The week before my departure and also now I have been wondering about what volunteering could imply.
Volunteering = taking care of other people's business.
Volunteering means full commitment, according to the agreement.
Volunteering seems to make the difference. In Belgium there are a lot of organisations - think of the local soccer club, the cyclists, taking care of disiabled people, nature organisations, .. - existing on volunteers. If there were not there, the activities wouldn't be possible.
It is also good to think of the numerous mothers and fathers driving their own and other children to music or drawing classes, to the gym, ....
In many cases it is seen as activities for people who have time. It makes us think of pensioners and perhaps also of older people. But there a lot of volunteering is done by people doing their regular job. As you may have understood alfeady. Everybody can find some time to contribute to social life.
An important element in volunteering is money. Who will pay the transport? Who pays the materials you need? Will I earn something by working for the organization? All this depends on the situation and especially on the agreements that have been made. Most organizations can pay transport and materials. Few of them will pay a kind of wage, but they exist. If you want to volunteer and you like a kind of compensation, you can only be glad if you find an activity you like and an organization who can afford it.
Some organizations, like Live4Now ask the volunteer to pay for the accommodation, even for transport, for adminstration and for some services like washing the laundry etcetera. You also have to pay for the trip yourself. For some people this is a real obstacle to participate. In this case it is interesting to make a balance of the advantages and the disadvantages. Advantages in this case: you learn to know a part of South Africa, you have close contact with some people, especially school teachers and children, you can enjoy the nice weather and the accommodation.
What else could volunteering imply?
I believe it is a unique chance to practise your strengths. Normally you do that all the time in your life, but here you can really choose what you really want. It is interesting to find out what the organization really needs and how your capacities fit in.
This brings me to a new element: self-determination. In a professional environment you have to do a cluster of tasks that often go together with your position, your function, your title, ....
As a volunteer you can really choose what your activity can be, as long as the organization is good with it.
Adventure in its most general meaning may also be a motivation. And there is nothing wrong with that. In its general meaning: adventure has to do with the discovery of new territories in the world, but also with the acquaintance of so many nice and less nice people. Difficulties are not excluded.
As a volunteer you can enter work environments you can never get access to when you had a job and of course also when you had none. This is thrilling: you get free admission to places and people by offering your strengths. Sometimes you learn how things are produced, sometimes what methodologies are used, sometimes how people co-operate.
All this goes together with joy. If you don't enjoy the activities as a volunteer, you suffer. Volunteering is not equal to sacrifice. This message may also be one for our life in general. We enjoy, everyday. Whenever you get angry, or sad, or scared, the next moment you will be happy and loving again.
Last but not least: does volunteering change the world? Can you remove the stone in the river? And will it stay there?
This question keeps me busy all the time. What can I contribute to the South African reality? What can I do in Phumlani school?
It is for sure that the Zulu people here need English to get a job, even if they are keeping the bar in a lodge in the surrounding. So English - as a second language - is useful for them.
So I keep on finding out why I am here and what I can offer the school, the teachers and the pupils really need.
woensdag 29 januari 2014
maandag 27 januari 2014
Introduction in the Phumlani primary school
This morning - I rose at 6 am - we went to the primary school. My introduction.
It had been raining since early in the morning and it was still pouring. The playground had changed into a mudd pool. But the children were there: uniformed and ready for the new day and week.
My desire was to attend some lessons, no matter what subject, and in several degrees, in order to get an impression of the children, the teachers, the methodology, ... So we did.
In general the lessons are rather traditional, meaning that the teacher gives pieces of information, often presenting the matter as something mysterious you can't easily reach. Though in most of the cases teachers are very clear and have an adequate tempo, things are often explained starting with theoretical concepts.
Striking is the mix of th use of Zulu and English. Upto the third grade this seems to be allowed, but they also do it in the higher grades. I am wondering what pupils really need. Do they need English? Or is this only for the happy few who once leave this place and try to make their life in the bigger cities?
Very often the pupils have to read texts, words, questions, or even multiplications together and in a loud voice. When this concerns pronounciation of English words, control is impossible. At the other hand it gives a good feeling of togetherness.
They also have some rituals in spoken texts like greeting the teacher, telling her or him that they are all seated. Once pupils had to stand up and do some physical exercises to make them move a bit. Good idea.
So. We got a time table and I will co-operate with the English teacher Imelda. This week we'll try to be together in one lesson, dealing with the same subject, but with our own method. I am eager to know whether this will work.
It may be interesting to know that the project here is called Live4Now, meaning that you must live now and make your dreams come true, and in this case - the dreams of these children. You can find more information on www.live4now.co.uk or www.live4now.co.sa
Also interesting to see could be the place where I live. The project and the people who lead the project, Elton and Melissa, got housing for themselves, for the volunteers and for the project in www.wildebeesecolodge.com Everybody can come here and find a good accommodation, with swimming pool, restaurant, well-filled bar. An ecolodge is interested in nature and in charity.
Cheers.
It had been raining since early in the morning and it was still pouring. The playground had changed into a mudd pool. But the children were there: uniformed and ready for the new day and week.
My desire was to attend some lessons, no matter what subject, and in several degrees, in order to get an impression of the children, the teachers, the methodology, ... So we did.
In general the lessons are rather traditional, meaning that the teacher gives pieces of information, often presenting the matter as something mysterious you can't easily reach. Though in most of the cases teachers are very clear and have an adequate tempo, things are often explained starting with theoretical concepts.
Striking is the mix of th use of Zulu and English. Upto the third grade this seems to be allowed, but they also do it in the higher grades. I am wondering what pupils really need. Do they need English? Or is this only for the happy few who once leave this place and try to make their life in the bigger cities?
Very often the pupils have to read texts, words, questions, or even multiplications together and in a loud voice. When this concerns pronounciation of English words, control is impossible. At the other hand it gives a good feeling of togetherness.
They also have some rituals in spoken texts like greeting the teacher, telling her or him that they are all seated. Once pupils had to stand up and do some physical exercises to make them move a bit. Good idea.
So. We got a time table and I will co-operate with the English teacher Imelda. This week we'll try to be together in one lesson, dealing with the same subject, but with our own method. I am eager to know whether this will work.
It may be interesting to know that the project here is called Live4Now, meaning that you must live now and make your dreams come true, and in this case - the dreams of these children. You can find more information on www.live4now.co.uk or www.live4now.co.sa
Also interesting to see could be the place where I live. The project and the people who lead the project, Elton and Melissa, got housing for themselves, for the volunteers and for the project in www.wildebeesecolodge.com Everybody can come here and find a good accommodation, with swimming pool, restaurant, well-filled bar. An ecolodge is interested in nature and in charity.
Cheers.
maandag 6 januari 2014
Nog 17 dagen
Vandaag is het Driekoningen en het kort af. De kerstboom is afgebroken en alles wat erbij hoort, zit in de kast. Tot december 2014.
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Mocht je willen reageren op de blog, dan denk ik dat je moet klikken op 'Geen opmerkingen'. Misschien verandert dat wel als er voor jou ook al iemand heeft gereageerd.
Als je naar http://www.amavavzw.be/
Mocht je willen reageren op de blog, dan denk ik dat je moet klikken op 'Geen opmerkingen'. Misschien verandert dat wel als er voor jou ook al iemand heeft gereageerd.
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