A day in my sandals

Before becoming a volunteer one of my biggest questions was what does a day in the life of a volunteer look like. Fortunately for you, I am going to give you an insider’s view into the not so glorious life of a volunteer.

12am – Wake up to raindrops on my head. My rondaval has 15+ leaks in the roof so when it rains outside it also rains inside. Get up, put a towel over me and go back to sleep.

2:30am – Tsotsi (my guard dog) has vocal lessons outside my window. I have decided that he enjoys just listening to himself bark.

4am – The roosters begin to crow

5:30am – The birds begin to gather on my roof

6am- My alarm goes off, hit snooze a couple times before I manage to roll out of bed

6:15-6:48am – Get dressed, eat breakfast, check my email and prepare my bag for the day.

6:48 am – Leave for work/school. Greet every single person I pass along the way.

6:56 am – Arrive at work/school. Greet all my co workers.

7:05am – Morning song and prayer. Every day begins and ends with a song and prayer. Meetings also begin and end with a prayer. This is customary even for nonreligious organizations.

7:15am – Begin cleaning up after our nightly visitors, the bats. They are very good about letting us know that they were there.

7:30am – Children begin to arrive to school. Greet and play with the children.

8am – School begins. I enter data into the computer or sit in the kitchen and watch the cooks prepare the days lunch.

10am – Tea Time!

10:30am – Join one of the Red Cross volunteers to teach a class on HIV, drugs, rape, etc.

12pm – The kindergarteners get out of school. Serve them lunch

12:30pm – Eat lunch (will post a menu later)

1pm – The 1^st graders get out of school. Serve them lunch.

2pm – Serve all the learners (students) lunch

2:30pm – Study isiZulu, do computer work, play with kids, try to keep myself occupied, etc.

4pm – Closing song and prayer

4:05 – 4:20 – Walk home with co workers. Notice time difference in walking to work and walking home. I have not completely mastered the art of the slow walk but I am forced to learn as I meander home with my co workers.

4:20pm – Arrive home. Greeted by my nieces (ages 2 & 6) and Tsotsi

4:20 – 5:45pm – Bathe and play with nieces until the sun goes down.

6pm – Retire to my room for the night. Eat dinner, read, watch a movie, journal, and keep myself occupied

9pm- Lay in bed, count all the springs in my mattress. Eventually fall asleep.

As I have probably mentioned before, the first three months at site are the observation period. Thus, I don't do too much. I am sure this will change once I begin working on projects.