Rosh Hashana -> The Jewish new year.
Wednesday night until Friday night was Rosh Hashana – the Jewish new year. After that we went into shabbos immediately, which meant we couldn't use electricity, write and other things that are 'creating' in some way or the other for three days straight. I've come to like shabbos, after a busy week a day of doing 'nothing' (of not having to do anything/not being able to do anything such as watching television, using the computer etc.) is actually very welcome. Three days though? A bit much.
On the first day we went to shul (the synagogue) in the morning and evening, after the evening service we went to Jocelyn (my uncle's sister) for dinner. We had a good time there, the whole family was complete and the boys played soccer, we had some nice chats and wonderful food. Earlier during the day Sarit (a girl that does the children's service at shul – she's about my age) invited me for lunch at their place on Friday. I accepted, even though the idea made me more than a little bit nervous. (I am getting used to all the parties and having dinner pretty much anywhere, but this was the first time I was invited somewhere by myself!)
Lunch on Friday was wonderful, besides Sarit and her two sisters and mother, four more girls were invited. One from Canada (Sarah), one from Durban and two others from Jo'burg. We had the usual lunch – chicken, rice, salads, vegetables and very yummy non-dairy ice-cream after. (You can't combine meat with milk in Jewish cooking, so if you have meat in a meal you can't have milchik ice-cream or pudding... It's kind of complicated but I just accept it the way it is.) It was a good experience to be around people my age for a change.
Saturday was a different story, I ate breakfast as usual but when we got to shul I felt sick and had a stomach ache. At the Brocha (the meal after their services – we didn't have a brocha on Thursday and Friday, so I was looking forward to the nice food) I felt too sick to eat anything other than a few bites of pineapple. Another ten minutes passed, and I asked my uncle to take me home because I was scared I was actually going to be sick. And I was. The rest of the day was spent either in bed or in the bathroom, luckily today I'm feeling much better (and I even had a slice of toast and some tea, without any problems so far... I'm still not hungry, though). Tonight we have yet another party... The Bar mitzvah function of the son of a friend of the family, and I'm invited, too. I'm not sure yet about going... There will be wonderful food, but if I'm feeling even a little bit sick or weak I'm staying home – I have to work tomorrow and don't want to have to phone in sick because of partying while I'm still not feeling 100 %.
maandag 13 september 2010
dinsdag 7 september 2010
Wordlist so far
iridescent clouds iridescent: displaying a play of lustrous colors like those of the rainbow.
irate - I was irate irate: angry, enraged
crinkle (v) to wrinkle, ripple.
to make slight, sharp sounds; rustle.
litigation (a matter that is still in litigation) /ˌlɪtɪˈgeɪʃən/ the act or process of litigating (to make the subject of a lawsuit)
trifecta a system of betting in which the bettor must pick the first three winners in the correct sequence
upend (upended a popular legend) overthrow, destroy, invalidate
ledger (n) a slab of stone laid flat over a grave
filch (to filch ashtrays from fancy restaurants) to steal (esp. something of small value)
histology the branch of biology dealing with the study of tissues
curb (High interest rates put a curb on spending) something that checks/restrains
non-mimetic - To open up and re-define the literary canon to include the non-mimetic side of our literature. non-mimetic adj.
mimetic -> characterized by, exhibiting, or of the nature of imitation or mimicry: mimetic gestures.
trope /troʊp/ - genre trope Trope (n):
A figure of speech using words in nonliteral ways, such as a metaphor.
make one's bones (exp) v. to kill a person as requirement for membership in a criminal gang, especially if it is one’s first murder; to become a made man; (hence) to earn a reputation.
heady (adj) exciting; exhilarating. ("Heady days")
preternatural powers (adj) out of the ordinary course of nature; exceptional or abnormal:
gouge - to gouge holes (v) to scoop out or turn with or as if with a gouge: to gouge a channel;
Shale A fissile rock composed of layers of claylike, fine-grained sediments.
Buttresses - Huge stone buttresses, surrounded by ramps and scaffolding. Buttress:
A structure, usually brick or stone, built against a wall for support or reinforcement.
Something resembling a buttress, as:
1. The flared base of certain tree trunks.
monomaniac - Sturman was his usual monomaniac self. an inordinate or obsessive zeal for or interest in a single thing, idea, subject, or the like.
coracle - He dug out a coracle (...) A small rounded boat made of waterproof material stretched over a wicker or wooden frame.
paroxysm - He went into a truly alarming paroxysm. any sudden, violent outburst; a fit of violent action or emotion: paroxysms of rage.
Doilies - To lift the doilies any small, ornamental mat, as of embroidery or lace.
chartreuse - chartreuse colour a clear, light green with a yellowish tinge.
adenoidal - adenoidal voice being characteristically pinched and nasal in tone quality: a high-pitched, adenoidal voice.
frazzled - frazzled mothers worn-out; fatigued: a party that left us frazzled.
Gossamer - faint as gossamer /ˈgɒsəmər/ gossamer - a fine, filmy cobweb seen on grass or bushes or floating in the air in calm weather, esp. in autumn
any thin, light fabric
impervious - she babbled on impervious incapable of being influenced or affected
valet - your valet has unpacked for you a male servant who attends to the personal needs of his employer
penchant - he had a penchant for me a strong inclination, taste, or liking for something: a penchant for outdoor sports.
jocular questions given to, characterized by, intended for, or suited to joking or jesting; waggish; facetious: jocular remarks about opera stars.
contingency - He was prepared for every contingency. a contingent event; a chance, accident, or possibility conditional on something uncertain:
gauderies - paid the penalty of gauderie finery, gaudy or showy things
boorish - I've become boorish of or like a boor; unmannered; crude; insensitive.
inviolate - something inviolate free from violation, injury, desecration, or outrage.
2.undisturbed; untouched.
despondency - state of being despondent; depression of spirits from loss of courage or hope; dejection.
subterfuge - talk of Monaco was a subterfuge to win a lift an artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.
frock - a gown or dress worn by a girl or woman.
succour (n) 1.help; relief; aid; assistance.
2.a person or thing that gives help, relief, aid, etc.
ineffectual - my little ineffectual smile unavailing; futile: His efforts to sell the house were ineffectual.
pallid - like pallid snowdrops pale; faint or deficient in color; wan: a pallid countenance.
blowzy - something rather blowzy about roses having a coarse, ruddy complexion.
2. disheveled in appearance; unkempt.
raucous - raucous laughter. harsh; strident; grating: raucous voices;
shingle - the white shingle of the beach 1.small, waterworn stones or pebbles such as lie in loose sheets or beds on a beach.
2.a beach, riverbank, or other area covered with such small pebbles or stones.
froth - superficial froth something unsubstantial, trivial, or evanescent: The play was a charming bit of froth.
robot (SAE) (n) traffic light
temerity - She was appaled at their temerity. very confident or bold behaviour likely to be considered rude or disrespectful by others.
desultory - Jasper's lessons had been desultory at best. desultory - lacking purpose or enthusiam, randomly going from one subject to another
absconded - 102 people had absconded with them. leave quickly or secretly.
Carapace - K stood up on the carapace of their pede. the hard upper shell of a turtle/lobster or related animal.
rankled - and that rankled cause continuing annoyance or resentment
guffaw - one of them yelled, between his guffaws. a loud deep laugh
whingeing - and stop whingeing complain persistently and irritably
ratify - ratify him in the position give formal consent to
panniers - the panniers on the pedes bag or box carried by donkey or mule
corralled - they were corralled together gather in a group together (as animals in a pen)
amorphous - blurred the (...) into an amorphous mass without a definite shape or form
keening - she fell to her knees, keening. wail in grief for a dead person
anorak - a shiny anorak waterproof jacket with a hood
Jersey (SAE) "Get your jersey" Jumper (B)
Grenadilla (SAE) - Grenadilla icecream Passion fruit (B)
stopstreet - She just ran the stopstreet! Intersection where you have to stop (with a stopsign)
Junglebunnies - Look at that junglebunny! Silly black person - e.g. someone who crosses the street without checking for cars. (slang)
Brinjal (SAE) - Let's buy brinjal, too. Aubergine
Baby marrow - Do you like baby marrow? Small courgettes or other squash
Juice/syrup - We need juice/syrup this week. Cordial
obtuse angle angle between 90 and 180 degrees
revolution (maths) - angle of 360 degree
syllabication - division into syllables
denominator (maths) - bottom number of a fraction
rhombus (shapes) - Draw a rhombus NL - Ruit
trapezoid (shapes) (NL) trapezium
guy - (technology) ground anchor (that pulls something down) - e.g. wire attached to a tent
irate - I was irate irate: angry, enraged
crinkle (v) to wrinkle, ripple.
to make slight, sharp sounds; rustle.
litigation (a matter that is still in litigation) /ˌlɪtɪˈgeɪʃən/ the act or process of litigating (to make the subject of a lawsuit)
trifecta a system of betting in which the bettor must pick the first three winners in the correct sequence
upend (upended a popular legend) overthrow, destroy, invalidate
ledger (n) a slab of stone laid flat over a grave
filch (to filch ashtrays from fancy restaurants) to steal (esp. something of small value)
histology the branch of biology dealing with the study of tissues
curb (High interest rates put a curb on spending) something that checks/restrains
non-mimetic - To open up and re-define the literary canon to include the non-mimetic side of our literature. non-mimetic adj.
mimetic -> characterized by, exhibiting, or of the nature of imitation or mimicry: mimetic gestures.
trope /troʊp/ - genre trope Trope (n):
A figure of speech using words in nonliteral ways, such as a metaphor.
make one's bones (exp) v. to kill a person as requirement for membership in a criminal gang, especially if it is one’s first murder; to become a made man; (hence) to earn a reputation.
heady (adj) exciting; exhilarating. ("Heady days")
preternatural powers (adj) out of the ordinary course of nature; exceptional or abnormal:
gouge - to gouge holes (v) to scoop out or turn with or as if with a gouge: to gouge a channel;
Shale A fissile rock composed of layers of claylike, fine-grained sediments.
Buttresses - Huge stone buttresses, surrounded by ramps and scaffolding. Buttress:
A structure, usually brick or stone, built against a wall for support or reinforcement.
Something resembling a buttress, as:
1. The flared base of certain tree trunks.
monomaniac - Sturman was his usual monomaniac self. an inordinate or obsessive zeal for or interest in a single thing, idea, subject, or the like.
coracle - He dug out a coracle (...) A small rounded boat made of waterproof material stretched over a wicker or wooden frame.
paroxysm - He went into a truly alarming paroxysm. any sudden, violent outburst; a fit of violent action or emotion: paroxysms of rage.
Doilies - To lift the doilies any small, ornamental mat, as of embroidery or lace.
chartreuse - chartreuse colour a clear, light green with a yellowish tinge.
adenoidal - adenoidal voice being characteristically pinched and nasal in tone quality: a high-pitched, adenoidal voice.
frazzled - frazzled mothers worn-out; fatigued: a party that left us frazzled.
Gossamer - faint as gossamer /ˈgɒsəmər/ gossamer - a fine, filmy cobweb seen on grass or bushes or floating in the air in calm weather, esp. in autumn
any thin, light fabric
impervious - she babbled on impervious incapable of being influenced or affected
valet - your valet has unpacked for you a male servant who attends to the personal needs of his employer
penchant - he had a penchant for me a strong inclination, taste, or liking for something: a penchant for outdoor sports.
jocular questions given to, characterized by, intended for, or suited to joking or jesting; waggish; facetious: jocular remarks about opera stars.
contingency - He was prepared for every contingency. a contingent event; a chance, accident, or possibility conditional on something uncertain:
gauderies - paid the penalty of gauderie finery, gaudy or showy things
boorish - I've become boorish of or like a boor; unmannered; crude; insensitive.
inviolate - something inviolate free from violation, injury, desecration, or outrage.
2.undisturbed; untouched.
despondency - state of being despondent; depression of spirits from loss of courage or hope; dejection.
subterfuge - talk of Monaco was a subterfuge to win a lift an artifice or expedient used to evade a rule, escape a consequence, hide something, etc.
frock - a gown or dress worn by a girl or woman.
succour (n) 1.help; relief; aid; assistance.
2.a person or thing that gives help, relief, aid, etc.
ineffectual - my little ineffectual smile unavailing; futile: His efforts to sell the house were ineffectual.
pallid - like pallid snowdrops pale; faint or deficient in color; wan: a pallid countenance.
blowzy - something rather blowzy about roses having a coarse, ruddy complexion.
2. disheveled in appearance; unkempt.
raucous - raucous laughter. harsh; strident; grating: raucous voices;
shingle - the white shingle of the beach 1.small, waterworn stones or pebbles such as lie in loose sheets or beds on a beach.
2.a beach, riverbank, or other area covered with such small pebbles or stones.
froth - superficial froth something unsubstantial, trivial, or evanescent: The play was a charming bit of froth.
robot (SAE) (n) traffic light
temerity - She was appaled at their temerity. very confident or bold behaviour likely to be considered rude or disrespectful by others.
desultory - Jasper's lessons had been desultory at best. desultory - lacking purpose or enthusiam, randomly going from one subject to another
absconded - 102 people had absconded with them. leave quickly or secretly.
Carapace - K stood up on the carapace of their pede. the hard upper shell of a turtle/lobster or related animal.
rankled - and that rankled cause continuing annoyance or resentment
guffaw - one of them yelled, between his guffaws. a loud deep laugh
whingeing - and stop whingeing complain persistently and irritably
ratify - ratify him in the position give formal consent to
panniers - the panniers on the pedes bag or box carried by donkey or mule
corralled - they were corralled together gather in a group together (as animals in a pen)
amorphous - blurred the (...) into an amorphous mass without a definite shape or form
keening - she fell to her knees, keening. wail in grief for a dead person
anorak - a shiny anorak waterproof jacket with a hood
Jersey (SAE) "Get your jersey" Jumper (B)
Grenadilla (SAE) - Grenadilla icecream Passion fruit (B)
stopstreet - She just ran the stopstreet! Intersection where you have to stop (with a stopsign)
Junglebunnies - Look at that junglebunny! Silly black person - e.g. someone who crosses the street without checking for cars. (slang)
Brinjal (SAE) - Let's buy brinjal, too. Aubergine
Baby marrow - Do you like baby marrow? Small courgettes or other squash
Juice/syrup - We need juice/syrup this week. Cordial
obtuse angle angle between 90 and 180 degrees
revolution (maths) - angle of 360 degree
syllabication - division into syllables
denominator (maths) - bottom number of a fraction
rhombus (shapes) - Draw a rhombus NL - Ruit
trapezoid (shapes) (NL) trapezium
guy - (technology) ground anchor (that pulls something down) - e.g. wire attached to a tent
Picture post!
According to my aunt it's a cotton tree! I'm not sure cotton actually grows on trees, but hey the fluffs look cool, for sure.
Ariella went on an outing with her school, and because we ... lost the car keys (we found them again, don't worry) we had to walk to school (we usually walk Ariella to school – but not with this much stuff.). It looks like we're all going on a trip!
Waiting for the bus to depart, being very typical Jewish mums (and cousins) – We didn't want to leave our kids! (Me, Jean and Sandra).
Ariella took my camera with her, and they went to this park where you could hold a baby lion – cute!
And... well, my aunt has lots of bunnies, she got them spayed and... they still had babies! So we had to sell them to pet stores – it took ages to catch them...
Doron (14)
Joshua (7)
Don't have to tell you who this crazy girl with a Hello Kitty shirt is.
Ariella (12)
'Old' people don't want you to know their age! (Sandra)
Tali (good friend of Ariella) had her Bati (Bat Mitzvah) party on Saturday night. She looked gorgeous! We had mini springrolls, Chillers (a milkshake, basically) and pizza and hot chips and ice cream and... lots of good food :)
Hiking in Magaliesberg (near Mountain Sanctuary) – it was a 2 hour-ish drive to get there, pff. We had to get up at 6 – after a late night (only got to bed around 12.30). EARLY. Josh is charming as ever. (Johannesburg Hiking Club)
First things first
The hike was gorgeous (lamest joke I've ever made: Gorge-ous). I still have a slight muscle ache left over to remind me.
Rosh hashanah is coming up this Thursday and Friday. It's the Jewish new year. I won't be online until next week, because this means we're not allowed to drive etc. etc. (Just like on a Saturday because it's Shabbos). I'm sure it won't be boring though, more food, more visitors etc. etc.
Next entry might just be a 'review' of my experiences with Jewish holidays! Until then!
maandag 30 augustus 2010
August 28th, Saturday
Another week gone and I'm really starting to feel like I belong here. Even saw our queen! (Would insert a picture but Ariella is using my camera at her grade six trip this week... For now it will have to suffice that there was this huge poster of some random football player with queen Beatrix's head photoshopped onto it.)
Shabbos this week was kind of special. On a Friday night it's usually only the guys who go to Shul (the synagogue) but this week we all went (including a friend of Doron from school – which is a separate story). There was a wonderful service with a lot of singing (they even did the world cup song – Hebrew prayer set to the melody that is) and after that there was a street meal. It's a meal after a service, and we always have one on Saturdays (which is amazing – there's so much food, anything and everything from fried fish, sweet and sour vegetables to the best cakes and soft drinks. Everything cold – because you can't prepare food on Shabbos – but wonderful nonetheless. This Friday though, as I said, we had it in the street, for everyone. The theme was 'Single Malt & Salmon' – Whiskey for the adults and salmon for everyone. Drinks and popcorn and chips for the kids. Lovely experience.
Doron had a friend sleep over, as I said, a boy from his school. This was a rather strange experience, because he's one of the boys I teach. A blend of two worlds; teacher-Cha and at-home-Cha. I felt like a teacher all the time, even when the guy kept me awake by complaining about Doron's hamster and nagging us about the mattrass – one was too soft and the other too hard. To be honest, I'm glad he went home at ten in the morning! What a night.
Today we're having guests over to watch rugby and play 'the Buzz game' (for playstation). I also started to learn Hebrew. Learning to read Hebrew is fun but it also makes me feel like a four or five year old all over again. Stumbling over – to my untrained eye – way too similar letters and taking ages to sound out a word is actually very exciting! Reading the first short sentences I actually understand is even better. And yes, I'll watch that this doesn't interfere with my progress in English. I just need to have my own little project while I'm here, too.
More special events are coming up over the next few weeks, Ariella's Bat Mitzvah function, Tali's battie, a wedding and I'm sure many more. Oh, and I managed to get myself invited to the movies with some girls (and maybe guys?) my age. I'm already a bit nervous about that, but I'm sure it'll be a good experience.
Until the next update!
Random things:
Vase -> /va:s/ not /veis/ (insert pro phonetics stuff I can't do on this computer)
Joshua: (talking about a map) Why did Hashem (G-d) make the countries so small but the inside so big? (Why are the countries so small but when you're IN them so big?) :D
Shabbos this week was kind of special. On a Friday night it's usually only the guys who go to Shul (the synagogue) but this week we all went (including a friend of Doron from school – which is a separate story). There was a wonderful service with a lot of singing (they even did the world cup song – Hebrew prayer set to the melody that is) and after that there was a street meal. It's a meal after a service, and we always have one on Saturdays (which is amazing – there's so much food, anything and everything from fried fish, sweet and sour vegetables to the best cakes and soft drinks. Everything cold – because you can't prepare food on Shabbos – but wonderful nonetheless. This Friday though, as I said, we had it in the street, for everyone. The theme was 'Single Malt & Salmon' – Whiskey for the adults and salmon for everyone. Drinks and popcorn and chips for the kids. Lovely experience.
Doron had a friend sleep over, as I said, a boy from his school. This was a rather strange experience, because he's one of the boys I teach. A blend of two worlds; teacher-Cha and at-home-Cha. I felt like a teacher all the time, even when the guy kept me awake by complaining about Doron's hamster and nagging us about the mattrass – one was too soft and the other too hard. To be honest, I'm glad he went home at ten in the morning! What a night.
Today we're having guests over to watch rugby and play 'the Buzz game' (for playstation). I also started to learn Hebrew. Learning to read Hebrew is fun but it also makes me feel like a four or five year old all over again. Stumbling over – to my untrained eye – way too similar letters and taking ages to sound out a word is actually very exciting! Reading the first short sentences I actually understand is even better. And yes, I'll watch that this doesn't interfere with my progress in English. I just need to have my own little project while I'm here, too.
More special events are coming up over the next few weeks, Ariella's Bat Mitzvah function, Tali's battie, a wedding and I'm sure many more. Oh, and I managed to get myself invited to the movies with some girls (and maybe guys?) my age. I'm already a bit nervous about that, but I'm sure it'll be a good experience.
Until the next update!
Random things:
Vase -> /va:s/ not /veis/ (insert pro phonetics stuff I can't do on this computer)
Joshua: (talking about a map) Why did Hashem (G-d) make the countries so small but the inside so big? (Why are the countries so small but when you're IN them so big?) :D
donderdag 19 augustus 2010
August 18 work-related
This week I worked at Japari school on Monday and Wednesday.
Monday wasn't very busy, miss Bozzoli only had 3 lessons (English – covering direct and indirect speech with the grade sevens). After those lessons (I just observed) I did some photo copying and typed up some answer sheets for the excercises.
Wednesday was more exciting, we had the year sevens and sixes again. For the (in)direct speech assignments I helped out by checking the learners' work when they finished four sentences. I explained a few things here and there and helped them along. The next lessons was even better; miss Bozzoli needed to make some photocopies so I was to get the year sixes to come in, sit down and colour a bit in their social sciences workbooks. They didn't feel like colouring, at all. So I decided to allow them to ask me some questions – I'm the interesting foreigner here, after all. We chatted a bit about what's different about the Netherlands compared to South Africa, and when one learner asked me whether Holland was a rich country I had my link to our topic -> sustainable development. So I went on to ask them 'What did you talk about last lesson?' and 'Can anyone tell me what sustainable development means?'. After a few more questions miss Bozzoli returned. She liked the discussion that was happening so she let me go on for about another 15 minutes, in which the learners asked questions about how the Netherlands work, how we came to be a rich country etc. We even talked about global warming and the fact that part of the country is below sea level. :) It was a fun lesson and I actually got to do some teaching, so that was exciting.
It's interesting to see that it truly is so much easier to teach here than it is at home. The teachers here are complaining there's not enough respect.... But compared to teaching a random group in the Netherlands? Japari is a remedial school (primary, I should say that, I suppose. But the grade six and sevens are 12~14 years old so that's the same as the first few years in secondary school at home.) but the learners are so well behaved and respectful compared to what I've seen of the learners at home, so far! It really makes me doubt teaching in the Netherlands. To pass my TP and get my degree? Sure, but I don't think I'll actually want to get a job there!
This is the last week of term 3, we'll have two weeks off now and after that we'll start term 4. I'll be helping out/teaching at Japari for the whole term. (They already asked me to take over some lessons – if I feel comfortable doing so – when a teacher is absent. I'm convinced I'll be able to do that, when I get to know the school and the learners a bit more. Their lessons are 30 minutes each and the groups are small. But being remedial, there are a few learners with impaired hearing, autism and AD(H)D. Still – they're much easier to work with than your average group back home.
As for the next two weeks, we might go camping at Shiba mountain (sp?). I'm working on a website for my uncle's company, too.
This Monday evening I went to a shiur together with my aunt – it's sort of like a bible study/talk but in a Jewish setting. This one was about marriage and why people don't believe in getting married anymore. It was quite interesting, and the rabbi who gave the talk has a wonderful sense of humor. Next week we'll probably go again; no matter what it is, I just need to get out of the house a few times a week (other than working) because my life is rather boring otherwise. I'm mostly around older (30+) adults and children, so I don't have much of a social life (yet).
Note to self: About time to make a voice recording, need to keep track of how (if at all) my accent is changing.
Until the next update!
Monday wasn't very busy, miss Bozzoli only had 3 lessons (English – covering direct and indirect speech with the grade sevens). After those lessons (I just observed) I did some photo copying and typed up some answer sheets for the excercises.
Wednesday was more exciting, we had the year sevens and sixes again. For the (in)direct speech assignments I helped out by checking the learners' work when they finished four sentences. I explained a few things here and there and helped them along. The next lessons was even better; miss Bozzoli needed to make some photocopies so I was to get the year sixes to come in, sit down and colour a bit in their social sciences workbooks. They didn't feel like colouring, at all. So I decided to allow them to ask me some questions – I'm the interesting foreigner here, after all. We chatted a bit about what's different about the Netherlands compared to South Africa, and when one learner asked me whether Holland was a rich country I had my link to our topic -> sustainable development. So I went on to ask them 'What did you talk about last lesson?' and 'Can anyone tell me what sustainable development means?'. After a few more questions miss Bozzoli returned. She liked the discussion that was happening so she let me go on for about another 15 minutes, in which the learners asked questions about how the Netherlands work, how we came to be a rich country etc. We even talked about global warming and the fact that part of the country is below sea level. :) It was a fun lesson and I actually got to do some teaching, so that was exciting.
It's interesting to see that it truly is so much easier to teach here than it is at home. The teachers here are complaining there's not enough respect.... But compared to teaching a random group in the Netherlands? Japari is a remedial school (primary, I should say that, I suppose. But the grade six and sevens are 12~14 years old so that's the same as the first few years in secondary school at home.) but the learners are so well behaved and respectful compared to what I've seen of the learners at home, so far! It really makes me doubt teaching in the Netherlands. To pass my TP and get my degree? Sure, but I don't think I'll actually want to get a job there!
This is the last week of term 3, we'll have two weeks off now and after that we'll start term 4. I'll be helping out/teaching at Japari for the whole term. (They already asked me to take over some lessons – if I feel comfortable doing so – when a teacher is absent. I'm convinced I'll be able to do that, when I get to know the school and the learners a bit more. Their lessons are 30 minutes each and the groups are small. But being remedial, there are a few learners with impaired hearing, autism and AD(H)D. Still – they're much easier to work with than your average group back home.
As for the next two weeks, we might go camping at Shiba mountain (sp?). I'm working on a website for my uncle's company, too.
This Monday evening I went to a shiur together with my aunt – it's sort of like a bible study/talk but in a Jewish setting. This one was about marriage and why people don't believe in getting married anymore. It was quite interesting, and the rabbi who gave the talk has a wonderful sense of humor. Next week we'll probably go again; no matter what it is, I just need to get out of the house a few times a week (other than working) because my life is rather boring otherwise. I'm mostly around older (30+) adults and children, so I don't have much of a social life (yet).
Note to self: About time to make a voice recording, need to keep track of how (if at all) my accent is changing.
Until the next update!
donderdag 12 augustus 2010
August 2 2010
My second full day in Johannesburg, South Africa. The internet is not working on my laptop at the moment, so I'm writing this offline for the time being.
My flight was alright, I love flying but I hate the change of air pressure. A funny thing was when we were getting ready to land... I was waiting for the altitude metre to hit '0', and I was worried the plane wasn't flying fast enough. Then we landed, at 1600-something metres. I felt very, very Dutch at that moment – of course Jozi is up just a bit higher than our own below-sea-level country!
So far I've taken a walk in the Johannesburg Botanical gardens and went to a birthday party for two of my cousin's cousins (twins). It's funny how many people are surprised I speak English at all, but I did have some good experiences already. A friend of my cousin (about 14 years old) asked me where my accent was from (probably thinking "Well it's not South African, or American or..." he just wasn't sure.) but overall it's easy enough to understand the South Africans.
Some things that are different: Traffic lights are called 'robots' here (which sounds incredibly silly to my ears.) and they pronounce 'years' kind of funny (more like yurs/yus).
This morning I went to Yeshiva college with my cousin, unfortunately the headmaster wasn't in so we couldn't ask about being a teaching assistant there, but we'll go back and try again tomorrow. It's a wonderful school – not too big, very nice. It's Jewish, but that only adds to the atmosphere – it's so different from what I'm used to so I'm sure it'll be a wonderful experience.
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We tried again the next day, and he told us to try at the high school part of the school. There the people were quite rude to us, we phoned them and they told us "No we don't have the resources" and they hung up on us! Luckily Japari (Doron's school) was much nicer and I'll be working there on Mondays and Wednesdays!
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Words:
Robot -> Traffic light
Milie -> corn (Mielie pap)
Bami/Ba(r?)ti -> Bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah
Howzit -> Hey there/how is it?
My flight was alright, I love flying but I hate the change of air pressure. A funny thing was when we were getting ready to land... I was waiting for the altitude metre to hit '0', and I was worried the plane wasn't flying fast enough. Then we landed, at 1600-something metres. I felt very, very Dutch at that moment – of course Jozi is up just a bit higher than our own below-sea-level country!
So far I've taken a walk in the Johannesburg Botanical gardens and went to a birthday party for two of my cousin's cousins (twins). It's funny how many people are surprised I speak English at all, but I did have some good experiences already. A friend of my cousin (about 14 years old) asked me where my accent was from (probably thinking "Well it's not South African, or American or..." he just wasn't sure.) but overall it's easy enough to understand the South Africans.
Some things that are different: Traffic lights are called 'robots' here (which sounds incredibly silly to my ears.) and they pronounce 'years' kind of funny (more like yurs/yus).
This morning I went to Yeshiva college with my cousin, unfortunately the headmaster wasn't in so we couldn't ask about being a teaching assistant there, but we'll go back and try again tomorrow. It's a wonderful school – not too big, very nice. It's Jewish, but that only adds to the atmosphere – it's so different from what I'm used to so I'm sure it'll be a wonderful experience.
===========
We tried again the next day, and he told us to try at the high school part of the school. There the people were quite rude to us, we phoned them and they told us "No we don't have the resources" and they hung up on us! Luckily Japari (Doron's school) was much nicer and I'll be working there on Mondays and Wednesdays!
============
Words:
Robot -> Traffic light
Milie -> corn (Mielie pap)
Bami/Ba(r?)ti -> Bar mitzvah/bat mitzvah
Howzit -> Hey there/how is it?
Class of the 80s.
(And a reflection on the coffee drinking habits of South Africa.)
On Sunday the 8th of August I went to the Barnyard Theatre (Fourways) to see 'The Class of the 80s'. Not exactly a musical, not exactly a concert, it was a fun show with 80s music. The Barnyard is not just venue – it's a concept. (According to my uncle.) You take your own food – it's like an indoor picnic with live music. The show didn't have much of a story, which was a bit of a disappointment to me. I didn't know most of the songs so it was a bit boring at times, but the singers/dancers were great. Oh and I had some real coffee, too! At 'home' I only get instant coffee – the coffee situation in South Africa is similar to that in the UK. Most people prefer tea or cold drinks, and if they have coffee it's the instant stuff. Dutch coffee-drinkers are spoiled! The coffee was a very nice bonus.
Tomorrow is Women's day – a public holiday here in South Africa.
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