Report from a preschool in South Africa

Prehistory

My name is Tobias, I'm 25 years old and have been working as an educator in a Catholic day care center in Cologne for two years. My original plan was actually to go abroad for a while after I finished school. On the one hand to support a social project. On the other hand, I wanted to be able to draw comparisons between the two educational systems and to experience differences and similarities. But sometimes things just turn out differently and I completed my training for the first time and then worked. I was released from my current employer for this time.

Vorbereitungen

During my preparation for my stay abroad, I dealt with various organizations. In the end I decided on RGV, mainly because of the many positive reports and the variety of project offers. My registration and the sending of all necessary documents worked without any problems. If you had any questions, someone was always available by phone and they took the time to answer them. If you have important questions, it's better to call, as the e-mails cannot always be answered on the same day (I personally would have preferred it if I had had a contact person, since I was in contact with Carina, Alexander or Yvonne ).

Arrival and accommodation

I flew with Turkish Airlines from Cologne to Istanbul and from there to Cape Town. On the day of my arrival, Chad and other volunteers picked me up at the airport and we were taken to the RGV office. I also met other volunteers here. We were then driven to our accommodations. My accommodation was the Mixed House, about 10 minutes from downtown.

My roommates gave me a warm welcome. I was very happy about that. They showed us the premises and informed us about the rules and procedures in the house. After a short time I felt very comfortable, which made living together easier. We have done and experienced many things together. If you want to do a lot, it definitely makes sense to rent a car with others. On the second day the introduction took place, where I and the other new volunteers were informed about the basic issues and problems (especially the water shortage and crime).

My project and my tasks

From October to the end of November I worked in a preschool class. During my time there, around 70-80 children were cared for, divided into four groups. In each group there were two "teachers" who were supported by volunteers. The “teachers” and the children in the classes made me feel welcome right from the start. However, there was no real introduction to the weekly routine from the teachers, but from other volunteers who had been working there for a long time.

After a short period of getting used to, I became the contact person for the children and they approached me when they needed help or wanted to play with me. One of my main tasks was to support the children with their tasks. Each week there was a "Topic of the week", such as "Farm Animals", for example, and there were different tasks for the respective topics. I also practiced the alphabet, the numbers up to 30 and how to write their names with the children.

My duties also included distributing lunch and helping with the dishes. My personal luck was that I was there at the exact time when they were rehearsing for a "concert" called "Donkey for sale". I was involved in the rehearsals and the performance. I was also able to witness the preparations for the graduation of the children who go to school in the summer.

Day and weekend excursions

On the weekends and also during the week we had enough time to explore Cape Town and the surrounding area. In the weeks I was there, there was hardly a day when we didn't do something, because you get to know so many different people with whom you can spend your free time. Together we visited markets, did a wine tasting, watched the beautiful sunsets, went on a safari, explored the nightlife, watched a rugby game (national sport in South Africa) and much more. Cape Town is diverse, varied and offers different alternatives to do tours. There was no such thing as boredom. I experienced the highlight of my stay in South Africa in Mossel Bay. Here we stayed on the Santos Express (a train right on the beach), saw dolphins in the morning and skydived from 4000 meters in the afternoon.

Conclusion

My time in South Africa was breathtaking and unfortunately over far too quickly. In hindsight I think I would have preferred to have booked for three months or more. Nevertheless, I have had so many experiences and collected impressions. I was particularly impressed by the positive attitude of the South Africans, their warmth and carefree mentality. I've noticed, especially with the children, that they appreciate the few things they own. I made many new friends that I'm still in touch with. I'm so glad I had this experience and hope I can keep some of the serenity. Even if the world is big and there are still many beautiful places in this world, I would travel to Cape Town again at any time.

Report from a preschool in South Africa, by Tobias P., 19.01.18