The next step

Well, as much as I've been enjoying Cape Town and its many pleasures - it is time to get to work. I've been spending my day time in the SCORE head office but haven't had too much to do up until this past week. On Thursday I finally got my job description! I'm going to be designing a women's intervention program that will include 4 main modules: assertiveness, health awareness, cultural backgrounds & gender roles, and self-defense. I'm hoping to be able to run it as a workshop or possibly as an after school program. It's very much in a development phase so we'll see how it goes. So on Monday I will be moving to a township community just outside of Cape Town called Khayelitsha for a month. I'll be living with a host family and working with the local women sport leaders there. I'm really excited and I'm hoping that it will give me a more in depth perspective in regards to creating the program.
Actually the next few months will be very busy. When I return from Khayelitsha, I'll be traveling to Namibia for a Kicking Aids Out training with CGC and then I'm off again for another month to 2 different communities in another province (Eastern Cape). Then in November my mom is coming to visit for 2 weeks!!! Can't wait for that!
Things are really starting to pick up - and time is going so fast! I'll be back in Canada before I know it!

Beauty of Cape Town

Wow - I cannot get over the amazing scenery in Cape Town. I've been walking to work and on my way home I try to take the scenic route down by the sea. It is just too beautiful for words and there are always people jogging and picnic-ing and playing sports along the grass. Cape Town is also surrounded by mountains - so yes, it is the best of both worlds. Beautiful weather, green all year round, surrounded by ocean and nice mountains to climb. Unbelievable!
And these are two beautiful girls I've come to know. Rochelle and Linda. They have taught me so much about ministry and what it means to really live for God. I must say, over the scenery - the people are also beautiful - there are so many different cultures - a true rainbow nation! South Africa actually has 11 official languages.
Oh and the food. My tastebuds were born for South Africa. Sometimes in Canada I would get an idea for a meal and make it, and I would like it but it would never be something that I would find on a menu. But here it's like my mouth has come home! Last night I had a grilled chicken sandwich on a toasted ciabatta bun with hummus, sun dried tomatoes, cheddar cheese and spicy mayo. Mmmmm... so good! Plus we had this famous hot chocolate. It's actually hard, rich chocolate that comes in a glass with steaming milk to pour in. I couldn't resist taking a picture.

Roommates and CT Life

I've really been enjoying the laid back feel of Cape Town lately. I keep telling people how nice it is to sit and have coffee and just talk. I don't know how I let that get away living in Toronto. Seems like I was always too busy to really relax. But thankfully my new roommates are teaching me how to do just that. This it "the other" roommate! haha - Linde. She is back from Namibia and it's been a blast getting to know her. She is a painter and a graphic artist. An artist through and through actually - very creative.
Yesterday we went to a sweet Jazz show in this cute little place. I was amazed at how fast people can move their fingers. It was very much a Myriam & Denice sort of thing to do - except for the jazz... I really like living so close to the down town area of Cape Town - Much like Toronto there are always so many things to do and see.

This is Nedine and Jock. The three of us have been meeting on the occasional Saturday morning to do our laundry together and go out for breakfast. It was so nice - I think we sat and chatted for 3 hours. There is a cute little restaurant across from the laundromat that has a patio and since Cape Town is starting to warm up - we sat there and tanned while we ate. It was wonderful. Plus they have a breakfast special for 10 Rand - $1.60 Canadian! I'm a little worried about summer. I didn't think it got sooo hot here because we are so far south - but yesterday (still winter) was like 25 degrees! Yikes - September 1st is the first day of spring so it is going to get much warmer!!!

New Flat

A week ago I moved out of my host family's house and into a cute flat in Sea Point with 2 girls. It's a cozy little place with my own room and bathroom but it's at the top of a very steep hill!! I've been getting a work out just walking out the door!

18 Firdale Rd. That little window on the top right looks into my bathroom! Ain't it cute?
These are the steps up to my room! I already have a few bruises...

Looking through the bathroom you can just see my bed - it's small but it's just Myriam-size. The view from my bedroom window. Can you see the ocean?? My flatmate, Nadine (one of two). The other one has been on a hiking trip in Namibia for the last week. And this is the view from outside the front door, "our patio", as Nadine says. We ate pizza and ice cream outside earlier today and a nice old man walked by holding a cockatoo (?)... It was a little random but I had to hold her and take pictures...of course. All in all - I'm quite enjoying where I live. On my day off, Women's Day, I took a stroll along the beach front and resisted the urge to collect shells as I'm saving my blatant touristy moments for when my mom comes to visit in November. It's less embarrasing in numbers i always say.

SCORE

I've been working at the SCORE head office for 3 weeks already with the program director, Betty Lallis, to develop a women's intervention program. I haven't done too much yet but I've managed to make initial contact with a few communities to follow up on their women's day activities. Oh yeah - they have a national Women's Day holiday (August 9th). This is year is the 50th anniversary of the march to Pretoria in 1956 so it's BIG! I've already been to 2 women's conferences. One from Beth Moore at a huge church in Cape Town and another on women's participation in sports and recreation in Jo-bug.

Anyways - I've been keeping somewhat busy taking inventory of a huge Nike donation. They gave SCORE 20+ boxes of soccer and rugby boots, and a few shorts and things. Siphokazi and I sorting through the 113 white headbands. We divided everything up into groups of 11 and then we'll send it out to communities with teams that could use all this equipment.
This is Rupert - He actually works for Cape Radio which is the office next door - but I think he likes us better. :) He hooked me up with my new flat and has been explaining the history of South Africa to me Rupert style!

And this is Leanne who I share an office with. Right now we are in Greenpoint but I think we'll be moving to a new office space more down town.

The women's conference in Johannesburg was just this past weekend. It took place in a beautiful convention centre down town and was catered with AMAZING food! My tastebuds were born for South Africa. Two of my most favourite things: mint chocolate and avocados - not together mind you - are in abundance here! Anyways, the day was full of presentations from different speakers and then we split up into 3 different commissions with the objective of discussing different issues and coming up with resolutions to pass on to the minister of sport. It was really great and I was inspired by the amazing women around me! They finished off with a fancy gala dinner with an opera singer for entertainment! Unfortunately I was unaware of the occasion and had only jeans and runners to wear!

Host Family

I stayed with a wonderful family for my first 2 weeks in Cape Town. They were such a blessing to me and I thank God for bringing them into my life. They made me feel at home with them and even managed to answer all of my questions! Here we are, Rochelle, Colin, myself and Lynda, at the beach in Blogerg (?). It was beautiful!! Surfing and seashells everywhere!
This is their house. Most houses are closed in with security gates and alarms. You get used to it after awhile... All of the windows also have bars across them.

Rochelle and I as full as can be. Colin and Lynda own a Chinese buffet so they treated me to a delicious meal!

3 minutes and counting...

Hello everyone!! I'm in Johannesburg attending a women's conference this weekend! I'm so excited I feel like a grown up! We just flew in tonight and checked in to our hotel and it all starts tomorrow. Can't wait!
And I finally have my contact info:
18 Firdale Rd.
Seapoint, Cape Town
8060 South Africa
Cell #: 079 192 0287