First day back...

After a long journey home from Cape Town everyone was tired and very much looking forward to a good sleep in their own beds!

It was back to school today and it was great to see the staff and pupils who had been on the trip in school today. We were all excited to share our experiences and feedback on the progress that has been made at Welcome Primary School over the past year thanks to the generosity and fundraising efforts of Balwearie pupils, teachers and parents. 

Keep looking at the blog over the next few days for pupil and staff reflections...count down to the next trip is already on! 

Floods at Welcome!

Today was our last day at Welcome Primary and we had an amazing send off. The pupils did dancing, singing and a speech. In return we performed the Dashing White Sergeant and a poem from Francis. This was then followed by lots of highfives, cuddles and presents from the kids, there were tears from near enough everybody. After an emotional goodbye we went to the waterfront for drinks and then headed to the canal walk mall for lots of retail therapy which was well needed for the girls anyway!

Spectacular South Africa!

After a much needed long lie (till half 8) we set off for Cape Point, Mr McGuckin's favourite place in South Africa. We stopped off at Boulders Beach en route to see the penguins and got lots of good pictures. On the way back to the bus we browsed the craft stalls and we bought lots of nice things such as township art, photo albums, African animal statues and even a springbok rug. I'm looking forward to putting my township art on my classroom wall. It will definitely remind me of this amazing experience!  

We then headed off towards the national park for Cape Point. We ate some lunch before our trek up to the lighthouse at the top of the mountain. The views were breathtaking and we got lots of great photographs. After we wandered down it was time for a quick look round the gift shop before jumping in the bus. We drove down to the water to get photographs against the backdrop of the waves. 

Then we went along to the Cape of Good Hope for another photo opportunity. After eventually getting a few group photos taken we sat on the rocks and enjoyed the sun for a while. It was lovely to sit and take in the spectacular views around about. It was so peaceful and everyone was so content. 

It was then back in the bus to head back to Cape Town via Chapman's Pass and Camps Bay. As we crawled higher and higher up the mountains the views become even more breathtaking. Camps Bay was a really nice place with lovely houses overlooking the water. It would be amazing to live there! 

We headed to the Waterfront for some dinner. We ended up going to San Marco Italian restaurant and people tucked in to pasta, pizzas, steaks, etc. Everyone enjoyed their meals against the backdrop of the harbour. Then we went across to the watch the remainder of the Argentina v Australia game. Some people sneaked off to get ice cream with Miss Roslender! I'm jealous I missed out on what I was told was very tasty ice cream. 

Overall, this has been one of many highlights on the trip along with being in the school, the GCU, braai at Mario and Michelle's and Robben Island. Cannot believe we only have one full day left. Looking forward to the farewell assembly at Welcome tomorrow. I think it will be very emotional.

Miss McFarlane

Picture perfect!!!

Today we went to see the South African penguins at Boulders Beach which were adorable and we got to see them up close.  We also bought presents for our families and friends at stalls, where we experienced first-hand bargaining.  

We then walked up to the lighthouse at Cape Point which was very tiring but the views were worth it!!! After a short bus journey we reached an even more beautiful place where we all got photos next to the sea. 

Mr McGuckin especially loved this, and we climbed on the rocks to get a better view.   After a scenic route home we ate dinner at the Waterfront and then watched the end of the rugby.

SAFARI!!!!

I Our day started with a lie in which everyone was happy about and then we hit the road and started our journey to Aquila. It was a long drive of just less  than 3 hours but the scenery we saw was incredible.  

When we arrived we went for an amazing buffet lunch and then went to our rooms. Apart from the 3 spiders in the room, the outside shower and the animals we seen on the safari made up for it. Our evening game drive was at 4pm so we had a could of hours to ourselves so we all jumped into the pool overlooking the reserve. 

The evening game drive was beyond spectacular. We got to see lots of different animals including elephants, hippos, lions, springbok, zebra and the rhino which had a 1 week old baby rhino.  

Then it was dinner time where we had a great meal to finish another great day. 

Early Morning Safari 🐒🐯

Today we were up and ready for 6:50. We got to the reception where we back tea, coffee, water and biscuits. After that, at around 7, we got into the van to go and see the giraffes, lions and rhinos Nf particularly enjoyed seeing the new born baby rhino again that we had named Chris the day before.

We then got to go see the crocodiles and went for a breakfast which was really good, there was a buffet style that had lots of different things to choose from. We got packed up and headed off to Hermanus to see the whales. 

Famous Scots come to Welcome!

On Tuesday 20th Lara, Chloe, Miffy and myself were grouped together to deliver a lesson on famous Scots. The aim being to teach some of the kids at Welcome Primary who the most prominent Scots were in Scotland's history as well as who are currently playing a significant role. The lesson was planed the night before which involved arranging profile cards of famous Scots in order of date of birth. The cards spanned from Mary Queen of Scots all the way to Andy Murray. We had a total of 30 cards.

Chloe and I worked with 7a before Welcome's first interval and then the 5a after it. The lesson was split into 2 parts. The first being splitting the class into 2 smaller groups, with Chloe and I going through the cards in different groups so that the kids grasped a better understanding of why the Scots were famous and so they knew what to do afterwards. Following this, they had to organising themselves into a timeline in order of the Scot's date of birth with the cards they had. With some help the 7as completed this part well. 

The second part of the lesson was that each pupil would go into a corner which was labeled a specific category. Some being: Entertainment, Inventor and Political. The pupils would choose which corner they went to depending on the card they were holding. 
The 7as completed this very well.

The 4as were much younger, but I was so surprised at their ability. They completed the first part brilliantly and I was impressed with how they ordered themselves correctly in most cases. Some kids even bossed others who weren't as quick with finding their spot in the line. The corner activity was also done with great ability and most kids were comfortable reading the profile cards out loud to their fellow class members.

Overall, I was so pleased to teach the kids and mostly all of them engaged and tried their best. The experience of teaching and being with the kids continues to be rewarding!

Francis 

Take your partner...Welcome Ceilidh

Wheels were up and rolling by 8:00am and it was off to school for a another full day of teaching lessons and visiting the GCU. Preparations for the lessons were done the night before and Mr McGuckin demonstrated a hidden talent for brewing PH indicator! The science lesson (PH indicators) was completed by class 5a and they loved learning about acids and alkalis. The highlight of the day was the Scottish Country Dancing lesson where pupils learned the Virginia Reel, Gay Gordon's and Dashing White Sergeant. After lunch, we headed to the GCU where the kids were all playing football, skipping, softball and netball. It was very busy and there was a lot of energy because there so many kids from all parts of the Heideveld community. It was power naps all round before heading to Mario and Michelle's Braii for dinner. We were all made to feel very welcome by their generosity and hospitality. We were showered with beautiful gifts as a token of thanks! We all felt very welcomed into the family and community and enjoyed a delicious meal cooked by sports coaches Toby and Mohammed. Everyone was tired but were very excited about getting packed in preparation for the safari. 

Miss Roslender  

Long Walk to the Aquarium!

The day started off with a long, well deserved lie in after a busy day at the GCU and Welcome yesterday. We made our way down to the waterfront, grabbed so much scran from Pick n Pay that it made Lara's backpack weigh a tonne. We then headed to the boat for Robben Island. 

We entered the boat from Hell where one person was being sick all over the floor going to Robben Island.  This almost made us all sick as the women's sick landed on the floor as her sick bag had a hole in it. The way back was awful according to Lara and Cameron. A primary class were returning from a trip on the island and a large number of them, including the teacher, were sick. Let's just say that Robyn was so glad she fell asleep and missed the whole thing... 

We were taken around the island by one of the ex-prisoners and he told us about Nelson Mandela's and his own experiences on the island. It was really interesting to listen to and it was so upsetting to think that the officers would treat the prisoners so badly and get away with it.

Once returning to the mainland again, we were taken to The Bay Hotel for a quick drink to relax after the choppy boat ride where the three of us had chocolate milkshakes before heading to the Two Oceans Aquarium. The aquarium had lots of different sea creatures like sharks, snakes and penguins. This was very fun and interesting learning about all the animals. After this, we were set loose in the mall on the seafront where we had our tea (many chose McDonalds). Overall, this was a very fun and interesting day, learning lots of new things about South Africa's past. 

Welcome Back!

It was such an emotional day.

Our group met Welcome school's head teacher, Mr Jacobs, for the first time this morning. The children clapped as we walked into the assembly. A group of young girls then performed a lovely dance, it made a lot of people cry because it was so lovely.  The assembly they have prepared for us coming was wonderful.

Lewis and I were assigned to class 5b to make scrap books. We had taken over the scrap book that Burntisland Primary School had made to show the pupils in Welcome Primary. The work they had produced was just fantastic and everyone was so enthusiastic.

Afterwards we went to a cheetah sanctuary. We got to stroke a cheetah and also met lots of other animals. It was a great day! 

Kick it Cameron!!

For our class: Lana, Jamie and I had a book called Cant-Dance-Cameron. We read it to 2A and B. There was dance moves in the story that we got them to do. Their favorite was kick it Cameron! All the pupils really enjoyed getting involved with the book. We then got them to draw animals from the story and their South African versions. The kids really enjoyed it and they learnt a lot about Scottish animals. Both classes work was so good that their teachers are going to put it on their walls! 
After the school we went to the GCU. It was a really fun time and I even was beaten by a boy at chess! We are all really excited to go back tomorrow! 

Tim

Nessie found at Welcome

On Tuesday Louise, Lewis, Robyn and I went into classes 1a and 1b to teach them about the Loch Ness Monster! 

We loved reading the story about Nessie to the kids -  they seemed to really enjoy it! 

The children listened so carefully to the story, answering questions about the Loch Ness monster. We then went outside to follow the trail of Nessie, as the monster had come to meet the children. 

The children loved running about the playground following the footprints of Nessie until they found her sleeping on one of the school steps. We then went inside to make the humps of Nessie using coloured plasticine. The kids were so creative and made amazing Loch Ness monsters. So far this has been the highlight of the trip, seeing all the kids love our lesson!     Mhairi

Meeting Welcome

 Today we were finally able to meet everyone from Welcome Primary! We were greeted with very good performances from the pupils at morning assembly. We were also able to give the pupils gifts such as tennis equipment and footballs. We were also split up into pairs then sent to one of the many classes, Chloe and I joined the class of 2B. This was very fun and enjoyable, especially because of the kind and welcoming pupils. Truly an amazing experience!

After break we spent time showing the pupils letters from Balwearie pupils, as well as helping them prepare letters to send back. Definitely a highlight of the trip so far! After this we went to a cheetah sanctuary where we were given the chance to stoke a cheetah. Overall, today was a very exciting and enjoyable day! 

Mathew Gordon 

Welcome Love ❤️❤️

Today we went to Welcome primary school for the first time, we were greeted with fantastic performances at the assembly. After this we were put into pairs for the classes, we first of all got to see what the class was like by sitting in with them, while they were learning Afrikaans. After break however, we then got to know and bond with the pupils as we helped them making a reply to the pupils of Burntisland primary schools scrapbook. 

Getting to bond with the children was great as we learned a bit about them and it was obvious how happy they were to be at school. After the school and playing a bit of football with the kids we then went to the cheetah sanctuary, which we got to pet a cheetah and also get to see other animals that they care for.

 To top of the beautiful, warm day we got home and quickly jumped in the pool with everyone .

WELCOME

I had a wonderful time today at Welcome Primary. We got to meet all the children at the welcome assembly. They performed lots of dances, songs and poems - it was a brilliant yet emotional morning! Tim and I then went to visit class 7a to chat to them and find out more about Cape Town. It was an eye opening experience to see the major differences between Scotland and Cape Town. After break the children received letters and a key ring from a class at Balwearie that are of a similar age. The Welcome kids all wrote a reply back to their pen pal - it was a really fun and interesting task! 

We also went to Sommerset West to pet Cheetahs and see all the other animals the place has to offer. It was a really fun, one in a lifetime experience! 

Mhairi 

First Day at Welcome

Today we had our first visit to Welcome Primary. We were welcomed by an assembly where the children danced, sang and said poems and there weren't many dry eyes around. 

Ewan and I then went to class 1a which had children about 7 years old. They were very excited when we arrived and were so keen to start the lesson. The S1s at Balwearie had written letters to the pupils at Welcome which we then read out, showed the photos and then got the pupils to start to write a response. We then took lots of photos outside and were so keen to come talk to us and see the photos we had taken. 

After we left the school we went to a cheetah sanctuary called Outreach sanctuary where we got to stroke them. It was amazing to be so up close to these amazing animals. We also got a tour around the place and got to see the other animals there. 

We love Welcome!

IIt was such an emotional day.

Our group met Welcome school's head teacher, Mr Jacobs, for the first time this morning. The children clapped as we walked into the assembly. A group of young girls then performed a lovely dance, it made a lot of people cry because it was so lovely.  The assembly they have prepared for us coming was wonderful.

Lewis and I were assigned to class 5b to make scrap books. We had taken over the scrap book that Burntisland Primary School had made to show the pupils in Welcome Primary. The work they had produced was just fantastic and everyone was so enthusiastic.

Afterwards we went to a cheetah sanctuary. We got to stroke a cheetah and also met lots of other animals. It was a great day!

The Welcome Experience

Today was the first day we met the pupils of Welcome Primary in Heidvield. The fun-packed day started off with the pupils singing 'Welcome to The Family,' followed by a few more performances such as poems and songs from the talented pupils at Welcome.

Myself and Lana were with grade 4b for most of the day. It started off with helping the kids with their nine times table. We also marked their work. Some of the answers I had to double check! It was so good to help the kids understand their work better and I witnessed the kids improving just within the short time I spent with them.  Lana and I then started our lesson. It was to get the kids to write a reply to letters written by many pupils at Balwearie High School. Some of the kids wrote exceptional replies and some tried their best. It just highlighted the range of abilities within the school as some found it easy and others quite challenging. However, the main aim of the lesson was to gain an insight into the kids' lifes as well as learning more about them. All the kids did just that! It is so rewarding to see the kids being happy to try something new. Some of the kids gathered around and played their handmade drums as well as some showing me their rapping talent. I was even asked to sing the song 'See You Again' and I gave in after some encouragement. We also got to talk to the kids during breaks which gave some selfie opportunities and provided  better insight into their lifes at Welcome Primary.

We also went to a cheetah sanctuary called  Cheetah Encounter where we got given a tour of the facility and learned interesting facts about the animals they have. I did get the chance to pet a male cheetah for a few minutes. It was a great experience and something not many can say they have been fortunate enough to try. 

Overall, I loved today and look forward to the next!

Francis   

Big cats!

Even though it was a very early start, being at Welcome primary was great! We got to know some of the kids quite well and they were lovely. 

After we finished at Welcome we went to Sommerset West to a cheetah outreach which also had other kinds of cats and they even had meerkats! We all got to go into one of the cheetah enclosures and pet one of the cheetahs. 

It was such a good experience to get so close to such a big cat! Everyone is looking forward to going for dinner at Longstreet cafe.

Jamie Shepherd 

First Impressions!

Today we visited the welcome primary, unfortunately all the kids knew that we got beaten by Australia (one point!!!) After an amazing assembly  with Mr. Jacobs and the whole school, Mhairi and I visited 7a. The teacher,Mr. Martin, and all the pupils were very welcoming and we instantly felt integrated into their class. After a break time snack of delicious food, our task for the class was for them to read the letters from Mr. Hay's class and reply. The children worked really hard and their replies are amazing! I think that Mr. Hay's class will love them!
After this we visited the Cheetah sanctuary and we got to stroke a Cheetah! This was absolutely amazing. We also saw other amazing animals.
(PS. Everyone is jealous of Clunie's spider grip)

FIRST DAY AT WELCOME!!!

First day at the school went brilliantly. We got the the school at 8:30 and the kids had prepared a show for us with poems singing and dancing. 

We were split into pairs and I was with Francis so that we could go into the classes to meet the kids. We got class 4b which is around age 11. They were all so happy to see us and we're so sweet and ready to learn. We got them to write a response to the pen pal letter that some of the first years wrote to them. We then played with them outside at their interval. We took lots of photos and they were really keen to see them once we had taken them. 

We them left the school to go to the cheetah sanctuary and we got to pet a cheetah which was really cool. We also got to see other animals that the sanctuary help to protect. 

Welcome again...

Returning to Welcome Primary a year later after being at the school last October was amazing. I was rather surprised that some of the children came up to me saying that they recognised me. 
After a fabulous welcome assembly filled with songs and poems, Mark and I went to work in Grade 5B where we gave them scrapbooks that the Primary 6 & 7's at Burntisland Primary had made for them filled with letters, pictures and traditional Scottish recipes. The children were so happy to read the letters from the children and respond back. 
After that we went out to join the children at break time where we played football with them and got to know them better. 
They were all so happy and loving every moment of it and it's clear to say that I think we all did too! 

Let's Get Loud in Langas!

After an amazing morning up Table Mountain we were brought into the centre of Langa. 

We got a tour around the centre of Langa, by our tour guide Chappi. Where we got taken to the visiting centre and were shown the theatre and the art department eg pottery and sand painting. Then we went on to learning African drumming where Mr Clunie rocked the cow bell with Miss Roslender as back with the maracas. Later we wondered into shacks where we saw a lot of poverty and children who had no shoes walking over broken glass and sharpe stones, this was quite upsetting to see.Our tour guide Chappi bought lollipops for us to hand out to the children. We started to head up to a hostel with people who also living in poverty. There, we went to see a youth club called 'Happy Feet' consisting of  boys and girls who spend two hours of their day to practice dancing. It was definitely worth the visit as they were truly incredible. It was then our turn to learn to dance like them. To top off the night, Matt G asked the Mexican restaurant waitress "for a fanta and your number"!