Mr Booth - My Cape Town Experience

A is for Africa 

 

It has been 12 days of acronyms. From  the safari BRELL to TIA (This Is Africa - used to describe those situations when what happens differs considerably from what was planned; it was used a lot!) and NTS (Not Too Shabby - describing, with due Scottish reserve, all excellent experiences).

 

It has also been 12 days of strong contrasts: poverty and wealth, mountains and cities, vineyards and townships, laughter (lots) and tears (today as we said goodbye).

 

Those 12 days have also seen a lot of introductions. In my case to a country, abseiling, biltong, and the horror of the song Wrecking Ball being played at deafening levels while speeding from A to B in a minibus. But also to lots of fantastic people, including the staff at Welcome and the GCU. Mario and Michelle are at the heart of the community here, tirelessly working to help those less fortunate and putting time and expertise into the local schools to support youth development. Their commitment is crucial to the link and their warmth and initiative a real inspiration.

 

Finally, I would say that in the main it has felt like 12 days of beginnings - the start of something real. Steve McGuckin is due great credit for putting in the endless hours of work required to make this all happen (although this has to be weighed against his love for the music of Miley Cyrus...). As a result, we now have a link. And for me the best thing on this trip has been the kids. Both groups of pupils have done their schools proud - just so full of life, fun and possibility as they have thrown themselves into this link. Even a cynical Scottish teacher (I know, it is hard to imagine those words together) or two have found it hard not to be moved by the pupils' enthusiasm. But of course the difficult bit is not the intense and exciting days we spend here, it is sustaining and developing the link in a way that is purposeful and rich. So pick your metaphor: a seed planted, a flame lit, a chapter started. Whatever, the wheels are turning and the link between our schools is looking NTS.

 

Mr Booth