Hard at "work"

Well, I've left the beautiful coast in Simonstown and moved into a suburb of Cape Town called Pinelands. Sunday night I was introduced to my host family for the next two weeks. A wonderful couple named Colin & Lynda Gous and their daughter Rochelle. They've been so accomodating to me - Lynda even did my laundry! :) And they have two very friendly dogs too!
I've also had my first few days in the SCORE head office. Unfortunately there hasn't been too much for me to do as my supervisor is away until Monday but the staff are all very welcoming and I've been enjoying this chill time as I know things will pick up soon! Actually tomorrow there won't be anyone in all afternoon so i'm giving myself the afternoon off to peruse around the waterfront and scope out a more touristy area of CT. And on Friday - well, who really wants to work on Friday anyways?! (Right Fran??)
However on Saturday I've organized a meeting with a woman from Khayelitsha, a township near CT, that is working with some of the women's sports programs. So I'm hoping to get a better idea of what they're doing and how I can support them these next few months.
Also - I'm helping another girl from the office, Siphokazi, on a sports camp that we're going to run during the September school holiday, in Khayelitsha. She's estimating 400+ kids!! Wow! It will definitely be an interesting experience... So far we're just working on the proposal to get funding for the venue, equipment and such.
On a sad note - there was a shooting right across the street from my office this afternoon. Somewhat of a domestic dispute but 2 people ended up dead. Awful shame. But don't worry mom - I'm in no danger and everyone I've met has shown me extreme hospitality and is looking after me very well! :) There is defnitely a hightened awareness to be careful and not walk around alone in certain areas, but I must say that people really look after each other and there is a general feeling of concern for others. There is a South African saying, "Ubuntu", which means "You are because of me". I love the community feeling that is here.
Funny thing about Cape Town - there is a midday canon that is fired EVERY DAY at noon! How wonderful?! It gave me a little jump today while we were walking out for lunch but now that I know to expect it, I'm looking forward to my daily boom reminder that it's time to eat!

Pics from SA

Training, training and more training. We took a facilitator's course, an active youth course and A LOT of cultural and sport training. I don't think any of us could have handled more role plays or group work after these past 2 weeks!!

AFRICAN PENGUINS!! The 2nd one from the left was hissing at me...

Sara, Nico, Raviv and Myriam. The four Canadians that are working with SCORE (Sport Coaches OutREach).

TEAM SOUTH AFRICA!

The view from our lodge in Oatlands, Cape Town. B-E-A-Utiful.

Nico and I did a "Canadian role play". He went all out in his outfit... I was a little more conservative!!

Well - I've been in South Africa for over a week already! Hard to belive - actually I don't even know what day it is anymore... Wednesday sounds familiar.
I arrived on Tuesday the 4th of July and was picked up from the airport in Cape Town by a couple of the SCORE (Sport Coaches OutREach) staff. I spent the day there with Nico, the other Canadian volunteer, and a few other SCORE volunteers from Holland, Zambia, Namibia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. It was a good time of World Cup soccer and bonding. The next day we picked up the other 10 volunteers from Norway at the aiport and headed to Paarl, outside of Cape Town to our hotel where we will stay until the 20th or so for training.
There are about 20 of us plus staff and we were supposed to stay in a school or somewhere but the schools are on a holiday and we got a really good deal on this beautiful resort! So, it's a little ridiculous but we're enjoying the luxuries of heated floors, beautiful rooms, an amazing mountainous scenery surrounding us and exceptional cuisisine! Definitely not what I expected! :)
So far we've been doing a lot of "in-class" training. We just wrapped up a facilitators course today and finished off the day with an afternoon of wine tasting!! Fantastique!
We also visited the township of Mbkweni a few days ago where we met a guide who took us around one of the poorer neighborhoods outside of Cape Town. It was very interesting and we met a lot of friendly people and picked up a few words in Xhosa (The South African clicking language - definitely a challenge!). I just can't believe the difference between the beautiful houses in the city to the shacks that are just outside. It's so close - yet such a different world.

Other than that, we have a little bit of physical activity every morning and a lot of ice-breakers and energizers throughout the day! I tried to post a few pictures but couldn't manage just yet so I'll try again later.
I got a cell phone!!! I'll post my phone number when I find it again!!!
And I also somehow got tricked into joining a dance group! We practice every night and we are going to perform for the group next week!! AAAAAh - They keep telling us that we'll be pushed out of our comfort zones - I just didn't think this is what they meant!! :)
I'm having a great time and I'm excited for the adventure to begin once our training ends and we have to say goodbye to all the new friends we've made and get out there to our communities!

Commonwealth Games Interns - TEAM SIX

Here we are, very early in the am, at our orientation in Ottawa! I think this pic was taken right before the staff remembered that we had to take pictures with the vans we'd be using all week to send to our sponsors who'd donated them... Very hard to do in the middle of the night!