Mhlmabanyatsi Blogs 2008
Blog 1
Mhlambanyatsi Blog 1 2008 - 22nd June
The first two weeks in Swaziland have been full of excitement and
apprehension. All of the volunteers stayed together in Manzini for the training
week. We met local NGOs such as SHAPE, FLAS, SWAGAA, and MYC. We
also had workshops on cultural awareness and health and safety etc. Myxo
came to teach us some SiSwati and about local customs, one including that it
is normal for men to propose to you in the street! Our visit to the FLAS offices
made me more aware of the extent of the HIV and AIDS problem in
Swaziland. The talk from SWAGAA highlighted the problems of abuse facing
mainly women and children. Our meeting at the Ministry of Education was
really good, they were all really eager to meet us and fully support Tenteleni
Training weekend seemed to go by quite quickly. It was good to get to know
the other volunteers and settle in. The highlight of the training week for me
was the first time we caught a Kombi to Mbabane. It was brilliant, yet scary! I
really felt like I was in Swaziland! Mhlambanyatsi reminds me of the village in
Dirty Dancing! The local people are really friendly and always ask us our
Siswati names. They make you feel at home.
I was so nervous our first day of school. Standing up in front of hundreds of
pupils and saying ‘Sanibonani!’ was so so scary! I spent my first week
observing grades 4,5, and 6 and helping out with marking. Bhunya is one of
the largest schools, so there are a lot of teachers to get to know but I think we
are making some friends. The pupils are so cool, they taught me and Helen
some dances and we taught them the Hokey Cokey! We went along to
support Bhunya at a sports tournament one day, it was brilliant! The songs
they sang on the way there and back were so fantastic. It was really nice to
see them all so exited about the competition.
I am really looking forward to the weeks ahead, although the prospect of
actually teaching scares me a bit, I know that I am going to enjoy it. This
experience is so rewarding and, of course, fun! I am happy to be in Swaziland
this Summer, the people are friendly and kind despite their own problems.
Swaziland is a beautiful country with stunning scenery and a positive
atmosphere, I already love it!
Kirsty ‘Thandi’ Dent
Blog 2
Mhlambanyatsi Blog 2 2008 - 3rd July
The last few weeks have centred around settling in and drafting a timetable.
The project planning meeting held in the first week in school helped us to
discuss our role in the school with the teachers. I have agreed with the
teachers that I will either teach or assist in Grade 4a and 4b English, Social
Studies and Religious Education. I’m also helping in Grade 7 Science and
Grade 6 Maths. Me and Helen try and teach together in the afternoons, after
English, as the pupils begin to lose concentration after break.
The beating of the pupils takes a lot of getting used to, but I have to
remember that it is the norm here. It is quite hard for me to discipline pupils,
as all they know is being beaten. Helen introduced the concept of lines one
day, with some success!
Despite the obvious obstacles to teaching so many with so few resources, I
feel that I am coping well and quite enjoying it. The school is more equipped
than I expected. However, I was disappointed when we found out that the
school library has been shut and is used as a storage room. We have been
told that this is only temporary though. We hope that after we leave, the library
will keep going.
The teacher’s guides are very comprehensive and help a lot in lesson
planning, yet I try to liven things up a bit when I’m teaching. ‘My teacher’ Mrs
Mncira is very receptive and always picks up on my ideas, as I do with hers.
Bhunya is very big on sport, they have a very good football team. Yet, a lot of
time is taken out of lessons for this and it does worry me that pupils are
missing out. Teachers tend to take a lot of time off, and classes are left. I am
happy to fill in, but I worry what it must be like when there are no volunteers.
So…so far, so good. I am thoroughly enjoying my experience here, although it
is hard work, it is well worth it.
Kirsty Dent