My experiences in the refugee project in South Africa

The first day of work on my project was full of surprises for someone who had just got off the plane from Munich. The minibus I took to work didn't stop at a set stop or time. Instead, you hold your arm up at the side of the road, climb into the often very crowded vehicle and enjoy a bumpy, fast and cheap ride with loud music. At the bus stop in Bellville, things looked very unusual again: the vendors advertised their wares on lots of mini brais, strange sandals covered with fur and feathers were advertised on a cloth lying on the floor.

The daily work in the project

Arriving at the office, I was very soon sure that I would spend my 3 months wisely, because the programs that are offered for Somali refugees are both sustainable and adapted to needs. My co-volunteer - who soon became a girlfriend - and I were warmly welcomed from day one. After a short time, the most interesting discussions about politics and religion were being held, preferably on Fridays, because there was always a particularly relaxed mood so close to the weekend.

The daily tasks in the refugee project

We both worked in public relations in the mornings, so we took pictures that ended up on posters and the organization's website, which we later created. But we were also able to help with smaller tasks, such as sitting at the reception desk or making copies. In our office work, after completing a task, it often turned out that our ideas differed somewhat from those of our colleagues, but on the whole this work went smoothly. In the afternoons, each of us would teach English to a group of adults, with class sizes ranging from around 5 to 15.

The motivation of the students here could hardly be compared with what I know from Germany. Having never taught before I was of course thrown in at the deep end at first, but the four times a week classes quickly became a habit. The absence of modern textbooks was a challenge, but soon we created our own weekly schedules with vocabulary and grammar, which we checked with a test in our penultimate week. When I said goodbye, I noticed how much you can settle into an environment that is so foreign at the beginning in just 3 months and how much you grow together with the local people.

My conclusion after 3 months

Saying goodbye to my host family wasn't easy either, because I had spent a wonderful time with them. For each of the many volunteers, they make an effort to integrate them into the family with their good and bad habits. In general, I experienced a lot in South Africa. Wandering through the stunning panorama of Cape Town at the weekend, relaxing at exotic food markets, going to a whale festival in Hermanus or just enjoying a wild minibus ride… these are all things I miss and hopefully will experience again.

My experience in the refugee project in South Africa, by Bia B., March 28.03.2018, XNUMX