One Extreme to Another - Day 9

This morning we had a very early start at Teboho Trust. My partner teachers and I were laying the foundations for an Intergenerational Voices project for the intermediate grade learners. We spoke to the learners about social justice and social responsibly. We then used the "I AM" poetry prompt to model a form of self expression. The students were eager to share their poems with us. As they delivered their thoughts to us, their peers practiced using the digital video recorder that we had brought from Rutgers. It was another extraordinary experience with learners I am blessed to have met! As I was packing up, one of the students came up to me and said he wanted to share an original piece of poetry with me. The depth and power behind his words are moving:

My eyes reacted
My mind was attracted
My heart was effected
Thousands were rejected
And you were selected
I love you
By: Befono

After leaving Teboho Trust, we had a quick change and reported back to the lobby dressed to impress our host for the evening, Phuti Mahanyele, a fellow Douglas college alumni. At her house, I was impressed by the grounds of her estate and simplicity of interior decoration. We took a boat ride to catch a beautiful South African sunset. It was another nights of firsts for food. I ate my first pickled ox tail, trite (lamb intestine), and Cornish hen. Out of them all, I liked the trite best, but my favorite dish of the evening was the leg of lamb. It reminded me of dinner at my nana and pop's when we were younger.
As I stared out at the lights of Johanasburg on the bus ride home, I thought a lot about the changes South Africa has seen in its recent past. The mark of poverty is still prevalent among the black school districts we have visited, however, also visible is the hope for a brighter future among the youth. Perhaps with sustained commitment to education, elder support, and student dedication more children's eyes will be open to the possibilities within. As one student wrote in his poem, "the word impossible is really saying I'M possible."