcome with singing, formal speeches and traditional dance by some of the children. Mrs Sam made a very touching speech about how she'd learned from Robin how to make things simple for the kids and to give the children choices and make their learning interactive.

We were also taken by two local nuns (most un-nun-like ladies - in the nicest way!) to visit the computer lab they run in another local township primary school, and a creche and feeding station. in Valencia, a primarily 'coloured' township. Many of the people there have only seasonal work in the local citrus farms, there is huge poverty and high rates of HIV.

On the lighter side, the previous weekend we had a fab stay at the Addo Elephant Park, with three game drives including a night drive. We saw loads of elephants up very close indeed, as well as kudu, eland, leopard tortoises, zebras and hyenas and a herd of buffalo - these last on the night drive.

We were so close to a herd of 50 or so elephants drinking at a waterhole and spraying themselves in muddy water that we were in danger of getting covered in mud ourselves. It was great to watch the elephants playing in the nearby mudhole, pushing and shoving each other and rolling about.

Last Friday we had to say goodbye to Ace and Nombolelo who have made us very welcome and comfortable in their home. As a parting gift we gave Ace a Gordon Ramsay cookery book - he loves cookery programmes on TV. I'm sure Bole will enjoy the results!

The next instalment will be our trip along the garden route to Cape Town - where we are now.